ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of kinesin family member 15 （KIF15） on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cells and its mechanism of action. MethodsTCGA and GEPIA datasets were analyzed to determine the expression of KIF15 in HCC and its effect on tumor stage and survival. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression level of KIF15 in human-derived HCC cell lines （HepG2， Hep3B， MHCC-97H， and LM3） and human normal liver cell line L02 cultured in vitro， and Hep3B and HepG2 were selected for subsequent studies. CCK-8 assay， plate colony formation assay， and EdU staining were performed for Hep3B cells transfected with shRNA-NC or shRNA-KIF15 and HepG2 cells transfected with LV-vector or LV-KIF15 to evaluate the viability and proliferative capacity of these cells. GSEA was used to analyze the potential signaling pathways associated with KIF15 in HCC， and Western blot was used for detection. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsThe analysis of TCGA and GEPIA datasets showed that in HCC patients， the expression of KIF15 in HCC tissue was significantly higher than that in normal tissue， and the HCC patients with high KIF15 expression tended to have a poorer prognosis. Compared with sh-NC-Hep3B， sh3-Hep3B showed significant reductions in the mRNA and protein levels of KIF15 （P<0.05）， cell viability， clone formation number， and EdU positive rate （all P<0.05）. Compared with vector-HepG2， LV-KIF15-HepG2 showed significant increases in the mRNA and protein levels of KIF15 （P<0.05）， cell viability， clone formation number， and EdU positive rate （all P<0.05）. Subcutaneous tumor assay showed that compared with sh-NC-Hep3B， sh3-Hep3B showed reductions in tumor volume and tumor weight， as well as a significant reduction in the immunohistochemical score of Ki67 and a significant increase in the immunohistochemical score of TUNEL （P<0.05）. GSEA analysis showed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was positively correlated with KIF15 in HCC （NES=1.59， P<0.001）. Western blot showed that LY294002 could inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway upregulated in LV-KIF15-HepG2， and compared with LV-KIF15-HepG2， LY294002+LV-KIF15-HepG2 showed significant reductions in cell viability， clone formation number， and EdU positive rate （all P<0.05）. ConclusionKIF15 enhances the viability and proliferative capacity of HCC cells by upregulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Since there is a lack of obvious clinical symptoms in the early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), most patients have progressed to the advanced stage at the time of confirmed diagnosis. There are limited treatment options for HCC patients who miss the opportunity for surgery, so it is of great importance to find new therapeutic targets. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a group of macrophages existing in the tumor immune microenvironment and affect the malignant behaviors of HCC cells and the state of immune escape within the tumor. This article introduces the origin and classification of TAM, summarizes the role and mechanism of TAMs in vascular proliferation, invasion and metastasis, formation and maintenance of stemness, and anti-tumor immunity in HCC, and briefly describes the current research advances in therapeutic targets for TAM, and it is pointed out that targeting TAM may be a promising direction for clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a child featuring short stature and postaxial polydactyly. METHODS: A child who presented at Ningbo Women & Children's Hospital in May 2021 due to the"discovery of growth retardation for more than two years" was selected as the subject. Peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents were collected for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the child, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing of his family members. RESULTS: The child was found to harbor a heterozygous c.3670C>T (p.Q1224) variant of the GLI2 gene, which may lead to premature termination of protein translation. The variant was not detected in either parent. CONCLUSION The child was diagnosed with Culler-Jones syndrome. The c.3670C>T (p.Q1224*) variant of the GLI2 gene probably underlay the disease in this child.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Fingers ; Mutation ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics* ; Polydactyly/genetics* ; Toes ; Zinc Finger Protein Gli2/genetics*

Abstract On April 25, 2021, a case with hookworm infections was identified during the surveillance of soil-borne nematodiasis by Tiantai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province. The patients was admitted to a county people's hospital due to dizziness and limb weakness on July 24, 2020. Laboratory tests showed 2.5×1012/L red blood cell counts, 45 g/L hemoglobin, 3.4% eosinophil percentage, 4.7 μmol/L serum iron and <1 μg/L ferritin, and severe iron-deficiency anemia was initially diagnosed. Following treatment with blood transfusion and ion supplement, subsequent three routine blood tests indicated elevated eosinophil percentages. On April 25, 2021, hookworm eggs were detected in stool samples using Kate-Katz technique, and Necator americanus was identified with the test-tube filter-paper culture method. Severe iron-deficiency anemia caused by hookworm infections was diagnosed based on field epidemiological surveys and laboratory tests. The health education pertaining to parasitic disease control knowledge among residents and the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases in medical institutions are recommended to be improved in rural areas to avoid misdiagnosis and missing diagnosis.

