In recent years,relative adrenal insufficiency in critical patients has become a hot issue.With progression of studies,this definition is insufficient in accuracy.Thus a new definition of critical illnessrelated corticosteroid insufficiency(CIRCI)is developed.Now CIRCI have not had consentaneous diagnostic criteria.Moreover,the benefits of this diagnose to corticosteroid treatment in critical patients remains unclear.This article will review on the diagnosis of CIRCI and current situation of corticosteroid treatment.

Objective To assess nutritional status of critically ill children,and to investigate the correlation of nutritional status with illness severity and clinical outcomes,so as to provide a theoretical basis for rational nutrition support of critically ill children.Methods All patients hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit of Beijing Children's Hospital from November,2010 to January 2011 were enrolled and studied prospectively.We collected anthropometric parameters (body length/height,body weight,head circumference,etc) for nutritional assessment,as well as their clinical data such as underlying diseases,pediatric risk of mortality scores (PRISM),length of hospital stay and mechanical ventilation duration.Results tn 196 cases,the prevalence of malnutrition was 21.9％ (43/196).Malnutrition group had greater PRISM scores,higher mechanical ventilation rate and a lower 28-day survival rate than normal nutritional status group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of malnutrition on admission to the PICU was high and poor nutritional status indicated greater illness severity and adverse clinical outcomes

Objective To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and to examine its relationship with the severity and prognosis in the critically ill children. Methods A total of 83 critically ill children admitted from November 1,2010 to December 9,2010 to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Beijing Children's Hospital,Capital Medical University were enrolled in the study. Serum 1,25 - Dihydroxyvitamin D concentration was measured by using an en-zyme - linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Anthropometric parameters such as height/ length and weight of the chil-dren were measured. Data collection also included primary disease,Pediatric Critical Illness Score(PCIS),the Pediatric Risk of Mortality Ⅲ(PRISM Ⅲ)score,multiple organ dysfunction syndrome( MODS)rate,mechanical ventilation rate,time of hospital of stay and the 28 - day survival rate. Results There were 32 cases with vitamin D deficiency on admission,vitamin D deficiency rate on admission was 38. 6% ,and there was no statistically significant difference among different primary disease groups(P = 0. 815). Vitamin D deficiency rate of malnutrition group was lower than that of the normal group[60. 0%(12 / 20 cases)vs 40. 0%(8 / 20 cases),χ2 = 5. 989,P = 0. 014]. PCIS scores of those with a normal vitamin D status was higher than those of the vitamin D deficiency group,showing a significant difference [(80. 47 ± 6. 18)scores vs(77. 16 ± 7. 59)scores,P = 0. 022]. PCIS score was positively correlated with the vitamin D level(r = 0. 267,P = 0. 015). There was no statistically significant difference among the PRISM score,MODS rate, mechanical ventilation rate,hospital stay length and the 28th day survival rate between the normal vitamin D group and the vitamin D deficiency group(all P ﹥ 0. 05). Conclusions A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is found in the critically ill children. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children with malnutrition is higher. Vitamin D status may be correlated to the severity of the critically ill children,but the association with the prognosis is not obvious.

Objective To explore the effects of exposure to lipopolysaccharides in late pregnancy on age-related cognitive changes in offspring of mice,and to investigate whether there is a gender specific genetic effect.Methods Institute of cancer research(ICR)CD-1 mice during gestational days 15-17 were injected with lipopolysaccha-ride daily(LPS group,50 μg/kg),or equal volume of normal saline(CON group).At the age of 2 months after their delivery,LPS treated offspring mice(F1-LPS,male and female)were randomly selected and hybridized with age-matched wild-type CD-1 mice.F1-LPS males and females with different littermates,and F1-CON males and fe-males were hybridized to obtain F2 generations of different lineages.Similarly,F2-LPS mice were mated with wild-type mice to conceive the F3 generation.At the age of 3 and 18 months old,F1,F2,and F3 mice(n=8 in each group)were randomly selected to complete the Morris maze experiment in order to test their cognitive abilities.Re-sults Compared with 3-month-old CON mice,18-month-old CON mice showed poorer learning and memory abili-ties,especially in females.For Fl generation,the learning and memory abilities of the 3-month-old and 18-month-old F1-LPS mice were inferior to those of the same aged CON mice.For F2 generation,the 3-month-old F2-LPS-parental mice had poorer learning and memory compared to the same aged CON mice,while the F2-LPS-paternal mice only had poorer memory compared to the same aged CON group.The learning and memory abilities of 18-month-old F2-LPS paternal and F2-LPS-parental mice were inferior to those of the same aged CON mice.The learn-ing and memory abilities of F2-LPS maternal male mice were inferior to those of CON male mice,and the memory abilities of F2-LPS maternal mice were stronger than those of F2-LPS-parental mice.With regards to the F3 genera-tion,the memory of the 3-month-old F3-LPS-parental mice was poorer than that of the same aged CON mice.The learning and memory abilities of F3-LPS paternal and F3-LPS-parental mice at 18 months old were inferior to those of CON mice of the same age.The 18-month-old F3-LPS maternal and paternal male mice had better memory than F3-LPS-parental male mice.Conclusion Exposure to lipopolysaccharides in late pregnancy can accelerate age-re-lated cognitive decline in offspring mice,and it has a cross generational genetic effect and gender differences,mainly in paternal inheritance.

