Objective:To analyze the main factors affecting the Ziziphus jujuba distribution and expand the understanding of its distribution and the corresponding influencing factors by comparing the distribution sites of Z. jujuba predicted by models with those recorded in the literature. Method:More than 200 distribution sites of Z. jujuba accompanied by 55 environmental factors were obtained from literature and specimen review. The environmental factors that affect the distribution of Z. jujuba were explored by maximum entropy （MaxEnt） model， and the potential distribution areas of Z. jujuba in China were analyzed by ArcGIS， followed by the verification of the main environmental factors using receiver-operating characteristic （ROC） curve and Jackknife method. Result:The area under the curve （AUC） values for the test data and training data were both greater than 0.9， which perfectly satisfied the standard， indicating that the research results were accurate and reliable. Conclusion:The annual average temperature， the average temperature in May， the average temperature in the warmest season， vegetation type， soil type， average temperature in June， average temperature in September， and average temperature in August are proved to be the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of Z. jujuba， which can be found almost all over China， except for Heilongjiang and Tibet. Z. jujuba is most suitable to be planted in southeastern Sichuan， Chongqing， southern Gansu， Ningxia， most areas of central Shaanxi， eastern and southwestern Shanxi， Henan， eastern and northern Hubei， northern and eastern Anhui， Shandong， Hebei， Beijing， Tianjin， western Liaoning， and Zhejiang. As revealed by literature review， the most suitable growing areas of Z. jujuba are southeastern Sichuan， central Shaanxi， southwestern Shanxi， western and northern Henan， Shandong， and southwestern and eastern Hebei.

AIM:To investigate the effect of 27nt-microRNA (27nt-miRNA) on the expression of smooth muscle 22α protein (SM22α) and the cell viability, migration and phenotypic changes of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).METHODS:The highly expression plasmids of 27nt-miRNA, and anti-27nt-miRNA and negative control plasmids were constructed, packaged with lentivirus and transfected into the rat primary VSMCs.Platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) was added to induce VSMCs phenotype conversion.The cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The migration ability was detected by scratch assay.The mRNA and protein expression of SM22αwas determined by RT-PCR, immunocytochemical staining and Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with normal group, the cell viability in PDGF-BB group was increased (P<0.05) , the migration ability was increased (P<0.05) and the expression of SM22αat mRNA and protein level was decreased (P<0.05).Compared with negative control lentiviral group, the cell viability in 27ntmiRNA over-expression group was decreased (P<0.05) , the migration ability was decreased (P<0.05) , and the mRNA and protein expression of SM22αwas increased (P<0.05).While in anti-27nt-miRNA group, the cell viability was increased (P<0.05) , the migration ability was increased (P<0.05) , and the mRNA and protein expression of SM22αwas decreased (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:27nt-miRNA significantly increases the expression of SM22α, while inhibits the viability and migration ability of VSMCs, and inhibits its phenotypic shift from contractile to synthetic.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effect of alanyl-glutamine-enriched nutritional support in the treatment of children with abdominal Henoch-Schönlein purpura. METHODS: Children with abdominal Henoch-Schönlein purpura who needed nutritional support were enrolled and stratified according to age, sex and the severity of disease, and were randomly divided into a control group (n=118) and an enriched nutritional support group (n=107). The control group was given nutritional support without using alanyl-glutamine, while the enriched nutritional support group was given alanyl-glutamine-enriched nutritional support. Intravenous steroids were used according to the severity of disease in both groups. Other therapies were the same in the two groups. The two groups were compared in terms of the length of hospital stay, the rate and duration of use of intravenous steroids, the recurrence rate of symptoms during hospitalization, the rate of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), the rate of weight loss and the rate of fasting for more than 5 days. All patients were followed up for 3 months after discharge to monitor the recurrence of symptoms. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay, the rate of TPN and the rate of fasting for more than 5 days between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the enriched nutritional support group, the control group showed significant increases in the rate and duration of use of intravenous steroids, the recurrence rate of symptoms and the rate of weight loss (P<0.05). After the 3-month follow-up, all the children resumed normal diet, and the recurrence rate of digestive symptoms was less than 20% in each group. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom (83.33%, 30/36), followed by vomiting and abdominal distention. No digestive hemorrhage was observed. All the symptoms were relieved after symptomatic treatment. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the recurrence rate of digestive symptoms (P=0.693). CONCLUSIONS Alanyl-glutamine-enriched nutritional support in the treatment of children with abdominal Henoch-Schönlein purpura can reduce the use of intravenous steroids and weight loss, but without impact on the length of hospital stay and post-discharge recurrence.
Child ; Dipeptides ; Humans ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVETo investigate the difference in the efficacy between clonidine transdermal patch and haloperidol tablets in the treatment of moderate to severe tic disorders in children.