Objective:To explore the effect of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) regulated by miR-320a on a cell model of Alzheimer′s disease.Methods:A rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) was induced into neurons using nerve growth factor (NGF). The morphology of the PC12 cells and the neurons was observed, and ubiquitin carboxy terminal hydrolase L1 (Uch-L1) and neurofilament protein (NFP) were detected. Levels of microtubule-associated protein (MAP2) and AQP4 target genes were related to the mRNA expression of NFP to determine the neuron-inducing effect. The neurons were then randomly divided into a control group (given no treatment), an miR-320a mimic transfection group (cultured by adding 50nmol/L miR-320a as a mimic agent), an miR-320a inhibitor group (cultured by adding 50nmol/L miR-320a as an inhibitor), an Aβ treatment group (cultured by adding Aβ), an Aβ+ miR-320a mimic group (cultured by adding both 50nmol/L miR-320a and Aβ), and an Aβ+ miR-320a inhibitor group (also cultured by adding Aβ, but with 50nmol/L miR-320a as an inhibitor). Cell activity was measured by the CCK8 method. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions were used to detect the relative expression of the target gene miR-320a, AQP4, B-cell bcl2-associated X (Bax), and B-cell bcl-2 (Bcl-2) mRNA. Western blotting was employed to detect the relative expression of AQP4, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins.Results:After PC12 was induced by 50μg/L NGF, the expression of Uch-L1 genes in the induced neuron was significantly down-regulated compared with the PC12. The expressions of NFP, MAP2 and AQP4 genes were significantly up-regulated, and the relative expressions of MAP2 and AQP4 proteins increased significantly. Compared with the control group, the apoptosis and cell activity of neurons in the treatment group increased, the mRNA and protein expressions of miR-320a, AQP4, bcl-2, AQP4 and Bcl-2 decreased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax increased significantly. Compared with the Aβ-treated group, the cell activity of the Aβ+ Mir-320a mimic group increased significantly, the mRNA and protein expressions of miR-320a, AQP4 and Bcl-2 increased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax decreased significantly. Compared with the Aβ+ miR-320a mimic group, the cell activity of the Aβ+ miR-320a inhibitor group decreased significantly, the mRNA and protein expressions of miR-320a, AQP4 and Bcl-2 decreased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax increased significantly.Conclusion:miR-320a can up-regulate AQP4 expression in a cell model of Alzheimer′s disease, reduce apoptosis and increase the cell survival rate.

Objective: To explore the value of chest CT features and clinical indexes in the differential diagnosis between suspected COVID-19 with two or more negative nucleic acid tests and confirmed COVID-19. Methods: The clinical data and chest CT images of 105 cases withconfirmedCOVID-19 (55 males and 50 females, aged from 2 month to 88 years) and 97 cases with suspected COVID-19(59 males and 38 females, aged from 1 month to 93 years) were analyzed retrospectively in Shiyan Taihe Hospital from January 21 to February 10, 2020. χ²test and two independent sample t test were used to analyze the clinical data and CT signs of the two cases, with P<0.05 for the difference statistically significant. Results: Compared with the suspected patients, the average age of diagnosis of covid-19 was higher (t = 2.460, P = 0.01). The main pathological changes were pure ground glass (68 cases) and mixed ground glass density (53 cases) (χ² = 50.016, P< 0.01). Interstitial thickening (83 cases) (χ² = 55.395, P< 0.01), vascular thickening (73 cases) (χ² = 57.527, P< 0.01), air bronchoscopic sign or bronchiectasis Zhang (67 cases) (χ² = 17.899, P< 0.01), cord focus (54 cases) (χ² = 5.500, P = 0.02), easily distributed under the pleura and the long axis of the lesion was parallel to the pleura (89 cases) (χ² = 23.597, P< 0.01), most of them had no pleural effusion (χ² = 7.017, P< 0.01); both lesions were mainly distributed in patches (89 cases were confirmed, 87 suspected) (χ² = 19.573, P< 0.01). In addition, the lesions of patients with confirmed covid-19 showed progress in short term (72 / 87, 82.76%), and those with suspected covid-19 showed remission in short term (63 / 89, 70.78%). The difference was statistically significant (χ² = 51.114, P< 0.01). There was no significant difference in gender and distribution of pulmonary lobes (χ² = 1.462, P= 0.23; χ² = 7.381, P= 0.19). The number of white blood cells (χ² = 17.891, P< 0.01) and the percentage of lymphocytes (χ² = 11.151,P< 0.01) of covid-19 were mostly normal or decreased, creatine kinase (χ² = 9.589, P< 0.01) were mostly normal, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was mostly normal or increased (χ² = 4.240, P= 0.04). Conclusions The imaging features and biochemical indexes of diagnosed COVID-19 are different from those of suspected COVID-19. The comparative analysis of imaging features, clinical indexes and reexamination are helpful for the differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value and effect of biofeedback training therapy for functional constipation in elderly patients.Methods A total of 78 elderly patients with functional constipation were treated at the People's Hospital of Pudong New Area,and were divided randomly into two groups.The control group (n =39) received routine treatment plus oral polyethylene glycol,while the experimental group (n=39) received biofeedback training treatment in addition to what was offered to the control group.After treatment,constipation symptom scores,anorectal dynamic parameters and clinical effects were compared between the two groups.Results The scores on excrement characteristics,defecation difficulty,and time and frequency of defecation were better in the experimental group than those in the control group (t=5.670,4.740,4.170,5.530;P=0.016,0.034,0.039,0.022,respectively).The overall effectiveness rate was 94.9 ％ (37/39) in the experimental group,which was higher than that (71.8 ％,2 8/3 9) in the control group (x2 =4.493,P=0.030).Meanwhile,the levels of 3 SC and 10 SC in the two groups were higher than those before treatment,but the level of 10SR was lower than that before treatment (all P＜0.05).Moreover,improvement in 3SC,10SC and 10SR were more significant in the experiment group than in the control group (all P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Biofeedback training therapy is safe and effective for elderly patients with constipation to relieve constipation symptoms,enhance control of defecation and promote defecation.

