Xinyang flavivirus, from Haemaphysalis flava ticks in Henan Province, China, defines a basal, likely tick-only Orthoflavivirus clade.

Tick-borne orthoflaviviruses (TBFs) are classified into three conventional groups based on genetics and ecology: mammalian, seabird and probable-TBF group. Recently, a fourth basal group has been identified in Rhipicephalus ticks from Africa: Mpulungu flavivirus (MPFV) in Zambia and Ngoye virus (NGOV) in Senegal. Despite attempts, isolating these viruses in vertebrate and invertebrate cell lines or intracerebral injection of newborn mice with virus-containing homogenates has remained unsuccessful. In this study, we report the discovery of Xinyang flavivirus (XiFV) in Haemaphysalis flava ticks from Xìnyáng, Henan Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis shows that XiFV was most closely related to MPFV and NGOV, marking the first identification of this tick orthoflavivirus group in Asia. We developed a reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR assay to screen wild-collected ticks and egg clutches, with absolute infection rates of 20.75 % in adult females and 15.19 % in egg clutches, suggesting that XiFV could be potentially spread through transovarial transmission. To examine potential host range, dinucleotide composition analyses revealed that XiFV, MPFV and NGOV share a closer composition to classical insect-specific orthoflaviviruses than to vertebrate-infecting TBFs, suggesting that XiFV could be a tick-only orthoflavivirus. Additionally, both XiFV and MPFV lack a furin cleavage site in the prM protein, unlike other TBFs, suggesting these viruses might exist towards a biased immature particle state. To examine this, chimeric Binjari virus with XIFV-prME (bXiFV) was generated, purified and analysed by SDS-PAGE and negative-stain transmission electron microscopy, suggesting prototypical orthoflavivirus size (~50 nm) and bias towards uncleaved prM. In silico structural analyses of the 3'-untranslated regions show that XiFV forms up to five pseudo-knot-containing stem-loops and a prototypical orthoflavivirus dumbbell element, suggesting the potential for multiple exoribonuclease-resistant RNA structures.

Transcriptome modulation by endophyte drives rice seedlings response to Pb stress.

This study investigated the growth, SPAD value, chlorophyll fluorescence and transcriptome response of endophyte uninoculated and inoculated rice seedlings under Pb stress after treatment of 1 d and 5 d. Inoculation of endophytes significantly improved the plant height, SPAD value, Fv/F0, Fv/Fm and PIABS by 1.29, 1.73, 0.16, 1.25 and 1.90 times on the 1 d, by 1.07, 2.45, 0.11, 1.59 and 7.90 times on the 5 d, respectively, however, decreased the root length by 1.11 and 1.65 times on the 1 d and 5 d, respectively under Pb stress. Analysis of rice seedlings leaves by RNA-seq, there were 574 down-regulated and 918 up-regulated genes after treatment of 1 d, 205 down-regulated and 127 up-regulated genes after treatment of 5 d, of which 20 genes (11 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated) exhibited the same changing pattern after treatment of 1 d and 5 d. Using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) to annotate these DEGs, and it was found that many of DEGs involved in photosynthesis, oxidative detoxification, hormone synthesis and signal transduction, protein phosphorylation/kinase and transcription factors. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of interaction between endophyte and plants under heavy metal stress, and contribute to agricultural production in limited environments.

Systems Pharmacology-Based Identification of Mechanisms of Action of Bolbostemma paniculatum for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Traditional Chinese medicine has widely used Bolbostemma paniculatum to treat diseases, including cancer, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the potential pharmacological mechanisms of "Tu Bei Mu" (TBM), the Chinese name for Bolbostemmatis Rhizoma, the dry tuber of B. paniculatum, for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS The active components and putative therapeutic targets of TBM were explored using SwissTargetPrediction, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and Search Tool for Interactions of Chemicals (STITCH). The HCC-related target database was built using DrugBank, DisGeNet, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). A protein-protein interaction network of the common targets was constructed, based on the matches between TBM potential targets and HCC-related targets, using Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of the cluster networks were used to elucidate the biological functions of TBM. RESULTS Pharmacological network diagrams of the TBM compound-target network and HCC-related target network were successfully constructed. A total of 22 active components, 191 predicted biological targets of TBM, and 3775 HCC-related targets were identified. Through construction of an HCC-related target database and a protein-protein interaction network of the common targets, TBM was predicted to be effective in treating HCC mainly through the PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, p53, and PPAR signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS The PI3K/Akt, HIF1, p53, and PPAR pathways may play vital roles in TBM treatment of HCC. Also, the potential anti-cancer effect of TBM on HCC appears to stem from the synergetic effect of multiple targets and mechanisms.

