AIM:To compare the degree of disease simulation between the two mouse models of acute exacer-bation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)using intranasal instillation of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)and fine particulate matter(PM2.5)for 3 d based on exposure to cigarette smoke(CS)for 90 d.METHODS:Thirty-two male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group(n=8),CS group(n=8),CS+PM2.5 group(n=8)and CS+LPS group(n=8).The AECOPD models in CS+PM2.5 and CS+LPS groups were established by CS exposure combined with intranasal PM2.5 and LPS instillation.Lung function,lung pathology and airway goblet cell hyperplasia using histologi-cal staining were measured.To evaluate the degree of lung inflammation and mucus secretion in mice,the prorein levels of mucin 5AC(MUC5AC),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were detected by ELISA and total white blood cell(WBC)counts and the BALF differential cell counts(neutro-phils,macrophages,lymphocytes)were detected by Giemsa staining.RESULTS:In CS group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),and bronchial inflammation index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen de-position were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05),compared with control group.Compared with CS group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),the bronchial inflammation index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen deposition were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),and MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05)in CS+PM2.5 and CS+LPS groups.Compared with CS+PM2.5 group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),the bronchial inflamma-tion index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen deposition were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),and MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05)in CS+LPS group.CONCLUSION:Exposure to CS combined with both intrana-sal PM2.5 and LPS instillation allowed for establishing AECOPD models in mice,and CS exposure combined with intrana-sal LPS instillation better simulated AECOPD characteristics.

AIM:To investigate the effects of nebulized sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate(STS)in a mouse model of pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD-PH).METHODS:A to-tal of 32 healthy SPF-grade male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control(CTL,n=8)group,COPD-PH(CS+LPS,n=8)group,STS-treated COPD-PH(CS+LPS+STS,n=8)group,and STS(n=8)group.The COPD-PH model was established through whole-body exposure to cigarette smoke(CS)combined with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)in-halation.Mice were subjected to cigarette smoke exposure in a chamber(9 cigarettes/h,2 h/session,2 sessions/d,6 d/week)for 60 d,except on days of LPS inhalation.On days 1 and 14,COPD-PH model mice received LPS(7.5 μg/mouse in 50 μL saline)via intranasal inhalation,while the CTL and STS groups received an equivalent volume of saline.STS was administered via nebulized inhalation(5 mg/kg,30 min per session,twice daily)immediately before CS exposure.At the end of the modeling period,lung function and right heart pressure were assessed.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was collected for inflammatory cell counting.Levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)in BALF supernatants and plasma were measured using ELISA.Pathological changes in the airway and lung tissues were evaluated.RESULTS:(1)Com-pared to CTL mice,those exposed to CS and LPS exhibited lesions characteristic of COPD-PH,including emphysema,lung inflammation,decreased lung function,and increased right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP)and right ventricu-lar hypertrophy index(RVHI)(P<0.05);(2)COPD-PH mice showed significantly elevated IL-6 levels in both BALF and plasma(P<0.05);(3)STS treatment alleviated emphysema and lung inflammation,improved lung function,prevent-ed increases in RVSP and the RV/(LV+S)ratio,and reduced IL-6 levels in both BALF and plasma(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The results indicate that nebulized inhalation of STS significantly slows the progression of COPD-PH,likely due to its ability to inhibit lung inflammation and reduce IL-6 expression in the lungs.

AIM:To compare the degree of disease simulation between the two mouse models of acute exacer-bation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)using intranasal instillation of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)and fine particulate matter(PM2.5)for 3 d based on exposure to cigarette smoke(CS)for 90 d.METHODS:Thirty-two male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group(n=8),CS group(n=8),CS+PM2.5 group(n=8)and CS+LPS group(n=8).The AECOPD models in CS+PM2.5 and CS+LPS groups were established by CS exposure combined with intranasal PM2.5 and LPS instillation.Lung function,lung pathology and airway goblet cell hyperplasia using histologi-cal staining were measured.To evaluate the degree of lung inflammation and mucus secretion in mice,the prorein levels of mucin 5AC(MUC5AC),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were detected by ELISA and total white blood cell(WBC)counts and the BALF differential cell counts(neutro-phils,macrophages,lymphocytes)were detected by Giemsa staining.RESULTS:In CS group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),and bronchial inflammation index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen de-position were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05),compared with control group.Compared with CS group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),the bronchial inflammation index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen deposition were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),and MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05)in CS+PM2.5 and CS+LPS groups.Compared with CS+PM2.5 group,lung function decreased(P<0.05),the bronchial inflamma-tion index increased(P<0.01),airway goblet cell hyperplasia and airway collagen deposition were significant(P<0.01),total WBC count and differential cell count in the BALF increased(P<0.05),and MUC5AC and inflammatory factor IL-6 and TNF-α levels increased(P<0.05)in CS+LPS group.CONCLUSION:Exposure to CS combined with both intrana-sal PM2.5 and LPS instillation allowed for establishing AECOPD models in mice,and CS exposure combined with intrana-sal LPS instillation better simulated AECOPD characteristics.

AIM:To investigate the effects of nebulized sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate(STS)in a mouse model of pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD-PH).METHODS:A to-tal of 32 healthy SPF-grade male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control(CTL,n=8)group,COPD-PH(CS+LPS,n=8)group,STS-treated COPD-PH(CS+LPS+STS,n=8)group,and STS(n=8)group.The COPD-PH model was established through whole-body exposure to cigarette smoke(CS)combined with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)in-halation.Mice were subjected to cigarette smoke exposure in a chamber(9 cigarettes/h,2 h/session,2 sessions/d,6 d/week)for 60 d,except on days of LPS inhalation.On days 1 and 14,COPD-PH model mice received LPS(7.5 μg/mouse in 50 μL saline)via intranasal inhalation,while the CTL and STS groups received an equivalent volume of saline.STS was administered via nebulized inhalation(5 mg/kg,30 min per session,twice daily)immediately before CS exposure.At the end of the modeling period,lung function and right heart pressure were assessed.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was collected for inflammatory cell counting.Levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)in BALF supernatants and plasma were measured using ELISA.Pathological changes in the airway and lung tissues were evaluated.RESULTS:(1)Com-pared to CTL mice,those exposed to CS and LPS exhibited lesions characteristic of COPD-PH,including emphysema,lung inflammation,decreased lung function,and increased right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP)and right ventricu-lar hypertrophy index(RVHI)(P<0.05);(2)COPD-PH mice showed significantly elevated IL-6 levels in both BALF and plasma(P<0.05);(3)STS treatment alleviated emphysema and lung inflammation,improved lung function,prevent-ed increases in RVSP and the RV/(LV+S)ratio,and reduced IL-6 levels in both BALF and plasma(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The results indicate that nebulized inhalation of STS significantly slows the progression of COPD-PH,likely due to its ability to inhibit lung inflammation and reduce IL-6 expression in the lungs.

Objective:To describe a series of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with the combination of scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Methods:The medical records of 472 SSc patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2012 and October 2020 were reviewed and a retrospective analysis of the characteristics of patients with SRC and PAH among SSc patients was conducted.Results:Thirteen patients suffered from SRC and PAH in the SSc patients, 1 case was limited cutaneous SSc, and 12 cases were diffuse cutaneous SSc. Five patients had renal crisis before pulmonary arterial hypertension, 4 patients had pulmonary arterial hypertension before the occurrence of renal crisis, and the remaining 4 patients were found at the same time. Among them, 11 patients had Raynaud's phenomenon, 7 had gastrointestinal bleeding, 6 had pulmonary edema and 3 had telangiectasias. Twelve cases were positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and 4 cases were positive for anti-Scl-70 antibodies. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)>1 400 ng/L in 11 patients. Two patients had thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Among the 13 patients, 3 patients died during hospitalization, 2 patients were lost to follow-up, and 2 patients died within 5 years of follow-up. Six patients survived, and 1 of the 4 patients with regular dialysis were discharged from dialysis.Conclusion:In patients with scleroderma, SRC can occur earlier, later than, or at the same time with SSc-PAH. Patients may have a higher incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding and higher level of NT-proBNP. PDE5i or ERAs may be beneficial.

