Poisonous substances and geographical distribution of poisoning in hospitalized children based on data from 25 hospitals in China from 2016 to 2020 / 中华儿科杂志

Objective: To investigate the poisonous substances and geographical distribution of poisoning in children in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study. The clinical data of 8 385 hospitalized children from January 2016 to December 2020 were extracted from the FUTang Updating Medical Records database. These children aged 0 to 18 years and were admitted due to poisoning. They were grouped according to age (newborns and infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents), place of residence (Northeast China, North China, Central China, East China, South China, Southwest China, Northwest China), and mode of discharge (discharge under medical advice, transfer to another hospital under medical advice, discharge without medical advice, death, other). The poisonous substance and causes of poisoning in different groups were analyzed. Results: Among these 8 385 children, 4 734 (56.5%) were male and 3 651 (43.5%) female, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3∶1. The age was 3 (2, 7) years. The prevalence of poisoning was 51.8% (4 343/8 385) in toddlers, 16.5% (1 380/8 385) in adolescents, 14.8% (1 242/8 385) in preschoolers, 14.4% (1 206/8 385) in school-age children, and 2.5% (214/8 385) in newborns and infants. Drug poisoning accounted for 43.5% (3 649/8 385) and pesticide accounted for 26.8% (2 249/8 385). Drug poisoning was more common in adolescents (684/1 380, 49.6%) and toddlers (2 041/4 343, 47.0%); non-drug poisoning was more common in school-age children (891/1 206, 73.9%), of which carbon monoxide was mainly in newborns and infants (41/214, 19.2%) and food poisoning in children of school age (241/1 206, 20.0%). Regarding regional characteristics, drug poisoning was more frequent in South China (188/246, 64.2%) and non-drug poisoning was more frequent in Southwest China (815/1 123, 72.5%). For drugs, anti-epileptic drugs, sedative-hypnotic drugs and anti-Parkinson's disease drugs had a higher proportion of poisoning in North China (138/1 034, 13.0%) than that in other regions. For non-drug poisoning, pesticides (375/1 123, 33.3%), food poisoning (209/1 123, 18.6%) and contact with poisonous animals (86/1 123, 7.7%) were more common in Southwest China than in other regions; carbon monoxide poisoning was more common in North China (81/1 034, 7.6%) and Northwest China (65/1 064, 6.3%). In Central China, poisoning happened more in toddlers (792/1 295, 61.2%) and less in adolescents (115/1 295, 8.8%) than in other regions. Regarding different age groups, poisoning in adolescent happened more in Northeast China (121/457, 26.5%), North China (240/1 034, 23.2%), and Northwest China (245/1 064, 23.0%). The rate of discharge under medical advice, discharge without medical advice, and mortality rate within the 5 years were 77.0% (6 458/8 385), 20.8% (1 743/8 385), 0.5% (40/8 385), respectively. Conclusions: Poisoning is more common in male and toddlers. Poisonous substances show a regional characteristic and vary in different age groups, with drugs and insecticides as the most common substances.

The relationship of virus load, receptor expression and tumor spectrum in layer chickens infected by ALV-J / 病毒学报

Abstract:Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) infect cells by binding to the chNHE1 receptor protein of the host and causes tumors. The tumor incidence of the ALV-J-infected chickens was observed by histo pathology, and virus was isolated on DF-1 cell line. The ALV-J load and mRNA of chNHElreceptor protein were detected by real time PCR. The relationship between ALV-J load, chNHE1 receptor expression levels and tumor spectrum was analyzed. The results showed that the tumors induced by ALV-J in laying hens and local lines of chicken were different. No significant relationship was observed between ALV-J load and tumor spectrum. ALV-J load was positively correlated with mRNA expression of chNHE1. The mRNA expression of chNHE1 increased when the tumors occurred. Our results suggest the chNHE1 protein is not only the receptor of ALV-J infected host but also play an important role in the process of tumor development. This study provides a scientific basis for further studying of oncogenic mechanism of ALV-J.

[Needles stable carbon isotope composition and traits of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in sparse wood grassland in south edge of Keerqin Sandy Land under the conditions of different precipitation].

A comparative study was conducted on the needles stable carbon isotope composition (delta13 C), specific leaf area (SLA), and dry matter content (DMC) of 19-year-old Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica trees in a sparse wood grassland in the south edge of Keerqin Sandy Land under the conditions of extreme drought and extreme wetness, aimed to understand the water use of Pinus sylvestris under the conditions of extreme precipitation. The soil water content and groundwater level were also measured. In the dry year (2009), the soil water content in the grassland was significantly lower than that in the wet year (2010), but the delta13C values of the current year-old needles had no significant difference between the two years and between the same months of the two years. The SLA of the current year-old needles was significantly lower in the dry year than in the wet year, but the DMC had no significant difference between the two years. Under the conditions of the two extreme precipitations, the water use efficiency of the trees did not vary remarkably, and the trees could change their needles SLA to adapt the variations of precipitation. For the test ecosystem with a groundwater level more than 3.0 m, extreme drought could have no serious impact on the growth and survival of the trees.

