Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and therapy of levofloxacin-induced prolonged Q-T interval in patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis ( MDR-TB) . Methods Clinical materials of 6 patients with MDR-TB who developed prolonged Q-T/QTc interval caused by levofloxacin therapy were analyzed. Those cases were collected from the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control of Wuhan City form April 2010 to August 2014. Results The proportion of patients with levofloxacin-induced prolonged Q-T interval was approximately 3.0%.The condition occurred 2-8 months after the administration. The initial value of QTc interval ranged from 397 ms to 439 ms, while the average was (410.17±14.62) ms.The value of QTc interval was extended to 470-486 ms after treatment of levofloxacin, while the average was (476.33±6.16) ms.The increase of QTc interval was 47-85 ms, while the average was ( 66 ± 11. 48 ) ms. None of them developed Tdp. Conclusion The application of high dosage and long treatment course of levofloxacin in patients with MDR-TB could result in the extension of the Q-T/QTc interval, which should arouse our serious attention. In order to detect the abnormal Q-T/QTc interval in early stage, electrolyte level examination as well as ECG examination should be considered as routine tests before initiation of treatment and during the follow-up treatment.

BACKGROUND:Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is a common bone disease characterized as high morbidity and poor prognosis,but the pathogenesis is unclear.Oxidative stress treatment is closely related to the occurrence and development of SONFH,and has tremendous potential in the treatment of SONFH,which can be realized by Nano-Se.OBJECTIVE:To observe the protective effect of porous Se@SiO2 nanocomposite on chondrocytes by antioxidant stress,and to further explore its mechanism of protection and treatment of SONFH.METHODS:(1) In vitro experiment:The rat chondrocytes were isolated,cultured and identified.Then,the chondrocytes were cultured with porous Se@SiO2 nanocomposite to suppress the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).(2) In vivo experiment:A total of 36 rats were randomly divided into three groups.Steroid-induced group and experimental group were treated with intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide and intramuscular injection of methylprednisolone to induce SON FH models.Seven days after modeling,the experimental group was intraperitoneally injected with porous Se@SiO2 nanocomposite.No intervention was done in control group (blank control).At 8 weeks after modeling,rat bilateral femoral heads were taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining and Micro-CT scanning.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Results from the ROS detection and TUNEL apoptosis tests showed that the level of ROS in the chondrocytes was significantly reduced after intervention with Se@SiO2 (P ＜ 0.05).Micro-CT scanning findings showed that the bone mineral density,bone volume,bone area/bone volume,trabecular number,trabecular thickness,and trabecular separation in the steroid-induced and experimental groups were significantly different from those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed smooth femoral head,normal bone cells,chondrocytes and trabecular bone,as well as few empty bone lacunae and fat cells in the control group,while in the steroid-induced group,there was bone trabecular fracture,fat cell hypertrophy fusion,a large number of empty bone lacunae and obvious osteonecrosis.These manifestations were significantly improved in the experimental group.To conclude,the porous Se@SiO2 nanocomposite has good antioxidative stress ability,suppresses the ROS production and exerts therapeutic effects on SONFH.

AIM: To establish a guinea pig asthma model and to evaluate the effect of airway remodeling on airway responsiveness. METHODS: The guinea pig asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge repeatedly. Bronchial provocation tests were conducted through intravenous injection of acetylcholine. The airway morphologic parameters were measured by computer image analysis system. White blood cells and the differential count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were examined. RESULTS: The resistance of airway was increased significantly after 4 weeks of OVA exposure, but the increase disappeared upon prolonged exposure. After 8 weeks of OVA exposure, fiber tissue in large airway was increased, and the thickness of smooth muscle layer of small airway was enlarged, as compared with that in control animals. CONCLUSION: Airway responsiveness has changed after prolonged OVA exposure in guinea pigs. This change is related to airway remodeling. [

