Interaction between Serum Cotinine and Magnesium Intake with Childhood Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Serum cotinine and magnesium intake are often associated with childhood asthma. This study evaluated the interaction between serum cotinine and magnesium intake and childhood asthma. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 14,159 subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2018. Serum cotinine levels were classified according to the lower quartile: ≤0.2089 ng/mL as low level and >0.2089 ng/mL as high level. Magnesium intake was categorized as high (>98 mg/1,000 kcal) or low level (≤98 mg/1,000 kcal) based on the upper quartile. Weighted logistic regression analyses were adopted to analyze the association between cotinine, magnesium intake, and childhood asthma. Additionally, the combined effect of cotinine and magnesium intake on childhood asthma risk was examined. The stratified analyses were based on gender, body mass index, and family history of asthma to further examine the relationship between cotinine, magnesium intake, and childhood asthma. RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma was approximately 17.56%. Compared to low-level cotinine, high-level cotinine was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR] = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.50). Low-level magnesium intake was related to asthma compared with high-level magnesium intake (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04-1.40). Using interaction analysis, we also found that the combined effect of cotinine and magnesium intake was associated with childhood asthma risk, and the interaction between high-level cotinine and low-level magnesium intake was associated with the highest risk of childhood asthma (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.04-1.74). Additionally, this interaction was also found in males, overweight/non-overweight, and those with family history of asthma. CONCLUSION: There was an interaction between serum cotinine and magnesium intake on childhood asthma. The results suggested that implementing smoking bans in certain settings (e.g., communities, schools) and promoting the consumption of magnesium-rich foods may be effective strategies for preventing childhood asthma.

[Clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant]. / æ–°åž‹å† çŠ¶ç— æ¯’Omicronå˜å¼‚æ ªæµè¡ŒæœŸé—´ä¸åŒå¹´é¾„å„¿ç«¥æ„ŸæŸ“çš„ä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the differences in the clinical features of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different age groups during the epidemic of Omicron variant. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 211 children with COVID-19 who were admitted to the Department of General Pediatrics, Zhongshan People's Hospital, from December 9, 2022 to January 8, 2023. According to their age, they were divided into 4 groups: 1 month-<1 year (n=84), 1-<3 years group (n=64), 3-<5 years (n=29), and ≥5 years (n=34). The above groups were compared in terms of general status, clinical features, ancillary examination results, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: The children aged <3 years accounted for 70.1% (148/211) of all hospitalized children with COVID-19, and the 3-<5 years group and the ≥5 years group had a significantly higher proportion of children with underlying diseases than the 1 month-<1 year group and the 1-<3 years group (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of dyspnea, nasal congestion/nasal discharge, diarrhea and significantly lower incidence rates of convulsion and nervous system involvement (P<0.05). Moreover, compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had significantly higher incidence rates of increases in bile acid and creatine kinase isoenzyme and significantly lower incidence rates of decreased platelet count, increased neutrophil percentage, and decreased lymphocyte percentage (P<0.05). The 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher incidence rate of mild COVID-19 than the 1-<3 years group and a significantly lower incidence rate of severe/critical COVID-19 than the other three groups (P<0.05). Compared with the other three groups, the 1 month-<1 year group had a significantly higher proportion of children receiving oxygen inhalation therapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with COVID-19 in different age groups have different clinical features during the epidemic of Omicron variant, especially between the children aged 1 month to <1 year and those aged ≥1 year.

Glaucocalyxin A alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and apoptosis in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and permeability injury by inhibiting STAT3 signaling.

Glaucocalyxin A (GLA), an ent-kauranoid diterpene derived from Rabdosia japonica var. glaucocalyx, possesses antibacterial, anti-oxidative and anti-neuroinflammatory properties. The present study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying GLA in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. Human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (hPMVECs) treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were treated with GLA, followed by the detection of cell viability, inflammation, apoptosis and cell permeability. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of apoptosis- and permeability-associated proteins were determined using western blot analysis. Following treatment with a signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activator, the protein expression levels of STAT3 and endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated proteins were determined, to confirm whether STAT3 signaling was mediated by GLA. Lastly, the mRNA expression level of inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis and permeability injury were also determined following treatment with a STAT3 activator. The results revealed that GLA ameliorated inflammation, apoptosis and permeability injury in LPS-induced hPMVECs. Following treatment with a STAT3 activator, the therapeutic effects of GLA on LPS-induced hPMVECs were abrogated. In conclusion, GLA alleviated LPS-induced inflammation, apoptosis and permeability injury in hPMVECs by inhibiting STAT3 signaling, which highlighted the potential therapeutic value of GLA in the treatment of pneumonia.

