Reasons, safety and efficacy analysis for conversion of HAART to TAF/FTC/BIC among HIV-infected patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#This study aimed to determine the reasons for conversion and elucidate the safety and efficacy of transition to tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine/bictegravir sodium (TAF/FTC/BIC) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-experienced HIV-infected patients in real-world settings.@*METHODS@#We conducted a retrospective cohort study. The treatment conversion rationales, safety, and effectiveness in 1684 HIV-infected patients with previous HAART experience who switched to TAF/FTC/BIC were evaluated at Beijing Ditan Hospital from September 2021 to Auguest 2022.@*RESULTS@#Regimen simplification (990/1684, 58.79%) was the most common reason for switching, followed by osteoporosis or osteopenia (375/1684, 22.27%), liver dysfunction (231/1684, 13.72%), decline in tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine/elvitegravir/cobicistat (TAF/FTC/EVG/c) with food restriction (215/1684, 12.77%), virological failure (116/1684, 6.89%), and renal dysfunction (90/1684, 5.34%). In patients receiving non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI)-containing regimens, lipid panel changes 1 year after switching indicated a difference of 3.27 ± 1.10 mmol/L vs . 3.40 ± 1.59 mmol/L in triglyceride ( P  = 0.014), 4.82 ± 0.74 mmol/L vs . 4.88 ± 0.72 mmol/L in total cholesterol ( P  = 0.038), 3.09 ± 0.70 mmol/L vs . 3.18 ± 0.66 mmol/L in low-density lipoprotein ( P  <0.001), and 0.99 ± 0.11 mmol/L vs . 0.95 ± 0.10 mmol/L in high-density lipoprotein ( P  <0.001). Conversely, among patients receiving booster-containing regimens, including TAF/FTC/EVG/c and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), lipid panel changes presented decreased trends. We also observed an improved trend in viral load suppression, and alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum creatinine levels after the transition ( P  <0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#The transition to TAF/FTC/BIC demonstrated good treatment potency. Furthermore, this study elucidates the motivations behind the adoption of TAF/FTC/BIC in real-world scenarios, providing clinical evidence supporting the stable conversion to TAF/FTC/BIC for HAART-experienced patients.

Aconite aqueous extract inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma through CCL2-dependent enhancement of natural killer cell infiltration / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#Aconite is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has been found to inhibit the development of liver cancer; however, its exact molecular mechanisms in this process remain unclear. This study explores how aconite aqueous extract (AAE) inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).@*METHODS@#An in vivo mouse model of subcutaneous liver cancer was established. After AAE treatment, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to determine the effect of AAE on natural killer (NK) cells. Subsequently, C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the subcutaneous tumor model, and a group of these mice were treated with anti-PK163 antibody to remove NK cells, which was verified by flow cytometry and IHC. The effect of AAE on the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro was determined using cell counting kit-8. The effect of AAE on chemokine production in HCC cells was measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The effect of AAE on the migration of NK cells was determined using a transwell assay. Finally, the molecular mechanism was investigated using the Western blotting method.@*RESULTS@#We demonstrated that the ability of AAE to induce overexpression of the cytokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) in HCC cells is fundamental to the infiltration of NK cells into the tumor bed. Mechanistically, we found that the upregulation of CCL2 was achieved by the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase but not extracellular regulated protein kinase or p38.@*CONCLUSION@#Our findings suggest that AAE can be used as an effective immune adjuvant to enhance antitumor immunity by increasing NK cell infiltration into tumors, which could help to improve the efficacy of HCC treatments. Please cite this article as: Yang KD, Zhang X, Shao MC, Wang LN. Aconite aqueous extract inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma through CCL2-dependent enhancement of natural killer cell infiltration. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(6): 575-583.