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and gene variation of asparagine synthase deficiency that is caused by ASNS gene variation. Methods:In Department of Neuroendocrine Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2018 to February 2020, the clinical data of a family of asparagine synthase deficiency were analyzed retrospectively.The pathogenic mutation of the proband was screened by the full exon analysis technique.The pathogenic sites of candidate genes were determined by combining the phenotype of the proband.In the heterotopic spot of the proband, his parents and other family members were verified by Sanger sequencing.Meanwhile, the relevant literature database was consulted, and the reported ASNS mutation related cases were collected and reviewed. Results:The female with proband visited the hospital at the age of 4 months, and she had recurrent convulsions at the age of about 3 months.Physical examination showed that the child suffered from microcephaly, and mental and motor retardation.Meanwhile, video electroencephalogram examination displayed extensive moderate high amplitude spiny slow wave and sharp slow wave.Exon sequencing illustrated that the compound heterozygous variants of ASNS gene were c. 1211G>A (p.R404H) and c. 1643C>T (p.S548F), respectively.c.1211G>A was a known pathogenic variant, and c. 1643C>T was a new variant.The proband′s younger brother visited the hospital at the age of 2 months, developed convulsions at the age of 1 month, and developed mental and motor retardation.Electroencephalogram displayed that bilateral posterior head was dominant, multiple foci and extensive spike wave, and spike slow wave and fast wave were distributed.Sanger sequencing revealed the same ASNS compound heterozygous variants as the proband.Both of them died of status convulsion at the age of 7 months and 6 months, respectively. Conclusions:This study is helpful to further understand the clinical features of the disease and reveal a new pathogenic mutation of ASNS gene, so as to enrich the mutation spectrum of ASNS gene, thus providing important basis for clinical treatment and genetic counseling.

The feasibility of using gene therapy to treat full-thickness articular cartilage defects was investigated with respect to the transfection and expression of exogenous transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 genes in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. The full-length rat TGF-beta 1 cDNA was transfected to MSCs mediated by lipofectamine and then selected with G418, a synthetic neomycin analog. The transient and stable expression of TGF-beta 1 by MSCs was detected by using immunohistochemical staining. The lipofectamine-mediated gene therapy efficiently transfected MSCs in vitro with the TGF-beta 1 gene causing a marked up-regulation in TGF-beta 1 expression as compared with the vector-transfected control groups, and the increased expression persisted for at least 4 weeks after selected with G418. It was suggested that bone marrow-derived MSCs were susceptible to in vitro lipofectamine mediated TGF-beta 1 gene transfer and that transgene expression persisted for at least 4 weeks. Having successfully combined the existing techniques of tissue engineering with the novel possibilities offered by modern gene transfer technology, an innovative concept, i.e. molecular tissue engineering, are put forward for the first time. As a new branch of tissue engineering, it represents both a new area and an important trend in research. Using this technique, we have a new powerful tool with which: (1) to modify the functional biology of articular tissue repair along defined pathways of growth and differentiation and (2) to affect a better repair of full-thickness articular cartilage defects that occur as a result of injury and osteoarthritis.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cartilage, Articular ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tissue Engineering ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics

S and NO production induced by rhIL-1β in a concentration-dependent manner. It is suggested that PDTC can inhibit NO production and iNOS mRNA expression induced by IL-1β, which may provide an alternative method for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a child with mental and motor retardation, language impairment, facial dysmorphism and epilepsy. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was carried out to detect pathogenic variant in the proband, and candidate variant was selected based on his phenotype. Sanger sequencing was used to verify the variant in the proband, his parents and other family members. RESULTS: The proband was found to carry a frameshifting mutation of MBD5 gene, namely c.2217delT (p.F739Lfs*6), which was inherited from his mother and unreported previously. Sanger sequencing confirmed that his brother carried the same mutation with a similar phenotype. His mother also had poor language expression when she was young, in addition with poor academic performance, though she could do some housework and had no history of convulsion. CONCLUSION A novel pathogenic variant of the MBD5 gene was discovered, which has enriched the mutational spectrum of the MBD5 gene. Above discovery has enabled genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for the family.
Child ; DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Male ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Purpose: Molecular residual disease (MRD) is a promising biomarker in colorectal cancer (CRC) for prognosis and guiding treatment, while the whole-exome sequencing (WES) based tumor-informed assay is standard for evaluating MRD based on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). In this study, we assessed the feasibility of a fixed-panel for evaluating MRD in CRC. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five patients with resectable stage I-III CRC were enrolled. Tumor tissues obtained by surgery, and preoperative and postoperative day 7 blood samples were collected. The ctDNA was evaluated using the tumor-agnostic and tumor-informed fixed assays, as well as the WES-based and panel-based personalized assays in randomly selected patients. Results: The tumor-informed fixed assay had a higher preoperative positive rate than the tumor-agnostic assay (73.3% vs. 57.3%). The preoperative ctDNA status failed to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in either of the fixed assays, while the tumor-informed fixed assay-determined postoperative ctDNA positivity was significantly associated with worse DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 20.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.19 to 59.83; p < 0.001), which was an independent predictor by multivariable analysis (HR, 28.57; 95% CI, 7.10 to 114.9; p < 0.001). Sub-cohort analysis indicated the WES-based personalized assay had the highest preoperative positive rate (95.1%). The two personalized assays and the tumor-informed fixed assay demonstrated same results in postoperative landmark (HR, 26.34; 95% CI, 6.01 to 115.57; p < 0.001), outperforming the tumor-agnostic fixed panel (HR, 3.04; 95% CI, 0.94 to 9.89; p=0.052). Conclusion Our study confirmed the prognostic value of the ctDNA positivity at postoperative day 7 by the tumor-informed fixed panel. The tumor-informed fixed panel may be a cost-effective method to evaluate MRD, which warrants further studies in future.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index in sepsis patients in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted, the patients admitted to ICU of Jiangbei People's Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from December 2016 to June 2020 were enrolled. According to the criteria of Sepsis 3, 107 patients diagnosed with sepsis were classified as the sepsis group, 112 patients without infection were classified as control group. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after ICU admission, neutrophil CD64 index, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell count (WBC) were detected. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index, CRP, PCT and WBC for sepsis.Results:The neutrophil CD64 index, CRP and PCT in sepsis group were significantly higher than those in control group [neutrophil CD64 index: 9.03±5.59 vs. 3.18±1.50, CRP (mg/L): 146.9±68.3 vs. 46.5±35.8, PCT (ng/L): 31.82±14.71 vs. 1.87±1.42, all P < 0.05]. ROC curve analysis showed that neutrophil CD64 index, CRP and PCT had certain diagnostic value for sepsis, the area under ROC curve (AUC) were 0.924, 0.915 and 0.879, respectively, the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were 0.871-0.978, 0.855-0.975, 0.807-0.951, respectively, P values were 0.016, 0.017 and 0.026, respectively. Among the three indicators, the diagnostic value of neutrophil CD64 index was much higher. When the optimal cut-off value was 4.32, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.6% and 88.7%, respectively, which were higher than the sensitivity (75.1%, 76.3%) and specificity (87.2%, 82.5%) of CRP and PCT. Conclusion:Neutrophil CD64 index is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis in ICU.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of intestinal tuberculosis improving the diagnosis rate of intestinal tuberculosis.Methods:From January 2014 to June 2018, at Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, the data of clinical symptoms, laboratory examination, imaging, endoscopy, surgery and pathological examination of 205 patients with intestinal tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed. Descriptive analysis was performed for statistical analysis.Results:Among 205 patients with intestinal tuberculosis, 145 cases were male and 60 cases were female, aged 14 to 85 years old. A total of 189 cases (92.2%) were complicated with lung tuberculosis, of which 151 cases (79.9%) were positive for sputum acid fast staining. A total of 126 cases were tested for feces acid fast staining, of which 83 cases (65.9%) were positive. A total of 60 cases (29.3%) were tested for GeneXpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampicintablet (GeneXpert MTB/RIP), of which 49 cases (81.7%) were positive. A total of 44 cases of intestinal tuberculosis were diagnosed by biopsy under electronic enteroscopy, and 21 cases were pathologically diagnosed with intestinal tuberculosis after surgical resection. The 21 patients were tested for GeneXpert MTB/RIP, of which 19 cases (90.5%) were positive and 10 cases (47.6%) were positive for tuberculin test. Six patients were clinically diagnosed with intestinal tuberculosis after effective treatment of antituberculosis drugs. Conclusions:Combination of clinical symptoms and laboratory, imaging, endoscopic and pathological examination, as well as the therapeutic effect of diagnostic antituberculosis treatment could make comprehensive diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis. The GeneXpert MTB/RIP examination is of great value in the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis.