This paper reports the case of a 10-month-old male infant with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) who presented with a reducible right inguinal mass and an empty scrotum for 10 months and was admitted for elective surgery. Preoperative ultrasonography revealed a right adrenal mass, which was pathologically diagnosed as ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB) after surgical excision. The patient exhibited characteristic features of BWS, including omphalocele, flame-shaped nevus on the forehead, bilateral earlobe creases, and embryonal tumor. Next-generation sequencing identified a heterozygous mutation in the CDKN1C gene (chr11:2905365), confirming the diagnosis of BWS. Early diagnosis, standardized management, and tumor surveillance are crucial for improving prognosis in children with BWS. Ultrasonography enables early detection of tumors and informs clinical decision-making regarding intervention.
Humans ; Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome/genetics* ; Male ; Ganglioneuroblastoma/complications* ; Infant ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p57/genetics* ; Mutation

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics,treatment outcomes,and prognostic factors of children with non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma(ES).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 41 children with non-metastatic ES diagnosed and treated at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2010 to December 2018.All patients underwent chemotherapy based on the RMS-2009 protocol of the center,and local treatment such as surgery and/or radiotherapy was performed according to risk grouping.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival(OS)and event-free survival(EFS)rates.Univariate prognostic analysis was performed using the log-rank test,and multivariate analysis was conducted with Cox regression.Results Of the 41 children,21 were male and 20 were female.The median age at diagnosis was 7.7 years(range:1.2-14.6 years).The median follow-up time for patients with event-free survival was 68.1 months(range:8.1-151.7 months).As of the last follow-up,33 patients were in complete remission,and the overall 5-year EFS and OS rates were(78±6)％and(82±6)％,respectively.Univariate analysis by the log-rank test showed that a tumor diameter ≥8 cm,time from diagnosis to start of local treatment ≥16 weeks,and incomplete surgical resection were associated with poor prognosis(P＜0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that incomplete surgical resection(HR=8.381,95％CI:1.681-41.801,P=0.010)was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in children with ES.Secondary tumors occurred in 2 cases.Conclusions A comprehensive treatment strategy incorporating chemotherapy,surgery,and radiotherapy can improve the prognosis of children with ES.Poor prognosis is associated with an initial tumor diameter ≥8 cm,while complete surgical resection and early initiation of local treatment can improve outcomes.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(4):365-370]

A new method was developed for simultaneous detection of total 19 kinds of organophosphate esters(OPEs)and their diester metabolites(di-OPEs)in human serum(1.0 mL)and urine(1.5 mL)with low volume of samples.The target compounds were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)after acetonitrile liquid-liquid extraction combined with purification using an ENVI-18 solid-phase extraction(SPE)column.OPEs and di-OPEs were separated using a Shim-pack GIST C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,2 μm)with a Shim-pack GIST-HP(G)C18 guard column.An electrospray ionization source(ESI)was employed in mass spectrometry analysis,with positive/negative ion mode using the multiple reaction monitoring(MRM).All target compounds were separated within 15 min,and exhibited good linear relationships in the concentration range of 2-100 ng/mL,with correlation coefficients(R2)above 0.994.The method detection limits(MDL)in serum ranged from 0.001 to 0.178 ng/mL and the MDL in urine ranged from 0.001 to 0.119 ng/mL.The recoveries of the analytes spiked in serum and urine matrices at two concentration levels were 30.5%-126.8%,with the relative standard deviations(RSDs)ranged from 1%to 23%.In addition,paired serum and urine samples from 11 patients were analyzed.For all samples tested,the internal standards of OPEs exhibited recoveries between 61%and 114%,whereas the internal standards for di-OPEs had recoveries ranging from 43%to 103%.OPEs and di-OPEs exhibited high detection frequencies in 22 serum and urine samples.Triethyl phosphate(TEP),tributyl phosphate(TBP),tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate(TEHP),tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate(TBEP),tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate(TCIPP),triphenyl phosphate(TPHP),tri-m-tolyl-phosphate(TMTP)and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate(EHDPP)were universally detected in all serum samples.TCIPP was identified at the highest concentrations(median 0.548 ng/mL)in serum samples.In urine samples,the detection frequency for 12 kinds of target compounds reached 100%.Notably,TBP emerged as the predominant OPE in urine,demonstrating a median concentration of 0.506 ng/mL.Regarding di-OPEs,bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphate(BCEP)and bis(2-butoxyethyl)hydrogen phosphate(BBOEP)were the most abundant in urine,with median concentrations of 6.404 and 2.136 ng/mL,respectively.The total concentrations of OPEs and di-OPEs in serum and urine were 1.580-3.843 ng/mL and 5.149-17.537 ng/mL,respectively.These results not only confirmed the effectiveness of the method in detection of OPEs and di-OPEs in biological matrices,but also revealed the widespread presence of OPE compounds in human body and pointed to potential exposure risks.

