Experiences of COVID-19 patients in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine COVID-19 patients' experiences in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China, to provide insights into the effectiveness of this centralised isolation strategy as a novel solution to patient management during emerging infectious disease outbreaks. DESIGN: This study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Data were collected by individual semistructured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. SETTING: This study was undertaken in 1 of the 16 Fangcang shelter hospitals in Wuhan, China between 28 February 2020 and 7 March 2020. Fangcang shelter hospitals were temporary healthcare facilities intended for large-scale centralised isolation, treatment and disease monitoring of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases. These hospitals were an essential component of China's response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 27 COVID-19 patients were recruited by purposive sampling. Eligible participants were (1) COVID-19 patients; (2) above 18 years of age and (3) able to communicate effectively. Exclusion criteria were (1) being clinically or emotionally unstable and (2) experiencing communication difficulties. RESULTS: Three themes and nine subthemes were identified. First, COVID-19 patients experienced a range of psychological reactions during hospitalisation, including fear, uncertainty, helplessness and concerns. Second, there were positive and negative experiences associated with communal living. While COVID-19 patients' evaluation of essential services in the hospital was overall positive, privacy and hygiene issues were highlighted as stressors during their hospital stay. Third, positive peer support and a trusting patient-healthcare professional relationship served as a birthplace for resilience, trust and gratitude in COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that, while sacrificing privacy, centralised isolation has the potential to mitigate negative psychological impacts of social isolation in COVID-19 patients by promoting meaningful peer connections, companionship and support within the shared living space. To our knowledge, this is the first study bringing patients' perspectives into healthcare service appraisal in emergency shelter hospitals.

Photoaffinity labeling of benzophenone-containing salicylanilide compounds to give an insight into the mechanism in disrupting peptidoglycan formation.

A series of salicylanilide compounds was previously identified as antibacterial agents that inhibit the peptidoglycan formation. To find the exact binding mode, we synthesized a benzophenone-containing salicylanilide compound (1) and used it as a photoaffinity probe to label Acinetobacter baumannii penicillin-binding protein (PBP1b). After incubation and photo-irradiation, the labeled protein was subjected to trypsin digestion, dialysis enrichment, LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, and Mascot search to reveal an octadecapeptide sequence 364RQLRTEYQESDLTNQGLR381 that was labeled at E372. Our molecular docking experiments suggest a hydrophobic pocket surrounded by R367 and E372 is the binding site of salicylanilide 1. The pocket lies in between the transglycosylase and transpeptidase domains, thus binding of salicylanilide 1 can block the propagation pathway to disrupt the growth of peptidoglycan chain.

Functional Correlates of Resting-State Connectivity in the Default Mode Network of Heroin Users on Methadone Treatment and Medication-Free Therapeutic Community Program.

The treatment of heroin addiction is a complex process involving changes in addictive behavior and brain functioning. The goal of this study was to explore the brain default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and decision-making performance based on the Cambridge gambling task in heroin-dependent individuals undergoing methadone treatment (MT, n = 11) and medication-free faith-based therapeutic community program (TC, n = 11). The DMN involved the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), left inferior parietal lobe (IPLL), right inferior parietal lobe (IPLR), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) subregions for all participants in both the MT and TC groups. Compared with MT, TC had an increased functional connectivity in IPLL-IPLR and IPLR-PCC and decreased functional connectivity in mPFC-IPLL and IPLL-PCC. Both groups exhibited no significant difference in the regional rs-fMRI metric [i.e., amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF)]. In the analysis of the neural correlates for decision-making performance, risk adjustment was positively associated with ALFF in IPLL for all participants considering the group effects. The involvement of IPL in decision-making performance and treatment response among heroin-dependent patients warrants further investigation.

Bronchopulmonary infection of Lophomonas blattarum: a case and literature review.

Human infections with Lophomonas blattarum are rare. However, the majority of the infections occurred in China, 94.4% (136 cases) of all cases in the world. This infection is difficult to differentiate from other pulmonary infections with similar symptoms. Here we reported a case of L. blattarum infection confirmed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid smear on the microscopic observations. The patient was a 21-year-old female college student. The previous case which occurred in Chongqing was 20 years ago. We briefly reviewed on this infection reported in the world during the recent 20 years. The epidemiological characteristics, possible diagnostic basis, and treatment of this disease is discussed in order to provide a better understanding of recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of L. blattarum infection.

