Objective To explore the expression level of visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor(Vaspin)and secreted frizzled-related protein5(SFRP5)in the serum of children with idiopathic short stature(ISS)and its diagnostic value.Methods 70 children with ISS diagnosed in the First Hospital of Zhangjiakou from December 2021 to February 2023 were selected as the disease group,while 72 healthy volunteer children who underwent physical examination were collected as the control group.Immunoluminescence was applied to detect the expression level of VASPIN,Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect the expression level of SFRP5 the clinical data of children in two groups were analyzed.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of serum Vaspin and SFRP5 for ISS,multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of ISS.Results Compared with the control group,the serum Vaspin level in the disease group was obviously increased(2.89±0.92 ng/ml vs 1.81±0.42 ng/ml),while the SFRP5 level was obviously reduced(10.22±2.84 pg/ml vs 13.21±3.53 pg/ml),the differences were statistically significant(t=9.040,5.552,all P＜0.05).The weight,height,body mass index(BMI)and proportion of sexual development stage II～V of children in the disease group were obviously lower than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(t=7.687,6.330,5.559,7.024,all P＜0.05).The area under ROC curve showed that the AUC of Vaspin and SFRP5 and their combined detection in the diagnosis of ISS were 0.768,0.849 and 0.925,respectively,the combined diagnosis efficacy of Vaspin and SFRP5 was better than that of serum Vaspin and SFRP5 alone(Z =3.829,P＜0.001;Z =2.141,P=0.032).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI(OR=0.508,95%CI:0.260～0.991),Vaspin(OR=3.458,95%CI:1.125～10.631)and SFRP5(OR=0.378,95%CI:0.153～0.935)were the influencing factors for ISS(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression level of Vaspin in the serum of children with ISS is obviously increased,while the expression level of SFRP5 is obviously reduced.The two are influencing factors of ISS,and the combined detection of their expression levels has certain value in the diagnosis of ISS.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is a cholestatic disease characterized by chronic progressive bile duct inflammation and has a low incidence rate and poor prognosis in China.There is still no drug therapy that can change the course of PSC,and liver transplantation is the only effective treatment for PSC,with a 5-year survival rate of 85%after transplantation.Drug therapy for PSC is facing great challenges based on the current status of PSC.At present,drugs for the treatment of PSC are in the stage of clinical trials and have shown certain application prospect,among which ursodeoxycholic acid is the most widely studied and commonly used drug.In addition,there are many emerging drugs in the pipeline.This article summarizes the latest advances in drug therapy for PSC.

The correlation between hearing loss (HL) and physical performance in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains poorly investigated. This study explored the association between HL and physical performance in patients on MHD. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and April 2021 in seven hemodialysis centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, China. The hearing assessment was performed using pure-tone average (PTA). Physical performance was assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), handgrip strength, and gait speed. Results: Finally, 838 adult patients (male, 516 [61.6%]; 61.2 ± 2.6 years) were enrolled. Among them, 423 (50.5%) had mild to profound HL (male, 48.6% and female, 53.4%). Patients with HL had poorer physical performance than patients without HL (p < 0.001). TUGT was positively correlated with PTA (r = 0.265, p < 0.001), while handgrip strength and gait speed were negatively correlated with PTA (r = –0.356, p < 0.001 and r = –0.342, p < 0.001, respectively). Physical performance in patients aged <60 years showed significant dose-response relationships with HL. After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for HL across the TUGT quartiles (lowest to highest) were 1.00 (reference), 1.15 (0.73–1.81), 1.69 (1.07–2.70), and 2.87 (1.69–4.88) (p for trend = 0.005). Conclusion: Lower prevalence of HL was associated with a faster TUGT and a stronger handgrip strength in patients on MHD.

