Impact of co-infection of streptococcus pneumoniae and pneumococcal vaccination on the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 19 / 中华预防医学杂志

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread all over the world. Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia shares similar high-risk susceptible populations with COVID-19. Streptococcus pneumoniae co-infection is a key risk factor for severe COVID-19 and death. Pneumococcal vaccination has a beneficial impact on reducing the incidence and mortality of COVID-19. The vaccination rate of streptococcus pneumoniae is still low in China. Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccination may be one of effective strategies in the management of COVID-19 for high-risk population such as the elderly and those who have underlying chronic diseases.

Course of disease and related epidemiological parameters of COVID-19: a prospective study based on contact tracing cohort / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To analyze the course of disease and epidemiological parameters of COVID-19 and provide evidence for making prevention and control strategies. Methods: To display the distribution of course of disease of the infectors who had close contacts with COVID-19 cases from January 1 to March 15, 2020 in Guangdong Provincial, the models of Lognormal, Weibull and gamma distribution were applied. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the basic characteristics and epidemiological parameters of course of disease. Results: In total, 515 of 11 580 close contacts were infected, with an attack rate about 4.4%, including 449 confirmed cases and 66 asymptomatic cases. Lognormal distribution was fitting best for latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period of confirmed cases and infection period of asymptomatic cases; Gamma distribution was fitting best for infectious period and clinical symptom period of confirmed cases; Weibull distribution was fitting best for latent period of asymptomatic cases. The latent period, incubation period, pre-symptomatic infection period, infectious period and clinical symptoms period of confirmed cases were 4.50 (95%CI:3.86-5.13) days, 5.12 (95%CI:4.63-5.62) days, 0.87 (95%CI:0.67-1.07) days, 11.89 (95%CI:9.81-13.98) days and 22.00 (95%CI:21.24-22.77) days, respectively. The latent period and infectious period of asymptomatic cases were 8.88 (95%CI:6.89-10.86) days and 6.18 (95%CI:1.89-10.47) days, respectively. Conclusion: The estimated course of COVID-19 and related epidemiological parameters are similar to the existing data.

Study on Liver Injury of Different Components of Evodia Fructus in Vivo and in Vitro / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the in vivo and in vitro toxicity of Evodia Fructus water extraction and its index components， and provide a basis for basic research on the toxic substances of Evodia Fructus. MethodInstitute of Cancer Research（ICR） mice were divided into high， medium and low dose groups of water extraction of Evodia Fructus and a blank control group. The administration groups were respectively given 80，60，40 g·kg-1 water extraction of Evodia Fructus， the blank control group was given distilled water in equal volume， blood was taken 24 hours later to determine the serum alanine aminotransferase（ALT）and aspartate aminotransferase（AST）values， the liver was weighed and histopathological examination was performed. Evodia Fructus water extract， evodiamine， rutaecarpine and limonin were respectively acted on HepG2 cells for 24 h， and cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） method was used to investigate the cytotoxicity. The ICR Mice were divided into two groups， one group was given by oral gavage and the other group was given intraperitoneal injection. The two routes of administration were separately given 3 index components of Evodia Fructus， and the dosage was 200 mg·kg-1. Take blood 24 hours after administration to determine the activity of ALT and AST in serum， and take liver to calculate liver index. ResultCompared with the blank group， the high and medium dose groups of Evodia Fructus water extract were depressed 24 hours after administration， and the behavior of the low dose group was not significantly abnormal. The serum biochemical results showed that the activities of serum ALT and AST in the high and medium dose groups were significantly increased （P<0.01）， the activities of serum ALT and AST in the low dose group were significantly increased， and the histopathological results showed that the high and medium dose groups were significantly increased Punctate necrosis and vacuolar degeneration appeared in the liver of the medium dose group， and there was no obvious abnormality in the low dose group. Compared with the blank group， evodiamine and rutaecarpine had a certain inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells， but the inhibitory effect was not strong. Limonin had no significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Compared with the control group， the 3 index components of Evodia Fructus have no effect after oral administration. There was no significant difference in the activity of ALT and AST in serum of mice， and there was no significant difference in liver index. Intraperitoneal injection of evodiamine and rutaecarpine can cause the activity of serum ALT and AST to increase， and limonin can cause ALT activity was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the liver index was significantly increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionEvodia Fructus water extract can cause acute liver injury in mice， Oral administration of evodiamine， rutaecarpine and limonin had no damage to the liver of mice. Intraperitoneal administration of evodiamine and rutaecarpine had no effect on liver injury in mice， and intraperitoneal administration of limonin could cause acute liver injury in mice.

