[Distribution feature of newly diagnosed pneumoconiosis in Guangyuan City, 2007-2017].

Objective: To investigate the distribution feature of newly diagnosed pneumoconiosis in Guangyuan City from 2007 to 2017 and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of pneumoconiosis. Methods: In May 2019, the data of newly diagnosed pneumoconiosis in Guangyuan City during January 2007 to December 2017 were collected from Chinese Information System for Disease Control and Prevention-Occupation Disease and Occupation Health Information Monitoring System. The database was built by Excel 2010. The distribution of period, disease type, region, sex, age, working age, work type and industry were analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software. Results: Totally 3920 new cases of pneumoconiosis were reported in Guangyuan City from 2007 to 2017, 2850 cases (72.70%) were in stage Ⅰ, 724 cases (18.47%) were in stage Ⅱ, and 346 cases (8.83%) were in stage Ⅲ. The main type of pneumoconiosis was coal worker＇s pneumoconiosis (2544 cases, 64.90%, ) , second was silicosis (1313 cases, 33.49%) . The newly diagnosed pneumoconiosis were mainly distributed in Lizhou area (1855 cases, 47.32%) , Wangcang county (1392 cases, 35.51%) and Cangxi county (509 cases, 12.98%) . The patients were mainly males (3910 cases, 99.74%) , the ratio of males to females was 391∶1. The average diagnostic age was (57.56±17.58) years, the average working age was (13.68±10.81) years. The main types of work were coal miner (1748 cases, 44.59%) , roadheader (1354 cases, 34.54%) and drill man (487 cases, 12.42%) . The industry distribution was mainly mining (2930 cases, 74.74%) . The distribution of enterprise sizes were mainly small and medium-sized (1341 cases, 34.21%) and micro-sized (999 cases, 25.48%) enterprises. Conclusion: The situation of prevention and control of pneumoconiosis in Guangyuan City is still severe and the newly diagnosed cases are dominated by coal worker＇s pneumoconiosis, mainly concentrated in mining. There are more cases in Lizhou area and Wangcang county. Strengthening the prevention and control of dust hazards in high-risk areas and high-risk groups is the focus of occupational health prevention and control in Guangyuan City.

[Prevalence of silicosis among Xiangyu railway construction workers in Nanchong from 2008-2007].

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of silicosis in the militias with contribution to the former Xiangyu Railway construction in Nanchong, China, from 2008 to 2017, and to provide a scientific basis for the future development of pneumoconiosis prevention and control strategies based on the current status. Methods: A database was established for the data of 11863 militias with contribution to the former Xiangyu Railway construction in Nanchong, China, who attended our hospital from 2008 to 2017, including 11485 males (96.81%) and 378 females (3.19%). The SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the differences in the detection rate of silicosis between militias with different sexes or those with different job types, as well as the age, length of service, and regional distribution of patients. Results: Of the 11863 railway militias in Nanchong, 3169 (26.71%) were diagnosed with silicosis, including 2761 (87.12%) in stage I, 359 (11.33%) in stage II, and 49 (1.55%) in stage III; the males had a significantly higher detection rate of silicosis than the females (χ(2)=64.496, P<0.05); there was a significant difference in the detection rate of silicosis between the militias with different job types (χ(2)=856.839, P<0.05). There were significant differences in the mean age of diagnosis and the mean length of service between the patients with different stages of silicosis (F=4.944, P<0.05; F=3.174, P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the number of militia patients with silicosis between different areas of Nanchong (χ(2)=843.330, P<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of silicosis is relatively high among the militias with contribution to the former Xiangyu Railway. It is necessary to strengthen the occupational health monitoring of patients, actively treat and prevent complications, and improve the quality of life of patients.

Low-coverage sequencing in a deep intercross of the Virginia body weight lines provides insight to the polygenic genetic architecture of growth: novel loci revealed by increased power and improved genome-coverage.

