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Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare type of hypopituitarism manifesting various degrees of pituitary hormone deficiency. Although mutations have been identified in some familial cases, the underpinning mechanisms of sporadic patients with PSIS who are in a vast majority remain elusive, necessitating a comprehensive study using systemic approaches. We postulate that other genetic mechanisms may be responsible for the sporadic PSIS. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a study in 24 patients with PSIS of Han Chinese with no family history using whole‐exome sequencing (WES) and bioinformatic analysis. We identified a group of heterozygous mutations in 92% (22 of 24) of the patients, and these genes are mostly associated with Notch, Shh, Wnt signalling pathways. Importantly, 83% (20 of 24) of the patients had more than one mutation in those pathways suggesting synergy of compound mutations underpin the pathogenesis of sporadic PSIS.

Objective. We aim to investigate the long-term benefits of growth hormone (GH) therapy in short stature adolescents and adults with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS), which would be beneficial for future clinical applications. Design and Methods. In this study, initial height, final height, total height gain, and GH treatment history were retrospectively investigated in 75 Chinese PSIS patients. We compared height gain between the GH treated cohort and untreated cohort and explored the impact of different GH therapy duration on height gain. Results. For GH treated patients, their final height (SDS) increased from -1.99±1.91 (−6.93~2.80) at bone age (BA) of 11.2 (5.0~17.0) years to -1.47±1.64 (−7.82~1.05) at BA of 16.6 (8.0~18.0) years (P=0.016). And GH treated patients had more height gain than the untreated patients (P<0.05). There was a significant difference between the different GH therapy duration groups (P=0.001): GH 0 versus GH 3, P=0.000; GH 1 versus GH 3, P=0.028; GH 2 versus GH 3, P=0.044. Conclusion. Adult Chinese PSIS patients with short stature benefited the most from at least 12 months of GH therapy. Although patient diagnosis age was lagged behind in the developing countries, GH treatment was still effective for them and resulted in a higher final height and more height gain.

As a natural polymer antibacterial agent, chitosan itself has excellent characteristics, but its application is limited due to its poor solubility. Based on this, using ammonium persulfate ((NH4)2S2O8) and sodium bisulfite (NaHSO3) as redox initiators, a cationic antibacterial monomer was grafted onto chitosan to prepare a new type of modified chitosan. The target product was successfully analyzed by infrared spectrum analysis and XPS energy spectrum analysis. Using polycarboxylic acid as a cross-linking agent and modified chitosan as an antibacterial agent, the rabbit wool fabric was finished, and the finished fabric was tested for antibacterial properties and washing resistance. The effect of graft-modified chitosan with different reaction conditions on the antibacterial finishing fabric, such as the ratio of monomer to chitosan substance, reaction temperature, and the amount of initiator added, was studied. The results showed that the finished rabbit wool fabrics had good antibacterial effects on E. coli, and their antibacterial rates reached 100%, and after 20 washings, the antibacterial rate still reached 100%, with long-lasting antibacterial properties. Considering the cost, the ratio of the amount of the chitosan to the monomer was finally selected as 4: 1 to prepare the modified chitosan.

Background： Vulvovaginal candidiasis （WC） was a common infection associated with lifelong harassment of woman＇s social and sexual life. The purpose of this study was to describe the species distribution and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Candida species （Candida spp.） isolated from patients with VVC over 8 years. Methods： Species which isolated from patients with VVC in Peking University First Hospital were identified using chromogenic culture media. Susceptibility to common antifungal agents was determined using agar diffusion method based on CLSI M44-A2 document. SPSS software （version 14.0, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA） was used for statistical analysis, involving statistical description and Chi-square test. Results： The most common strains were Candida （C.） albicans, 80.5% （n = 1775） followed by C. glabrata, 18.1% （n = 400）. Nystatin exhibited excellent activity against all species （〈4% resistant JR]）. Resistance to azole drugs varied among different species. C. albicans： clotrimazole （3.1% R） 〈 fluconazole （ 16.6% R） 〈 itraconazole （51.5% R） 〈 mieonazole （54.0% R）, C. glabrata： miconazole （25.6% R） 〈 clotrimazole （50.5% R） 〈 itraconazole （61.9% R） 〈 fluconazole （73.3% R）; Candida krusei： clotrimazole （0 R） 〈 fluconazole （57.7% R） 〈 miconazole （73.1% R） 〈 itraconazole （83.3% R）. The susceptibility of fluconazole was noticeably decreasing among all species in the study period. Conclusions： Nystatin was the optimal choice for the treatment of VVC at present. The species distribution and in ~＇itro antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. isolated from patients with VVC had changed over time.

Bats are connected with the increasing numbers of emerging and re-emerging viruses that may break the species barrier and spread into the human population. Coronaviruses are one of the most common viruses discovered in bats, which were considered as the natural source of recent human-susceptible coronaviruses, i.e. SARS-COV and MERS-CoV. Our previous study reported the discovery of a bat-derived putative cross-family recombinant coronavirus with a reovirus gene p10, named as Ro-BatCoV GCCDC1. In this report, through a two-year follow-up of a special bat population in one specific cave of south China, we illustrate that Ro-BatCoV GCCDC1 persistently circulates among bats. Notably, through the longitudinal observation, we identified the dynamic evolution of Ro-BatCoV GCCDC1 in bats represented by continuously recombination events. Our study provides the first glimpse of the virus evolution in one longitudinally observed bat population cohort and underlines the surveillance and pre-warning of potential interspecies transmittable viruses in bats.

In-situ pure TiO2 and Fe-doped TiO2 thin films were synthesized on Ti plates via the micro-arc oxidation （MAO） technique. The as-fabricated anatase TiO2 thin film-based conductometric sensors were employed to measure the gas sensitivity to ethanol. The results showed that Fe ions could be easily introduced into the MAO-TiO2 thin films by adding precursor K4（FeCN）6＇3H20 into the NaaPO4 electrolyte. The amount of doped Fe ions increased almost linearly with the concentration of Kg（FeCN）63H20 increasing, eventually affecting the ethanol sensing performances of TiO2 thin films. It was found that the enhanced sensor signals obtained had an optimal concentration of Fe dopant （1.28at%）, by which the maximal gas sensor signal to 1000 ppm ethanol was estimated to be 7.91 at 275℃. The response time was generally reduced by doped Fe ions, which could be ascribed to the increase of oxygen vacancies caused by Fe3＋ substituting for Ti4＋.

目的分析临床诊断为肾上腺无功能瘤（NFA）患者的术后病理结果，探讨其适合手术治疗的瘤体直径最佳切点。方法收集1996年2月至2016年1月在解放军总医院内分泌科评估为NFA、同时于本院泌尿外科手术治疗且资料齐全的243例患者的临床资料。根据病理结果是否真正需要手术治疗分为需要手术组（57例）和无需手术组（186例），分析两组患者一般情况、病理类型、肿瘤直径和影响判断NFA是否需要手术治疗的因素，绘制NFA直径ROC曲线，获得灵敏度与特异度之和最大的手术最佳切点。结果s7例需要手术的患者中，男27例、女30例，瘤体位于右侧31例、左侧25例、双侧1例，直径中位数为4．5cm，就诊年龄18-71（41．5±12．1）岁。186例无需手术组中，男87例、女99例，瘤体位于右侧99例、左4N86例、双侧1例，直径中位数为3．0cm，就诊年龄13～76（50．6±10．9）岁。Logistic回归分析示瘤体直径可能是肾上腺无功能瘤需要手术的危险因素（OR=1．340，95％CI1．266～1．418，P=0．000），年龄可能是保护因素（OR=0．942，95％CI 0．929～0．955，P=0．000）。ROC曲线下面积（AUC）为0．757（95％CI 0．681-0．833），以瘤体直径4．1cm作为NFA手术切点时，Youden指数最大（灵敏度60．7％，特异度83．0％）。结论NFA直径较大的年轻患者需要采取手术治疗的可能性较大。以直径4．1cm作为NFA患者的手术切点最佳。

Background： Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome （MetS） have increased cardiovascular morbidity and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction （LVDD）. The various protective effects ofastragalus membranaceus （AM） have been described in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of AM on diastolic function in postmenopausal hypertensive women with MetS. Methods： This was a prospective, randomized controlled study. The postmenopausal hypertensive patients with MetS were enrolled from Lanzhou University Second Hospital from March 2014 to April 2015. Patients were divided into three groups： control group （received conventional medical treatment）, AM Group 1 （received AM capsules at 5 g/d additionally）, and AM Group 2 （received AM capsules at 10 g/d additionally）. Echocardiographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated before and 12 months after treatment. Quantitative data were analyzed using unpaired t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results： A total of 154 patients were subjected to final analysis. In the AM Group 2, significant improvements were noted in diastolic function 12 months after treatment than those of the control group, including the early diastolic mitral annular velocity （E＇; 0.065±0.007 m/s vs. 0.061 ± 0.008 m/s, P = 0.014）, the ratio of the early diastolic mitral peak flow velocity to the late diastolic mitral peak flow velocity （E/A; 0.81± 0.05 vs. 0.80± 0.06, P = 0.012）, the ratio of E＇ to the late diastolic mitral annular velocity （EVA＇; 0.56 ± 0.12 vs. 0.51 ± 0.13, P 0.048）, and the ratio of the early diastolic mitral peak flow velocity （E） to E＇ （E/E＇; 10.70 ± 1.30 vs. 11.37 ± 1.73, P = 0.031）. After treatment, E/E＇ （ 10.70 ± 1.30 vs. 11.24± 1.56, P = 0.021 ）, deceleration time （DT; 261.49 ± 44.41 ms vs. 268.74 ±53.87 ms P = 0.046）, and EVA＇ （0.56 ± 0.12 vs. 0.52 ±0.13, P = 0.019） values improved more significantly than those of AM Group 2 before treatment. Besides, waist circumference was positively correlated with E＇ （r = 0.472, P = 0.003） and E＇/N （r = 0.321 ; P- 0.047）. In addition, the waist-to-hip ratio was a significant predictor ofDT （r = 0.276; P = 0.041）, E＇ （r= 0.590; P 〈 0.001 ）, E/E＇ （r = 0.454; P=0.004）, and EVA＇ （r= 0.377; P = 0.018）. Conclusions： Conventional medical plus AM therapy improved diastolic function. Moreover, WC and WH R might be risk ihctors tbr LVDD.

This paper concerns the square-mean almost automorphic solutions to a class of abstract semilinear functional integro-differential stochastic evolution equations in real separable Hilbert spaces. Under some suitable assumptions, the existence, uniqueness and asymptotic stability of the square-mean almost automorphic mild solution to some stochastic differential equations are established. As an application, we analyze the almost automorphic mild solution to some stochastic partial functional differential equation which turns out to be in good agreement with our abstract results.

In the new era of internet of things, big data collection and analysis based on widely distributed intelligent sensing technology is particularly important. Here, we report a flexible and durable wood-based triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered sensing in athletic big data analytics. Based on a simple and effective strategy, natural wood can be converted into a high-performance triboelectric material with excellent mechanical properties, such as 7.5-fold enhancement in strength, superior flexibility, wear resistance and processability. The electrical output performance is also enhanced by more than 70% compared with natural wood. A self-powered falling point distribution statistical system and an edge ball judgement system are further developed to provide training guidance and real-time competition assistance for both athletes and referees. This work can not only expand the application area of the self-powered system to smart sport monitoring and assisting, but also promote the development of big data analytics in intelligent sports industry. Intelligent sensing technologies gain interest for the internet of things and applications that require collection and analysis of big data. Here the authors report a flexible and durable wood-based triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered sensing in athletic big data analytics.