Cloning and expression of gp37 gene of avian leukosis virus subgroup J / 病毒学报

The transmembrane protein (TM) encoded by gp37 gene plays a critical role when virus fusion with cell membrane occurs. Several highly conserved regions in TM are important targets for antivirus studies. Studies on structure and function of TM will provide basic information for anti-retrovirus, especially for avian leukosis virus. In the study, gp37 gene was amplified by PCR from the Chinese strain ALV-J-WS0701. The gp37 gene was cloned into pMD18-T vector, and was sequenced. Then, pFast-BacHTb-gp37 vector was constructed and expressed by baculovirus expression vector system. The expression product of gp37 gene was analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay and Western blot. The results showed that positive green fluorescence was present in sf9 cells infected with recombinant virus and a protein band with a molecular weight of 21kD was present in Western blot. It is concluded that gp37 gene was expressed in sf9 cells infected with recombinant virus successfully.

[Distribution characteristics of delta13C values in different organs of Abies georgei growing at alpine timberline].

Based on the analysis of the distribution characteristics of delta13C values in the needle, twig, branch, trunk, and root of different age Abies georgei growing at the timberline of Sergyemla Mountain on the southeast edge of Tibetan Plateau, this paper studied the process or extent of post-photosynthetic delta13C fractionation and its affecting factors. The results showed that the organ-specific difference in delta13C values was highly significant (P < 0.001), with the sequence of trunk (-24.19 per thousand +/- 0.34 per thousand) > branch (-24.56 per thousand +/- 0.62 per thousand) > root (-25.05 per thousand +/- 1.08 per thousand) > twig (-25.12 per thousand +/- 0.54 per thousand) > needle (-7.25 per thousand +/- 0.63 per thousand), which suggested that an obvious post-photosynthetic delta13C fractionation was existed between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organs. With increasing age of needle and twig, the delta13C value in needle decreased significantly, while that in twig showed a reverse pattern (P < 0.01). The delta13C value in needle increased significantly (P < 0.01) from lower canopy to higher canopy, whereas no significant difference (P > 0.05) of delta13C value in twig was observed among different canopy heights. A significant vertical gradient of delta13C value existed in the branches at a distance of 2.5 m from trunk (P < 0.01), but disappeared at a distance of 1.5 m or 0.5 m. At the same canopy height, the delta13C value in twig decreased with increasing distance from trunk, which was most obvious in the twigs of middle and lower canopies. All of these suggested that post-photosynthetic delta13C fractionation occurred in alpine A. georgei, and the carbon need for the growth of height-specific tree stems or branches was not wholly supplied by the corresponding segment of the tree crown at the same height.

Liposome-mediated IL-28 and IL-29 expression in A549 cells and anti-viral effect of IL-28 and IL-29 on WISH cells.

AIM: To construct the recombinant vectors carrying interleukin (IL)-28A, IL-28B and IL-29 cDNAs and express them in human A549 cells, and analyze their antiviral activity in vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-infected human immortalized amnion epithelial cell line (WISH cells). METHODS: Total cell RNA was extracted from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) activated with poly I:C. The cDNAs encoding human IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29 were amplified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and inserted into pcDNA3.1/V5-His-TOPO vectors. These recombinant vectors were transfected into human A549 cells by a liposome-mediated gene transfer method. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29. The antiviral activity of IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29 was determined by a cytopathic effect reduction assay on WISH cells using VSV as a challenge virus. RESULTS: The DNA sequences of the inserts were identical to the published sequences encoding IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29 in GenBank. It was demonstrated that IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29 genes were markedly transcribed in transfected cells. Expression of all 3 interleukins in A549 cells was confirmed by Western blot analysis. IL-28 and IL-29 expressed by A549 cells, like interferon (IFN) alpha-2b, were able to protect WISH cells against VSV infection. CONCLUSION: IL-28 and IL-29 cDNAs were successfully cloned and expressed in eukaryotic cells via transfection with pcDNA3.1/V5-His-TOPO-IL-28/IL-29. Transfection with this vector produced a specific antiviral activity similar to that of IFN-alpha, which will provide a new tool for the functional study of these cytokines in humans.

IL-10 and its related cytokines for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory disorders of gastrointestinal tract. Although the etiology is incompletely understood, initiation and aggravation of the inflammatory process seem to be due to a massive local mucosal immune response. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a regulatory cytokine which inhibits both antigen presentation and subsequent pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and it is proposed as a potent anti-inflammatory biological therapy in chronic IBD. Many methods of IL-10 as a treatment for IBD have been published. The new strategies of IL-10 treatment, including recombinant IL-10, the use of genetically modified bacteria, gelatine microsphere containing IL-10, adenoviral vectors encoding IL-10 and combining regulatory T cells are discussed in this review. The advantages and disadvantages of these IL-10 therapies are summarized. Although most results of recombinant IL-10 therapies are disappointing in clinical testing because of lacking efficacy or side effects, therapeutic strategies utilizing gene therapy may enhance mucosal delivery and increase therapeutic response. Novel IL-10-related cytokines, including IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, IL-26, IL-28 and IL-29, are involved in regulation of inflammatory and immune responses. The use of IL-10 and IL-10-related cytokines will provide new insights into cell-based and gene-based treatment against IBD in near future.