Genetic dissection of highly polygenic traits is a challenge, in part due to the power necessary to confidently identify loci with minor effects. Experimental crosses are valuable resources for mapping such traits. Traditionally, genome-wide analyses of experimental crosses have targeted major loci using data from a single generation (often the F2) with individuals from later generations being generated for replication and fine-mapping. Here, we aim to confidently identify minor-effect loci contributing to the highly polygenic basis of the long-term, bi-directional selection responses for 56-d body weight in the Virginia body weight chicken lines. To achieve this, a strategy was developed to make use of data from all generations (F2-F18) of the advanced intercross line, developed by crossing the low and high selected lines after 40 generations of selection. A cost-efficient low-coverage sequencing based approach was used to obtain high-confidence genotypes in 1Mb bins across 99.3% of the chicken genome for >3,300 intercross individuals. In total, 12 genome-wide significant, and 30 additional suggestive QTL reaching a 10% FDR threshold, were mapped for 56-d body weight. Only 2 of these QTL reached genome-wide significance in earlier analyses of the F2 generation. The minor-effect QTL mapped here were generally due to an overall increase in power by integrating data across generations, with contributions from increased genome-coverage and improved marker information content. The 12 significant QTL explain >37% of the difference between the parental lines, three times more than 2 previously reported significant QTL. The 42 significant and suggestive QTL together explain >80%. Making integrated use of all available samples from multiple generations in experimental crosses are economically feasible using the low-cost, sequencing-based genotyping strategies outlined here. Our empirical results illustrate the value of this strategy for mapping novel minor-effect loci contributing to complex traits to provide a more confident, comprehensive view of the individual loci that form the genetic basis of the highly polygenic, long-term selection responses for 56-d body weight in the Virginia body weight chicken lines.

Combining a Frailty Index Based on Laboratory Data and Pneumonia Severity Assessments to Predict In-Hospital Outcomes in Older Adults with Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the increased morbidity, mortality, and cost of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in older people, strategies directed at improving disease evaluation and prevention are imperative. We independently compared the 30-day in-hospital mortality prediction ability of a frailty index based on laboratory data (FI-Lab) with that of the CURB-65 and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and then proposed combining them to further improve prediction efficiency. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged ≥ 65 years (n = 2039) with CAP who were admitted to Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2022. MEASURES: The 29-item FI-Lab, PSI and, CURB-65 were administered at admission. We defined frailty by the cut-off value of the FI-Lab score (> 0.43). Multivariable logistic regression analysis, together with the calculation of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC), was conducted to identify stratified risks and relationships between the three indices and 30-day mortality. Participants were divided into the following three groups based on age: 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and ≥ 85 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality due to frailty were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 495 participants ranging from 65 to 100 years of age were ultimately included and divided into age groups (65-74 years, n = 190, 38.4%; 75-84 years, n = 183, 37.0%; ≥ 85 years, n = 122, 24.6%). A total of 142 (28.7%) of the 495 patients were defined as having frailty. All three scores tested in this study were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in the total sample. The ORs were as follows: 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03-1.09, P < 0.001) and 2.33 (95% CI: 1.26-4.31, P = 0.007) for the FI-Lab when the score was treated as a continuous and categorical variable, respectively; 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02-1.05, P < 0.001) for the PSI; and 3.70 (95% CI: 2.48-5.50, P < 0.001) for the CURB-65. In the total sample, the ROC-AUCs were 0.783 (95% CI: 0.744-0.819) for the FI-Lab, 0.812 (95% CI: 0.775-0.845) for the PSI, and 0.799 (95% CI: 0.761-0.834) for the CURB-65 (P < 0.001). The ROC-AUC slightly improved when the FI-Lab was added to the PSI (AUC 0.850, 95% CI: 0.809-0.892, P = 0.031) and to the CURB-65 (AUC 0.839, 95% CI: 0.794-0.885, P = 0.002). Older patients with frailty showed a higher risk of in-hospital mortality, with an HR of 2.25 (95% CI: 1.14-3.58, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The FI-Lab seems to generate simple and readily available data, suggesting that it could be a useful complement to the CURB-65 and the PSI as effective predictors of 30-day mortality due to CAP in older populations.

