Plague,a highly virulent zoonotic disease,is caused by Yersinia pestis.Eco-geographic landscape plays an important role in the formation and evolution of plague natural foci.We explored the relationship between geographic landscape and plague as well as related techniques,which will be helpful for clarifying the suitable habitats,identifying the vulnerability of geographic environment,and preventing and controlling the occurrence of plague effectively.

Objective:To determine the role of lncRNA TUG1 in pancreatic β cells functioning both in vitro and in vivo.Methods:The lncRNA TUG1 expression in mice pancreas,brain,muscle and other different tissues was examined through qRT-PCR.MTT,flow cytometry,GSIS,ELISA and immunochemistry analyses were performed to detect the effect of lncRNA TUG1 on insulin secretion in vitro and in vivo.Results:lncRNA TUG1 was highly expressed in pancreatic tissue compared with other organ tissues.Knockdown of lncRNA TUG1 expression resulted in decreased insulin secretion in β cells both in vitro and in vivo.Immunochemistry analyses showed decreased relative islet area after treatment with lncRNA TUG1 siRNA.Conclusions:Downregulation of lncRNA TUG1 expression can affect insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells in vitro and in vivo,and lncRNA TUG1 may represent a factor that regulates the function of pancreatic β cells.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) pretreatment on diaphragmatic function in septic rats.Methods:Twenty-six clean-grade healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 220-260 g, were divided into 3 groups using a random number table method: sham operation group (group S, n=6), sepsis group (group Sep, n=10) and NRG-1 group (group N, n=10). Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture in anesthetized rats.Group S underwent simple laparotomy.At 30 min before operation, recombinant human NRG-1β 10 μg/kg was injected through tail vein in group N, while the equal volume of normal saline was given in S and Sep groups.At 24 h after operation, the survived rats were sacrificed, and the diaphragm was removed for determination of the contractile function and contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and for examination of the pathological changes (by hematoxylin and eosin staining). Results:Compared with group S, the force-frequency curve was shifted downward, and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were increased ( P<0.01), inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in Sep and N groups.Compared with group Sep, the force-frequency curve was shifted upward , and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were decreased ( P<0.01), inflammatory cell infiltration was alleviated in group N. Conclusion:NRG-1 pretreatment can improve diaphragmatic contractile function in septic rats, and the mechanism is related to reducing diaphragmatic inflammatory responses.

ObjectiveTo investigate the event-based prospective memory (EBPM) and time-based prospective memory (TBPM) in patients with Alzheimer' s disease (AD). MethodsTwenty patients with AD, 20 adults with amnesia mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 30 healthy adults with matched age and education level were assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests including EBPM and TBPM tasks.ResultsCompared with healthy elders and patients with aMCI on performance of PM (2. 23 + 0. 77,4.83 ±1.09;1.00±1.03,3. 10 ± 1.52) and episodic memory(0. 70 ±0. 12,0.66 +0. 16;0.45 ±0.07,0.54±0. 10), AD patients were all impaired in PM and episodic memory(0.20 +0.41,2.05 ± 1.43;0.33±0. 12,0.32±0. 10), and were impaired in EBPM more significantly (t=-2.792, P＜0.01;t =-10. 761 ,P ＜0. 01 ). ConclusionsThese results suggest that AD patients show deficits of PM, but their EBPM is impaired more significantly. EBPM impairment may be an early diagnostic of AD.

Normal function of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor Ⅰaxis is essential for linear growth after birth. A case of continuous growth with undetectable growth hormone level even under insulinhypoglycemia stimulation was reported. The growth hormone deficiency was due to pituitary stalk interruption combined with deficiency of multiple pituitary hormones. Taken together with reviewed literature, this so-called nongrowth hormone-dependent linear growth was preconditioned by other hormones, especially gonadotropin deficiency,and the unclosed epiphysis.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of memory impairment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods Thirty-five patients with aMCI and 35 healthy adults matched with age and education level were administered with a neuropsychological battery of tests including conception and perception implicit priming tasks (category exemplar, picture identification), as well as explicit memory tasks (immediate recall, delay recall, delay recognition ). Results Compared with healthy elders, patients with aMCI were impaired in the conception implicit priming task(t=-4.33, P<0.01), as well as in explicit memory (immediate recall, t=6.40, P<0.01;delay recall, t=9.29,P<0.01; delay recognition, t=7.65,P<0.01),but not in perception implicit priming task (t=-0.78, P＞0.05).The conception implicit priming is positively correlated with verbal fluency (r=0.74,P<0.01). Conclusions The present results indicate that patients with aMCI are impaired in both explicit memory and conception implicit priming. The conception implicit priming impairment in aMCI may be related to their frontal lobe dysfunction.

