Objective To investigate and optimize the penetration enhancers of Xiaochuan emplastrum. Methods Franz diffusion cell was employed with isolated mice abdominal skin as barrier. The accumulating osmotic quantity per unit area and penetrating absorption rate of Sinapine thiocyanate were determinated by HPLC method. The penetration enhancers were selected and the ratio was determined. Results Combination of azone and propylene glycol were better than other kinds of enhancers for penetration effect, the ratio of propylene glycol and azone was 2:1. Dosage of azone and propylene glycol was finally optimized to 5% of prescription dosage.Under these conditions, cumulative permeation quantity of Sinapine thiocyanate was 369.59 μg·(cm2)-1, penetration rate of Sinapine thiocyanate was 14.19 μg·(cm2)-1·h-1 and enhancing rate was 3.19. Conclusion The ratio of propylene glycol and azone was 2:1,dosage of azone and propylene glycol was 5% of prescription dosage, which has a significant penetration effect and can be used as the penetration enhancer of Xiaochuan emplastrum.

Steroid-induced femoral head necrosis is claimed to be an ischemic femoral head disease. But there is no discussion on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the idiopathic disease. The concentration of NO indirectly in serum with steroid induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH) and in controls are studied in this article.

Objective:To understand the diagnostic value of tuberculosis (TB) pathogenic detection methods (TPDM) in pathological tissue for TB.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted with 190 pathological specimens from different tissues suspected with TB from Third People′s Hospital of Shenzhen during May 2016 and May 2019. Specimens were divided into four groups according to histomorphology: group one, necrotizing granulomatous inflammation (109 cases); group two, non-necrotic granulomatous inflammation (20 cases); group three, non-granulomatous inflammation (45 cases); group four, non-tuberculous lesions (16 cases). The positive rates of each TPDM among specimens from four groups were compared. The positive rates of all TPDM for specimens from group one were compared. Meanwhile, the influence of antituberculosis treatment course on the TPDM was analyzed. Chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test was used for statistical analysis.Results:The positive rates of Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining among the four groups were 17.4%(19/109), 5.0%(1/20), 4.4%(2/45) and 0(0/16), respectively. The positive rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex culture were 32.0%(32/100), 4/19, 4.8%(2/42) and 0(0/16), respectively. The positive rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampin resistance real-time quantitative nucleic acid amplification detection system (Xpert MTB/RIF) were 74.3%(81/109), 15.0%(3/20), 13.3%(6/45) and 0(0/16), respectively. The positive rates of fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) were 63.0%(58/92), 0(0/15), 2.6%(1/38) and 0(0/10), respectively. The positive rates of simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT) were 32.4%(24/74), 0(0/10), 0(0/15) and 0(0/10), respectively. The differences of each TPDM among four groups were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). The positive rate of Xpert MTB/RIF in group one specimens was significantly higher than those of acid-fast staining, MTB culture and SAT ( χ2=71.016, 37.162 and 35.679, respectively, all P<0.01), while the difference was not statistically significant when compared with FQ-PCR ( χ2=2.517, P=0.112). The positive rate of combined TPDM (85.3%(93/109)) was significantly higher than Xpert MTB/RIF(74.3%(81/109)) ( χ2=4.100, P=0.043). The positive rates of acid-fast staining group 1A (anti-tuberculosis treatment course was less than one month) and group 1B (anti-tuberculosis treatment course was longer than one month) were 14.3%(7/49) and 20.0% (12/60), respectively ( χ2=0.612, P=0.434); those of MTB culture were 48.9% (22/45) and 18.2% (10/55), respectively ( χ2=10.721, P=0.001); those of Xpert MTB/RIF were 69.4%(34/49) and 78.3%(47/60), respectively ( χ2=1.131, P=0.287); those of FQ-PCR were 55.0%(22/40) and 69.2%(36/52), respectively ( χ2=1.965, P=0.161); those of SAT were 43.3%(13/30) and 25.0%(11/44), respectively ( χ2=2.736, P=0.098). Conclusions:The results of TPDM correlate closely with the typical histomorphological features of tuberculosis. Xpert MTB/RIF possesses significantly higher sensitivity than any other single TPDM, and is not attenuated by early anti-tuberculosis treatment. Combined TPDM could significantly improve the sensitivity of TB pathogenic detection, which is suggested to be applied when the tissue specimen is sufficient.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out genetic testing for a male infant suspected for Menkes disease. METHODS: Genomic DNA of the proband and his parents were extracted and subjected to family trio whole exome sequencing (WES). Microduplication and microdeletion of the ATP7A gene were detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Suspected variants were subjected to bioinformatic analysis and verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The proband was found to harbor a de novo c.1870 -13T>G variation of the ATP7A gene, which may alter a splice site and affect its protein product. CONCLUSION The patient was diagnosed with Menkes disease due to the c.1870 -13T>G variant of the ATP7A gene. Whole exome sequencing of family trios is a powerful tool for the diagnosis of diseases with strong phenotypic heterogeneity.
