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Objective: Bone metabolism can be influenced by a range of factors. We selected children with self‐limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) and lifestyles similar to those of healthy children to control for the confounding factors that may influence bone metabolism. We aimed to identify the specific effects of epilepsy and/or anti‐seizure medications (ASMs) on bone metabolism. Methods: Patients with SeLECTS were divided into an untreated group and a monotherapy group, and the third group was a healthy control group. We determined the levels of various biochemical markers of bone metabolism, including procollagen type I nitrogenous propeptide (PINP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC), collagen type I cross‐linked C‐telopeptide (CTX), calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and vitamin D3 (VD3). Results: A total of 1487 patients (from 19 centers) were diagnosed with SeLECTS; 1032 were analyzed, including 117 patients who did not receive any ASMs (untreated group), 643 patients who received only one ASM (monotherapy group), and 272 children in the healthy control group. Except for VD3, other bone metabolism of the three groups were different (p <.001). Bone metabolism was significantly lower in the untreated group than the healthy control group (p <.05). There were significant differences between the monotherapy and healthy control group in the level of many markers. However, when comparing the monotherapy and untreated groups, the results were different; oxcarbazepine, levetiracetam, and topiramate had no significant effect on bone metabolism. Phosphorus and magnesium were significantly lower in the valproic acid group than the untreated group (adjusted p <.05, Cliff's delta.282–.768). CTX was significantly higher in the lamotrigine group than in the untreated group (adjusted p =.012, Cliff's delta =.316). Significance: Epilepsy can affect many aspects of bone metabolism. After controlling epilepsy and other confounders that affect bone metabolism, we found that the effects of ASMs on bone metabolism differed. Oxcarbazepine, levetiracetam, and topiramate did not affect bone metabolism, and lamotrigine corrected some of the abnormal markers of bone metabolism in patients with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tic disorders (TDs), including Tourette syndrome, are childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by motor and/or vocal tics that commonly affect children's physical and mental health. The pathogenesis of TDs may be related to abnormal neurotransmitters in the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuitry, especially dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and serotonergic neurotransmitters. The purpose of this study was to preliminarily investigate the differences in the three types of neurotransmitters in plasma and urine between children with TD and healthy children. Methods: We collected 94 samples of plasma and 69 samples of urine from 3–12-year-old Chinese Han children with TD before treatment. The plasma and urine of the same number of healthy Chinese Han children, matched for age and sex, participating in a physical examination, were collected. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect the three types of neurotransmitters in the above samples. Results: The plasma levels of norepinephrine, glutamic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid, and the urine levels of normetanephrine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were higher in the TD children than in healthy children. The area under the curve (AUC) values of the above neurotransmitters in plasma and urine analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were all higher than 0.6, with significant differences. Among them, the combined AUC of dopamine, norepinephrine, normetanephrine, glutamic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid in the 8–12-year-old subgroup was 0.930, and the sensitivity and specificity for TD were 0.821 and 0.974, respectively (p = 0.000). Conclusions: There are differences in plasma and urine neurotransmitters between TD children and healthy children, which lays a foundation for further research on the pathogenesis of TD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: To assess the safety and effectiveness of oral methylprednisolone (oMP) in comparison with intramuscular adrenocorticotropic hormone (imACTH) and oral prednisolone (oP) therapies in children with infantile spasms (IS). Methods: In this prospective, open-label, non-blinded, uncontrolled observational study, children (aged 2–24 months) with newly diagnosed IS presenting with hypsarrhythmia or its variants on electroencephalogram (EEG) were included. It was followed by imACTH, oP, or oMP (32–48 mg/day for 2 weeks followed by tapering) treatments. Electroclinical remission/spasm control, relapse, and adverse effects were evaluated in the short-term (days 14 and 42) and intermediary-term (3, 6, and 12 months) intervals. Results: A total of 320 pediatric patients were enrolled: 108, 107, and 105 in the imACTH, oMP, and oP groups, respectively. The proportion of children achieving electroclinical remission on days 14 and 42 was similar among the three groups (day 14: 53.70 vs. 60.75 vs. 51.43%, p = 0.362; day 42: 57.55 vs. 63.46 vs. 55.34%, p = 0.470). The time to response was significantly faster in the oMP group (6.5 [3.00, 10.00] days vs. 8.00 [5.00, 11.00] days for imACTH and 8.00 [5.00, 13.00] days for oP, p = 0.025). Spasm control at 3, 6, and 12 months was also similar in the three groups (P = 0.775, 0.667, and 0.779). The relapse rate in the imACTH group (24.10%) was lower than oMP (30.77%) and oP groups (33.33%), and the time taken for relapse in the imACTH group (79.00 [56.50, 152.00] days) was longer than oMP (62.50 [38.00, 121.75] days) and oP groups (71.50 [40.00, 99.75] days), but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.539 and 0.530, respectively). The occurrence of adverse effects was similar among the three groups. Conclusions: The short and intermediary-term efficacy and recurrence rates of oMP are not inferior to those of imACTH and oP for the treatment of IS. Significantly, the time to achieve electroclinical remission with oMP was quicker than that with imACTH and oP. Considering its convenience, affordability, and the absence of irreversible side effects, oMP can serve as a form of first-line treatment for newly diagnosed IS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tic disorders (TD) are a group neuropsychiatric disorders with childhood onset characterized by tics, i.e. repetitive, sudden, and involuntary movements or vocalizations; and Tourette syndrome (TS) is the most severe form of TD. Their clinical manifestations are diverse; and are often associated with various psychopathological and/or behavioral comorbidities, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Individual severity and response to treatment are highly variable, and there are some refractory cases, which are less responsive to conventional TD treatment. TD/TS are also common in the Chinese pediatric population. To help improve the understanding of TD for pediatricians and other health professionals, and to improve its diagnosis and treatment in China, the Chinese Child Neurology Society (CCNS) has developed an Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of TD in China , which is based on our clinical experience and the availability therapeutic avenues. It is focused on clinical diagnosis and evaluation of TD and its comorbidities, psychological and educational intervention, nonpharmacological therapy, pharmacological treatment, including traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, as well as prognosis in children with TD in China. A summary of the current status of TD and up-to-date diagnosis and treatment recommendations for TD in China is presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early February, 2020, we called up an experts' committee with more than 30 Chinese experts from 11 national medical academic organizations to formulate the first edition of consensus statement on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children, which has been published in this journal. With accumulated experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in children, we have updated the consensus statement and released the second edition recently. The current version in English is a condensed version of the second edition of consensus statement on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of COVID-19 in children. In the current version, diagnosis and treatement criteria have been optimized, and early identification of severe and critical cases is highlighted. The early warning indicators for severe pediatric cases have been summarized which is utmost important for clinical practice. This version of experts consensus will be valuable for better prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in children worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei, China. People of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. No information on severe pediatric patients with COVID-19 has been reported. We aimed to describe the clinical features of severe pediatric patients with COVID-19. Methods: We included eight severe or critically ill patients with COVID-19 who were treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Wuhan Children's Hospital from January 24 to February 24. We collected information including demographic data, symptoms, imaging data, laboratory findings, treatments and clinical outcomes of the patients with severe COVID-19. Results: The onset age of the eight patients ranged from 2 months to 15 years; six were boys. The most common symptoms were polypnea (8/8), followed by fever (6/8) and cough (6/8). Chest imaging showed multiple patch-like shadows in seven patients and ground-glass opacity in six. Laboratory findings revealed normal or increased whole blood counts (7/8), increased C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and lactate dehydrogenase (6/8), and abnormal liver function (4/8). Other findings included decreased CD16 + CD56 (4/8) and Th/Ts*(1/8), increased CD3 (2/8), CD4 (4/8) and CD8 (1/8), IL-6 (2/8), IL-10 (5/8) and IFN-γ (2/8). Treatment modalities were focused on symptomatic and respiratory support. Two critically ill patients underwent invasive mechanical ventilation. Up to February 24, 2020, three patients remained under treatment in ICU, the other five recovered and were discharged home. Conclusions: In this series of severe pediatric patients in Wuhan, polypnea was the most common symptom, followed by fever and cough. Common imaging changes included multiple patch-like shadows and ground-glass opacity; and a cytokine storm was found in these patients, which appeared more serious in critically ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Soymilk has become the most popular soy food in the U.S.A., and its retail sales have soared from two million dollars in 1980 to more than one billion dollars in recent years. A variety of soymilk products are available in the supermarket. However, there are no federal standards for soymilk products. The variability in product quality between products or brands has rarely been reported. Our objective was to analyze and compare nutritional profile and physicochemical properties among commercial soymilk products. A total of 39 commercial soymilk products of nine brands were collected at local supermarkets and analyzed for the total solid content, protein content, pH, viscosity and color. Based on product label information, calories, fat, sugar, total carbohydrate and fiber contents were also statistically analyzed. The results showed that the physicochemical properties and nutrient contents varied extensively among soymilk products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study showed the wide variability in nutrient contents and physicochemical properties of commercial soymilk. Protein, fat, sugar, dietary fiber, total carbohydrate and caloric content are very important dietary constituents, and knowledge of their variance between products is important to both consumers and manufacturers. There is a need for establishing standards of identity for soymilk in the Code of Federal Regulation as the consumption of these products is increasing rapidly. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of physical and chemical attributes of soymilk products in the U.S. retail markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Five soybean cultivars were harvested and stored on farm storehouses in the North Dakota-Minnesota region for up to 1 year. Sampling interval was 2 months. Soymilk was prepared with a fixed water-to-bean ratio. Soft tofu was made following a small-scale procedure. Tofu yield, color and textural properties were measured. Tofu smoothness and overall score were assessed by a sensory panel. Results showed no significant changes in tofu yield, textural properties and sensory scores throughout 1 year of storage. Tofu brightness ( L*) and yellowness ( b*) decreased, and tofu redness ( a*) increased over the storage time, although changes were not always statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Soymilk yield and total solids content varied in small ranges over the storage time. Our results indicate that storage of soybeans at ambient temperatures in this geographical region is suitable for preserving the freshness of soybeans stored on the farm facilities over a 1-year period. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Soybeans are subject to storage and transportation before processing. Most reported soybean storage studies have been carried out in the laboratory model systems, in which specific temperature and humidity were controlled, but aeration was limited. In practice, soybeans are subject to storage, in which the changes are from morning to night and from day to day. In this study, soybeans were stored in farm storage warehouses throughout the study period. The results provide new information on how on-site storage in Fargo area affects soymilk and tofu processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resin adsorption technique witli XAD-8 and XAD-4 was used to characterize the raw water from the Erlong reservoir in Jilln province, China. The NOM chemical composition sequences of the four organic fractions in the raw water, from high to low, are fulvic acid (FA) fraction, hydrophilic nonacid (HPINA) fraction, hydrophilic acid fraction(HPIA) fraction, and humic acid (HA) fraction. The experimental results show that FA is the main precursor of THMFP among the four organic fractions. However, HA or hydrophobic acid exhibits the highest chlorination activity in forming THMs. It is