Qualitative and quantitative study of flavonoids in Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC-DAD / 中国中药杂志

The flavonoids in Panax notoginseng were qualitatively analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), and the content of three main flavonoids in P. notoginseng of different specifications and grades collected from different habitats was determined by HPLC-DAD. Flavonoids and anthocyanins were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS in the positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Twelve flavonoid glycosides and one anthocyanin glycoside in P. notoginseng were identified, but no flavonoid aglycones were detected. Among them, 12 compounds were identified in the underground part of P. notoginseng for the first time and eight compounds were first reported in this plant. Moreover, six and four compounds were identified in the Panax genus and the Araliaceae family for the first time, respectively. A method for simultaneous determination of three flavonoids in P. notoginseng was established by HPLC-DAD. The content of flavonoids in 721 P. notoginseng samples of 124 specifications and grades collected from 20 different habitats was simultaneously determined. Among three flavonoids determined, the content of quercetin-3-O-(2″-β-D-xylosyl)-β-D-galactoside was the highest with the average content in the tested samples of 161.0 μg·g~(-1). The content of compounds quercetin-3-O-hexosyl-hexoside and kaempferol-3-O-pentosyl-hexoside was relatively low, with the average content of 18.5 μg·g~(-1)(calculated as quercetin-3-O-sophoroside) and 49.4 μg·g~(-1)(calculated as kaempferol-3-O-sangbu diglycoside). There were significant differences in flavonoids content of samples from different production area. The content of flavonoids in spring P. notoginseng was significantly lower than that in winter P. notoginseng when the other influencing factors such as production areas, germplasm resources, and cultivation conditions were fixed. As for P. notoginseng of different specifications, the flavonoid content in the part connecting the taproot and the aboveground stem was significantly higher than that in other parts. The results of large-scale data showed that the flavonoid content gradually increased with the increase in the number of heads. There were significant differences between the flavonoid content in most specifications and grades, especially the 20-head P. notoginseng and countless head P. notoginseng, whose content was significantly lower and significantly higher than that of other specifications and grades, respectively. This study provides a scientific basis for the study of the effective components and quality control of P. notoginseng from the perspective of flavonoids.

Depressive symptoms are not associated with risks of rapid renal function decline or chronic kidney disease in middle-aged and elderly with normal kidney function: a longitudinal investigation / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the association between depressive symptoms and the risks of rapid decline in renal function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in middle-aged and elderly with normal kidney function.@*METHODS@#The residents aged 40- 75 years with eGFR≥60 mL·min-1·1.73 m-2 without proteinuria in Lanzhou region, who participated in the "REACTION" study carried out in 2011, were selected and followed up in 2014. A total of 4961 individuals with complete and qualified data from the two surveys were included in the subsequent analysis. Based on PHQ-9 questionnaire scores, the baseline population was divided into two groups with and without depressive symptoms. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to compare the incidences of rapid renal function decline and CKD between the two groups and study the association of depressive symptoms with the risk of these renal conditions.@*RESULTS@#PHQ-9 questionnaire scores were not found to correlate with baseline SCr, ALB, UACR or eGFR levels among the participarts (P>0.05). After a mean follow-up time of 3.4±0.6 years, 33.9% of the participants with depressive symptoms at baseline experienced a rapid decline in renal function and 3.6% progressed to CKD. During the follow-up, the incidence of rapid decline in renal function and the risk of developing CKD were not found to correlate with depressive symptoms in these participants (P>0.05) regardless of the type of the depressive syndromes.@*CONCLUSION@#Depressive symptoms are not associated with the risks of rapid renal function decline or progression to CKD in middle-aged and elderly with normal kidney function.

