Effect of combined electrolyzed reduced water and slightly acidic electrolyzed water spraying on the control of Salmonella, eggshell quality, and shelf life of eggs during storage.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is a safe and effective disinfectant, but its sterilizing efficiency is compromised by organic matter on the egg surface. Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) is a harmless cleaner with a decontamination effect on a variety of surfaces and can be used to remove organic matter. This study assesses the effectiveness of a combination of ERW and SAEW in eliminating Salmonella and manure mixture from egg surfaces, as well as its impact on egg quality during storage. The results show that ERW (74.14%) was more effective than deionized water (DW, 64.69%) and SAEW (70.20%) (P < 0.05) in removing manure from egg surfaces. The damage to the cuticle of eggshell treated with ERW for 28 s was similar to that of DW (P > 0.05) and less than that of SAEW (P < 0.05). Spraying ERW for 10 s followed by SAEW for 18 s (ERW + SAEW) completely removed Salmonella from the egg surface, with no bacteria detected in the residual wash solution. Additionally, ERW + SAEW demonstrated superior preservation of egg quality during storage at 25℃ than the control and ERW single treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, ERW + SAEW resulted in less weight loss compared to SAEW single treatment (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the sequential use of ERW and SAEW appears to be a promising approach for sterilizing eggs. It not only removes organic matter and Salmonella from the egg surface but also improves the preservation quality of the egg at 25 ℃.

Evidence for an intra-tumoral microbiome in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors with different clinical phenotypes.

PURPOSE: Bacteria have been observed in the tumor environment for decades and have been demonstrated to play important roles in the pathogenesis and development of several different tumors. So far there is a clear lack of specific studies relating to the presence of bacteria in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). METHODS: In this study, we performed five region-based amplification and bacterial 16 S rRNA sequencing to identify the microbiome of PitNET tissues across four clinical phenotypes. Multiple filter procedures were performed to inhibit the risk of contamination with bacteria and bacterial DNA. Histological analysis was also conducted to validate the localization of bacteria in the intra-tumoral region. RESULTS: We identified common and diverse bacterial types across the four clinical phenotypes of PitNET. We also predicted the potential functions of these bacteria in tumor phenotypes and found that these functions were reported in certain previous mechanistic studies. Our data indicate that the pathogenesis and development of tumors may correlate with the behavior of intra-tumoral bacteria. Histological results, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for bacterial 16 S rRNA clearly demonstrated the localization of bacteria in the intra-tumoral region. Staining for Iba-1 suggested that the proportion of microglia was more abundant in FISH-positive regions than in FISH-negative regions. Furthermore, in FISH-positive regions, the microglia exhibited a longitudinally branched morphology that was different to the compact morphology observed in FISH-negative regions. CONCLUSION: In summary, we provide an evidence for the existence of intra-tumoral bacteria in PitNET.

A combined approach using slightly acidic electrolyzed water and tea polyphenols to inhibit lipid oxidation and ensure microbiological safety during beef preservation.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is often used as a disinfectant in beef preservation to ensure microbiological safety. However, it ineffectively inhibit lipid oxidation. Therefore, the combination of SAEW and tea polyphenols (TPs) was tested to inhibit lipid oxidation and microbial growth in beef preservation. SAEW and TPs were selected as the optimum sanitizer and antioxidant, respectively. Then, the inactivation efficacies of different combination treatments of SAEW and TPs of Salmonella enteritidis in beef were compared and treatment of SAEW-TPs (SAEW immersion at an available chlorine concentration of 30 mg/L for 2.5 min, followed by the TPs immersion at a 0.1% concentration for 2.5 min) was selected. Finally, the effectiveness of SAEW-TPs on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of beef during storage was evaluated. The results revealed that the required quality standard of beef treated with SAEW-TPs was prolonged by approximately 9 d at 4 °C, and this treatment had greater antimicrobial and antioxidant effects than did the single treatment.

Deficiency of TRIM32 Impairs Motor Function and Purkinje Cells in Mid-Aged Mice.

