AIM To explore the clinical effects of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb.et Zucc.on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of Dampness-Heat Pattern.METHODS One hundred and forty patients were randomly assigned into control group(70 cases)for 8-week intervention of conventional treatment,and observation group(70 cases)for 8-week intervention of both P.cuspidatum granules and conventional treatment.The changes in body weight,BMI,blood glucose indices(FBG,2 h PG,HbA1C,GA),blood lipid indices(TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C,ApoA-I,ApoB,ApoA,ApoE,sdLDL-C),liver function indices(ALT,AST),fatty liver progression,TyG,HSI,TCM syndrome score and effects were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rates of TCM syndromes than the control group(P＜0.01),along with slighter fatty liver progression(P＜0.01).After the treatment,the observation group displayed decreased body weight,BMI,FBG,GA,TG,ApoE,TyG,HSI,ALT and TCM syndrome score(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and 2 h PG,TyG,HSI,ALT,TCM syndrome score were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION For the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of Dampness-Heat Pattern,P.cuspidatum can improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorders,which is worthy of clinical popularization and application.

Objective To investigate the effect of intravitreal injection of fibrillin-2(FBN2)recombinant protein on FBN2-deficient retinopathy.Methods Thirty-two SPF-grade C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:nor-mal control group,negative control group,FBN2 knockdown group,and FBN2 recombinant protein group,with 8 mice in each group.The right eyes were taken as the experimental eyes.Mice in the normal control group did not receive any inter-vention,mice in the negative control group were intravitreally injected with 3 μL empty vector(1 mg·L-1),and mice in the FBN2 knockdown group and FBN2 recombinant protein group were intravitreally injected with 3 μL adeno-associated vi-rus(1 mg·L-1).After 4 weeks,mice in the FBN2 recombinant protein group were intravitreally injected with 3 μL FBN2 recombinant protein(1 mg·L-1).Then,electroretinogram(ERG)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)were used to measure the amplitude of Rod-b and Max-a waves and the changes in the retinal structure.Real-time quantitative poly-merase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and Western blot were used to detect changes in FBN2,microfibril-associated glycopro-tein 2(MAGP-2),collagen I(COL1)mRNA and protein expression in the mouse retina.Results The ERG findings showed that compared with the negative control group and normal control group,the amplitude of Rod-b and Max-a waves in the retina of mice in the FBN2 knockdown group and FBN2 recombinant protein group decreased(all P＜0.05);com-pared with the FBN2 knockdown group,the amplitude of Rod-b and Max-a waves in the retina of mice in the FBN2 recom-binant protein group significantly increased(both P＜0.05).The OCT findings showed that compared with the FBN2 knock-down group,the structure of the retinal pigment epithelium and the light reflex in the FBN2 recombinant protein group be-came more regular.The RT-PCR detection results showed that compared with the FBN2 knockdown group,the expression of FBN2 mRNA in the retinal tissue of mice in the FBN2 recombinant protein group significantly increased,while the ex-pression of COL1 and MAGP-2 mRNA significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Western blot assay results showed that com-pared with the FBN2 knockdown group,the expression of FBN2 protein in the retinal tissue of mice in the FBN2 recombi-nant protein group increased significantly,while the expression of COL1 and MAGP-2 proteins decreased significantly(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Intravitreal injection of FBN2 recombinant protein can compensate for the endogenous deficiency of FBN2 in mice with FBN2-deficient retinopathy and achieve therapeutic effects by regulating COL1 and MAGP-2 expres-sion.

