Obiective Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by a variety of risk factors. There are various pathological changes, but apoptosis of the neurological meridian cells is one of the most important pathological bases. Hyperlipidemia is a high-risk factor for the development of AD, which can lead to increased levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in brain tissues. PCSK9 is a protease closely related to lipid metabolism, but studies have shown that it may be related to the development of AD. LRP1 is abundantly expressed in neuronal cells, and it is an important transporter for the clearance of Aβ. There is now a large amount of literature confirming that PCSK9 can induce the degradation of LRP1. PI3K/AKT is an important signaling pathway in vivo, which plays an important role in apoptosis, and there is now a large amount of literature confirming that LRP1 activates the PI3K/AKT pathway, which has an anti-apoptotic effect. So can PCSK9 affect the PI3K/AKT pathway through LRP1 and thus regulate neuronal apoptosis? This deserves further investigation.The aim of this study was to explore the role of PCSK9 in mediating ox-LDL pro-apoptotic neuronal cell death and its mechanism, and then further elaborate the mechanism of hyperlipidemia leading to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. MethodsFirstly, PC12 cells were treated with different concentrations of ox-LDL (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/L) for 24 h. Oil red O staining was used to detect lipid accumulation in PC12 cells, Hoechst33258 staining and flow cytometry to detect apoptosis in PC12 cells, ELISA to detect the content of Aβ secreted by PC12, Western blot to detect expression of SREBP2, PCSK9 and LRP1. Then PC12 cells were treated with 75 mg/L ox-LDL for different times (0, 6, 12, 24, 48 h), and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of SREBP2, PCSK9 and LRP1. Finally, after transfecting 100 nmol/L PCSK9 siRNA into PC12 cells for 48 h, PC12 cells were treated with 75 mg/L ox-LDL for 24 h, Hoechst33258 staining and flow cytometry to detect apoptosis rate of PC12 cells, and Western blot to detect PCSK9, LRP1, PI3K, AKT, P-PI3K , P-AKT, NF-κB, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 expression, and ELISA detected Aβ content secreted by PC12 cells. Resultsox-LDL increased lipid accumulation and promoted apoptosis and Aβ secretion in PC12 cells, as well as increasing the expression of SREBP2 and PCSK9 and decreasing the expression of LRP1 in PC12 cells. pCsk9 siRNA could be inhibited through the PI3K/AKT pathway and the NF-κB-Bcl-2/Bax-Caspase-9/3 pathway to inhibit ox-LDL-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells while increasing Aβ secretion in PC12 cells. Conclusionox-LDL plays a bidirectional regulatory role in ox-LDL-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells by inducing an increase in PCSK9 expression and a decrease in LRP1 expression in PC12 cells, which in turn affects different signaling pathways downstream.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Gene editing technology is a genetic operation technology that can modify the DNA sequence at the genomic level. The precision gene editing technology based on CRISPR/Cas9 system is a gene editing technology that is easy to operate and widely used. Unlike the traditional CRISPR/Cas9 system, the precision gene editing technology can perform site-directed mutation of genes without DNA template. This review summarizes the recent development of precision gene editing technology based on CRISPR/Cas9, and prospects the challenges and opportunities of this technology.
Gene Editing ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Mutation ; Genome

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Animals ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Macaca mulatta ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Antibodies, Viral ; Vaccines

OBJECTIVES: To construct a clinical prediction model for the impact of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in poor ovarian response (POR) patients, providing insights and methods for predicting pregnancy outcomes in POR patients undergoing acupuncture treatment. METHODS: Clinical data of 268 POR patients (2 cases were eliminated) primarily treated with "thirteen needle acupuncture for Tiaojing Cuyun (regulating menstruation and promoting pregnancy)" was collected from the international patient registry platform of acupuncture moxibustion (IPRPAM) from September 19, 2017 to April 30, 2023, involving 24 clinical centers including Acupuncture-Moxibustion Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. LASSO and univariate Cox regression were used to screen factors influencing pregnancy outcomes, and a multivariate Cox regression model was established based on the screening results. The best model was selected using the Akaike information criterion (AIC), and a nomogram for clinical pregnancy prediction was constructed. The prediction model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves, and internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. RESULTS: (1) Age, level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and total treatment numbers of acupuncture were independent predictors of pregnancy outcomes in POR patients receiving acupuncture (P<0.05). (2) The AIC value of the best subset-Cox multivariate model (560.6) was the smallest, indicating it as the optimal model. (3) The areas under curve (AUCs) of the clinical prediction model after 6, 12, 24, and 36 months treatment were 0.627, 0.719, 0.770, and 0.766, respectively, and in the validation group, they were 0.620, 0.704, 0.759, and 0.765, indicating good discrimination and repeatability of the prediction model. (4) The calibration curve showed that the prediction curve of the clinical prediction model was close to the ideal model's prediction curve, indicating good calibration of the prediction model. CONCLUSIONS The clinical prediction model for the impact of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in POR patients based on the IPRPAM platform has good clinical application value and provides insights into predicting pregnancy outcomes in POR patients undergoing acupuncture treatment.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Models, Statistical ; Prognosis ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Registries

