Amino-containing compounds,including amino acids,aliphatic amines,aromatic amines,small peptides and catecholamines,are involved in various biological processes and play vital roles in multiple meta-bolic pathways.Previous studies indicated that some amino-containing metabolites are significant diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of gastric cancer.However,the discovery of precise biomarkers for the preoperative diagnosis of gastric cancer is still in an urgent need.Herein,we established a polarity-regulated derivatization method coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS)for amino-containing metabolites profiling in the serum samples of patients with gastric cancer and healthy controls,based on our newly designed and synthesized derivatization reagent(S)-3-(1-(diisopropox-yphosphoryl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxamido)-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester(3-DP-NHS).Enhanced separa-tion efficiency and detection sensitivity for amino-containing metabolites were achieved after derivatization.This method exhibited good linearity,recovery,intra-and inter-day precision and accu-racy.Only 5 μL serum is needed for untargeted analysis,enabling 202 amino-containing metabolites to be detected.Statistical analysis revealed altered amino acid metabolisms in patients with gastric cancer.Furthermore,ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS)analysis quantification revealed increased serum levels of tryptamine and decreased concen-trations of arginine and tryptophan in patients with gastric cancer.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves indicated that an increased tryptamine/tryptophan ratio could serve as a potential biomarker for gastric cancer diagnosis.This study demostrated the possibility of using serum amino acid biomarkers for gastric cancer diagnosis,providing new avenues for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Objective:To explore the clinical feasibility of finger-pressing therapy based on the theory of treating impotence alone with Yang Ming to reduce incidence of ICU acquired weakness (ICU-AW) in critically ill children and provide a feasible nursing plan for ICU acquired asthenia in critically ill children.Methods:A quasi-experimental study was conducted. A total of 73 critically ill children were admitted to the PICU of Kunming Children′s Hospital from January 1 to April 30, 2021. According to the random number table, the subjects were divided into the observation group (37 cases) and the control group (36 cases). Children in the control group received routine PICU nursing. The children in the observation group were treated with PICU routine nursing and finger-pressing therapy based on the theory of treating impotence alone with Yang Ming. The two groups were compared in terms of limb muscle strength score (MRC-Score), incidence of ICU-AW, basic activities of life (Barthel Index, BI), limb muscle thickness.Results:After intervention, the MRC-Score of the observation group was 50 (46, 52) points, which was higher than 46 (40, 48) points of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( Z=-3.70, P<0.05). The incidence of ICU-AW in the observation group was 32.43% (12/37), and the incidence of ICU-AW in the control group was 72.22% (26/36). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=11.58, P<0.05). The BI score of the observation group was 63 (50, 70), which was higher than 44 (40,60) of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( Z=-3.94, P<0.05). The reduction degree of quadriceps femoris thickness in the observation group at D3-D1 was (-0.381 ± 0.131) cm, which was lower than (-0.762 ± 0.182) cm in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t=10.29, P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of finger-pressing therapy guided by theory of treating impotence alone with Yang Ming in the early rehabilitation of critically ill children can enhance muscle strength, prevent muscle atrophy and reduce the incidence of ICU-AW in critically ill children.

Humans ; Electronic Health Records ; Phenotype ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/epidemiology* ; Databases, Factual ; Algorithms

Objective:To understand the epidemic situation of Redondoviridae in Beijing and analyze its epidemiologic characteristics.Methods:Pharyngeal swab samples of healthy people and patients with acute respiratory infection in Beijing, including influenza like cases and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in hospitals were collected. Real time PCR was used to detect the nucleic acid of Redondoviridae. The positive samples were amplified and sequenced to analyze their species. The age and sex distribution of patients and species distribution of Redondoviridae were obtained through statistical analysis. Multiplex PCR was used to detect other common respiratory pathogens in the positive samples of Redondoviridae in influenza like cases and SARI cases, and the pathogenicity of Redondoviridae was analyzed.Results:The positive rates of Redondoviridae in healthy people and acute respiratory infection cases were 20.48% (189/923) and 11.23% (43/390), respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). The positive rate of male was higher than that of female in the healthy population, and the positive rate of the elderly group was higher than that of the adult group and the underage group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). The positive rate of male patients with acute respiratory tract infection was higher than that of female patients, but there was no significant difference. The proportion of Vientovirus in the positive samples of Redondoviridae was higher than that of Brisavirus, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Among the throat swabs of respiratory tract infection cases, 43 were positive for Redondoviridae, of whom 24 were not detected for other pathogens. Conclusions:Redondoviridae widely exists in healthy people of all age groups in Beijing, and is also found in acute respiratory infection cases. The positive rate of Redondoviridae is different in different ages and genders. Both Vientovirus and Brisavirus were detected, and the proportion of Vientovirus was significantly higher than Brisavirus.

