Relationship between drainage time and early efficacy after short-segment lumbar fusion / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:As a routine method after lumbar spine surgery,a drainage tube is convenient for postoperative bleeding drainage and management,and there is still no consensus on the choice of postoperative removal time for short-segment lumbar spine surgery with less risk. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of different drainage times on early clinical efficacy after short-segment lumbar fusion. METHODS:A prospective randomized controlled study was performed on 220 patients in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion for lumbar degenerative diseases from March 2017 to April 2021.According to the different drainage times,the patients were randomly divided into removal on the second day after operation(group A),removal on the third day after operation(group B),and removal after the observation method 24-hour drainage volume<30 mL(group C).The perioperative indicators and follow-up results of the three groups of patients were observed and compared. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Because 7 patients were lost to follow-up,2 patients were excluded,and 211 patients were finally included(72 patients in group A,71 patients in group B,and 68 patients in group C).(2)The average drainage time of group C was 2.91 days.The postoperative drainage volume in group A was significantly less than that in groups B and C,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).On day 3 after operation,the hematocrit value of group C was lower than that of group A and group B,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Postoperative activity time and hospital stay in group A were shorter than those in groups B and C,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)Four patients in group A,two patients in group B and three patients in group C received an allogeneic blood transfusion.There was no significant difference among the groups(P>0.05).(4)In terms of postoperative complications,there were no statistical differences in postoperative wound leakage and surgical site infection in all three groups(P>0.05).(5)All patients were followed up for more than 12 months.Visual analog scale score and Oswestry dysfunction index of the three groups of patients before discharge and at the last follow-up were significantly improved compared with those before surgery(P<0.05).There was no statistical significance among the groups(P>0.05).(6)It is indicated that the removal of the drainage tube on the second day after a posterior lumbar fusion can effectively reduce the time to get out of bed and hospital stay,without increasing the postoperative blood loss and the risk of complications.

Factors influencing phytohemagglutinin response in gamma-interferon release assay / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by gamma interferon release assay (IGRA). Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted on 360 hospitalized patients who received IGRA in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021. According to PHA response (IFN-γ level), they were divided into three groups: negative mitogen response group (IFN-γ<2 pg/ml), weak positive mitogen response group (IFN-γ: 2-100 pg/ml), and normal mitogen response group (IFN-γ>400 pg/ml).Results:Immune diseases were independently associated with negative (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.72, P=0.004) and weak positive mitogen responses (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.16-0.55, P<0.001). Infections caused by pathogens other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis was independently associated with negative mitogen response (OR=0.266, 95%CI: 0.09-0.83, P=0.023), while immunodeficiency was independently associated with weak positive mitogen response (OR=0.280, 95%CI: 0.12-0.63, P=0.002). Mitogen response was significantly correlated with the levels of albumin and hemoglobin in serum and the counts of neutrophils and lymphocytes ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Immune diseases and immunodeficiency can affect mitogen response. Therefore, clinicians should give attention to mitogen response in the interpretation of IGRA test results to prevent misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. Besides, to a certain extent, mitogen response can reflect the infection status of hospitalized patients.

Research progress of acupuncture in the regulation of surgery stress response. / é’ˆåˆºè°ƒèŠ‚æ‰‹æœ¯åº”æ¿€ååº”çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

In clinical practice, operative stress varies from surgeries, which may lead to many injuries such as ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), hyperactivation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS), post-traumatic immunosuppression (PTI), hypercoagulation and inflammation. Acupuncture is effective and advantageous in regulating the stress response to surgery. The great progress has been made in recent years of acupuncture research in postoperative visceral IRI, SNS hyperactivation, PTI, hypercoagulation and inflammation. By collecting the relevant evidences of acupuncture in this field, the application value of acupuncture involved in modulating surgical stress response and the progress of mechanism research are explored and summarized.

Consistency and Discrepancy between Visibility and PM2.5 Measurements: Potential Application of Visibility Observation to Air Quality Study.

