ObjectiveBased on 16S rDNA technology and molecular biology methods， the molecular mechanism of Shenling Baizhusan in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-D） was investigated. MethodsThe 42 SD rats with SPF were randomly divided into no control group， SLBZS-H， medium （SLBZS-M）， low （SLBZS-L） dose group， positive control group and model group， with 7 rats in each group. The rat model of IBS-D was prepared by ice-cold senna （0.45 g∙mL^-1） gavage （10 mL∙kg^-1） combined with restraint stress for 14 consecutive days. After successful modeling， the corresponding drugs were given to each group with a gavage volume of 10 mL∙kg^-1： The positive group was administered with 2.36 ， 1.18， 0.59 g∙mL^-1 of Shenling Baizhusan in the Positive group and the Model group with the same volume of normal saline for 14 d. The general condition of the rats： Weight， feces， mental state and death were observed and recorded. The body weight， abdominal wall retraction reflex score （AWR） and loose stool rate of rats in each group were measured before （the first day）， after the model （day 14） and after treatment （day 28）. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological characteristics of colon tissues of experimental animals. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitatively analyze the concentration of inflammatory mediators in the peripheral blood of experimental animals. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of key proteins of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， Toll-like receptor 2 （TLR2）， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88） and nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway in rat colon tissue. 16S rDNA technology was used to detect the structural changes of intestinal microbiota in rats. ResultsCompared with Control， the colon of the Model group showed partial mucosal epithelial shedding and inflammatory cell infiltration. The contents of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6 and 5-HT in serum increased （P<0.05）， the protein expressions of TLR2， TLR4， MyD88 and NF-κB in colon tissue increased （P<0.05）， the diversity indices of Richness， Chao1， abundance-based coverage estimator（ACE） and Shannon decreased （P<0.05）， and the phylum Firmicutes， Actinobacteria， The relative richness of Bacteroides-H， Lactobacillus and Ligilactobacillus decreased （P<0.05）， while the relative richness of Bacteroidetes， Proteobacteria and Prevotella increased （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the colonic structure and organization of the SLBZS-H group， SLBZS-M group， SLBZS-L group and Positive group were clearer， and only a small number of inflammatory cells were present in some areas， and the serum contents of TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6 and 5-HT were decreased （P<0.05）， TLR2， TLR4， The protein expressions of MyD88 and NF-κB decreased （P<0.05）， and compared with the model group， the diversity indices of Richness， Chao1， ACE and Shannon in the SLBZS-H， SLBZS-M and SLBZS-L groups increased （P<0.05）， and the richness of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria increased （P<0.05）. The richness of Proteobacteria and Prevotella decreased （P<0.05）， and the abundance of Prevotella decreased （P<0.05）， Bacteroides-H， Muribaculum， Lactobacillus and salivarius in the Positive group salivarius （P<0.05）. ConclusionShenling Baizhusan can effectively treat IBS-D， and its molecular mechanism may be to play a therapeutic role by improving intestinal flora and inhibiting the TLRS/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway to reduce inflammatory response.

