OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences of plasma valine level between autistic and healthy children, and to explore the relationship between plasma valine level and developmental quotient in children with autism. METHODS: In this study, a total of 29 autistic children and 30 typically developing children of the same age range were recruited as the autistic group and the control group. The childhood autism rating scale (CARS) was used to assess autistic core symptoms and severity in the autistic children. Children's developmental quotient was evaluated by Gesell developmental schedules (GDS), and plasma valine level was measured by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The correlation between plasma valine level and developmental quotient scores in the autistic group was analyzed. RESULTS: The plasma level of valine in the autism group was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). Children in the autism group got significantly lower scores in the adaption, gross motor, fine motor, language function and personal/social function subscales in GDS than in the control group (P < 0.000 1). Plasma valine level in the autism group showed significant positive correlations with scores of the fine motor (r=0.441, P < 0.05) and personal/social function (r=0.437, P < 0.05) subscales in GDS, but showed no significant correlations with scores of the adaption, gross motor and language function subscales in GDS (P>0.05). According to the criteria of CARS, children in the autism group were subdivided into the mild to moderate subgroup and the severe subgroup based on the severity of the autistic symptoms. Compared with children in the mild to moderate subgroup, children in the severe subgroup got significantly lower scores in the adaption, fine motor, language function and personal/social function subscales in GDS (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two subgroups in gross motor scores and plasma valine level (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The level of valine in plasma of autistic children is relatively lower, and there is a certain relationship between plasma valine level and the fine movement and personal/social function among children with autism.
Humans ; Autistic Disorder/physiopathology* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Valine/blood* ; Child Development ; Child, Preschool ; Case-Control Studies

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of compound kushen injection combined with fentanyl transdermal patch for the treatment of final stage cancer pain.Methods A total of 100 patients with cancer pain were divided into 2 groups of 50 patients each according to the randomized numerical table method.The control group was treated with fentanyl transdermal patch only,and the observation group was treated with fentanyl transdermal patch combined with compound kushen injection.The KPS score,NRS score,pain relief rate after treatment,incidence of adverse reactions and effect on levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-8 and CRP were compared between the two groups.Results The pain relief rate of the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group(P＜0.05).After treatment,the KPS score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05),and the incidence of NRS score,IL-6,IL-8,CRP levels and gastrointestinal reactions were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the incidence of hepatic and renal damage,dizziness and somnolence between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Compound kushen injection combined with fentanyl transdermal patch can effectively improve cancer pain,reduce the release of inflammatory factors,improve the patient quality of life,and the incidence of adverse reactions is low.

⁶³Ni is predominantly generated through neutron activation in nuclear reactors and is classified as a pure beta-emitting radionuclide with a half-life of 101.1 a. During decay, ⁶³Ni emits a beta ray with an energy of 65.87 keV. ⁶³Ni can be used in the manufacture of beta radiation sources, which are utilized as reference and working sources for beta activity measurement and beta energy response calibration. Additionally, it is used in electron capture detectors for chromatography, ionization sources in electron tubes, and electron capture probes in gas chromatography. These instruments have extensive applications in food safety, public health and epidemic prevention, soil pollution monitoring, and security. ⁶³Ni is an artificial radionuclide not commonly found in the natural environment under normal conditions. However, the ⁶³Ni generated during routine operations of nuclear power plants, as well as residual materials and wastes contaminated with ⁶³Ni during plant decommissioning, may be released into the environment through liquid effluents or solid wastes. This can pose potential radiation risks to both the public and the environment. Hence, it is necessary to monitor the activity concentration of ⁶³Ni. Currently, reports on this subject are limited in China, and there is a lack of established standards for the determination of ⁶³Ni in nuclear power plants. This article reviews the global literature on the pretreatment and purification measurement processes of ⁶³Ni. The merits and demerits are summarized for pretreatment methods such as acid leaching, mixed acid digestion, ashing acid leaching/dissolution, and alkali fusion, and for separation and purification methods like solvent extraction, precipitation, and extraction chromatography. The article also highlights the advantages of measurement using liquid scintillation counters. This review provides a reference for the establishment of the determination method of ⁶³Ni in liquid effluents and solid wastes from nuclear power plants.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of our regression model based on quantitative parameters of dual-energy CT and clinical features for stages T2 and T3 colorectal cancer.Methods A cross-section study was performed on 91 patients with colorectal cancer confirmed by postoperative pathology in our hospital from January 2022 to November 2023.All of them underwent dual-energy CT examination.According to the pathological T staging criteria of Chinese Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Standard(2020 Edition),they were divided into T2 group(n=43)and T3 group(n=48).Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences in quantitative CT parameters and clinical features between the 2 groups,and the obtained significant variables were employed to construct diagnosis models by univariate or multivariate logistic regression analysis.The area under receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of the CT parametric model and the model combined with clinical features was compared to evaluate the efficacy of diagnosing T2 and T3 stages.Results Univariate analysis showed that carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),N stage,tumor location,tumor longest diameter(LD),CT value of virtual noncontrast(CT-VNC),fat fraction,electron density(Rho)and dual energy index(DEI)were significantly different between the T2 and T3 groups(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that N stage,tumor location,LD,fat fraction and DEI were independent risk factors for the diagnosis of stage T3.The AUC value of the model of above CT parameters in diagnosing stage T3 colorectal cancer was 0.671(95％CI:0.558～0.783),and the AUC value of the combined model of above CT parameters and clinical features was 0.886(95％CI:0.815～0.957),and statistical difference was observed in the AUC value between the combined model and the CT parametric model(P＜0.01).Conclusion The regression model constructed with dual-energy CT quantitative parameters combined with clinical features has high value in the preoperative diagnosis of stages T2 and T3 colorectal cancer before surgery.