A convenient and time-saving method for primary culture of mature white adipocytes from mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To establish a simple, low-cost and time-saving method for primary culture of mature white adipocytes from mice.@*METHODS@#Mature white adipocytes were isolated from the epididymis and perirenal area of mice for primary culture using a modified mature adipocyte culture method or the ceiling culture method. The morphology of the cultured mature adipocytes was observed using Oil Red O staining, and the cell viability was assessed with CCK8 method. The expression of PPARγ protein in the cells was detected with Western blotting, and the mRNA expressions of CD36, FAS, CPT1A and FABP4 were detected using RT-qPCR.@*RESULTS@#Oil Red O staining showed a good and uniform morphology of the adipocytes in primary culture using the modified culture method, while the cells cultured using the ceiling culture method exhibited obvious morphological changes. CCK8 assay showed no significant difference in cell viability between freshly isolated mature white adipocytes and the cells obtained with the modified culture method. Western blotting showed that the freshly isolated adipocytes and the cells cultured for 72 h did not differ significantly in the expression levels of PPARγ protein (P=0.759), which was significantly lowered in response to treatment with GW9662 (P < 0.001). GW9662 treatment of the cells upregulated mRNA expressions of CD36 (P < 0.001) and CPT1A (P=0.003) and down-regulated those of FAS (P=0.001) and FABP4 (P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#We established a convenient and time-saving method for primary culture mature white adipocytes from mice to facilitate further functional studies of mature adipocytes.

Comparison of early clinical effects between direct superior approach and posterolateral approach in hemiarthroplasty of femoral neck fracture in the elderly / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To compare and analyze the early clinical effect of direct superior approach(DSA) and posterior lateral approach (PLA) in hemiarthroplasty for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 72 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture who underwent hemiarthroplasty from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 36 patients were operated through minimally invasive DSA including 10 males and 26 females with an average age of (82.82±4.05) years old; the other 36 patients underwent traditional PLA including 14 males and 22 females with an average age of (82.79±3.21) years old. The perioperative related indexes and Harris scores during follow-up between two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#Comparison of operation time between two groups, (79.41±17.39) min of DSA group was shorter than(98.45±26.58) min of PLA group;incision length (8.33±2.69) cm was shorter than (11.18±1.33) cm of PLA group;intraoperative blood loss (138.46±71.58) ml was less than (173.51±87.17) ml of PLA group, initial landing time (3.04±0.95) d was earlier than (4.52±1.10) d of PLA group, hospitalization time (8.70±1.89) d was shorter than (10.67±2.35) d of PLA group(P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in Harris score between two groups before operation(P>0.05), but Harris score in DSA group was higher than that of PLA group at 1 month after operation(P<0.05), but at 12 months after operation, the difference was not statistically significant between two groups(P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with PLA, DSA is superior in clinical indexes such as operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, first landing time, length of hospitalization and Harris score in the first month after operation in hemi hip replacement, and has comparative advantages in promoting early postoperative rehabilitation of elderly patients with femoral neck.

Advances in digital twins technology of human skeletal muscle / 生物医学工程学杂志

The human skeletal muscle drives skeletal movement through contraction. Embedding its functional information into the human morphological framework and constructing a digital twin of skeletal muscle for simulating physical and physiological functions of skeletal muscle are of great significance for the study of "virtual physiological humans". Based on relevant literature both domestically and internationally, this paper firstly summarizes the technical framework for constructing skeletal muscle digital twins, and then provides a review from five aspects including skeletal muscle digital twins modeling technology, skeletal muscle data collection technology, simulation analysis technology, simulation platform and human medical image database. On this basis, it is pointed out that further research is needed in areas such as skeletal muscle model generalization, accuracy improvement, and model coupling. The methods and means of constructing skeletal muscle digital twins summarized in the paper are expected to provide reference for researchers in this field, and the development direction pointed out can serve as the next focus of research.

Etiology and pathogenesis of internal root resorption / 中华口腔医学杂志

Internal root resorption is a pathologic phenomenon with a characterization of the intraradicular dentin destruction due to the abnormal activities of odontoclasts. With its insidious pathology, internal root resorption can progress to a great extent before its clinical detection. The etiology and natural history of internal root resorption are uncertain and the associated key molecular pathogenesis have not been understood completely. The resorption is usually initiated by a stimulus with the loss of the protective predentin and progressed by the continuous stimuli of pulp infection. Various factors including trauma, chronic inflammation of the pulp, pulpotomy and tooth transplantation have been proposed for the occurrence of internal root resorption. The present paper reviews the etiology and pathogenesis of internal root resorption and provides guidance for the early intervention in the clinical practice.

Feasibility of application of deformable image registration to the dosimetry assessment of fractionated brachytherapy for cervical cancer / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To study the differences in the cumulative dose between deformable image registration (DIR) and simple dose-volume histogram (DVH) summation in the fractionated brachytherapy of cervical cancer, and to analyze the feasibility of the application of DIR in the dosimetry assessment of targets and organs-at-risk (OARs) in the brachytherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 13 cases with primary cervical cancer treated with four fractions of interstitial brachytherapy guided by CT images. The four CT images of each cases were registered using an intensity-based DIR. Then, the cumulative doses (the D2 cm 3, D1 cm 3, and D0.1 cm 3 of the bladder, rectum, intestine, and colon and the D90for targets) after DIR were calculated and compared to those obtained using simple DVH summation. Afterward, the correlation between the dose difference and dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was analyzed. With the dose difference (the remaining dose of OARs caused by the DIR) as limits, a new plan was made for the latest CT to calculate the dose increase to targets. Results:Compared to simple DVH summation, DIR allowed the cumulative doses of the D2 cm 3 and D1 cm 3 of bladder to be decreased by (2.47±1.92) and (2.82±2.73) Gy, respectively on average ( t=-3.65, -2.93, P < 0.05), those of the D2 cm 3, D1 cm 3, and D0.1 cm 3 of rectum to be decreased by (2.05 ± 1.61) Gy, (1.51 ± 1.58), and (3.21 ± 2.50) Gy, respectively on average ( t=-4.02, -3.02, -4.06, P < 0.05), and those of the D2 cm 3, D1 cm 3, and D0.1 cm 3 to be decreased by (1.42 ± 0.99), (1.55 ± 1.28) Gy, and (2.43 ± 1.95) Gy, respectively on average ( t=-3.52, -2.96, -3.06, P < 0.05). There was no significant statistical difference in the D90 of targets, the D0.1 cm 3 of the bladder, and the D2 cm 3, D1 cm 3, D0.1 cm 3 of the colon ( P > 0.05) between both methods, and there was no distinct correlation between DSC and dose difference ( P > 0.05). The DIR increased the dose to targets, with a median value of 150 cGy. However, the accuracy of the DIR should be improved. Conclusions:In clinical practice of multiple fractions of brachytherapy for cervical cancer, it′s still recommended to adopt the simple dose summation method to assess the doses to targets and OARs.

Simvastatin alleviates liver function injury in ApoE knockout mice by inhibiting calpain activity / 中国药理学通报

Aim To study the protective effect of simvastatin(Sim)on liver function injury in apolipoprotein E gene knockout(ApoE KO)mice fed with high-fat diet and the underlying mechanism.Methods Twenty-four 8-week-old male ApoE KO mice were randomly divided into ApoE KO group,ApoE KO+Sim group and ApoE KO+PD150606 group.The contents of total cholesterol(TC)and triglyceride(TG)in serum and liver,and the activities of aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)in serum were measured.The contents of malondialdehyde(MDA)and reactive oxygen species(ROS)and the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD)in liver were determined.The contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)and the activity of calpain in liver were examined.Results Compared with C57 group,ApoE KO group showed significant increase in the contents of TC and TG in both serum and liver.In addition,the activities of AST and ALT in serum and the contents of MDA and ROS in liver significantly increased,while SOD activity in liver decreased in ApoE KO group.The contents of TNF-α and IL-6 and the activity of calpain in liver significantly increased.Compared with ApoE KO group,Sim group had no significant effects on TC and TG,while reduced the activities of AST and ALT,decreased the contents of MDA and ROS,increased the activity of SOD and decreased the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 as well as the activity of calpain in liver.PD,the calpain inhibitor,had the similar effects with Sim regarding the above mentioned parameters.Conclusions Sim improved the liver function injury of ApoE KO mice,which might be related to the inhibition of calpain activity,subsequently increasing the antioxidant capacity and reducing the inflammatory response.

