Background::Hepatitis B poses a heavy burden for children in China, however, the national studies on the distributional characteristics and health care costs of children with severe hepatitis B is still lacking. This study aimed to analyze the disease characteristics, health economic effects, and medical cost for children with severe hepatitis B in China.Methods::Based on patient information in the Hospital Quality Monitoring System, cases with severe hepatitis B were divided into four groups according to age, and the etiology and symptoms of each group were quantified. The cost of hospitalization was calculated for cases with different disease processes, and severity of disease. The spatial aggregation of cases and the relationship with health economic factors were analyzed by Moran’s I analysis. Results::The total number of children discharged with hepatitis B from January 2016 to April 2022 was 1603, with an average age of 10.5 years. Liver failure cases accounted for 43.48% (697/1603) of total cases and cirrhosis cases accounted for 11.23% (180/1603). According to the grouping of disease progression, there were 1292 cases without associated complications, and the median hospitalization cost was $818.12. According to the spatial analysis, the aggregation of cases was statistically significant at the prefectural and provincial levels in 2019, 2020, and 2021 (all P <0.05). The number of severe cases was negatively correlated with gross domestic product (Moran’s I <0) and percentage of urban population (Moran’s I <0), and positively correlated with the number of pediatric beds per million population (Moran’s I >0). Conclusion::The number of severe hepatitis B cases is low in areas with high gross domestic product levels and high urban population ratios, and health care costs have been declining over the years.

Background::Hepatitis B poses a heavy burden for children in China, however, the national studies on the distributional characteristics and health care costs of children with severe hepatitis B is still lacking. This study aimed to analyze the disease characteristics, health economic effects, and medical cost for children with severe hepatitis B in China.Methods::Based on patient information in the Hospital Quality Monitoring System, cases with severe hepatitis B were divided into four groups according to age, and the etiology and symptoms of each group were quantified. The cost of hospitalization was calculated for cases with different disease processes, and severity of disease. The spatial aggregation of cases and the relationship with health economic factors were analyzed by Moran’s I analysis. Results::The total number of children discharged with hepatitis B from January 2016 to April 2022 was 1603, with an average age of 10.5 years. Liver failure cases accounted for 43.48% (697/1603) of total cases and cirrhosis cases accounted for 11.23% (180/1603). According to the grouping of disease progression, there were 1292 cases without associated complications, and the median hospitalization cost was $818.12. According to the spatial analysis, the aggregation of cases was statistically significant at the prefectural and provincial levels in 2019, 2020, and 2021 (all P <0.05). The number of severe cases was negatively correlated with gross domestic product (Moran’s I <0) and percentage of urban population (Moran’s I <0), and positively correlated with the number of pediatric beds per million population (Moran’s I >0). Conclusion::The number of severe hepatitis B cases is low in areas with high gross domestic product levels and high urban population ratios, and health care costs have been declining over the years.

【Objective】 Diabetic mice could show learning and memory dysfunction, and we aimed to investigate the effect of Sigma-1 receptor agonist, PRE-084, on neurons and cognitive impairment in mice with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). 【Methods】 Twenty mice with T1DM induced by streptozocin, aged 8-10 weeks, and 20 control mice (CON) were randomly divided into four groups (CON+Vehicle, CON+PRE-084, T1DM+Vehicle and T1DM+PRE-084). Mouse primary neurons were cultured in high glucose medium with PRE-084 and control solvent, respectively. The body weight, food and water intake, and fasting blood glucose level of mice in each group were detected and recorded. The learning and memory abilities of mice were detected by new object recognition experiment. The mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane (MAM) structure of neurons in hippocampal CA1 area of mice was detected by transmission electron microscope. And the expression levels of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hippocampus of mice were detected by biochemical kit. Cell viability and ROS level of primary neurons were detected by CCK8 and cellular ROS kit. 【Results】 PRE-084 reduced the increase of body weight, food and water intake, and blood glucose caused by diabetes. PRE-084 significantly ameliorated the learning and memory impairment of the mice with T1DM, improved the changes of MAM structure in neurons of hippocampal CA1 area of diabetic mice, increased the level of ATP in hippocampus of diabetic mice, and decreased the increase of ROS expression in diabetic hippocampus and neurons under high glucose conditions. 【Conclusion】 Sigma-1 receptor agonist, PRE-084, could improve learning and memory impairment in the mice with T1DM, which might be related to the structural changes of MAM, the increase of ATP production, and the decrease of ROS production in hippocampal neurons.