Luteolin sensitises drug-resistant human breast cancer cells to tamoxifen via the inhibition of cyclin E2 expression.

Luteolin is a flavonoid that has been identified in many plant tissues and exhibits chemopreventive or chemosensitising properties against human breast cancer. However, the oncogenic molecules in human breast cancer cells that are inhibited by luteolin treatment have not been identified. This study found that the level of cyclin E2 (CCNE2) mRNA was higher in tumour cells (4.89-fold, (∗)P=0.005) than in normal paired tissue samples as assessed using real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis (n=257). Further, relatively high levels of CCNE2 protein expression were detected in tamoxifen-resistant (TAM-R) MCF-7 cells. These results showed that the level of CCNE2 protein expression was specifically inhibited in luteolin-treated (5µM) TAM-R cells, either in the presence or absence of 4-OH-TAM (100nM). Combined treatment with 4-OH-TAM and luteolin synergistically sensitised the TAM-R cells to 4-OH-TAM. The results of this study suggest that luteolin can be used as a chemosensitiser to target the expression level of CCNE2 and that it could be a novel strategy to overcome TAM resistance in breast cancer patients.

[Effects of huannao yicong recipe extract on the learning and memory and related factors of Abeta generation in the brain of APP transgenic mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Huannao Yicong Recipe (HNYCR)extract on the learning and memory ability, and the expressions of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), presenilin-1 (PS-1), and beta amyloid protein (Abeta)in hippocampus CA1 area of APP transgenic mice, and to explore its mechanisms for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Totally 3-month-old APP695V7171 transgenic mice were used to establish the AD model in this research. They were randomly divided into the model group, the Donepezil group, the large dose HNYCR extract group, the small dose HNYCR extract group, and the normal control group (C57BL/6J mice), 15 in each group. These animals were gavaged for 4 continuous months. Relevant indicators were detected: Morris water maze test was used to measure the spatial learning and memory ability. The immunohistochemical assay was used to detect the expressions of APP, BACE1, PS-1, and Abeta. RESULTS: The times of crossing the original platform and the swimming time and distance in the fourth quadrant of the 7-month-old APP transgenic mice were significantly reduced in Morris water maze test, when compared with the normal control group (P < 0.01). The times of crossing original platform and the swimming time and distance in the fourth quadrant of all treatment groups significantly increased in Morris water maze test, when compared with the model group (P < 0.05). The expressions of APP, BACE1, PS-1, and Abeta in hippocampus CA1 area of 7-month-old model mice increased significantly (P < 0.01), when compared with the normal control group. The expressions of APP, BACE1, PS-1, and Abeta in each 7-month-old intervention groups were significantly reduced, when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Early application of HNYCR extract can obviously improve the learning and memory ability of APP transgenic mice that has declined, reduce the expressions of APP, BACE1, PS-1, and Abeta in the hippocampal CA1 area, reduce the production of Abeta, and slow down the pathological process of brains in APP transgenic mice.

