Objective:To analyze the risk factors for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in pediatric recipients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:Clinical data of children who underwent first allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed from March 2017 to November 2024. A total of 259 pediatric allo-HSCT recipients were analyzed through comparing HCMV infection group (n=115) and Non-HCMV infection group (n=144). Clinical characteristics were compared, and risk factors for HCMV infection were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:The result of univariate analysis showed that adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), length of hospitalization, duration of antiviral therapy, and bacterial infection were significantly associated with HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05). The result of multivariate analysis showed that ALD was an independent protective factor against HCMV infection of allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0.86], while umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) was an independent risk factor for HCMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=6.13, 95% CI: 1.34-28.04]. When the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting post-transplant relapse based on HCMV viral load was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.55-0.94, P=0.014) and at the cutoff value of 3×10 3 copies/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting relapse were 81.13% and 66.67%, respectively. Conclusions:HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients may lead to longer hospitalization and increased risk of relapse.

Objective:To determine the epidemiological characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024.Methods:Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from 269 children with ARI in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024. Seventeen respiratory pathogens were screened using quantitative fluorescence PCR. For HBoV-positive samples, the VP1/VP2 structural gene fragments of HBoV were amplified and sequenced for genetic evolutionary analysis.Results:Among the 269 nasopharyngeal swab samples from children with ARI, the overall detection rate of respiratory pathogens was 48.33% (103/269). The top three pathogens with the highest detection rates were: Influenza A virus (FluA): 10.04% (27/269), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): 8.18% (22/269), Human bocavirus (HBoV): 7.43% (20/269). The age distribution of HBoV-infected children showed that the detection rate was highest in the 0-2 years age group (50%, 10/20), followed by the 3-5 years age group (25%, 5/20) and the over 6 years age group (25%, 5/20). However, there was no statistically significant difference in viral detection rates among the age groups. Genetic evolutionary analysis based on VP1/VP2 revealed that all 13 HBoV strains were of the HBoV-1 genotype.Conclusions:HBoV is one of the major pathogens causing ARI in children in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024, with HBoV-1 being the predominant genotype. Additionally, infants aged 0-2 years are the most susceptible population to HBoV infection.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and cytokines expression characteristics in infants with mild and severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.Methods:From May 2023 to December 2023, plasma samples and clinical information were collected from 16 infants with RSV infection and 14 control infants. Cytek Aurora flow cytometry (Cytek, America) and Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the expression levels of 25 cytokines after mild and severe RSV infection.Results:Cough and nasal obstruction were the main clinical manifestations in infants with mild RSV infection, accompanied by polypnea, wheezing and other symptoms. The main symptoms of severe RSV infection were cough and rales, accompanied by fever and polypnea. In comparison with the control group, the expression levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-13, IL-22, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, MIP-1β, I-TAC, ENA-78, GROα, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the RSV infection group all exhibited an upregulation trend. Both IP-10 and MIP-3α demonstrated a downward trend in the RSV infection group; however, there was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). The levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, and IL-8 in the RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the control group, whereas the levels of MIG, TARC, and RANTES in the RSV infection group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-22, IFN-β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, I-TAC, MIP-1β, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the mild RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the severe RSV infection group ( P>0.05). Among these, the levels of MIG, RANTES, TARC, MIP-3α, and ENA-78 in the mild infection group were all lower than those in the severe infection group. The expressions of ENA-78 and MIP-1α in the severe infection group were significantly higher than those in the mild infection group and also higher than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in IP-10 and GROα between the mild and severe RSV infection groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The differences in clinical features and cytokines between infants with mild and severe RSV infection provide important data support for the prevention and treatment of RSV infection in infants.

