Experiences and prospects for national survey of terrestrial wildlife resources in China.

Wildlife resources are strategic resources of a country, and the investigation of which is a key task for effective management in protection and utilization. Since the 1990s, two national surveys of terrestrial wildlife resources have been carried out in China, and the situation of wildlife resources has been known to a certain extent. Due to the complexity and difficulty of national wildlife survey, we are still not able to grasp the background and dynamics of wildlife resources as a whole promptly and effectively. The results and effectiveness of wildlife resources investigation will directly affect the decision-making related in wildlife protection. According to Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife and Regulations of the People's Republic of China for the Implementation of the Protection of Terrestrial Wildlife, it is imperative to carry out the third national survey of terrestrial wildlife resources, and to be integrated with the national strategy of ecological civilization construction. The aims of this review were to summarize the earlier experiences in time, to further improve the investigation scheme and technical methods, to serve the third national survey of terrestrial wildlife resources, in addition to obtain more comprehensive and reliable data of wildlife resources, grasp the development trend of domestic wildlife resources, and provide more effective supports for the wildlife conservation in China.

[Research progress on curcumin improving chronic low-grade inflammation and related diseases].

Chronic low-grade inflammation(CLGI), a relatively new concept without a clear definition, refers to a nonspecific, chronic, continuous, and low-grade inflammation state, and it is closely associated with various chronic diseases, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and tumors. Improvement of CLGI can slow down disease progression. Anti-inflammatory treatment is an important strategy for prevention and treatment of CLGI. However, there is currently no definitive drug treatment method. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound extracted from the rhizome of zingiberaceae, with significant anti-inflammatory activity. Research has shown that curcumin can play an anti-inflammatory role by regulating NF-κB, JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, NLRP3 inflammasome, Nrf2/ARE, and other inflammation-related pathways. This paper summarized the anti-inflammatory mechanisms, pharmacological effect, and clinical application of curcumin in improving CLGI and other diseases, so as to provide a reference for in-depth research and clinical application of curcumin in improving CLGI.

Prediction model of stress ulcer after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer established by machine learning algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are prone to stress ulcer after laparoscopic surgery. The analysis of risk factors for stress ulcer (SU) in patients with CRC is important to reduce mortality and improve patient prognosis. AIM: To identify risk factors for SU after laparoscopic surgery for CRC, and develop a nomogram model to predict the risk of SU in these patients.METHODSThe clinical data of 135 patients with CRC who underwent laparoscopic surgery between November 2021 and June 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. They were divided into two categories depending on the presence of SUs: The SU group (n = 23) and the non-SU group (n = 112). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen for factors associated with postoperative SU in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, and a risk factor-based nomogram model was built based on these risk factors. By plotting the model's receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve, a Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was performed. RESULTS: Among the 135 patients with CRC, 23 patients had postoperative SU, with an incidence of 17.04%. The SU group had higher levels of heat shock protein (HSP) 70, HSP90, and gastrin (GAS) than the non-SU group. Age, lymph node metastasis, HSP70, HSP90, and GAS levels were statistically different between the two groups, but other indicators were not statistically different. Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥ 65 years, lymph node metastasis, and increased levels of HSP70, HSP90 and GAS were all risk factors for postoperative SU in patients with CRC (P < 0.05). According to these five risk factors, the area under the ROC curve for the nomogram model was 0.988 (95%CI: 0.971-1.0); the calibration curve demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and actual probabilities, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test revealed that the difference was not statistically significant (χ2 = 0.753, P = 0.999), suggesting that the nomogram model had good discrimination, calibration, and stability. CONCLUSION: Patients with CRC aged ≥ 65 years, with lymph node metastasis and elevated HSP70, HSP90, GAS levels, are prone to post-laparoscopic surgery SU. Our nomogram model shows good predictive value.

[Analysis of WRKY transcription factor family based on full-length transcriptome sequencing in Polygonatum cyrtonema].

WRKY transcription factor family plays an important role in plant growth and development, secondary metabolite synthesis, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. The present study performed full-length transcriptome sequencing of Polygonatum cyrtonema by virtue of the PacBio SMRT high-throughput platform, identified the WRKY family by bioinformatics methods, and analyzed the physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, phylogeny, and conserved motifs. The results showed that 30.69 Gb nucleotide bases and 89 564 transcripts were obtained after redundancy removal. These transcripts had a mean length of 2 060 bp and an N50 value of 3 156 bp. Based on the full-length transcriptome sequencing data, 64 candidate proteins were selected from the WRKY transcription factor family, with the protein size of 92-1 027 aa, the relative molecular mass of 10 377.85-115 779.48 kDa, and the isoelectric point of 4.49-9.84. These WRKY family members were mostly located in the nucleus and belonged to the hydrophobic proteins. According to the phylogenetic analysis of WRKY family in P. cyrtonema and Arabidopsis thaliana, all WRKY family members were clustered into seven subfamilies and WRKY proteins from P. cyrtonema were distributed in different numbers in these seven subgroups. Expression pattern analysis confirmed that 40 WRKY family members had distinct expression patterns in the rhizomes of 1-and 3-year-old P. cyrtonema. Except for PcWRKY39, the expression of 39 WRKY family members was down-regulated in 3-year-old samples. In conclusion, this study provides abundant reference data for genetic research on P. cyrtonema and lays a foundation for the in-depth investigation of the biological functions of the WRKY family.

Status of Serum Uric Acid and Hyperuricemia among Adults in China: China Nutrition and Health Surveillance (2015).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the serum uric acid levels and the prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults in 2015 and compare the differences between urban and rural areas, as well as the differences between eastern, central, and western regions. Methods: A national representative sample of 180,208 participants were included using a stratified, multistage, and random sampling method. The demographic characteristics and blood samples were collected to determine the serum uric acid levels and prevalence of hyperuricemia among subgroups using complicated sampling weight. A t-test or ANOVA was used for normally-distributed data. The Kruskal-Wallis rank test was used for skewed-distributed data. The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test was used to compare the difference in categorical variables. Results: The weighted mean uric acid level in Chinese adults was 310.4 µmol/L (317.5 µmol/L in urban areas and 302.9 µmol/L in rural areas). The weighted average values of uric acid in eastern, central, and western China were 315.5 µmol/L, 303.5 µmol/L, and 310.4 µmol/L, respectively. The weighted prevalence of hyperuricemia in Chinese adults was 14.6%, with a prevalence of 16.5% in urban areas and 12.5% in rural areas. The weighted prevalence of hyperuricemia in eastern, central, and western China was 16.0%, 12.5%, and 14.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The uric acid level in Chinese adults is relatively high. Effective actions are warranted to improve this metabolic abnormality.

Entropy-Assisted High-Entropy Oxide with a Spinel Structure toward High-Temperature Infrared Radiation Materials.

Developing advanced materials with a high-entropy concept is one of the hot trends in materials science. The configurational entropy of high-entropy materials can be tuned by introducing different atomic species, which can also impart a result in excellent physical and chemical properties. In this work, we synthesized a solid-solution oxide (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cr)3O4 by a simple and scalable solid-phase synthesis method. We extensively investigated the microstructure and chemical composition, indicating that (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cr)3O4 has a single-phase spinel structure. Simultaneously, we reasonably evaluated the position occupied by the elements of (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cr)3O4 in a spinel structure as (Cu0.75Fe0.25)(Fe0.25Cr0.375Mn0.375)2O4. Here, we first evaluated the infrared radiation performance of (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cr)3O4. The new, high-entropy oxide (HEO) (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cr)3O4 powder exhibits high infrared emissivity values of 0.879 and 0.848 in the wavelengths of 0.78-2.5 and 2.5-16 µm, respectively, and has excellent thermal stability. More importantly, the infrared emissivity values of as-prepared HEO coating reach 0.955 (0.78-2.5 µm) at room temperature and 0.936 (3-16 µm) at 800 °C. This work provides a viable strategy toward the laboratory mass production of this HEO for infrared radiation materials, which shows great potential in the energy-related applications.

Highly Enhanced Thermal Robustness and Photothermal Conversion Efficiency of Solar-Selective Absorbers Enabled by High-Entropy Alloy Nitride MoTaTiCrN Nanofilms.