Objectives:To investigate the physical growth status of pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and analyze the effects of treatment-related and socioeconomic factors on physical growth.Methods:Based on the specialized thalassemia database from gene therapy clinical research at the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, we collected data on height and weight development, family economic status, and medical records of 338 pediatric patients with TDT from October 2023 to May 2024. The length/height-for-age and body mass index (BMI) -for-age were classified based on the Growth Standard for Children under 7 Years of Age, Standard for Height Level Classification among Children and Adolescents Aged 7-18 Years, and Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of family economic status and disease-related treatment on length/height-for-age and BMI-for-age.Results:Among the 338 patients, 118 were children and 220 were adolescents (192 males and 146 females), with a median age of 12 years (range: 0.8-18) and a median diagnosis duration of 10.3 years (range: 0.5-17.9). Subtypes included α-thalassemia [21 cases (6.2%) ], β-thalassemia [288 cases (85.2%) ], and combined αβ-thalassemia[29 cases (8.6%) ]. The monthly household income of patients was concentrated in 3 000-5 000 yuan (39.9%) and 5 001-10 000 yuan (34.9%), whereas 67.2% of the families had monthly medical expenses of <3 000 yuan. Of the patients, 75.5% received their first transfusion before 1 year of age. The proportions of children and adolescents with pretransfusion hemoglobin (HGB) of ≤70 g/L were 4.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Adolescents demonstrated significantly higher rates of transfusion frequency of <4 weeks/session, monthly red blood cell infusion of >2 U, serum ferritin (SF) of ≥5 000 μg/L, iron chelation therapy, and splenectomy compared with children (all P<0.05). Of the 338 patients, 26.0%, 22.8%, and 8.9% demonstrated stunted growth, underweight, and concurrent stunted growth with underweight, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the stunted growth rates between children (22.9%) and adolescents (27.7%) ( P=0.402). However, the underweight rate in adolescents (26.8%) was significantly higher than that in children (15.3%) ( P=0.023). The multivariate analysis determined the following risk factors for stunted growth: monthly household income of <10 000 yuan (5 001-10 000 yuan: OR=5.49, 95% CI: 1.48-35.76; 3 000-5 000 yuan: OR=6.87, 95% CI: 1.88-44.60; <3 000 yuan: OR=9.29, 95% CI: 2.20-64.77), pretransfusion HGB of ≤70 g/L ( OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.07-10.18), and SF of ≥5 000 μg/L ( OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.20-7.70). Longer diagnostic duration was associated with underweight ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20) . Conclusions:Children and adolescents with TDT with pretransfusion SF of ≥5 000 μg/L, HGB of ≤70 g/L, low monthly household income, or longer diagnosis duration were significantly more likely to experience delayed physical growth.

Objective:To retrieve, evaluate, and summarize the best evidence on ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in neonates.Methods:Based on the "6S" evidence pyramid model, literature on ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of PICC in neonates was sequentially searched on guideline websites, professional society websites, and journal databases. The search period was from database establishment to September 30, 2024. Two researchers used uniform criteria for independent quality assessment and evidence extraction from the literature, and the extracted evidence was integrated and summarized.Results:A total of ten articles were included, including five guidelines, one clinical decision, two expert consensus, one Meta-analysis, and one evidence summary. Thirty pieces of evidence were developed in six aspects: personnel qualification and training, catheter selection, assessment of placement veins, ultrasound-guided PICC puncture in neonates, PICC tip confirmation in neonates, and prevention and management of malposition.Conclusions:This study summarizes the best evidence for ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of PICC in neonates. It is recommended that evidence be selected and applied to develop a standardized process for neonatal PICC placement in conjunction with the resource environment of the department and the skill level of the healthcare professionals to improve the quality of nursing and to ensure the safe and effective use of the PICC in clinical practice.

Objective:To retrieve, evaluate, and summarize the best evidence on ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in neonates.Methods:Based on the "6S" evidence pyramid model, literature on ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of PICC in neonates was sequentially searched on guideline websites, professional society websites, and journal databases. The search period was from database establishment to September 30, 2024. Two researchers used uniform criteria for independent quality assessment and evidence extraction from the literature, and the extracted evidence was integrated and summarized.Results:A total of ten articles were included, including five guidelines, one clinical decision, two expert consensus, one Meta-analysis, and one evidence summary. Thirty pieces of evidence were developed in six aspects: personnel qualification and training, catheter selection, assessment of placement veins, ultrasound-guided PICC puncture in neonates, PICC tip confirmation in neonates, and prevention and management of malposition.Conclusions:This study summarizes the best evidence for ultrasound-guided placement and tip confirmation of PICC in neonates. It is recommended that evidence be selected and applied to develop a standardized process for neonatal PICC placement in conjunction with the resource environment of the department and the skill level of the healthcare professionals to improve the quality of nursing and to ensure the safe and effective use of the PICC in clinical practice.

