A predictive score for retinopathy of prematurity by using clinical risk factors and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels

AIM：To detect the impact of insulin-like growth factor-1（IGF-1）and other risk factors for the early prediction of retinopathy of prematurity（ROP）and to establish a scoring system for ROP prediction by using clinical criteria and serum IGF-1 levels.METHODS：The study was conducted with 127 preterm infants.IGF-1 levels in the 1st day of life,1st,2nd,3rd and4th week of life was analyzed.The score was established after logistic regression analysis,considering the impact of each variable on the occurrences of any stage ROP.A validation cohort containing 107 preterm infants was included in the study and the predictive ability of ROP score was calculated.RESULTS：Birth weights（BW）,gestational weeks（GW）and the prevalence of breast milk consumption were lower,respiratory distress syndrome（RDS）,bronchopulmonarydysplasia（BPD）and necrotizing enterocolitis（NEC）were more frequent,the duration of mechanical ventilation and oxygen supplementation was longer in patients with ROP（P〈0.05）.Initial serum IGF-1 levels tended to be lower in newborns who developed ROP.Logistic regression analysis revealed that low BW（〈1250 g）,presence of intraventricular hemorrhage（IVH）and formula feeding increased the risk of ROP.Afterwards,the scoring system was validated on 107 infants.The negative predictive values of a score less than 4 were 84.3%,74.7%and 79.8%while positive predictive values were 76.3%,65.5%and71.6%respectively.CONCLUSION：In addition to BW〈1250 g and IVH,formula consumption was detected as a risk factor for the development of ROP.Breastfeeding is important for prevention of ROP in preterm infants.

Serum lipid levels and their risk factors in theGuangxi Mu Lao Zu population

Objectives Mu Lao Zu population.Methods A total of 1055 subjects of Mu Lao Zu were studied by a stratified randomized cluster sampling.Blood pressure,body height, body weight,waist circumference and serum lipid and apolipoprotein(Apo) levels were measured.The data were compared with those in 969 subjects of Han Chinese from the same region.In order to evaluate the association of hyperlipidemia with nine possible riks factors,multivariate logistic regression analysis was also performed in the combined population of Mu Lao Zu and Han,Mu Lao Zu,and Han;respectively. Results The levels of total cholesterol,triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and ApoB in Mu Lao Zu were significantly higher than those in Han(P【0.05-0.001); but the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,ApoA1 and ApoA1/Apo were significantly lower than those in Han (P【0.001 ).The prevalence of hyperlipidemia and Hypercholesterolemia was also significantly higher in Mu Lao Zu than in Han(53.0%vs.46.1%,P【0.001) and(44.5%vs. 37.5%,P【0.001).There was no difference in the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia between the both ethnic groups (22.8%vs.19.4%,P】0.05).Hyperlipidemia was positively correlated with age,BMI,and systolic blood pressureMu Lao Zu(P【0.05),whereas it was positively correlated with BMI and hypertension in Han(P【0.05 for each).Conclusions The serum lipid profiles,the prevalence of hyperlipidemia and the risk factors are different between the Mu Lao Zu and Han populations.The differences in serum lipid profiles between the two ethnic groups might result from different dietary habit,life style,as well as genetic factors,in ? To determine the serum lipid levels and their risk factors in the Guangxi.

Prevalence and Individual-Level Determinants of Uptake of Three or More Doses of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy in Busia County, Kenya

Background: Malaria in pregnancy causes maternal anemia, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, and preterm deliveries. In malaria-endemic regions in Kenya, percentage of pregnant women hospitalized with malaria reach up to 60%. WHO recommends at least three doses of sulphadoxine pyrimethamine for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy (IPTp) antenatally. This study sought to ascertain the prevalence and individual-level factors influencing the uptake of IPTp-SP3+. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study at Busia County Referral Hospital. 384 mothers were consecutively sampled at the maternity unit during delivery. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Odds ratio (OR) and adjusted OR were used to determine statistical significance of individual factors influencing uptake of three or more IPTp-SP. Results: 43.0% of participants took IPTp-SP3+. Individual factors that affected the uptake of IPTp-SP3+ included starting ANC visits in the first trimester (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.23 – 3.67, p = 0.046), having more than four ANC visits (aOR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.49 – 6.50, p = 0.002), having a higher monthly income (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.24 – 5.36, p = 0.012), being aware of the advantages of IPTp-SP medications (aOR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.40 – 9.74, p = 0.008), and having a positive attitude toward ANC services (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.61 – 6.31, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Less than half of the pregnant mothers are complyingIPTp-SP3+. There should be aggressive efforts by the County and National Ministries of Health promoting initiation of ANC attendance early and attendance of all the recommended eight visits together with ensuring availability of the drugs.