Objective:To understand the pathogen infection and epidemiological characteristics of children with diarrhea in Tianjin.Methods:Stool samples from 1 466 children with diarrhea in Tianjin Children's Hospital from August 2017 to July 2018 were collected, and all samples were tested for five intestinal-related pathogens (norovirus, rotavirus, Clostridium difficile toxin, adenovirus, and astrovirus). Results:Among the 1 466 samples, 627 samples were positive for nucleic acid detection of intestinal pathogens, with a positive rate of 42.8%. The detection rate of norovirus was the highest (26.3%), followed by rotavirus (15.3%), Clostridium difficile toxin (4.6%), adenovirus (4.1%), and astrovirus (1.84%). The infection has obvious seasonality. The positive detection rates of the five pathogens were similar among children of different sexes, and only the positive detection rates of norovirus and rotavirus were statistically significant among different ages ( P<0.05). There were 110 cases of mixed infection, and the mixed infection of norovirus and rotavirus was the most common, with a total of 37 cases. Conclusions:The pathogen spectrum of infant infectious diarrhea in Tianjin is complex and diverse, and the main pathogens are norovirus and rotavirus.

Objective:To investigate the molecular epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of norovirus (NoV) in hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in Tianjin to provide theoretical basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:Fecal specimens were collected from children with AGE in Tianjin Children′s Hospital from August 2017 to July 2020. NoV was detected by real-time fluorescence reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Partial sequence of the capsid protein VP1 of positive samples was amplified by conventional RT-PCR. The products were sent for sequencing and genotyping based on the sequence. As the same time, the clinical symptoms were compared among children infected with different NoV genotypes.Results:Among the 6 432 specimens, 1 703 (26.5%) were positive for NoV. Sequence analysis showed that 761 identified NoV strains could be divided into 7 genotypes. Genotypes GII.4, GII.3, GII.2, GII.17, GII.1, GII.13 and GII.6 accounted for 55.5% (422/761), 36.7% (279/761), 4.9% (37/761), 0.9% (7/761), 0.8% (6/761), 0.8% (6/761) and 0.5% (4/761), respectively. All of the GII.4 belonged to GII.4 Sydney 2012. There was also a significant difference in the seasonal distribution of children infected with GII.4 and other genotypes ( χ2=103.53, P<0.001). Children infected with GII.4 NoV were more likely to have diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration ( χ2=8.42, P=0.004; χ2=20.39, P<0.001; χ2=4.99, P=0.025). Conclusions:GII.4 and GII.3 were mainly genotypes of NoV infection in Tianjin from 2017 to 2020 and genotypes were diverse. In addition, children with GII.4 NoV were more likely to suffer from diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

Objective:To investigate the molecular epidemiological characteristics of norovirus (NoV) in hospitalized children with sporadic acute gastroenteritis in Tianjin in 2019.Methods:Fecal specimens and clinical data were collected from 3 116 hospitalized children with sporadic acute gastroenteritis possibly caused by viral infection in Tianjin Children′ Hospital between January and December, 2019. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect NoV. Partial sequences of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and capsid genes of NoV were amplified by RT-PCR. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were performed for further analysis.Results:Among the 3 116 specimens, 809 (26.0%) were positive for NoV. There were significant differences in NoV detection rate between different age groups ( P=0.000), and the highest NoV detection rate (31.6%) was observed in the age group of 7-12 months. Moreover, the detection rate of NoV varied with seasons ( P=0.000), and the NoV detection rate was highest in winter (39.0%). Based on the sequence analysis of RdRp and capsid genes, 286 identified NoV strains belonged to six genotypes, which were GⅡ.P12-GⅡ.3, GⅡ.P16-GⅡ.2, GⅡ.P17-GⅡ.17, GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.2, GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.3 and GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.4. The predominant genotype was GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.4 Sydney 2012 (61.2%), followed by GⅡ.P12-GⅡ.3 (33.6%, 96/286), GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.3 (2.4%, 7/286), GⅡ.P16-GⅡ.2 (2.1%, 6/286), GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.2 (0.3%, 1/286) and GⅡ.P17-GⅡ.17 (0.3%, 1/286). Patients carrying the NoV of GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.4 Sydney 2012 genotype were likely to suffer from vomiting than those positive for NoV of GⅡ.P12-GⅡ.3 genotype. Conclusions:NoV was an important pathogen causing acute gastroenteritis in children. GⅡ.Pe-GⅡ.4 Sydney 2012 and GⅡ.P12-GⅡ.3 were the major genotypes of NoV in hospitalized children with sporadic acute gastroenteritis in Tianjin in 2019.