Clinical Status and Research Progress of Tuberculous Peritonitis / 中国医学科学院学报

Tuberculous peritonitis(TBP)is currently one of the common manifestations of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.Due to the atypical clinical features,diverse types of diseases to be distinguished,and limited detection methods,TBP is difficult to be diagnosed and the fatality caused by delayed diagnosis increases significantly.We studied the current research status of TBP and found that T cells spot test,abdominal CT,and laparoscopic biopsy were of high diagnostic value for TBP.However,the application of ascites Xpert-MTB/RIF-ultra assay,ascites ADA,and whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography remained to be studied.Serum CA125 helps to judge the efficacy of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Regulatory effect of mild moxibustion on P2X3 receptors in spinal cord, anterior cingulate cortex and thalamic ventral posterolateral nucleus of rats with IBS visceral hyperalgesia / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of mild moxibustion on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) visceral hyperalgesiamodel rats and its regulatory effect on P2X3 receptors in the spinal cord, anterior cingutate cortex (ACC) and thalamic ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL). Methods: Thirty 8-day-old newborn rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=6) and a modeling group (n=24) according to the completely random number table method. Rats in the normal group were bred routinely, and those in the modeling group were subjected to preparing IBS chronic visceral hyperalgesia model using colorectal distention (CRD) in stimulation method. Rats successfully modelled were re-divided into a model group, a mild moxibustion group, a P2X3 receptor antagonist group, and a normal saline group according to the completely random number table method with 6 rats in each group. Rats in each group received corresponding interventions from the 37-day old, once a day for 7 consecutive days. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot assays were used to detect P2X3 protein expressions in the spinal cord, ACC and VPL of rats. Results: Under different intensities of CRD stimulation, the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores of the model group were significantly increased versus the normal group (all P<0.05); the AWR scores of the mild moxibustion group and the P2X3 receptor antagonist group were significantly reduced versus the model group (all P<0.01). The P2X3 protein expressions in rat spinal cord, ACC and VPL tissues of the model group were significantly increased versus the normal group (all P<0.01); the P2X3 protein expressions in rat spinal cord, ACC and VPL tissues of the mild moxibustion group and the P2X3 receptor antagonist group were significantly reduced versus the model group (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Mild moxibustion can inhibit the P2X3 receptor expressions in the spinal cord, ACC, and VPL tissues of IBS visceral hyperalgesia model rats, which may be the mechanism of mild moxibustion in relieving the central sensitization of rats with IBS visceral hyperalgesia.

A novel robust nomogram based on peripheral monocyte counts for predicting lymph node metastasis of prostate cancer / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Accurate methods for identifying pelvic lymph node metastasis (LNM) of prostate cancer (PCa) prior to surgery are still lacking. We aimed to investigate the predictive value of peripheral monocyte count (PMC) for LNM of PCa in this study. Two hundred and ninety-eight patients from three centers were divided into a training set (n = 125) and a validation set (n = 173). In the training set, the independent predictors of LNM were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, and the optimal cutoff value was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The sensitivity and specificity of the optimal cutoff were authenticated in the validation cohort. Finally, a nomogram based on the PMC was constructed for predicting LNM. Multivariate analyses of the training cohort demonstrated that clinical T stage, preoperative Gleason score, and PMC were independent risk factors for LNM. The subsequent ROC analysis showed that the optimal cutoff value of PMC for diagnosing LNM was 0.405 × 109 l

Air conditioning condition of observation hotels for COVID-19 prevention and control / 上海预防医学