MicroRNA-150 alleviates acute myocardial infarction through regulating cardiac fibroblasts in ventricular remodeling.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of microRNA-150 on the regulation of myocardial fibrosis and ventricular remodeling in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AMI rats model was established by the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in vivo. After AMI procedures, the rats were injected with microRNA-150 lentivirus overexpression or negative control, respectively. Cardiac function of rats was evaluated by echocardiography. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson trichrome were performed to evaluate myocardial fibrosis in each rat. Meanwhile, cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. The expression levels of microRNA-150, col1α1, col1α2, col3 and α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the border zone of rat infarct myocardium were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: MicroRNA-150 expression in the border zone of infarct myocardium decreased significantly at day 28 after AMI (p<0.05). Overexpressing microRNA-150 significantly improved cardiac function, decreased collagen volume fraction (CVF) and attenuated cardiomyocyte apoptosis in rats. Furthermore, the expression levels of col1ɑ1, col1ɑ2, col3 and α-SMA in the border zone of infarct myocardium were remarkably down-regulated in rats overexpressing microRNA-150 compared with those of controls (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-150 expression in the border zone of rat infarct myocardium decreased at day 28 after AMI. In addition, the upregulation of microRNA-150 in myocardial tissue could inhibit myocardial fibrosis and improve ventricular remodeling at post-AMI.

A genomic inference of the White Plymouth Rock genealogy.

Crossing of populations has been, and still is, a central component in domestication and breed and variety formation. It is a way for breeders to utilize heterosis and to introduce new genetic variation into existing plant and livestock populations. During the mid-19th century, several chicken breeds that had been introduced to America from Europe and Asia became the founders for those formed in the USA. Historical records about the genealogy of these populations are often unclear and inconsistent. Here, we used genomics in an attempt to describe the ancestry of the White Plymouth Rock (WPR) chicken. In total, 150 chickens from the WPR and 8 other stocks that historical records suggested contributed to its formation were whole-genome re-sequenced. The admixture analyses of the autosomal and sex chromosomes showed that the WPR was likely founded as a cross between a paternal lineage that was primarily Dominique, and a maternal lineage where Black Java and Cochin contributed in essentially equal proportions. These results were consistent and provided quantification with the historical records that they were the main contributors to the WPR. The genomic analyses also revealed genome-wide contributions (<10% each) by Brahma, Langshan, and Black Minorca. When viewed on an individual chromosomal basis, contributions varied considerably among stocks.

Characterizing a rat Brca2 knockout model.

Evidence exists that BRCA2 carriers may have an elevated risk of breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. In general, carriers are defined as individuals with protein truncating mutations within the BRCA2 gene. Many Brca2 knockout lines have been produced and characterized in the mouse. We previously produced a rat Brca2 knockout strain in which there is a nonsense mutation in exon 11 between BRC repeats 2 and 3, and a truncated protein is produced. Interestingly, while such a mutation in homozygous mice would lead to limited survival of approximately 3 months, the Brca2-/- rats are 100% viable and the vast majority live to over 1 year of age. Brca2-/- rats show a phenotype of growth inhibition and sterility in both sexes. Aspermatogenesis in the Brca2-/- rats is due to a failure of homologous chromosome synapsis. Long-term phenotypes include underdeveloped mammary glands, cataract formation and lifespan shortening due to the development of tumors and cancers in multiple organs. The establishment of the rat Brca2 knockout model provides a means to study the role of Brca2 in increasing cancer susceptibility and inducing a novel ocular phenotype not previously associated with this gene.

Phospholipid hydrolysis in serum lipoproteins by a basic phospholipase A2 from Naja nigricollis snake venom and an acidic phospholipase A2 from Naja naja atra snake venom.