Proper functioning of the cerebellum is crucial to motor balance and coordination in adult mammals. Purkinje cells (PCs), the sole output neurons of the cerebellar cortex, play essential roles in cerebellar motor function. Tripartite motif-containing protein 32 (TRIM32) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that is involved in balance activities of neurogenesis in the subventricular zone of the mammalian brain and in the development of many nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, the role of TRIM32 in cerebellar motor function has never been examined. In this study we found that motor balance and coordination of mid-aged TRIM32 deficient mice were poorer than those of wild-type littermates. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess cerebella morphology and TRIM32 expression in PCs. Golgi staining showed that the extent of dendritic arborization and dendritic spine density of PCs were decreased in the absence of TRIM32. The loss of TRIM32 was also associated with a decrease in the number of synapses between parallel fibers and PCs, and in synapses between climbing fibers and PCs. In addition, deficiency of TRIM32 decreased Type I inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 5-phosphatase (INPP5A) levels in cerebellum. Overall, this study is the first to elucidate a role of TRIM32 in cerebellar motor function and a possible mechanism, thereby highlighting the importance of TRIM32 in the cerebellum.

Metformin activates chaperone-mediated autophagy and improves disease pathologies in an Alzheimer disease mouse model

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a lysosome-dependent selective degradation pathway implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms that regulate CMA are not fully understood. Here, using unbiased drug screening approaches, we discover Metformin, a drug that is commonly the first medication prescribed for type 2 diabetes, can induce CMA. We delineate the mechanism of CMA induction by Metformin to be via activation of TAK1-IKKα/β signaling that leads to phosphorylation of Ser85 of the key mediator of CMA, Hsc70, and its activation. Notably, we find that amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is a CMA substrate and that it binds to Hsc70 in an IKKα/β-dependent manner. The inhibition of CMA-mediated degradation of APP enhances its cytotoxicity. Importantly, we find that in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), activation of CMA by Hsc70 overexpression or Metformin potently reduces the accumulated brain Aβ plaque levels and reverses the molecular and behavioral AD phenotypes. Our study elucidates a novel mechanism of CMA regulation via Metformin-TAK1-IKKα/β-Hsc70 signaling and suggests Metformin as a new activator of CMA for diseases, such as AD, where such therapeutic intervention could be beneficial.

Risk factors for metabolic bone disease of prematurity in very/extremely low birth weight infants: a multicenter investigation in China / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the incidence rate and risk factors for metabolic bone disease of prematurity (MBDP) in very low birth weight/extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants.@*METHODS@#The medical data of 61 786 neonates from multiple centers of China between September 1, 2013 and August 31, 2016 were retrospectively investigated, including 504 VLBW/ELBW preterm infants who met the inclusion criteria. Among the 504 infants, 108 infants diagnosed with MBDP were enrolled as the MBDP group and the remaining 396 infants were enrolled as the non-MBDP group. The two groups were compared in terms of general information of mothers and preterm infants, major diseases during hospitalization, nutritional support strategies, and other treatment conditions. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for MBDP.@*RESULTS@#The incidence rate of MBDP was 19.4% (88/452) in VLBW preterm infants and 38.5% (20/52) in ELBW preterm infants. The incidence rate of MBDP was 21.7% in preterm infants with a gestational age of < 32 weeks and 45.5% in those with a gestational age of < 28 weeks. The univariate analysis showed that compared with the non-MBDP group, the MBDP group had significantly lower gestational age and birth weight, a significantly longer length of hospital stay, and a significantly higher incidence rate of extrauterine growth retardation (@*CONCLUSIONS@#A lower gestational age, hypocalcemia, extrauterine growth retardation at discharge, and neonatal sepsis may be associated an increased risk of MBDP in VLBW/ELBW preterm infants. It is necessary to strengthen perinatal healthcare, avoid premature delivery, improve the awareness of the prevention and treatment of MBDP among neonatal pediatricians, and adopt positive and reasonable nutrition strategies and comprehensive management measures for preterm infants.