Copper-Transporting ATPases ; genetics ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome ; genetics ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Mutation ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective To compare seminal carnitine levels between normal males and asthenozoospermic patients,evaluate its correla-tion with progressive motility(PR)of sperm,and observe the effects of exogenous carnitine supplementation on asthenozoospermic pa-tients.Methods Semen samples were collected from 511 normal fertile males and asthenozoospermic patients.Seminal was measured using a fixed-time assay kit and the levels of carnitine were compared between the two groups.The consistency between seminal carni-tine and PR was assessed.Additionally,77 asthenozoospermic patients received L-carnitine(1 g/time,3 times/day,30 days/course).The levels of seminal carnitine and PR alteration pre-and post-treatment were monitored.Results The seminal L-carnitine level in the patients with asthenospermia([194.34±65.41]μmol/L)was significantly lower than that in normal fertile males([405.43±72.12]μmol/L)(P＜0.01).When the seminal L-carnitine level ≥325 μmol/L was set as the threshold,the statistical results showed that Kappa value was 0.81,with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 93.74％.After one course of administration of L-carnitine,the concentra-tion of seminal L-carnitine([356.03±84.87]μmol/L)and PR([32.69±8.35]％)were significantly higher those that before treat-ment([183.61±79.54]μmol/L and[16.56±7.74]％,P＜0.01).Conclusion The seminal carnitine assay kit could be used for ac-curate and high-throughput quantification of clinical samples,facilitating asthenozoospermia diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy evalua-tion.Exogenous carnitine supplementation may elevate seminal carnitine levels and sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients and po-tentially improve their fertility.

Objective　To investigate the correlation between red cell distribution width to platelet ratio and short-term prognosis in acute ischemic stroke.Methods　The patients with ischemic stroke admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University during the initial 24 hours after the onset of disease between 2015-2017 were recruited prospectively.Red cell distribution width (RDW),platelet and clinical characteristics were recorded.Functional outcome at 90 days after ischemic stroke was evaluated by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).Results　Totally 1106 patients were included.Patients with poor functional outcome were older (P＜0.001=and had more frequent histories of hypertension (P=0.015),diabetes (P=0.001),atrial fibrillation (P＜0.001=,coronary heart disease (P=0.041),stroke (P＜0.001=and higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)(P＜0.001=,white blood cell count (P＜0.001=,RDW (P＜0.001=and RDW to platelet ratio (RPR) (P=0.034).Higher RPR levels were associated with poor functional outcome at 90 days after ischemic stroke［(odds ratio,OR) 1.09,(confidence interval,CI) 1.03~1.16，P=0.005］. Conclusion　Higher RPR levels were associated with poor short-term outcome after acute ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the situation and the causes of neonatal death in Henan Province.Methods This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 277 neonates who died at 18 hospitals in Henan Province in 2017.Distribution and causes of neonatal deaths,differences between perinatal conditions of premature and term/post-term infants,causes of early (＜ 7 d) and late (7-28 d) neonatal deaths and the differences in neonatal death cases between Maternal and Child Health Care Hospitals and General/Children's Hospitals were analyzed.We used t,rank-sum and Chi-square test (or corrected Chi-square test,or Fisher's exact test) for statistical analysis.Results (1) A total of 50 993 newboms were admitted to the 18 hospitals in 2017,297 of which died with a mortality of 5.82‰.After excluding 20 cases with uncertain birth or maternal pregnancy history or clinical data,277 cases with complete data were analyzed.Among them,168 (60.6％) were preterm neonates and 109 (39.4％) were term/post-term ones.Early and late neonatal deaths accounted for 74.0％ (205 cases) and 26.0％ (72 cases),respectively.(2) The top five causes of neonatal deaths were infection (78 cases,28.2％),asphyxia (54 cases,19.5％),neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS,33 cases,11.9％),severe congenital malformations (26 cases,9.4％) including cyanotic congenital heart diseases,digestive malformations,airway malformations and neural tube defects and pulmonary hemorrhage (23 cases,8.3％).Among them,the top three causes of early neonatal deaths were asphyxia (48 cases,23.4％),infection (43 cases,21.0％) and NRDS (33 cases,16.1％),while the main causes of late neonatal deaths were infection (35 cases,48.6％),major congenital malformations (9 cases,12.5％) and chromosome abnormities/inherited metabolic diseases (7 cases,9.7％).