Objective:To study the effects of epidermal growth factor(EGF)on the coordinated motor behaviors and changes of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system under the impact of EGF in middle-aged rats.Methods:Healthy aged Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were subcutaneously administered EGF(0.1 mg/ml)in the dorsal region for 7 days.Adhe-sive removal test,tapered beam walking test and descending a wire mesh pole test were performed to detect the changes in the coordinated motor behaviors of rats as well as changes in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)and dopa-mine transporter(DAT)of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in rats.Results:Middle-aged rats showed reduced behav-ioral parameters of adhesive removal test,tapered beam walking test and descending a wire mesh pole test compared with those of adult rats(P<0.05),which were improved after treatment with EGF(P<0.05).The expression of TH and DAT in nigrostriatal dopaminergic system was down-regulated in middle-aged rats compared with that in adult rats(P<0.01),however,which were up-regulated after treatment with EGF(P<0.01).Conclusion:EGF can amelio-rate the decline in coordinated motor behaviors and increases the activity of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in middle-aged rats.

Objective:To study the effects of epidermal growth factor(EGF)on the coordinated motor behaviors and changes of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system under the impact of EGF in middle-aged rats.Methods:Healthy aged Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were subcutaneously administered EGF(0.1 mg/ml)in the dorsal region for 7 days.Adhe-sive removal test,tapered beam walking test and descending a wire mesh pole test were performed to detect the changes in the coordinated motor behaviors of rats as well as changes in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)and dopa-mine transporter(DAT)of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in rats.Results:Middle-aged rats showed reduced behav-ioral parameters of adhesive removal test,tapered beam walking test and descending a wire mesh pole test compared with those of adult rats(P<0.05),which were improved after treatment with EGF(P<0.05).The expression of TH and DAT in nigrostriatal dopaminergic system was down-regulated in middle-aged rats compared with that in adult rats(P<0.01),however,which were up-regulated after treatment with EGF(P<0.01).Conclusion:EGF can amelio-rate the decline in coordinated motor behaviors and increases the activity of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in middle-aged rats.

Objective:To study the complications and prognosis of extremely premature infants(EPIs) with gestational age (GA) <28 w.Methods:From January 2016 to December 2020, EPIs with GA <28 w admitted to NICU of our hospital were retrospectively studied. Clinical data of the infants and their mothers during pregnancy were reviewed. According to the prognosis, the infants were assigned into the survival group, the death group and the withdrawal group. According to GA, the infants were assigned into <26 w goup, 26~26 +6 w group, ≥27 w group. According to birth weight (BW), the infants were assigned in to ≤750 g group, 750~999 g group and ≥1 000 g group. SPSS 26.0 was used for data analysis. Results:A total of 265 EPIs were included, 122 (46.0%) in the survival group, 47 (17.7%) in the death group and 96 (36.2%) in the withdrawal group. GA and BW of the survival group were significantly higher than the death group and the withdrawal group ( P<0.05). The incidences of tracheal intubation (92.2%) and pulmonary hemorrhage (42.2%) in the death group were the highest among the three groups. The survival group had the highest application of prenatal glucocorticoids (80.3%) and pulmonary surfactants (99.2%) ( P<0.05). In the survival group, the top 3 common complications were bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (68.0%), pulmonary infections (65.6%) and neonatal sepsis (34.4%). The survival rate increased with GA and BW. Conclusions:The survival rate of EPIs is closely correlated with GA and BW. EPIs with pulmonary hemorrhage and tracheal intubation have poor prognosis. Prenatal glucocorticoids and pulmonary surfactant may improve clinical outcome. BPD and pulmonary infections are common complications of surviving EPIs.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other auxiliary examination results of febrile children with convulsions in order to provide the evidence for clinical recognition of central nervous system (CNS) infection and its etiology.Methods:The clinical data of 64 fever patients with convulsions admitted at the Department of Neurology, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine were analyzed retrospectively.According to the results of the routine biochemical examination of CSF, they were divided into 2 groups as CSF normal group (44/64 cases, 69%) and CSF abnormal group (20/64 cases, 31%). Their age, gender, clinical manifestations, physical symptoms and auxiliary examination results were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the independent risk factors of abnormal CSF results.Twenty children with abnormal CSF results were divided into the normal glucose group (12/20 cases, 60%) and the glucose reduction group (8/20 cases, 40%) according to the glucose level of CSF.The fever duration, serum inflammation markers, CSF routine and biochemical indexes of the two groups were compared. Results:According to Logistic multivariate unconditional regression analysis, the mental state change ( OR=435.99, P=0.010), abnormal neurological signs ( OR=65.25, P=0.023) and vomiting ( OR=20.56, P=0.048) were the high risk factors of abnormal CSF results.Among the children with abnormal CSF results, in the glucose reduction and normal glucose groups, the fever duration was 12.50 (7.75-16.75) d and 4.00 (3.00-5.75) d, respectively; the level of CSF protein were 3 000 (1 745-3 000) mg/L and 648 (469-1 734) mg/L, respectively; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 71.50(56.00-97.50) mm/1 h and 20.50 (12.00-26.00) mm/1 h, respectively; the procalcitonin level was 2.76(0.90-20.72) g/L and 0.23 (0.03-1.00) g/L, respectively; the C-reactive protein (CRP) level was 123.00 (33.00-177.75) mg/L and 12.50(4.25-57.75) mg/L, respectively.The fever duration, CSF protein level, ESR, procalcitonin level and CRP level were statistically different between the glucose reduction and normal glucose groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:In fever children with convulsions, vomiting, the mental state change, and abnormal neurological signs are the high risk factors of abnormal CSF results, suggesting the possibility of CNS infections and the need of early diagnosis by CSF and other auxiliary examinations.In addition, a low level of CSF glucose in children with abnormal CSF results may be a potential and powerful clue for purulent meningitis.Timely etiological tests are required for confirmation, and antibiotics treatments should be applied as early as possible.

Objective To summarize the efficacy and adverse reactions of incremental corticotrophin (ACTH) therapy in the treatment of infantile spasms (IS),and to provide new clinical treatment options.Methods The clinical data of 40 children with IS who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology,Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine,treated with ACTH from January 2016 to January 2018 were collected and retrospectively analyzed.All the children were treated with intravenous infusion of ACTH with an initial dose 12.5 U/d for 3 days.If the spasms did not disappear,dosage of ACTH increased to 25.0 U/d for another 3 days.If the spasms could not yet be fully controlled,the dosage increased to 40.0 U/d,and the total course of treatment did not exceed 2 weeks.If the spasms disappeared at each dose stage or the course of treatment reached to 2 weeks,ACTH would be changed to Prednisone 2 mg/(kg · d) orally,which gradually decreased in 2 months.All children underwent electroencephalogram examination before and after treatment.Results Forty patients with IS were treated with ACTH increasing therapy.The disappearance rate of spasms was 40.0％ (16/40 cases) totally,with 7.5％ (3/40 cases) at the dosage phase of 12.5 U/d,16.2％ (6/37 cases) at the dosage stage of 25.0 U/d,and 22.6％ (7/31 cases) at the dosage of 40.0 U/d.The disappearance rate of hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalogram was 60.0％ (24/40 cases) generally,and 5.0％ (2/40 cases),10.8％ (4/37 cases),58.1％ (18/31 cases),respectively at above different dosage phases,while 37.5％ (15/40 cases) of the children had mild adverse reactions,mostly respiratory infections.Conclusions The short-term efficacy of the ACTH incremental therapy in the treatment of IS is positive,and the incidence of adverse reactions is low.