[Course Design and Discussions of Integrating Ideological and Political Theories Education in Medical Laboratory Pathways and Their Clinical Application].

Specialty courses are an important carrier for driving forward the education reform of integrating ideological and political theories education in all courses and implementing the philosophy of fostering character through moral education. Medical Laboratory Pathways and Their Clinical Applicationis an undergraduate specialty course offered by the Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University. The paper is based on the campaign of Integrating Ideological and Political Theories Education in All Courses and takes into consideration the features of the medical laboratory technology specialty. The paper proposes the organic unity of knowledge and skills teaching objectives and emotions and value-guided teaching objectives. In regard to the teaching content, horizontal integration was carried out, transforming the design of the course content from being laboratory test-centered to being disease-centered. Ideological and political theories education was organically incorporated in the content of the specialty course, assigning to the course the important task of values guidance. In addition, we made discussions on course design and instruction of Medical Laboratory Pathways and Their Clinical Application mainly in regard to the instruction, teaching methodology, and the form of classroom instruction of the course. We hope that the paper will provide useful information and reference for the ongoing education reform of the medical laboratory technology specialty under the new circumstances.

[Clinical Value of Cystatin C-Based Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Assessing Short-Term Mortality in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Treated with Artificial Liver Support System].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of using cystatin c-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR-CysC) in assessing the prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) patients treated with artificial liver support system (ALSS). METHODS: A total of 364 HBV-ACLF inpatients treated with ALSS at our hospital were enrolled retrospectively in the study. The patients were divided into the survival group ( n=269) and non-survival group ( n=95) according to mortality within 28 d, and their clinical information and laboratory data were analyzed for assessing short-term prognostic values. RESULTS: Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified eGFR-CysC as one of the independent risk factors associated with mortality within 28 days in HBV-ACLF patients (the hazard ratio=0.987; 95% confidence interval, 0.979-0.996, P=0.003). In addition, baseline eGFR-CysC was negatively correlated with the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score ( r=-0.439, P<0.001), MELD plus sodium (MELD-Na) score ( r=-0.481, P<0.001) and Chronic Liver Failure Consortium ACLF (CLIF-C ACLF) score ( r=-0.340, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed area under the curve ( AUC) of eGFR-CysC were 0.639, 0.697, 0.716, 0.749 and the best cut-off value were 70.620, 67.525, 61.725, 64.685 mL/(min·1.73 m 2), respectively, for baseline value and the first, second, and third treatment with ALSS. CONCLUSION: eGFR-CysC could be used to assist clinical assessment of short-term mortality in HBV-ACLF patients treated with ALSS, and has better clinical application value for dynamic monitoring.

Dynamics of NK, CD8 and Tfh cell mediated the production of cytokines and antiviral antibodies in Chinese patients with moderate COVID-19.

Recent studies have demonstrated a marked decrease in peripheral lymphocyte levels in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Few studies have focused on the changes of NK, T- and B-cell subsets, inflammatory cytokines and virus-specific antibodies in patients with moderate COVID-19. A total of 11 RT-PCR-confirmed convalescent patients with COVID-19 and 11 patients with non-SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (control patients) were enrolled in this study. NK, CD8+ T, CD4+ T, Tfh-like and B-cell subsets were analysed using flow cytometry. Cytokines and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were analysed using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. NK cell counts were significantly higher in patients with COVID-19 than in control patients (P = 0.017). Effector memory CD8+ T-cell counts significantly increased in patients with COVID-19 during a convalescent period of 1 week (P = 0.041). TIM-3+ Tfh-like cell and CD226+ Tfh-like cell counts significantly increased (P = 0.027) and decreased (P = 0.022), respectively, during the same period. Moreover, ICOS+ Tfh-like cell counts tended to decrease (P = 0.074). No abnormal increase in cytokine levels was observed. The high expression of NK cells is important in innate immune response against SARS-CoV-2. The increase in effector memory CD8+ T-cell counts, the up-regulation of inhibitory molecules and the down-regulation of active molecules on CD4+ T cells and Tfh-like cells in patients with COVID-19 would benefit the maintenance of balanced cellular and humoural immune responses, may prevent the development of severe cases and contribute to the recovery of patients with COVID-19.