Association of different stages of histological chorioamnionitis with respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants with a gestational age of < 32 weeks / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the association of different stages of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) with the incidence rate and severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants.@*METHODS@#Related data were collected from the infants and their mothers who were treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao University, from January 2018 to June 2020. According to the presence or absence of HCA and its stage, the infants were divided into four groups: control (@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control and late-stage HCA groups, the early-stage HCA group had a significantly lower incidence rate of placental abruption and a significantly higher rate of prenatal use of antibiotics (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Early-, middle-, and late-stage HCA can reduce the incidence rate of RDS in preterm infants. HCA stage may not be correlated with RDS severity in preterm infants, which needs to be verified by further research.

Advance in Flexible Variable Stiffness Actuator of Rehabilitation Robot (review) / 中国康复理论与实践

Flexible variable stiffness actuator is divided into four categories including elastic element, pneumatic element, electric-magnetic element and intelligent material. It is gradually applied in rehabilitation robot. It could adapt the change of patient's impedance in the upper and lower limb rehabilitation robots, ensure the safety of the wearer in the exoskeleton, and improve the biomimetics in the prosthesis. Variable stiffness driving mechanism for rehabilitation robot still has some disadvantages. It is proposed to have compact structure, low power consumption, good stiffness characteristics, high response rate and progressive output torque curve, etc.

Neurotoxic role of interleukin-17 in neural stem cell differentiation after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Interleukin 17 (IL-17) and its main producer, T cell receptor γδ cells, have neurotoxic effects in the pathogenesis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), aggravating brain injuries. To investigate the correlation between IL-17 and ICH, we dynamically screened serum IL-17 concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and explored the clinical values of IL-17 in ICH patients. There was a significant negative correlation between serum IL-17 level and neurological recovery status in ICH patients (r = -0.498, P < 0.01). To study the neurotoxic role of IL-17, C57BL/6 mice were used to establish an ICH model by injecting autologous blood into the caudate nucleus. Subsequently, the mice were treated with mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) and/or IL-17 neutralizing antibody for 72 hours. Flow cytometry, brain water content detection, Nissl staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling results indicated that NSC transplantation significantly reduced IL-17 expression in peri-hematoma tissue, but there was no difference in T cell receptor γδ cells. Compared with the ICH group, there were fewer apoptotic bodies and more Nissl bodies in the ICH + NSC group and the ICH + NSC + IL-17 group. To investigate the potential effect of IL-17 on directional differentiation of NSCs, we cultured mouse NSCs (NE-4C) alone or co-cultured them with T cell receptor γδ cells, which were isolated from mouse peripheral blood mononuclear cells, for 7 days. The results of western blot assays revealed that IL-17 secreted by T cell receptor γδ cells reduced the differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes and neurons, while IL-17 neutralization relieved the inhibition of directional differentiation into astrocytes rather than neurons. In conclusion, serum IL-17 levels were elevated in the early stage of ICH and were negatively correlated with outcome in ICH patients. Animal experiments and cytological investigations therefore demonstrated that IL-17 probably has neurotoxic roles in ICH because of its inhibitory effects on the directional differentiation of NSCs. The application of IL-17 neutralizing antibody may promote the directional differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes. This study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University of China (For human study: Approval No. 20170135) in December 2016. All animal handling and experimentation were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Anhui Medical University (approval No. 20180248) in December 2017.