METHODSA total of 134 children with moderate to severe tic disorders were randomly divided into clonidine group (n=70) and haloperidol group (n=64). The clonidine and haloperidol groups were treated with clonidine transdermal patch and haloperidol tablets respectively, and the treatment lasted for 8 weeks in both groups. The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) was used to evaluate the conditions of the children before and after treatment, and the adverse events during the treatment were recorded.

RESULTSThe haloperidol group had a significantly better treatment outcome than the clonidine group after one week of treatment (P<0.05); the treatment outcome showed no significant difference between the two groups after 3, 5, and 8 weeks of treatment (P>0.05). The clonidine group had significantly less reductions in the motor tics, vocal tics, and function impairment scores and total score of YGTSS than the haloperidol group after one week of treatment (P<0.05); there were no significant differences in YGTSS score reductions between the two groups after 3, 5, and 8 weeks of treatment (P>0.05). The clonidine group had a significantly lower overall incidence of adverse events than the haloperidol group (8% vs 37%; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSClonidine transdermal patch and haloperidol are both effective in the treatment of moderate to severe tic disorders in children. The clonidine transdermal patch, despite slow action, has comparable efficacy and fewer adverse effects compared with haloperidol.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clonidine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Haloperidol ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Severity of Illness Index ; Tic Disorders ; drug therapy ; Transdermal Patch

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of flexible bronchoscopy in children with respiratory diseases.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 80 children who were hospitalized due to respiratory diseases (including severe pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia with atelectasis/lung consolidation/local emphysema, protracted pneumonia, coughing and wheezing of unknown cause, chronic cough of unknown cause, and laryngeal stridor) and who underwent flexible bronchoscopy/alveolar lavage.

RESULTSBronchoscopy found that all the 80 children had endobronchial inflammation, among whom 28 children had severe airway obstruction by secretion. Twenty-four children had congenital airway dysplasia besides endobronchial inflammation, and three children had bronchial foreign bodies. In the children with coughing and wheezing of unknown cause and laryngeal stridor, some had congenital airway dysplasia or bronchial foreign bodies. Among the 27 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, 26 had severe airway obstruction/embolization by secretion; 25 children (93%) underwent chest imaging again at 2 weeks after alveolar lavage, and the results showed complete or partial lung recruitment. Among the 80 children who underwent bronchoscopy, 3 had severe hypoxemia during surgery, 1 had epistaxis, 1 had minor bleeding during alveolar lavage, 3 had transient bronchospasm, and 5 had postoperative fever; these children were all improved after symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSIONSFlexible bronchoscopy is safe and reliable in children with respiratory diseases. Early alveolar lavage under a flexible bronchoscope is recommended for children with severe/refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia to improve prognosis. Flexible bronchoscopy is recommended for children with recurrent coughing and wheezing and persistent laryngeal stridor, in order to directly observe the throat and airway under an endoscope.

Bronchoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cough ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung Diseases ; diagnosis ; Male ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; diagnosis ; Respiratory Sounds ; diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To explore the effects of renal artery calcification on the renal function in type 2 diabetic ne-phropathy rats .Methods Rats were randomly divided into control group ( CON group ) , diabetic nephropathy group ( DN group) and DN with vascular calcification group ( DN+VC group) .Rats of group DN and DN +VC were fed with high sugar and fat diet and injected with streptozotocin (STZ)into abdominal cavity to induce type 2 diabetes. After diabetic models were made , rats of group DN+VC were treated by vitamin D 3 plus nicotine .The rats were sacrificed at 8 , 12 and16 week respectively and the pathologic change to the renal artery were microscoped by von Kossa staining .The calcium content were detected by calcium assay kit and double immunofluorescence staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction ( RT-qPCR) were applied to detect the protein and gene expression levels of BMP2 in the renal artery.Measure the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN),serum creatinine (Scr),cystatin C (Cys C) and 24 hour urinary protein (24-h UA)respectively at the 8th,12th and 16th weeks.Histopathology of kidney was assessed by hematoxylin/eosin staining .Results The deposition of black granules , the calcium content and the protein and gene expression levels of BMP 2 in DN group were significantly higher than those in group CON and lower than DN+VC group at each time points(P<0.05).The BUN, Scr, Cys C and 24-h UA in group DN and group DN+VC were gradually increased in 8th,12th and 16th weeks, and were higher than those in group CON( P<0.05 ) .Compared with the DN group , only the level of Cys C at each time point and the level of 24-h UA in 16th week in DN+VC group were significantly higher ( P<0.05 ) .The pathological damages of the kidney in group DN showed a continual worsening trend and the pathological changes of the kidney in group DN +VC were more serious than group DN .Calcium content was positively correlated with the increased serum BUN , Scr, Cys C, 24-h UA and BMP2 mRNA ( all P<0.01 ) .Conclusions The occurrence and severity of renal artery calcification may participate in and promote the progression of DN .

AIM:To investigate the correlation between carotid artery disease and fundus arteriosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction.METHODS:Totally 120 patients with acute cerebral infarction were randomly divided into two groups.The patients were diagnosed with bilateral carotid artery and non-mydriatic fundus camera.Fouty-two patients transient ischaemic attack (TIA) underwent cerebral angiography.The data were recorded for analysis.RESULTS:The degree of fundus arteriosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction was positively correlated with blood pressure (r=0.361,P=0.015).There was a significant correlation between retinal arteriosclerosis grade and carotid atherosclerosis (r=0.392,P =0.011).The degree of fundus arteriosclerosis was correlated with cerebral arteriolar lesion,higher than it with carotid artery disease (r=0.465,0.392,P=0.037).CONCLUSION:Carotid arteriosclerosis,fundus arteriosclerosis and cerebral arteriolar lesions in patients with cerebral infarction have a significant correlation with hypertension,and fundus arterial examination has important clinical value in judging cerebral arteriosclerosis.

BACKGROUND:Cuttlebone/racemic polylactic acid composite artificial bone has been prepared in the previous studies to improve the incomplete degradation of cuttlebone. OBJECTIVE:To observe the degradation and biocompatibility of cuttlebone/racemic polylactic acid composite artificial bone in animals. METHODS:Thirty healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. Models of right radial defects were prepared in rabbits, and model rabbits were subjected to implantation of cuttlebone/racemic polylactic acid composite artificial bone into the defects and muscular sac between the radial lateralis muscle and rectus (experimental group), implantation of cuttlebone into the defects and muscular sac between the radial lateralis muscle and rectus (control group 1), implantation of racemic polylactic acid into the defects and muscular sac between the radial lateralis muscle and rectus (control group 2), or no treatment (blank control group), respectively. At 2, 4, 8 weeks after operation, X-ray and histological examinations were performed in the four groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Compared with the other three groups, the bone mineral density of the experimental group was significantly higher at 4 and 8 weeks after material implantation into the defects (P < 0.05), and moreover, the bone mineral apposition rate of the experimental group was significantly higher at different time after operation (P< 0.05). At 8 weeks after operation, the bone tissues in the experimental group grew from the both ends to the center to form multiple bone island-like structures, with less residual materials, and the marrow cavity and implanting material were in a traffic manner; in the control group 1, there were many residual materials, and no intercommunication was found between the marrow cavity and implant material. (2) At 2 weeks after material implantation into the muscle capsule, there were more inflammatory cels, but the inflammation relieved at 4 weeks and disappeared basicaly at 8 weeks, and the material was degraded partialy. These findings indicate that the cuttlebone/racemic polylactic acid composite artificial bone is a kind of good bone substitute material that has good biocompatibility and degradability.