Clinical Observation of Reduning Combined with Recombinant Human Interferon α-2b in the Treatment of Children with Viral Pneumonia.

Purpose: To observe the clinical efficacy of Reduning injection combined with recombinant human interferon α-2b spray in the treatment of children with viral pneumonia. Methods: A total of 200 children with viral pneumonia over 2 years old who were admitted to the Pediatrics Department of the Cangzhou Central Hospital from September 2018 to November 2020 were recruited and randomized into the control group and observation group at a ratio of 1 : 1, with 100 cases in each group. The children in the control group were given recombinant human interferon α-2b spray, and the children in the observation group were given Reduning injection on the basis of the control group. The clinical symptoms and signs, clinical efficacy, levels of inflammatory mediators, and drug safety were compared between the two groups. Results: The t-test results showed that the disappearance time of body temperature, respiratory rate, pulmonary rales, and cough in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group. The chi-square revealed a significantly higher total effective rate in the observation group vs. the control group. After treatment, the levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP in the two groups were lower than the corresponding values before treatment, and greater reduction was observed in the observation group in relative to the control group (both p < 0.05). The two groups have a similar safety profile. Conclusion: Reduning combined with recombinant human interferon α-2b produces a remarkable effect in the treatment of children with viral pneumonia, and it ameliorates clinical symptoms and reduces inflammatory response with a good safety profile.

Forebrain GluN2A overexpression impairs fear extinction and NMDAR-dependent long-term depression in the lateral amygdala.

N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR)-dependent synaptic plasticity at the thalamus-lateral amygdala (T-LA) synapses is related to acquisition and extinction of auditory fear memory. However, the roles of the NMDAR GluN2A subunit in acquisition and extinction of auditory fear memory as well as synaptic plasticity at T-LA synapses remain unclear. Here, using electrophysiologic, molecular biological techniques and behavioral methods, we found that the forebrain specific GluN2A overexpression transgenic (TG) mice exhibited normal acquisition but impaired extinction of auditory fear memory. In addition, in vitro electrophysiological data showed normal basal synaptic transmission and NMDAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at T-LA synapses, but deficit in NMDAR-dependent long-term depression (LTD) at T-LA synapses in GluN2A TG mice. Consistent with the reduced NMDAR-dependent LTD, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) internalization was also weakened during NMDAR-dependent LTD in GluN2A TG mice. Taken together, our findings for the first time indicate that GluN2A overexpression impairs extinction of auditory fear memory and NMDAR-dependent LTD at T-LA synapses, which further confirms the close relationship between NMDAR-dependent LTD and fear extinction.

A convenient test for lipase activity in aqueous-based solutions.

We proposed a convenient and accurate method for the measurement of lipase activity in a uniform aqueous-based substrate solution. In this work, lipase from Candida rugosa was used as the model lipase to test its catalytic ability toward p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP), which was suspended in a mixture of p-NPP ethanol solution and buffer. An ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer was used to efficiently measure the liberated p-nitrophenol without extraction or centrifugation. Several factors that affected lipase activity were investigated, such as the ratio of p-NPP ethanol solution to buffer, the concentrations of p-NPP and lipase, as well as the temperature, reaction time, pH and agitation rate. Additionally, enzyme catalytic parameters such as Km, Vm and "activation energy" were also assessed. We determined the optimal conditions for lipase in this homogeneous system and demonstrated lipase's catalytic performance in this condition followed Michealis-Menten kinetics.

Preparation of coaxial-electrospun poly[bis(p-methylphenoxy)]phosphazene nanofiber membrane for enzyme immobilization.

A core/sheath nanofiber membrane with poly[bis(p-methylphenoxy)]phospha-zene (PMPPh) as the sheath and easily spinnable polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the core was prepared via a coaxial electrospinning process. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the morphology of the nanofiber membrane. It was found that the concentration of the PAN spinning solution and the ratio of the core/sheath solution flow rates played a decisive role in the coaxial electrospinning process. In addition, the stabilized core/sheath PMPPh nanofiber membrane was investigated as a support for enzyme immobilization because of its excellent biocompatibility, high surface/volume ratio, and large porosity. Lipase from Candida rugosa was immobilized on the nanofiber membrane by adsorption. The properties of the immobilized lipase on the polyphosphazene nanofiber membrane were studied and compared with those of a PAN nanofiber membrane. The results showed that the adsorption capacity (20.4 ± 2.7 mg/g) and activity retention (63.7%) of the immobilized lipase on the polyphosphazene nanofiber membrane were higher than those on the PAN membrane.

Synthesis of a novel water-soluble chitosan derivative for flocculated decolorization.

To increase the water solubility and cationic charges at pH 7, cationic moieties were introduced onto both the C(6)-OH and C(2)-NH(2) groups in the chitosan (CTS) matrix by graft modification. The chemical structure of the obtained copolymer was demonstrated by characterizations of FT-IR, (13)C NMR, WXRD, SEM. Its excellent decolorization properties as a novel flocculant were evaluated with the C.I. Reactive Orange 5 (RO 5) and C.I. Reactive Blue 19 (RB 19) solutions using a jar test method. Both the nature of the anionic dyes and the pH of the initial dye solutions had effects on the decolorization properties. Charge neutralization played a dominant role for the color removal at pH 4, while polymer bridging contributed mainly to the color removal at pH 7. For the given flocculant/dye solutions, added salt was not in favor of the flocculated decolorization. At 25 °C, the flocculant needed for the highest color removal at pH 4 was 60 wt% of the dye (RO 5 or RB 19), but that at pH 7 were 100 wt% of RB 19 and 120 wt% of RO 5, respectively.

New amphoteric flocculant containing beta-cyclodextrin, synthesis, characterization and decolorization properties.

To react with the cationic monomer, N-trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate chloride (TMAEMC), a beta-CD derivative carrying vinyl carboxylic acid groups (beta-CD-MAH) was designed and synthesized via esterfying reaction between beta-CD and maleic anhydride (MAH). Whereafter, a water-soluble amphoteric flocculant, the copolymer of TMAEMC and beta-CD-MAH (beta-CD-MAH-TMAEMC) has been synthesized by means of free radical copolymerization using the ammonium persulfate (APS) and sodium bisulfite (SBS) redox system as the initiator. The copolymer structure was demonstrated by FT-IR, (1)H NMR, SEM characterizations. Its excellent flocculated decolorization properties were evaluated with Acid Light Yellow 2G solutions using a jar test method. With the mass ratio of 1/10 (w/w) between the flocculant and dye, and at pH 4 and 20 degrees C of the initial dye solution, the maximum color removal reached. The charge neutralization played a dominant role during the flocculated decolorization process, although the inclusion of dye molecules into the cavities of beta-CD well maintained in side chain of beta-CD-MAH-TMAEMC also contributed to the conglomerates and floccules.