Objective:To investigate the hygienic condition and maintenance management of air conditioners in observation hotels， and give suggestions on reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission from the daily use. Methods:This study selected 11 observation hotels chosen by government and 3 observation hotels chosen by large companies in Minhang District. The types and sanitary conditions of the air conditioning system were revealed through the daily supervision. Hotel staffs’ knowledge of air conditioning system and their mastery of how to use and maintain air conditioning system were surveyed through questionnaire. Results:Survey of air conditioning types showed that in 14 hotels， 12 were distributed air conditioning systems and 2 were semi-centralized air conditioning systems （including fresh air systems）. The investigation found that there was dust accumulation in the fresh air ducts in one hotel guest room， dust accumulation in the filter screen of fresh air intake in one hotel， and the sanitary problem of condensate water （without centralized discharge） in two hotels. All of 14 hotels had daily cleaning and disinfection records， but they were not perfect. The hotel health management personnel’ awareness rate of air conditioning was low， although they had a positive attitude towards the cleaning and disinfection of the air conditioning system. They could do the active entrusted testing， cleaning and disinfection of the air conditioning systems. Conclusion:The air conditioning systems of some hotels have hygiene problems， and hotel health management personnel are lack of knowledge of standard operation and maintenance of air conditioning systems. The air conditioning systems of observation hotel should be cleaned and disinfected before use. At the same time， it is necessary to strengthen the training of hotel health management personnel on the use and maintenance of air conditioning systems. So the transmission of the COVID-19 through air conditioning systems can be effectively prevented.

Content determination of phenolic acids in fresh Salvia miltiorrhiza and effect of polyphenol oxidase on content / 中国中药杂志

There is no consensus on the content, accumulation, transformation and content determination methods of phenolic acids in fresh Salvia miltiorrhiza. In order to find out the true content of phenolic acids in fresh S. miltiorrhiza, a variety of treatment me-thods were used in this study to prepare sample solution. The content changes of phenolic acids in S. miltiorrhiza samples with different dehydration rates were investigated during drying and shade drying processes. Polyphenol oxidase(PPO) of S. miltiorrhiza was extracted and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and dialysis to investigate the enzymatic properties. The content of rosmarinic acid, lithosperic acid and S. nolic acid B in S. miltiorrhiza was determined by UPLC. The results showed that the content of phenolic acids in fresh S. miltiorrhiza was highest when it was homogenized with 1 mol·L~(-1) HCl solution or 1 mol·L~(-1) HCl methanol solution. There was no significant difference in the content of phenolic acids in S. miltiorrhiza with different dehydration rates, indicating that there was no correlation between phenolic acid content and dehydration rate. The optimum pH of S. miltiorrhiza PPO was 7.6 and the optimum temperature was 40 ℃. With catechol as substrate, S. miltiorrhiza PPO had the enzymatic browning reaction which was in compliance with Michaelis equation, with Michaelis constant K_m of 0.12 mol·L~(-1) and V_(max) of 588.23 U·min~(-1). The inhibitory effect of citric acid, disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate, ascorbic acid and sodium sulfite on S. miltiorrhiza PPO increased with the increase of inhibitor concentration, and sodium sulfite showed the strongest inhibitory effect. The present study proved that there were a large number of phenolic acids in fresh S. miltiorrhiza, which were the secondary metabolite of primitive accumulation during the growth of S. miltiorrhiza, rather than the induced product of postharvest drying and dehydration stress. This study has reference value and significance for the cultivation, harvest and processing of S. miltiorrhiza.

Pharmacokinetics of eight active ingredients of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Puerariae Lobatae Radix combination in rats / 中国中药杂志

To reveal the rationality of compatibility of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(SMRR) and Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR) from the perspective of pharmacokinetics, this study established a UPLC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of PLR flavonoids(3'-hydroxy puerarin, puerarin, puerarin 6″-O-xyloside, 3'-methoxy puerarin, puerarin apioside) and salvianolic acids and tanshinones(salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone, and tanshinone Ⅱ_A) in plasma of rats. Rats were given SMRR extract, PLR extract, and SMRR-PLR extract by gavage and then plasma was collected at different time. UPLC separation was performed under the following conditions: Eclipse C_(18) column(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm), 0.1% formic acid in water(A)-0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile(B) as mobile phase for gradient elution. Conditions for MS are as below: multiple reaction monitoring(MRM), ESI~(+/-). Comprehensive validation of the UPLC-MS/MS method(specifically, from the aspects of calibration curve, precision, accuracy, repeatability, stability, matrix effect, extract recovery) was performed and the result demonstrated that it complied with quantitative analysis requirements for biological samples. Compared with SMRR extract alone or PLR extract alone, SMRR-PLR extract significantly increased the AUC and C_(max) of PLR flavonoids and tanshinones in rat plasma, suggesting that the combination of SMRR and PLR promoted the absorption of the above components. The underlying mechanism needs to be further studied.

