Association between temperature change and outpatient visits for respiratory tract infections among children in Guangzhou, China.

The current study examined the association between temperature change and clinical visits for childhood respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Guangzhou, China. Outpatient records of clinical visits for pediatric RTIs, which occurred from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013, were collected from Guangzhou Women and Children's Hospital. Records for meteorological variables during the same period were obtained from the Guangzhou Meteorological Bureau.

Changes in birth weight between 2002 and 2012 in Guangzhou, China.

Background: Recent surveillance data suggest that mean birth weight has begun to decline in several developed countries. The aim of this study is to examine the changes in birth weight among singleton live births from 2002 to 2012 in Guangzhou, one of the most rapidly developed cities in China.

Methods: We used data from the Guangzhou Perinatal Health Care and Delivery Surveillance System for 34108 and 54575 singleton live births with 28-41 weeks of gestation, who were born to local mothers, in 2002 and 2012, respectively.

A simple and highly repeatable viral plaque assay for enterovirus 71.

The classic plaque assay is a method for counting infectious viral particles, however its complexity limits its use in a variety of virological experiments. To simplify the operation and to improve the repeatability, we employed an improved plaque assay procedure based on Avicel to make the whole experiment easier and optimize the results on a model of Vero cells infection with Enterovirus 71(EV71). Clear plaques visible to the naked eyes can be formed on a 24-well plate or a 96-well plate without immunostaining.

TGF-β1, Ghrelin, Neurexin, and Neuroligin are predictive biomarkers for postoperative prognosis of laparoscopic surgery in children with Hirschsprung disease.

The study was set to analyze the predictive values of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), Ghrelin, Neurexin, and Neuroligin protein expression on postoperative prognosis of laparoscopic surgery in children with Hirschsprung disease. 281 cases of children with Hirschsprung disease, admitted into Guangdong Women and Children Hospital and Guangzhou women and children's medical center from March 2009 to March 2014, were treated with laparoscopic radical surgery for Hirschsprung disease. They were divided into the good and the poor prognosis groups according to their recuperation and complications.

Association between maternal psychological status and fetal hemodynamic circulation in late pregnancy.

Background: The prevalence reported of maternal depression from the first to the third trimester was 7.4%, 12.8%, 12.

A new birthweight reference in Guangzhou, southern China, and its comparison with the global reference.

Objective: To formulate a new birthweight reference for different gestational ages in Guangzhou, southern China, and compare it with the currently used reference in China and the global reference.

Design And Setting: All singleton live births of more than 26 weeks' gestational age recorded in the Guangzhou Perinatal Health Care and Delivery Surveillance System for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 (n=510 837) were retrospectively included in the study. In addition, the study sample was supplemented by all singleton live births (n=3538) at gestational ages 26-33 weeks from 2007 and 2008.

Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene of Enterovirus 71 in Guangzhou during the high occurrence period of 2008.

An outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Guangzhou in 2008 affected over 10,000 children and resulted in high hospital admission rates. To investigate the molecular epidemiological pattern of EV71 infections in Guangzhou, throat swab samples were collected from 102 children clinically diagnosed with HFMD from May to July of 2008 in Guangzhou. Partial VP1 (virus protein 1) fragments of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) isolates were sequenced, and used alongside EV71 sequences entered in GenBank to construct a phylogenetic tree using MEGA5.

Relationship between human cord blood adropin levels and fetal growth.

Adropin is a recently identified peptide and participates in the regulation of energy homeostasis and vascular function. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between human cord blood adropin levels and fetal growth. A total of 159 newborns [preterm delivery (PTD), n=72; term delivery, n=87] were recruited.

Common genetic variants regulating ADD3 gene expression alter biliary atresia risk.

Background & Aims: Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare and most severe cholestatic disease in neonates, but the pathogenic mechanisms are unknown. Through a previous genome wide association study (GWAS) on Han Chinese, we discovered association of the 10q24.2 region encompassing ADD3 and XPNPEP1 genes, which was replicated in Chinese and Thai populations.

Willingness of pregnant women to participate in a birth cohort study in China.

Objective: To determine the willingness of pregnant women in Guangzhou, China, to participate in a large-scale birth cohort study.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 526 pregnant women who attended their first prenatal class at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China, between September 21 and November 15, 2011. Information on demographic characteristics, willingness to participate, and preferences regarding collection procedures and incentives were analyzed.

[Surgical management of pyloric stenosis induced by gastrointestinal chemical burn in children].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of surgical management for pyloric stenosis induced by gastrointestinal chemical burn in children.

Methods: Clinical data of 11 children with pyloric stenosis induced by gastrointestinal chemical burn were analyzed retrospectively. After the failure of medicine, intervention of low balloon expansion and stent placement, they underwent pylorectomy and gastroduodenostomy.

Activatable cell penetrating peptide-conjugated nanoparticles with enhanced permeability for site-specific targeting delivery of anticancer drug.

Based on the powerful cell-penetrating ability of low molecular weight protamine (LMWP) and the overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases in the tumor sites, we constructed an activatable low molecular weight protamine (ALMWP) and modified it onto the surface of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles to develop a "smart" drug delivery system with enhanced permeability for facilitating site-specific targeting delivery of anticancer drug. The obtained ALMWP-functionalized nanoparticles (ALMWP-NP) with a particle size of 134.0 ± 4.

Evaluation of a new fluorescence quantitative PCR test for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection in children.

