Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Objective To investigate the effects of microRNA(miR)-145 delivered by exosomes(Exo)on platelet activation and vascular endothelial function in rats with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease(CAHD).Methods HEK239 cells were transfected with miR-negative control(NC)and miR-145,and the transfection effect was detected by Real-time PCR.Exo was isolated from HEK239 cells transfected with miRNA-NC and miR-145.The morphology and size distribution were observed by transmission electron microscopy.The expressions of CD81,heat shock protein 70(HSP70)and tumor susceptibility gene 101(TSG101)were detected by Western blotting.The experiment included control group,model group,miR-NC Exo group and miR-145 Exo group,with 8 rats in each group.After treatment,the ejection fraction(EF),fractional shortening rate(FS),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVIDD)and left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVIDS)of rats were determined by ultrasonic diagnostic instrument.HE staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of myocardial tissue and aortic tissue,and ELISA was used to determine serum platelet activating factor(PAF),β-platelet globulin(β-TG),platelet membrane glycoprotein Ⅱa/Ⅲb(GP Ⅱa/Ⅲb),nitric oxide(NO),endothelin-1(ET-1)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)in aorta tissue.Results The relative expression level of miR-145 in HEK239 cells transfected with miR-145 was significantly higher than that in untransfected and transfected miR-NC cells(P＜0.05).The isolated particles showed typical cup-shaped or disk-shaped vesicles,most of which were distributed at 100 nm in diameter.CD81,HSP70 and TSG101 proteins were highly expressed,and the relative expression level of miR-145 in Exo transfected with miR-NC was significantly lower than that in Exo transfected with miR-145(P＜0.05).Compared with the miR-NC Exo group,EF and FS of miR-145 Exo group increased significantly(P＜0.05),while LVIDD and LVIDS decreased significantly(P＜0.05),and the pathological changes of myocardial tissue and aortic tissue were better improved.The contents of PAF,β-TG,GP Ⅱ a/Ⅲb,ET-1 and VEGF in serum were further significantly decreased(P＜0.05),while the content of NO was also significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the positive expression rate of eNOS in aortic tissue was further significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion MiR-145 delivered by Exo could inhibit platelet activation and improve vascular endothelial function in coronary heart disease model rats,and plays a protective role in coronary heart disease model rats.

Objective:To observe the clinical and imaging features of patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) complicated with retinal artery occlusion (RAO).Methods:A retrospective clinical study. Fifteen patients with 15 eyes with RVO combined with RAO and macular edema diagnosed by ophthalmology examination in the Department of Ophthalmology, First People's Hospital of Xianyang City during 2 years from February 1, 2022 to January 31, 2024 were included in the study. Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) combined with branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) occurred in 3 cases and 3 eyes. Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) complicated with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) in 12 eyes. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA) and serum homocysteine were all performed. OCT angiography (OCTA) was performed in 6 eyes. All eyes were treated with intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs. After the initial 1 treatment, dosage was assessed as needed. Follow-up was performed every month for 12 months after treatment. FFA inspection was performed at 3 months. During follow-up, it was found that there were no perfusion areas of capillaries, and retinal laser photocoagulation therapy was given in time. Fundus manifestations, FFA, OCT, OCTA characteristics and causes of disease were analyzed retrospectively.Results:There were 15 eyes in 15 cases, 9 eyes in 9 males; 6 women with 6 eyes. Age was (61.0±9.7) years. All complained of painless vision loss in one eye. All eyes were positive for relative afferent pupillary disorder. Contralateral congenital optic disc defect was in 1 case; hypertension was in 6 cases; hyperhomocysteinemia was in 2 cases; cerebral infarction was in 3 cases; coronary heart disease was in 1 case. CRVO combined with CRAO was in 12 eyes BCVA light sensitivity-0.25. The BCVA of BRVO combined with BRAO were 0.1, 0.4 and 0.25, respectively. All the patients had retinal edema in the posterior pole of the eye, venous sinuous, dilated, thin arteries and stiff shape. The retina presents with flaky or flame-like bleeding. Posterior polar retinal lint patch was in 13 eyes. In 12 eyes with CRVO combined with CRAO, optic disc edema was observed and the boundary was not clear. In 3 eyes with BRVO combined with BRAO, no obvious abnormality was found in the optic disc, and the boundary was clear. FFA examination showed no or prolonged arterial filling, delayed retinal vein laminar flow, relatively slow or even no capillary filling, macular arteriole atretosis to varying degrees, arch ring structure destruction, optic disc telangiectasia and fluorescein leakage. OCT examination showed that the middle and inner layers of the retina were thickened to varying degrees, the diffuse reflex was enhanced, the interlayer structure was unclear, and the reflex of the lower retinal tissue was weakened. The blood flow density of superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus (DCP) decreased in 6 eyes undergoing OCTA examination. Decreased or interrupted blood flow in the vascular bed of DCP. During the follow-up period, there were 13 eyes with no perfusion area of retinal capillary. The time of occurrence was (1.14±0.95) (0-2) months, and the area was 10-75 disc area. Optic nerve atrophy occurred in 5 eyes. At the last follow-up, visual acuity increased, unchanged and decreased in 12, 2 and 1 eyes, respectively.Conclusions:The pathogenesis of RVO-RAO is complicated. Most RVO and RAO occurred simultaneously, and a few RVO occurred several days after RAO. Although the RAO manifestations are not typical, the radiographic features are both RVO and RAO. Compared with BVRO combined with BRAO, the prognosis of visual acuity in CRAO patients with CRVO is worse.