BACKGROUND:How to improve the accuracy of puncture,reduce surgical damage,and improve surgical efficiency during vertebroplasty is currently one of the focuses of exploration and improvement in vertebroplasty techniques. OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical significance of application of mixed reality technology in percutaneous vertebroplasty for spinal fractures. METHODS:Two patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture in Dalian Second People's Hospital in June 2023 were selected.Before operation,128-row CT scanning of the lumbar spine was performed and the original data of digital imaging and communications in medicine(DICOM)were obtained.Visual Volume software was used to build the three-dimensional network model of vertebral compression fracture.Holographic imaging glasses were used to accurately map 3D network model images to the real world,assist the surgeon in completing preoperative simulation,explaining preoperative conditions and treatment plans,and guiding puncture and bone cement injection during surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Precise puncture was achieved with the assistance of a mixed reality technology.Postoperative imaging examination showed good bone cement filling and no obvious leakage.The postoperative symptoms of the patient were alleviated well,and they were able to move to the ground on the same day after surgery.(2)It is concluded that a mixed reality technology is helpful for preoperative surgical design and communication efficiency with patients and their families.Assisting with precise puncture during surgery,shortening surgical time,and reducing side injuries is a new and effective clinical diagnosis and treatment model,which has development potential in minimally invasive,precise,and personalized treatment of spinal surgery.

Objective To determine the optimal dosage and intervention duration of reserpine to establish a rat model of hypotension.Methods According to the body weight and systolic blood pressure (SBP),60 male Wistar rats were assigned to six groups (n=10),including a control group and five observation groups with different doses.The control group was administrated with 10 ml/kg 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution,and the observation groups with 0.016,0.032,0.064,0.128,and 0.160 mg/kg reserpine suspensions,respectively.All the groups were administrated by gavage twice a day,and the body weights of rats were monitored daily.SBP and heart rate (HR) were measured before modeling and 1-6 weeks after administration.After 6 weeks of administration,the blood samples of inner canthus were collected.The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB),alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase (AST),serum creatinine,and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured by an autoanalyzer.Three rats in each group were randomly selected for observation of the changes in SBP after drug withdrawal and the rest rats were sacrificed for measurement of the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain.Results Compared with the control group,different doses of reserpine lowered the SBP of rats (F=28.492,P<0.001).The decline in SBP increased in a concentration-dependent manner.SBP reached the lowest value after 1 week,rose slightly later,and was stable after 3 weeks of administration.There was no significant difference in SBP between 0.016 mg/kg reserpine group and the control group after the 5th week (P>0.05).The SBP levels of rats in 0.032,0.064,0.128,and 0.160 mg/kg reserpine groups showed no significant difference between each other (P=0.204) and were lower than that in the control group (all P<0.001).One week after drug withdrawal,the SBP of rats in the observation groups rose to the baseline level and remained stable.HR showed similar changes among groups,first increasing and then decreasing.There was no significant difference in HR among different groups at the same time point (F=0.922,P=0.475).Compared with the control group,reserpine of different doses reduced the norepinephrine content in the hippocampus (all P<0.001),and 0.128 mg/kg (P=0.045) and 0.160 mg/kg (P=0.042) reserpine lowered the dopamine level in the striatum,which showed no significant differences between different reserpine groups(P=0.343,P=0.301).The levels of LDH,CK-MB,and BUN in the serum increased with the increase in reserpine concentration,and the levels of LDH (P=0.001),CK-MB (P=0.020),AST (P=0.007),and BUN (P=0.001) in the 0.160 mg/kg reserpine group were significantly different from those in the control group.Conclusions The rat model of hypotension can be induced by gavage with reserpine.The gavage with reserpine at a dose of 0.032 mg/kg,twice a day for three consecutive weeks is the optimal scheme for the modeling.After the model establishment,continuous administration is essential to maintain the hypotension.
Male ; Rats ; Animals ; Reserpine ; Dopamine ; Rats, Wistar ; Hypotension/chemically induced* ; Norepinephrine

Betulinic acid (BA) exerts protective effects on organs in septic animals. However, whether BA can improve cardiac function in sepsis and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Here, male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with BA (25 mg/ kg/ d, i. g.) for 5 days and then intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/ kg). The rats were anesthetized to determine transthoracic echocardiography using a high-resolution imaging system for small animals after they were treated with LPS for 6 h. Histopathologic alterations were examined by HE staining. Myocardial injury markers (cTnI and CK-MB) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) in the serum were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Autophagy-related proteins (p62 and LC3 Ⅱ) and AKT-modulated autophagy pathways in the myocardium were determined by Western blotting. Pretreatment with BA markedly improved left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and fraction shortening (FS) (P<0. 05), improved myocardial histomorphology, and significantly inhibited cTnI, CK-MB, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (P<0. 05) in the septic rat serum. BA markedly decreased p62 (P<0. 01), increased LC3 Ⅱ (P< 0. 001), and significantly down-regulated p-AKT (Thr308), p-AMPKα (Ser485/ 491), p-mTOR (Ser2448) and p-S6K (Thr389) (P<0. 05), while markedly up-regulated p-AMPKα (Thr172) and pULK1 (Ser317) (P<0. 01) in septic rat hearts. The findings indicate that BA can attenuate sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunctions associated with down-regulating autophagy inhibiting pathways mediated by AKT/ mTOR and AKT/ AMPK pathways.