Comparison of urine and blood NGAL for early prediction of delayed graft function in adult kidney transplant recipients: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil gelatinase-assoicated lipocalin (NGAL) appears to be a promising proximal tubular injury biomarker for early prediction of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant recipients. However, its predictive values in urine and blood were varied among different studies. Here, we performed the meta-analysis to compare the predictive values of urine NGAL (uNGAL) and blood NGAL (bNGAL) for DGF in adult kidney transplant recipients. METHODS: We systematically searched Medline, Cochrane library and Embase for relevant studies from inception to May 2018. The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves, the pooled sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were used to evaluate the prognostic performance of uNGAL and bNGAL for the identification of DGF. RESULTS: A total of 1036 patients from 14 eligible studies were included in the analysis. 8 studies focused on NGAL in urine and 6 reported NGAL in serum or plasma. The composite area under the ROC (AUC) for 24 h uNGAL was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.89-0.94) and the overall DOR for 24 h uNGAL was 24.17(95% CI, 9.94-58.75) with a sensitivity of 0.88 (95% CI, 0.75-0.94) and a specificity of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.68-0.89). The composite AUC for 24 h bNGAL was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93-0.97) and the overall DOR for 24 h bNGAL was 43.11 (95% CI, 16.43-113.12) with a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.81-0.96) and a specificity of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78-0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Urine and serum/plasma NGAL were valuable biomarkers for early identification of DGF in kidney transplantation. In addition, the bNGAL was superior to uNGAL in early prediction of DGF.

3-Acetyl-oleanolic acid ameliorates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high fat diet-treated rats by activating AMPK-related pathways.

3-Acetyl-oleanolic acid (3Ac-OA) is a derivative of oleanolic acid (OA), which has shown therapeutic beneficial effects on diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In this study we investigated whether 3Ac-OA exerted beneficial effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats and its potential underlying mechanisms. Treatment with 3Ac-OA (1-100 µmol/L) dose-dependently decreased the intracellular levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in FFA-treated primary rat hepatocytes and human HepG2 cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, oil red staining studies showed that 3Ac-OA caused dose-dependent decrease in the number of lipid droplets in FFA-treated primary rat hepatocytes. SD rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks and subsequently treated with 3Ac-OA (60, 30, 15 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 4 weeks. 3Ac-OA administration significantly decreased the body weight, liver weight and serum TC, TG, LDL-C levels in HFD rats. Furthermore, 3AcOA administration ameliorated lipid accumulation and cell apoptosis in the liver of HFD rats. Using adipokine array analyses, we found that the levels of 11 adipokines (HGF, ICAM, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, IGFBP-5, IGFBP-6, lipocalin-2, MCP-1, M-CSF, Pref-1 and RAGE) were increased by more than twofold in the serum of 3Ac-OA-treated rats, whereas ICAM, IGF-1 and lipocalin-2 had levels increased by more than 20-fold. Moreover, 3Ac-OA administration significantly increased the expression of glucose transporter type 2 (GLUT-2) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), as well as the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), protein kinase B (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK-3ß) in the liver tissues of HFD rats. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that 3Ac-OA exerts a protective effect against hyperlipidemia in NAFLD rats through AMPK-related pathways.