Analysis of temporal and spatial characteristics of fluoride in drinking water in rural areas of Jinan City from 2015 to 2018 / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To understand the temporal and spatial characteristics of fluoride in rural drinking water in Jinan City.Methods:From 2015 to 2018, the factory water and terminal water samples of centralized rural water supply system were collected from all townships (streets) in 7 agriculture-related districts (counties) in Jinan City during dry season and high water season. Water samples were collected, stored, transported and tested in accordance with the "Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water" (GB/T 5750-2006). The time, region, endemic areas (Zhangqiu, Jiyang, Shanghe, Licheng, Changqing) and non-endemic areas (Pingyin, Tianqiao) of drinking water type fluorosis, water periods (dry season and high water season), water samples (factory water and terminal water), water sources (shallow well water, deep well water, river water and reservoir water) of water fluorine were analyzed descriptively.Results:A total of 1 638 water samples were collected from 2015 to 2018, the median of water fluorine was 0.400 mg/L, ranging from 0.002 to 2.700 mg/L. The differences in water fluorine of different year (0.400, 0.430, 0.490, 0.360 mg/L) were statistically significant ( H = 33.907, P < 0.01). Total water fluorine excess rate was 5.49% (90/1 638), there were 3 districts with water fluorine excess, namely Jiyang [26.11% (59/226)], Zhangqiu [6.12% (30/490)] and Licheng [0.53% (1/188)]. The median of water fluorine in endemic areas (1 398 samples) was 0.420 mg/L, the non-endemic areas (240 samples) was 0.320 mg/L, and the water fluorine in endemic areas was significantly higher than that in non-endemic areas ( Z =-6.490, P < 0.01). The water fluorine excess rate in endemic areas was 6.44% (90/1 398), and there was no water fluorine excess in non-endemic areas. The median of water fluorine in both dry season (819 samples) and high water season (819 samples) was 0.400 mg/L. The median of water fluorine of factory water (392 samples) was 0.320 mg/L, the terminal water (1 246 samples) was 0.450 mg/L, and the water fluorine of terminal water was significantly higher than that of factory water ( Z =-6.881, P < 0.01). The water fluorine excess rates of shallow well water and deep well water were 31.76% (47/148) and 3.82% (43/1 126), respectively, and there were no water fluorine excess in river water and reservoir water. Conclusions:Fluoride of drinking water in rural areas of Jinan City exceeds the standard, mainly concentrated in Jiyang District. The water fluorine in endemic areas is higher than that in non-endemic areas, water fluorine of terminal water is higher than that of factory water, shallow well water and deep well water as the sources of water has excessive water fluoride, and the general survey and detection of fluoride content in residents' drinking water should be continuously carried out.

Research of a Wearable Lower Extremity Assisted Exoskeleton Robot System / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To propose a new type of lightweight wearable lower extremity exoskeleton assisted robot system, and explore the feasibility of walking and posture change rehabilitation training for patients with gait disorder and with paraplegia under T4 spinal cord injury (exclusion of lower extremity muscle spasm and obvious pain). Methods:The active and passive hybrid wearable lower extremity exoskeleton assisted robot structure of the hip joint with two-motor active drive and the knee joint passive four-link simulating the instantaneous movement of the human body was designed. Based on modular control, the STM32F767IGT6 and peripheral circuits, attitude acquisition, power supply and crutches module control system were proposed. The exoskeleton robot was worn by a normal person to perform the experiment of leveling, slope and posture transformation and analyze hip/knee /ankle joint angles during exercise, and compare the myoelectric signals of the lateral femoral and medial femoral muscles. Results:The wearer could realize the sitting-standing posture change and the flat/slope walking only based on the exoskeleton robot system, and the hip/knee/ankle angles were basically consistent with the normal walking and the electromyographic signals of the lateral femoral, medial femoral muscle significantly decreased when the robot was worn while walking. Conclusion:The active-passive hybrid lower exoskeleton assisted robot system can still achieve the rehabilitation of walking and posture change while reducing the weight. This verified the feasibility of the assisted robot system with the active dual-motor of the hip joint and the passive four-link structure of the knee joint to help the patients with paraplegia and gait disorder to walk and recover.

Exogenous GA3 application altered morphology, anatomic and transcriptional regulatory networks of hormones in Eucalyptus grandis.

Gibberellins (GAs) play a key role in plant growth and development including cell elongation, cell expansion, and xylem differentiation. Eucalyptus are the world's most widely planted hardwood trees providing fiber and energy. However, the roles of GAs in Eucalyptus remain unclear and their effects on xylem development remain to be determined. In this study, E. grandis plants were treated with 0.10 mg L-1 GA3 and/or paclobutrazol (PAC, a GA inhibitor). The growth of shoot and root were recorded, transverse sections of roots and stems were stained using toluidine blue, and expression levels of genes related to hormone response and secondary cell wall biosynthesis were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that GA3 dramatically promoted the length of shoot and root, but decreased the diameter of root and stem. Exogenous GA3 application also significantly promoted xylem development in both stem and root. Expression analysis revealed that exogenous GA3 application altered the transcript levels of genes related to the GA biosynthetic pathway and GA signaling, as well as genes related to auxin, cytokinin, and secondary cell wall. These findings suggest that GAs may interact with other hormones (such as auxin and cytokinin) to regulate the expression of secondary cell wall biosynthesis genes and trigger xylogenesis in Eucalyptus plants.

