Tunable Heterogeneous FeCo Alloy-Mo0.82N Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Temperature-Adapted Zn-Air Batteries.

The practical applications of temperature-tolerant Zn-air batteries (ZABs) rely on highly active and stable bifunctional catalysts that accelerate cathodic oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution (OER) reactions. Herein, we successfully integrated fascinating transition metal nitrides and FeCo alloys through a simple coordination assembly and pyrolysis process. Importantly, the alloy-to-nitride ratio in the heterogeneous catalyst can be carefully regulated through the subsequent etching process. Moreover, the composition-dependent ORR/OER performance of the FeCo-Mo0.82N catalysts was revealed. Aqueous ZABs using the optimized FeCo-Mo0.82N-60 as a cathode exhibit a high peak power density of 149.7 mW cm-2 and an impressive stability of 600 h with a low charge-discharge voltage gap decay rate of 0.025 mV h-1, which exceeds those of most of recent reports. Furthermore, the FeCo-Mo0.82N-60-based flexible ZABs display a small specific capacity degradation (3%) from 40 to -10 °C, demonstrating excellent temperature tolerance.

Clinical manifestations and laboratory results of 61 children with infectious mononucleosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical manifestations of infectious mononucleosis in children of different ages. METHODS: Clinical data from pediatric patients with infectious mononucleosis admitted from May 2015 to April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified into three groups (age 1-3 years, 4-6 years, and 7-14 years) for analysis of clinical and laboratory results. RESULTS: Data from 61 patients (male:female ratio 1.18:1) aged 5.15 ± 2.93 years (mean ± standard deviation; range: 1-14 years) were analyzed. Infectious mononucleosis occurred throughout the year and the main clinical manifestations were fever (98.3%), tonsillitis (100%), tonsillar white exudate (83.6%), cervical lymphadenopathy (98.3%), hepatomegaly (37.7%), splenomegaly (42.6%), eyelid edema (41.0%), and nasal obstruction (49.2%). Disease onset was most common during early childhood (37.7%) and at preschool age (37.7%). Younger children had more obvious symptoms of nasal obstruction and older children had more significant elevations of alanine aminotransferase and higher percentages of atypical lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: The clinical manifestations of infectious mononucleosis in children differed by age. These associations required attention for clinical decision making.

Evaluation of Mesenteric Lymph Nodes in a Pediatric Population with Mesenteric Lymphadenitis Using Superb Microvascular Imaging.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate superb microvascular imaging (SMI) as an adjunctive imaging method to evaluate mesenteric lymph nodes in children with mesenteric lymphadenitis compared with healthy children. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study compared children with mesenteric lymphadenitis (n=27) and healthy children (n=30). Lymph node size was determined using grayscale ultrasonography and parameters of lymph node vascularity were compared using color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and SMI. The diagnostic performance of ultrasound (US), US combined with SMI, and US combined with CDFI were compared. RESULTS Lymph nodes from children with mesenteric lymphadenitis (n=77) and normal lymph nodes (n=84) were evaluated by SMI, which showed that the least diameter of lymph nodes in cases of mesenteric lymphadenitis was 0.58±0.15 mm and of normal mesenteric lymph nodes was 0.47±0.08 mm (p<0.001). SMI identified 92.6% of abnormal mesenteric lymph nodes while CDFI detected 85.2%. US combined with SMI had the highest sensitivity (81.5%), and specificity (78.9%) compared with US alone (sensitivity, 63.0%; specificity, 64.9%), and compared with US combined with CDFI (sensitivity, 74.1%; specificity, 75.4%). US combined with SMI and US combined with CDFI achieved the same specificity (76.7%), which was higher than that of US alone (66.7%). CONCLUSIONS SMI was superior to color Doppler flow imaging in evaluating the microvasculature in lymphadenopathy in mesenteric lymphadenitis. SMI may be used as an adjunct to grayscale ultrasonography to assist in identifying mesenteric lymphadenopathy in pediatric patients.