Objectives:To investigate the physical growth status of pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and analyze the effects of treatment-related and socioeconomic factors on physical growth.Methods:Based on the specialized thalassemia database from gene therapy clinical research at the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, we collected data on height and weight development, family economic status, and medical records of 338 pediatric patients with TDT from October 2023 to May 2024. The length/height-for-age and body mass index (BMI) -for-age were classified based on the Growth Standard for Children under 7 Years of Age, Standard for Height Level Classification among Children and Adolescents Aged 7-18 Years, and Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of family economic status and disease-related treatment on length/height-for-age and BMI-for-age.Results:Among the 338 patients, 118 were children and 220 were adolescents (192 males and 146 females), with a median age of 12 years (range: 0.8-18) and a median diagnosis duration of 10.3 years (range: 0.5-17.9). Subtypes included α-thalassemia [21 cases (6.2%) ], β-thalassemia [288 cases (85.2%) ], and combined αβ-thalassemia[29 cases (8.6%) ]. The monthly household income of patients was concentrated in 3 000-5 000 yuan (39.9%) and 5 001-10 000 yuan (34.9%), whereas 67.2% of the families had monthly medical expenses of <3 000 yuan. Of the patients, 75.5% received their first transfusion before 1 year of age. The proportions of children and adolescents with pretransfusion hemoglobin (HGB) of ≤70 g/L were 4.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Adolescents demonstrated significantly higher rates of transfusion frequency of <4 weeks/session, monthly red blood cell infusion of >2 U, serum ferritin (SF) of ≥5 000 μg/L, iron chelation therapy, and splenectomy compared with children (all P<0.05). Of the 338 patients, 26.0%, 22.8%, and 8.9% demonstrated stunted growth, underweight, and concurrent stunted growth with underweight, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the stunted growth rates between children (22.9%) and adolescents (27.7%) ( P=0.402). However, the underweight rate in adolescents (26.8%) was significantly higher than that in children (15.3%) ( P=0.023). The multivariate analysis determined the following risk factors for stunted growth: monthly household income of <10 000 yuan (5 001-10 000 yuan: OR=5.49, 95% CI: 1.48-35.76; 3 000-5 000 yuan: OR=6.87, 95% CI: 1.88-44.60; <3 000 yuan: OR=9.29, 95% CI: 2.20-64.77), pretransfusion HGB of ≤70 g/L ( OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.07-10.18), and SF of ≥5 000 μg/L ( OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.20-7.70). Longer diagnostic duration was associated with underweight ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20) . Conclusions:Children and adolescents with TDT with pretransfusion SF of ≥5 000 μg/L, HGB of ≤70 g/L, low monthly household income, or longer diagnosis duration were significantly more likely to experience delayed physical growth.

Objective:To compare the anesthetic potency of dexmedetomidine combined with remifentanil for colonoscopy in the patients with different body mass indexes (BMIs) to assess the clinical significance of the influence of weight on the level of pain during the procedure.Methods:American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients, aged 18-64 yr, undergoing elective colonoscopy, were divided into 3 groups based on the BMI: group Ⅰ (underweight group, BMI<18.5 kg/m 2), group Ⅱ (normal weight group, BMI 18.5-24.0 kg/m 2), and group III (overweight group, 24.0 kg/m 2 < BMI <30.0 kg/m 2). The prescribed dose of dexmedetomidine was infused within 2 min, then remifentanil was infused as a bolus of 1 μg/kg within 2 min followed by an infusion of 0.1 μg · kg -1 · min -1 throughout the surgery, and then colonoscopy was performed in patients of each group. The up-and-down sequential allocation was used to determine the dose of dexmedetomidine, the initial dose of dexmedetomidine in each group was 0.3 μg/kg, and the ratio between the two successive doses was 1.2. The positive response was defined as the Modified Observer′s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale score > 1 and occurrence of body movement during the operation. Each time the dose of dexmedetomidine increased/decreased in the next patient depending on whether or not the response was positive. The median effective dose (ED 50) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) of dexmedetomidine were calculated using the Dixon-Massey formula. Results:Compared with group Ⅰ (0.42 [95% CI 0.38-0.47] μg/kg), the ED 50 of dexmedetomidine was significantly decreased in group II (0.23 [95% CI 0.19-0.32] μg/kg) and in group III (0.18 [95% CI 0.13-0.22] μg/kg) ( P<0.05). The ED 50 of dexmedetomidine was significantly decreased in group Ⅲ when compared with group Ⅱ ( P<0.05). Conclusions:With the increase of patients′ BMIs, the anesthetic potency of dexmedetomidine for colonoscopy is significantly enhanced when combined with remifentanil, indicating that clinicians should pay attention to the influence of weight on the level of pain during procedures.