The influence of living donor SHROOM3 and ABCB1 genetic variants on renal function after kidney transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: A genome-wide association study has identified several gene polymorphisms associated with loss of renal function. The effect of these variants on renal function in kidney transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive treatment is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of 189 kidney transplant recipients and their living donors were recruited from West China Hospital of Sichuan University, on whom we assessed the association of five single nucleotide polymorphisms with renal function after kidney transplantation. RESULTS: Glomerular filtration rate estimated by serum creatinine was significantly higher in recipients carrying allograft with the A allele at rs17319721 in SHROOM3 (shroom family member 3) than those in the group with the GG genotype from month 1 to month 6 after transplantation (P=0.020). Covariate adjustment analysis showed that the variant at rs17319721 in SHROOM3 was an independent risk factor for renal dysfunction after the first month after transplantation (P=0.022). The estimated glomerular filtration rate was the lowest in recipients with allograft carrying both the A allele at rs17319721 in SHROOM3 and the CC genotype at rs1045642 in ABCB1 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The genetic variants in SHROOM3 and ABCB1 in donors were associated closely with renal function after kidney transplantation.

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of mycophenolate mofetil in younger and elderly renal transplant recipients.

AIMS: Elderly transplant recipients have a lower incidence of acute rejection, and a higher risk to die from infectious complications. A potential cause may be differences in the pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) of the immunosuppressive drugs they are taking. This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate the influence of age on the PK and PD of mycophenolic acid (MPA). METHODS: In this study the PK and PD of MPA was studied in 26 elderly and 54 younger renal transplant recipients treated with mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus. Patients were sampled repetitively, both before and during the first 6 months after kidney transplantation. Age-related variability in MPA PK, baseline IMPDH activity, as well as MPA-induced IMPDH inhibition were studied. RESULTS: The IMPDH activity pre-transplantation did not differ between elderly and younger patients. Neither IMPDH activity pre-transplantation nor maximum IMPDH inhibition was significantly correlated with the patients' age. The area under the MPA plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-12h ) and the area under the effect (IMPDH activity)-time curve (AEC0-12h ) from 0 to 12 h were also not significantly different between the two groups. We found no significant differences in EC50 and Emax between elderly and younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: Age did not significantly affect the PK or PD of MPA. It is unlikely that the lower incidence of acute rejection in elderly patients, or the higher risk to die from a severe infection in elderly patients is due to different handling of MPA in the elderly.

[Diagnostic Value of Immunofixation Electrophoresis and KAP/LAM Ratio in Multiple Myeloma Patients with Renal Injury].

OBJECTIVES: To explore the diagnostic value of immunofixation electrophoresis and Kappa/Lambda (KAP/LAM) ratio in multiple myeloma patients with renal injury. METHODS: The serum of 822 patients of renal disease were collected for the examnation of immunofixation electrophoresis, KAP/LAM ratio, serum immunoglobulin levels and renal function, including serum urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Crea), cystatin C (Cys-C) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). To analyze the diagnostic value of immunofixation and KAP/LAM ratio in the differentiation of renal injury of multiple myeloma from primary renal injury diseases. RESULTS: M protein was observed in 75 patients (9.1%). The ratio of each type was IgG 49.3%(37/75), IgA 34.7%(26/75), IgM 5.3%(4/75) and LAM 10.7%(8/75). There was significant difference of KAP/LAM ratio between M protein group and non-M protein group. The KAP/LAM ratio was significant higher in KAP group, compared to non-M protein group. Reverse result was obtained in LAM group. There were higher Crea level and lower eGFR value in pure LAM light chain group, compared with IgG, IgA and IgM groups. CONCLUSIONS: Immunofixation electrophoresis and KAP/LAM ratio may play an important role in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma patients with renal injury, so could be early screening markers.

P16INK4A and survivin: Diagnostic and prognostic markers in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the the correlations of p16INK4A (p16) and survivin expressions with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: The p16 and survivin expressions were detected in 50 cervical squamous cell carcinoma tissues, 150 various grades of CIN tissues and 30 normal cervical tissues using immunohistochemistry. All data were analyzed applying SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: The p16 and survivin expressions showed the presence of statistical significance in cervical cancer, CINI, CINII, CINIII and normal cervical tissues (P<0.05), and the comparison also revealed statistical significance among groups (all P<0.05); the p16 and survivin expressions were positively correlated with the grade of cervical diseases (both P<0.05). Moreover, p16 protein was associated with CIN grade and lymph node metastases in cervical cancer (all P<0.05); survivin protein was also related with clinical stages, CIN grade and lymph node metastases (all P<0.05); the p16 and survivin expressions were positively correlated with cervical cancer (r=0.854, P<0.001), and associated with poor prognosis of cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Briefly, p16 and survivin expression may be correlated with the clinico-pathological and prognosis of cervical cancer.

