Characteristics of children with IgA nephropathy.

Background: We analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of children with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy using data in the first pages of electronic health records of 22 hospitals from 2016 to 2018.

Methods: Information collected included gender, age, infection site, etiological infection, acute kidney injury (AKI), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 2-5. We analyzed the gender and age distribution of children with IgA nephropathy, the characteristics of children complicated with AKI and CKD, and the influence of geographical distribution and economic status on the incidence of IgA nephropathy.

Berry-Phase Switch in Electrostatically Confined Topological Surface States.

Here, we visualize the trapping of topological surface states in the circular n-p junctions on the top surface of the seven-quintuple-layer three dimensional (3D) topological insulator (TI) Sb_{2}Te_{3} epitaxial films. As shown by spatially dependent and field-dependent tunneling spectra, these trapped resonances show field-induced splittings between the degenerate time-reversal-symmetric states at zero magnetic field. These behaviors are attributed unambiguously to Berry-phase switch by comparing the experimental data with both numerical and semiclassical simulations.

Selective trapping of hexagonally warped topological surface states in a triangular quantum corral.

The surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) hosts two-dimensional massless Dirac fermions (DFs), the gapless and spin-helical nature of which leads to their high transmission through surface defects or potential barriers. Here, we report the behaviors of topological surface states (TSS) in a triangular quantum corral (TQC) which, unlike a circular corral, is supposed to be totally transparent for DFs. By real-space mapping of the electronic structure of TQCs, both the trapping and detrapping behaviors of the TSS are observed.

[An assessment of nutritional status in children on maintenance hemodialysis due to stage 5 chronic kidney disease].

Objective: To investigate the nutritional status of children on maintenance hemodialysis due to stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the clinical significance of nutritional assessment indices.

Methods: A total of 21 children on maintenance hemodialysis due to stage 5 CKD were grouped according to body mass index. The nutritional status was assessed based on anthropometric parameters, biochemical parameters, inflammatory factors, residual renal function, indices of dialysis adequacy, and resting energy expenditure.

Imaging the electron-boson coupling in superconducting FeSe films using a scanning tunneling microscope.

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy has been used to reveal signatures of a bosonic mode in the local quasiparticle density of states of superconducting FeSe films. The mode appears below Tc as a "dip-hump" feature at energy Ω∼4.7kBTc beyond the superconducting gap Δ.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 induces lymphangiogenesis and facilitates lymphatic metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and to analyze their correlation with lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in 40 CRC specimens. The correlation between IGF-1/IGF-1R and LVD was investigated.

Suppression of superconductivity by twin boundaries in FeSe.

Low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy are employed to investigate twin boundaries in stoichiometric FeSe films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Twin boundaries can be unambiguously identified by imaging the 90° change in the orientation of local electronic dimers from Fe site impurities on either side. Twin boundaries run at approximately 45° to the Fe-Fe bond directions, and noticeably suppress the superconducting gap, in contrast with the recent experimental and theoretical findings in other iron pnictides.

Identification and analysis of mutations in WTX and WT1 genes in peripheral blood and tumor tissue of children with Wilms' tumor.

Background: Wilms' tumor (nephroblastoma) is the most common pediatric kidney cancer. Only one Wilms' tumor gene is known, WT1 at 11p13, which is mutated in 5% - 10% of Wilms' tumors. Recently, mutations were reported in WTX at Xq11.

Charge-transfer-induced cesium superlattices on graphene.

We investigate cesium (Cs) adsorption on graphene formed on a 6H-SiC(0001) substrate by a combined scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory study. Individual Cs atoms adsorb preferentially at the rim region of the well-defined 6×6 substrate superstructure and on multilayer graphene. By finely controlling the graphene thickness and Cs coverages (1/3  ML and 1 ML), we here demonstrate two intriguing and well-ordered Cs superlattices on bilayer and multilayer graphene (<6   layers).

Direct observation of nodes and twofold symmetry in FeSe superconductor.

We investigated the electron-pairing mechanism in an iron-based superconductor, iron selenide (FeSe), using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Tunneling conductance spectra of stoichiometric FeSe crystalline films in their superconducting state revealed evidence for a gap function with nodal lines. Electron pairing with twofold symmetry was demonstrated by direct imaging of quasiparticle excitations in the vicinity of magnetic vortex cores, Fe adatoms, and Se vacancies.

One year follow up of the outcomes of child patients with melamine-related kidney stones in Beijing and surrounding provinces in China.

Aim: To evaluate their prognosis, the damage by melamine on children's kidney and other organs, and its influence on the children's development, was investigated.

Methods: Nine hundred and sixty-two Chinese children were divided into three groups: group A, 265 children diagnosed with melamine-associated urolithiasis; group B, 197 children with a history of melamine-contaminated milk powder consumption but without urolithiasis; and group C, 500 healthy children. They were examined at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.

[Four new cases with WT1 gene mutations in Chinese patients with Wilms' tumor].

Objective: Wilms' tumor (WT) is the most common malignant renal tumor in childhood. The WT1 gene located at 11p13 was identified in 1990 as a tumor suppressor gene important in the development in WT. The WT1 gene consists of 10 exons, with exons 1 to 6 encoding an N-terminal proline- and glutamine-rich transactivational domain, and exons 7 to 10 encoding a C-terminal zinc-finger domain involved in DNA binding.

Diagnosis and treatment of melamine-associated urinary calculus complicated with acute renal failure in infants and young children.

Background: Infants in some areas of China developed urinary lithiasis after being fed with powdered milk that was tainted with melamine in 2008 and very small proportion of the infants developed acute renal failure caused by urinary tract calculus obstruction. The aim of this article was to summarize clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of infants with urinary calculus and acute renal failure developed after being fed with melamine tainted formula milk.

Methods: Data of infant patients with urinary calculus and acute renal failure due to melamine tainted formula milk admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University and the Xuzhou Children's Hospital in 2008 were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, imaging features as well as effects of 4 types of therapies.

[Melamine related urinary calculus and acute renal failure in infants].

Objective: To summarize clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of infants with urinary calculus and acute renal failure developed after being fed with melamine tainted formula milk.

Methods: Data of infant patients with urinary calculus and acute renal failure due to melamine tainted formula milk admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital affiliated to the Capital Medical University and the Xuzhou Children's Hospital in 2008 were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, image features as well as effects of 4 types of therapies.

Results: All the 34 infants with urinary calculus were complicated with acute renal failure, their blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was (24.