Objective:To investigate the association of right atrial volume index(RAVI),T-wave peak to end interval(Tp-Te)with prognosis of patients with chronic systolic heart failure(CSHF),and the predictive value of RAVI combined with Tp-Te for prognosis in these patients.Methods:The clinical data of 172 CSHF patients admitted in Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,Weihai Municipal Hospital,Cheeloo College of Medicine,Shandong University between January 2020 and July 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.RAVI and Tp-Te was measured by echocardiography and ECG respec-tively.According to prognosis within 1-year follow-up,they were divided into unfavorable outcome group(n=84)and favorable outcome group(n=88).Multivariate Logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors for unfa-vorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to ana-lyze predictive value of RAVI combined Tp-Te for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients.Results:During the follow-up,84 cases suffered from unfavorable outcomes,including 23 cases of death,61 cases of rchospitalization due to acute heart failure.RAVI[(42.65±3.81)ml/m2 vs.(26.42±2.32)ml/m2]andTp-Te[(112.84±10.13)ms vs.(95.12±4.52)ms]in unfavorable outcome group were significantly higher than those of favorable outcome group(P＜0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that RAVI,Tp-Te were inversely correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(r=-0.619,-0.537,P＜0.001 all),and positively correlated with left ventricular end-systolic vol-ume(LVESV),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV)and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)(r=0.512～0.564,P＜0.001 all).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that NT-proBNP(OR=1.865,95％CI 1.127～3.086,P=0.002),RAVI(OR=1.697,95％CI 1.204～2.392,P＜0.001)andTp-Te(OR=1.640,95％CI 1.208～2.227,P＜0.001)were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients.ROC analysis found that RAVI combined Tp-Te predicting unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF pa-tients had significant better diagnostic performance(AUC=0.949,95％CI 0.905～0.977)comparing to RAVI(0.788,95％CI 0.719～0.846)and Tp-Te(0.840,95％CI 0.777～0.892)alone(Z=4.435,3.856,P＜0.001 all).Conclu-sion:Increased RAVI and Tp-Te were risk factors for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients,and the combination of RAVI and Tp-Te had good predictive value for prognosis in CSHF patients.

Objective:To investigate the association of right atrial volume index(RAVI),T-wave peak to end interval(Tp-Te)with prognosis of patients with chronic systolic heart failure(CSHF),and the predictive value of RAVI combined with Tp-Te for prognosis in these patients.Methods:The clinical data of 172 CSHF patients admitted in Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,Weihai Municipal Hospital,Cheeloo College of Medicine,Shandong University between January 2020 and July 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.RAVI and Tp-Te was measured by echocardiography and ECG respec-tively.According to prognosis within 1-year follow-up,they were divided into unfavorable outcome group(n=84)and favorable outcome group(n=88).Multivariate Logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors for unfa-vorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to ana-lyze predictive value of RAVI combined Tp-Te for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients.Results:During the follow-up,84 cases suffered from unfavorable outcomes,including 23 cases of death,61 cases of rchospitalization due to acute heart failure.RAVI[(42.65±3.81)ml/m2 vs.(26.42±2.32)ml/m2]andTp-Te[(112.84±10.13)ms vs.(95.12±4.52)ms]in unfavorable outcome group were significantly higher than those of favorable outcome group(P＜0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that RAVI,Tp-Te were inversely correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(r=-0.619,-0.537,P＜0.001 all),and positively correlated with left ventricular end-systolic vol-ume(LVESV),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV)and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)(r=0.512～0.564,P＜0.001 all).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that NT-proBNP(OR=1.865,95％CI 1.127～3.086,P=0.002),RAVI(OR=1.697,95％CI 1.204～2.392,P＜0.001)andTp-Te(OR=1.640,95％CI 1.208～2.227,P＜0.001)were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients.ROC analysis found that RAVI combined Tp-Te predicting unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF pa-tients had significant better diagnostic performance(AUC=0.949,95％CI 0.905～0.977)comparing to RAVI(0.788,95％CI 0.719～0.846)and Tp-Te(0.840,95％CI 0.777～0.892)alone(Z=4.435,3.856,P＜0.001 all).Conclu-sion:Increased RAVI and Tp-Te were risk factors for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients,and the combination of RAVI and Tp-Te had good predictive value for prognosis in CSHF patients.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in pediatric recipients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:Clinical data of children who underwent first allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed from March 2017 to November 2024. A total of 259 pediatric allo-HSCT recipients were analyzed through comparing HCMV infection group (n=115) and Non-HCMV infection group (n=144). Clinical characteristics were compared, and risk factors for HCMV infection were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results:The result of univariate analysis showed that adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), length of hospitalization, duration of antiviral therapy, and bacterial infection were significantly associated with HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05). The result of multivariate analysis showed that ALD was an independent protective factor against HCMV infection of allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0.86], while umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) was an independent risk factor for HCMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients ( P<0.05) [OR=6.13, 95% CI: 1.34-28.04]. When the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting post-transplant relapse based on HCMV viral load was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.55-0.94, P=0.014) and at the cutoff value of 3×10 3 copies/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting relapse were 81.13% and 66.67%, respectively. Conclusions:HCMV infection in pediatric allo-HSCT recipients may lead to longer hospitalization and increased risk of relapse.

