Objective To investigate the electrophysiological characteristics of hamster primary cortical neurons by using the whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in a Mg2+-free cell model of epilepsy.Methods The cerebral cortex were isolated for primary neuron culture from neonatal Syrian hamsters 1-2 days after birth.After 12 days,primary neurons were exposed to normal external(Mg2+group)or Mg2+-free external(Mg2+-free group)respectively for 3 hours,followed by a 24-hour incubation in normal culture medium.Excitatory postsynaptic currents(EPSC)and excitatory postsynaptic potentials(EPSP)were recorded in voltage clamp mode and current clamp mode using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings,respectively.Results Compared to Mg2+group,the frequency of EPSC[(124.38±75.15)Hz vs.(33.93±22.32)Hz,P<0.001](P<0.001)and EPSP[(37.05±38.37)Hz vs.(5.63±9.52)Hz,P<0.01]in primary cortical neurons from the Mg2+-free group increased significantly.Meanwhile,there were no statistically significant differences in the amplitude,area under the curve and half-width of EPSC and EPSP between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The present study demonstrates an increase in excitability of primary hamsters cortical neurons after Mg2+depletion,suggesting that these neurons can be utilized to use to create cell models of epilepsy.

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE) in neonates severely impacts neurodevelopmental outcomes.A key challenge in the diagnosis and treatment process is how to promptly detect brain function abnormalities and achieve "early intervention" to improve outcomes.The different kinds of neonatal brain function monitoring methods have their own advantages and limitations.Multimodal bedside brain function monitoring integrates various assessment methods,providing more comprehensive information and enabling complementary strengths of different modalities.This allows for multidimensional monitoring and evaluation of neonatal brain function,guiding clinical decision-making.This review summarized the current state of brain function monitoring in neonatal HIE and multimodal monitoring methods,and discussed the progress in applying the new quantitative parameter of neurovascular coupling intensity in HIE.

We report a fetus with recurrent intraparenchymal hemorrhage and cystic leukomalacia during pregnancy who was postnatally detected with a de novo mutation in the COL4A1 gene by genetic testing of umbilical cord blood. Multiple fresh hemorrhagic foci were detected in the fetal brain parenchyma and cerebellar hemisphere by ultrasound at 25 gestational weeks. Regular re-examination of the nervous system's ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated recurrent multiple intraparenchymal hemorrhages followed by cystic leukomalacia. However, karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis of amniotic fluid showed no abnormality. The newborn was born by cesarean section at 37 +3 gestational weeks with an Apgar score of 10 at 1 and 5 min. Repeated apnea occurred after birth. MRI detected new intraparenchymal hemorrhage and cystic leukomalacia on the six-day of life. The infant's limb muscle tone remained low on the 90-day follow-up. The patient was lost to follow up. Whole-exome sequencing of the cord blood identified a de novo heterozygous mutation- c.4738G>A in the COL4A1 gene (NM_001845.4; p.G1580S) neither parent carried. It suggests that the genetic test of the COL4A1 mutation should be considered for fetuses with intracranial hemorrhage in the prenatal diagnosis, especially those with recurrent fetal intraparenchymal hemorrhage followed by cystic leukomalacia. Genetic tests could help analyze the fetal prognosis, and guide the delivery mode.

Objective:To investigate the neonatal outcomes and prognosis of fetuses who were prenatally diagnosed with intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH) to provide evidence for clinical consultation and management.Methods:Clinical data of fetal IVH cases ( n=89) diagnosed by fetal neurosonogram (NSG) in Peking University First Hospital from January 2012 to April 2020 were retrospectively collected, and neonatal outcomes were analyzed, involving fetuses with different grades of IVH and coexisting abnormalities. These patients were followed up for more than three months after birth. Two child development screening systems, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (Third Edition) (ASQ-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE), were used to assess the development of the patients from several aspects including physical growth, oral communication, motor ability and social emotions. Descriptive statistical analysis was used in this study. Results:(1) A total of 89 fetuses were enrolled and 66.3% (59/89) of them underwent fetal cranial MRI examination after ultrasound diagnosis. Among these 59 cases, 32(54.2%) had the same results with fetal NSG; 20(33.9%) with the diagnosis of remote ventricular cystic hemorrhage by fetal NSG, but misdiagnosed by MRI, were all confirmed by neonatal craniocerebral ultrasound; 7(11.9%) were lost to follow-up or terminated. In addition to IVH that was consistent with the ultrasound diagnosis, MRI also found three cases of cortical malformation, three cases of subdural hemorrhage and two cases of cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage. (2) Among the 89 cases, 37 (41.6%) underwent neonatal craniocerebral ultrasound examination after birth showing small amount of remote IVH, which was consistent with previous fetal NSG diagnosis. (3) There were 38 cases complicated by lateral ventricular widening (three lost to follow-up, 18 were terminated , one died in uterus, 15 with good and one with poor outcome), 10 cases by severe IVH sequelae (one lost to follow-up and nine were terminated) and 10 by craniocerebral malformation (one lost to follow-up, eight were terminated and one with poor neonatal prognosis). Two cases with extracranial malformation (ureteropelvic junction obstruction) were healthy after birth. (4) There were 29, 30, 16 and 14 cases of gradeⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ andⅣ of fetal IVH, respectively. Among all cases, 12 were lost to follow-up; three died in uterus (all with gradeⅣ IVH); 31 were terminated and 43 were born and followed up. During the follow-up of the 43 cases, two (one grade Ⅰ case with corpus callosum dysplasia and one grade Ⅲ case with fetal cytomegalovirus infection) had poor prognosis, while the other 41 (one gradeⅢ, 17 gradeⅡ and 23 gradeⅠcases) showed no severe abnormalities.Conclusions:Fetal NSG is the first choice in screening fetal IVH and MRI can be a valuable aid. The neonatal prognosis may be associated with the grade of hemorrhage and coexisting abnormalities. Fetuses with isolated grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ IVH usually have a relatively good prognosis.

Thyroid diseases in fetuses and newborns are rare but can be severe in some cases. Early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to improve the prognosis. This review focuses on the diagnosis and treatment strategies of this disease during the fetal and neonatal periods. For fetuses with goiter, the main clinical issue is to differentiate hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism and offer appropriate management on this basis. Management of maternal, fetal, and neonatal thyroid diseases requires an experienced multidisciplinary team including adult and pediatric endocrinologists, obstetricians, and sonographers.

To improve the therapeutic effect of mild hypothermia, avoid the adverse impact of mild hypothermia on cerebral blood flow, and improve the prognosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, it is necessary to further explore the mechanism of cerebral hemodynamic disorder in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy under mild hypothermia treatment, the influence of systemic hemodynamic changes on cerebral blood flow, and the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor cerebral blood flow and adjust the dosage of vasoactive drugs for avoiding large fluctuation of cerebral blood flow during mild hypothermia treatment and rewarming.

Celiac disease is immune-mediated systemic disorder that occurs in genetically predisposed individuals after ingestion of gluten and related prolamines.Patients may suffer from intestinal symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, accompanied by multiple extraintestinal manifestations.Celiac disease is a screenable and treatable disease.If celiac disease in children are delayed, some complications may significantly affect children′s growth and development.The prognosis of the children can be improved if the diagnosis is made in time and the gluten-free diet is given strictly.Now, the relevant literature on screening and prognosis of children′s celiac disease in recent years was summarized.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnostic approach, and treatment of infantile lactose intolerance, and to evaluate the diagnostic value of fecal pH. Methods: The feces and clinical data of all infants(less than 1 year old) diagnosed with simple diarrhea but without signs of infection were collected, who were treated at 4 Grade Ⅲ-Class-A hospitals within the period of June 2012 to June 2015 in Beijing were collected.Lactose intolerance was diagnosed based on urine galactose level, lactose tolerance test, and fecal pH.The clinical characteristics, therapeutic effects and detection methods of lactose tolerance group and intolerance group were analyzed.Then the diagnostic value of fecal pH was evaluated. Results: A total of 217 infants were enrolled in the study, consisting of 113 boys and 104 girls.Their age ranged from 3 to 330 days, 174 infants (80.2%) were less than 6 months old.Among them, 156 infants were diagnosed with lactose intolerance (71.9%), their median age 90.0 days (3-330 days), while the median age of the lactose tolerant group was 51.5 days (3-300 days). The incidence of lactose intolerance in infants less than 6 months old was 70.6%, and 76.7% in those older than 6 months.Clinical characteristics showed that more infants in the lactose intolerant group were breastfed compared with the lactose tolerant group [73/156 cases(46.8%) vs.16/61 cases(26.2%), χ²=7.666, P<0.05], the occurrence of loose foamy feces was higher in the lactose intolerant group [67/156 cases(42.9%) vs.15/61 cases (24.6%), χ²=6.287, P<0.05], the median duration of diarrhea in the lactose intolerant group was 30 days (1-210 days), and that in the lactose tolerant group was 30 days (1-300 days). The incidence of diarrhea more frequent than 10 times per day in the lactose intolerant group was 9.0% (14/156 cases), while that in the lactose tolerant group was 6.6% (4/61 cases). The rate of infection in the lactose intolerant group was similar to that in the lactose tolerant group [32/165 cases((20.5%) vs.17/61 cases(27.9%)]. The median time of recovery by feeding lactose-free formula milk was 2 days (1-60 days), recovery by feeding lactase lasted a median of 4 days (2-25 days), while recovery by using pro-biotics and dioctahedral smectite lasted a median of 2 days (1-5 days). The characteristics of fecal pH showed that mean pH value of fecal and the incidence of fecal pH<5.5 had no statistical significance between the lactose intolerant and tolerant group, between infants ≤6 months and infants>6 months, between the breastfeeding group and formula-feeding group, or between those with infection and those without infection (all P>0.05). Conclusions Infants with lactose intolerance often manifest foamy feces and tend to be breastfed.Lactose-free treatment efficacy was better than that with lactase.Clinical symptoms when combined with urine galactose level and lactose tolerance test can help diagnosis.However, the decrease of fecal pH proves to be unhelpful in aiding diagnosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were reported to be responsible for intestinal permeability in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats in our previous study. However, whether and how miRNAs regulate visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D remains largely unknown. METHODS: We established the IBS-D rat model and evaluated it using the nociceptive visceral hypersensitivity test, myeloperoxidase activity assay, restraint stress-induced defecation, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. The distal colon was subjected to miRNA microarray analysis followed by isolation and culture of colonic epithelial cells (CECs). Bioinformatic analysis and further experiments, including dual luciferase assays, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and how it regulates visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats. RESULTS: The IBS-D rat model was successfully established. A total of 24 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the distal colon of IBS-D rats; 9 were upregulated and 15 were downregulated. Among them, the most significant upregulation was miR-200a, accompanied by downregulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) and serotonin transporter (SERT). MiR-200a mimic markedly inhibited the expression of CNR1/SERT. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay confirmed that CNR1/SERT are direct targets of miR-200a. Rescue experiments that overexpressed CNR1/SERT significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of miR-200a on the IBS-D rats CECs. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that miR-200a could induce visceral hyperalgesia by targeting the downregulation of CNR1 and SERT, aggravating or leading to the development and progression of IBS-D. MiR-200a may be a regulator of visceral hypersensitivity, which provides potential targets for the treatment of IBS-D.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Colon ; Computational Biology ; Defecation ; Diarrhea ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Hyperalgesia ; Hypersensitivity ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Luciferases ; Microarray Analysis ; MicroRNAs ; Models, Animal ; Permeability ; Peroxidase ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Cannabinoid ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Serotonin ; Up-Regulation

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of the newborns with gastroesophageal reflux (GER),and to compare the complications and outcomes of different degrees of reflux retrospectively. Methods Neo-nates diagnosed with GER by using upper gastrointestinal series admitted to neonatal ward of Peking University First Hospital from August 2008 to September 2017 were enrolled for the study. Data of demographic characteristics,radio-graphic imaging findings,treatment methods and efficacy of therapy of patients were collected. Infants enrolled in this study were followed up for 1 year after being discharged from hospital. The lasting time of reflux symptoms with different degrees of reflux were compared. Results A total of 47 cases of GER were enrolled,of whom 23 cases were male,and 24 cases were female. There were 42 term infants and 5 preterm infants. Their gestational age ranged from 34 to 41 weeks[(38. 9 ± 1. 6)weeks],and birth weight was from 1990 g to 4430 g[(3157. 3 ± 574. 0)g]. The median onset age was 2 days,ranged from 1 to 21 days. The clinical manifestations were recurrent vomiting (40 / 47 cases,85. 1％) and paroxysmal cyanosis (7 / 47 cases,14. 9％). Complications presented as poor weight gain (42 / 47 cases,89. 4％), aspiration pneumonia (24 / 47 cases,51. 1％)and apnea (1 / 47 cases,2. 1％). The findings of upper gastrointestinal imaging assigned the patients into 2 groups,13 cases of mild reflux group and 34 cases of severe reflux group. After po-sitional therapy together with domperidone,44 patients showed improvement of symptoms. After their discharge,the lasting time of reflux symptoms in the mild reflux group was significantly shorter than in the severe group [4 weeks(2 -8 weeks)vs. 8 weeks (2 - 40 weeks)],and the difference was significant(Z = - 2. 336,P < 0. 05). Conclusions Neonates with GER mainly manifest recurrent vomiting,and most of them have a favorable prognosis. The reflux symp-toms last for less time in the mild reflux infants than in the severe patients.