also found that the value of FI/DOC or SUVA and the specific THMFP have better positive correlation. Compared with former results, a part of these findings are different from some reports. It is implied that certain source water has a unique nature of NOM and DBPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal denaturation of soy proteins is a pre-requisite for tofu-gel formation. Differential scanning calorimetry of soymilk showed that the denaturation temperature of glycinin (92 °C) is about 20 °C higher than that of β-conglycinin (71 °C). This makes it possible to denature soybean proteins selectively using two-step heating, that is, soymilk was heated at 75 °C for 5 min and then heated at 95 °C for another 5 min. The effects of selective thermal denaturation (STD) on soymilk viscosity and tofu''s physical properties were investigated with three soybean samples and varied soymilk solid contents (10–12%). Comparing to one-step heating (95 °C, 5 min), STD increased soymilk viscosity by approximately 150% and tofu''s apparent Young''s modulus by approximately 20%, and reduced tofu''s syneresis rate by approximately 10%. Change in tofu microstructure was also observed by scanning electronic microscopy. STD mechanism based on the interaction between glycinin and β-conglycinin was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Trauma experience increases the risk of suicidal ideation, but little is known about potentially psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study aims to examine the relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related traumatic event (CTE) exposure and suicidal ideation among hospital workers, and identify mediating roles of sleep disturbances in this relationship.Methods: Workers in seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, China, were invited to participate in an online survey from May 27, 2020, to July 31, 2020. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire to evaluate demographic characteristics, level of CTE exposures, nightmare frequency, insomnia severity, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and suicidal ideation. A series of correlation analyses were performed, and a mediation model was generated to examine correlations between CTE exposure, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation.Results: A total of 16,220 hospital workers were included in the final analysis, 13.3% of them reported suicidal ideation in the past month. CTE exposure was significantly associated with insomnia severity, nightmare frequency, and suicidal ideation. After controlling potential confounders, nightmares but not insomnia, depression, or anxiety were shown to be independent risk factors for suicidal ideation. Pathway analyses showed that the relationship between CTE exposure and suicidal ideation was fully mediated by nightmares (proportion mediated 66.4%) after adjusting for demographic characteristics and psychological confounders.Limitations: Cross-sectional design precluded the investigation of causal relationships.Conclusions: CTE exposure increases risk of hospital workers' suicidal ideation that is mediated by nightmares, suggesting nightmares intervention might be considered as a component when developing suicide prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently found that penicillamine, a classic copper-chelating thiol-drug for Wilson's disease, can delay tetrachlorohydroquinone (TCHQ) autooxidation via a previously unrecognized redox-activity. However, its underlying molecular mechanism remains not fully understood. In this study, we found, interestingly and unexpectedly, that superoxide dismutase (SOD) can significantly shorten the delay of TCHQ autooxidation by penicillamine, but not by ascorbate; SOD can also markedly increase the yields of the oxidized form of penicillamine. Similar effects were observed with a recently-developed specific and sensitive superoxide anion radical (O 2 •-) probe CT-02H, which was also employed to successfully measure O 2 •- generated from both TCHQ and TCHQ/penicillamine systems for the first time. More importantly, addition of extra O 2 •- (KO 2 /18-crown-6) can further prolong the delaying effects by penicillamine and slow down penicillamine consumption. Taken together, an unexpected critical role of O 2 •- in TCHQ/penicillamine interaction was proposed: O 2 •- may regenerate penicillamine, thereby continuously reducing TCSQ•- to TCHQ and finally delaying TCHQ autooxidation; In contrast, if O 2 •- were eliminated, which can not only markedly change the reaction equilibrium, accelerate the rate of interaction, and ultimately shorten the delay of TCHQ autooxidation by penicillamine, but can also accelerate penicillamine oxidation to form its corresponding disulfide solely via redox reaction without any minor nucleophilic reaction. These findings not only further support our previously-proposed redox mechanism for the protection against TCHQ-induced cytotoxicity by penicillamine, but also reveal a new mode of action for O 2 •- in the inhibition of haloquinoids-induced toxicity by thiol antioxidants. Image 1 • O 2.