Objective To investigate the current situation of quality control in medical linear accelerators in Hebei Province, China. Methods The main performance indices of some medical linear accelerators in Hebei Province, 2019—2021 were tested according to the current relevant effective standards GB 15213—2016 Medical Electron Accelerators-Functional Performance Characteristics and Test Methods and WS 674—2020 Specification for Testing of Quality Control in Medical Linear Accelerator. Results A total of 175 medical linear accelerators were tested from 2019 to 2021, and the annual pass rates were 72.4% in 2019, 75.9% in 2020, and 79.4% in 2021. The overall pass rate of initial inspection was 76.0%, and the pass rate of reinspection was 100.0%. The index with the lowest pass rate in the initial inspection was square X radiation field uniformity, followed by dose deviation and square X radiation field symmetry. Conclusion Medical institutions should strengthen quality control management, conduct regular testing of medical linear accelerators, and timely correct dose deviation, so as to ensure the treatment effect of patients.

Clinical data of a child with acromesomelic dysplasia Maroteaux type (AMDM) treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital at November 2018 was retrospectively analyzed.The female child aged 3 years and 3 months old with 83 cm height (-3.84 SD) had clinical manifestations of disproportionate short stature, disproportionate shortening of forearms and forelegs, and stubby fingers and toes.Gene sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations, c.1640T>A(p.Val547Asp)/c.682G>A(p.Gly228Ser), in the NPR2 gene, which have not been reported in the Human Gene Mutation Database.Their protein function was predicted harmful.The child was diagnosed as AMDM.During the follow-up until 4 years and 8 months old, the child was 90 cm tall (-4.35 SD), with a growth velocity of 4.9 cm/year.She was treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment for 9 months and regularly followed up.The child was now 98.2 cm height (-3.07 SD) and she had a growth velocity of 10.9 cm/year.This case report enriched the gene mutation spectrum of AMDM.Treatment with rhGH can effectively improve the height of the child, but the long-term effect needs further follow-up and observation.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes complicated clinical manifestations with variable multi-organ injuries, however, the underlying mechanism, in particular immune responses in different organs, remains elusive. In this study, comprehensive transcriptomic alterations of 14 tissues from rhesus macaque infected with SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. Compared to normal controls, SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in dysregulation of genes involving diverse functions in various examined tissues/organs, with drastic transcriptomic changes in cerebral cortex and right ventricle. Intriguingly, cerebral cortex exhibited a hyperinflammatory state evidenced by significant upregulation of inflammation response-related genes. Meanwhile, expressions of coagulation, angiogenesis and fibrosis factors were also up-regulated in cerebral cortex. Based on our findings, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a receptor of SARS-CoV-2, was significantly elevated in cerebral cortex post infection, accompanied by active immune response releasing inflammatory factors and signal transmission among tissues, which enhanced infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in a positive feedback way, leading to viral encephalitis. Overall, our study depicts a multi-tissue/organ transcriptomic landscapes of rhesus macaque with early infection of SARS-CoV-2, and provides important insights into the mechanistic basis for COVID-19-associated clinical complications.
Animals ; COVID-19/genetics* ; Macaca mulatta ; SARS-CoV-2/genetics* ; Transcriptome

Although DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is recognized as an important epige-netic mark in cancer, its precise role in lymph node metastasis remains elusive. In this study, we investigated how 5hmC associates with lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. Accompanying with high expression of TET1 and TET2 proteins, large numbers of genes in the metastasis-positive pri-mary tumors exhibit higher 5hmC levels than those in the metastasis-negative primary tumors. In contrast, the TET protein expression and DNA 5hmC decrease significantly within the metastatic lesions in the lymph nodes compared to those in their matched primary tumors. Through genome-wide analysis of 8 sets of primary tumors, we identified 100 high-confidence metastasis-associated 5hmC signatures, and it is found that increased levels of DNA 5hmC and gene expression of MAP7D1 associate with high risk of lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that MAP7D1, regulated by TET1, promotes tumor growth and metastasis. In conclusion, the dynamic 5hmC profiles during lymph node metastasis suggest a link between DNA 5hmC and lymph node metastasis. Meanwhile, the role of MAP7D1 in breast cancer progression suggests that the metastasis-associated 5hmC signatures are potential biomarkers to predict the risk for lymph node metastasis, which may serve as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for metastatic breast cancer.