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and the risk factors of fungal sepsis in 25 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) among preterm infants in China, and to provide a basis for preventive strategies of fungal sepsis. Methods: This was a second-analysis of the data from the "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units using the evidence-based practice for improving quality" study. The current status of fungal sepsis of the 24 731 preterm infants with the gestational age of <34⁺⁰ weeks, who were admitted to 25 participating NICU within 7 days of birth between May 2015 and April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. These preterm infants were divided into the fungal sepsis group and the without fungal sepsis group according to whether they developed fungal sepsis to analyze the incidences and the microbiology of fungal sepsis. Chi-square test was used to compare the incidences of fungal sepsis in preterm infants with different gestational ages and birth weights and in different NICU. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to study the outcomes of preterm infants with fungal sepsis, which were further compared with those of preterm infants without fungal sepsis. The 144 preterm infants in the fungal sepsis group were matched with 288 preterm infants in the non-fungal sepsis group by propensity score-matched method. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of fungal sepsis. Results: In all, 166 (0.7%) of the 24 731 preterm infants developed fungal sepsis, with the gestational age of (29.7±2.0) weeks and the birth weight of (1 300±293) g. The incidence of fungal sepsis increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight (both P<0.001). The preterm infants with gestational age of <32 weeks accounted for 87.3% (145/166). The incidence of fungal sepsis was 1.0% (117/11 438) in very preterm infants and 2.0% (28/1 401) in extremely preterm infants, and was 1.3% (103/8 060) in very low birth weight infants and 1.7% (21/1 211) in extremely low birth weight infants, respectively. There was no fungal sepsis in 3 NICU, and the incidences in the other 22 NICU ranged from 0.7% (10/1 397) to 2.9% (21/724), with significant statistical difference (P<0.001). The pathogens were mainly Candida (150/166, 90.4%), including 59 cases of Candida albicans and 91 cases of non-Candida albicans, of which Candida parapsilosis was the most common (41 cases). Fungal sepsis was independently associated with increased risk of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (adjusted OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.04-2.22, P=0.030) and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (adjusted OR 2.55, 95%CI 1.12-5.80, P=0.025). Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure (adjusted OR=2.50, 95%CI 1.50-4.17, P<0.001), prolonged use of central line (adjusted OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.03-1.08, P<0.001) and previous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) duration (adjusted OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06, P<0.001) were all independently associated with increasing risk of fungal sepsis. Conclusions: Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis are the main pathogens of fungal sepsis among preterm infants in Chinese NICU. Preterm infants with fungal sepsis are at increased risk of moderate to severe BPD and severe ROP. Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure, prolonged use of central line and prolonged duration of TPN will increase the risk of fungal sepsis. Ongoing initiatives are needed to reduce fungal sepsis based on these risk factors.
Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Sepsis/epidemiology* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the HIV-1 subtype distribution and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in patients with ART failure from 2014 to 2020 in Hainan, China. METHODS: A 7-year cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients with ART failure in Hainan. We used online subtyping tools and the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree to confirm the HIV subtypes with pol sequences. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were analyzed using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total of 307 HIV-infected patients with ART failure were included, and 241 available pol sequences were obtained. Among 241 patients, CRF01_AE accounted for 68.88%, followed by CRF07_BC (17.00%) and eight other subtypes (14.12%). The overall prevalence of HIVDR was 61.41%, and the HIVDR against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) were 59.75%, 45.64%, and 2.49%, respectively. Unemployed patients, hypoimmunity or opportunistic infections in individuals, and samples from 2017 to 2020 increased the odd ratios of HIVDR. Also, HIVDR was less likely to affect female patients. The common DRMs to NNRTIs were K103N (21.99%) and Y181C (20.33%), and M184V (28.21%) and K65R (19.09%) were the main DRMs against NRTIs. CONCLUSION The present study highlights the HIV-1 subtype diversity in Hainan and the importance of HIVDR surveillance over a long period.
Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Phylogeny ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drug Resistance, Viral/genetics* ; HIV Infections/epidemiology* ; Mutation ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Genotype

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

Objective: To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of hepatitis E vaccine(HEV)in Maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)patients. Methods: Based on an open-labeled controlled trial, from May 2016 to March 2018, 35 eligible MHD patients were recruited in the Hemodialysis Center of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University as the experimental group, and 70 MHD patients with matched age, gender and underlying diseases as the control group. The experimental group received HEV at 0, 1 and 6 months according to the standard vaccination procedures, while the control group received routine diagnosis and treatment without vaccine and placebo injection to observe the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine. The safety of vaccine in MHD population was evaluated by the incidence of adverse reactions/events in the experimental and control groups. The immunogenicity of HEV in MHD patients was evaluated by comparing the data from the phase Ⅲ clinical trial. Results: The overall incidence of adverse reactions/events was 17.1% (18/105), and there were no grade 3-4 adverse reactions/events related to vaccination. In the experimental group, the incidence of local adverse reactions/events was 20.0% (7/35), and the incidence of systemic adverse reactions/events was 17.1% (6/35).There was no significant difference in the incidence of systemic adverse reactions/events between the experimental group and the control group (P>0.05). There were 23 patients receiving 3 doses with the standard schedule. The positive rate of HEV-IgG antibody was 100% and the GMC was 14.47(95%CI:13.14-15.80) WU/ml, which showed no significant difference compared with the 46 patients in Phase Ⅲ clinical trial (t=-1.04, P>0.05). Conclusion: Recombinant HEV has good safety and immunogenicity in MHD patients.
Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; Humans ; Immunogenicity, Vaccine ; Immunoglobulin G ; Male ; Renal Dialysis ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines/adverse effects*