Objective:To investigate the effects and mechanism of Jinlong Bushen Mixture against lipid metabolism disorders induced by high-sugar and high-fat diet in rats with metabolic syndrome by combining network pharmacology and experimental validation.Methods:TCMSP and related literature were retrieved to obtain the active components and targets of wolfberry, golden cherry, longan meat, jujube, gynostemma, rosmarinus officinalis, and motherwort in Jinlong Bushen Mixture, and GeneCards online database was retrieved to obtain metabolic syndrome-related targets. Venny 2.1.0 was used to obtain the intersection targets of Jinlong Bushen Mixture and metabolic syndrome, and STRING online STRING online database was used to construct the PPI network of intersecting targets. Core targets in the top 50 degree values were screened using the Cyto NCA plugin in Cytoscape 3.9.0. The DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 6.8 online analysis platform was used for GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Metabolic syndrome rat model was established using high sugar, high salt, and high fat feed for 20 weeks. The successfully modeling rats were divided into model groups, positive control group and Jinlong Bushen Mixture group according to random number table, and a blank control group was also set up, with 8 rats in each group. Jinlong Bushen Mixture group was gavaged with Jinlong Bushen Mixture 1.8 ml/kg, a positive control group was gavaged with Metformin 90 mg/kg, and the blank and model groups were gavaged with an equal volume of saline, 1 time/d, for 4 weeks. The changes in body weight, abdominal circumference, and fasting blood glucose in rats were observed. The blood lipid level in rats was detected. The pathological changes of liver tissues were detected by HE staining. The levels of ATP, IL-1β, and IL-6 in liver tissues were determined by ELISA. The mRNA expression of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), AMPK, Akt1, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), and downregulated lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) in liver tissue were detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was used to determine the expression of p-LKB1, LKB1, p-AMPK, AMPK, p-Akt1, and Akt1 in liver tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results:A total of 141 main active components, 841 active targets, 18 763 metabolic syndrome targets, and 820 drug-disease intersection targets of Jinlong Bushen Mixture were obtained. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis yielded 173 entries, including mainly the PI3K-Akt, and HIF-1 signalling pathway. The experimental results showed that the weight, fasting blood glucose, and lipid levels of rats in the Jinlong Bushen mixture group decreased, and the disorder of liver glucose and lipid metabolism in rats improved; the levels of ATP, IL-1β and IL-6 decreased ( P<0.05); The mRNA expression of LKB1, AMPK, Akt1, and CPT1A in liver tissue increased ( P<0.05), while LDH-A mRNA expression decreased ( P<0.05). The p-LKB1/LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, and p-Akt1/Akt1 ratio increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Jinlong Bushen Mixture may restore lipid metabolism disorders in the metabolic syndrome through multiple targets and pathways. Its mechanism may exert pharmacological effects through the LKB1/AMPK/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Superovulation is a common therapy in assisted reproductive technology.In clinical practice,some patients experience repeated superovulation to get pregnant. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of repeated superovulation on the developmental potential of oocytes in mice and humans. METHODS:Both animal experiments and retrospective clinical research were conducted.The animal study involved 90 SPF grade ICR 8-week-old female mice,who were randomly divided into three groups for 1,3,and 5 superovulations,respectively.The clinical study involved 306 patients who had undergone three consecutive in vitro fertilization cycles.The number of ovules obtained and embryonic development in different cycles were compared. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The animal study indicated that repeated superovulation did not affect the embryonic development or developmental speed of mouse embryos.Similarly,there was no significant difference in the mouse blastocyst apoptosis,DNA damage,or the formation of inner cell mass and trophectoderm(P>0.05).(2)The clinical study also revealed no significant differences in the number of retrieved oocytes(8.60±5.04,8.58±4.87,and 8.38±4.63,P=0.81)and transferable embryos(2.42±1.99,2.40±1.92,and 2.64±2.00,P=0.26)over the three cycles.(3)In both the young group(<35 years)and the old group(≥35 years),the embryo quality was not affected by repeated superovulation(P>0.05).(4)These findings show that repeated superovulation does not affect the developmental potential of oocytes in mice and humans.