A Systematic Assessment of Blood Lead Level in Children and Associated Risk Factors in China

In this study, we searched multiple databases for all relevant original articles (1996-2013). To investigate blood lead levels (BLL) and possible risk factors for lead exposure among children in China A total of 388 articles met our inclusion criteria. The overall geometric mean (GM) BLL was 71 μg/L, and the prevalence of elevated BLL (EBLL, defined as BLL ≥100 μg/L) was 18.48% among children. The prevalence of EBLL remained significantly higher among boys. In children less than 6 years of age, there were significantly increasing trends in both BLL and prevalence of EBLL in an age-dependent manner. The ban on leaded gasoline significantly reduced the BLL as well as EBLL prevalence; however, children whose parents had lower educational levels or were exposed to lead in the workplace had a higher EBLL prevalence. Despite its decline over time, the average BLL among children in China remains higher than the average level most recently reported in the United States. Childhood lead poisoning remains a public health problem in China.

Effects of Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy with Alteplase on Neurological Function,Coagulation Function and Serum Inflammatory Factors in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

Objective:To investigate the effects of intravenous thrombolysis therapy with alteplase on neurological function,coagulation function and serum inflammatory factors in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods:A total of 96 patients with acute cerebral infarction admitted to our hospital from September 2017 to October 2019 were randomly divided into two groups,with 48 patients in each group.The control group(n=48)received routine treatment,and the observation group received intravenous thrombolysis therapy with alteplase on the basis of routine treatment.The neurological deficit score,prothrombin time(PT),activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),tumor necrosis factor-a level(TNF-α),and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)were compared between the two groups after 15 days of treatment.Results:After treatment,NIHSS scores in both groups were lower than those before treatment;PT levels were increased,while APTT,TNF-αand hs-CRP levels were all decreased in both groups,and the changes in the observation group were greater than those in the control group,with statistically significant difference(P<0.05).Conclusions:Intravenous thrombolysis therapy with alteplase can improve the neurological function,coagulation function and serum levels of inflammatory factors in patients with acute cerebral infarction,which is worthy of clinical application.

Disorder-enhanced nuclear spin relaxation at Landau level filling factor one

The nuclear spin relaxation rate （l/T1） is measured for GaAs two-dimensional （2D） electron systems in the quantum Hall regime with an all-electrical technique for agitating and probing the nuclear spins. A ＂tilted plateau＂ feature is observed near the Landau level filling factor v = 1 in 1/T1 versus v. Both the width and magnitude of the plateau increase with decreasing electron density. At low temperatures, lIT1 exhibits an Arrhenius temperature dependence within the tilted plateau regime. The extracted energy gaps are up to two orders of magnitude smaller than the corresponding charge transport gaps. These results point to a nontrivial mechanism for the disorder-enhanced nuclear spin relaxation, in which microscopic inhomogeneities play a key role for the low energy spin excitations related to skyrmions.

DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF SERUM INSULIN- LIKE GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN- 3 IN CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in differential diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency (GHD). METHODS: To measure serum IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in normal children and adolescents, GHD children and short-stature children without GHD. RESULTS: Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 129 children with untreated GHD and with no pubertal development was 1.6 +/- 0.9 mg/L, which was less than that in normal group of the same age, but overlapped with the normal children in Tanner stage I. After six-month treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), serum level of IGFBP-3 in 59 GHD significantly increased from 1.3 +/- 0.7 mg/L to 2.7 +/- 0.9 mg/L, accompanied by an increase of body heights, growth velocities and serum level of IGF-1. Serum level of IGFBP-3 in 55 short-stature children without GHD was 3.3 +/- 2.2 mg/L, which was not significantly different from that in normal group. CONCLUSION: Serum IGFBP-3 level can reflect the status of GH secretion in children with GHD and is a useful marker for differential diagnosis of GHD.