As a major global public health problem, pulmonary diseases threaten human life and health while causing a huge economic burden. The messenger RNA (mRNA)-based inhalation preparation, which effectively targets pulmonary cells can overcome the problems of traditional therapy, such as high side effects, low pulmonary bioavailability, and difficulty in synthesizing target proteins in vitro, thus providing new ideas for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. However, as the lung structure is complex and mRNA has trouble entering cells, researchers have been attempting to develop a suitable nano delivery system for higher delivery efficiency. This review introduces the barriers to pulmonary delivery, discusses the recent research development of the mRNA pulmonary delivery systems, including lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, polypeptides and exosomes, summarizes their limitations and looks forward to the application of mRNA inhalation preparations.

This study aimed to provide scientific evidence for predicting quality markers(Q-markers) of Elephantopus scaber by establishing UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber from different geographical origins and determining the content of 13 major components, as well as conducting in vitro anti-cancer activity investigation of the main components. The chromatographic column used was Waters CORTECS UPLC C_(18)(2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.6 μm), and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid solution(gradient elution). The column temperature was set at 30 ℃, and the flow rate was 0.2 mL·min~(-1). The injection volume was 1 μL, and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. The UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber was fitted using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine(2012 edition) to determine common peaks, evaluate similarity, identify and determine the content of major components. The CCK-8 assay was used to explore the inhibitory effect of the main components on the proliferation of lung cancer cells. The results showed that in the established UPLC fingerprint of E. scaber, 35 common peaks were identified. Thirteen major components, including neochlorogenic acid(peak 1), chlorogenic acid(peak 2), cryptochlorogenic acid(peak 3), caffeic acid(peak 4), schaftoside(peak 6), galuteolin(peak 9), isochlorogenic acid B(peak 10), isochlorogenic acid A(peak 12), isochlorogenic acid C(peak 18), deoxyelephantopin(peak 28), isodeoxyelephantopin(peak 29), isoscabertopin(peak 31), and scabertopin(peak 32) were identified and quantified, and a quantitative analysis method was established. The results of the in vitro anti-cancer activity study showed that deoxyelephantopin, isodeoxyelephantopin, isoscabertopin, and scabertopin in E. scaber exhibited inhibition rates of lung cancer cell proliferation exceeding 80% at a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), higher than the positive drug paclitaxel. These results indicate that the fingerprint of E. scaber is highly characteristic, and the quantitative analysis method is accurate and stable, providing references for the research on quality standards of E. scaber. Four sesquiterpene lactones in E. scaber show significant anti-cancer activity and can serve as Q-markers for E. scaber.
Humans ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Asteraceae/chemistry* ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy*

COVID-19 has been prevalent for three years. The virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is weaken as it mutates continuously. However, elderly patients, especially those with underlying diseases, are still at high risk of developing severe infections. With the continuous study of the molecular structure and pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 have been successively marketed, and these anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs can effectively reduce the severe rate and mortality of elderly patients. This article reviews the mechanism, clinical medication regimens, drug interactions and adverse reactions of five small molecule antiviral drugs currently approved for marketing in China, so as to provide advice for the clinical rational use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 in the elderly.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with spinal fractures with thoracic and lumbar fracture as the most common type shows characteristics of unstable fracture, high incidence of nerve injury, high mortality and high disability rate. The diagnosis may be missed because it is mostly caused by low-energy injury, when spinal rigidity and osteoporosis have a great impact on the accuracy of imaging examination. At the same time, the treatment choices are controversial, with no relevant specifications. Non-operative treatments can easily lead to bone nonunion, pseudoarthrosis and delayed nerve injury, while surgeries may be failed due to internal fixation failure. At present, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture. In this context, the Spinal Trauma Academic Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of adult ankylosing spondylitis combined with thoracolumbar fracture ( version 2023) by following the principles of evidence-based medicine and systematically review related literatures. Ten recommendations on the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, classification and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture were put forward, aiming to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To study the genetic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of children with primary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 44 children who were diagnosed with DCM in Hebei Children's Hospital from July 2018 to February 2023. According to the genetic testing results, they were divided into two groups: gene mutation-positive group (n=17) and gene mutation-negative group (n=27). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical data at initial diagnosis and follow-up data. RESULTS: Among the 44 children with DCM, there were 21 boys (48%) and 23 girls (52%). Respiratory symptoms including cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptom at initial diagnosis (34%, 15/44). The detection rate of gene mutations was 39% (17/44). There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical characteristics, proportion of children with cardiac function grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ, brain natriuretic peptide levels, left ventricular ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening at initial diagnosis (P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 23 months, and 9 children (20%) died, including 8 children from the gene mutation-positive group, among whom 3 had TTN gene mutation, 2 had LMNA gene mutation, 2 had TAZ gene mutation, and 1 had ATAD3A gene mutation. The gene mutation-positive group had a significantly higher mortality rate than the gene mutation-negative group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is no correlation between the severity of DCM at initial diagnosis and gene mutations in children. However, children with gene mutations may have a poorer prognosis.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Child ; Stroke Volume ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Phenotype ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/diagnosis* ; Mutation ; ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mitochondrial Proteins/genetics*

The chemical constituents of solid rice culture of the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp.Dq-25 from barnacle were isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, C18 reversed silica gel column chromatography and recrystallization.Their structures were identified by the physical and chemical properties, and by various spectroscopic methods.Six compounds were isolated and identified as: demethyldihydropenicillic acid (1), dihydropenicillic acid (2), penicillic acid (3), fortisterol (4), 22E, 24R-3P, 5a-dihydroxyerogosta-7, 22-diene-6-one (5), and (22E, 24R)-ergosterol-7, 22-diene-3β, 5α, 9α-triol-6-one (6).Compound 1 was a new butyrolactone.MTT method was used to analyze cytotoxicity, and the result showed that compound 3 exhibited inhibitory activity on five cell lines, including K562, HeLa, SGC-7901, A542 and BEL-7402, with IC50 values of 38.0 ~ 105.0 μmol/L.