MiR-200c regulates tumor growth and chemosensitivity to cisplatin in osteosarcoma by targeting AKT2.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) expression aberration has been discovered in almost all human cancers, thus offering a group of potential diagnostic markers, prognostic factors and therapeutic targets in tumorigenesis. Now our data showed that miR-200c, which is downregulated in osteosarcoma tissues, drives chemosensitivity to cisplatin in osteosarcoma. We demonstrated that AKT2 is a direct target of miR-200c, Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of AKT2 and miR-200c in 35 pairs of osteosarcoma specimens were inversely correlated. Moreover, miR-200c inhibited cell proliferation and cell migration. Taken together, for the first time, our results demonstrate that miR-200c plays a significant role in osteosarcoma tumor growth and chemosensitivity by regulating AKT2, which may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment of osteosarcoma.

Direct Macromolecular Drug Delivery to Cerebral Ischemia Area using Neutrophil-Mediated Nanoparticles.

Delivery of macromolecular drugs to the brain is impeded by the blood brain barrier. The recruitment of leukocytes to lesions in the brain, a typical feature of neuroinflammation response which occurs in cerebral ischemia, offers a unique opportunity to deliver drugs to inflammation sites in the brain. In the present study, cross-linked dendrigraft poly-L-lysine (DGL) nanoparticles containing cis-aconitic anhydride-modified catalase and modified with PGP, an endogenous tripeptide that acts as a ligand with high affinity to neutrophils, were developed to form the cl PGP-PEG-DGL/CAT-Aco system. Significant binding efficiency to neutrophils, efficient protection of catalase enzymatic activity from degradation and effective transport to receiver cells were revealed in the delivery system. Delivery of catalase to ischemic subregions and cerebral neurocytes in MCAO mice was significantly enhanced, which obviously reducing infarct volume in MCAO mice. Thus, the therapeutic outcome of cerebral ischemia was greatly improved. The underlying mechanism was found to be related to the inhibition of ROS-mediated apoptosis. Considering that neuroinflammation occurs in many neurological disorders, the strategy developed here is not only promising for treatment of cerebral ischemia but also an effective approach for various CNS diseases related to inflammation.

Life quality improvement in hoarse patients with early glottic cancer after transoral laser microsurgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the recovery kinetics of voice and quality of life (QOL) over time in patients with early glottic cancer who underwent transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in which acoustic and aerodynamic voice assessments and QOL analyses were done using health-related questionnaires (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30-questions [EORTC-QLQ-C30] and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Head and Neck 35-questions [EORTC-QLQ-H&N35]) were administered at designated times. RESULTS: Most voice laboratory parameters worsened during the first month, then recovered to baseline after 6 months. The QLQ-H&N35 speech subscale was significantly improved. Among the voice laboratory parameters, pretreatment harmonics-to-noise ratio was an independent predictor (P = .041) for improvement on the speech subscale at the endpoint. CONCLUSION: Despite an initial deterioration of voice and QOL in the first month, patients who underwent TLM recovered to a plateau since the sixth month and then to better than preoperative status afterward. A greater improvement in QOL was seen in patients with poorer baseline voice quality.

What should we expect from robotic surgery for second primary oropharyngeal cancer?