Objective:To investigate the expression of latent transforming growth factor-β-binding protein (LTBP), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and cyclin D2 (CCND2) in fibrillin-2 ( FBN2) interfering induced mouse retinopathy. Methods:Twenty-seven 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group, empty vector group and FBN2 interference group according to the random number table method, with 9 mice in each group.The normal control group was not treated.The empty vector group and FBN2 interference group were intravitreally injected with 3 μl empty vector and 3 μl adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying the sh-FBN2 interference plasmid in the right eye, respectively.The structural and functional changes of the retina were detected at 4 weeks after injection by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and full-field electroretinography (ERG).The expression and distribution of FBN2 protein in the retina were detected by immunofluorescence staining.The mRNA and protein expression levels of FBN2, LTBP-1, TGF-β2, CDK2 and CCND2 in mouse retina were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot.All experiments complied with the ARVO statement.The research scheme was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No.2019036).Results:Four weeks after injection, the results of OCT examination showed that compared with normal control and empty vector groups, the retinal pigment cortex of the FBN2 interference group was irregular with high density reflection areas.Full-field ERG results showed that compared with normal control and empty vector groups, the amplitude of Rod-a, Rod-b, Max-a and Max-b waveforms in FBN2 interference group decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05).The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that FBN2 was expressed in the whole retina, and the fluorescence intensity of FBN2 was weaker in FBN2 interference group than that in normal control and empty vector groups.The fluorescence intensity of FBN2 in normal control group, empty vector group and FBN2 interference group was 16.21±2.21, 15.57±3.63 and 5.32±1.06, respectively, with a statistically significant overall difference ( F=66.03, P<0.05).The fluorescence intensity of FBN2 protein in FBN2 interference group was significantly lower than that in empty carrier group and normal control group (both at P<0.05).Compared with normal control and empty vector groups, the relative expression levels of LTBP-1 and TGF-β2 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in FBN2 interference group, while the relative expression levels of FBN2, CDK2 and CCND2 mRNA and protein were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:The increase of LTBP-1 and TGF-β2 and the decrease of G1/S phase related proteins CDK2 and CCND2 are involved in the development of FBN2-deficient retinopathy.

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]

Glyceryl phenylbutyrate(GPB)serves as a long-term management medication for Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD),effectively controlling hyperammonemia,but there is a lack of experience in using this medicine in China.This article retrospectively analyzes the case of a child diagnosed with OTCD at Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,including a review of related literature.After diagnosis,the patient was treated with GPB,followed by efficacy follow-up and pharmacological monitoring.The 6-year and 6-month-old male patient exhibited poor speech development,disobedience,temper tantrums,and aggressive behavior.Blood ammonia levels peaked at 327 μmol/L;urine organic acid analysis indicated elevated uracil levels;cranial MRI showed extensive abnormal signals in both cerebral hemispheres.Genetic testing revealed de novo mutation in the OTC gene(c.241T＞C,p.S81P).Blood ammonia levels were approximately 43,80,and 56 μmol/L at 1,2,and 3 months after starting GPB treatment,respectively.During treatment,blood ammonia was well-controlled without drug-related adverse effects.The patient showed improvement in developmental delays,obedience,temperament,and absence of aggressive behavior.

In medical research,predictive models have been widely used to predict disease progression and identify high-risk populations in advance, especially in the prevention and diagnosis of chronic diseases. In ophthalmology, the predictive and diagnostic models for fundus diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy have demonstrated expert-level accuracy. However, the application of predictive models is still in the exploratory stage as for myopia prevention and control. The establishment of a predictive model is helpful to identify the high-risk myopic children in advance, so that preventive measures such as adequate outdoor activities and reducing near work can be taken in time, which is of great significance to prevent or slow down the occurrence and development of myopia. Because the mechanism of myopia has not been fully elucidated, there are still challenges and limitations in the selection of application objects, predictors and predictive outcomes. This paper reviews the research progress of different types of myopia predictive models in order to provide reference for further development and improvement.