High-quality measurements of air quality are the highest priority for understanding widespread air pollution. Visibility has been widely suggested to be a good alternative to PM2.5 concentration as a measure. In this study, the similarities and differences between visibility and PM2.5 measurements in China are checked and the results reveal the potential application of visibility observation to the study of air quality. Based on the quality-controlled PM2.5 and visibility data from 2016 to 2018, the nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) values between stations for PM2.5 and visibility-derived surface extinction coefficient (bext) decrease as the station distance (R) increases. Some relatively low ρ values (<0.4) occur in regions characterized by the lowest (background) levels of PM2.5 and bext values, for example, the Tibetan and Yungui Plateau. The relatively lower ρ for bext compared to PM2.5 is probably caused by the predefined maximum threshold of visibility measurements (generally 30 km). A significant correlation between PM2.5 and bext is derived in most stations and relatively larger ρ values are evident in eastern China (Northeast China excluded) and in winter (the national median ρ is 0.67). The abrupt changes in specific mass extinction efficiency (αext) imply a potentially large influence of alternation of visibility sensors or recalibrations on visibility measurements. The bext data are thereafter corrected by comparison to the reference measurements at the adjacent stations, which leads to a three-year quality assured of visibility and bext datasets.

Impact of interaction between NLRP3, TLR4 gene polymorphisms and triglyceride-glucose index on gout / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of triglyceride glucose(TyG) index, single nucleotide polymorphism of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) genes, and its interaction on the risk of gout.Methods:A total of 315 male patients with gout and 499 men for health checkup at the same period were selected. General data were collected through questionnaires, and peripheral venous blood was collected for biochemical test. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of NLRP3 and TLR4 were detected with multiplex ligase assay reaction, and logistic regression analysis was applied to compare the correlation between NLRP3 and TLR4 alleles and gout risk. The interaction of SNP and TyG index with gout was analyzed by generalized multi-factor dimensionality reduction(GMDR) model and logistic regression.Results:After adjusting for smoking, drinking, and other factors, the risk of gout increased by 61.1% for each standard deviation increase in TyG index. CC genotypes of rs10754558, rs10759932, and rs7525979 were high risk genotypes of gout in Han ethnicity. GMDR results showed significant differences in the interaction models of rs10754558-TyG index, rs7525979-TyG index, and rs10759932-TyG index between control group and gout group( P<0.05), suggesting an interaction between the three genotypes of SNPs selected and TyG index. Stratified analysis of the three selected SNPs and TyG index showed that after adjusting for age, smoking, and other factors, the high TyG index patients carrying C/C or C/G genotype at rs10754558 displayed an increased risk of gout compared with those carrying GG genotype and low TyG index( OR=2.127, P<0.05). Conclusion:The CC genotypes of rs10754558, rs10759932, and rs7525979 are high risk genotypes for gout in Han ethnicity. The interaction between rs10754558 and TyG index may increase the risk of gout development.

Construction of recombinant influenza virus expressing Gaussia luciferase and analysis of its in vitro biological characteristics / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To construct recombinant influenza viruses expressing Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) with different influenza virus backbones and analyze their growth characteristics, genetic stability, ability to express Gluc and in vitro anti-influenza drug activity. Methods:The C-terminal of PR8NA was modified by inserting the porcine teschovirus-2A autocleavage peptide (P2A) and the Gluc-coding gene. Recombinant viruses, PR8NAGluc/PR8 and PR8NAGluc/WSN, were rescued using the eight-plasmid system of influenza virus reverse genetics, with seven plasmids derived from A/Puerto Rico/8/34(PR8) (H1N1) and A/WSN/1933 (WSN) H1N1. The genetic stability of the recombinant viruses was verified by RT-PCR. The fluorescence activity and the growth kinetics of the two recombinant viruses were compared. The correlation between the fluorescence activity of PR8NAGluc/WSN and median tissue culture infective dose (TCID 50), and the anti-drug activity of PR8NAGluc/WSN against oseltamivir, favipiravir, and Lianhua Qingwen in vitro were also analyzed. Results:The Gluc-expressing recombinant viruses constructed using PR8 and WSN backbones were successfully rescued by reverse genetics. Compared with the PR8 backbone, the WSN backbone significantly improved the fluorescence activity of Gluc. Moreover, the PR8NAGluc/WSN virus expressed stably in embryonated egg, and its replication kinetics was slightly lower than that of wild type. The fluorescence activity of PR8NAGluc/WSN virus had a good correlation with its TCID 50. The PR8NAGluc/WSN virus was sensitive to oseltamivir, favipiravir and Lianhua Qingwen. Conclusions:The recombinant virus with a WSN backbone exhibited higher fluorescence expression intensity as compared with the recombinant virus with a PR8 backbone. This study provided reference for high-throughput screening of anti-influenza drugs and the development of influenza virus vector vaccines.