Self-rated health status and its influencing factors of medical staff in Lanzhou City / 环境与职业医学

Background Because of high working intensity, high responsibility, and unexpected situations, health care workers may suffer great work pressure, which may lead to health damage. Objective To explore the self-rated health status and its influencing factors such as demographic and occupational-related factors of medical staff in Lanzhou. Methods In-service medical staff were selected by using cluster random sampling method from 18 public hospitals in Lanzhou City and were investigated with a self-made questionnaire and the Self-rated Health Measurement Scale (SRHMS). SRHMS includes 48 items in 10 dimensions, which are divided into three sub-scales of physical health, mental health, and social health, and another independent dimension is overall health. The scores were converted into a percentage scale and expressed as the percentage of measured score to full score; a higher score indicated better health, and >70% was considered good health status. t test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Spearman correlation were used to analyze the scores of SRHMS and the demographic and occupational-related factors affecting the scores of physical, mental, and social health sub-scales. Results A total of 2989 valid questionnaires were recovered. There were statistically significant differences in total score and the scores of physical, mental, and social health among medical staff of different age, educational background, length of service, and weekly working hours groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of total score to full score in the medical staff was 71.41%, but the scores of physical, mental, and social health sub-scales and total scale of selected participants were all lower than the corresponding domestic norms (t=−3.323, −12.283, −7.157, −9.659, P < 0.05); the percentage of psychological symptoms and negative emotions in mental health scale to full score was the lowest, only 58.39%. Educational background, length of service, and weekly working hours were negatively correlated with physical health score (r=−0.061, −0.060, −0.165, P < 0.05); professional title was positively correlated with mental health score (r=0.045, P < 0.05), while educational background and weekly working hours were negatively correlated with it (r=−0.051, −0.172, P < 0.05). Monthly income, professional title, and length of service were positively correlated with social health score (r=0.040, 0.049, 0.071, P < 0.05), while educational background and weekly working hours were negatively correlated with it (r=−0.038, −0.110, P < 0.05). Conclusion The self-rated health status of selected medical staff in Lanzhou is generally good, but lower than that of the norm, especially the mental health score is the lowest. The self-rated health score of total scale is correlated with education, length of service, professional title, and working time per week.

Protective effect of excretory-secretory proteins from Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae against myocardial injury in septic mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the protective effect of excretory-secretory proteins from Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (Ts-MES) on sepsis-induced myocardial injury in mice.@*METHODS@#Eighty male BALB/C mice were randomized equally into sham-operated group, myocardial injury group, Ts-MES treatment group and dexamethasone treatment group. In the latter 3 groups, sepsis-induced myocardial injury models were established by cecal ligation and perforation; the sham operation was performed by exposure of the cecum without ligation or perforation. Forty minutes after the operation, the mice were given intraperitoneal injections 150 μL PBS, 20 μg TS-MES or 0.3 mg/kg dexamethasone as indicated. At 12 h after the operation, 6 mice were randomly selected from each group for echocardiography, and 8 mice were used for observing the survival rate within 72 h. The remaining 6 mice were examined for myocardial pathologies with HE staining and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI with ELISA; the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β in the serum and myocardial tissue were detected using ELISA and qRT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham-operated mice, the septic mice showed significantly decreased cardiac function indexes (LVEF, LVFS, and E/A) with lowered survival rate within 72 h (P < 0.001) and significantly higher myocardial injury scores and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI (P < 0.01). Treatment with TS-MES significantly improved the cardiac function and 72-h survival rate (P < 0.05) and lowered the myocardial injury scores and serum levels of NTPro-BNP and cTnI (P < 0.05) in the septic mice. Compared with the sham-operated mice, the septic mice had obviously increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the serum and myocardial tissue (P < 0.001), which were significantly lowered by treatment with TS-MES (P < 0.05). TS-MES and dexamethasone both increased the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β in the septic mice, but the changes were significant only in TS-MES-treated mice (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Ts-MES are capable of protecting against myocardial injury in septic mice by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the levels of regulatory cytokines.