Objective:To investigate clinical and histopathological features of adult erythema nodosum (EN) .Methods:Clinical data were collected from 54 adult inpatients with histopathologically confirmed EN in Department of Dermatology and Venereology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from November 2019 to July 2022, and analyzed retrospectively.Results:Among the 54 EN patients, there were 6 males and 48 females, their ages were 42.50 ± 11.68 years (range, 18 - 73 years), and their disease course ranged from 1 day to 10 years; 30 patients (55.56%) were diagnosed with idiopathic EN, and 24 (44.44%) with secondary EN. The most common etiological factor in secondary EN was infection (17 cases), including respiratory tract infection (9 cases), tuberculosis infection (6 cases), upper respiratory tract infection comorbid with active hepatitis B virus infection (2 cases) ; the following common etiological factor was connective tissue disease (7 cases), including Behcet′s syndrome (4 cases), Sj?gren′s syndrome (1 case), and undifferentiated connective tissue diseases (2 cases). The patients′ ages were significantly younger in the secondary EN group (38.33 ± 12.15 years) than in the idiopathic EN group (46.17 ± 10.20 years, t = 2.58, P = 0.013). All patients had skin lesions on their lower limbs, lesions were limited to both lower limbs in 24 patients with idiopathic EN and 12 with secondary EN, and the proportion of patients with lesions limited to both lower limbs was significantly lower in the secondary EN group than in the idiopathic EN group ( χ2 = 5.44, P = 0.020). Compared with the idiopathic EN group, the secondary EN group showed significantly increased white blood cell counts ([7.56 ± 2.46] × 10 9/L vs. [6.04 ± 1.60] × 10 9/L, t = 2.62, P < 0.05) and C-reaction protein levels (34.34 ± 46.48 mg/L vs. 11.45 ± 18.13 mg/L, t = 2.28, P < 0.05). In the idiopathic EN group, 23 patients mainly showed histopathological features of septal panniculitis, while 17 patients in the secondary EN group mainly showed histopathological features of mixed panniculitis or lobular panniculitis, and the proportion of patients with histopathological features of mixed panniculitis or lobular panniculitis was significantly higher in the secondary EN group than in the idiopathic EN group ( χ2 = 12.18, P < 0.001) . Conclusion:EN was more common in female adults; idiopathic EN was the most common type, and secondary EN may be a cutaneous sign of systemic diseases; for EN patients at a relatively young age, with lesions involving both lower limbs or more sites, higher white blood cell counts and C-reaction protein levels, and histopathological manifestations of lobular panniculitis, systemic examinations were required to rule out underlying causes.

Arthropods of medical importance such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies are one of the key drivers of arthropod-borne diseases outbreak, posing a great threat to global public health security. For further understanding the transmission mechanisms of arthropod-borne diseases and establishing the prevention and control measures, a series of experiments of arthropods infection need to be carried out under laboratory conditions. Besides the regular biosafety requirements, some specific considerations need to be taken into account when performing arthropod infection and the infected arthropod rearing. Except for the physical containment composed of biosafety facilities, a comprehensive assessment of the biosafety risks during operations and corresponding preventive measures are also critical to eliminate or mitigate the biosafety risks. In this paper, we introduce our practice in handling mosquito infection with Risk Group 2 pathogens in Arthropod Containment Level-2 (ACL-2) laboratory, with an aim to provide a reference for researchers in related fields.

Arrhythmia is an external manifestation of cardiac electrophysiological disorder. It exists in healthy people and patients with various heart diseases, which is often associated with other cardiovascular diseases. The contraction and diastole of myocardium are inseparable from the movement of ions. There are many ion channels in the membrane and organelle membrane of myocardium. The dynamic balance of myocardial ions is vital in maintaining myocardial electrical homeostasis. Potassium ion channels that have a complex variety and a wide distribution are involved in the whole process of resting potential and action potential of cardiomyocytes. Potassium ion channels play a vital role in maintaining normal electrophysiological activity of myocardium and is one of the pathogenesis of arrhythmia. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has unique advantages in treating arrhythmia for its complex active components and diverse targets. A large number of TCM preparations have definite effect on treating arrhythmia-related diseases, whose antiarrhythmic mechanism may be related to the effect on potassium channel. This article mainly reviewed the relevant studies on the active components in TCM acting on different potassium channels to provide references for clinical drug use and development.
Humans ; Potassium Channels ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/therapeutic use* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy* ; Heart Diseases/drug therapy* ; Ions

Ajania belonging to the subtribe Artemisiinae of Anthemideae(Asteraceae) is a genus of semi-shrubs closely related to Chrysanthemum. There are 24 species of Ajania in northwestern China, most of which are folk herbal medicines with strong stress tolerance. Modern medical studies have demonstrated that the chemical constituents of Ajania mainly include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, alkynes, and essential oils. These compounds endow the plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimalarial, antioxidant, and insecticide effects. In this study, we reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Ajania, aiming to provide reference for the further research and development of Ajania.
Asteraceae ; Chrysanthemum ; Alkynes ; Antimalarials ; Antioxidants/pharmacology*