Isolation and Characterization of 2019-nCoV-like Coronavirus from Malayan Pangolins

The outbreak of 2019-nCoV in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019 poses unprecedent public health challenges to both China and the rest world1. The new coronavirus shares high sequence identity to SARS-CoV and a newly identified bat coronavirus2. While bats may be the reservoir host for various coronaviruses, whether 2019-nCoV has other hosts is still ambiguous. In this study, one coronavirus isolated from Malayan pangolins showed 100%, 98.2%, 96.7% and 90.4% amino acid identity with 2019-nCoV in the E, M, N and S genes, respectively. In particular, the receptor-binding domain of the S protein of the Pangolin-CoV is virtually identical to that of 2019-nCoV, with one amino acid difference. Comparison of available genomes suggests 2019-nCoV might have originated from the recombination of a Pangolin-CoV-like virus with a Bat-CoV-RaTG13-like virus. Infected pangolins showed clinical signs and histopathological changes, and the circulating antibodies reacted with the S protein of 2019-nCoV. The isolation of a coronavirus that is highly related to 2019-nCoV in the pangolins suggests that these animals have the potential to act as the intermediate host of 2019-nCoV. The newly identified coronavirus in the most-trafficked mammal could represent a continuous threat to public health if wildlife trade is not effectively controlled.

Clinical Observation of Guizhi Fuling Capsule Combined with Mifepristone in Treatment of Uterine Fibroids / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To observe the efficacy and safety of Guizhi fuling capsule combined with mifepristone in treatment of uterine fibroids. METHODS:116 patients with uterine fibroids were randomly divided into control group and observation group. Control group was orally given Mifepristone tablet 25 mg,2 h before meal in the first day of menstrual period,once a day,for con-tinuous 10 d;observation group was additionally given Guizhi fuling capsule 3 pills in non-menstrual period,3 times a day. 3 months was regarded as a treatment course,it lasted 2 courses. Clinical efficacy,and E2,FSH,SHBG,uterine volume,menstrual blood volume,uterine fibroid volume and incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups before and after treatment were observed. RE-SULTS:Total effective rate in observation group was significantly higher than control group,the difference was statistically signifi-cant(P0.05). CONCLU-SIONS:The clinical efficacy of Guizhi fuling capsule combined with mifepristone in treatment of uterine fibroids is more signifi-cant than mifepristone alone,with good safety.

Expression of transcriptional factor Hand2 in fetal rats with gestational diabetes mellitus during cardiac development / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To study the effect of Hand2 (one of basic helix-loop-helix proteins’ transcription factors) expression on the development of the cardiac tissues in the fetal rats from gestational diabetes mellitus ( GDM) parents, and to investigate the potential pathogenesis of GDM-induced congenital cardiac defects in rats.METHODS: The adult Spra-gue-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into blank control group (n=24), GDM group (n=30), negative control group ( n=30) and insulin intervened group ( n=30) .The GDM model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 2%streptozotocin (STZ, 40 mg/kg body weight) to the pregnant rats on the successive day.The rats in insulin intervened group were injected with intermediate-acting insulin in order to keep the fasting blood glucose in the normal range.The rats in negative control group were injected with citric acid-sodium citrate buffer solution in the same position.Blood glucose and body weight were examined every day 72 h after STZ injection.On E12, E15 and E19, the rats were anesthetized and the embryonic cardiac tissues were collected after caesarean section.The histopathological changes of the cardiac tissues were observed under microscope with HE staining.The expression of Hand2 was analyzed by the method of immunohisto-chemistry.The expression of Hand2 in the cardiac tissues at mRNA and protein levels was determined by real-time fluores-cence quantitative PCR and Western blotting.RESULTS:During the development of embryonic heart, the protein expres-sion of Hand2 in the cardiac tissues was showed dynamic changes.Observed on E12, obviously increased on E15, and at the highest level on E19.Compared with the other 3 groups, the protein and mRNA expression of Hand2 in GDM group was decreased at the time points of E12 and E15.CONCLUSION:The morbidity of fetal cardiac malformation is significantly increased in GDM group, suggesting that Hand2 may be involved in the development of cardiac malformation in GDM.

Correlation Research on Elements of Different Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome after Ischemic Stroke / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This article was aimed to study the correlation among traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements in the first year after ischemic stroke. Data of TCM four examinations were collected among subjects all over China by cross-sectional study, using the same observing rating scale. The results showed that internal-heat, internal-wind and phlegm-damp syndrome were risk factors with obvious positive correlation. On the contrary, blood-stasis, internal-heat and qi-deficiency syndrome were in obvious negative correlation. But syndrome of yin-deficiency had no significant correlation with other syndrome elements. It was concluded that there were remarkable positive correlations on excess syndromes, such as wind, fire and phlegm. The syndromes of excess in the branch are easily to be combined.

Research on Correlation of TCM Syndromes with Region Factor in The First Year after First Ischemic Stroke / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This article was aimed to study the correlation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes with re-gion factor in the first year after first ischemic stroke. Cross-sectional study was applied in the data collection of TCM four examinations among subjects in China using the same observing rating scale. The results showed that sub-jects of North China were mainly presented with the syndromes of qi-deficiency, internal-heat and phlegm-damp;subjects of Middle China were mainly presented with the syndrome of q i-deficiency; and subjects of East and South China were mainly presented with the syndrome of qi-deficiency and blood-stasis. The proportion of internal-heat was obviously higher in North China than in South China; that of phlegm-damp was remarkably higher in North Chi-na than in Middle and East China; and that of blood-stasis was significantly lower in Middle China than in East and South China. It was concluded that the distribution of internal-heat and blood-stasis was significantly affected by factor of region. Patients in North and South China differed greatly in TCM syndrome. Internal-heat is the main syn-drome in North China, while blood-stasis in South China.

Clinical Observation on Treatment of Bronchial Asthma by Comprehensive Acupuncture Methods / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Forty cases of bronchial asthma were treated by comprehensive methods of acupuncture, ear-embedding and acupoint-injecting. Thirty-six cases were treated by single body acupuncture and 38 cases were treated by herbal medicine for comparison. The therapeutic effects were analyzed among the three groups. The total effective rate was 95.0% in the comprehensive group, 80.6% in the single acupuncture group and 73.7% in the herbal medicine group, with a significant difference (P＜0.05) among the three groups. The combined use of acupuncture, ear-embedding method and acupoint-injecting method were better than single acupuncture and herbal medicine in the treatment of asthma.