Is low postoperative cholesterol level really an independent risk factor of adverse outcomes after living donor liver transplantation?

To the Editor:We read with great interest the article by Yang et al.[1]evaluating the effects of postoperative serum total cholesterol(s TC)changes on early allograft dysfunction and survival after living donor liver transplantation(LDLT).By the multivariate regression analysis,they showed that patients with s TC<1.42 mmol/L on postoperative day 3 had 4.08-fold and 2.72-fold greater risks of

ENDOTOXIN-INDUCED LIVER INJURY AND CHANGES IN THE LEVELS OF PLASMA TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-α AND INTERLEUKIN-6 IN RABBITS

ELISA was employed to detect changes in plasma TNF-α and IL-6 level in rabbits having endotoxin-induced generalized Shwartzman reaction. Liver injury was assessed by the increase of serum ALT and hepatic histopathologic changes. The results showed that plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels increased remarkably 12h after intravenous injection of endotoxin twice at a 24h interval, and these changes corresponded with the degree of liver injury. Coinjection of dexamethasone and endotoxin partly prevented the elevation of TNF-α and IL-6 levels and reduced liver injury. These results indicated that TNF-α and IL-6 were involved in endotoxin-induced liver injury.

QCD factorization semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering diffractive deep inelastic scattering

The operator level proof of factorization theorem exhibited in [ar Xiv：hep-ph/1307.4194] is extended to the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering process（SIDIS）. Factorization theorem can be proved at operator level if there are not detected soft hadrons. The key point is that the initial one-nucleon state is the eigenstate of QCD.

QCD factorization Drell–Yan process

An alternative proof of factorization theorem for Drell–Yan process that works at operator level is presented in this paper. Contributions of interactions after the hard collision for such inclusive processes are proved to be canceled at operator level according to the unitarity of time evolution operator. After this cancellation, there are no longer leading pinch singular surface in Glauber region in the time evolution of electromagnetic currents. Effects of soft gluons are absorbed into Wilson lines of scalar-polarized gluons. Cancelation of soft gluons is attribute to unitarity of time evolution operator and such Wilson lines.

β-fibrinogen gene -455A/G polymorphism and plasma fibrinogen level in Chinese stroke patients

Abstract Objectives To investigate the relationship between the β-fibrinogen gene -455A/G polymorphism and plasma fibrinogen level and to determine the influence of the mutation on ischemic stroke. Methods Ninety-one patients (63.5±10.1 years) with ischemic stroke and 74 elderly control subjects (60.6±10.8 years) without any thromboembolic events and 98 healthy blood donators as young control (37.5±13.3 years) were enrolled in this trial. The β-fibrinogen gene -455A/G polymorphism was analyzed for all subjects by PCR-RFLP with the restrictive enzyme Hae Ⅲ, while plasma fibrinogen levels were obtained from the prothrombin time (PT) assay. For statistical analysis, the parameters were compared between any two different groups by the unpaired Student’s t test and the Chi-square test. Before analysis, log transformations for concentrations of fibrinogen were carried out.Results H2 allele frequency was higher in male ischemic stroke patients than in the elderly control (22.7% vs 7.1%, χ 2=5.56, P【0.02). There was no significant difference between the female groups. In those patients without any thromboembolic events (both elderly and young control groups), the frequency of H2 decreased with age (≤40, 21.3%; 41-59, 15.4%; and ≥60, 10.2%). In the male elderly and young control groups, the level of plasma fibrinogen was lower in the H1H1 genotype (287±96*!mg/dl and 234±58*!mg/dl) than in H1H2 and H2H2 (331±44*!mg/dl and 307±55*!mg/dl; t=2.53 and 9.67, P【0.05). In the female elderly groups, this tendency was not found.Conclusion Plasma fibrinogen expression is affected by the β-fibrinogen gene -455A/G polymorphism, and the H2 allele may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke in Chinese males.