Objective: To analyze the clinical epidemiological characteristics including composition of pathogens , clinical characteristics, and disease prognosis acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in Chinese children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical and laboratory data of 1 610 children <15 years of age with ABM in 33 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients were divided into different groups according to age,<28 days group, 28 days to <3 months group, 3 months to <1 year group, 1-<5 years of age group, 5-<15 years of age group; etiology confirmed group and clinically diagnosed group according to etiology diagnosis. Non-numeric variables were analyzed with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, while non-normal distrituction numeric variables were compared with nonparametric test. Results: Among 1 610 children with ABM, 955 were male and 650 were female (5 cases were not provided with gender information), and the age of onset was 1.5 (0.5, 5.5) months. There were 588 cases age from <28 days, 462 cases age from 28 days to <3 months, 302 cases age from 3 months to <1 year of age group, 156 cases in the 1-<5 years of age and 101 cases in the 5-<15 years of age. The detection rates were 38.8% (95/245) and 31.5% (70/222) of Escherichia coli and 27.8% (68/245) and 35.1% (78/222) of Streptococcus agalactiae in infants younger than 28 days of age and 28 days to 3 months of age; the detection rates of Streptococcus pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae were 34.3% (61/178), 14.0% (25/178) and 13.5% (24/178) in the 3 months of age to <1 year of age group; the dominant pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and the detection rate were 67.9% (74/109) and 44.4% (16/36) in the 1-<5 years of age and 5-<15 years of age . There were 9.7% (19/195) strains of Escherichia coli producing ultra-broad-spectrum β-lactamases. The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and blood culture were 32.2% (515/1 598) and 25.0% (400/1 598), while 38.2% (126/330)and 25.3% (21/83) in CSF metagenomics next generation sequencing and Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen detection. There were 4.3% (32/790) cases of which CSF white blood cell counts were normal in etiology confirmed group. Among 1 610 children with ABM, main intracranial imaging complications were subdural effusion and (or) empyema in 349 cases (21.7%), hydrocephalus in 233 cases (14.5%), brain abscess in 178 cases (11.1%), and other cerebrovascular diseases, including encephalomalacia, cerebral infarction, and encephalatrophy, in 174 cases (10.8%). Among the 166 cases (10.3%) with unfavorable outcome, 32 cases (2.0%) died among whom 24 cases died before 1 year of age, and 37 cases (2.3%) had recurrence among whom 25 cases had recurrence within 3 weeks. The incidences of subdural effusion and (or) empyema, brain abscess and ependymitis in the etiology confirmed group were significantly higher than those in the clinically diagnosed group (26.2% (207/790) vs. 17.3% (142/820), 13.0% (103/790) vs. 9.1% (75/820), 4.6% (36/790) vs. 2.7% (22/820), χ²=18.71, 6.20, 4.07, all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the unfavorable outcomes, mortility, and recurrence between these 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The onset age of ABM in children is usually within 1 year of age, especially <3 months. The common pathogens in infants <3 months of age are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae, and the dominant pathogen in infant ≥3 months is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Subdural effusion and (or) empyema and hydrocephalus are common complications. ABM should not be excluded even if CSF white blood cell counts is within normal range. Standardized bacteriological examination should be paid more attention to increase the pathogenic detection rate. Non-culture CSF detection methods may facilitate the pathogenic diagnosis.
Adolescent ; Brain Abscess ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Meningitis, Bacterial/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Subdural Effusion ; beta-Lactamases

OBJECTIVEThis study is to examine the influence of familiarity on energy intake, eating behavior, and concentration of the plasma gut hormones in lean and overweight young male subjects.

METHODSTwenty-eight lean and twenty-eight overweight participants were recruited. Their food consumption was documented and analyzed when they had a test meal while they were paired with friends or strangers at the same weight stature. Their eating behavior was recorded with cameras hidden in the carton, and postprandial plasma gut hormone concentration were measured.