Effect of Huannao Yicong prescription [See Text] extract on ß-amyloid precursor protein metabolic signal transduction-related protein in brain tissue of dementia model transgenic mouse.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Huannao Yicong Prescription (, HNYC, a Chinese medical compound) extract on ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolic signal transduction related protein kinase C (PKC), tyrosine amyloid protein kinase (TrKA), and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) in brain tissue of transgenic mouse dementia model induced by APP. METHODS: Sixty dementia model transgenic 3-month-old mice induced by APP695V717I were randomly allocated in four groups: the model group (A), the Donepezil (0.65×10(-3) g·kg(-1)·(-1))-treated group (B), and the two HNYC-treated groups (C and D) with high dosage (2.8 g·kg(-1)·(-1)) and low dosage (1.4 g·kg(-1)·(-1)) of HNYC extract, respectively, 15 mice in each group. Besides, a normal control group was set up with 15 C57BL/6J mice with the same age and genetic background as the model mice. The drugs for treatment were administered once a day by dissolving in equal-volume distilled water through gastric infusion, continued for 6 months, to mice in group A and to normal control group equal-volume distilled water was administered instead. Spatial learning and memory capacity of mice were observed by Morris water maze; their one-time escape response memory capacity was tested by diving platform; and changes of PKC, TrkA, and GSK-3 levels in hippocampus and cortex of brain were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: HNYC extract showed significant effects on increasing the time of model mice for swimming through the flat roof and the swimming time and path in the fourth quadrant P<0.05 or P<0.01). Diving platform test showed that the latent times in Groups B and C were longer than that in Group A significantly (P <0.05 and P<0.01). Compared with the normal control group, PKC and TrkA protein expression levels in hippocampus and cortex of model mice's brain lowered significantly (P<0.01), while GSK-3 protein expression increased significantly (P<0.01); compared with Group A (the model group), hippocampal and cortical levels of PKC protein expression in the intervened groups (B-D) as well as those of TrkA in Group C were higher (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while hippocampal levels of GSK-3 in intervened groups were lower (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: HNYC extract could obviously increase the protein expressions of PKC and TrkA and decrease the expression of GSK-3 protein in brain tissue of transgenetic mice model of dementia, and regulate APP metabolic signal transduction path, and thus to suppress the production of Aß, which is one of the dominant mechanisms for improving learning/memory capacity of dementia model animals.

Effect of early intervention with extract of Huannao Yicong Decoction (还脑益聪方) on the pathologic picture of hippocampus and neurocyte apoptosis in APP transgenic mice model of dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of early intervention using extract of Huannao Yicong Decoction (, HYD) on the pathological picture of hippocampus, neurocyte apoptosis, and associated regulatory genes in ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice model of dementia. METHODS: Sixty APP695(V7171) transgenic mice were randomly divided into four groups of 15. The model group was treated with distilled water, the positive control group was treated with donepezil (0.65 mg/kg), and the two HYD groups were treated with high dose (2.8 g/kg) and low dose (1.4 g/kg) HYD, respectively. All testing drugs were administered through gastrogavage by dissolving in equal volume of distilled water, once a day for six successive months. In addition, a normal control group with 15 healthy C57BL/6J mice of the same age and genetic background was set up with distilled water treatment. The pathologic picture of brain tissue was observed by microscopy with HE stain; the amount of apoptosis cells in the hippocampal CA1 area was detected by TUNEL; and expressions of associated genes, Bcl-2, and Bax were determined by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Pathologic pictures of hippocampus showed that in the model group, cells messily arranged, neurons markedly decreased, and the surrounding tissue of some cells was loosened with edema, necrosis, and widened gap with glia cells proliferation. Compared with those in the normal group, the amount of apoptosis cells in the CA1 area was increased, Bcl-2 expression decreased, and Bax expression increased significantly, with markedly reduced Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the model group. Compared to the model group, the pathological changes were significantly milder in the HYD-treated groups, showing rather regularly arranged cells, significantly increased neurons, only few denatured necrotic cells with milder edema, less proliferation of glia cells, and obviously reduced cell apoptosis in CA1 area (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Besides, Bcl-2 expression was up-regulated and Bax expression down-regulated, and Bcl-2/Bax ratio significantly increased in the two HYD groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Early intervention with HYD could improve the abnormal pathologic picture of hippocampus and regulate the expressions of associated genes to suppress cell apoptosis, which might be its mechanism of action in alleviating cognitive functional disorder.

