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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which first affected humans in China on December 31, 2019 (Shi et al., 2020). Coronaviruses generally cause mild, self-limiting upper respiratory tract infections in humans, such as the common cold, pneumonia, and gastroenteritis (To et al., 2013; Berry et al., 2015; Chan et al., 2015). According to the Report of the World Health Organization (WHO)-China Joint Mission on COVID-19 (WHO, 2020), the case fatality rate of COVID-19 increases with age, while the rate among males is higher than that among females (4.7% and 2.8%, respectively). Since an effective vaccine and specific anti-viral drugs are still under development, passive immunization using the convalescent plasma (CP) of recovered COVID-19 donors may offer a suitable therapeutic strategy for severely ill patients in the meantime. So far, several studies have shown therapeutic efficacy of CP transfusion in treating COVID-19 cases. A pilot study first reported that transfusion of CP with neutralizing antibody titers above 1:640 was well tolerated and could potentially improve clinical outcomes through neutralizing viremia in severe COVID-19 cases (Chen et al., 2020). Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM are the most abundant and important antibodies in protecting the human body from viral attack (Arabi et al., 2015; Marano et al., 2016). Our study aimed to understand the aspects of plasma antibody titer levels in convalescent patients, as well as assessing the clinical characteristics of normal, severely ill, and critically ill patients, and thus provide a basis for guiding CP therapy. We also hoped to find indicators which could serve as a reference in predicting the progression of the disease.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibodies, Viral/blood , COVID-19/therapy , China , Immunization, Passive , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/bloodABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: C-telopeptide and N-telopeptide cross-linked collagen type Ⅰ (CTx and NTx, respectively) are specific biochemical bone markers that can reflect bone formation and resorption. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of CTx with disuse osteoporosis. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 180-220 g, were randomly divided into control and disuse osteoporosis groups. Right hind limbs of the rats in the disuse osteoporosis group were immobilitzed for 4 weeks by ankle-tail fixation to establish the rat model of disuse osteoporosis. Peritoneal venous blood was collected before and after modeling, and the femur was then removed to measure the serum CTx level and bone mineral density of the bilateral femurs. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The serum CTx level did not differ significantly between groups before modeling (P > 0.05). At 4 weeks after modeling, the serum CTx level in the disuse osteoporosis group was significantly higher than that in the control group and at baseline (P <0.01). The serum CTx level showed no significant change in the control group before and after modeling (P > 0.05). The increment of serum CTx in the disuse osteoporosis group exhibited a negative correlation with the bone mineral density of the bilateral femurs (r=0.426, P < 0.01). The bone mineral density of the right femur in the disuse osteoporosis group was significantly lower than that of the left one in the disuse osteoporosis group and the right one in the control group (P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference in the bone mineral density between left and right femurs in the control group (P > 0.05). These results imply that the model of disuse osteoporosis by ankle-tail fixation is established successfully. Disuse osteoporosis can promote the production of CTx further reducing bone mineral density; CTx is positively correlated with the degree of bone loss, so it can be used for therapeutic assessment and diagnosis of osteoporosis.
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Objective To investigate the effect of salinomycin on cancer stem cell formation of prostate cancer cell line DU145 and its possible mechanisms,providing theoretical basis for the clinical application of salino-mycin. Methods (1)DU145 cells were treated with salinomycin. The percentage of ALDH+cells,which was used as the marker of cancer stem cells,was detected by flow cytometry.(2)After treated with salmonin,DU145 cells were subjected to Western-Blot analysis for the expression of mTORsignal pathway-related proteins such as p-70s6k, p-p70s6,p-s6 and so on. 3)DU145 cells were treated with salinomycin combined with mTOR signal pathway inhibi-tor rapamycin,and the ALDH+cancer stem cells were detected using flow cytometer. Results (1)Salmonomycin significantly inhibited ALDH-positive cancer stem cells in DU145cell line(inhibition rate in 77.8%),which was twice as high as that of traditional anticancer drug paclitaxel(which has a inhibition rate of 38.64%). This results suggesting that salinomycin would have the effect of inhibiting cancer stem cells. (2)The expression ofm-TOR p-70s6k,p-p70s6 and p-s6 in mTOR signaling pathway was inhibited by salinomycin in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner,suggesting that salinomycin would inhibite mTOR signaling pathway.(3)Salinomycin combined with rapamycin can decrease the proportion of ALDH-positive DU145 cancer stem cells(inhibition rate in 77.95%), suggesting that salinomycin may inhibit ALDH-positive DU145 stem cells through the mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusion Salinomycin may play an important role in inhibiting cancer stem cells by inhibiting mTOR pathway signaling.