Background: Numerous diagnostic tests are available to detect Helicobactor pylori (H. pylori). There has been no single test available to detect H.

F3 peptide-functionalized PEG-PLA nanoparticles co-administrated with tLyp-1 peptide for anti-glioma drug delivery.

The development of a drug delivery strategy which can mediate efficient tumor targeting together with high cellular internalization and extensive vascular extravasation is essential and important for glioma treatment. To achieve this goal, F3 peptide that specifically bind to nucleolin, which is highly expressed on the surface of both glioma cells and endothelial cells of glioma angiogenic blood vessels, is utilized to decorate a nanoparticulate drug delivery system to realize glioma cell and neovasculature dual-targeting and efficient cellular internalization. Tumor homing and penetrating peptide, tLyp-1 peptide, which contains the motif of (R/K)XX(R/K) and specially binds to neuropilin is co-administrated to improve the penetration of the nanoparticles across angiogenic vasculature into glioma parenchyma.

PEG-co-PCL nanoparticles modified with MMP-2/9 activatable low molecular weight protamine for enhanced targeted glioblastoma therapy.

By taking advantage of the dramatically upregulated expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 in glioblastomas and the powerful transport ability of low molecular weight protamine (LMWP), we constructed an activatable low molecular weight protamine (ALMWP) and conjugated it to PEG-PCL nanoparticles (NP) to develop a 'smart' drug delivery system for enhanced targeted glioblastoma therapy. Important parameters such as particle size distribution, zeta potential and surface content were determined, which confirmed the conjugation of ALMWP to the surface of nanoparticle. ALMWP-NP loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) exhibited a desirable pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles for anti-glioblastoma drug delivery.

Volatile anesthetics inhibit the activity of calmodulin by interacting with its hydrophobic site.

Background: Volatile anesthetics (VAs) may affect varied and complex physiology processes by manipulating Ca(2+)-calmodulin (CaM). However, the detailed mechanism about the action of VAs on CaM has not been elucidated. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of VAs on the conformational change, hydrophobic site, and downstream signaling pathway of CaM, to explore the possible mechanism of anesthetic action of VAs.

Lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles as oral drug delivery vehicles for poorly water-soluble drugs: cellular interaction and in vivo absorption.

Background: Lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) have attracted growing interest as novel drug-delivery systems for improving the bioavailability of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. However, their cellular interaction and in vivo behavior have not been fully developed and characterized.

Methods: In this study, self-assembled LCNPs prepared from soy phosphatidylcholine and glycerol dioleate were developed as a platform for oral delivery of paclitaxel.

Penetratin-functionalized PEG-PLA nanoparticles for brain drug delivery.

Nanoparticulate drug delivery system possesses distinct advantages for brain drug delivery. However, its amount that reach the brain is still not satisfied. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), short peptides that facilitate cellular uptake of various molecular cargo, would be appropriate candidates for facilitating brain delivery of nanoparticles.

Anesthetic action of volatile anesthetics by using Paramecium as a model.

Although empirically well understood in their clinical administration, volatile anesthetics are not yet well comprehended in their mechanism studies. A major conundrum emerging from these studies is that there is no validated model to assess the presumed candidate sites of the anesthetics. We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that the single-celled Paramecium could be anesthetized and served as a model organism in the study of anesthetics.

[Long-term outcomes and nutrition evaluation in children with total colonic aganglionosis].

Objective: To examine the long-term outcomes of total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) and to evaluate their nutritional status.

Methods: Eleven pediatric patients treated for TCA between January 1999 and December 2010 were included in the study and followed up. Physical measurements including height, weight and laboratory tests were assessed.

Objective differential characteristics of cystic biliary atresia and choledochal cysts in neonates and young infants: sonographic findings.

Objectives: To prospectively evaluate the objective differential characteristics between cystic biliary atresia and choledochal cysts on sonography among neonates and young infants.

Methods: Twenty-three patients who had sonographic findings of a portal cyst and a final diagnosis were included. Their final diagnoses were cystic biliary atresia in 12 patients and choledochal cysts in 11.

Preparation and characterization of paclitaxel-loaded DSPE-PEG-liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) for improved bioavailability.

Lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) have attracted growing interest as a new drug nanocarrier system for improving bioavailability for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. In this study, self-assembled LCNPs based on soy phosphatidyl choline and glycerol dioleate, which was known possessing low toxicity and negligible hemolysis, were prepared using poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE-PEG) as the dispersing agent. Paclitaxel (PTX) was used as a model hydrophobic drug.

Identification of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase gene (NDM-1) from a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter junii in China.

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) is a novel type of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) responsible for bacterial resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. Acinetobacter junii was previously shown to possess a MBL phenotype; however, the genes responsible for this phenotype were not identified. In this study, we reported the identification of NDM-1 gene in a clinical isolate of A.

RET mutational spectrum in Hirschsprung disease: evaluation of 601 Chinese patients.

Rare (RVs) and common variants of the RET gene contribute to Hirschsprung disease (HSCR; congenital aganglionosis). While RET common variants are strongly associated with the commonest manifestation of the disease (males; short-segment aganglionosis; sporadic), rare coding sequence (CDS) variants are more frequently found in the lesser common and more severe forms of the disease (females; long/total colonic aganglionosis; familial).Here we present the screening for RVs in the RET CDS and intron/exon boundaries of 601 Chinese HSCR patients, the largest number of patients ever reported.