RESULTSCompared with overweight strangers (OS), overweight friends (OF) had increased food consumption, prolonged and decreased number of chews per 10 g food. Compared with OS, postprandial plasma concentration of cholecystokinin-8 was significantly lower in OF group at 30, 60, and 90 min, whereas the concentration of glucagon-like peptide 1 was significantly lower at 60 and 90 min. Plasma ghrelin concentration was significantly higher in the OF group than that in the OS group at 90 and 120 min. No significant differences in gut hormone concentration were observed between lean strangers (LS) and lean friends (LF) groups at all time points.

CONCLUSIONFamiliarity plays an important role in increasing energy intake and in changing of postprandial gut hormone concentration in overweight individuals.

Objective To investigate the effects of asbestos exposure on plasma miRNA expression.Methods Plasma samples were collected from control group and asbestos -exposed group (time of exposure >10 years)and three samples from each group were selected to detect differentially expressed miRNA using LC Sciences miRNA Microarray -Single.The target genes of differential miRNA were predicted by three kinds of online software,Target Scan,miRanda and PicTar.GO term enrichment and KEGG pathways were analyzed.Results The results of microarray indicated that there were 40 differential miRNA expression between exposed and control groups(P <0.05),and the signal value of 9 differential miRNA exceeded 500.After analyzing signal pathways of target genes of 5 miRNA,of which the signal values were over 500,these target genes were found mainly involved in pathways associated with cancer and metabolism,including potential function targets of FAS,TP53 and FGFR3.Conclusion Asbestos exposure can result in differentially expressed miRNA in the plasma from workers occupationally exposed to asbestos and the target genes of these miRNA may play important roles in the pathways of cancer.However,the mechanism of these miRNA in asbestos -related diseases needs to be further studied in the future.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

The effect of sterilization methods on biological activity of fibronectin on the surface of biomaterials was elaborated in the present study. Sterile protein- modified biomaterials were fabricated by microfilter filtration and UV irradiation, respectively. UV irradiation altered the conformation of surface- adsorbed fibronectin and further affected the attachment, morphology and biological function of endothelial cells. However, microfilter filtration did not to change the normal conformation of fibronectin, or the proliferation and biological function of endothelial cells, indicating that microfilter filtration sterilization is the most suitable method for protein-substrate.
Cell Adhesion ; radiation effects ; Fibronectins ; radiation effects ; Filtration ; Prostheses and Implants ; microbiology ; Sterilization ; methods ; Ultraviolet Rays

OBJECTIVETo construct a rheumatoid arthritis-specific full-length fully human mammalian display antibody libraries.

METHODSPeripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The repertoires of kappa light chain (LCκ) and heavy chain variable region (VH) of the antibodies were amplified by RT-PCR. The amplified LCκ and VH genes were inserted into the vector pDGB-HC-TM separately, and the ligated libraries were transformed into competent E.coli TOPO-10 strain to construct the rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody heavy and light chain libraries. 293T cells were co-transfected with the libraries and the full-length fully human antibody expressed on the surface of 293T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe libraries of rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody LCκ and heavy chain (IgG1) were constructed. The expression of full-length fully human antibody on the surface of 293T cells was confirmed by flow cytometry. With the rates of correct LCκ and heavy chain sequence insertion reaching 80% and 60%, respectively, as shown by DNA sequence analysis of the randomly selected clones, the libraries showed an expressible combinatory diversity of 6.13×10(10).

CONCLUSIONThe constructed libraries provide a useful platform for screening rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibodies.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies ; genetics ; immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; immunology ; Cell Surface Display Techniques ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Peptide Library ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo establish immortalized B lymphoblast cell lines (B-LCLs) from healthy anti-HBs antibody (anti-HBs)-positive volunteers and screen for human anti-HBs and the antibody-secreting cells.

METHODSThe peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from 3 healthy volunteers positive for anti-HBs with hepatitis B vaccine boost vaccination were infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and incubated in the presence of CpG DNA motifs and cyclosporin A (CyA). The anti-HBs in the culture supernatant of the immortalized B-cells was quantified by Architect anti-HBs assay with chemiluminescent microparticle technique. Immunocytochemistry was performed to identify the differentiation of the cell clones expressing anti-HBs.

