Flight hormones as therapeutic target for novel Coronavirus infectious disease.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made more awful effect on wellbeing and economy worldwide on an extraordinary scale. Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), the principal receptor of SARS-CoV2, has been found to be communicated with Dopa decarboxylase in unwinding the connection of catecholamines with COVID-19 infection. Cardiovascular (CV) sickness, diabetes, hypertension, and related conditions cause significant risks during the current situation and the affected people are under basic observation around the world. The hypertension and diabetes are related with alterations in the degrees of catecholamines associated with renal gland. The naive form of renal dopaminergic framework is related with the expanded reabsorption of sodium resulting in downregulation of the ACE2 expression. Catecholamine biosynthesis is managed by counter-controlling angiotensin type 1R (AT1R) and angiotensin type 2R (AT2R), incitement of AT2 lessens catecholamine biosynthesis by means of a diminishing in cGMP levels likewise incitement of AT1 initiate catecholamine biosynthesis. This audit sums up the conceivable contribution of catecholamines in intense COVID-19 contamination and furthermore featured possible restorative adequacy of catecholamine flagging pathways against the incessant SARS-CoV-2.

TSLP regulates eotaxin-1 production by nasal epithelial cells from patients with eosinophilic CRSwNP.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (eCRSwNP) is characterized by Th2-skewed inflammation with eosinophilic infiltration. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) promotes the development of allergic inflammation. Although increased TSLP is found in eCRSwNP, little is known about whether TSLP regulates eotaxin-1 production, a potent eosinophil chemoattractant that recruits and activates eosinophils. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of TSLP in eotaxin-1 production in the eosinophilic inflammation of eCRSwNP. METHODS: Human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) from eCRSwNP patients were stimulated with recombinant human TSLP in the presence or absence of CYT387 (Janus kinase 1/2 inhibitor). Phosphorylated signal transducer activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) was measured by using immunocytochemistry. Eotaxin-1 expression was determined by using real-time PCR. Western blotting was used to detect the levels of p-STAT3 and eotaxin-1 protein. RESULTS: The treatment with TSLP induced STAT3 phosphorylation in HNECs, and promoted p-STAT3 nuclear translocation, leading to a time-dependent increase of eotaxin-1 expression. However, these effects were attenuated by CYT387 pretreatment. CONCLUSION: TSLP regulated eotaxin-1 production in HNECs via JAK1/2-STAT3 signaling, which might contribute to the eosinophilic inflammation of eCRSwNP.

[Analysis of Leishmania species and strains from China by RAPD technique].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze genetic relationship of Leishmania species and strains from China by RAPD technique. METHODS: DNAs from Leishmania strains, including L. donovani (L. d.) isolates from patients, dogs and sandflies of three different foci in China and international reference strains, were amplified by seven random primers. The DNA polymorphic bands detected were analyzed by clustering analysis with SPSS software. RESULTS: 1. L. d. isolates from hill and plain foci in China were divided into two groups. The genetic distance of L. d. isolates is distant between them. 2. L. d. XJ771, L. d. XJ901, L. d. XJ801 from desert, vicinity of desert, and plain regions in Xinjiang were in the same group. It indicated that the genetic distance among L. d. isolates from the three regions is close. 3. L. d. isolated from VL patients and dogs in hill foci could not be discriminated distintly, showing high homology between them. 4. L. d. DD8 from India, the reference strain of plain type, was clustered with L. d. isolates from plain foci in China. It provided scientific basis for the viewpoint "Kala Azar from east area of China is similar to that from India". 5. L. infantum and L. d. isolates from hill foci in China were clustered into different groups. 6. The genetic distance is close between L. d. isolates from plain foci in China and L. d. Jed; 7. L. infantum and L. tropica showed the closest genetic distance. CONCLUSION: Differences at genetic level exist in Leishmania isolates from different foci in China.

An Internet-based telediagnosis system for Chinese medicine.

The Internet is becoming an increasingly popular medium for communication and is being used more and more for telemedicine. Telediagnosis is one of the most developed components of telemedicine. We have designed and partly implemented a telediagnostic system, using the Internet as the means of communication, to enhance access to specialists and health providers in Chinese medicine.