BACKGROUND:Troxerutin has been found to have a significant ameliorative effect on brain disorders,but there are fewer studies on the effects of troxerutin on the treatment of cerebral infarction and on neuronal cells. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism by which troxerutin regulates nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway to reduce brain injury and neuronal apoptosis in cerebral infarction rats. METHODS:Fifty clean grade rats were randomized into healthy group,model group,and troxerutin+nuclear factor-κB agonist group,troxerutin group,and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor group.Except for the healthy group,all other groups were used to establish a rat model of cerebral infarction by arterial ligation.The healthy and model groups were treated once a day with an equal amount of physiological saline by gavage.The troxerutin+nuclear factor-κB agonist group was intervened with 72 mg/kg troxerutin by gavage+20 mg/kg RANK intraperitoneally.The troxerutin group was treated with 72 mg/kg troxerutin by gavage.The nuclear factor κB inhibitor group was intervened intraperitoneally with 120 mg/kg nuclear factor κB inhibitor pyrrolidine disulfiram.Administration in each group was given once a day for 30 continuous days.Zea-longa was used to detect neurological damage in rats,hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe pathological changes,TUNEL was used to detect neuronal apoptosis,and immunoblotting and PCR were used to detect the expression of nuclear factor-κB p65 and nuclear factor-κB p50 at protein and mRNA levels,respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the healthy group,the neurological function score,neuronal apoptosis rate,nuclear factor-κB p65,nuclear factor-κB p50 mRNA and protein expression levels were elevated in the model group(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the neurological function score,neuronal apoptosis rate,nuclear factor-κB p65 and nuclear factor-κB p50 mRNA and protein expression levels were decreased in the troxerutin+nuclear factor-κB agonist group(P＜0.05).Compared with the troxerutin+nuclear factor-κB agonist group,the neurological function score,neuronal apoptosis rate,nuclear factor-κB p65 and nuclear factor-κB p50 mRNA and protein expression levels were reduced in the troxerutin group and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor group(P＜0.05).In addition,there was no difference between the troxerutin group and the nuclear factor-κB inhibitor group(P＞0.05).In the model group,there was a large number of cytoplasmic vacuolation,obvious edema and necrosis,and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltrations.In the troxerutin+nuclear factor-κB agonist,the swelling of brain tissue was reduced,and reticulate structures and condensed cells were reduced,still with some edema.In the troxerutin group and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor group,brain tissue swelling,neuronal edema degeneration,cytoplasmic vacuolation and neuronal nucleus consolidation were reduced,and the inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly decreased.To conclude,troxrutin can reduce the expression of neurological impairment,inhibit neuronal apoptosis and improve the pathological injury of brain tissue in rats with cerebral infarction,and its mechanism of action may be related to the modulation of nuclear factor-κB expression and related signaling pathways.

Patients with radioactive enteritis generally have certain intestinal microecological imbalance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has showed good advantage in regulating intestinal microbial flora. In clinical practice, patients are treated based on syndrome differentiation of heat toxin damaging collaterals, cold-heat mixed syndrome, spleen deficiency and dampness stagnation, spleen and kidney yang deficiency, yin deficiency and body fluid deficiency. The Baitouweng Decoction, Wumei Pill, Sijunzi Decoction are the common prescriptions. TCM can promote the balance of intestinal microecology and treat digestive diseases such as radioactive enteritis, by improving the abundance of intestinal flora, inhibiting the level of inflammatory cytokines, and playing the role of probiotics and immune regulation.

To construct, express and purify Exendin-4 analogue and detect its biological activity in vivo. Insert gene sequence into fusion partner ofpED plasmid which is helped to purification, entitled the new recombinant plasmid 5 Exendin-4 analogue polypeptide gene and fusion partner gene was linked by acid hydrolysisgene, transformed to E. coli BL21 and the fusion protein was induced by lactose. After acid hydrolysis, the Exendin-4 analogue polypeptide separated from fusion chaperon. Anion charge chromatography were used to further purification. 6 to 8 week-old ICR mice were injected (s.c) with Exendin-4 analogue, blood glucose and plasma insulin level was detected in different period after oral glucose tolerance test. The results show that high expression of inclusion body was induced by lactose, which accounted for 40% of germ proteins, the Exendin-4 analogue was obtained with the purity of 91.8% after being purified by anion charge chromatography. Bioactivity assay showed that the level of blood glucose of mouse which treated with exendin-4 analogue was obviously decreased to normal (P < 0.01), and the level of plasma insulin was increased obviously (P < 0.01).
Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Peptides ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Venoms ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