RESULTSImmortalized B-cell culture was successfully established from the cell clones secreting anti-HBs with EBV infection and CpG DNA stimulation. The titer of anti-HBs in the culture supernatant was at its peak at 3 weeks of cell culture and then decreased gradually. At 3 months of cell culture, the cells still retained the capacity of anti-HBs production as verified by the results of immunocytochemistry for CD20 and CD138.

CONCLUSIONImmortalized B-cell culture secreting anti-HBs from volunteers receiving boost hepatitis B vaccination has been successfully established by modified EBV immortalization technique.

B-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization, Secondary ; Vaccination

OBJECTIVETo investigate the sonographic and computed tomography (CT) features of hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML).

METHODSSonographic and CT findings were analyzed in 12 patients (9 females and 3 males) with pathologically proved HAML. The size, margin, location, gray scale, and color Doppler flow imaging characteristics were observed.

RESULTSHAML was located correctly with ultrasound in all patients. The sonographic features of 12 HAML included regular shape, clear margin, and three type of echoes including homogeneous hyperechoes (n=5), heterogeneous internal echoes (n=5), or homogeneous hypoechoes (n=2). The arterial flow signal was detected in two HAML. The CT findings included adipose density (n=3), soft tissue density (n=3), and mixed density (n=6). The sonographic and CT findings were correlated with the composition and distribution of fat, vessels, and smooth muscle tissue.

CONCLUSIONSFatty tissues within HAML shows typical imaging findings. The ultrasonographic and CT have their own advantages in detecting the fatty tissue inside HAML, and therefore a combination of these two techniques may increase the diagnostic accuracy of HAML.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiomyolipoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the possibility of Id4 gene promoter methylation as a biomarker for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in acute leukemia.

METHODSMethylation specific-PCR technique was used to detect Id4 gene methylation in samples with different percentages of leukemia cells from leukemia cell line and bone marrows from leukemia patients in complete remission (CR).

RESULTSId4 gene methylation could be detected in samples containing 1% or lower leukemia cells. Frequency of Id4 gene methylation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients in CR was 64.3% being higher than that in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in CR. In 14 ALL patients with Id4 gene methylation, 8 relapsed in 12 months, while only one relapsed in 9 patients without Id4 gene methylation. In 8 AML patients with Id4 gene methylation, 5 relapsed in 12 months, while two relapsed in 20 AML patients with Id4 gene methylation.

CONCLUSIONId4 gene promoter methylation is a candidate of biomarker for MRD detection in acute leukemias.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cell Line ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Differentiation Proteins ; genetics ; Leukemia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Young Adult

To compare the clinical outcome of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) and autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in treatment of patients with acute leukemia in first remission, 41 patients received APBSCT, 17 patients received unpurged ABMT and 30 patients received purged ABMT. The results showed that hematopoietic recovery was significantly earlier after APBSCT than that after purged or unpurged ABMT. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), relapse rate (RR) and transplant-related mortality (TRM) for all patients of 3 groups were 51.7%, 41.7% and 6.8%, respectively. DFS and RR were significantly influenced by disease types (ALL or AML) and intervals between diagnosis and CR(1) or CR(1) and transplant. The main causes of transplant-related death were infection and hemorrhage. After APBSCT, DFS, RR and TRM were 48.4%, 43.9% and 4.9%, respectively, and did not differ significantly from those found in unpurged ABMT (47.1%, 45.6% and 11.8%) or purged ABMT (66.5%, 29.6% and 6.7%). It is concluded that the clinical outcome of APBSCT is similar to unpurged or purged ABMT but APBSCT allows faster recovery of hematopoiesis and needs less transfusion support.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Bacterial Infections ; etiology ; mortality ; Bone Marrow Purging ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Child ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; etiology ; mortality ; Humans ; Leukemia ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; therapy ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation, Autologous