(3) Maternal complications during pregnancy accounted for 79.1％ (219 cases) and the predominant types were pregnancy-induced hypertension (43 cases,19.6％),followed by infection (36 cases,16.4％),placental-related conditions (32 cases,14.6％),gestational diabetes mellitus (23 cases,10.5％),hypothyroidism (20 cases,9.1％),fetal distress (18,8.2％),twin-twin transfusion syndrome (10 cases,4.6％) and cholestasis syndrome (9 cases,4.1％).(4) Compared with the term/post-term cases,the preterm cases had higher proportions of multiple births [27.4％ (46/168) vs 6.4％ (9/109),x2=14.016,P ＜ 0.05],assisted reproduction [7.1％ (12/168) vs 0.9％ (1/109),x2=4.421,P ＜ 0.05] and maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [21.4％ (36/1 68) vs 6.4％ (7/109),x2=11.353,P ＜ 0.05],infection [16.7％ (28/168) vs 7.3％ (8/109),x2=4.295,P ＜ 0.05] and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome [6.0％ (10/168) vs 0.0％ (0/109),x2=6.707,P ＜ 0.05].(5) Among all the early neonatal deaths,preterm cases had a higher incidence of NRDS than term/post-term neonates [20.3％ (27/133) vs 8.3％ (6/72),x2=1 1.937,P ＜ 0.05],but lower incidence of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS),severe congenital malformations and chromosome abnormalities/inherited metabolic diseases [0.8％ (1/133) vs 5.6％ (4/72),x2=4.508;3.8％ (5/133) vs 16.7％ (12/72),x2=10.233;1.5％ (2/133) vs 6.9％ (5/72),~=4.172;all P ＜ 0.05].Among the late neonatal deaths,the incidence of severe intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants was higher than that in term/post-term neonates [7.1％ (3/42) vs 0.0％ (0/30),x2=2.205,P ＜ 0.05].(6) Compared with the cases in General/Children's Hospitals,those in Maternal and Child Health Care Hospitals showed a higher proportion of preterm neonatal deaths [67.3％ (105/156) vs 52.1％ (63/121),x2=6.010,P ＜ 0.05],younger gestational age [(32.8±5.3) weeks vs (34.6±4.9) weeks,t=3.072,P ＜ 0.05],lower birth weight [(2 132.6± 1 014.5) g vs (2 409.4±987.3) g,t=-2.513,P ＜ 0.05],and higher average age of death [M(P25-P75),3 (1-8) d vs 2 (1-4) d,Z=3.710,P ＜ 0.05].Conclusions Neonatal death occurs mainly within one week after birth in those with maternal complications.Late preterm deaths and term/post-term cases account for nearly half of total neonatal deaths.The causes of death for preterm and term/post-term newborns vary with postnatal age.Infection,asphyxia and severe congenital malformations are important causes of neonatal deaths.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between monokine induced by interferon⁃gamma (MIG) level and coronary slow flow phenomenon ( CSFP) . Methods: 80 patients diagnosed with CSFP and 54 patients with normal CAG were selected as the CSFP group and no⁃CSFP group respectively in this study. Coronary slow flow was determined quantitatively by thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) method. The clinical characteristics and biochemical indexes , including serum CD40L and Interferon⁃γ (IFN⁃γ) , monokine induced by interferon⁃gamma (MIG) levels were measured , and the relationship between interferon⁃γ induced monocyte level and CSFP were analyzed. Results: The serum levels of CD40L , IFN⁃γand MIG in the CSFP group were higher than those in the no⁃CSFP group ( P = 0. 001) . The MIG levels were positive correlated with mean TFC ( r =0. 879 ,P = 0. 009) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MIG was an important risk factor for CSFP (β = 0. 874 ,P = 0. 011) . The ROC curve analyses indicated that the MIG levels had diagnostic value in patients with CSFP , the area under the curve ( AUC) was 0. 793 , the sensitivity was 0. 79% and the specificity was 76. 0% , and 95% CI 0. 714 - 0. 872. Conclusion Chemokine CD40L , IFN⁃ γ and MIG may be involved in the process of vascular inflammation and arteriosclerosis. MIG is an important influencing factor of CSFP and participated in the occurrence and development of CSFP.

Malignant tumors are diseases that seriously threaten human health and social development. Traditional tumor therapies such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy cannot fully meet the needs of clinical treatment, and emerging immunotherapy has become a research hotspot in the field of tumor treatment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved as a tumor immunotherapy method for the treatment of various tumors, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer and colorectal cancer, etc. However, during the clinical use of ICIs, only a small number of patients experienced durable responses, which also led to drug resistance and adverse reactions. Therefore, the identification and development of predictive biomarkers is crucial to improve the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. The predictive biomarkers of tumor ICIs mainly include tumor biomarkers, tumor microenvironment biomarkers, circulation-related biomarkers, host environmental biomarkers and combinatorial biomarkers. They are of great significance for screening, individualized treatment and prognosis evaluation of tumor patients. This article reviews the advances of predictive markers for tumor ICIs therapy.
Humans ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Biomarkers ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Tumor Microenvironment