Objective:To evaluate the effect of different clear fluid fasting duration on the fluid responsiveness after anesthesia induction in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease.Methods:One hundred pediatric patients with congenital heart disease who underwent elective atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect correction surgery at Shanghai Children′s Medical Center affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from December 2023 to February 2024 were selected. They were of either sex, aged 6 months to 3 yr, with a body mass index of 13-19 kg/m 2, and classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅱ or Ⅲ. Patients who adhered to the prescribed preoperative clear fluid fasting regimen, with a fasting duration of 6 h or longer before surgery, were included in the long fasting (LF) group, while those who were prescribed multi-dimensional nutritional solution until 2 h before surgery with a solid fasting duration≥6 h were considered for inclusion in the short fasting (SF) group. The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was recorded immediately before and after liver compression test at pre-induction of anesthesia and immediately before and after liver compression test at post-induction of anesthesia, and the changes in DBP before and after the liver compression test (ΔDBP) were calculated. Positive fluid responsiveness was defined as an increase in ΔDBP ≥ 6.25%. The positive rate of fluid responsiveness before and after anesthesia induction was calculated. Results:Sixty-four patients were finally included, and both LF and SF groups included 32 cases. Before the induction of anesthesia, the positive rate of fluid responsiveness induced by liver compression was 28.1% in LF group and 18.8% in SF group, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). However, after the induction of anesthesia, the positive rate of fluid responsiveness induced by liver compression was 56.3% in LF group and 28.0% in SF group, with a statistically significant difference observed ( P<0.05). Compared with the baseline before anesthesia induction, the positive rate of fluid responsiveness was significantly increased in LF group( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the positive rate of fluid responsiveness in SF group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The prolonged clear fluid fasting may lead to an increase in the positive rate of fluid responsiveness following anesthesia induction in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease, presenting as a state of hypovolemia.

Objective:To investigate the clinical presentations and early recognition features of infant botulism(IB).Methods:Retrospective case analysis.The clinical data of 14 patients with IB admitted to the Department of Emergency of Beijing Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University between January 2019 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The age of onset was 4.2(1.9-8.6) months.Ten cases(71.4%) were under 6 months, 9 of whom had a toxic trigger.The median time of first visit was 1(0-8) day.Thirteen cases(92.9%) complained of poor feeding/milk refusal, of whom pupillary light reflex was sluggish/absent in 12(85.7%) infants, 11(78.6%) had constipation, 10(71.4%) had weakness and/or lethargy, and 9(64.3%) had myasthenia of limbs and/or reduced movement of the extremities, decreased muscle tone and strength of the extremities occurred in all infants, and bowel sounds were diminished or vanished in 10 infants(71.4%).Only 2 infants were suspected of IB at the first visit.The mouse bioassay showed positive fecal specimens in all 14 infants, with a time of diagnosis of 3(1-10) days.Eleven cases(84.6%) had varying degrees of intestinal stasis, and 1 case had reduced physiologic pneumatosis in the small intestine.Ten infants underwent the neostigmine test: one was positive, and one was suspiciously positive.Ten cases(71.4%) required mechanical ventilation, 7(50.0%) of whom used invasive respiratory support.The median length of hospital stay was 26(11-61) days.All the infants were essentially cured by the time they left the hospital.Conclusions:If infants are previously fit and conscious but have an acute onset of illness with parental complaints of poor appetite, weak reactions, and weakness of the extremities and are found to have cranial nerve palsy, signs of acute flaccid paralysis, abdominal distension, and diminished bowel sounds during the examination, the possibility of IB should be considered, and a fecal specimen should be sent for botulinum toxin assay as soon as possible.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of children with severe pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation due to human Boca virus infection.Methods:Clinical data of children with severe human Boca virus pneumonia required mechanical ventilation who were admitted to the emergency intensive care unit at Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from October 2022 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of ten children with human Boca virus pneumonia required mechanical ventilation were included,including seven males with a median age of 21.5(10.0-42.0) months and six children less than two years old.Six patients were admitted to hospital in the fall of 2022 and four were in the summer of 2023.All cases had cough,wheezing and fever.The wheezes could be heard in all patients admitted to hospital for physical examination.Respiratory sounds were reduced in six cases,and moist crackles were heard in two cases.Two patients had thrush.One patient with bronchial lavage culture showed streptococcus pneumoniae and staphylococcus aureus.One patient had human herpesvirus type 6 infection on day 5 of the course of disease,and one child had rhinovirus.There was no evidence of co-infection in the remaining five cases.All patients were given mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure,and the median mechanical ventilation time was 85 (46-165) hours.Each patient was examined by bronchoscope for 1-3 times.Bronchoscopy manifested endobronchial inflammation,mucosal swelling,increased secretions (10/10),mucous thrombus formation (8/10) and scattered necrotic epithelium (4/10).All patients were discharged after improvement and the median length of administration was 9 (6-14) days.Conclusion:Human Boca virus is one of the important pathogens of severe pneumonia in children,with severe cough,wheezing and feve,which can lead to endobronchial trachea inflammation,easy to form mucous embolus and mucosal necrosis.In severe cases,mechanical ventilation and bronchoscopy are required,and most of them have good prognosis.