The effect of thalassemia on erythrocyte reference intervals in a representative Han Chinese adult population.

BACKGROUND: The data from apparently healthy individuals with thalassemia has been demonstrated to have an effect on the reference intervals for the erythrocyte indices in areas with a high incidence of thalassemia. METHODS: Six clinical centers screened apparently healthy individuals using a questionnaire and a physical examination. Then, the qualified reference individuals were selected by hematological indices and a genotypic thalassemia diagnosis. Statistical comparisons were conducted for the erythrocyte reference intervals in the Chinese population with and without thalassemia. The constituent ratios and the mean (SD) of erythrocyte indices according to the thalassemia genotype were calculated. The relationship between the MCV values and the thalassemia genotype was also estimated. RESULTS: 4,636 reference individuals were included using hematological indices and genotypic thalassemia screening. The results of the erythrocyte reference intervals for individuals in Guangzhou with thalassemia demonstrated that the RBC, MCV, and MCH values significantly differed by gender compared with other regions (p < 0.01). In contrast, for individuals without thalassemia, the results tended to be similar and clinically acceptable. In addition, the results of the erythrocyte indices revealed significant differences among α-thalassemia patients, ß-thalassemia patients, and the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Apparently healthy individuals with thalassemia in the high prevalence zone of thalassemia could not be excluded by the questionnaire, physical examination or laboratory indices (Fe < 6 µmol/L, Hb < 90 g/L). The screening of genotypic thalassemia based on the MCV or MCH values to exclude unqualified individuals is the most effective way to obtain accurate and reliable reference intervals for the erythrocyte indices.

Predictive Value of Free ß-hCG Multiple of the Median for Women with Preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is relatively common and is unpredictable in its onset and progression. AIMS: We investigated the clinical value of using the multiple of the median (MoM) of free ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) concentrations in women with normal pregnancy and PE. METHODS: This study was based on a dataset available from published studies, and the relevant studies were retrieved from multiple electronic databases. Data were extracted from case-control studies; a random-effects model was employed, and standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Twelve case-control studies (eleven English-based articles and one Chinese-based article) were analyzed in the current meta-analysis and included 702 patients with PE and 8,233 women with normal pregnancies. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a higher MoM of ß-hCG serum levels in patients with PE. Ethnicity subgroup analysis showed that the MoM of serum ß-hCG levels was significantly higher in women with PE in both Asian and Caucasian populations. CONCLUSION: The MoM of ß-hCG serum levels was significantly increased in women with PE compared to women with normal pregnancies. Screening for serum ß-hCG MoM levels will be helpful in the early identification of pregnancies at risk of developing PE. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Significance of IgH Gene Rearrangement in Surveillance of Minimal Residual Disease after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement in monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in multiple myeloma (MM) received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(auto-HSCT). METHODS: The clinical data of 26 MM patients who received auto-HSCT in the Department of Hematology, Wuhan First Hospital from 2018 to 2022 were collected. IgH rearrangement was detected by multiplex PCR combined with capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis to evaluate minimal residual disease (MRD), and the outcome of the disease was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Among the 26 MM patients, 18 were males and 8 were females, with a median age of 59(41-70) years. The median follow-up time after transplantation was 33 (7-52) months. Compared with the IgH rearrangement negative group (n=17), the proportion of CR and sCR of patients with IgH rearrangement positive in bone marrow samples before auto-HSCT at 3 months after transplantation was lower （1/9 vs 14/17）, and the duration of remission (DOR) after transplantation was shorter（10.78±4.35 vs 15.88±5.22 months）, with statistically significant difference in DOR between the two groups(P < 0.05). Compared with IgH rearrangement negative group (n=21), the proportion of CR and sCR of patients with positive IgH rearrangement results from peripheral blood stem cell collection at 3 months after transplantation was lower（0/5 vs 15/21）, the duration of remission (DOR) after transplantation was shorter（9.60±4.83 vs 15.19±5.11 months）, and the difference in DOR between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, 5 patients (5/9) with positive IgH rearrangement results in bone marrow specimens died, and all patients with negative IgH rearrangement results survived. Four patients (4/5) with positive IgH rearrangement results by peripheral blood stem cell samples died, while one patient (1/21) with negative IgH rearrangement results died. In both bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell samples, the survival time of IgH rearrangement-positive patients after transplantation was shorter than that of IgH rearrangement-negative patients(P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, disease stage, the proportion of bone marrow smear plasma cells at initial diagnosis, stem cell mobilization plan, efficacy evaluation before transplantation (≥CR and 0.05). CONCLUSION: By detecting IgH rearrangement of MM patients receiving auto-HSCT, the depth of MRD can be further evaluated, which has a certain guiding significance for the efficacy and prognosis of the disease.