The outcomes of second primary oropharyngeal cancer (SPOPC) may not be determined by oropharyngeal cancer but from the other index cancer as well. The management of (SPOPC) remains inconclusive and limited. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) to maximize the functional outcomes without reducing oncologic effect is suggested as the primary treatment for selected oropharyngeal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of TORS for the management of SPOPC. Patients who underwent TORS from January 2011 to June 2015 at a tertian referral center in Taiwan were recruited. Loco-regional status, overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and postoperative functional status were evaluated. Fifteen patients received TORS for SPOPC with curative intent, including eleven with tongue-base carcinomas, and four with tonsil carcinomas. One case was terminated because of inadequate exposure and the other 14 cases were completed with negative pathologic margins. Two-year OS and DSS were 53 and 77%, respectively. Patients with SPOPC occurring within 6 months had poorer outcomes (p = 0.044). The median time to feeding-tube removal was 5 days, and one patient had long-term gastric-tube dependence. Patients of age <65 years with synchronous SPOPC and esophageal cancer as the other index cancer were significant worse in oncologic outcomes. We concluded that TORS is a feasible alternative treatment in selected patients with SPOPC. Patients with metachronous T1-2 SPOPC without an esophageal primary can achieve excellent survival after TORS, while TORS can maximize functional preservation with limited destruction in patients with low life expectancy.

Report of three death cases of imported falciparum malaria in Wenzhou City / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

The three death cases of falciparum malaria in Wenzhou City were all imported from Africa. One patient died on 10 January 2007 because of severe clinical symptoms after hospitalization. The second case was initially misdiagnosed as influen-za in primary health and medical institution. The patient's condition quickly worsened and died of Plasmodium falciparum infec-tion on 5 March 2011. The third patient belonged to"non-identity"person,and there were no detailed information and epidemio-logical history on admission,which resulted in the delayed diagnosis,disease exacerbation and death. In conclusion,the health education should be provided to the people who return from Africa and also to medical workers in order to reduce the mortality of falciparum malaria.

Value of serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase levels in predicting the severity of hand, foot and mouth disease / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the value of serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in predicting the severity of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety children with HFMD were classified into three groups: common type, severe type, and critical type (n=30 each). Thirty healthy children were randomly selected as the control group. ELISA was used to measure serum levels of S100B protein and NSE before and at 7 days after treatment. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the prediction efficiency of S100B protein and NSE for the severity of HFMD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The critical type group had significant increases in the serum levels of S100B protein and NSE compared with the other three groups (P<0.01). The severe type group had significant increases in serum levels of S100B protein and NSE compared with the common type and control groups (P<0.01). The critical type and severe type groups had significant reductions in serum levels of S100B protein and NSE after treatment (P<0.05). Serum S100B protein had the highest Youden value of 0.611 at the cut-off value of 0.445 μg/L, with a sensitivity of 61% and a specificity of 100%, in the prediction of serious HFMD (including severe type and critical type HFMD). Serum NSE had the highest Youden value of 0.533 at the cut-off value of 5.905 μg/L, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 73%, in the prediction of serious HFMD. Combined measurements of these two parameters had a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 73% and had the highest predictive value for serious HFMD.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The serum levels of S100B protein and NSE help to predict the severity and treatment outcomes of HFMD. Combined measurements of these two parameters has a higher predictive value for serious HFMD.</p>

Association between S100B gene polymorphisms and hand, foot and mouth disease caused by enterovirus 71 infection / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between rs9722 polymorphisms in the S100B gene and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) caused by enterovirus 71.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 124 HFMD children with enterovirus 71 infection were enrolled as subjects, and 56 healthy children were enrolled as control group. The rs9722 polymorphisms in the S100B gene were detected for both groups, and the serum level of S100B protein was measured for 74 HFMD children.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rs9722 locus of the S100B gene had three genotypes, CC, CT, and TT, and the genotype frequencies were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Compared with the control group, the HFMD group had significant increases in the frequencies of TT genotype and T allele (P<0.01). Children with severe HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 infection had significantly higher frequencies of TT genotype and T allele than those with moderate or mild HFMD (P<0.05). Compared with the cured patients, the patients with poor prognosis had significant increases in the frequencies of TT genotype and T allele in the rs9722 locus of the S100B gene (P<0.05). Among the 74 children with HFMD, the children with TT genotype had the highest serum level of S100B protein, and those with CC genotype had the lowest level (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>T allele in the rs9722 locus of the S100B gene might be a risk factor for severe HFMD caused by enterovirus 71 infection.</p>