Objective To explore the association between lipid profiles and left ventricular hypertrophy in a Chinese general population. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study to investigate the relationship between lipid markers [including triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein[a], and composite lipid profiles] and left ventricular hypertrophy. A total of 309,400 participants of two populations (one from Beijing and another from nationwide) who underwent physical examinations at different health management centers between 2009 and 2018 in China were included in the cross-sectional study. 7,475 participants who had multiple physical examinations and initially did not have left ventricular hypertrophy constituted a longitudinal cohort to analyze the association between lipid markers and the new-onset of left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy was measured by echocardiography and defined as an end-diastolic thickness of the interventricular septum or left ventricle posterior wall > 11 mm. The Logistic regression model was used in the cross-sectional study. Cox model and Cox model with restricted cubic splines were used in the longitudinal cohort. Results In the cross-sectional study, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [odds ratio (OR): 1.250, 95％CI: 1.060 to 1.474], HDL-cholesterol (OR: 0.780, 95％CI: 0.662 to 0.918), and lipoprotein(a) (OR: 1.311, 95％CI: 1.115 to 1.541) had an association with left ventricular hypertrophy. In the longitudinal cohort, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker at the baseline compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [hazard ratio (HR): 3.277, 95％CI: 1.720 to 6.244], HDL-cholesterol (HR: 0.516, 95％CI: 0.283 to 0.940), non-HDL-cholesterol (HR: 2.309, 95％CI: 1.296 to 4.112), apolipoprotein B (HR: 2.244, 95％CI: 1.251 to 4.032) showed an association with new-onset left ventricular hypertrophy. In the Cox model with forward stepwise selection, triglycerides were the only lipid markers entered into the final model. Conclusion Lipids levels, especially triglycerides, are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. Controlling triglycerides level potentiate to be a strategy in harnessing cardiac remodeling but deserve to be further investigated.

Membrane-disruptive peptides/peptidomimetics (MDPs) are antimicrobials or anticarcinogens that present a general killing mechanism through the physical disruption of cell membranes, in contrast to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, which act on precise targets such as DNA or specific enzymes. Owing to their rapid action, broad-spectrum activity, and mechanisms of action that potentially hinder the development of resistance, MDPs have been increasingly considered as future therapeutics in the drug-resistant era. Recently, growing experimental evidence has demonstrated that MDPs can also be utilized as adjuvants to enhance the therapeutic effects of other agents. In this review, we evaluate the literature around the broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and anticancer activity of MDPs, and summarize the current development and mechanisms of MDPs alone or in combination with other agents. Notably, this review highlights recent advances in the design of various MDP-based drug delivery systems that can improve the therapeutic effect of MDPs, minimize side effects, and promote the co-delivery of multiple chemotherapeutics, for more efficient antimicrobial and anticancer therapy.