The impact of pretransplant suspected HLA antibody on the long-term outcome of the graft kidney: A retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: The preoperative examination of kidney transplantation includes HLA antibody screening to initially determine the presence of preexisting donor-specific antibody (DSA) that mediates hyperacute rejection. Recipients with positive HLA antibodies require further HLA specificity analysis to type the antigen and determine the antigen mismatches between the donor and recipient. However, recipients with suspected antibodies would have no further HLA specificity analysis. It is unclear whether suspected HLA antibodies would affect renal graft function. This study aimed to explore the impact of pretransplant suspected HLA antibody on the long-term outcome of the graft kidney and thus determine the necessity of routinely performing the HLA specificity analysis in recipients with suspected HLA antibodies preoperatively. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective cohort study. 179 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) were included and further divided into HLA antibody-negative group (Group 1) and HLA antibody-suspected groups (Group 2) based on the result of the pretransplant HLA antibody screen test. And the antibody-suspected group was further divided into a low-mismatched group (Group A) and a high-mismatched group (Group B) according to the HLA specificity analysis. We tracked the renal function indexes, biochemical indexes, and posttransplant adverse events within 5 years after transplantation and explored the necessity of further HLA specificity analysis in recipients with pretransplant suspected HLA antibodies. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in demographics between HLA antibody-negative group and HLA antibody-suspected groups. At 5 years of follow-up, the KTRs in HLA antibody-negative group had significantly higher eGFR levels, lower serum creatinine levels, and less urinary protein compared to those in antibody-suspected group. Meanwhile, the KTRs in low-mismatched group also had significantly higher eGFR levels, lower serum creatinine levels, and less proteinuria compared to those in high-mismatched group. Correlation analysis showed that the age of KTRs, urinary protein levels and the load capacity of HLA mismatches were associated with eGFR levels of KTRs at 5 year posttransplant. CONCLUSION: KTRs with suspected HLA antibodies before kidney transplantation have worse graft function than the preoperative HLA antibody-negative recipients in the long-term posttransplant follow-up. The specific load capacity of HLA mismatches, the age of the recipient and the urinary protein was found to be negatively correlated with long-term posttransplant renal outcomes. It is necessary to undergo further HLA specificity analysis for recipients with suspected HLA antibodies in HLA antibody screen test to explicit HLA mismatches and improve long-term posttransplant outcomes.

Childhood maltreatment profile in a clinical population in China: a further analysis with existing data of an epidemiologic survey.

To determine the lifetime prevalence and diverse profiles of types of childhood maltreatment (CM) in a high-risk clinical sample using standardized assessment tools (Child Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ) in China, Shanghai, 2090 subjects were sampled from the Shanghai Mental Health Centre. Personality disorder (PD) was assessed using the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4+) and subjects were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-II). CTQ was used to assess CM in five domains (emotional abuse, EA; physical abuse, PA; sexual abuse, SA; emotional neglect, EN; and physical neglect, PN). The prevalence estimate of EA in the sample is 22.2%, followed by 17.8% of PA, and 12.5% of SA. The prevalence estimate was more frequent in PN (65.0%) and in EN (34.0%) than in childhood abuse (EA, PA and SA). It seems that males reported more PA and females reported more SA, the older subjects reported more neglect and the younger subjects reported more abuse. There was a higher prevalence of EA and SA in borderline PD patients (44.4%, 22.5%), PA in antisocial PD patients (38.9%). Multi-PD patients reported more forms of CM in childhood. Additionally, factor analysis of CTQ items confirmed factorial validity by identifying a five-factor structure that explained 50% of the total variance. These findings support the view that prevalence of CM was commonly experienced in clinical population during their childhood, especially for subjects with PDs. Factorial validity in PN needs to be further improved, and can in part be culturally explained.