Objective To compare the short- to mid-term outcomes of aortic valve plasty (AVP) and Ross surgery in children with severe aortic valve disease. Methods The patients (aged<18 years) with severe aortic valve disease who underwent AVP (an AVP group) or Ross surgery (a Ross group) at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital from January 2019 to September 2023 were retrospectively included. We compared perioperative and follow-up data between the groups. Results A total of 48 pediatric patients were included, including 28 males and 20 females, with an average age of (9.3±4.5) years. There were 25 patients in the AVP group, and 23 in the Ross group. Leaflet thinning (15/25, 60.0%) and leaflet extension (10/25, 40.0%) were the most common strategies used in the AVP group, while root replacement technique (12/23, 52.2%) and subcoronary technique (10/23, 43.5%) were the most frequently used strategies in the Ross group. There was no in-hospital death. The median follow-up time was 16.0 (7.0, 30.0) months. Peak flow velocity of the aortic valve was higher in the AVP group [2.0 (1.4, 2.9) m/s vs. 1.2 (1.0, 1.5) m/s, P<0.001], while there was no statistical difference in the postoperative aortic valve regurgitation severity between the two groups (P=0.127). During follow-up, the overall reoperation rate and aortic valve reoperation rate were similar between the AVP group and the Ross group (8.0% vs. 13.0%, P=0.922; 8.0% vs. 0.0%, P=0.266). The rate of recurrent aortic valve disease was higher in the AVP group (52.0% vs. 4.3%, P<0.001), while further analysis failed to recognize any risk factors. Conclusion AVP and Ross procedure show similar perioperative safety, survival and reoperation rate. The rate of recurrent aortic valve disease is higher in the AVP group, but further investigations are needed to confirm the causes.

Objective:To investigate the self-healing of congenital auricular deformity (CAD) and the efficacy of the auricle corrector in infants.Methods:The infants with CAD who were born in the Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University from January to December 2020 were collected. The patients who disagreed with the use of auricle corrector were included in the observation group. The patients were followed up on the day of one month and one year after birth by phone or WeChat, and the self-healing rate (the proportion of the number of ears found to be healed in the total number of affected ears after follow-up) of auricle was calculated. The patients treated with auricle corrector were included in the non-invasive correction group, which was treated with domestic auricle corrector. And according to the initial correction age, the patients were divided into ≤7 d, 8-28 d and >28 d three subgroups. The patients were followed up on the day of one month and one year after treatment by phone or WeChat, and the effective rate(the proportion of healed ears to the total number of affected ears after treatment) was calculated. And statistical analysis was used in the three subgroups of initial correction age ≤7 d, 8-28 d, >28 d. Variance analysis was used for general comparison between three groups, and LSD- t test for the comparison between two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 43 children (71 ears, 34 left ears and 37 right ears) were included in the observation group, including 21 males and 22 females, (2.1±0.3) days after birth. In the non-invasive correction group, 24 children (41 ears, 20 left ears and 21 right ears) were included, including 8 males and 16 females, (29.1±23.8) days after birth. There were 6 cases (10 ears) in the initial correction age group ≤7 days, 6 cases (9 ears) in the 8-28 days group, and 12 cases (22 ears) in the >28 days group. In the observation group (71 ears), the rates of self-healing on the day of one month and one year after birth were 29/71 and 30/71, respectively, including 23/31 and 24/31 for lop ear, 3/6 for Stahl’s ear, 3/3 for complex deformity, and 0 for other ear deformities. The effective rates were 41/41 and 35/41 one month and one year after treatment in the 24 children (41 ears) in the non-invasive correction group, respectively. Among them, the helical rim deformity was 12/12, lop ear 3/3, cup ear 7/7 and 5/7, Stahl’s ear 4/4, contracted ear 6/6, 5/6, prominent ear 2/2 and 0, the complex deformity 6/6 and 5/6, and microtia(Ⅰ) 1/1. The auricular deformities reoccurred in a total of 4 children (6 ears) 1 year after the end of treatment. According to the initial correction age into three groups, the treatment duration of the auricle corrector was (31.8±11.2) days, (31.3±10.1) days and (41.8±13.8) days, and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant ( F=3.42, P=0.043). There was no statistical significance between the groups ≤7 days and 8-28 days ( P=0.936), but there was statistical significance in the treatment duration between the groups ≤7 days and >28 days ( P=0.043), and between the groups 8-28 days and > 28 days ( P=0.041). Conclusion:CAD can self-heal to some extent. Self-healing rate is higher in lop ear and Stahl’s ears. The domestic auricle corrector has a good effect on CAD. The older the age of initial correction is, the longer the time of correction is. The type of CAD has a certain influence on the correction effect.