Human herpesvirus 6 in hematologic diseases in China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The prevalence and pathogenic role of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in various benign and malignant hematologic diseases remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to search for a possible involvement of HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of hematologic diseases. DESIGN AND METHODS: The presence of HHV-6 DNA sequences was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in bone marrow mononuclear cells from 241 patients with benign and malignant hematologic diseases in China. Platelet-associated immunoglobulin (PAIg) of 66 idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients was measured by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The presence of HHV-6 DNA in sera from 31 ITP patients was examined by PCR. Paired serum samples from 19 ITP patients were analyzed for anti-HHV-6 IgG titers using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: HHV-6 DNA was detected in 41% and 37.5% of ITP and acute leukemia patients respectively, but in only 6.7% of patients with iron deficiency anemia. HHV-6 positivity for ITP patients with excessive PAIgG was significantly higher than in patients with a normal level of PAIgG. HHV-6 DNA was not detected in any of the serum samples from ITP patients. None of the 19 cases of ITP showed a significant increase in anti-HHV-6 antibody titers during the convalescent phase compared with the onset phase. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that HHV-6 infection might be associated with excessive PAIgG in some cases of ITP, and that the virus persists in a latent state. The pathogenic role of HHV-6 in ITP needs to be confirmed by further investigations.

A review of telemedicine.

Moving the information instead of the patient is often sufficient and telemedicine is a useful and potentially powerful tool which fulfils this idea. It has changed the classical form of health-care delivery by providing those people living in rural and remote areas with comparable services to those in urban areas. Equally, remote hospitals can obtain specialist consultations and diagnosis without the need for the patient to travel. We have reviewed the present status of telemedicine and its future possibilities.

The effects of VDT data entry work on operators.

The before/after study of physiological and biochemical parameters was used to delineate the effects of VDT data entry work on operators. Twenty-nine healthy Chinese students were chosen and divided at random into the simple and the complicated data entry group. The subjects were instructed to work as quickly and correctly as possible according to the 'Data Entry Work Programme' for 150 min. Work performance (correct entry) was automatically recorded once every 10 min. The before/after parameters were tested respectively. The results showed that performance fluctuated over time. It decreased obviously after 50-60 min of work, followed by a rebound, and there was a terminal motivation phenomenon at the end of the test, which was associated with the auto-arousal and cerebral compensatory effort. Changes in physiological parameters revealed that operators were fatigued after data entry work. The adrenaline excretion in urine showed a tendency to increase after simple data entry work. The noradrenaline excretion showed a tendency to decrease after complicated data entry work. The differences in performance, diastolic blood pressure in a standing position and neurobehaviour between two groups indicated that much stress was experienced when performing complicated data entry work.

Regional cerebral glucose utilization measured with [14C]glucose in brief experiments.

A method was developed to measure regional cerebral glucose utilization (rCMRGlc) in very short times using autoradiography and [2- 14C]glucose. It includes a more comprehensive mathematical treatment than prototypes and allows greater experimental flexibility. The current model takes into account the exchange of glucose between plasma and brain as a function of the plasma glucose concentration and rCMRGlc. The loss of 14C as 14CO2, although relatively small, is also calculated and the results corrected accordingly. Fully metabolizable radiolabeled glucose was chosen as the tracer, because it most closely resembles the natural substrate. Glucose is more rapidly phosphorylated than analogues such as 2-deoxyglucose and the 14C accumulated within intermediary metabolites soon account for most of the radioactivity in cerebral tissue. Furthermore, no special constant is necessary to adjust the rates as is the case when analogues are used. Excellent anatomic resolution was achieved when the technique was used to determine rCMRGlc in experiments as short as 5 min. By taking this approach, more short-lived phenomena may be studied under more diverse conditions than was previously possible.

Glucose availability to individual cerebral structures is correlated to glucose metabolism.

Regional cerebral glucose influx was measured using quantitative autoradiography after the intravenous infusion of [2-14C]glucose for a period of 10 or 20 s. Glucose influx varied considerably among structures over an almost threefold range. When compared with rates of regional glucose utilization, a significant correlation by region was found between glucose influx and utilization, demonstrating that the glucose supply to individual cerebral structures is closely matched to their metabolic needs.