•- generated from TCHQ autooxidation are detected by O 2 •--probe CT-02H. • SOD can shorten the delay of TCHQ autooxidation by penicillamine. • SOD inhibits the minor nucleophilic reaction between TCHQ and penicillamine. • Extra O 2.•- can prolong the delay of TCHQ autooxidation by penicillamine. • Two O 2.•--generating pathways were observed for TCHQ/penicillamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic low anterior resection (LLAR) has become a mainstream surgical method for the treatment of colorectal cancer, which has shown many advantages in the aspects of surgical trauma and postoperative rehabilitation. However, the effect of surgery on patients' left coronary artery and its vascular reconstruction have not been deeply discussed. With the development of medical imaging technology, 3D vascular reconstruction has become an effective means to evaluate the curative effect of surgery., Aim: To investigate the clinical value of preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction in LLAR of rectal cancer with the left colic artery (LCA) preserved., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 146 patients who underwent LLAR for rectal cancer with LCA preservation from January to December 2023 in our hospital. All patients underwent LLAR of rectal cancer with the LCA preserved, and the intraoperative and postoperative data were complete. The patients were divided into a reconstruction group (72 patients) and a nonreconstruction group (74 patients) according to whether 3D vascular reconstruction was performed before surgery. The clinical features, operation conditions, complications, pathological results and postoperative recovery of the two groups were collected and compared., Results: A total of 146 patients with rectal cancer were included in the study, including 72 patients in the reconstruction group and 74 patients in the nonreconstruction group. There were 47 males and 25 females in the reconstruction group, aged (59.75 ± 6.2) years, with a body mass index (BMI) (24.1 ± 2.2) kg/m 2 , and 51 males and 23 females in the nonreconstruction group, aged (58.77 ± 6.1) years, with a BMI (23.6 ± 2.7) kg/m 2 . There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups ( P > 0.05). In the submesenteric artery reconstruction group, 35 patients were type I, 25 patients were type II, 11 patients were type III, and 1 patient was type IV. There were 37 type I patients, 24 type II patients, 12 type III patients, and 1 type IV patient in the nonreconstruction group. There was no significant difference in arterial typing between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The operation time of the reconstruction group was 162.2 ± 10.8 min, and that of the nonreconstruction group was 197.9 ± 19.1 min. Compared with that of the reconstruction group, the operation time of the two groups was shorter, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 13.840, P < 0.05). The amount of intraoperative blood loss was 30.4 ± 20.0 mL in the reconstruction group and 61.2 ± 26.4 mL in the nonreconstruction group. The amount of blood loss in the reconstruction group was less than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = -7.930, P < 0.05). The rates of anastomotic leakage (1.4% vs 1.4%, P = 0.984), anastomotic hemorrhage (2.8% vs 4.1%, P = 0.672), and postoperative hospital stay (6.8 ± 0.7 d vs 7.0 ± 0.7 d, P = 0.141) were not significantly different between the two groups., Conclusion: Preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction technology can shorten the operation time and reduce the amount of intraoperative blood loss. Preoperative 3D vascular reconstruction is recommended to provide an intraoperative reference for laparoscopic low anterior resection with LCA preservation., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is well-known that highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (HO • ) can be produced by the classic Fenton system and our recently discovered haloquinone/H 2 O 2 system, but rarely from thiol-derivatives. Here, we found, unexpectedly, that HO • can be generated from H 2 O 2 and thiourea dioxide (TUO 2 ), a widely used and environmentally friendly bleaching agent. A carbon-centered radical and sulfite were detected and identified as the transient intermediates, and urea and sulfate as the final products, with the complementary application of electron spin-trapping, oxygen-18 isotope labeling coupled with HPLC/MS analysis. Density functional theory calculations were conducted to further elucidate the detailed pathways for HO • production. Taken together, we proposed that the molecular mechanism for HO • generation by TUO 2 /H 2 O 2 : TUO 2 tautomerizes from sulfinic acid into ketone isomer (TUO 2 -K) through proton transfer, then a nucleophilic addition