Establishment and application of activity determining methods for different subtypes of xanthine oxidoreductase / 药学学报

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR), the key enzyme catalyzing purine to produce uric acid, including two subtypes, xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XO), respectively, in vivo. Usually, XDH and XO can transform to each other. In this study, based on the principle that the subtype XO or XDH uses different electron acceptors, the methods for the measuring the activities of bovine milk XOR (pure enzyme) and its subtypes were established. The optimal concentrations of substrate xanthine (50 μmol·L-1) and electron acceptor NAD+ (50 μmol·L-1), pH value (7.80) were investigated. The ranges of the XOR, XO, XDH activity which could be determined were 0.97-17.5 U·L-1, 1-9 U·L-1, and 66-1 191 mU·L-1, respectively. Furthermore, the methods for determining the activities of XOR and its subtypes in mouse liver were established. The preparation of liver samples, the optimal concentrations of xanthine (100 μmol·L-1) and NAD+ (100 μmol·L-1) were researched. And the activity ranges of XOR, XO and XDH in mouse liver which could be determined were 0.67-3.98, 0.19-1.08, and 0.52-3.55 U·gprot-1, respectively. With the methods above, the effects of classic XOR inhibitor allopurinal (Allo) on XOR, XO and XDH from both milk and mouse liver were determined. All animal experiments have been approved by the Animal Experimental Center, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College (00003346). This study established new methods for the determination of XOR and its subtypes activity in pure enzyme system and in mouse liver, respectively, which were accurate and convenient. It laid the experimental foundation for exploring the different pathophysiological effects of XOR in the body and developing new XOR inhibitors.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of phenoxyacetic acid-based PTP1B inhibitors / 药学学报

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B is a potential therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes. Phosphotyrosine (pTyr) mimetics still dominate the currently available PTP1B inhibitors. The phenoxyacetic acid moiety was taken as a pTyr mimetic herein and phenoxyacetic acid-based compounds 2a-2g and 3a-3c were designed. Among them, compounds 2a-2g exhibited potent inhibition against PTP1B, and compound 2g showed an IC50 of 0.42 μmol·L-1 against PTP1B. Compound 2f exhibited pharmacological profiles similar to that of rosiglitazone, and could improve the insulin sensitivity and the serum total cholesterol level. The results suggest that PTP1B inhibitors might be effective in treating type 2 diabetes as well as associated metabolic syndromes.

Application of brain functional connectivity and nonlinear dynamic analysis in brain function assessment for infants with controlled infantile spasm / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the role of brain functional connectivity and nonlinear dynamic analysis in brain function assessment for infants with controlled infantile spasm (IS).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on 14 children with controlled IS (IS group) who were admitted to the Department of Neurology, Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital, from January 2019 to January 2023. Twelve healthy children, matched for sex and age, were enrolled as the control group. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were analyzed for both groups to compare the features of brain network, and nonlinear dynamic indicators were calculated, including approximate entropy, sample entropy, permutation entropy, and permutation Lempel-Ziv complexity.@*RESULTS@#Brain functional connectivity showed that compared with the control group, the IS group had an increase in the strength of functional connectivity, and there was a significant difference between the two groups in the connection strength between the Fp2 and F8 channels (P<0.05). The network stability analysis showed that the IS group had a significantly higher network stability than the control group at different time windows (P<0.05). The nonlinear dynamic analysis showed that compared with the control group, the IS group had a significantly lower sample entropy of Fz electrode (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Abnormalities in brain network and sample entropy may be observed in some children with controlled IS, and it is suggested that quantitative EEG analysis parameters can serve as neurological biomarkers for evaluating brain function in children with IS.

Current and recent cigarette smoking in relation to cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality in an elderly male Chinese population / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the association between current and former smoking and the risk of mortality in elderly Chinese men.@*METHODS@#Our study participants were elderly (≥ 60 years) men recruited in a suburban town of Shanghai. Cigarette smoking status was categorized as never smoking, remote (cessation > 5 years) and recent former smoking (cessation ≤ 5 years), and light-to-moderate (≤ 20 cigarettes/day) and heavy current smoking (> 20 cigarettes/day). Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines were used to examine the associations of interest.@*RESULTS@#The 1568 participants had a mean age of 68.6 ± 7.1 years. Of all participants, 311 were never smokers, 201 were remote former smokers, 133 were recent former smokers, 783 were light-to-moderate current smokers and 140 were heavy current smokers. During a median follow-up of 7.9 years, all-cause, cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths occurred in 267, 106 and 161 participants, respectively. Heavy current smokers had the highest risk of all-cause and non-cardiovascular mortality, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.30 (95% CI: 1.34-4.07) and 3.98 (95% CI: 2.03-7.83) versus never smokers, respectively. Recent former smokers also had a higher risk of all-cause (HR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.04-2.52) and non-cardiovascular mortality (HR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.32-4.37) than never smokers. Cox regression restricted cubic spline models showed the highest risk of all-cause and non-cardiovascular mortality within 5 years of smoking cessation and decline thereafter. Further subgroup analyses showed interaction between smoking status and pulse rate (≥ 70 beats/min vs. < 70 beats/min) in relation to the risk of all-cause and non-cardiovascular mortality, with a higher risk in current versus never smokers in those participants with a pulse rate below 70 beats/min.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Cigarette smoking in elderly Chinese confers significant risks of mortality, especially when recent former smoking is considered together with current smoking.

Establishment of culture system for selective amplification of CD8+ T cells in vitro and analysis of its functional and molecular phenotypes from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in malignant pleural/ascites / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To explore the culture method of mass amplification for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from malignant pleural/ascites in vitro, and identify the function and molecular phenotype of these amplified cells. Methods The pleural/ascites fluid was extracted under aseptic conditions, and lymphocytes were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. Then TILs were amplified by the program based on combined IFN-γ, OKT3 and IL-2, and the cell morphology and growth rate were recorded. The molecular phenotypes of the amplified lymphocytes were analyzed by Flow cytometry, and the killing ability against tumor cells was detected by CCK-8 assay. Results In this culture program, TILs remained in good condition until the 26th day, and the proliferation rate began to decrease on the 30th day. The proportions of CD4-CD8+ and CD8+CD56+ T cells gradually increased as cell culture time extended while the proportions of CD4+CD25+ T cells decreased gradually. Unlike the proportions prior to amplification, the proportions of SLAMF7, CD45RO, PD-1 and granzyme B positive cells in T lymphocyte subpopulation were significantly increased, meanwhile, the expression of exhausted T-cell marker CD57 was also gradually increased. The cytotoxicity of amplified CD8+ T cells from TILs was significantly stronger than that from PBMC, and the cytotoxicity reached the peak at the effect-target ratio of 10:1 and was significantly different among tumor cell types. Conclusion A culture program for TILs amplification from cancerous thoracic/ascites is established. The method is simple and efficient. The effector cells are mainly CD8+ T lymphocytes with active phenotype.

A preliminary study on the establishment of a subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center / 中华预防医学杂志

Allergic diseases can notably affect a patient's quality of life. World Health Organization (WHO) has identified these diseases as one of the key areas for research and prevention in the 21st century. Currently, allergen-specific immunotherapy is viewed as a potential treatment approach that could modify the natural progression of allergic diseases, thus being recognized as a crucial tactic in their prevention and treatment. Nonetheless, the broad implementation of allergen-specific immunotherapy in clinical settings continues to confront challenges. One significant issue is the absence of standardized centers for subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy. This article presents several perspectives and recommendations for establishing a standardized subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center.

A preliminary study on the establishment of a subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center / 中华预防医学杂志

Allergic diseases can notably affect a patient's quality of life. World Health Organization (WHO) has identified these diseases as one of the key areas for research and prevention in the 21st century. Currently, allergen-specific immunotherapy is viewed as a potential treatment approach that could modify the natural progression of allergic diseases, thus being recognized as a crucial tactic in their prevention and treatment. Nonetheless, the broad implementation of allergen-specific immunotherapy in clinical settings continues to confront challenges. One significant issue is the absence of standardized centers for subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy. This article presents several perspectives and recommendations for establishing a standardized subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy center.

Effect of a Novel Pocket Compression Device on Hematomas Following Cardiac Electronic Device Implantation in Patients Receiving Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Background: A pocket hematoma is a well-recognized complication that occurs after pacemaker or defibrillator implantation. It is associated with increased pocket infection and hospital stay. Patients suffering from atrial fibrillation and undergoing cardiovascular electronic implantable device (CIED) surgery are widely prescribed and treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). In this study, the use of a novel compression device was evaluated to examine its ability to decrease the incidence of pocket hematomas following device implantation with uninterrupted DOACs. Methods: A total of 204 participants who received DOACs and underwent CIED implantation were randomized into an experimental group (novel compression device) and a control group (elastic adhesive tape with a sandbag). The primary outcome was pocket hematoma, and the secondary outcomes were skin erosions and patient comfort score. Grade 3 hematoma was defined as a hematoma that required anticoagulation therapy interruption, re-operation, or prolonged hospital stay. Results: The baseline characteristics of both groups had no significant differences. The incidence of grades 1 and 2 hematomas was significantly lower in the compression device group than in the conventional pressure dressing group (7.8 vs. 23.5 and 2.0 vs. 5.9%, respectively; P < 0.01). Grade 3 hematoma occurred in 2 of 102 patients in the experimental group and 7 of 102 patients in the control group (2.0 vs. 6.9%; P = 0.03). The incidence rates of skin erosion were significantly lower, and the patient comfort score was much higher in the compression device group than in the control group (P < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the use of novel compression device was a significant protective factor for pocket hematoma (OR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.29-0.69, P = 0.01). Conclusions: The incidence of pocket hematomas and skin erosions significantly decreases when the proposed compression device is used for patients undergoing device implantation with uninterrupted DOACs. Thus, the length of hospital stay and re-operation rate can be reduced, and patient comfort can be improved. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR2100049430.

Differential Prognostic Implications of Pre- and Post-Stent Fractional Flow Reserve in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background and Objectives@#The influence of pre-intervention coronary physiologic status on outcomes post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not well known. We sought to investigate the prognostic implications of pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) combined with post-PCI FFR. @*Methods@#A total of 1,479 PCI patients with pre-and post-PCI FFR data were analyzed. The patients were classified according to the median values of pre-PCI FFR (0.71) and post-PCI FFR (0.88). The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years. @*Results@#The risk of TVF was higher in the low pre-PCI FFR group than in the high pre-PCI FFR group (hazard ratio, 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–2.87; p=0.011). In 4 group comparisons, the cumulative incidences of TVF at 2 years were 3.8%, 4.1%, 4.8%, and 10.2% in the high pre-/high post-, low pre-/high post-, high pre-/low post-, and low pre-/low post-PCI FFR groups, respectively. The risk of TVF was the highest in the low pre-/low post-PCI FFR group among the groups (p values for comparisons 0.05). When the prognostic value of the post-PCI FFR was evaluated according to the pre-PCI FFR, the risk of TVF significantly decreased with an increase in postPCI FFR in the low pre-PCI FFR group, but not in the high pre-PCI FFR group. @*Conclusions@#Pre-PCI FFR was associated with clinical outcomes after PCI, and the prognostic value of post-PCI FFR differed according to the pre-PCI FFR.

The correlation of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 with intra-stent restenosis after drug-eluting stent implantation / 中国医师杂志

Objectives:To investigate the correlation of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) with intra-stent restenosis (ISR) after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.Methods:A total of 227 patients with coronary artery disease, who were diagnosed with severe epicardial coronary stenosis by coronary angiography (CAG) and treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and DES implantation were enrolled in our study. After follow-up for 1-1.5 years, the CAG was performed and the patients were divided into ISR group and non-ISR (nISR) group according to the consequence of CAG. Biochemical data and multiple serum inflammatory factors such as Lp-PLA2, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were analyzed before the CAG. Multivariate logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the influencing factors of stent restenosis after DES implantation.Results:The level of serum Lp-PLA2 and the proportion of hypertension in ISR group were significantly higher than those in nISR group, and the level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lower than that in nISR group (all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in other biochemical indexes and inflammatory factors between the two groups (all P>0.05). The minimum lumen diameter of stent segment in ISR group was significantly lower than that in nISR group ( t=14.975, P<0.01), and the stenosis degree of stent segment diameter was significantly higher than that in nISR group ( P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Lp-PLA2 remained an independent predictor for ISR (1.011, 95% CI: 1.005-1.017). Only the serum levels of Lp-PLA2 had linear relationship with the degree of ISR by multivariate linear regression analysis ( β=0.790, P<0.01). Conclusions:Serum Lp-PLA2 level is independently associated with an increased risk of ISR in patients with coronary heart disease.

Construction and performance analysis of a microbial electrochemical sensor for monitoring heavy metals in water environment / 生物工程学报

A microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based microbial electrochemical sensor was developed for real-time on-line monitoring of heavy metals in water environment. The microbial electrochemical sensor was constructed with staggered flow distribution method to optimize the parameters such as external resistance value and external circulation rate. The inhibition of concentration of simulated heavy metal wastewater on voltage under optimal parameters was analyzed. The results showed that the best performance of MFC electrochemical sensor was achieved when the external resistance value was 130 Ω and the external circulation rate was 1.0 mL/min. In this case, the microbial electrochemical sensors were responsive to 1-10 mg/L Cu2+, 0.25-1.25 mg/L Cd2+, 0.25-1.25 mg/L Cr6+ and 0.25-1.00 mg/L Hg2+ within 60 minutes. The maximum rejection rates of the output voltage were 92.95%, 73.11%, 82.76% and 75.80%, respectively, and the linear correlation coefficients were all greater than 0.95. In addition, the microbial electrochemical sensor showed a good biological reproducibility. The good performance for detecting heavy metals by the newly developed microbial electrochemical sensor may facilitate the real-time on-line monitoring of heavy metals in water environment.

Study on specific antibodies in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and recipients of inactivated vaccine / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To detect the serum levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and recipients of inactivated vaccine in different periods for understanding their variation patterns in vivo. Methods:Chemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect the levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in 144 serum samples of 44 COVID-19 patients, 381 serum samples of 118 asymptomatic infected cases and 398 serum samples of 273 inactivated vaccine recipients collected at different periods. The results were statistically analyzed together with basic characteristics and vaccination status.Results:The positive rates of IgM antibody in COVID-19 patients, asymptomatic infected cases and inactivated vaccine recipients were 52.27% (23/44), 23.73% (28/118) and 14.29% (39/273). The positive rate of IgM antibody was higher in COVID-19 patients than in asymptomatic infected cases and vaccine recipients (χ 2=12.106, P=0.001; χ 2=34.755, P<0.001). The positive rates of IgG antibody in the three populations were 100.00% (44/44), 97.46% (115/118) and 98.81% (166/168), and the differences were not statistically significant (χ 2=2.944, P=0.229). In COVID-19 patients, the concentration of IgM antibody in <40 years old group was lower than that in ≥40 years old group (Waldχ 2=6.609, P=0.010), and the concentration of IgG antibody in patients with vaccination was higher than that in patients without vaccination (Waldχ 2=12.402, P<0.001). In asymptomatic infected cases, the concentration of IgG antibody was higher in people with vaccination than in those without vaccination (Waldχ 2=4.530, P=0.033). In SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients, the concentration of IgG antibody in <40 years old group was higher than that in ≥40 years old group (Waldχ 2=9.565, P=0.002). Dynamic analysis of antibody levels showed that from week 1 to week 9, the concentrations of IgM and IgG antibodies in COVID-19 patients were higher than those in asymptomatic infected cases and vaccine recipients. Conclusions:The concentrations of IgM and IgG antibodies in COVID-19 patients were higher than those in asymptomatic infected cases and inactivated vaccine recipients. COVID-19 patients aged ≥40 years had higher level of IgM antibody. COVID-19 patients and asymptomatic infected cases who had received vaccination had higher concentration of IgG antibody. Inactivated vaccine showed good immunogenicity after whole course of immunization, and the IgG antibody level in <40 years old group was higher.

Immune responses elicited by influenza A mRNA vaccine based on lipopolyplex-encapsulated virus nucleoprotein and matrix protein 2 extracellular domain fusion in mice / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the immunogenicity of a novel influenza virus mRNA vaccine based on conserved antigens delivered by lipopolyplex (LPP) platform in a mouse model.Methods:Four copies of genes coding for extracellular domain of matrix 2 protein (M2e) and nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus were synthetized after codon optimization. The fusion antigens were transcribed in vitro and delivered by LPP platform, named as LPP-4M2eNP. Expression of M2e and NP in eukaryotic cells was detected by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). BALB/c mice were inoculated intramuscularly twice with 10 μg or 30 μg LPP-4M2eNP vaccine at an interval of four weeks. Antibody response was detected by ELISA and cellular-mediated immunity (CMI) was detected by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT). Results:IFA showed that NP and M2e were expressed correctly in eukaryotic cells. Single dose immunization could induce significant antigen (NP, M2e)-specific CMI and antigen (NP, M2e)-specific antibody response was induced in mice with Th1 type bias after boost immunization. Moreover, NP-specific CMI was increased significantly after the second immunization, while no significant change in M2e-specific CMI was observed.Conclusions:Stronger CMI was triggered in mice by single dose of LPP-4M2eNP vaccine. Furthermore, robust humoral and cellular immune responses were induced after boost immunization. This study suggested that LPP-4M2eNP vaccine, which based on conserved antigen of influenza A and delivered by LPP platform, had great potential for development and application.

A cross-sectional investigation and analysis of early treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds by professional burn medical staff in China / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To assess the current situation of early treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds by professional burn medical staff in China, and to further promote the standardized early clinical treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was conducted. From November 2020 to February 2021, the self-designed questionnaire for the early treatment of partial-thickness burn wounds was published through the "questionnaire star" website and shared through WeChat to conduct a convenient sampling survey of domestic medical staff engaged in burn specialty who met the inclusion criteria. The number, region, and grade of the affiliated hospital, the age, gender, occupation, and seniority of the respondents were recorded. The respondents were divided into physician group and nurse group, senior group and junior group, eastern region group and non-eastern region group, primary and secondary hospital group and tertiary hospital group. Then the seniority, grade of the affiliated hospital, region of the affiliated hospital of the respondents in physician group and nurse group, conventional treatment of partial-thickness burn blisters, reasons for retaining vesicular skin, reasons for removing vesicular skin, and the conventional selection and optimal solution recommendation of topical drugs or dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage of respondents in each of all the groups were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test. Results: The survey covered 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China (except for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan regions). A total of 979 questionnaires were recovered, which were all valid. The 979 respondents came from 449 hospitals across the country, including 203 hospitals in the eastern region, 116 hospitals in the western region, 99 hospitals in the central region, and 31 hospitals in the northeast region, 348 tertiary hospitals, 79 secondary hospitals, and 22 primary hospitals. The age of the respondents was (39±10) years. There were 543 males and 436 females, 656 physicians and 323 nurses, 473 juniors and 506 seniors, 460 in the eastern regions and 519 in the non-eastern regions, 818 in tertiary hospitals and 161 in primary and secondary hospitals. There were statistically significant differences in the composition of different seniority in the respondents between physician group and nurse group (χ2=44.32, P<0.01), while there were no statistically significant differences in grade or region of the affiliated hospital of the respondents between physician group and nurse group (P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the conventional treatment of partial-thickness burn blisters among respondents between different occupational groups, seniority groups, and region of the affiliated hospital groups (P>0.05).The respondents in different grade of the affiliated hospital groups differed significantly in the conventional treatment of partial-thickness burn blisters (χ2=6.24, P<0.05). Compared with respondents in nurse group, larger percentage of respondents in physician group chose to retain vesicular skin for protecting the wounds and providing a moist environment, and alleviating the pain of dressing change (with χ2 values of 21.22 and 19.96, respectively, P values below 0.01), and smaller percentage of respondents in physician group chose to retain vesicular skin for prevention of wound infection (χ2=23.55, P<0.01). The reasons for retaining vesicular skin of respondents between physician group and nurse group were similar in accelerating wound healing, alleviating pigmentation and scar hyperplasia post wound healing (P>0.05). Compared with respondents in junior group, larger percentage of respondents in senior group chose to retain vesicular skin for protecting the wounds and providing a moist environment and alleviating the pain of dressing change (with χ2 values of 10.36 and 4.60, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01), and smaller percentage of respondents in senior group chose to retain vesicular skin for prevention of wound infection (χ2=8.20, P<0.01). The reasons for retaining vesicular skin of respondents in senior group and junior group were similar in accelerating wound healing, alleviating pigmentation and scar hyperplasia post wound healing (P>0.05). The 5 reasons for the respondents between eastern region group and non-eastern region group, primary and secondary hospital group and tertiary hospital group chose to retain vesicular skin were all similar (P>0.05). Compared with those in physician group, significantly higher percentage of respondents in nurse group were in favor of the following 6 reasons for removing the vesicular skin, including convenience for using more ideal dressings to protect the wounds, prevention of wound infection, facilitating the effect of topical drugs on the wounds, the likely rupture of blisters and wound contamination, accelerating wound healing, and alleviating pigmentation and scar hyperplasia post wound healing (with χ2 values of 4.35, 25.59, 11.83, 16.76, 46.31, and 17.54, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with respondents in senior group, larger percentage of respondents in junior group chose to remove vesicular skin for the reasons such as the likely blister rupture and wound contamination, preventing wound infection, accelerating wound healing, and alleviating pigmentation and scar hyperplasia post wound healing (with χ2 values of 17.25, 18.63, 14.83, and 10.23, respectively, P values below 0.01). Compared with respondents in non-eastern region group, larger percentage of respondents in eastern region group chose to remove vesicular skin for preventing wound infection and the likely rupture of blisters and wound contamination (with χ2 values of 9.30 and 8.65, respectively, P values below 0.01). The 6 reasons for the respondents between tertiary hospital group and primary and secondary hospital group choose to remove vesicular skin were similar (P>0.05). Compared with respondents in physician group, larger percentage of respondents in nurse group chose to use moisturizing materials for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (χ2=6.18, P<0.05), and smaller percentage of respondents in nurse group chose other topical drugs or dressings (χ2=5.20, P<0.05). Compared with respondents in junior group, larger percentage of respondents in senior group chose to use moisturizing materials and other topical drugs or dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (with χ2 values of 4.97 and 21.80, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with respondents in non-eastern region group, larger percentage of respondents in eastern region group chose to use topical antimicrobial drugs for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (χ2=4.09, P<0.05), and smaller percentage of respondents in eastern region group chose to use other topical drugs or dressings for the partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (χ2=5.63, P<0.05). Compared with respondents in primary and secondary hospital group, larger percentage of respondents in tertiary hospital group chose to use biological dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (χ2=9.38, P<0.01). The optimal solution recommendation of topical drugs or dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage varied significantly among the respondents between different occupational groups and seniority groups (with χ2 values of 39.58 and 19.93, respectively, P values below 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between eastern and non-eastern region groups, tertiary hospital group and primary and secondary hospital groups in optimal solution recommendation of topical drugs or dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage (P>0.05). Conclusions: The conventional treatment measures of partial-thickness burn blisters and reasons for preserving blister skin by professional burn medical staff in China are relatively consistent, but there are great differences in the selection of reasons for removing blister skin, the conventional selection and optimal solution recommendation of topical drugs or dressings for partial-thickness burn wounds in the early stage. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a clinical treatment standard for partial-thickness burn wounds.