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Objective To compare differences and similarities of the content of trigonelline in Himalaica mirabilis of either wild or cultivated materials from different places. Methods An HPLC method was established to determine the content of trigonelline in Himalaica mirabilis. ZORBAX XDB-CN column (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) was used, with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.03%acetic acid (85∶15), flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, detection wavelength of 265 nm, determination wavelength of 360 nm, and column temperature of 30 ℃. Results Regression calculation was made on peak area with the reference solution concentration, and then got the regression equation A=23.409C-26.398, r=0.999 8. Trigonelline showed good linear relation with peak area among the range of 2.004-200.400 μg/mL. The average recovery of trigonelline was 99.57%, RSD=1.11%. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the content of trigonelline of either wild or cultivated materials from different places. This study laid the foundation of application of the cultivated Himalaica mirabilis.
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This study aims to investigate the relationship between odor and contents of the chemical compounds in Lonicera japonica, including chlorogenic acid, galuteolin and polyphenols. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to determine the contents of chlorogenic acid and galuteolin in L. japonica. The ponptent of polyphenols was determined by UV-Vis Spectrophotometry. Electronic nose was used to extract and measure the odor of L. japonica. Then SPSS 17.0 software was employed for data processing. There is a significant positive correlation between the comprehensive index value of aroma and the contents of chlorogenic acid and polyphenols. The regression equations have been established. However, the relationship between the comprehensive index value and the content of galuteolin is not obvious. This is proof that the odor of L. japonica has close connection with the chemical compounds. Therefore, this research offered a new method for initially determine or predict the content of the chemical composition in L. japonica,
Subject(s)
Chlorogenic Acid , Chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Methods , Electronic Nose , Lonicera , Chemistry , Odorants , Polyphenols , Chemistry , SmellABSTRACT
This study was aimed to establish the TLC identification method of Radix Mirab ilis himalaic a. The β-sitosterol and daucosterol were used as the reference substances. The single-factor test was used. A variety of factors which affected TLC were systematically investigated to filter out the best TLC conditions for identification of different batches of medicines. The results showed that the best TLC conditions were as follows: silica gel G plates, extraction solvent (methanol), reagent (5% sulfuric acid in ethanol), extraction method (ultrasonic extraction with methanol), ex-tracted time (30 min), the agent (petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-acetone (5:2:1)) and sample volume (6 μL). It was concluded that the method, which had high separation degree, was reproducible and simple. It can be used as the quality control of Radix Mirab ilis himalaic a.
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This study was aimed to apply the electronic nose (E-nose) in the research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The discussion was made on difficulties of using E-nose. The solution plan was proposed and the discrimination model was established. It provided a simple, rapid and effective analysi method in the identification of TCM. It also provided new ideas for the research and application of gas sensor arrays. E-nose was used in the ex-traction of TCM scent characteristics. Based on ion mobility spectrometry of MOS sensor, the fingerprint of TCM scent was established. The maximum response value of the sensor was used as analysis index. According to the diffi-culties of identification, two solution plans were proposed. Firstly, different detectors were employed to complete the classification. Secondly, radial basis function (RBF) and random forests (RF) were combined and then a cascade classifier was constructed in order to achieve the maximum of information obtained in conditions where the number of measurements, metal oxide semiconductor sensors in E-nose was limited. The results showed that both plans were accurate and practical with relatively high upper correct judge rate and better cross-validation (The highest upper correct judge rates were 95% and 100%, 96% and 80%, respectively). It was concluded that this study firstly ap-plied cascade classifier in the establishment of TCM identification by E-nose. With limited amount of sensors, the maximum information was received through data mining. Using E-nose in the identification of TCM was rapid and accurate. The established pattern recognition method was maneuverable with accurate identification rate and stability compared to conventional sensory identification method. It provided a simple and rapid analysis method for the iden-tification of TCM.
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Parthenogenetic activation is a procedure that an oocyte at meiosis II stage is activated into mitosis by some chemical or physical stimulation other than a sperm and the embryo is formed in the absence of any contribution from a male gamete. The activation of oocyte is the result of calcium ion oscillations and deactivation of some cytokines such as maturation promoting factor, mitogen-activated protein kinase and cytostatic factor. Parthenogenetic activation is artificially induced by various kinds of physical and/or chemical methods. The main activation method of human oocyte is chemical methods. The rates of activation and cleavage depend on the age, origin,and culture conditions of the oocyte.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Humans , Adenine , Pharmacology , Calcium , Metabolism , Cycloheximide , Pharmacology , Cytokines , Metabolism , Oocytes , Metabolism , ParthenogenesisABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the prevention of postexodontic complications by oral tissue patch embedded in socket after tooth extraction. Methods:200 patients with impacted mandibular third molar were divided into two groups at random with 100 in each group. In group 1 the oral tissue patch was put into the sockets after tooth extraction. Group 2 was the blank control.Postexodontic complications of the two groups were observed after treatment. Results:Dry socket (DS) incidence rate in group 1 and 2 was 1% and 8%(P