A simple, fast correction method of triglyceride interference in blood hemoglobin automated measurement.

BACKGROUND: To establish a reliable correction method for automated hemoglobin (HGB) measurement by minimizing the interference from blood high triglyceride (TG). METHODS: Fifty whole blood samples and 50 plasma samples containing variable TG concentrations were used to determine the centrifugation speed and time. Complete blood cell counts (CBCs) were performed by an automated hematology analyzer for 102 blood samples, in which high-level TG were artificially added. The same blood samples were centrifuged at low -speed to separate the plasma from blood cells. Then the plasma was analyzed by the same analyzer. By using the two CBC results, a correction formula was established to calculate the corrected HGB, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values. Comparisons were also made of HGB, MCH, and MCHC values before and after correction of in-patient individuals who received intralipid and developed lipemia. RESULTS: The percentage differences between the corrected and true values of HGB, MCH and MCHC were -0.28%, 0.06%, and -0.31%, respectively. The correlation coefficients of corrected values versus true values of HGB, MCH, and MCHC were 0.989, 0.935, and 0.717, respectively. This correction method was also effective for native lipemic samples. CONCLUSION: High blood TG level can cause blood turbidity and erroneously high HGB results by hematology analyzers commonly used in clinical laboratories. Adding a simple step of low-speed centrifugation and measurement of HGB in the plasma fraction allows a quick correction of HGB measurement in lipemic blood samples.

Cloning and functional characterization of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase from the Mediterranean species of the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci complex.

c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling is a highly conserved pathway that controls gene transcription in response to a wide variety of biological and environmental stresses. In this study, a JNK from the invasive Mediterranean (MED) species of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci complex was cloned and characterized. The full-length JNK cDNA of MED consists of 1565 bp, with an 1176 bp open reading frame encoding 392 amino acids. Comparison of JNK amino acid sequences among different species showed that the sequences of JNKs are highly conserved. To reveal its biological function, the gene expression and functional activation of JNK were analyzed during various stress conditions. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the relative expression level of JNK remained hardly unchanged when the insects were transferred from cotton (a suitable host plant) to tobacco (an unsuitable host plant), infected with bacteria and treated with high and low temperatures. However, the mRNA level of JNK significantly increased when treated with fungal pathogens. Furthermore, we found that the amount of phosphorylated JNK increased significantly after fungal infection, while there is no obvious change for phosphorylated p38 and ERK. Our results indicate that the whitefly JNK plays an important role in whitefly's immune responses to fungal infection.

Vitamin D supplementation reduced blood inflammatory cytokines expression and improved graft function in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Chronic allograft dysfunction(CAD) is the leading cause of graft loss in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Inflammatory process is believed to be one of the major contributors to CAD. The aim of this study is to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D (VD) supplementation in KTRs and its role in the graft function improvement(protection). Methods: A retrospective cohort of 39 KTRs with chronic antibody mediated rejection(CAMR)or stable renal function and a prospective cohort of 42 KTRs treated or untreated with VD were enrolled. Serum levels of vitamin D metabolism and serum inflammatory cytokines, renal graft function, and routine blood biomarkers were tested and dynamically tracked within 12 months post-transplant. Results: Compared with the stable group, the CAMR group exhibited significantly elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, IP-10, and HMGB1 (P <0.05). The supplementation of vitamin D effectively increased the serum concentration of vitamin D in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) in the treated group. During the course of treatment, the treated group exhibited a gradual increase in eGFR levels, which were significantly higher than those observed in the untreated group at 12 months post-transplant (p<0.05). Notably, as eGFR improved, there was a significant decrease in levels of IL-1ß, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, IP-10 and HMGB1 in the treated group compared to the untreated group (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study confirmed that immune-inflammation is a crucial factor in the development of CAD in KTRs.VD deficiency impairs its anti-inflammatory activity. By assisting in the regulation of excessive immune inflammation and restoration of immune homeostasis, effective VD supplementation contributes to protection and maintenance of graft function in KTRs.