Objective:To establish the biology reference interval (RI) of peripheral blood procalcitonin (PCT) for children between 3 days and 6 years old in China.Methods:Totally 3 353 reference individuals with apparent health or no specific diseases were recruited in 18 hospitals throughout the country during October 2020 to May 2021. Reference individuals were divided into four groups: 3-28 days, 29 days - 1 year, 1-3 years and 4-6 years. Vein blood or capillary blood were collected by percutaneous puncture from every reference individual. The PCT level in serum and the capillary whole blood were assayed by Roche Cobas e601 and Norman NRM411-S7 immunoanalyzer. Outliers were deleted and 95th percentiles of every group were provided as RIs. Man-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test were used performed to assess the difference among different gender, age or method groups. Results:The difference of PCT distribution between male and female is not statistically significant, but the difference between serum and capillary whole blood is statistically significant. The differences between age groups are significant too. For Roche e601, serum PCT RI of 3-28 days group is <0.23 μg/L, 29 days - 6 years are <0.11 μg/L. For NRM411, Serum PCT RI of 3-28 days group is <0.21 μg/L, 29 days - 1 year: <0.09 μg/L, 1 - 6 years: <0.10 μg/L. For whole blood PCT, RI of 3-28 days group is <0.26 μg/L, 29 days - 6 years is <0.15 μg/L.Conclusions:Serum and capillary whole blood PCT have different RIs, however, capillary whole blood PCT testing is valuable in pediatric application. Children in 3-28 days show higher PCT levels than other age group. To establish the RIs and understand the differences among different groups are essential for the interpretation and clinical application of peripheral blood PCT testing results.

Objective:To explore the current situation of stigma and posttraumatic growth in female infertility patients, and to analyze the correlation between them.Methods:From January to May 2019, this study selected 110 female infertility patients of reproductive medicine center in a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital of Zhejiang Province as subjects by convenience sampling. Those infertility patients were investigated with the general information questionnaire, Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS) and the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory-Chinese version (PTGI-C) . A total of 110 questionnaire were sent out and 104 valid of them were collected.Results:Among 104 female infertility patients, the score of ISS was (67.14±14.33) with the intermediate level; the score of PTGI-C was (63.92±11.76) also with the intermediate level. There were statistical differences in the scores of post-traumatic growth among female infertility patients with different education levels, characteristics and whether being the only child ( P<0.05) . The scores of ISS of female infertility patients had statistically negative correlations with the total score and dimension scores of PTGI-C ( P<0.01) . Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the main influencing factors of posttraumatic growth in female infertility patients were the education levels, years of infertility, total score of stigma and scores of emotion and behavior with statistical differences ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Stigma of female infertility patients is negatively correlated with the posttraumatic growth, which points that nurses could positively reduce the stigma of those patients so as to improve their posttraumatic growth.

Objective To explore the impact of Cesarean section on newborn′s early suction. Methods A literature review was conducted to summarize the impact of Cesarean section on newborn′s early suction from aspects of sucking behavior, breastfeeding initiation, and breast sensitivity to sucking stimulus. Results Cesarean section has detrimental effect on nerves and muscles which are responsible for sucking behavior. It causes incompatible of sucking dynamics, delayed breastfeeding initiation, ineffective sucking stimulus, and finally, failed lactation and breastfeeding. Conclusions Cesarean section impairs newborn′s early suction.It suggests that our nursing staff should pay attention to related education and encourage the vaginal delivery.Additionally,supports on timely breastfeeding,correct latch-on and sucking gesture should be given to Cesarean newborns immediately after delivery to promote the successful breastfeeding.

Objective To investigate the effect of radial artery calcification (RAC) on survival of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and the patients in end?stage renal disease. Methods Adult ESRD patients undergoing AVF surgery between January 2013 and January 2016 at the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat?sen University were enrolled in this study. The clinical and biochemical data were collected. Segment of radial artery were obtained from the operation of AVF. RAC at the site of anastomotic were observed by alizarin red S and hematoxylin and eosin staining. According to RAC, the patients were divided into calcification group and non?calcification group. Kaplan?Meier analysis was performed to analyze the survival rates of the two groups, and Cox proportional hazards regression——model was used to estimate the risk factors of AVF dysfunction and all?cause mortality in ESRD patients. Results Among 180 cases of ESRD patients, 38 cases (21.1％) were developed RAC at the site of anastomotic in different degrees. Compared with the non?calcification groups, the calcification groups had a longer dialysis vintage, a higher proportion of diabetes and higher level of HbAlc (all P﹤0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that dialysis vintage>5 years and diabetics were two independent risk factors of RAC at the site of anastomotic. Kaplan?Meier survival analysis demonstrated that there were no statistical differences between two groups in AVF survival (χ2=0.009, P=0.926). Calcification group had higher all?cause mortality than non?calcification groups (χ2=9.809, P=0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that homocysteine was independent risk factor for AVF dysfunction (HR=1.027, 95％CI: 1.003-1.051, P=0.027). Age was independent risk factor for all?cause mortality (HR=1.078, 95％CI: 1.035-1.122, P=0.000). Conclusions Dialysis vintage>5 years and diabetes were two independent risk factors of RAC at the site of anastomotic in ESRD patients. RAC at the site of anastomotic had no effect on AVF survival, but increased all?cause mortality.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Ichthyosis Vulgaris ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Young Adult

Objective:To establish a method to detect food allergen based on Latex-enhanced immune turbidimetry ( PETIA) and apply to clinic.Methods: The PETIA method was used for evaluating the detection system including standard curve , detection-limit,stability, intra-assay and inter-assay precision and cross-reactivity,clinical normal serum specimens and clinical allergic diseases serum specimens were measured to evaluated the perspective of the clinical application .Results: The standard curve :Y=837.1 x2-125.2x+10.036, linear range: 0.0-400 U/ml, the correlation coefficient of the standard curve was 0.996, the intrabatch and interbatch precision was<10%.The normal reference range was≤33.5 U/ml,the AUC of ROC curve was 0.957,the sensitivity was 89.61%,The specificity was 65.22%, the accuracy was 84.00%, and the positive predicted value was 89.61%, the negative predicted value was 65.22%.the test results have strong correlation with ELISA ( r=0.890 2 ) .Conclusion: The PETIA method for detecting food allergen achieved corresponding clinical application standards and may be used for the diagnosis of food allergies .