[Effects of early intervention with Huannao Yicong formula effective components on behavior and cholinergic system of ß-amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of early intervention with effective components from a Chinese herbal formula (Huannao Yicong formula, HNYCF) on behavior and related indicators of cholinergic system in ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice. METHODS: Sixty 3-month-old APP695 V717I transgenic mice were randomly divided into model group, high-dose HNYCF group (2.80 g/(kg·d)), low-dose HNYCF group (1.40 g/(kg·d)) and donepezil group (0.65 mg/(kg·d)), with 15 mice in each group. Fifteen non-transgenic mice of the same genetic background were used as normal group. The model group and normal group were fed with equal volume of distilled water by gavage. After 6-month continuous medication, the Morris water maze and the passive avoidance test were used to detect the visual spatial learning and memory ability of each mouse. Then the mice were decapitated and their cerebral cortex and hippocampus were isolated to homogenate by sonication. Contents of acetylcholine (ACh) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the homogenate were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and protein contents of cerebral cortex and hippocampus were measured by Coomassie brilliant blue method. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, high- and low-dose HNYCF and donepezil hydrochloride all improved spatial learning of APP mice in the Morris water maze. The ratio of swimming distance in the central area in the high-dose HNYCF group was longer than that in the model group (P<0.05). In the passive avoidance test, high- and low-dose HNYCF and donepezil hydrochloride improved memory function of APP mice by improving the escape latency and reducing the number of errors (P<0.05, P<0.01). High- and low-dose HNYCF and donepezil hydrochloride reduced the content of AChE, increased the activity of ChAT (P<0.01, P<0.05) and improved the content of ACh in hippocampus (P<0.05); high- and low-dose HNYCF and donepezil hydrochloride increased the content of ACh in cortex (P<0.05). Donepezil hydrochloride reduced the content of AChE in cortex (P<0.05), however, high- and low-dose HNYCF had no obvious influence (P>0.05). High- and low-dose HNYCF increased the content of ChAT in cortex (P<0.05), whereas donepezil hydrochloride had no obvious influence (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Early intervention with HNYCF effective components can improve the learning and memory ability of APP transgenic mice. The mechanism may be related to enhancing the function of cholinergic system.

[Effect of Bifidobacterium on the maturation and function of dendritic cell originating from blood monocyte].

OBJECTIVE: To study in vitro whether the bifidobacterium plays a role in the functioning of dendritic cell (DC) stimulating the proliferation of T lymphocyte, and has effect on the generation of cytokine secreted by the DC deriving from the normal adult peripheral blood monocyte. METHODS: Normal adult immature DCs were generated in induction from monocyte cultured with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). On the 7th day of cell culture, immature DCs were exposed to various dosage heat-killed bifidobacteria (100 microg/mL, 10 microg/mL), while the control group was exposed to the culture without heat-killed bifidobacterrium, LPS at 1 microg/mL was added to some cultures as positive control. The morphology of DC was observed by phase-contrast microscope and electron microscope. On the 9th day of the culture, the immune function of DC stimulating the proliferation of allogeneic T lymphocytes was examined by MTT assay. At the same time, the level of IL-12 in DC culture and the level of IFN-gamma in DC and T lymphocyte co-cultured supernatant were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: The phase-contrast microscope and electron microscope indicated that immature DCs stimulated by the heat-killed bifidobacterium had typical morphology characteristic to be similar to the morphology of mature DCs as positive control. The mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) test showed that by the stimulation of the heat-killed bifidobacterium, the induced DCs could remarkably stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T cells (P < 0.01), and the effect of high dosage (100 microg/mL bifidobacterium) experimental group was the strongest. After the stimulation of the heat-killed bifidobacterium, the level of IL-12 in culture supernatant of experimental group was higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). In the co-culture supernatant, the level of IFN-gamma in the control group was lower than that in the experimental groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bifidobacteria have effects on the differentiation, maturation and function of DC deriving from the monocyte: (1) The bifidobacterium can promote the maturation of DC morphology in vitro; (2) the bifidobacterium can promote the function maturation of DC by enhancing the ability to stimulate the T lymphocyte proliferation; (3) after the stimulation of the bifidobacterium, the level of IL-12 secreted by DC has been remarkably elevated, and the stimulated DC can promote the level of IFN-gamma secreted by T lymphocyte. The various dosages of bifidobacterium have different effect on the degree of DC maturation, and the that of the high dosage (100 microg/mL) bifidobacterium is the strongest.

