Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of HHQ 16, a derivative of astragaloside Ⅳ, on hepatocyte lipid accumulation. Methods Free fatty acids were used to stimulate lipid hepatocyte accumulation. Triglyceride and Oil Red O staining were detected to reflect hepatocyte lipid accumulation. The expression of α1-acidglycoprotein （ORM） and its regulators were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. The expression of ORM1 was interfered with siRNA to determine whether it mediated the action of HHQ16.The expression of ORM1 was interfered by siRNA to determine whether it mediated the action of HHQ16. Results HHQ16 significantly ameliorated FFA-induced hepatocyte lipid deposition. HHQ16 elevated ORM expression, and the protective effect of HHQ16 on hepatocyte lipid accumulation was reversed by ORM interference. Conclusion HHQ16 could ameliorate hepatocyte lipid accumulation by elevating ORM.

To report 7 Chinese children with characteristic hyperpigmented macules on the forehead and temples. Among the 7 cases, there were 2 males and 5 females, with the age at onset ranging from 9 to 24 months (12.43 ± 5.32 months), and the disease duration being 1 - 4 months (2.57 ± 1.27 months). Skin examination revealed that the children presented with varying numbers of irregular brown macules and patches scattered on their foreheads and temples, without obvious desquamation. Dermoscopic examination revealed multiple yellowish-brown patches with irregular borders, and linear vessels were observable in some skin lesions. A diagnosis of acquired facial hyperpigmented macules was made in these children. The children received no treatment. After 2 years of follow-up, hyperpigmented macules completely subsided in 2 cases and regressed to varying degrees in 4 cases, while 1 case exhibited no changes in the skin lesions. Considering the literature and the cases discussed in this article, it is hypothesized that acquired facial hyperpigmented macules in young children may represent an independent condition.

Immunoscenescence plays a key role in the initiation and development of tumors. Furthermore, immunoscenescence also impacts drug delivery and cancer therapeutic efficacy. To reduce the impact of immunosenescence on anti-tumor therapy, this experimental plan aimed to use neutrophils with tumor tropism properties to deliver sialic acid (SA)-modified liposomes into the tumor, kill tumor cells via SA-mediated photochemotherapy, enhance infiltration of neutrophils into the tumor, induce immunogenic death of tumor cells with chemotherapy, enhance infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells into the tumor-draining lymph nodes and tumors of immunosenescent mice, and achieve SA-mediated photochemotherapy. We found that CD8⁺ T cell and neutrophil levels in 16-month-old mice were significantly lower than those in 2- and 8-month-old mice; 16-month-old mice exhibited immunosenescence. The anti-tumor efficacy of SA-mediated non-photochemotherapy declined in 16-month-old mice, and tumors recurred after scabbing. SA-mediated photochemotherapy enhanced tumor infiltration by CD8⁺ T cells and neutrophils, induced crusting and regression of tumors in 8-month-old mice, inhibited metastasis and recurrence of tumors and eliminated the immunosenescence-induced decline in antitumor therapeutic efficacy in 16-month-old mice via the light-heat-chemical-immunity conversion.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complication in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The Chinese Children's Cancer Group-ALL-2015 protocol was carried out in China, and epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and risk factors associated with VTE were analyzed. We collected data on VTE in a multi-institutional clinical study of 7640 patients with ALL diagnosed in 20 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2019. First, VTE occurred in 159 (2.08%) patients, including 90 (56.6%) during induction therapy and 108 (67.92%) in the upper extremities. T-ALL had a 1.74-fold increased risk of VTE (95% CI 1.08-2.8, P = 0.022). Septicemia, as an adverse event of ALL treatment, can significantly promote the occurrence of VTE (P < 0.001). Catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) accounted for 75.47% (n = 120); and, symptomatic VTE, 58.49% (n = 93), which was more common in patients aged 12-18 years (P = 0.023), non-CRT patients (P < 0.001), or patients with cerebral thrombosis (P < 0.001). Of the patients with VTE treated with anticoagulation therapy (n = 147), 4.08% (n = 6) had bleeding. The VTE recurrence rate was 5.03% (n = 8). Patients with VTE treated by non-ultrasound-guided venous cannulation (P = 0.02), with residual thrombus (P = 0.006), or with short anticoagulation period (P = 0.026) had high recurrence rates. Thus, preventing repeated venous puncture and appropriately prolonged anticoagulation time can reduce the risk of VTE recurrence.
Humans ; Child ; Venous Thromboembolism/etiology* ; East Asian People ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis/chemically induced* ; China/epidemiology* ; Anticoagulants/adverse effects* ; Recurrence