Effect of Paiteling on HeLa Cell Proliferation and Metastasis Ability and PI3K/Akt Signal Transduction Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of Paiteling on the proliferation，metastasis and invasion of HeLa cells and relevant proteins of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway. Method:① HeLa cells were divided into blank group and Paiteling concentration gradient groups (3.906，2.604，1.953，1.563，1.302，1.116，0.977 g·L-1). After drug intervention for 24 h，the cell morphological changes were observed under microscope. The cell viability was measured by thiazole blue (MTT) colorimetry，and the half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Paiteling on HeLa cells was calculated. ② HeLa cells were divided into blank group，cisplatin group (0.01 g·L-1)，Paiteling high-dose group (2.974 g·L-1)，Paiteling medium-dose group (1.487 g·L-1) and Paiteling low-dose group (0.991 g·L-1). Cell proliferation and toxicity test (CCK-8) method was used to detect the effect of Paiteling on the proliferation ability of HeLa cells，scratch test was used to detect cell migration，and invasion test (Transwell) was used to detect changes in cell invasion ability. ③ Inhibitor LY294002 group (0.006 g·L-1) was added. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the expressions of Paiteling on PI3K，Akt，recombinant human B-cell lymphoma factor-xl (Bcl-xl)，and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia associated D protein (Bad). Result:① Compared with the blank group，microscopic observation showed that the number of cells in the treatment group was significantly reduced, and the cell morphology was incomplete. MTT experiments showed that Paiteling has a significantly inhibitory effect on HeLa cell proliferation (P<0.01). The IC50 of Paiteling on HeLa cells was calculated as 2.974 g·L-1. ② The CCK-8 experiment showed that compared with the blank group，all the drug-treated groups had an inhibitory effect on HeLa cell proliferation at 24，36，48 h (P<0.01), compared with the cisplatin group，middle and low-dose Paiteling groups showed a reduced inhibitory effect on HeLa cell proliferation at each time point (P<0.01). The scratch test showed that，compared with the blank group，each drug-added group could inhibit the migration ability of HeLa cells (P<0.01)，and the cell migration rate of the high-dose Paiteling group was lower than that of the cisplatin group (P<0.05). Transwell experiments showed that compared with the blank group，the number of membranes permeated by HeLa cells in each drug-treated group was decreased (P<0.01)，and the number of membranes permeated in the middle and low-dose Paiteling groups was increased compared with the cisplatin group (P<0.01). ③ Western blot showed that compared with the blank group，the expression levels of PI3K，Bcl-xl，and Akt in the high，medium，and low-dose Paiteling groups and the LY294002 group decreased (P<0.05，P<0.01)，while the expression of Bad increased (P<0.01). Compared with the high-dose Paiteling group，the PI3K，Akt，and Bcl-xl protein expressions were increased in the low-dose Paiteling group (P<0.01)，whereas Bad expression was decreased (P<0.01). Conclusion:Paiteling can inhibit HeLa cell proliferation，metastasis and invasion ability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner，which may be related to its effect on the expressions of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins.

Analysis on AIDS related knowledge, high-risk behaviors and STDs infection status of whoremasters in Kaiyuan City, Yunnan Province / 中华疾病控制杂志

@# Objective To understand the awareness of AIDS related knowledge, high risk behaviors, the infection status of HIV, syphilis and HSV-2, and to explore the associated factors with HSV-2 infection among whoremasters in Kaiyuan City, so as to provide scientific evidence for targeted intervention to prevent and control HIV and other STDs. Methods A self-designed questionnaire survey was conducted among whoremasters recruited through outreach activities and snowball sampling. The blood and urine were also collected for corresponding laboratory examination. Results Among the whoremasters, 98.22% had a high awareness of AIDS related knowledge, 9.33% once used drugs, and 14.67% did not use a condom during the latest commercial sex. 62.22% of the whoremasters ever had non-marital sex partners, and of those who had sex with non-marital sex partners in the past year, 59.55% reported using condoms inconsistently. The total infection rate of HIV/syphilis/HSV-2 was 18.22% and the infection rates of HIV, syphilis and HSV-2 were 3.11%, 1.33% and 16.44%, respectively. The older whoremasters were more likely to have a higher HSV-2 infection rate (AOR=1.044,95%CI:1.016-1.073,P=0.002), and those whoremasters not using a condom during the latest commercial sex were more likely to have a higher HSV-2 infection rate (AOR=3.125,95%CI:1.229-7.945,P=0.017). Conclusions Though whoremasters in Kaiyuan City had a high awareness of AIDS related knowledge, they had high-risk behaviors and relatively high HIV and other STDs infection rates. Targeted interventions are needed to improve the risk awareness of STDs infection to promote consistent condom use in both commercial and non-marital sexual behaviors among whoremasters.