of H 2 O 2 on the S atom of TUO 2 -K, forming a S-hydroperoxide intermediate TUO 2 -OOH, which dissociates homolytically to produce HO • . Our findings represent the first experimental and computational study on an unprecedented new molecular mechanism of HO • production from simple thiol-derived sulfinic acids, which may have broad chemical, environmental, and biomedical significance for future research on the application of the well-known bleaching agent and its analogs., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Background: Acute necrotizing encephalopathy of childhood (ANE) is a rare but rapidly progressing encephalopathy. Importantly, the exact pathogenesis and evidence-based treatment is scarce. Thus, we aimed to identify the clinical, imaging, and therapeutic characteristics that associated with prognosis of pediatric ANE patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on pediatric patients with ANE who were admitted to Wuhan Children's Hospital between January 2014 and September 2019. All cases met the diagnostic criteria for ANE proposed by Mizuguchi in 1997. The clinical information and follow-up data were collected. The prognostic factors were analyzed by trend chi-square test and Goodman-Kruskal gamma test. Results: A total of 41 ANE patients ranging in age from 8.9 to 142 months were included in this study. Seven cases (17%) died, and the other 34 survivors had different degrees of neurological sequelae. Factors tested to be significantly correlated with the severity of neurological sequelae were the intervals from prodromal infection to acute encephalopathy (G = -0.553), conscious disturbance ( r = 0.58), endotracheal intubation ( r = 0.423), elevation of alanine aminotransferase ( r = 0.345), aspartate aminotransferase ( r = 0.393), and cerebrospinal fluid protein ( r = 0.490). In addition, dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation on follow-up revealed that the total numbers of brain lesion location (χ 2 = 6.29, P < 0.05), hemorrhage ( r = 0.580), cavitation ( r = 0.410), and atrophy ( r = 0.602) status were significantly correlated with the severity of neurological sequelae, while early steroid therapy ( r = -0.127 and 0.212, respectively) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) ( r = 0.111 and -0.023, respectively) within 24 h or within 72 h after onset showed no association. Conclusions: Intervals from prodromal infection to acute encephalopathy (≤1 day), total numbers of brain lesion location (≥3), the recovery duration of hemorrhage and atrophy (>3 months), and the presence of cavitation predict severe neurological sequelae in pediatric patients with ANE. Early treatments, including steroid therapy and IVIG, had no correlation with better outcomes. Further studies are needed to establish a consensus guideline for the management of ANE., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhu, Zhang, Yao, Luo, Ma, Lei, Yuan, Wu, Hu, Cai and Liu.)

Objective: To investigate the involvement of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci in aromatic antiepileptic drug-induced cutaneous adverse reactions., Methods: A case-control study was performed to detect HLA loci involved in aromatic antiepileptic drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome in a southern Han Chinese population. Between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015, 91 cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome induced by aromatic antiepileptic drugs and 322 matched drug-tolerant controls were enrolled from 8 centers. Important genotypes were replicated in cases with maculopapular eruption and in the meta-analyses of data from other populations. Sequence-based typing determined the HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-DRB1 genotypes., Results: HLA-B*15:02 was confirmed as strongly associated with carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome ( p = 5.63 × 10 -15 ). In addition, HLA-A*24:02 was associated significantly with Stevens-Johnson syndrome induced by the aromatic antiepileptic drugs as a group ( p = 1.02 × 10 -5 ) and by individual drugs (carbamazepine p = 0.015, lamotrigine p = 0.005, phenytoin p = 0.027). Logistic regression analysis revealed a multiplicative interaction between HLA-B*15:02 and HLA-A*24:02. Positivity for HLA-A*24:02 and/or HLA-B*15:02 showed a sensitivity of 72.5% and a specificity of 69.0%. The presence of HLA-A*24:02 in cases with maculopapular exanthema was also significantly higher than in controls ( p = 0.023). Meta-analysis of data from Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, and China revealed a similar association., Conclusions: HLA-A*24:02 is a common genetic risk factor for cutaneous adverse reactions induced by aromatic antiepileptic drugs in the southern Han Chinese and possibly other ethnic populations. Pretreatment screening is recommended for people in southern China., (Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.)