Objective:To determine the epidemiological characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024.Methods:Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from 269 children with ARI in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024. Seventeen respiratory pathogens were screened using quantitative fluorescence PCR. For HBoV-positive samples, the VP1/VP2 structural gene fragments of HBoV were amplified and sequenced for genetic evolutionary analysis.Results:Among the 269 nasopharyngeal swab samples from children with ARI, the overall detection rate of respiratory pathogens was 48.33% (103/269). The top three pathogens with the highest detection rates were: Influenza A virus (FluA): 10.04% (27/269), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): 8.18% (22/269), Human bocavirus (HBoV): 7.43% (20/269). The age distribution of HBoV-infected children showed that the detection rate was highest in the 0-2 years age group (50%, 10/20), followed by the 3-5 years age group (25%, 5/20) and the over 6 years age group (25%, 5/20). However, there was no statistically significant difference in viral detection rates among the age groups. Genetic evolutionary analysis based on VP1/VP2 revealed that all 13 HBoV strains were of the HBoV-1 genotype.Conclusions:HBoV is one of the major pathogens causing ARI in children in Bengbu City, Anhui Province, in 2024, with HBoV-1 being the predominant genotype. Additionally, infants aged 0-2 years are the most susceptible population to HBoV infection.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and cytokines expression characteristics in infants with mild and severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.Methods:From May 2023 to December 2023, plasma samples and clinical information were collected from 16 infants with RSV infection and 14 control infants. Cytek Aurora flow cytometry (Cytek, America) and Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the expression levels of 25 cytokines after mild and severe RSV infection.Results:Cough and nasal obstruction were the main clinical manifestations in infants with mild RSV infection, accompanied by polypnea, wheezing and other symptoms. The main symptoms of severe RSV infection were cough and rales, accompanied by fever and polypnea. In comparison with the control group, the expression levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-13, IL-22, TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, MIP-1β, I-TAC, ENA-78, GROα, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the RSV infection group all exhibited an upregulation trend. Both IP-10 and MIP-3α demonstrated a downward trend in the RSV infection group; however, there was no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). The levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, MIP-1α, and IL-8 in the RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the control group, whereas the levels of MIG, TARC, and RANTES in the RSV infection group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-22, IFN-β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, I-TAC, MIP-1β, Eotaxin, and MCP-1 in the mild RSV infection group were significantly higher than those in the severe RSV infection group ( P>0.05). Among these, the levels of MIG, RANTES, TARC, MIP-3α, and ENA-78 in the mild infection group were all lower than those in the severe infection group. The expressions of ENA-78 and MIP-1α in the severe infection group were significantly higher than those in the mild infection group and also higher than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in IP-10 and GROα between the mild and severe RSV infection groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The differences in clinical features and cytokines between infants with mild and severe RSV infection provide important data support for the prevention and treatment of RSV infection in infants.

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]

This study mainly explores the role of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88) in tumorigenesis and development, to identify active compounds targeting MyD88. CRISPR/Cas9 system and xenograft tumor model were used to detect the effect of MyD88 deletion on tumor growth, and the experimental animal ethics review number was PZSHUTCM200828006. Microscale thermophoresis technology (MST) was used to identify compounds directly bind to MyD88 and further detect the impact of candidate small molecules on cell proliferation. Results showed that depletion of MyD88 significantly inhibited xenograft tumor growth of colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and skin cancer and the activity of NF-κB signaling pathway. MST showed that nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) bound to MyD88, with the binding dissociation constant K_d of 14.61 µmol·L^-1. NDGA inhibited NF-κB reporting system activation and phosphorylation of p65, the key factor in NF-κB signal pathway. In addition, the results of colony formation assay showed that NDGA suppressed the proliferation of tumor cells. The above results show that, MyD88 is a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and skin cancer, NDGA directly binds to MyD88 and inhibits the activity of NF-κB signaling pathway, as well as inhibits the proliferation of pancreatic cancer, skin cancer and colon cancer cells.