Objective:This paper is to propose a calibration model based on sine function which enables more choices to determine the functional relationship between the absorbance and the concentration of the tested substance.Methods:This paper uses Taylor series expansion and Levenberg-Marquardt to obtain the optimal parameters for the Sine model and then summarizes the characters of the Sine model. On the basis of these characters, this paper compares and evaluates the experimental data processed by the Sine model from four aspects: correctness, precision, linearity and correlation.Results:The generated sine function calibration model achieved deviations within ±3% of the national standard substance, precision ( CV%) less than 2%, and a linear correlation coefficient greater than 0.990 within the measurement range of 32-710 mg/L. The correlation coefficients between the sine model and other well-performing linear calibration models for 104 clinical samples were all greater than 0.990. Conclusions:The performance evaluation of the prealbumin assay kit using the sine function calibration model meets industry standards and shows good correlation with the results of clinical sample measurements. This indicates that the sine function calibration model can serve as a new calibration model for in vitro diagnostic research and clinical applications.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the level of Apelin-13 and coronary artery lesion (CAL) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD), and assess the predictive value of Apelin-13 for CAL in acute phase of KD.Methods:A total of 240 children with KD treated in Chengdu Women and Children′s Central Hospital from September 2017 to October 2019 were recruited, and were divided into KD with CAL (KD-CAL) group and KD without CAL (KD-NCAL) group.Thirty children with acute upper respiratory infection and 30 healthy children were recruited into the febrile control group and the healthy control group, respectively.Blood routine and serum levels of albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and Apelin-13 were mea-sured in KD children prior to intravenous gamma globulin injection and after the diagnosis of children in the febrile control group and physical examination of children in the healthy control group.The clinical data of children in each group were compared, and the risk factors of KD complicated with CAL and the predictive value of Apelin-13 were determined by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multiple Logistic regression analysis. Results:Apelin-13 and hemoglobin in children with KD were significantly decreased compared with those in the healthy control group and fever control group (all P<0.001). However, white blood cell(WBC) count, platelet count, CRP and NT-proBNP in KD group were significantly increased compared with those in the healthy control group and fever control group (all P<0.001). Serum albumin in KD children was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group ( P=0.004), and there was no difference when compared with the fever control group ( P=0.485). Apelin-13 and hemoglobin were significantly decreased in KD-CAL group compared with KD-NCAL group ( t=10.102, P<0.001; t=2.034, P=0.043), while NT-proBNP and CRP were significantly increased ( t=5.982, 3.728, all P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that Apelin-13 and NT-proBNP were independent predictors of CAL in KD.The ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off value of Apelin-13 for predicting CAL was 2.99 μg/L, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.869 (95% CI: 0.820-0.909), sensitivity of 77.78% and specificity of 88.67%.While NT-proBNP cutoff value of 822 ng/L yielded sensitivity of 57.78% and specificity of 84.62% for predicting CAL with an AUC of 0.718(95% CI: 0.656-0.774). Conclusions:Apelin-13 plays a protective role in KD complicated with CAL, and could be used to predict CAL in the acute phase of KD.

Objective:To investigate the relationship of heart rate variability (HRV), heart rate deceleration capacity (DC) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)-resistant Kawasaki disease (KD) in children with the acute stage of KD.Methods:A total of 679 patients with KD in Chengdu Women and Children′s Central Hospital from August 2015 to May 2019 were selected.In healthy control group, 150 children obtained physical examination at the same time.Prospective cohort study was applied to analyze the data.According to the effect of initial IVIG treatment within 14 days, patients were divided into IVIG-sensitive group and IVIG-resistant group.General clinic information, HRV, DC, blood routine, liver function, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) and erythrocytesedimentation rate (ESR) before initial IVIG treatment of the 2 groups were compared.Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the risk factors of IVIG-resistant KD. Results:Among 679 KD patients, 3 cases were lost, among the rest 676 cases, 586 cases were in IVIG-sensitive group, and 90 cases were in IVIG-resistant group.The HRV and DC indexes of IVIG-sensitive group and IVIG-resistant group were lower than those of the healthy control group, and the differences among the 3 groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Meanwhile, standard deviation of N-N intervals (SDNN) [(65.84±38.22) ms vs.(82.56±21.41) ms, P=0.004], and low frequency (LF)[ (192.59±114.10) ms 2vs. (258.18±162.75) ms 2, P=0.048] of IVIG-resistant group were lower than those of IVIG-sensitive group.White blood cell (WBC), platelets(PLT), hs-CRP, ESR, alanine aminotransferase(ALT), cTnI and NT proBNP in IVIG sensitive group and IVIG-resistant group were all higher than those in the healthy control group (all P<0.05). Further more, ESR[(90.32±37.91) mm/1 h vs. (65.81±25.34) mm/1 h, P=0.019], cTnI [(0.83±0.35) μg/L vs. (0.52±0.18) μg/L, P=0.037] and NT-proBNP [(854.64±293.02) ng/L vs. (584.95±177.11) ng/L, P=0.011] in IVIG-resistant group were higher than those of IVIG-sensitive group.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that SDNN ( OR=0.783, 95% CI: 0.0341-0.979, P=0.021), and NT-proBNP ( OR=1.195, 95% CI: 1.061-1.428, P=0.34) were independent risk factors for predicting IVIG-resistant KD. Conclusions:SDNN and NT-proBNP may be independent predictors of IVIG-resistant KD.

The application indications of imaging examination and cardiac catheterization in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of Kawasaki disease, especially cardiovascular sequelae, are further improved by the Japanese Circulation Society/Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery 2020 Guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Cardiovascular Sequelae in Kawasaki Disease that also standardizes the long-term management program of Kawasaki disease in three different stages, namely, school, the adolescent/young adult and adulthood stage.In order to enhance the understanding of domestic medical staff with the latest knowledge, this paper focuses on the application progress of diagnostic imaging and cardiac catheterization in the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of cardiovascular sequelae of Kawasaki disease in the guide.

Objective:To study the regulatory effect of Wumen-Yiji powder on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) signal transduction system in intestine and hypothalamus of diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) model rats. Methods:Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group (10 rats) and diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome group (50 rats). The diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome group formed the diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome model after 2 weeks of senna leaf gavage and restraint stress. They were randomly divided into model group, deshute group (1.5 mg/kg), low, medium and high dose group of Wumen-Yiji San (6, 12, 24 g/kg), with 10 rats in each group. After continuous administration for 2 weeks, the contents of 5-HT in serum, colon and hypothalamus were detected by ELISA; HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of colon in each group. The protein and mRNA levels of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH-1), serotonin receptor 3 (5-HT3R), serotonin receptor 4 (5-HT4R), serotonin transporter (SERT) in colon and hypothalamus were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR, respectively. Results:Compared with the model group, the pathological morphology of colon in each treatment group was improved. Compared with the model group, the level of 5-HT in serum and colon significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and the level of 5-HT in hypothalamus of rats in the low, medium, high dose group of Wumen-Yiji San significantly increased ( P<0.05). The expression of TPH-1, 5-HT3R and 5-HT4R protein significantly decreased ( P<0.05), and the expression of SERT protein in the medium, high dose group of Wumen-Yiji San significantly increased ( P<0.05). The expression of TPH-1, 5-HT3R and 5-HT4R protein in hypothalamus increased ( P<0.05), and the expression of SERT protein in the high dose group of Wumen-Yiji San significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The mRNA levels of TPH-1 (4.778 ± 0.604, 3.278 ± 0.668, 1.670 ± 0.361 vs. 6.877 ± 0.148), 5-HT3R (3.807 ± 0.463, 2.697 ± 0.455, 1.132 ± 0.136 vs. 6.322 ± 0.778), 5-HT4R (4.521 ± 0.234, 2.801 ± 0.351, 1.331 ± 0.142 vs. 6.741 ± 0.293) in colon tissue of low, medium and high dose groups of Wumen-Yiji San decreased ( P<0.05). The level of 5-HT4R mRNA (0.616 ± 0.208, 0.726 ± 0.226 vs. 0.521 ± 0.062) increased ( P<0.05), and the level of SERT mRNA (1.563 ± 1.023 vs. 2.612 ± 1.035) in medium, high dose group of Wumen-Yiji San decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The result showed that Wumen-Yiji San could regulate the expression of 5-HT signaling system relating proteins and mRNA in the colon and hypothalamus of IBS-D rats within a certain dose range, so as to improve the symptoms of IBS-D.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurrent disease with unknown etiology. Psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression and fear are commonly seen in IBD patients and seriously reduce the quality of life. Aims: To investigate the current status of fear of progression in patients with IBD and its relationship with the quality of life. Methods: IBD patients admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University from October 2020 to December 2020 were enrolled consecutively. The demographic data and clinical data on disease course and severity were collected. A questionnaire survey was conducted by using Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF) and the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: A total of 225 IBD patients were enrolled, including 146 cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) and 79 cases of Crohn's disease (CD). The mean score of FoP-Q-SF was 34.89±9.70. Using 34 points as the cut-off value, 53.3% of the IBD patients were identified as fear of progression. The FoP-Q-SF score in CD patients was significantly higher than that in UC patients (36.92±10.47 vs. 33.80±9.11, P<0.05). Fear of progression was positively correlated with the disease activity and severity in both UC and CD patients (all P<0.05), whereas age was negatively correlated with fear of progression (P<0.05). In patients with FoP-Q-SF score equal or greater than 34 points, scores of 5 health concepts of SF-36 scale, including physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, mental health, and general health were significantly lower than those with FoP-Q-SF score less than 34 points (all P<0.05). In addition, the quality of life was also affected by age, education level and length of disease course. Conclusions: Fear of progression is prevalent in IBD patients and may affect the quality of life, and is correlated with disease type (UC/CD), age and activity and severity of the disease.