Objective:To understand the etiological characteristics of an acute gastroenteritis outbreak.Methods:Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bacteria cultures were performed for the samples, including stool samples from patients and cooks, environmental swabs, raw food material (chicken meat), collected during the outbreak. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, antibiotics susceptibility test and whole-genome sequencing were performed for the Campylobacter jejuni isolates. Results:Four stool samples from patients were positive for Campylobacter jejuni by real-time PCR, in which 1 Campylobacter jejuni strain was isolated from a case who had no antibiotic treatment. Twelve Campylobacter jejuni and 7 Campylobacter coli isolates were obtained from 4 raw chicken meat samples. The Campylobacter jejuni strain isolated from the case was resistant to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol and tetracycline. The MLST analysis with the whole-genome sequences confirmed that the Campylobacter jejuni isolate from the case belonged to ST10075. Antimicrobial resistance genes cmeABCR, tetO/M and blaOXA-61 were found in the genome of the isolate from the patient by the whole-genome sequencing. No mutation in 23S rRNA was found and the C257T mutation in gyrA was identified in this isolate. Conclusion:Laboratory analysis indicated that Campylobacter jejuni infection might be the major cause of this gastroenteritis outbreak.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance profile of the Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from respiratory tract of children in Zhongshan Boai Hospital, Guangdong Province for better management of such infections. Methods The sputum samples were collected from respiratory tract of children in pediatric outpatient and inpatient from May 2013 to August 2017. S. pneumoniae strains were isolated and identified and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agentswas determined. Results The prevalence of S. pneumoniae was 10.6％ (2 963/28 006) in the sputum samples. S. pneumoniae was mainly isolated from children under 6 years old, and relatively higher in winter and spring. About 43.0％ of the S. pneumoniae isolates was associated with mixed infection, especially Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae. About 6.0％ of the S. pneumoniae isolates were non-susceptible to penicillin, 59.3％ non-susceptible to ceftriaxone, and more than 95％ non-susceptible to erythromycin, clindamycin or tetracycline. However, more than 95％ of the isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol or ofloxacin. No S. pneumoniae isolate was found resistant to rifampin, linezolid or vancomycin. Conclusions The respiratory tract infection caused by S. pneumoniae of children is increasing year by year, which is associated with age, season, and higher rate of mixed infection. These data showed that penicillin non-susceptible S. pneumoniae is highly prevalent in Zhongshan. More than 95％ of the S. pneumoniae isolates from children are resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin or tetracycline. S. pneumoniae isolates should be closely monitored for the emergence of multidrug resistant strains. Appropriate control measures must be taken according to the results of susceptibility testing.

Dissolving microneedles carried drug molecules can effectively penetrate the stratum corneum of skin to improve the transdermal drug delivery. The traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture is based on the needle stimulation at a specific location (acupoint) to generate and transmit biochemical and physiological signals which alter the pathophysiological state of patients. However, the pain associated with conventional acupuncture needles and the requirement of highly trained professionals limit the development of acupuncture in non-Asian countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the dissolving microneedles can be utilized as a self-administered painless replacement for acupuncture and locally released drug molecules can achieve expected therapeutic outcomes. Immunosuppressive rats were treated with acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint using microneedles containing thymopentin. The immune functions and psychological mood of the immunosuppressed animals were examined. The proliferation of splenocytes was examined by CCK-8 assay. CD4 and CD8 expression patterns in spleen cells were detected by flow cytometry. The current study showed that use of either microneedles containing thymopentin or conventional acupuncture both resulted in immune cell proliferation, which was confirmed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, either conventional acupuncture or microneedles were able to effectively mitigate the anxiety caused by immune-suppression when applied on the ST36.

Objective To analyze the distribution and drug resistance of bile-isolated pathogens in Xiamen area ,providing evi-dence for clinical use of antibiotics .Methods Bile cultures and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed on strains isolated from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University .WHONET 5 .6 was used for data analysis .Results In 35 out of 217 samples ,2 kinds of pathogens were isolated .Among these ,Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae coinfection was most common .There were 252 strains isolated totally ,with 83 gram-positive strains(32 .9% ) ,165 gram-negative strains (65 .5% ) and 4 fungi strains (1 .6% ) . Escherichia coli ,Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumoniae were three of the most common pathogens isolated .Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were two of the most common nonfermenters isolated .The resistance rates of Enterobacte-riaceae to aminoglycosides ,fourth generation cephalosporins ,carbapenems or piperacillin/tazobactam were lower than 40 .0% .The resistance rate of Escherichia coli to quinolones was higher than 50 .0% .Enterococcus faecalis or enterococcus faecium were less re-sistant to vancomycin ,linezolid and tigecycline .The resistance rates of enterococcus to high concentration of streptomycin or genta-micin were lower than 30 .0% .Conclusion The top three common pathogens isolated from bile are Escherichia coli ,Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumonia in Xiamen area .Infections by Enterococcus together with Enterobacteriaceae account for large numbers of coinfection cases .The resistance rates to cephalosporin or quinolones of pathogens causing biliary tract infections have increased dramatically .