Objective To compare the prevalence and correlation factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in urban and rural areas in Minhang district of Shanghai through the social economic and clinical data of the elderly population.Methods Jiangchuan Street and Pujiang town were randomly selected to represent the urban and rural population in Minhang district of Shanghai,respectively.Based on the over-60-year old people health examination program,6151 objectives with complete clinical-epidemiological data and bio-chemical index were investigated.The prevalence of CKD in urban and rural areas was compared,and the correlation factors for the urban and rural CKD were evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis.Results (1) The survey objectives with an average age of (69.57+7.04) years,including 4345 cases of the city residents and 1806 cases of rural residents,were enrolled.The age structures of urban and rural showed differences,population over 80 years old account for 13.1％ of the rural total,significantly higher than 7.4％ in the urban population (P ＜ 0.001).(2) The prevalence rates of diabetes,hyperuricemia,hyperlipidemia and hyperlipidemia in urban residents were higher than those in rural residents,which were 26.4％ vs 13.7％,9.9％ vs 2.3％,53.7％ vs 37.4％,51.4％ vs 15.6％ (all P＜ 0.01).The awareness rates of kidney disease and hyperlipidemia showed significant differences in urban and rural areas,which were 32.9％ vs 44.2％,84.6％ vs 62.8％ (all P ＜ 0.01).Compared with those in rural areas,the treatment rates of hypertension and high blood lipids in urban residents were increased (all P ＜ 0.01).(3) The prevalence of CKD was 23.4％.Female CKD prevalence was higher than male,respectively 26.3％ and 18.5％ (P ＜ 0.01).In urban CKD prevalence was 22.2％,lower than 25.2％ in rural.The prevalence rate of hematuria in urban areas was lower than in rural areas,but the prevalence rate of decline in renal function was higher (all P ＜ 0.05).With the increase of age,the prevalence rate of CKD was increased (P ＜ 0.01).(4) Age (OR=1.072),smoking history (OR=1.543),previous history of kidney disease (OR=1.351),diabetes (OR=1.373),hyperuricemia (OR=2.498),obesity (OR=1.364),history of interventional therapy (OR=1.896) had positive correlation with CKD in city elderly population,while the higher education (OR=0.676,OR=0.604) and drinking (OR=0.585) had negative correlation (all P ＜ 0.05).Age (OR=1.032),female (OR=1.860) had positive correlation with CKD in rural elderly population (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CKD has been a common chronic progressive disease of the aged in Minhang district.The prevalence of CKD is higher in urban areas than in rural.Age is a common factor for CKD in urban and rural.Previous smoking,history of kidney disease,diabetes,hyperuricemia,obesity,history of interventional therapy,education and drinking have correlation with urban CKD patients.Female has correlation with rural CKD population.

Objective To investigate the correlation of long term aspirin treatment and cerebral microbleeds(CMBs)incidence in non-hypertensive patients.Methods 56 non-hypertensive patients (the average age of 64.88±6.99)with long term aspirin adminis-tration (100 mg/d)were enrolled in the study from 2005 to 2010 in our hospital,with follow up to compare CMBs 5-10 years later. All patients underwent T2 WI,T1 WI,diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI).The CMBs lesions were defined by senior radiologists.Patients’age,gender,total cholesterol level,aspirin,CMBs and CMBs location were taken into account in data analysis.Results CMBs incidence was 14.3% in all participants,lesions were located mostly in lobes.Aged,male and low total cholesterol level were the risk factors of CMBs (P<0.05).Patients with CMBs were more likely to suffer from acute cere-bral infarction (P<0.05).Two of 56 patients with new CMBs lesions located in lobar and mixed location respectively only.Conclusion Long term aspirin administration does not increase the risk of CMBs in non-hypertensive patients(P>0.05),the potential adverse effect of aspirin needs further investigation.