Recent advances in high-entropy alloys have spurred many breakthroughs in the fields of high-temperature materials and optical materials and they provide incredible application potentialities for photothermal conversion systems. Solar-selective absorbers (SSAs), as key components, play a vital role in photothermal conversion efficiency and service life. The most pressing problem with SSAs is their inconsistent optical performance, an instability constraint induced by thermal stress. A feasible method of improving performance stability is the introduction of high-entropy materials, such as high-entropy alloy nitrides. In this study, enabled by an intrinsic MoTaTiCrN absorption layer, the solar configuration achieves greatly enhanced, exceptional thermotolerance and optical properties, leading to the formation of a scalable, highly efficient, and cost-effective structure. Computational and experimental approaches are employed to achieve optimum preparation parameters for thicknesses and constituents. The crystal structure of high-entropy ceramic MoTaTiCrN is fully investigated, including thickness-dependent crystal nucleation. High-temperature and long-term thermal stability tests demonstrate that our proposed SSA is mechanically robust and chemically stable. Moreover, a low thermal emittance (15.86%) at 500 °C promotes the photothermal conversion efficiency. In addition, due to the exceptional spectral selectivity (α/ε = 92.3/6.5%), thermal robustness (550 °C for 168 h), and photothermal conversion efficiency (86.9% at 550 °C under 100 sun), it is possible for our proposed SSA to enhance the practical realization of large-area photothermal conversion applications, especially for concentrated solar power systems.

Accession-specific flowering time variation in response to nitrate fluctuation in Arabidopsis thalian a.

Flowering time, a key transition point from vegetative to reproductive growth, is regulated by an intrinsic complex of endogenous and exogenous signals including nutrient status. For hundreds of years, nitrogen has been well known to modulate flowering time, but the molecular genetic basis on how plants adapt to ever-changing nitrogen availability remains not fully explored. Here we explore how Arabidopsis natural variation in flowering time responds to nitrate fluctuation. Upon nitrate availability change, we detect accession- and photoperiod-specific flowering responses, which also feature a accession-specific dependency on growth traits. The flowering time variation correlates well with the expression of floral integrators, SOC1 and FT, in an accession-specific manner. We find that gene expression variation of key hub genes in the photoperiod-circadian-clock (GI), aging (SPLs) and autonomous (FLC) pathways associates with the expression change of these integrators, hence flowering time variation. Our results thus shed light on the molecular genetic mechanisms on regulation of accession- and photoperiod-specific flowering time variation in response to nitrate availability.

Genome-wide identification of WD40 genes reveals a functional diversification of COP1-like genes in Rosaceae.

KEY MESSAGE: Genome-wide identification of WD40-like genes reveals a duplication of COP1-like genes, one of the key players involved in regulation of flowering time and photomorphogenesis, with strong functional diversification in Rosaceae. WD40 proteins play crucial roles in a broad spectrum of developmental and physiological processes. Here, we conducted a systematic characterization of this family of genes in Rosa chinensis 'Old Blush' (OB), a founder genotype for modern rose domestication. We identified 187 rose WD40 genes and classified them into 5 clusters and 15 subfamilies with 11 of RcWD40s presumably generated via tandem duplication. We found RcWD40 genes were expressed differentially following stages of vegetative and reproductive development. We detected a duplication of CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1-like genes in rose (RcCOP1 and RcCOP1L) and other Rosaceae plants. Featuring a distinct expression pattern and a different profile of cis-regulatory-elements in the transcriptional regulatory regions, RcCOP1 seemed being evolutionarily conserved while RcCOP1L did not dimerize with RcHY5 and RcSPA4. Our data thus reveals a functional diversification of COP1-like genes in Rosacaeae plants, and provides a valuable resource to explore the potential function and evolution of WD40-like genes in Rosaceae plants.

Exposure to Famine During Early Life and Abdominal Obesity in Adulthood: Findings from the Great Chinese Famine During 1959⁻1961.

Undernutrition during early life may lead to obesity in adulthood. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between famine exposure during early life and the risk of abdominal obesity in adulthood. A total of 18,984 and 16,594 adults were surveyed in 2002 and 2010-2012 in two nationally representative cross-sectional surveys, namely China Nutrition and Health Survey, respectively. The risk of abdominal obesity was evaluated for participants born during 1956-1961 and compared with that of participants born during 1962-1964. The overall prevalence of abdominal obesity in adulthood showed a positive association with famine exposure during early life. The odds ratios of famine exposure were 1.31 (1.19-1.44) and 1.28 (1.17-1.40) in 2002 during fetal life and infancy and 1.09 (1.00-1.19) in 2012 during fetal life, respectively. The relationships between famine exposure and abdominal obesity across the famine exposure groups were distinct among females and those who lived in urban areas and were physical inactive (p < 0.05). Exposure to famine during early life was associated with increased risks of abdominal obesity in adulthood, which was partially alleviated by healthy lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity).

Dietary Patterns and Association with Obesity of Children Aged 6⁻17 Years in Medium and Small Cities in China: Findings from the CNHS 2010⁻2012.

Childhood obesity is associated with both near- and longer-term health implications. Few studies have been conducted to explore the associations between dietary patterns and obesity among Chinese children and adolescents. The present study was designed to identify dietary patterns and their relationships with childhood obesity in medium and small cities. This is a cross-sectional study of children participants aged 6⁻17 years old in the 2010⁻2012 China Nutrition and Health Survey (CNHS). Socio-demographics, life-style, physical activity, anthropometric variables, and hundred-item food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were collected. Household income was classified as low, middle, and high. Traffic tools, from non-advanced to advanced, included walking, biking, bus, and car. Dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis of data from FFQs. Two dietary patterns were identified: a Westernized pattern (i.e., high cakes, snacks, sugary beverages, aquatic products, red meat, fruits, and nuts) and a Traditional Chinese pattern (i.e., high cereals, tubers, legumes, fried cereal food, and vegetables). The Westernized pattern was positively correlated with energy intake, household income, traffic tools, and negative correlated with age and housework time. The Traditional Chinese pattern was positively correlated with age, energy intake, and housework time, and negatively correlated with household income and traffic tools. After adjusting for confounding factors, the Westernized pattern was found to be associated with BMI increment, yielding ß coefficients (95% confidence interval, 95% CI) of 0.57 (0.40, 0.85) for the fourth quartile. In addition, the Westernized pattern was also found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of obesity, yielding an odds ratio (OR, 95% CI) of 1.49 (1.21, 1.84) from fully-adjusted confounders. Promoting healthier eating patterns could help to prevent obesity in Chinese children. The findings of this study could be used to guide the development of evidence-based preventive nutrition interventions to curb childhood obesity epidemic in small⁻medium cities in China.

Bio-synthesis of Barleria gibsoni leaf extract mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles and their formulation gel for wound therapy in nursing care of infants and children.

Bio-synthesis of nano-metal oxide particles is gaining lot of significance and recommended as promising substitute not only physical methods but also chemical methods. Here in, we demonstrate the nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) particles were successfully prepared by an eco-friendly process using plant Barleria gibsoni (B. gibsoni) aqueous leaf extract. The water leaf extract of B. gibsoni responsible for not only reducing source but also protective agent. The prepared nano-ZnO particles were studied by UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (UV-DRS), Photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transform (FT-IR) infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (X-RD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric and differential thermal (TG-DTA) analysis and particle size by zeta sizer, dynamic light scattering (DLS). UV-DRS spectrum of nano-ZnO particles showed below at wave length 400 nm. FT-IR spectra showed that plant metabolites like polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids etc., are act as reducing and protective agent. X-RD studies revealed the formed nano-ZnO particles have hexagonal (wurtzite) structure. TEM analysis confirmed the range of nanoparticles between 30 and 80 nm, which is supported by DLS analysis. The antibacterial property of synthesized nano-ZnO particles was tested with bacterial pathogens showed good results. The developed nano-ZnO gel act as an efficient and superior another tropical antimicrobial formulations for healing of burn infections. Moreover, the formulated nano-ZnO gel exhibited a remarkable wound healing potential in rats.

Changes in Waist Circumference and Abdominal Obesity among Chinese Adults over a Ten-year Period.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe changes in waist circumference (WC) and prevalence of abdominal obesity over a period of 10 years among Chinese adults in different socio-economic status (SES). METHODS: Data derived from the China Nutrition and Health Surveillance during 2002 and 2010-2012. We calculated the mean WC and the prevalence of abdominal obesity by gender, place of residence, SES indicators (education, income, and marital status), and body mass index (BMI) categoriesand used pooled t-tests to assess the differences between the two time periods. RESULTS: 26.0% of men and 25.3% of women had abdominal obesity in 2010-2012. The age-adjusted mean WC increased by 2.7 cm among men and 2.1 cm among women; the age-adjusted prevalence of abdominal obesity increased by 7.7% among men and 5.3% among women. The rising trends were observed in all subgroups except for a negative growth in high-income women. People living in rural areas with low education and income and with a BMI of 18.5 to 23.9 kg/m2 had a greater absolute and relative increase in WC. People living in rural areas with low income had a greater relative increase in abdominal obesity. CONCLUSION: The mean WC and prevalence of abdominal obesity among Chinese adults have increased during the past 10 years. Gender differences were noted using various SES indicators.

Comparison of Undernutrition Prevalence of Children under 5 Years in China between 2002 and 2013.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the undernutrition status of children under 5-year in China, and study the trend between 2002 and 2013). METHODS: The study was based on two national surveys. Undernutrition was determined against WHO's 2006 growth standards. The prevalence in 2013 and 2002 was weighted by China sixth National Population Census (2010). The relationship between undernutrition and gender/age groups/different areas use weighted logistic regression. RESULTS: The results indicated the overall prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting of Chinese children under 5-year was 8.1%, 2.4%, and 1.9% in 2013, respectively. The prevalence of stunting was higher for children aged 12-47 month, while underweight was higher for children aged 48-59 month. The prevalence of undernutrition was higher in rural areas than in urban areas, especially in poor rural areas. There was a decline of stunting, underweight, and wasting between 2002 and 2013 among the children, with greater reduction in rural areas than in urban areas. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of undernutrition of children under 5-year remains high in rural areas especially in poor rural areas in China. It is urgent to take action to control undernutrition in the vulnerable areas and subgroups.

Role of the Toll­like receptor 3 signaling pathway in the neuroprotective effect of sevoflurane pre­conditioning during cardiopulmonary bypass in rats.

The aim of the present study was to explore the roles and possible molecular mechanism of the alleviating effect of sevoflurane pre­treatment on the extracorporeal circulation and to investigate the possible involvement of the Toll­like receptor (TLR3) signaling pathway. A total of 64 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: The sham operation group (H group; n=8), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) group (C group; n=24) and sevoflurane pre­conditioning group (S group; n=32). The C group was subjected to tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, vessel puncture and catheter placement in the right femoral artery and right internal jugular vein, while no CPB was performed in the H group. The S group was pre­treated with 2.4% sevoflurane for 1 h prior to establishing the CPB model. The CPB in the C and S groups was performed for 1 h. Blood of the rats was analyzed and clinical parameters were detected prior to, during and at various time­points after CPB. In addition, eight rats from the C and S groups each were sacrificed at these time­points and brain tissue samples were analyzed. The levels of the brain damage­specific protein S100­ß as well as IL­6 and IFN­ß in the serum were detected by ELISA; furthermore, the expression levels of TLR3 and TIR­domain­containing adapter­inducing interferon­ß (TRIF) in the left hippocampus were assessed by ELISA and/or western blot analysis. The right hippocampus was assessed for neuronal apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. The mean arterial pressure, heart rate and hematocrit were significantly decreased following CPB (P<0.05), while there was no significant changes in any other clinical parameters. The serum levels of S100­ß and IL­6 in the C group were significantly increased compared with those in the H group (P<0.05), which was attenuated by sevoflurane­pre­treatment. Compared with the H group, the serum levels of IFN­ß as well as hippocampal protein levels of TLR3 and TRIF were significantly increased in the C group during and after CPB (P<0.05), which was markedly aggravated in the S group (P<0.05). The number of apoptotic hippocampal neurons, although being generally low, was significantly increased in the C group compared with that in the H group (P<0.05), while apoptosis was significantly attenuated by sevoflurane­pre­treatment (P<0.05). The present study therefore concluded that 2.4% sevoflurane pre­treatment has a protective effect on the rat brain against CPB­induced injury, which may be mediated via the TLR3 signaling pathway through upregulating the expression levels of anti­inflammatory and downregulating pro­inflammatory proteins.

[Progress on early diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis].

Researching on a large relevant literature of spinal tuberculosis, this paper discussed characteristics of spinal tuberculosis and its early diagnosis method. If spinal tuberculosis can be found and treated earlier, prognosis will be better. The early diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis has become hot spot at present. There are many different diagnostic methods including clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, imaging examination, etc. The newest standpoint showed that immunization has closely correlation with tuberculosis and it will become the focus and developmental direction of future research in spinal tuberculosis. In addition, we should know the differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis to avoid the misdiagnosis.

