Objective To investigate the calculation method and its inlfuencing factors of Z scores in the aortic root diameters measured by echocardiography in children. Methods A total of 105 children with median age 19 months, who came to Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from March 2012 to October 2012 were included. The diameters of aortic ring (ARD) and aortic sinus (ASD) were measured by two dimension echocardiography, Z scores of ARD and ASD were calculated using two different normal reference values regression equation and mean square error derived from Shenzhen children′s hospital (C method) and Pettersen et al (P method). The regression equation from C method and body surface area (BSA) formula from P method were adopted to calculate Z scores of ARD and ASD (ZH method). The Z results of ARD and ASD calculated by those three methods were compared and were analyzed for their normality probability distributions. Results Z scores of ARD and ASD derived from C method were all showed as normal distribution (P=0.067 and 0.650). Z scores of ARD and ASD derived from P method were all showed as normal distribution (P=0.208 and 0.970). Z score of ARD derived from ZH method was showed as non-normal distribution (P=0.027), but Z score of ASD was normal distribution (P=0.430). There were no significant differences in ARD-Z calculated by C method (0.41±0.89), P method (0.23±0.85) and ZH method (0.36±0.94) (F=1.117, P=0.309). There were signiifcant differences in the Z scores of ASD calculated by C method (0.38±0.89), P method (0.58±0.71) and ZH method (0.36±0.84) (F=5.443, P=0.005). Z scores of ARD (r=0.917, P=0.000) and ASD (r=0.900, P=0.000) calculated by C method correlated well with that by P method. Conclusions Calculation method of BSA and normal reference values regression equation were the main influencing factors of Z score value in quantifying children aortic root diameters by echocardiography. For the clinical applications. The normal reference value should be used which is suitable for the Chinese children.

Objective To evaluate the value and clinical application of cardiac structure Z scores in children with preoperative tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) by echocardiography. Methods Considering the result of 31 patients who underwent echocardiography in Shenzhen Children’s Hospital before TOF repair from January 2011 to September 2013, the median age was 10 months (range:3 days to 14 years). Other 31 normal children were selected as normal control group with age-and sex-matched, the median age was 10 months (range: 6 days to 13 years). Echocardiographic measurements included the diameter of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), pulmonary valve diameter (PVD), left pulmonary artery diameter (LPAD), right pulmonary artery diameter (RPAD), pulmonary valve peak velocity (PV-Vmax), tricuspid annulus diameter (TVD), mitral annulus diameter (MAD), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular mass (LVmass). Shenzhen Children’s Hospital pediatric echocardiography normal reference values and the regression equation are applied to obtain the forecast average, and using the Z-score formula into the standard value (Z=[M-y]/ MSE ). Results There was no significant difference in body surface area between the TOF group and control group (P>0.05). Compared with control group, the true value of RVOT reduced significantly in TOF group, its Z-score showed negative values increase (-4.87±1.86 vs 0.33±0.93, t=-13.90, P<0.05). PVD, LPAD and RPAD reduced significantly in TOF group, those Z scores showed a negative value increase (-4.15±2.93 vs 0.11±0.85, t=-7.76;-1.35±2.38 vs 0.66±1.17, t=-4.24;-1.47±2.03 vs 0.59±1.04, t=-4.94;all P<0.05). While PV-Vmax increased significantly, and it’s Z score showed a positive value increase (8.38±0.19 vs 0.24±0.98, t=29.50, P<0.05). TVD of TOF patients was slightly larger than the control group (P=0.10), but the Z score was significant greater than the control group (1.00±1.17 vs 0.29±0.52, t=3.06, P<0.05). MV-D, LVEDV and LVmass of TOF patients were slightly decreased than the control group (all P>0.05), but the Z scores of TOF were significantly reduced than the control group (0.25±0.78 vs 0.76±0.65, t=-2.75;-0.92±1.94 vs 0.03±1.01, t=-2.41;-0.83±1.59 vs 0.67±0.69, t=-4.71; all P<0.05). The Z scores of RVOT, PVD, LPAD and RPAD had no significant difference between transannular patch surgery and pulmonary valve-sparing repair patients (-4.89±2.03 vs -4.84±1.67, t=-0.08; -4.73±3.49 vs -3.34±1.75, t=-1.31; -1.88±2.54 vs -0.62±2.00, t=-1.49;-1.89±1.90 vs-0.84±2.15, t=-1.41;all P>0.05). For the Z scores of PV-Vmax, there were no significant difference between transannular patch surgery and pulmonary valve-sparing repair (8.58±1.20 vs 8.12±1.16, t=1.07, P>0.05). Conclusions The Z scores value of cardiac structure can be used in quantitative analysis of RVOT obstruction and development of left ventricular backward of TOF. The Z score of transannular patch surgery is more lower than pulmonary valve-sparing repair patients. The normalized Z score by body surface area correction is important for the preoperative diagnosis and the surgical planning.