[mRNA expression of MDR3 gene in the blood of preterm infants with parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between the expression of the MDR3 gene and the pathogenesis of parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis (PNAC) in preterm infants. METHODS: Among the preterm infants who were admitted to the hospital from June 2011 to November 2017 and received parenteral nutrition for more than 14 days, 80 who did not develop PNAC were enrolled as non-PNAC group, and 76 who developed PNAC were enrolled as PNAC group. On days 1, 14, 30, 60 and 90 after birth, serum hepatobiliary biochemical parameters [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil), total bile acid (TBA) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT)], fibrosis indices [hyaluronic acid, laminin, procollagen III N-terminal peptide and type IV collagen] and clinical manifestations were observed. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of MDR3 in both groups, and the correlation between the mRNA expression of MDR3 and serum hepatobiliary biochemical parameters was analyzed. RESULTS: In the PNAC group, serum levels of hepatobiliary biochemical parameters and fibrosis indices increased on day 14 after birth and reached the peak on day 30 after birth, followed by a reduction on day 60 after birth. On days 14, 30, 60 and 90 after birth, the PNAC group had significantly higher serum levels of hepatobiliary biochemical parameters and fibrosis indices than the non-PNAC group (P<0.05). The PNAC group had higher relative mRNA expression of MDR3 in peripheral blood cells than the non-PNAC group (P<0.05). In the PNAC group, the relative mRNA expression of MDR3 in peripheral blood cells was negatively correlated with serum levels of hepatobiliary biochemical parameters (ALT, TBil, DBil, TBA and γ-GT) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High mRNA expression of MDR3 in preterm infants may be associated with the development of PNAC, and further studies are needed to identify the mechanism.

Chemical Constituents from Tabernaemontana bufalina Lour.

Investigation of the branches and leaves of Tabernaemontana bufalina Lour. led to afford an undescribed monoterpenoid indole alkaloid, namely (3R,7S,14R,19S,20R)-19-hydroxypseudovincadifformine (1), and nine known metabolites (2-10). Their structures were determined by analysis of their NMR and ESI-MS spectra, and modified Mosher's and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) methods were used for establishing the absolute configuration of compound 1. Their cytotoxic activities were assayed using two cancer cell lines. As the results, cytotoxic activities on MDA-MB-231 and B16 cells showed IC50 values of 8.9 and 0.13 µm for 6, and of 20.3 and 11.7 µm for 9, respectively.

Feasibility of ß-sheet breaker peptide-H102 treatment for Alzheimer's disease based on ß-amyloid hypothesis.

ß-amyloid hypothesis is the predominant hypothesis in the study of pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. This hypothesis claims that aggregation and neurotoxic effects of amyloid ß (Aß) is the common pathway in a variety of etiological factors for Alzheimer's disease. Aß peptide derives from amyloid precursor protein (APP). ß-sheet breaker peptides can directly prevent and reverse protein misfolding and aggregation in conformational disorders. Based on the stereochemical structure of Aß1-42 and aggregation character, we had designed a series of ß-sheet breaker peptides in our previous work and screened out a 10-residue peptide ß-sheet breaker peptide, H102. We evaluated the effects of H102 on expression of P-tau, several associated proteins, inflammatory factors and apoptosis factors, and examined the cognitive ability of APP transgenic mice by behavioral test. This study aims to validate the ß-amyloid hypothesis and provide an experimental evidence for the feasibility of H102 treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

[The role of oxidative stress in experimental diabetic neuropathy].

AIM: To study the role of oxidative stress in the initiation and development of diabetic neuropathy. METHODS: The diabetic rats were induced with streptozotocin (STZ). The malondialdehyde (MDA) level, total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase activity were measured in the sciatic nerves at various stages of diabetes. The correlation of the MDA level and Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase activity was analyzed in diabetic rats. The pathological changes of sciatic nerve at diabetic various stages were examined by light microscopy. RESULTS: The MDA level increased significantly in diabetic sciatic nerves as compared to controls at all time intervals. Total SOD activity increased significantly in diabetic sciatic nerves as compared to controls at one month of diabetes and progressively decreased at three/six months of diabetes. Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase activity progressively decreased at three/six months of diabetes. The correlation analysis indicated that the Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase activity was negative correlation with the MDA level in the diabetic rats. Histopathological study of the diabetic sciatic nerves showed that the pathological changes were observed at 3 months of diabetes, the changes were more serious as the diabetic duration was longer. CONCLUSION: Oxidative stress is found to occur during the early stages of STZ-induced diabetes (no neuropathy) and this state is maintained after initiation of neuropathy. The decreased Na(+) -K(+) -ATPase activity is associated with oxidative stress in the diabetic rats. Therefore, oxidative stress plays an important role in the initiation and development of diabetic neuropathy.

[Modulation with bupleurum root on brain electrical activities in epileptic model].

AIM: To study the effect of bupleurum root on epileptic seizure. METHODS: The rabbits and rats were injected by pilocarpine as epileptic models, and observed the effect of bupleurum on the electroencephalogram (EEG) and hippocampal slice by electroencephalograph and glass microelectrode extracellularly. RESULTS: The seizure time and duration of each major seizure of epilepsy were significantly shortened and the interval of seizure significantly prolonged (P < 0.05) after intraabdominal injection of bupleurum root. After instilling the injection of bupleurum root onto the slices could reduce the amplitude of evoked field potential in epileptic hippocampal slices remarkably, the average of fall is 20.41%, and restore in 6.86 minutes on average (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Bupleurum root can inhibit the brain electrical activities in epileptic model, it is suggest that bupleurum has the distinct effect of antiepilepsy.