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae( Mp) genotypes and subtypes in children in Tianjin. Methods:Children with pneumonia admitted to Tianjin Children′s Hospital from December 2017 to December 2019 were selected as the research objects. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The positive samples were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Mp culture. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) and multiple variable number tandem repeats were used for genotyping. Detailed clinical and laboratory data were collected for all cases. Results:The results of RFLP showed that there were 138 cases (78.9%) of typeⅠand 37 cases (21.1%) of type Ⅱ; 37 cases of type M3-5-6-2, including six subtypes B, G, M, S, V and Y; 138 cases of M4-5-7-2 were detected, including seven subtypes of E, J, P, U, X, Z and a. In M3-5-6-2 type, there were 1 case of P1-Ⅰtype (2.7%), 36 cases of P1-Ⅱtype (97.3%), 137 cases of P1-Ⅰ type (99.2%) and 1 case of P1-Ⅱ type (0.7%) in M4-5-7-2 type. There was no significant difference in genotype distribution among different age groups. There were statistical differences in the distribution of four seasons among the 13 genotypes of B, G, M, S, V, Y and E, J, P, U, X, Z, a. All Mp infected children had symptoms of fever and cough. The hospitalization time, fever duration, high fever (>39℃), cough duration, skin changes, digestive system symptoms and liver function injury rate of P1-Ⅰ/M4-5-7-2 pneumonia children were higher than those of P1-Ⅱ/M3-5-6-2 pneumonia children, but the difference was not statistically significant. The WBC count of P1-Ⅱ/M3-5-6-2 types was higher than that of typeⅠand M4-5-7-2; the LDH of P1-Ⅰ/M4-5-7-2 was higher than that of Ⅱ and M3-5-6-2, with statistical difference. There was no significant difference in the incidence of inflammatory consolidation, atelectasis, pleural thickening and pleural effusion among different genotypes. Conclusions:Mp infection in children with pneumonia in Tianjin is mainly P1-Ⅰ/ M4-5-7-2, and P1-Ⅱ is on the rise. P1-Ⅰ and M4-5-7-2 were associated with fever and severe symptoms.

Objective:To evaluate the prevalence of human rhinovirus (HRV) infection in hospitalized children in Tianjin and investigate the clinical impact of HRV infections.Methods:From July 2017 to December 2019, 2 945 nasopharyngeal secretion specimens were screened for HRV using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). VP4/VP2 sequences of HRV were further characterized. The clinical characteristics of the HRV infection were analyzed. The detection results of HRV for different groups and different months were compared using SPSS 19.0.Results:HRV-positive specimens accounted for 8.15% (240/2 945), of which 74.78% (86/115) were diagnosed with pneumonia, 40.83%(98/240) had co-infections with other common pathogens. HRV infections could be detected throughout the year with peaks in spring (11.00%, 66/660) and autumn (9.29%, 81/872). The positive rate of HRV was 4.14%(29/700) in winter. By VP4/VP2 sequence analysis, HRV-A was the most frequently detected strain(50.00%, 78/156), followed by HRV-C (41.67%, 65/156).46.15% (30/65) of HRV-C infections occurred in October and November. There were several different HRV-A types and HRV-C types. The most commonly detected HRV-A types were A12(11.54%, 9/78), A49(6.41%, 5/78), A22, A101, and A66(5.13%, 4/78), etc. The most common HRV-C types were C2(20.00%, 13/65), C22(9.23%, 6/65), C26, C43, C54 and C53(4.62%,3/65). Patients with HRV-A infections are more likely to show fever symptoms than HRV-C (χ2=5.411, P<0.05). No significant difference in other symptoms were found between the two types. Conclusions:HRV was a commonly detected virus among infants and had a clear seasonal distribution. It′s also possible for the HRV patients to have co-infections with other pathogens.HRV showed high genetic diversity.