Matrine suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced fibrosis in human peritoneal mesothelial cells by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Peritoneal fibrosis is the primary reason that patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have to cease peritoneal dialysis. Peritonitis caused by Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) were on the rise. We had previously shown that matrine inhibited the formation of biofilm by E. coli. However, the role of matrine on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in peritoneal mesothelial cells under chronic inflammatory conditions is still unknown.@*METHODS@#We cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce an environment that mimicked peritonitis and investigated whether matrine could inhibit LPS-induced EMT in these cells. In addition, we investigated the change in expression levels of the miR-29b and miR-129-5p.@*RESULTS@#We found that 10 μg/ml of LPS induced EMT in HPMCs. Matrine inhibited LPS-induced EMT in HPMCs in a dose-dependent manner. We observed that treatment with matrine increased the expression of E-cadherin (F = 50.993, P < 0.01), and decreased the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (F = 32.913, P < 0.01). Furthermore, we found that LPS reduced the expression levels of miR-29b and miR-129-5P in HPMCs, while matrine promoted the expression levels of miR-29b and miR-129-5P.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Matrine could inhibit LPS-induced EMT in HPMCs and reverse LPS inhibited expressions of miR-29 b and miR-129-5P in HPMCs, ultimately reduce peritoneal fibrosis. These findings provide a potential theoretical basis for using matrine in the prevention and treatment of peritoneal fibrosis.

Effect of electroacupuncture on anti-Mullerian hormone expression in rats with polycystic ovarian syndrome / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe whether the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on improving sex hormone disorders and follicle development is by decreasing the expression of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in rats with experimental polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).Methods:Forty rats were randomly divided into four groups,a normal group (NG),a model group (MG),an EA at acupoints group (EAAG),and an EA at non-acupoints group (EANAG),with 10 rats in each group.The rats in the EAAG and EANAG were intervened by EA treatment for consecutive 14 d.Zhongji (CV 3) and Guanyuan (CV 4) were selected as the acupoints in the EAAG,and the tip of the tail and 1 cm up from the tail tip were selected as the non-acupoints in the EANAG.After treatment,the histomorphological changes of the ovary,the levels of aromatase P450 (P450arom),testosterone and estradiol in the ovarian tissues,and the expressions of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and AMH were observed.Results:After treatment,compared with the MG and EANAG,the expression of AMH decreased (P＜0.05),the levels of P450arom and estradiol increased significantly,and the level of testosterone decreased significantly (all P＜0.01) in the EAAG.Additionally,several normal follicles were present and the number of cystically dilated follicles decreased in the EAAG.Compared with the MG and EANAG,the EAAG obviously had more follicular granulosa cells.Conclusion:EA can down-regulate the abnormally increased expression of AMH to improve sex hormone disorders and follicle development in PCOS rats.

Phenotype Analysis of 78 Cases of Abnormal Hemoglobin E Homozygotes / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the hematological characteristics of HbE homozygotes.@*METHODS@#Complete blood cells count and hemoglobin electrophoresis were used for phenotypic analysis of 78 cases with HbE homozygotes from Yunnan province, China. The PCR-fluorescence hybridization was used to detect the common gene mutation of thalassemia. The hematological indexes, including MCV, MCH, Hb, HbA2, HbF and HbE were statistically analyzed between groups with different sex, ages and compound α thalassemia status.@*RESULTS@#In HbE homozygotes (HbEE), 89.5% (17/19) children presented mild to moderate microcytic hypochromic anemia, and 10.5% of them presented moderate anemia. 39.6% (19/48) of women with HbEE developed mild anemia ,while 11 cases of male with HbE homozygotes were asymptomatic. The levels of MCV and MCH in HbE homozygotes increased by co-inheritance of α thalassemia mutation.@*CONCLUSION@#The clinical phenotype of HbE homozygote shows highly heterogeneous, which is relates with age, sex and co-inheriting α-globin genotypes. In Hb EE women and children are more likely to develop mild to moderate anemia. The microcytic hypochromic anemia degree is relieved when HbEE combined with α- thalassemia.

The Bidirectional Effects of Arsenic on miRNA-21: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Arsenic is a metalloid environmental carcinogen involved in the occurrence and development of many cancers. miRNA-21 plays a crucial role in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which miRNA-21 influences arsenic-induced cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We used meta-analysis of published studies to determine how arsenic induces cancerous cells through miRNA-21.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Low-dose arsenic exposure (⪕ 5 μmol/L) can increase miRNA-21 and phosphorylated signal transducter and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) expression, and decrease programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) and protein sprouty homolog 1 (Spry1) expression. High-dose arsenic exposure (> 5 μmol/L), can increase miRNA-21 expression, and decrease Spry1 and E-cadherin expression. Short-term arsenic exposure (⪕ 24 h) can increase miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. Moreover, long-term arsenic exposure (> 24 h) can increase the miRNA-21, STAT3, and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. We found that activation of miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 were most pronounced following long-term arsenic exposure at low doses, and the effects on PDCD4 expression were most pronounced following short-term arsenic exposure at low doses. miRNA-21 inhibitors increased the expression of tumor suppressor genes PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1 and miRNA-21-mimics suppressed the expression of these tumor suppressor genes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Arsenic can cause cancer by activating miRNA-21 and inhibiting the expression of PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1.</p>

Expression and Significance of Plasma miR-223-3p in Diabetic Kidney Diseaseat Different Stages / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To explore the expression of miR-223-3p in the plasma of patients with diabetic kidney disease and its clinical significance. Methods The expression levels of plasma miR-223-3p in normoalbuminuric group (DM) , microoalbuminuria group (Micro-DKD) , macroalbuminuria group (Macro-DKD) and healthy controls were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) . To analysis the relationship with clinical pathological parameters,target genes of miR-223-3p were predicted with bioinformatics software. Results The levels of miR-223-3p in the plasma of the remaining three groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy controls (P＜0.001), and the decrease was positively correlated with the severity of the disease. The potential target genes of miR-223-3p identified by bioinformatics softwares include IL6ST and PRKCE. Conclusion The expressionof miR-223-3pin diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients' plasma decreased and was positively correlated with the severity of the disease. It may play an important role in the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease through its target genes.

Alternative Oxidase Promotes Biofilm Formation of Candida albicans / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study was designed to analyze the effect of the mitochondrial respiratory pathways of Candida albicans (C.albicans) on the biofilm formation.The 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assay was used to measure the metabolic activities of biofilms formed by the C.albicans which were cultured in the presence of respiratory pathways inhibitors.The biofilms formed by the wide type (WT),GOA1-deleted (GOA31),GOA1-reconstituted (GOA32),AOX1a-deleted (AOX1) and AOX1b-deleted (AOX2) C.albicans strains were examined by the XTT reduction assay and fluorescence microscopy.The expression of adhesion-related genes BCR1,ALS1,ALS3,ECE1 and HWP1 in the biofilms formed by the above five C.albicans strains was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction.It was found that the metabolic activity of biofilms formed by C.albicans was decreased in the presence of alternative oxidase inhibitor whereas it was increased in the presence of classical mitochondrial respiratory pathway complex Ⅲ or complex Ⅳ inhibitor.AOX1 strain produced scarce biofilms interspersed with few hyphal filaments.Moreover,no significant changes in the expression of BCR1 and ALS3 were observed in the AOX1 strain,but the expression of ALS1 and ECE1 was down-regulated,and that of HWP1 was up-regulated.These results indicate that both AOX1 and AOX2 can promote the biofilm formation.However,AOX1a primarily plays a regulatory role in biofilm formation in the absence of inducers where the promoting effect is mainly achieved by promoting mycelial formation.

Alternative Oxidase Promotes Biofilm Formation of Candida albicans / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study was designed to analyze the effect of the mitochondrial respiratory pathways of Candida albicans (C.albicans) on the biofilm formation.The 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assay was used to measure the metabolic activities of biofilms formed by the C.albicans which were cultured in the presence of respiratory pathways inhibitors.The biofilms formed by the wide type (WT),GOA1-deleted (GOA31),GOA1-reconstituted (GOA32),AOX1a-deleted (AOX1) and AOX1b-deleted (AOX2) C.albicans strains were examined by the XTT reduction assay and fluorescence microscopy.The expression of adhesion-related genes BCR1,ALS1,ALS3,ECE1 and HWP1 in the biofilms formed by the above five C.albicans strains was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction.It was found that the metabolic activity of biofilms formed by C.albicans was decreased in the presence of alternative oxidase inhibitor whereas it was increased in the presence of classical mitochondrial respiratory pathway complex Ⅲ or complex Ⅳ inhibitor.AOX1 strain produced scarce biofilms interspersed with few hyphal filaments.Moreover,no significant changes in the expression of BCR1 and ALS3 were observed in the AOX1 strain,but the expression of ALS1 and ECE1 was down-regulated,and that of HWP1 was up-regulated.These results indicate that both AOX1 and AOX2 can promote the biofilm formation.However,AOX1a primarily plays a regulatory role in biofilm formation in the absence of inducers where the promoting effect is mainly achieved by promoting mycelial formation.

Detection effect of an automatic identification system of Schistosoma japonicum miracidia / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

To evaluate the effect of an automatic identification system of Schistosoma japonicum miracidia, and compare it with the traditional eye detection method in the simulation field.A total of 260 fecal samples were collected from schistosomiasis non-endemic areas, and the test sample bottles containing schistosome miracidia were prepared according to different experimental needs. Thirty fecal samples for the sensitivity test were separately added with five fresh miracidia per sample, and then the mixed samples were detected by two experienced technicians (with more than 15 years’ traditional test experience) or the automatic system. The positive detection rates were compared between the two methods. Thirty fecal samples for repetition test were separately added with ten fresh miracidia per sample, and then the mixed samples were detected separately with the automatic identification system by two experienced technicians. The results were compared between two persons. The two methods including the automatic identification system and the traditional eye detection method were carried out blindly with totally 200 samples in the simulation field. There were three groups (each with 30 samples) : Group 1 with more than 21 fresh miracidia, Group 2 with 6 to 20 fresh miracidia, and Group 3 with 1 to 5 fresh miracidia. The other 110 samples were as a negative group. The detection time, accuracy, missed detection rate, and false detection rate of the two methods were statistically compared.The positive detection rates of the 30 positive samples were 43.33% and 33.33% by the two technicians with the traditional eye detection method, respectively, while the detection rate was 80.00% by the automatic identification system, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 7.05, χ2 = 12.97, both P < 0.01). Thirty positive samples were detected by the two technicians using the same automatic identification system, and the positive detection rates of the two were 96.67% and 86.67%, respectively, with no significant difference (χ2 = 0.27, P > 0.05). The experiments showed that the correct detection rate of the positive samples was 98.00% by the automatic identification system, which was higher than 79.75% by the traditional eye detection method. The detection time of the automatic identification system was shortened by half compared with that of the traditional eye detection method. The missed detection rate, and false detection rate of the automatic identification system were 2.22% and 1.82%, respectively, which were much lower than 35.56% and 7.73% of the traditional eye detection method.Compared with the traditional eye detection method, the automatic identification system of S. japonicum miracidia has the advantages of high sensitivity, good repeatability, short detection time, high accuracy, low missed detection rate, and low false detection rate. It can be used in the field and clinical detection in replacement of the traditional eye detection method.

Effective of social support and childbirth self-efficacy-enhancing intervention on primiparas' childbirth coping ability / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the effect of social support and childbirth self-efficacy-enhancing intervention on primiparas' childbirth self-efficacy,coping ability and pain during labor.Methods A randomized controlled trial was used with double blindness design.One hundredand six primiparas were recruited as the intervention group and control group,53 cases in each group.The two groups adopted the routine prenatal care.In addition,the intervention group participated in twice childbirth self-efficacy-enhancing educational courses.The Chinese Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI) was used to conduct the comparison between before and after intervention;the interventional effects in the natural childbirth pregnant women were compared between the two groups by adopting the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Childbirth Coping Behavior Scale (CCB);the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was adopted to analyze correlation between the social support level with the CBSEI and CCB.Results The intervention group finally had 52 cases of effective sample and the control group had 51 cases of effective sample.The CBSEI score after intervention in the intervention group was 282.04± 27.38,which was higher than 236.69± 45.39 before intervention.The CCB score in the intervention group was 56.78 ± 6.95,which was significantly higher than 48.03 ± 6.26 in thecontrol group,and the VAS score in the intervention group was 6.96 ± 1.39,which was lower than 8.35 ± 1.43 in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01).The MSPSS score in the two groups was positively correlated with the OE score,efficacy expectancy (EE) score and CBSEI score before intervention(r=0.269,0.289,0.317,P＜0.01).Conclusion Launching the childbirth self-efficacy-enhancing educational intervention of the social support system can effectively improve the childbirth self-efficacy and coping ability of primiparas,and reduce the intrapartum pain level.