[Effect of lipoteichoic acid of Bifidobacterium on survivin and its regulatory genes].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is designed to explore the anti-tumor effect of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) of Bifidobacterium on the expression of survivin in colon cancer LoVo cells and its possible regulatory mechanism. METHODS: The changes of survivin mRNA and protein in LoVo cells treated with LTA of Bifidobacterium were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Meanwhile, the expressions of pAKT (the key protein kinase in P13K/AKT signal transduction pathway), p53 and PTEN were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: There were overexpressions of survivin mRNA and protein in LoVo cells. After treated with different dose of LTA of Bifidobacterium, the expressions of survivin mRNA and protein were markedly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). Besides, the activity of pAKT was decreased significantly (P < 0.01) and the expression of p53 and PTEN was increased (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: LTA of Bifidobacterium can down-regulate the expression of survivin in LoVo cells through inhibiting the activity of PI3K/AKT signal transduction pathway and up-regulate the expression of p53. Accordingly, the activity of caspases is increased, and apoptosis of LoVo cells occurs ultimately.

[Influence of bifidobacterial whole peptidoglycan on cellular immune response induced by recombinant HBsAg].

AIM: To explore the effect of bifidobacterial whole peptidoglycan (BWPG) on cellular immune response to recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (rHBsAg). METHODS: BWPG was used as an adjuvant of rHBsAg to immunize BALB/c mice. The growth state and development of central lymphoid organ of immunized mice were observed. Then the killing activities of NK cells and CTLs, the proliferation and cytokine production of splenic lymphocytes were examined. RESULTS: After immunization with BWPG, no visible side effect was observed in immunized mice. The thymus and spleen tissues assumed hyperplasia appearance. The killing activities of NK cells and CTLs in spleen were enhanced. The proliferation of splenic lymphocytes was active and cytokine production was increased. CONCLUSION: BWPG can promote hyperplasia of central lymphoid organ and enhance the cellular immune response to rHBsAg.

[Effects of moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43) on expression of TGF-beta1 in the bleomycin -induced pulmonary fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of moxibustion arresting the pulmonary fibrosis and provide experimental basis for prevention and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis with acupuncture and moxibustion. METHODS: One hundred and forty SD rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: a blank group, a model group, a moxibustion group and a prednisone group, 35 rats in each group. The 3 groups expect the blank group were injected with bleomycin via trachea to induce experimental pulmonary fibrosis model, and 7 days after modeling, they were treated with moxibustion at bilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43), 3 cones each point, once each day, 10 days constituting one therapeutic course with an interval of one day between courses. After 3 courses, all rats were killed and expressions of TGF-beta1mRNA were detected with PCR method. RESULTS: The content of TGF-beta1mRNA in the pulmonary tissue in the moxibustion group and the prednisone group was significantly lower than the model group (P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference between the moxibustion group and the prednisone group (P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Both moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and Gaohuang (BL 43), and prednisone treatment can significantly suppress the expression of TGF-beta1mRNA in the pulmonary tissue in the rat of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The effect of transformation on the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Although pneumococcus is one of the most frequently encountered opportunistic pathogen in the world, the mechanisms responsible for its infectiveness have not yet been fully understood. In this paper, we have attempted to characterize the effects of pneumococcal transformation on the pathogenesis of the organism. We constructed three transformation-deficient pneumococcal strains, which were designated as Nos. 1d, 2d, and 22d. The construction of these altered strains was achieved via the insertion of the inactivated gene, comE, to strains 1, 2 and 22. We then conducted a comparison between the virulence of the transformation-deficient strains and that of the wild-type strains, via an evaluation of the ability of each strain to adhere to endothelial cells, and also assessed psaA mRNA expression, and the survival of hosts after bacterial challenge. Compared to what was observed with the wild-type strains, our results indicated that the ability of all of the transformation-deficient strains to adhere to the ECV304 cells had been significantly reduced (p < 0.05), the expression of psaA mRNA was reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in strains 2d and 22d, and the median survival time of mice infected with strains 1d and 2d was increased significantly after intraperitoneal bacterial challenge (p < 0.05). The results of our study also clearly indicated that transformation exerts significant effects on the virulence characteristics of S. pneumoniae, although the degree to which this effect is noted appears to depend primarily on the genetic background of the bacteria.