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of Tibetan medicine 70 Wei Pearl Pill(RNSP)on 6-hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA)induced Parkinson's disease model rats and its related mechanism.Methods Totally 48 male SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,model plus low-dose RNSP group(90 mg/kg),model plus medium-dose RNSP group(180 mg/kg),model plus high-dose RNSP group(360 mg/kg),and model plus madopar group(50 mg/kg),with 8 rats in per group.Except for the control group,the other rats were treated with 6-OHDA single injection into the striatum to establish the PD model.Each group was given intragastric administration after modeling and the control group and model group were given an equal volume of saline once a day for 4 weeks.The rats were subjected to apomorphine-induced rotation,experiments at the 2nd and 4th week after the completion of modeling,and the open field experiment was conducted the next day after the last rotation experiment to observe the animal behavior.After the behavioral experiment,the rats were stained with tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)in the substantia nigra pars compacta by immunohistochemical method and the positive neurons were counted.The protein levels of Bcl-2,BAX,Caspase-3 in substantia nigra and P38,P-P38,ERK,P-ERK,JNK,P-JNK in the striatum were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the control group,the rotation frequency and percentage of rotating rats in the model group increased significantly at the 2nd and 4th weeks after modeling;the open field active distance,average speed and times of crossing the grid were significantly decreased;and the rest time was significantly increased.While the number of TH positive neurons in the substantia nigra was significantly decreased,the BAX and Caspase-3 protein levels were increased significantly,Bcl-2 was decreased significantly,the ratios of P-P38/P38,P-JNK/JNK and P-ERK/ERK in the striatum were significantly increased in PD group.Compared with the model group,the rotation frequency and percentage of rotating rats in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of RNSP had no significant changes after 2 weeks of administration,the rotation frequency in the high-dose group and percentage of rotating rats in the low-and medium-dose RNSP groups significantly decreased after 4 weeks of administration.The open field active distance,average speed,and times of crossing the grid were significantly increased;the rest time was significantly decreased.The number of TH positive neurons in the substantia nigra was significantly increased,the Bax and Caspase-3 protein levels were decreased significantly while the Bcl-2 was significantly increased.The ratios of P-P38/P38,P-JNK/JNK and P-ERK/ERK in the striatum were significantly decreased.Conclusion Tibetan medicine RNSP can improve the motor ability and reduce the loss of DA neurons in PD rats,and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting P38/JNK/ERK signaling pathway and reducing the apoptosis of midbrain neurons.

Objective To evaluate the value of coronary CT angiography(CCTA)radiomics machine learning(ML)model combined with pericoronary fat attenuation index(FAI)for predicting coronary plaques progression.Methods Totally 194 patients with CCTA showing coronary plaques and received at least one CCTA review afterwards were retrospectively collected.The annual change value of total plaque burden(△TPB/y)was calculated based on the first and last CCTA to assess plaque progression.All patients were categorized into non-progressive(△TPB/y＜median △TPB/y)and progressive(△ TPB/y≥median △ TPB/y)groups.The patients were divided into training set(n=155)and validation set(n=39)at the ratio of 8∶2.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen clinical and primary CCTA related factors for plaque progression,and CCTA model was constructed.Radiomics features were extracted and screened based on primary CCTA to build ML models using random forest(RF),Gaussian process(GP),partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),quadratic discriminant analysis(QDA)and support vector machine(SVM)algorithms.The effectiveness of all models was verified in validation set and the optimal ML model was selected.And its combination with CCTA model constructed combined model.The efficacy of each model for predicting coronary plaques progression was evaluated.Results Of 194 cases,97 were in progressive group and 97 were in non-progressive group.The training set included 77 cases of plaques progression and 78 of plaques non-progression,and the validation set included 20 of plaques progression and 19 of plaques non-progression.FAI was the independent predictor of plaque progression(OR=1.08,P＜0.001)and CCTA model was constructed.Ten optimal radiomics features based on training set were selected to build RF,GP,PLS-DA,QDA and SVM models.The area under the curve(AUC)of RF model in training set and validation set were both high,was considered as the optimal ML model.The AUC of CCTA,RF and combined models in training set was 0.684,0.847 and 0.861,respectively,while was 0.629,0.768 and 0.821 in validation set,respectively.Conclusion CCTA radiomics ML model combined with FAI could effectively predict coronary plaques progression.