Elevated serum OX40L is a biomarker for identifying corticosteroid resistance in pediatric asthmatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids are widely used to control asthma symptoms, but steroid resistance (SR) is a common adverse reaction. Therefore, it is important to accurately predict the corticosteroid response of asthmatic patients. This study aims to evaluate the serum OX40 ligand (OX40L) in pediatric asthmatic patients, and to investigated its correlations with clinical characteristics and corticosteroid response. METHODS: A total of 192 pediatric asthmatic patients with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy and 130 healthy controls were selected. Clinical data were collected, and the serum levels of immunoglobulin (IgE), interleukin-6 (IL-6), thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and OX40L were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The level of serum OX40L was compared between the steroid-sensitive asthma (SSA) and steroid-resistant asthma (SRA) groups. RESULTS: The serum OX40L level in asthmatic patients (713.5 ± 165.7 pg/mL) was significantly higher than that of the healthy controls (238.6 ± 27.8 pg/mL) (P < 0.001), and significantly higher in SRA group (791.2 ± 167.9 pg/mL) than in SSA group (655.6 ± 138.8 pg/mL) (P < 0.001). The serum OX40L level showed a significant positive correlation with serum IgE, blood percentages of eosinophils and neutrophils, serum IL-6 and TSLP, and showed a negative correlation with asthma control test (ACT) score and forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1%). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was performed to obtain a cutoff value of serum OX40L as 780 pg/mL (sensitivity = 58.5%; specificity = 86.4%), which can identify SRA in asthmatic patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that elevated serum OX40L (≥780 pg/mL), as well as lymphocytes (%), ACT score, serum IL-6 and TSLP, were independent predictors of SRA (OX40L ≥ 780 pg/mL: odds ratio = 4.188; 95% CI = 1.800-9.746; P = 0.001). The serum OX40L level was decreased after ICS treatment in asthmatic patients, and the reduction in serum OX40L was significant higher in SSA group compared with SRA group. CONCLUSION: High serum OX40L can be used as a biomarker to identify asthmatic patients with corticosteroid resistance, and the change in OX40L level also reflects the response to ICS treatment. These results suggest an association of OX40L with the pathophysiology, inflammation, and clinical outcomes of asthma. New agents targeting OX40L can provide more precise and personalized therapy for asthma.

miR-17-5p regulates proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE2 cells by down-regulating BRMS1Lexpression / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@# Objective: To explore the molecular mechanism of miR-17-5p regulating the proliferation and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by regulating the expression of breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 like (BRMS1-like or BRMS1L) gene. Methods:A total of 40 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and corresponding paracancerous tissues resected from nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, who were admitted to the General Hospital of Pingdingshan Shenma Medical Group during January 2014 to December 2017, were included in this study; in addition, nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines CNE 2, HONE 1, C666-1 and nasopharyngeal immortalized epithelial cell line NP69 were also collected for this study. The expression of miR-17-5p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cell lines was detected by qPCR. The targeted relationship between BRMS1L and miR-17-5p was predicted by the StarBase and verified by the Dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Effects of transfection of miR-17-5p mimics and inhibitors on the expression of BRMS1Lin CNE2 cells were detected by WB assay. CCK-8, Transwell and Flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of miR-17-5p/BRMS1L axis on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of CNE 2 cells. Results: miR-17-5p was highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cell lines (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Knockdown of miR-17-5p significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of CNE2 cells but promoted apoptosis (P<0.05 or P<0.01); miR-17-5p targeted BRMS1Land down-regulated its expression. Over-expression of BRMS1Lsignificantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of CNE2 cells but promoted apoptosis (all P<0.01); while simultaneous over-expression of miR-17-5p and BRMS1L reversed the above effects (all P<0.01). Conclusion: miR-17-5p promoted proliferation, invasion, migration and inhibited apoptosis of CNE 2 cells by down-regulating the expression of BRMS1L.

Synthetic p55 tandem DNA vaccine against Pneumocystis carinii in rats.

Pneumocystis spp. are opportunistic fungal pathogens that are closely associated with severe pneumonia and pulmonary complications in patients with impaired immunity. In this study, the antigenic epitopes of the gene encoding the 55 kDa antigen fragment of Pneumocystis (p55), which may play an important role in Pneumocystis pneumonia, were analyzed. A gene containing tandem variants of the p55 antigen was synthesized and named the tandem antigen gene (TAG). TAG's potential as a DNA vaccine was assessed in immunosuppressed rats. Immunization with p55-TAG DNA vaccine significantly reduced both the pathogen burden and lung-weight to body-weight ratios. Additionally, p55-TAG vaccination in immunosuppressed rats elicited both cell-mediated and humoral immunity.

Antidepressant use among survivors of childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer: a report of the Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivor (CAYACS) Research Program.

BACKGROUND: Although survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer are at risk for late psychological sequelae, it is unclear if they are more likely to be prescription antidepressant users than their peers. PROCEDURE: All 5-year survivors of childhood or AYA cancer diagnosed before age 25 years in British Columbia from 1970 to 1995 were identified. Those with complete follow-up in the provincial health insurance registry from 2001 to 2004 were included (n = 2,389). A birth-cohort and gender-matched set of population controls 10 times the size of the survivor group was randomly selected (n = 23,890). All prescriptions filled between 2001 and 2004 were identified through linkage to the provincial prescription drug administrative database. Logistic regression analyses determined the impact of cancer survivorship on the likelihood of ever filling an antidepressant prescription. RESULTS: After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, survivors of childhood and AYA cancer were more likely to have filled an antidepressant prescription compared to controls (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.35). Cancer survivors had an increased likelihood of using all categories of antidepressants, and of using drugs from two or more antidepressant categories, compared to peers (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11-1.55 [≥2 antidepressant categories]). Treatment was not a significant predictor of antidepressant use. Female survivors, those in young adulthood and those more than 20 years post-treatment had increased antidepressant use. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of childhood and AYA cancer are more likely to fill antidepressant prescriptions compared to peer controls. This may indirectly reflect an increased underlying prevalence of mental health conditions among survivors.