Objective To explore the best time period of pulse oximetry in congenital heart disease (CHD) screening. Methods Totally 5433 newborns delivered or treated in Ningbo Women and Children’s hospital were enrolled in the study. Cardiac color ultrasound was used to arrive diagnosis and every screening time period (0?~?24 h、24 h?~?48 h、48 h?~?72 h) was analysed. Results Among the three time periods: the sensibility was in the range of 54.72%?~?67.92%, specificity was 99.11%?~?99.61%, false negative rate was 32.08%?~?43.40%, false positive rate was 0.39%?~?0.89%, Youden index was 0.54?~?0.68, coincidence rate was 98.67?~?99.30, and kappa was 0.44?~?0.65. Conclusion The best screening time is the period between 48h and 72 h after birth.

OBJECTIVETo study the economic burden caused by occupational chronic n-hexane poisoning.

METHODSInformation about the cost of treatment, compensation, board, wage, diagnosis, escorts, transportation and the days off work were collected in a 34 cases of occupational chronic n-hexane poisoning accident to estimate the economic burden.

RESULTSThere were 4 mild, 19 moderate, 11 severe in the 34 cases and the total cost was 6 084 809 yuan. The hospitalization days was respectively (204.0 ± 3.7) d, (226.6 ± 78.3) d and (417.6 ± 94.1) d, averaging (285.8 ± 96.3) d. The treatment cost was respectively 62 525.8, 69 409.7 and 128 155.6 yuan. The compensation was respectively 20 000.0, 20 052.6 and 30 290.9 yuan. The wage was respectively 23 460.0, 26 062.6 and 47 644.0 yuan. The board was respectively 17 566.5, 19 499.8 and 36 230.1 yuan. The days of work was respectively (176.8 ± 3.2) d, (196.4 ± 67.9) d and (361.4 ± 81.6) d, averaging (247.7 ± 83.5). The lost productivity was respectively 1 809 724.8, 2 010 350.4 and 3 699 290.4 yuan.

CONCLUSIONThe economic burden of occupational chronic n-hexane poisoning was so heavy that prevention measures should be strengthened.

Adolescent ; Chronic Disease ; economics ; Cost of Illness ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; economics ; Young Adult

Objective To study the effect and safety of conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to rapamycin in kidney transplantation recipients with chronic allograft nephropathy.Methods In 82 kidney transplant recipients enrolled in this study,72 cases were diagnosed as having chronic allograft nephropathy by biopsy.Recipients (SRL group) were administered with rapamycin after withdrawal of calcineurin inhibitors.The doses of CNI in other recipients (non-SRL group) were not changed.Renal function,proteinuria,blood pressure,blood fat,hepatic function and hemogram were observed for 24 months in each group.Results During the follow-up period,serum creatinine level was dropped significantly in SRL group (P＜0.05),but it was increased in non-SRL group (P＜0.05).SRL group showed increased proteinuria,serum cholesterol and triglycerides (P＜0.05),and reduced Plt (P＜0.05).According to the renal function before conversion,the recipients who were administered rapamycin divided into four groups.In group A (Scr ＜ 120 μmol/L),there was no significant difference in diverse variables before and after conversion.In group B (Scr 120-200 μmol/L and Banff Ⅰ-Ⅱ),renal function was improved,and proteinuria alleviated.In group C (Scr 120-200 μmol/L and Banff ＞ Ⅱ),and group D (Scr ＞200 μmol/L),renal function was damaged to varying degrees and proteinuria was deteriorated.Conclusion It is safe and effective for patients with chronic allograft nephropathy to convert from calcineurin inhibitors to rapamycin.