Transglutaminase 2 inhibits the proliferation of H1 subtype influenza virus in MDCK cells / 生物工程学报

Transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) is a ubiquitous multifunctional protein, which is related to the adhesion of different cells and tumor formation. Previous studies found that TGM2 is involved in the interaction between host cells and viruses, but the effect of TGM2 on the proliferation of influenza virus in cells has not been reported. To explore the effect of TGM2 during H1N1 subtype influenza virus infection, a stable MDCK cell line with TGM2 overexpression and a knockout cell line were constructed. The mRNA and protein expression levels of NP and NS1 as well as the virus titer were measured at 48 hours after pot-infection with H1N1 subtype influenza virus. The results showed that overexpression of TGM2 effectively inhibited the expression of NP and NS1 genes of H1N1 subtype influenza virus, while knockout of TGM2 up-regulated the expression of the NP and NS1 genes, and the expression of the NP at protein level was consistent with that at mRNA level. Virus proliferation curve showed that the titer of H1N1 subtype influenza virus decreased significantly upon TGM2 overexpression. On the contrary, the virus titer in TGM2 knockout cells reached the peak at 48 h, which further proved that TGM2 was involved in the inhibition of H1N1 subtype influenza virus proliferation in MDCK cells. By analyzing the expression of genes downstream of influenza virus response signaling pathway, we found that TGM2 may inhibit the proliferation of H1N1 subtype influenza virus by promoting the activation of JAK-STAT molecular pathway and inhibiting RIG-1 signaling pathway. The above findings are of great significance for revealing the mechanism underlying the interactions between host cells and virus and establishing a genetically engineering cell line for high-yield influenza vaccine production of influenza virus.

Effect of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cyst fluid protein on allergic rhinitis induced by ovalbumin in mice / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effect of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cyst fluid protein (HCFP) on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis (AR) in mice. Methods Twenty-four BALB/c mice at ages of 8 to 10 weeks, each weighing approximately 20 g, were randomly divided into four groups, including groups A (blank control group), B (blank intervention group), C (AR model group) and D (AR+HCFP intervention group), with 6 mice in each group. On days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, mice in groups A, B, C and D were injected with 200 μL sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 200 μL sterile PBS containing 20 μg HCFP, 200 μL sterile PBS containing 50 μg OVA and 5 mg Al(OH)3 gel, and 200 μL sterile PBS containing 50 μg OVA, 5 mg Al(OH)3 gel and 20 μg HCFP, respectively. On days 14 to 20, mice in groups A, B, C and D were administered with 40 μL sterile PBS, 40 μL sterile PBS containing 20 μg HCFP, 40 μL sterile PBS containing 2 mg OVA and 40 μL sterile PBS containing 2 mg OVA and 20 μL HCFP by nasal drop, respectively. Mouse behavioral changes were observed and behavioral scores were estimated. The serum levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and OVA-specific IgE antibody (OVA-sIgE) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes of mouse nasal mucosa were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Results The mean behavioral score was significantly greater in Group C (6.83 ± 0.50) than in groups A (1.17 ± 0.52) and B (1.33 ± 0.52) (P < 0.05), while a lower mean behavioral score was estimated in Group D (3.50 ± 0.50) than in Group C (P < 0.05). There were significant differences among the groups in terms of serum IFN-γ (F = 4.08, P < 0.05), IL-4 (F = 275.90, P < 0.05), IL-5 (F = 96.82, P < 0.05), IL-10 (F = 77.67, P < 0.05), TGF-β (F = 9.98, P < 0.05) and OVA-sIgE levels (F = 44.69, P < 0.05). The serum IFN-γ level was significantly lower in Group C than in groups A, B and C (P < 0.05), and the serum levels of IL-4, IL-5 and OVA-sIgE were significantly higher in Group C than in groups A, B and C (P < 0.05), while the serum IL-10 and TGF-β levels were significantly greater in Group D than in Group C (P < 0.05). Microscopy showed apparent loss of nasal mucosa cilia, increased number and enlargement of goblet cells, interstitial edema and submucous vascular dilation in Group C, while the pathological changes of nasal mucosa were alleviated in Group D relative to Group C. Conclusions E. granulosus HCFP has a protective activity against OVA-induced allergic rhinitis in mice.