Objective To evaluate the value of lung ultrasound score (LUS) in the quantitative assessment of the severity of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and the value of clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods Totally 74 NRDS cases and 30 normal neonates were studied.LUS was compared with X-ray examination,clinical data,ventilator assisted ventilation and ventilator parameters.ROC curve was used to calculate sensitivity and specificity of LUS to predict the severity of NRDS and application of invasive ventilator treatment.Results The main findings of the lung ultrasound in NRDS included diffuse distribution of dense B line,disappeared A line,pleural line abnormalities,decreased pulmonary slip sign and pulmonary consolidation.LUS in patients with NRDS was significantly correlated with X ray grades,clinical grades,assisted ventilation mode grades,number of days on ventilator and ventilator parameters (all P＜0.05).LUS value to predict mild,moderate and severe NRDS were 13.0,22.5,and 29.5,respectively.The best cutoff point for LUS to predict the adoptation of invasive assisted ventilation was 22.5,which had sensitivity of 86.0 ％ and specificity of 64.5 ％.Conclusion LUS can be used to diagnose and evaluate the severity of the desease,and to guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of coronary artery Z-scores on echocardiography in diagnosing coronary artery abnormalities. Methods The echocardiography results of 612 patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) at the acute and recovery phase were retrospectively studied. Coronary artery luminal diameters were converted to body-surface-area-adjusted Z-scores. According to coronary Z-scores classiifcation, all the subjects were divided to four groups:415 cases with no dilation (ND), 133 cases with small coronary artery abnormalities (SCAAs), 47 cases with large coronary artery abnormalities (LCAAs), and 17 cases with giant coronary artery abnormalities (GCAAs). Clinical features (gender, age, typical clinical manifestations, fever duration) and laboratory results (CRP, ESR, WBC, PLT) were compared among all the four groups. Coronary artery diameters and the Z-scores were compared between acute and convalescence phase. Results Along with the increase of coronary Z-score, fever duration was prolonged [ND group:(7.75±3.12) d, SCAAs group (8.50±4.12) d, LCAAs group: (8.57±3.58) d, GCAAs group: (11.88±4.33) d, F=22.375, P<0.05]. With coronary Z-score increasing, PLT also increased (F=22.029, P=0.000), and the highest PLT was observed in GCAAs group. There were no significant differences in the CRP, ESR and WBC among all the four groups (F=0.236, 1.116, 0.121, all P>0.05). No significant different coronary diameters were found in ND cases between recovery and acute phase [(2.24±0.34) mm vs (2.33±0.36) mm, t=1.926, P > 0.05]. But there were significant difference in the coronary Z-scores of ND patients between recovery and acute phase (0.41±0.82 vs 1.17±0.75, t=8.332, P < 0.05). The coronary Z-scores in SCAAs group (1.32±0.89 vs 3.40±0.62, t=11.073, P < 0.05), LCAAs group (3.12±2.27 vs 6.20±1.28, t=4.579, P<0.05) and GCAAs group (11.88±6.77 vs 20.4±9.70, t=3.480, P<0.05) at recovery phase were smaller than values at acute phase. Conclusions The KD coronary Z-scores are the body-surface-area-adjusted standard value, and not subject to the influence of children growth and development. Therefore, it may accurately evaluate the severity of coronary artery abnormalities and its recovery process. Accurate quantitative of the coronary artery luminal dimensions is important in KD clinical management and prognosis prediction.

Objective To assess long-term outcomes of coronary artery (CA) Z scores in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) with echocardiography.Methods Echocardiographic data of 100 KD children during 7-14 years interval follow-up were analyzed retrospectively.The children were divided into dilatation group (n =54,CA dilated) and non-dilatation group (n=46,CA not dilated) at the acute phase.Fifty one children were selected simultaneously as the controls (control group).Diameters and Z scores of left main coronary artery (LMCA),left anterior descending (LAD) and proximal right coronary artery (pRCA) were compared,and factors affecting CA diameter during the recovery phase were analyzed.Results CA diameters in dilatation group were larger than those in non-dilatation group and control group (all P＜0.05),whereas no statistical difference of CA diameter was found between non-dilatation group and control group (all P＞0.05).In dilatation group,Z score of LMCA,LAD and pRCA was 0.569 5 ± 1.061 6,0.420 (-0.029,1.078) and 0.640(0.283,1.250),while in non dilatation group,Z score of LMCA,LAD and pRCA was-0.0313±0.8467,-0.0662±0.6612 and 0.1887±0.5935,respectively.In control group,Z score of LMCA,LAD and pRCA was-0.1246±1.0167,-0.2558±1.0848 and 0.1943±0.6101,respectively.Z scores in dilatation group were larger than those in non-dilatation group and control group (all P＜0.05),while no statistical differences of Z scores was found between nondilatation group and control group (all P＞0.05).Dilation degree of CA at the acute phase was the factor affecting longterm CA dilation (odds ratio=39.146,P＜0.001).Conclusion During 7-14 years of follow-up,CA diameters and Z scores kept to increase in KD children with CA dilatation at the acute phase.The dilation degree of CA at the acute phase in KD children affects the long-term CA dilation.

Senescence, a stable state of growth arrest, affects many physiological and pathophysiological processes, especially aging. Previous work has indicated that transcription factors (TFs) play a role in regulating senescence. However, a systematic study of regulatory TFs during replicative senescence (RS) using multi-omics analysis is still lacking. Here, we generated time-resolved RNA-seq, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and ATAC-seq datasets during RS of mouse skin fibroblasts, which demonstrated that an enhanced inflammatory response and reduced proliferative capacity were the main characteristics of RS in both the transcriptome and epigenome. Through integrative analysis and genetic manipulations, we found that transcription factors E2F4, TEAD1 and AP-1 are key regulators of RS. Overexpression of E2f4 improved cellular proliferative capacity, attenuated SA-β-Gal activity and changed RS-associated differentially methylated sites (DMSs). Moreover, knockdown of Tead1 attenuated SA-β-Gal activity and partially altered the RS-associated transcriptome. In addition, knockdown of Atf3, one member of AP-1 superfamily TFs, reduced Cdkn2a (p16) expression in pre-senescent fibroblasts. Taken together, the results of this study identified transcription factors regulating the senescence program through multi-omics analysis, providing potential therapeutic targets for anti-aging.
Aging ; Animals ; Cellular Senescence/genetics* ; E2F4 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Mice ; TEA Domain Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Transcription Factor AP-1/metabolism* ; Transcriptome