Objective This study aimed to understand the epidemic status and phylogenetic relationships of rotavirus group A(RVA)in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong Province,China. Methods This study included individuals aged 28 days-85 years.A total of 706 stool samples from patients with acute gastroenteritis collected between January 2019 and January 2020 were analyzed for 17 causative pathogens,including RVA,using a Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel,followed by genotyping,virus isolation,and complete sequencing to assess the genetic diversity of RVA. Results The overall RVA infection rate was 14.59%(103/706),with an irregular epidemiological pattern.The proportion of co-infection with RVA and other pathogens was 39.81%(41/103).Acute gastroenteritis is highly prevalent in young children aged 0-1 year,and RVA is the key pathogen circulating in patients 6-10 months of age with diarrhea.G9P[8](58.25%,60/103)was found to be the predominant genotype in the RVA strains,and the 41 RVA-positive strains that were successfully sequenced belonged to three different RVA genotypes in the phylogenetic analysis.Recombination analysis showed that gene reassortment events,selection pressure,codon usage bias,gene polymorphism,and post-translational modifications(PTMs)occurred in the G9P[8]and G3P[8]strains. Conclusion This study provides molecular evidence of RVA prevalence in the Pearl River Delta region of China,further enriching the existing information on its genetics and evolutionary characteristics and suggesting the emergence of genetic diversity.Strengthening the surveillance of genotypic changes and gene reassortment in RVA strains is essential for further research and a better understanding of strain variations for further vaccine development.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and establish a nomogram model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with 613 cases of neonatal asphyxia treated in 20 cooperative hospitals in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture from January to December 2019 as the asphyxia group, and 988 randomly selected non-asphyxia neonates born and admitted to the neonatology department of these hospitals during the same period as the control group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for neonatal asphyxia. R software (4.2.2) was used to establish a nomogram model. Receiver operator characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis were used to assess the discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, respectively. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that minority (Tujia), male sex, premature birth, congenital malformations, abnormal fetal position, intrauterine distress, maternal occupation as a farmer, education level below high school, fewer than 9 prenatal check-ups, threatened abortion, abnormal umbilical cord, abnormal amniotic fluid, placenta previa, abruptio placentae, emergency caesarean section, and assisted delivery were independent risk factors for neonatal asphyxia (P<0.05). The area under the curve of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia based on these risk factors was 0.748 (95%CI: 0.723-0.772). The calibration curve indicated high accuracy of the model for predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia. The decision curve analysis showed that the model could provide a higher net benefit for neonates at risk of asphyxia. CONCLUSIONS The risk factors for neonatal asphyxia in Hubei Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture are multifactorial, and the nomogram model based on these factors has good value in predicting the risk of neonatal asphyxia, which can help clinicians identify neonates at high risk of asphyxia early, and reduce the incidence of neonatal asphyxia.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Cesarean Section ; Risk Factors ; Asphyxia Neonatorum/etiology*

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and consistency of screening myopia, non-cycloplegic myopia and cycloplegic myopia in children and adolescents, and to provide references for exploring the factors affecting the consistency of different definition methods. Methods: A total of 3 868 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years from seven schools were included in a school based cross sectional study in Shandong Province in September 2020. The prevalence of screening myopia, non cycloplegic refraction, and cycloplegic refraction at different ages and all children and adolescents were analyzed. With cycloplegic spherical equivalent ≤-0.50 D as the gold standard for myopia, and Kappa test and area under the ROC curve were used to evaluate the consistency. Results: The prevalence of cycloplegic myopia and screening myopia were 36.7% and 38.3% among children and adolescents. The prevalence of non cycloplegic myopia was 62.4%, which was significantly higher than screening myopia and cycloplegic myopia two methods in primary and junior high schools. Among 3 868 subjects, there were 3 628 (93.8%) subjects with screening myopia and 2 862 (74.0%) subjects with non cycloplegic myopia who were consistent with the gold standard for myopia. The Kappa values of screening myopia and non cycloplegic myopia were 0.87 and 0.51, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.94 (95% CI =0.93-0.95) and 0.79 (95% CI =0.78-0.81). Compared with other groups, children and adolescents aged 8 to 17 years, in junior or high school, urban residence, better presenting distance visual acuity, and astigmatism ≤1.50 D had a higher consistency in the application of screening myopia ( P <0.05). Conclusion The consistency between screening myopia and cycloplegic myopia is high, and the consistency between non cycloplegic objective myopia is low.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome