Progress of Research on Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Remission Overlapping Irritable Bowel Syndrome-like Symptoms / 胃肠病学

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory diseases with unknown etiology. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms may occur in IBD in remission, which has a negative impact on the quality of life and prognosis of the disease. This article reviewed the progress of research on epidemiology, pathological mechanism, diagnosis and treatment of IBD in remission overlapping IBS-like symptoms both at home and abroad, in order to provide references for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD in remission and the management of chronic disease.

SARS-CoV-2 disinfection in aqueous solution by UV222 from a krypton chlorine excilamp

There is an urgent need for evidence-based development and implementation of engineering controls to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19. Ultraviolet (UV) light can inactivate coronaviruses, but the practicality of UV light as an engineering control in public spaces is limited by the hazardous nature of conventional UV lamps, which are Mercury (Hg)-based and emit a peak wavelength (254 nm) that penetrates human skin and is carcinogenic. Recent advances in the development and production of Krypton Chlorine (KrCl) excimer lamps hold promise in this regard, as these emit a shorter peak wavelength (222 nm) and are recently being produced to filter out emission above 240 nm. However, the disinfection kinetics of KrCl UV excimer lamps against SARS-CoV-2 are unknown. Here we provide the first dose response report for SARS-CoV-2 exposed to a commercial filtered KrCl excimer light source emitting primarily 222 nm UV light (UV222), using multiple assays of SARS-CoV-2 viability. Plaque infectivity assays demonstrate the pseudo-first order rate constant of SARS-CoV-2 reduction of infectivity to host cells to be 0.64 cm2/mJ (R2 = 0.95), which equates to a D90 (dose for 1 log10 or 90% inactivation) of 1.6 mJ/cm2. Through RT-qPCR assays targeting the nucleocapsid (N) gene with a short (<100 bp) and long ([~]1000 bp) amplicon in samples immediately after UV222 exposure, the reduction of ability to amplify indicated an approximately 10% contribution of N gene damage to disinfection kinetics. Through ELISA assay targeting the N protein in samples immediately after UV222 exposure, we found no dose response of the ability to damage the N protein. In both qPCR assays and the ELISA assay of viral outgrowth supernatants collected 3 days after incubation of untreated and UV222 treated SARS-CoV-2, molecular damage rate constants were similar, but lower than disinfection rate constants. These data provide quantitative evidence for UV222 doses required to disinfect SARS-CoV-2 in aqueous solution that can be used to develop further understanding of disinfection in air, and to inform decisions about implementing UV222 for preventing transmission of COVID19. ABSTRACT ART / TOC GRAPHIC O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=122 SRC="FIGDIR/small/21252101v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (22K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14f15eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f26c01org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@190f5bdorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1f55346_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

Correlation of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and alkaline phosphatase with blood pressure in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in coastal regions of Shandong Province in China / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate whether there was a correlation between serum liver enzyme levels and blood pressure in the Chinese Han population with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Shandong coastal regions in China. Methods A total of 269 NAFLD patients who lived in Shandong coastal regions and attended or underwent physical examination in Qingdao Municipal Hospital from December 2019 to June 2020 were enrolled, among whom 105 had hypertension and 164 did not have hypertension. Morning blood pressure was measured to calculate mean arterial pressure (MAP), and laboratory tests were performed to measure the serum levels of liver enzymes [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)] and fasting blood glucose (FBG). The independent samples t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of four liver enzymes with the indices including MAP, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the impact of serum liver enzymes on hypertension. Results Compared with the non-hypertension group, the hypertension group had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), MAP, and GGT (all P < 0.05). For all NAFLD patients and the NAFLD patients without hypertension, male patients had significantly higher BMI, MAP, ALT, AST, and GGT than female patients (all P < 0.05), and for the NAFLD patients with hypertension, male patients had a significantly higher level of GGT than female patients ( P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the distribution of GGT between the hypertension group and the non-hypertension group, and compared with the non-hypertension group, the hypertension group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with GGT exceeding the normal range ( χ 2 =4.781, P =0.029). Serum GGT level was correlated with MAP within the normal range (70-105 mm Hg) ( r =0.178, P =0.011), while there was no significant correlation when MAP exceeded the normal range ( P =0.415). After adjustment for age and sex, the binary logistic regression model showed that AST level was positively associated with hypertension in the population with NAFLD (odds ratio [ OR ]=1.011, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.000-1.022, P =0.040), and after further adjustment for BMI and FBG, the results showed that AST level was still positively associated with hypertension ( OR =1.011, 95% CI : 1.000-1.022, P =0.044). Conclusion In Chinese Han population with NAFLD in Shandong coastal regions, higher levels of AST may predict an increased risk of hypertension.

Intranasal temperature-sensitive hydrogels of cannabidiol inclusion complex for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disease that seriously affects brain function. Currently, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to treat PTSD clinically but have decreased efficiency and increased side effects. In this study, nasal cannabidiol inclusion complex temperature-sensitive hydrogels (CBD TSGs) were prepared and evaluated to treat PTSD. Mice model of PTSD was established with conditional fear box. CBD TSGs could significantly improve the spontaneous behavior, exploratory spirit and alleviate tension in open field box, relieve anxiety and tension in elevated plus maze, and reduce the freezing time. Hematoxylin and eosin and c-FOS immunohistochemistry slides showed that the main injured brain areas in PTSD were the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus CA1. CBD TSGs could reduce the level of tumor necrosis factor-

Identifying novel factors associated with COVID-19 transmission and fatality using the machine learning approach

The COVID-19 virus has infected millions of people and resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. By using the logistic regression model, we identified novel critical factors associated with COVID19 cases, death, and case fatality rates in 154 countries and in the 50 U.S. states. Among numerous factors associated with COVID-19 risk, we found that the unitary state system was counter-intuitively positively associated with increased COVID-19 cases and deaths. Blood type B was a protective factor for COVID-19 risk, while blood type A was a risk factor. The prevalence of HIV, influenza and pneumonia, and chronic lower respiratory diseases was associated with reduced COVID-19 risk. Obesity and the condition of unimproved water sources were associated with increased COVID-19 risk. Other factors included temperature, humidity, social distancing, smoking, and vitamin D intake. Our comprehensive identification of the factors affecting COVID-19 transmission and fatality may provide new insights into the COVID-19 pandemic and advise effective strategies for preventing and migrating COVID-19 spread.

A new design immunotoxin for killing high-grade glioma U87 cells: from in vitro to in vivo.

A new wave of engineered antibodies, leading to increased effectiveness of functions such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity or complement-dependent cytotoxicity, is being evaluated in clinical settings. Several, such as immunotoxins, are expected to receive approval for usage soon. In this study, using a cognate heavy framework region (HFR2), two complementarity-determining regions (CDRs, i.e., LCDR1 and HCDR3) were fused to the first 388 amino acid residues of diphtheria toxin (DT388) to establish the immunotoxin IT-87. It was found that the mimetics of LCDR1-HFR2-HCDR3 retained the antigen recognition of their parent antibody. The immunotoxin IT-87 could especially kill the U87 MG glioblastoma cell line, the targets of the parent antibody, in vitro; however, the IT-87 could not kill Rajicells. In SCID mice bearing both U87 and Raji cells, the IT-87 directly targeted the U87-induced tumors (via tumor-specific surface markers) and inhibited the growth of the cells in vivo over a 20-day daily IT-87 treatment period. It is believed that the design of this particular immunotoxin could be the basis for even more promising molecules to be used in the treatment of human cancers.