Dramatic escalation in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk in a Chinese population experiencing rapid economic development.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) increases the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Information on changes in prevalence of MetSyn in developing countries is limited. This study aims to compare MetSyn prevalence and its associated vascular risk over the period between 2002 and 2010 in a population which has had the world's fastest economic development over the past three decades. METHODS: Two health surveys were conducted by using the multistage cluster random sampling method in a Chinese population of 85 million in southern China. The participants received a full medical check-up, including measurement of blood pressure (BP), obesity indices, fasting lipids and glucose levels. Data describing socio-economic status and lifestyle factors were also collected through interview. Metabolic syndrome was defined in accordance with the International Diabetes Federation criteria. RESULTS: A total of 3,561 participants from Survey 2010 were included in the data analysis. Women had a significantly higher prevalence of MetSyn than men. Comparison between the two surveys shows that age-standardized prevalence of MetSyn increased fourfold (from 5.4% in 2002 to 21.3% in 2010) in those ≧ 20 years. Among the MetSyn components, prevalence of hyperglycaemia has increased most (from 9.1% to 53.1%). The age-standardized prevalence of central obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia and low HDL-cholesterol increased from 13.5% to 25.4%, from 23.6% to 40.8%, from 12.1% to 17.4% and from 32.1% to 71.1%, respectively. Differences between rural and urban residents in the prevalence in MetSyn and its components narrowed in 2010. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular risk escalated dramatically in this population between 2002 and 2010. The escalation may relate to the rapid economic development, which led to accelerating changes in nutrition, lifestyle, and socio-economic status. Our findings suggest that health transition in rapidly developing second- and third-world countries may be much faster than what has been observed in Western countries.

Study of the efficacy of combination therapy of SiRNAs in HepG2.2.15 cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a world-wide health problem. The major obstacles for current anti-HBV therapy are the low efficacy and the occurrence of drug resistant HBV mutations. Recent studies have demonstrated that combination therapy can enhance antiviral efficacy and overcome the shortcomings. Here, the inhibitory effect mediated by combination of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting different sites of HBV nuclear localization signal (NLS) was monitored in HepG2.2.15 cells. METHODOLOGY: Recombinant plasmid psil-HBV was constructed and transfected into HepG2.2.15 cells. At 48, 72 and 96h after transfection, culture media were collected and cells were harvested for HBV replication assay. HBsAg and HBeAg in the cell culture medium were detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. Intracellular viral DNA and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) was quantified by real-time PCR. HBV viral mRNA was measured by reverse-transcript PCR. RESULTS: Our data demonstrated that the three used siRNAs showed marked anti-HBV effects. Combination of siRNAs, compared with individual use of each siRNA, exerted a stronger inhibition on antigen expression and viral replication, even though the final concentration of siRNA in the therapy was the same. More importantly, we showed that combination therapy significantly suppressed HBV cccDNA amplification. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that combination of siRNAs mediated a stronger inhibition on viral replication and antigen expression in HepG2.2.15 cells, especially, the amplification of cccDNA.

[The nutrition status of special population living in the areas affected by Wenchuan Earthquake after 3 months].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the nutritional status of infants, preschool and primary school students, pregnant and lactating women in Wenchuan earthquake disaster area after 3 months. METHODS: In August 2008, the nutritional and health status information of special population were collected and evaluated using the questionnaires, anthropometric and hemoglobin concentration measurements from four settlements of villages and towns in Mao and Mianzhu Country of Sichuan and Kang Country and Wudu District in Gansu provinces. A total of 236 infants aged below 36 months, 48 preschool children, 368 primary students, 32 pregnant women and 72 lactating women were investigated. Principal investigator indexes included the low body weight, growth retardation, anemia prevalence, two-week prevalence of diarrhea and respiratory disease, food intake and nutrition-related diseases, the percentage of patients morbidity of 36 months infants, preschool and primary school students; the prevalence of anemia, the prevalence of nutrition-related diseases of pregnant and lactating women. RESULTS: The stunting prevalence was 14.6% (34/236) and the anemia prevalence was up to 40.1% (61/236) among infants younger than 36 months. Besides, the percentages of infants and young children suffered from the respiratory-infected disease and diarrhea within recent two weeks were 40.4% (95/236) and 30.2% (71/236) respectively. The percentage of low body weight of preschool children was 14.6% (7/48) and the growth retardation and anemia prevalence was 14.6% (7/48) and 39.6% (19/48), respectively. Among primary students, 6.3% (23/368) showed growth retardation and 12.2% (45/368) were anemia. The prevalence of anemia status of pregnant women and lactating mothers were 53.9% (17/32) and 24.4% (18/72) respectively. The main food composition of 45.8% (33/72) lactating women were grain and vegetables, 29 (40.3%), 32 (44.4%), 28 (38.9%) and 53 (73.6%) lactating women did not have animal originated (including meat, aquatic, livestock and poultry products) food, eggs, beans and their products, milk and dairy products, respectively. CONCLUSION: Special population lived in disaster area have suffered different degree of malnutrition. The main dietary pattern was vegetable food. The consumption of meat, eggs, milk and milk products was relatively insufficient.