Analysis of components of proteins from Echinococcus granulosus cyst fluid / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To analyze the components of proteins from Echinococcus granulosus cyst fluid using the shotgun method, and to identify the active components with potential regulatory effects for immune dysregulation diseases. Methods The E. granulosus cyst fluid was collected aseptically from the hepatic cysts of patients with cystic echinococcosis, and characterized by liquid chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) following digestion with trypsin. The protein data were searched using the software MaxQuant version 1.6.1.0 and the cellular components, molecular functions, and biological processes of the identified proteins were analyzed using the Gene Ontology (GO) method. Results The E. granulosus cyst fluid separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) had a relative molecular mass of 25 to 70 kDa. LS-MS/MS analysis identified 37 proteins, including 32 known proteins and 5 unknown proteins. At least 4 proteins were preliminarily found to exhibit potential regulatory effects for immune dysregulation diseases, including antigen B, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), thioredoxin peroxidase (TPX) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH). GO enrichment analysis showed that the identified proteins had 149 molecular functions and were involved in 341 biological processes. Conclusions E. granulosus cyst fluid has a variety of protein components, and four known proteins are preliminarily identified to be associated with immune dysregulation diseases.

Study of the verification of the source positioning and dwelling time based on the well-chamber / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To establish a dosimetric method based on the well-chamber to verify the accuracy of the source positioning and dwelling time for the afterloading machine, aiming to provide a new method for the quality control of afterloading machine.Methods:The principle of this method was explained according to the hardware structure of the well-chamber. Then, the precision of this method was analyzed by the simulation test and data fitting. The feasibility test was also performed. And the advantages and disadvantages of this method were compared with those of the traditional method.Results:The precision of this method for detecting the source positioning was 0.07 mm and the dwelling time was 0.09 s, respectively. In the feasibility test, the standard deviation of the measure value was below 3%.Conclusions:The well-chamber method has high precision and convenient operation. It can be applied in the rapid verification of the relative accuracy of the source positioning and dwelling time of well-chamber.

The prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle among occupational population aged 18‒59 in Shanghai in 2013 / 上海预防医学

Objective:To understand the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle among Shanghai occupational population aged 18-59 in 2013 and provide suggestion for intervention. Methods:Data retrieved from 2013 Shanghai Non-communicable Diseases and Risk Factors Surveillance were used to investigate the residents who were 18-59 years old and engaged in various occupations in Shanghai. Descriptive analysis and test were conducted by weight and complex sampling. Smoking， drinking， eating behavior and physical activities were compared among different gender，age，area and occupation groups. Results:A total of 10 287 participants were included in this analysis. The current smoking rate of 41.46% in males were significantly higher than 0.64% in females（χ2=2 278.306，P<0.05）. The current smoking prevalence was highest in workers in production and transport （34.49%）. The rate of drinking in the past 30 days， hazardous drinking， and harmful drinking in rural area were 23.80%，6.59% and 11.62%， respectively，which were the highest in all areas. Both the hazardous and harmful drinking prevalence （8.58% and 18.70%， respectively） were the highest in agriculture workers in comparison with other occupations. There is no significant difference in insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits in gender，age and area groups. The proportion of people with excessive intake of red meat was higher in males than that in females （28.11% versus 17.77%，146.176，P<0.05）. Occupational population in urban area had the highest regular physical activities （22.64%）. The clerks had the longest daily sedentary time （7.25 h）. The agricultural workers had the lowest regular exercise rate （11.75%） and the shortest sedentary time （4.07 h）. Conclusion:This study identifies different prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle in different gender， age， area， and occupational groups， which can be helpful for for targeted intervention.