【Objective】 To explore the effect of high-fat and high-fructose diet on mouse intestinal barrier function, as well as the role of ketohexokinase (KHK), the key enzyme in fructose metabolism, in intestinal barrier impairment. 【Methods】 Eight-week-old male control C57BL/6J mice and Khk^-/- mice were randomly divided into control + normal diet (ND), control + high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHFD), Khk^-/-+ normal diet (ND+Khk^-/-), and Khk^-/-+ high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHFD+Khk^-/-) groups, with eight mice in each group. During the high-fat and high-fructose diet and normal diet, the body weight changes of mice in different groups were recorded. After the intervention, the blood glucose and insulin levels of mice in each group were detected. The intestinal barrier function and inflammation level of mice were evaluated by detecting intestinal water content, permeability, tight junction protein expression, serum and intestinal inflammatory factor levels. 【Results】 Compared with ND group, HFHFD group significantly increased the body weight, blood glucose and insulin levels of mice, increased the intestinal water content and permeability, decreased the expression of tight junction proteins, and increased inflammatory factors of the serum and intestines. In the two groups fed with high-fat and high-fructose diet, the body weight, blood glucose and insulin levels of the HFHFD+Khk^-/- group were significantly lower than those of HFHFD group, and the intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation were significantly improved. 【Conclusion】 KHK, a key enzyme in fructose metabolism, is involved in the impairment of intestinal barrier caused by high-fat and high-fructose diet. Knockout of Khk gene significantly improved intestinal barrier dysfunction and the inflammation level.

【Objective】 To explore the effect of cilostazol on intestinal barrier function in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). 【Methods】 The GSE142153 dataset was downloaded from GEO database to analyze gene changes in diabetic patients. Eight-week-old male db/db mice and control m/m mice were randomly divided into m/m+cmc, m/m+cilo, db/db+cmc, and db/db+cilo groups. Mice in different groups were given cilostazol and corresponding solvents for 4 weeks. We detected the levels of serum sCD40L and the expression of CD40 in intestinal tissue, and evaluated the mice’s intestinal barrier function by examining intestinal permeability, water content, bacterial number, and tight junction protein expression in different groups. 【Results】 Differential expressed genes were enriched in platelet activation and endothelial barrier function pathways in diabetic patients. Compared with those in the control group, the levels of serum sCD40L in db/db diabetic mice elevated significantly, and the CD40 expression, permeability, water content and bacterial number in intestinal tissue increased obviously, while the expression of tight junction protein decreased. Cilostazol treatment in diabetic mice decreased the levels of serum sCD40L and CD40, and alleviated significantly the intestinal barrier dysfunction. 【Conclusion】 Cilostazol attenuated the damage of intestinal barrier function in T2DM, and its protective effect may be related to the inhibition of platelet activation in diabetic mice.

Objectives To investigate the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) disease and its correlation with chronic metabolic diseases in two primary school students in Shanghai. Methods One thousand ifve hundred and thirty-two 7-11 year-old students from two primary schools were enrolled in Septamber-October 2011. The anthropometric indices, blood pressure, screening for pseudoacanthosis nigricans and liver ultrasonography of all subjects were recorded. Results The overall prevalence of NAFLD, obesity, abdominal obesity, pseudoacanthosis nigricans, high systolic blood pressure and high diastolic blood pressure was 6.5%, 26.7%, 16.3%, 5.1%, 1.7%and 1.9%, respectively. The prevalence of NAFLD and abdomi-nal obesity in students of central urban area was signiifcantly higher than that in suburban area (P<0.01). The binary regression analysis revealed a signiifcant association between NAFLD in students with sex, age, obesity, abdominal obesity, pseudoacan-thosis nigricans and high systolic blood pressure (P<0.05). Conclusions NAFLD has close correlation with chronic metabolic disease in children. It is time to adopt prevention, detection and treatment in NAFLD children with symptoms of chronic meta-bolic diseases.