BACKGROUND:Smoking is one of the major risk factors for the formation of atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of cigarette smoke extract on the concentration of GATA-2 in the vascular smooth muscle cells and in which the role of the early growth response factor-1. METHODS:Vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured in vitro. The vascular smooth muscle cells were treated with various concentrations of cigarette smoke extract (0, 5%, 10%, 20%), then the reverse transcription PCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression of GATA-2. The vascular smooth muscle cells were treated with cigarette smoke extracts in the optimal concentration for 0, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours, and then the expression of GATA-2 mRNA was observed, as wel as the changes of expression of GATA-2 mRNA after added with growth response factor-1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared to the 0 concentration group, the expression of GATA-2 mRNA after treated with low concentration (5%) of cigarette smoke extract was increased more significantly than moderate concentration (10%) and high concentration (20%). The vascular smooth muscle cells in 0 hour group expressed GATA-2 mRNA at low level. The GATA-2 mRNA began to increase within 4 hours and reached peak at the 8 hours after stimulated with cigarette smoke extract of 5%concentration. After added with growth response factor-1 inhibitors, the expression of GATA-2 mRNA in 5%cigarette smoke extract induced vascular smooth muscle cells was decreased. Cigarette smoke extract can promote the increasing of GATA-2 by growth response factor-1, while the GATA-2 expression is reduced after the inhibition of growth response factor-1.

Objective To investigate the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion protection mechanism of viper venom nerve growth factor(vNGF) by the change of expression of growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and neurological function.Methods 45 adult male Wistar rats (weight 220～280 g) were divided randomly into 3 groups: sham group(S, n=9), balanced salt solution group (BSS, n=9) and venom nerve growth factor group (vNGF, n=27). Each group was observed for 7 days. vNGF group was divided into 25 U, 50 U and 100 U subgroups respectively. The following indexes in 3 groups were observed respectively: neurologic deficits and the expression of GAP-43 (immunohistochemistry method).Results Neurological function: The scores of neurological function was 0 in S group. The neurological deficits score was lower at the same time in vNGF group than that in BSS group (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry: GAP-43 expressed in both BSS group and vNGF group. The expression of GAP-43 in vNGF group increased in 25 U, and to maximum in 100 U. The expression of GAP-43 in BSS group was significantly lower than in vNGF group (P<0.05). Conclusion vNGF can effectively enhance and prolong the expression of GAP-43, increase the survival rats of nerve cells, and has the protection effect on nerve cells after cerebral ischemia injured.

Objective:To explore the clinical significance of different metabolic parameters measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in predicting the effectiveness of chemotherapy in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients. Methods:A set of metabolic parameters of PET/CT and clinical characteristics which were detected from 127 patients (70 males, 57 females, age (56.8±10.1) years) with advanced lung adenocarcinoma treated with at least two cycles of chemotherapy in Hainan Cancer Hospital between August 2017 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The effects of those parameters on patients′ survival were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test) and Cox proportional hazards model.Results:Maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max), metabolic tumor volume 30% (MTV 30), and total lesion glycolysis 30% (TLG 30) had larger areas under the curve (0.581, 0.606 and 0.693 respectively) compared with other imaging parameters, and the optimal cut-off values were 10.12, 20.21 cm 3 and 81.25 g respectively. Kaplan-Meier univariate and Cox analyses synergistically showed that clinical stage (hazard ratio ( HR)=0.293(95% CI: 0.190-0.451), P<0.001), smoking ( HR=0.732(95% CI: 0.605-0.885), P=0.001), and MTV 30 ( HR=1.555(95% CI: 1.078-2.242), P=0.018) had significant predictive value for progression-free survival (PFS). Stratified analysis showed that smoking and MTV 30>20.21 cm 3 were independent prognostic factors for poor PFS in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma receiving chemotherapy ( HR=0.738(95% CI: 0.611-0.893), P=0.002; HR=1.502(95% CI: 1.037-2.177), P=0.032). Conclusions:Clinical stage, smoking and MTV 30 are independent prognostic factors of PFS in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma receiving chemotherapy. MTV 30≤20.21 cm 3 is expected to be an image biomarker for predicting survival and selecting patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who are more likely to benefit from chemotherapy.