SMYD3-PARP16 axis accelerates unfolded protein response and mediates neointima formation

Neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury is a representative complication of restenosis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) is involved in the pathogenesis of vascular intimal hyperplasia. PARP16, a member of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases family, is correlated with the nuclear envelope and the ER. Here, we found that PERK and IRE1

Effects of length and chemical modification on the activation of vascular endothelial cells induced by multi walled carbon nanotubes / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different length or chemical modification on endothelial cell activation and to explore the role of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome.@*METHODS@#MWCNTs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) after being suspended in culture medium. The immortalized mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cell line b.End3 was treated with short MWCNTs (S-MWCNT, 0.5 to 2 μm), long MWCNTs (L-MWCNT, 10 to 30 μm) and the above long MWCNTs functionalized by carboxyl-(L-MWCNT-COOH), amino-(L-MWCNT-NH2) or hydroxyl-(L-MWCNT-OH) modification. Cytotoxicity of MWCNTs in b.End3 cells was determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, and non-toxic low dose was selected for subsequent experiments. Effects of all types of MWCNTs on the endothelial activation of b.End3 were determined by the measurement of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) concentration in cell supernatant and adhesion assay of human monocytic cell line THP-1 to b.End3.To further elucidate the mechanism involved, the protein expressions of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) in cells treated with S-MWCNT, L-MWCNT and L-MWCNT-COOH were measured by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#At a higher concentration (125 μg/cm2) and treated for 24 h, all types of MWCNTs significantly inhibited viability of b.End3 cells. At a sub-toxic concentration (6.25 μg/cm2), all types of MWCNTs treated for 12 h significantly induced the activation of b.End3 cells, as evidenced by the elevated VCAM-1 release and THP-1 adhesion. Compared with S-MWCNT, L-MWCNT significantly promoted endothelial cell activation. L-MWCNT and L-MWCNT-COOH activated b.End3 cells to a similar extent. Furthermore, treatment with S-MWCNT, L-MWCNT and L-MWCNT-COOH increased NLRP3 expression in a time-dependent manner at 6.25 μg/cm2. Compared with S-MWCNT, cells treated with L-MWCNT for 4 h and 12 h exhibited significantly increased protein expressions of NLRP3. However, no significant differences were detected in the level of NLRP3 protein in cells treated with L-MWCNT and L-MWCNT-COOH.@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with the surface chemical modification, length changes of MWCNTs exerted more influence on endothelial cell activation, which may be related to the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Our study contributes further understanding of the impact of MWCNTs on endothelial cells, which may have implications for the improvement of safety evaluation of MWCNTs.

Role of the ES-62 protein derived from Acanthocheilonema viteae in regulation of immune dysregulation diseases: a review / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ES-62 is a phosphorylcholine-containing, 62 kDa glycoprotein derived from the excretory-secretory product of Acanthocheilonema viteae, which is effective for the prevention and treatment of immune dysregulation diseases through triggering activation of immune cells, such as dendritic cells, mononuclear macrophages and regulatory B cells and mediating immune responses. Recently, the role of the ES-62 protein in the management of allergic, autoimmune and metabolic diseases has been paid much attention. This review summarizes the regulatory role of the ES-62 protein in immune dysregulation diseases and the underlying mechanisms, so as to provide insights into future experimental studies.