An atmosphere-pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Ar/NH3 mixtures between cylinder electrodes is studied by Optical Emission Spectroscopy and the main particles of atmosphere-pressure Ar/NH3 DBD plasma are NH, N, N+, N2, Ar, H(α) and OH. NH is decomposition products of NH3, and NH(c 1π) and NH(A 3π) are two kinds of excited-state neutral particles and produced by penning ionization of Ar* and NH3. The nitrogen active atom is detected at 674.5 nm which may provide the experimental foundation for the synthesis of ε-Fe3N ferroparticles by the atmosphere-pressure Ar/NH3 DBD plasma. The intensities of main particles are analyzed at different NH3 flow rate and applied voltage peak-peak value. The results show that the spectral line intensities of various particles increase with the rise of the applied voltage peak-peak value at the same NH3 flow rate, and first increase and then decrease with the increase of the NH3 flow rate at the same applied voltage peak-peak value. The applied voltage peak-peak value being kept constant, the spectral line intensity of nitrogen active atom first increases and then decreases with the increase of the NH3 flow rate. When NH3 flow rate is 20 mL x min(-1), the spectral line intensity of nitrogen active atom reaches a maximum at the same applied voltage peak-peak value. The spectral line intensity of nitrogen active atom decreases gradually with increasing the applied voltage peak-peak value at the same NH3 flow rate and it is mainly because of the translation of discharge mode from multi-pulse APGD to filamentary discharge in the atmosphere-pressure Ar/NH3 DBD. The microdischarge channels overlap and the microdischarges affect each other in multi-pulse APGD; hence the increasing rate of the spectral line intensity is quicker in multi-pulse APGD than in filamentary discharge with increasing the applied voltage peak-peak value. When the applied voltage peak-peak value is up from 4 600 to 6 400 V, the single-pulse and two-pulse APGD mode which are two kinds of homogeneous DBD mode are found in the atmosphere-pressure Ar/NH3 DBD and the increasing rate of the spectral line intensity is quicker in multi-pulse APGD than in filamentary discharge which is beneficial to synthesize ε-Fe3N ferroparticles.

Objective: This study was to establish the population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of pharmacologically active metabolite of oxcarbazepine (OXC) and to estimate PPK parameters for the optimal individuation administration of OXC in Chinese children with epilepsy., Methods: The pharmacologically active metabolite, 10-monohydroxy derivative of OXC (MHD)was used as the analytical target for monitoring therapy of OXC. A total of 840 MHD serum samples from 466 children with epilepsy were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Patients' clinical data were retrospectively collected. Population pharmacokinetics analysis was performed using a non-linear mixed-effect model with Phoenix NLME 1.2. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated according to a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination. Effects of age,gender, total body weight (TBW), daily doseper weight (DDPW) and use of concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were analyzed.Bootstrap and predictive check were used simultaneously to validate the final population pharmacokinetics models., Results: The final PPK model of MHD was: Ka = 0.645 h⁻¹, V(L) = (11.3 + (age - 90.5) x 0.0282 + (TBW - 25.0) x 0.402) x e(0.0689), CL (L/h) = (0.557 + (DDPW - 20.8) x 0.00367 + (gender) x (-0.0636)) x e(0.120). The final PPK model was demonstrated to be suitable and effective by the bootstrap and predictive check., Conclusions: A PPK model of MHD in Chinese children with epilepsy was successfully established. PPK parameters of MHD could be predicted accurately by this model. This model may be very useful for establishing individual dosage guidelines of OXC in Chinese children with epilepsy.

Large oil-protein particles (2 to 60 microm) were found in raw soymilk (or water extract of soybean), which was prepared in specific conditions. The large particles could be separated by sedimentation by centrifuging raw soymilk for 5 to 30 min at a low gravitational force ranging from 96 to 2410 x g. Chemical analysis showed that 80% to 90% of the total lipids and 30% to 40% of the total proteins were located in the precipitated fraction. The supernatant fraction had a dramatically higher protein-to-lipid ratio than the whole soymilk. The ratio of 11S/7S proteins and the ratio of 11S acidic/basic subunits were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the precipitate than that either in the whole soymilk or in the supernatant. Besides centrifuging conditions, other factors, including soymilk concentration, grinding method, soybean variety, and soybean storage, also significantly (P < 0.05) affected the centrifugal fractionation. This study showed that low-speed centrifugation facilitated the separation of oil-protein particles from raw soymilk, and can be used as an innovative method for preparing low-fat soymilk and 11S protein-enriched ingredients. The findings also increased our understanding of the association or aggregation between proteins and lipids in raw soymilk after grinding.