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics and differences of severe hyperbilirubinemia caused by hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.Methods:From January 2014 to December 2021, newborns (gestational age ≥ 35 weeks and postnatal age ≤ 28 d) admitted to the Department of Neonatology of Hunan Children's Hospital with severe hyperbilirubinemia caused by HDN or G6PD deficiency were retrospectively analyzed. According to the etiology of hyperbilirubinemia, they were assigned into HDN group and G6PD deficiency group. The general conditions, clinical manifestations, laboratory results, treatment and prognosis of the two groups were compared using SPSS 26.0 software.Results:A total of 532 cases were in the HDN group and 413 cases in the G6PD deficiency group. The HDN group reached peak hyperbilirubinemia earlier than the G6PD deficiency group [3(2,5) d vs. 6(4,8)d, P<0.05]. The HDN group had lower peak value of total serum bilirubin [379.5(345.6,426.7) μmol/L vs. 486.4 (413.5,577.4) μmol/L] and lower incidence of anemia [37.4% (199/532) vs. 55.0% (227/413)]than the G6PD deficiency group.The incidence of anemia with elevated reticulocyte percent(Ret%) in the HDN group was higher than the G6PD deficiency group[66.3%(132/199) vs. 5.7%(13/227), P<0.05]. Compared with the G6PD deficiency group, the incidences of exchange transfusion and repeated (≥2 times) exchange transfusion, acute bilirubin encephalopathy(ABE) and the mortality rate after withdrawal of treatment in the HDN group were significantly lower ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Neonatal severe hyperbilirubinemia caused by HDN has early onset. G6PD deficiency caused hyperbilirubinemia has higher incidences of anemia, more severe jaundice and ABE, without increased Ret%.

Objective:To explore the potential genetic causes of unexplained neonatal encephalopathy.Methods:This retrospective study enrolled 113 infants diagnosed with unexplained neonatal encephalopathy and underwent genetic testing in the Children's Hospital of Hunan Province from January 2019 to May 2021. Perinatal data, clinical manifestations, electroencephalograph, brain MRI findings, genetic information, and prognosis of those patients were analyzed. T-test or Chi-square test were used for data analysis. Results:Of the 113 infants enrolled, 74 (65.5%) were males. The gestational age at birth was (38.6±1.5) weeks, and the birth weight was (2 957±561) g. The most common clinical manifestation was the disturbance of consciousness (83/113, 73.5%), followed by seizures (39/113, 34.5%). There were 38.2% (34/89) of the patients with abnormal brain MRI, and 80.4% (74/92) presented abnormal electroencephalography. Among the 113 infants, 60 (53.1%) had genetic abnormalities, including 48 with single nucleotide variations, eight with copy number variations, and four with chromosome abnormalities. Single nucleotide variations in the 48 patients were classified into syndromic ( n=18, 37.5%), metabolic ( n=16, 33.3%), epileptic ( n=11, 22.9%) and mitochondrial-related genes ( n=3, 6.3%), of which 14 were not included in any database. Among the 103 cases which were successfully followed up until December 31, 2021, 75 (72.8%) had a poor prognosis, including 52 (50.5%) death cases and 23 (22.3%) cases of development retardation. Birth weight and the incidence of seizures in the poor prognosis group were both lower than those in the non-poor prognosis group [(2 876±536) vs (3 254±554) g, t=3.15; 29.3% (22/75) vs 53.6% (15/28), χ2=5.20; both P<0.05], while the incidence of disturbance of consciousness was higher [80.0% (60/75) vs 53.6% (15/28), χ2=7.19, P<0.05]. The proportion of infants with genetic abnormalities in the poor prognosis group was higher than that in the non-poor prognosis group, but the difference was not statistically significant [53.3% (40/75) vs 46.4% (13/28), χ2=0.39, P=0.533]. Conclusions:Genetic abnormality is one of the leading causes of unexplained neonatal encephalopathy. Nucleotide variation is the most common genetic type. Syndromic, metabolic, and epileptic variants are frequently detected in these patients.

Objective:To study the risk factors and prognosis of pulmonary hypertension(PH) associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in extremely preterm infants(EPIs).Methods:From January 2020 to December 2021, EPIs [gestational age (GA) <32 w] with BPD admitted to NICU of our hospital were retrospectively assigned into two groups: BPD with late-onset PH(PH group) and BPD without late-onset PH(non-PH group). Their general condition, treatment and prognosis were compared and the risk factors of late-onset PH were analyzed.Results:A total of 229 EPIs with BPD were enrolled, including 24(10.5%) in the PH group and 205(89.5%) in the non-PH group. The PH group had significantly smaller GA [(27.9±2.3) w vs. (28.7±1.8) w], longer mechanical ventilation [42.0(16.0, 84.0) d vs. 9.0(2.0, 23.0) d], longer hospital stay [100.5(86.3, 142.0) d vs. 77.0(56.5, 96.5)d],higher incidence of early-onset PH(54.2% vs. 9.3%) and higher mortality rate(33.3% vs. 9.8%) than the non-PH group ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed prolonged mechanical ventilation ( OR=1.046, 95% CI 1.011~1.064), early-onset PH ( OR=5.414, 95% CI 1.796~16.323) were independent risk factors for BPD with late-onset PH. 8(33.3%) patients in the PH group died, including 2 with grade Ⅱ BPD and 6 grade Ⅲ BPD. Conclusions:Prolonged mechanical ventilation and early-onset PH are independent risk factors for late-onset PH in BPD infants. BPD infants with late-onset PH have longer hospital stay, higher mortality and worse prognosis.