AIM: To explore whether exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) depresses high glucose (HG)-in-duced injury by modulating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription ( JAK/STAT) pathway in hu-man umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).METHODS:The protein levels of JAK2, STAT3 and cleaved caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay.Mitochondrial membrane potential ( MMP) was detected by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography.The intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analyzed by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography.The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was also measured.RESULTS:Pretreatment of the HUVECs with 400 μmol/L NaHS (a donor of H2S) for 30 min prior to exposure to 40 mmol/L glucose ( HG) markedly attenuated HG-induced upregulation of the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3.Pretreatment with 400μmol/L NaHS for 30 min or with 20μmol/L AG490 (inhibitor of the JAK/STAT pathway) for 30 min attenuated the injury of HUVECs induced by HG, as indicated by the increases in cell viability and SOD activity, and decreases in the protein level of cleaved caspase-3, ROS generation and dissipation of MMP.CONCLU-SION:Exogenous H2 S protects HUVECs against HG-induced injury by inhibiting JAK/STAT pathway.

AIM: To explore whether necroptosis contributes to the high glucose (HG)-induced damage in hu-man umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).METHODS: The protein levels of receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3) and cleaved caspase-3 were detected by Western blot.The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were deter-mined by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography.Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured by rhodamine 123 staining followed by photofluorography.RESULTS: Treatment of HUVECs with HG at different concentra-tions (10, 20 and 40 mmol/L glucose) for 24 h gradually enhanced the expression levels of RIP3.Treatment of HUVECs with HG (40 mmol/L glucose) for different time (3 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h and 24 h) also up-regulated the expression levels of RIP3, peaking at 9 h.Pretreatment of HUVECs with 20 μmol/L Z-VAD-FMK (an inhibitor of caspase) for 30 min before exposure to HG enhanced the expression level of RIP3.Pretreatment of HUVECs with 100 μmol/L necrostatin-1 (an inhi-bitor of necroptosis) for 1 h before exposure to HG alleviated the HG-induced injuries, such as a decrease in cell viability, an increase in ROS generation and dissipation of MMP, but up-regulated the protein level of cleaved caspase-3.CON-
CLUSION: Necroptosis mediates HG-induced injury in HUVECs.There is a negative interacting between necroptosis and apoptosis.

Objective To report the clinical,myopathological and genetic features of a patient with distal myopathy caused by caveolin-3 (CAV3) deficiency.Methods The patient was a 27-year-old female.She had an onset symptom of asymmetric lower extremities weakness.The proximal limb-girdle muscles were involved subsequently.Clinical data of this patient were collected.The leg muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and an open biopsy of left tibialis anterior muscle were performed.In addition to histological,enzyme histochemical staining and ultrastructural examination,immunohistochemical staining with antibody against CAV3 was done.CAV3 gene was analyzed in the patient and her parents.Results Tl-weighted enhanced skeletal muscle MRI of the lower limbs showed the abnormal signal in distal and proximal muscles.Muscle biopsy showed moderate dystrophic changes and immunostaining for CAV3 showed reduced plasmalemma in the muscle fibers.Gene analysis disclosed a heterozygous c.136G ＞ A (p.Ala46Thr)mutation in the CAV3 gene,and the patient's parents did not have this mutation.Conclusions We report a distal myopathy case caused by c.136G ＞ A (p.Ala46Thr) mutation in the CAV3 gene,who had an onset symptom of asymmetric lower extremities weakness.The proximal limb-girdal muscles were also involved.This would help clinical doctors to know more about this rare myopathy.

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and safety of vildagliptin combined with insulin aspart injection in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODSSixty-six elderly patients with type 2 diabetes who had poor blood glucose control with insulin aspart injection were divided into two groups to have additional Vildagliptin (50 mg, twice daily, n=36, observation group) or Acarbose (50 mg, three times a day, n=30, control group). Blood glucose (including FBG and 2hPG), HbA1C, fasting c-peptide, postprandial c-peptide, BMI and GFR were observed after 12 weeks.

RESULTSIn the observation group, FBG, 2hPG and HbA1C decreased significantly (P<0.05), fasting and postprandial c-peptide increased (P<0.05), and BMI and GFR showed no obvious changes (P>0.05). In the control group, 2hPG and HbA1C were significant lowered (P<0.05) but FBG, fasting and postprandial c-peptide, BMI or GFR showed no changes (P>0.05). Compared with those in the control group, FBG in the observation group showed a significant reduction (P<0.05), but no significant differences were found in 2hPG, HbA1C, BMI or GFR (P>0.05). No hypoglycemia occurred in the two groups during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONVildagliptin with insulin aapart injection has equivalent effect with Acarbose combined with insulin aspart injection in decreasing 2hPG and HbA1C without increasing the body weight or the risk to hypoglycemia or causing lowered GFR. Vildagliptin has better effect in decreasing FBG and improving the function of the islet cells.

Adamantane ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Injections ; Insulin Aspart ; therapeutic use ; Nitriles ; therapeutic use ; Pyrrolidines ; therapeutic use