Objective: A multicenter open-label clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the clinical usefulness of topiramate (TPM) as primary or adjunctive therapy for infantile spasms in the postmarketing period in China., Methods: Thirty-four centers participated in the trial. Patients included in the study had 1 or more seizures per day before treatment. One hundred twenty (22.1%) very young patients with an age younger than 6 month and 64.2% of patients were younger than 1 year at start of treatment. All patients received a starting dose of 0.5 to 1 mg kg d TPM twice daily. The dosage was increased by 0.5 to 1 mg kg d every 5 to 7 days up to 3 to 5 mg kg d. The resulting range of the total TPM dosage was 25 to 200 mg d (3.57-20 mg kg d), with a median value of 73.9 mg d. Seizure outcomes were measured by intention-to-treat analysis. Patients were seen by a neurologist, and their data were evaluated at the day of inclusion and after 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks (from visit 1 to visit 5) of treatment., Results: Five hundred forty-four patients entered the study. After 20 weeks of TPM treatment, 239 patients (43.9%) were seizure-free. A higher proportion of patients in the monotherapy group than in the add-on therapy group showed a seizure rate reduction. An increase in seizure frequency was observed in 8 patients (1.5%) during the 20-week treatment period. Nineteen patients were withdrawn before completing the study, and in 46 cases, some data of the structured data files and questionnaires were missing. No efficacy of TPM treatment was recorded in these cases. Adverse effects occurred in 211 patients (38.8%). Most frequent side effects were anorexia and somnolence., Conclusions: Topiramate proved to be an effective and safe monotherapy and add-on therapy in patients with infantile spasms younger than 1 year.

The amount of coagulant added to soy milk is a critical factor for tofu-making; particularly it affects the textural properties of tofu. Earlier research indicated that the critical point of coagulant concentration (CPCC) is a characteristic parameter of soy milk and could be used as an effective indicator of optimal coagulant concentration (OCC) for making filled tofu. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible correlations between CPCC and the characteristics of soy milk made from various soybean samples and the effect of soy milk cooking and dilution conditions on CPCC. CPCC was determined by a titration method. Calcium chloride and magnesium chloride were used as coagulants. Soy milk characteristics including solid, protein, phytate, pH, titratable acidity, mineral content, and 11S/7S protein and these characteristics as affected by heating rate, heating time, and sequence of dilution and heating were studied. The results showed that the CPCC was significantly (p < 0.05) positively correlated with phytate content (grams per gram of protein), pH, and 7S protein content but negatively correlated with protein content, 11S protein content, 11S/7S ratio, titratable acidity, and original calcium content. Within the same soybean material, more proteins required more coagulant, but higher protein concentration during cooking resulted in less coagulant required by each gram of protein during coagulation. The CPCC decreased with increasing soy milk heating time or decreasing heating rate. The sequence of heating and diluting for preparing soy milk also had an effect on CPCC.

A rapid titration method was developed for predicting the optimal coagulant concentration for making filled tofu. Cooked soymilk (350 mL, 20 degrees C) in a 400 mL beaker was stirred by a magnetic stirrer to form a swirl. The quick-acting coagulant solution (20.0 Brix) was added into the soymilk at 1.0 mL/min. The swirl depth decreased when the soymilk viscosity increased as a result of increasing the concentration of coagulant in the soymilk. At a suitable stirrer speed, the swirl finally disappeared but the soymilk still maintained rotation, and then the swirl reappeared after around 1 min. The critical point of coagulant concentration (CPCC) was calculated on the basis of the volume of coagulant consumed to get the swirl to disappear. The influences of several factors on the CPCC were investigated, including coagulant addition rate, soymilk temperature, soymilk concentration, soymilk volume, stir bar length, and container size. For validation, 33 soybean samples were used to determine their CPCCs and make filled tofus. The results indicated that CPCC was a characteristic parameter of soymilk and could be used as an effective indicator for predicting optimal coagulant concentration.