Apparent Km and Vmax values for PC and PE hydrolysis were determined following exposure of HDL, LDL, and VLDL to a basic phospholipase A2 from N. nigricollis snake venom and an acidic phospholipase A2 from N. nigricollis snake venom and an acidic phospholipase A2 from N. n. atra snake venom. Both enzymes hydrolyzed the lipoprotein phospholipids approximately as fast as they hydrolyzed pure phospholipids in mixed micelles, however, the N. nigricollis enzyme, which has a much stronger anticoagulant effect than the N. n. atra enzyme, had lower apparent Vmax values. These values were highest for phospholipids in VLDL and lowest for HDL, however, the differences between the lipoproteins were relatively small with the N. nigricollis enzyme while the differences were much larger with the N. n. atra enzyme. Fractions of the two enzymes in which varying numbers of lysines were carbamylated showed much larger differences in relative rates of phospholipid hydrolysis in HDL, LDL and VLDL. Triton X-100 eliminates these differences in rates of hydrolysis. These results are discussed in terms of the differences in the organized structure of the lipoprotein classes and in the penetration ability of the phospholipases.

Expression and glycosylation of rotavirus strain SA11 VP4 protein in a recombinant adenovirus.

OBJECTIVE: Using a recombinant human adenovirus to express modified VP4 gene of rotavirus SA11 strain. METHODS: A whole VP4 gene was obtained with PCR and induced the signal peptide at the gene N terminal. The chimera gene was cloned into pCMV plasmid that consists of human cytomegalovirus promoter, and then the gene was cloned to the transfer vector of human adenovirus type 5. Homologous recombination was performed by co-transfection to 293 cell lines with recombinant plasmid and viral genome using CaPO4 precipitation. RESULTS: No mutation was found in the whole VP4 gene sequence of 2362 base pair. The expressed product in recombinant adenovirus was confirmed to be specific and more antigenicity by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Both the Western blot and immunoprecipitation assay showed that the molecular mass of the expressed protein was higher than the wild type VP4 protein, and that the modified product was corresponding to a glycosylation of VP4 protein. CONCLUSION: To modify the target gene might be an effective method to enhance the stability, antigenicity and immunogenicity of expressed protein.

[Synthesis of hirudin variant 1 (HV1) gene and primary study of expression in yeast].

OBJECTIVE: Hirudin is an extremely efficient and specific thrombin inhibitor. It is clinically used to prevent the formation of thrombus. In this research the hirudin gene was put into yeast system for expression to evaluate the feasibility of artificially synthesized gene expressed in eukaryotic system and study the factor affecting expression level. METHODS: According to the amino acid sequence of hirudin variant 1 (HV1), the genetic code saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to design and synthesize the HV1 gene. Amplified by PCR, it was inserted into cloning vector pBS-SK(+) and sequenced. Ligation with the signal peptide gene of yeast alpha factor the correct HV1 gene was inserted into yeast expression vector pYC-DE. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into the cell of S. cerevisiae BJ1990 to carry out the primary expression experiment. RESULTS: In cultured supernatant of screened positive clone the hirudin activity was detected to be 30 ATU/ml. The expression level was higher than HV2 in yeast and HV1 in prokaryotic system. The N terminal amino acid sequence completely matches with natural hirudin. CONCLUSIONS: It was proved by this study that the synthesized hirudin gene had been expressed in yeast successfully. This result showed that it was a better way to carry out the expression in yeast using synthesized HV1 gene and a stronger promoter.

[The construction of poliovirus chimera and the analysis of its antigenic structure].

The construction of poliovirus chimera is an useful way to investigate the antigenic structure conformation of poliovirus. In this research, the poliovirus chimera containing a piece of antigenic fragment of hepatitis A virus was constructed for analysis of poliovirus antigenic structure conformation. Depending on the characterization of this chimera, the conformation of poliovirus neutralization antigenic site I in VP1 was analyzed, and that the possible influence of hepatitis A virus antigenic fragment inserted to the structure conformation of poliovirus antigen was also investigated.

[A study on polymorphism of salivary esterase in personal identification].

OBJECTIVE: To research the value of polymorphism of salivary esterase(Set) in paternity and personal identification. METHODS: Phenotype and genotype of human salivary esterase were detected in 114 liquid saliva samples from the Chinese population by disc electrophoresis and fast blue RR staining assay. RESULTS: The frequency of Set type was F 22.81%, FS 50.88%, S2 6.31%. The estimated gene frequency of SetF was 0.4825 and SetS was 0.5175. The PE was 0.1875 and the DP was 0.6199. CONCLUSION: Polymorphism of salivary esterase (Set) was practical in paternity and personal identification.