Objective To explore the specificity and efficiency of YFP labeled natural killer (NK) cells through Vav-Cre induced YFP reporter system in mice. Methods ROSA26R-YFP and Vav-Cre mice were crossed, and their YFP and Cre gene double positive progeny were screened by genotyping. The specificity of YFP in hematopoietic cells from im-mune organs including lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and bone marrow were analyzed by flow cytometry. The percentages of YFP positive cells in NK cells from lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow were also analyzed by flow cytometry. Results A total of 11 double positive mice (ROSA26R-YFP-(+/-)VavCre) were obtained in 17 mouse offspring by crossing ROSA26R-YFP mice with Vav-Cre mice. The percentages of YFP positive cells in immune organs including lymph nodes, spleen, thy-mus and bone marrow were 73.87%± 1.51%, 56.07%± 1.47%, 86.17%± 1.74%and 53.60%± 3.56%, and there were signifi-cant differences compared with the corresponding negative control cells(0.27%±0.01%, 1.33%±0.91%, 0.11%±0.01%and 0.29%± 0.03%, P<0.01). There were no YFP expressions in non-immune organs in double positive mice and in negative control mice (0.72%±0.43%vs 0.92%±0.27%, P>0.05). The positive rates of YFP were significantly higher in NK cells in lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow (76.94%±0.84%、81.66%±1.18%and 88.92%±0.77%) compared with those of control (P<0.01). Conclusion YFP marked NK cells through Vav-Cre induced YFP reporter system in mice have high specificity and efficiency.

Objectives To investigate the correlation between dietary fatty acids intake of pregnant women and neonatal anthropometry at birth. Methods Women in early pregnancy were recruited with appropriate value of weight gain in pregnancy. Instant photography was used to assess the dietary situation in both the second trimester and the third trimester to calculate the intakes of food, energy, macronutrients, and fatty acids. The body weight, height and BMI at birth were evaluated with Z scores. The correlation between dietary fatty acids of pregnant women and neonatal anthropometry at birth were analyzed. Results There were 516 pregnant women recruited in this study. The average intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the proportion of total fatty acids in the two trimesters were 15 . 09 g/d, 23 . 93% and 17 . 18 g/d, 24 . 86%. In the second trimester the intakes of n-6 and n-3 PUFA were 14 . 23 g/d and 3 . 45 g/d, and in the third trimester, n-6 and n-3 PUFA were 16 . 08 g/d and 3 . 81 g/d, the average intakes in the third trimester were signiifcantly higher than those in the second trimester (P??0 . 05 ). The intake of DHA ( 64 . 43 mg/d) in the second trimester was lower than that in the third trimester 75 . 12 mg/d, (P??0 . 05 ).The dietary intakes of n-3 PUFA, n-6 PUFA and n-6/n-3 ratio in the second trimester were positively correlated with neonatal BMI r=0 . 142~0 . 189 , P??0 . 05 ). Conclusions The dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA in the second trimester was positively correlated with neonatal BMI, suggesting that moderately increasing the intake of n-3 PUFA may play a positive role in reducing childhood obesity.

Objective To study the value of MR diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) in the staging of chronic kidney disease(CKD).Method MR diffusion tensor imaging was used on 26 CKD patients.All patients were diagnosed as CKD according to the criteria of clinical diagnostic.All MR images achieved diagnostic requirements.Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid(99mTc-DTPA) renal dynamic imaging was used to determine the unilateral renal function.CKD patients were determined as mildly renal impairment group and moderately to severely renal impairment group based on the glomerular filtration rate(GFR).Twenty healthy volunteers underwent DTI at the same time.The cortical and medullary ADC value and FA value were measured in all subjects who underwent conventional MRI and DTI.The paired Student's t test was used to compare the cortico-medullary difference of the mean ADC and FA values in all subjects.The oneway analysis of variance(ANOVA) was carried out to assess the difference among the medullary and cortical diffusion parameters(ADC,FA) of all the three groups,and LSD was used to assess multiple comparisons.The correlation of GFR and ADC value of the patients,and FA value of the patients were tested by Pearson correlation analysis.Results The cortical and medullary ADC values of 46 subjects were(2.25±0.25) × 10-3 and(2.10±0.20) × 10-3 mm2/s respectively,FA of them were(3.48±0.61) and(4.27±0.75) respectively(t =6.754,10.043 respectively; P＜0.01).The cortical ADC values of volunteers,mild renal impairment group,severely renal impairment group were(2.25±0.22) ×10-3,(2.31±0.19) ×103,(2.18±0.32) ×10-3mm2/s respectively.The medullary ADC value of the three groups were(2.09±0.19) × 10-3,(2.17±0.17) × 10-3,(2.06±0.24) × 10-3mm2/s respectively(F=0.968,0.882 respectively; P＞0.05).The cortical FA values of the three groups were 3.85± 0.47,3.18±0.62,3.20±0.52 respectively.The medullary FA of the three groups were 4.92±0.38,3.93±0.57,3.62 ± 0.53(F=8.725,33.705 respectively; P＜0.01).There was no correlation between cortical ADC,medullary ADC,cortical FA of the patients and GFR [(30.14±15.79) ml· min-1 · 1.73 m-2](r =0.243,0.197,0.196 respectively; P＞0.05).There was a positive correlation between medullary FA of the patients and GFR (r=0.556,P=0.003).Conclusion FA value has certain value in evaluating CKD early diagnosis and renal function.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with gross hematuria.Methods:The clinical and pathological data of 490 primary IgAN patients admitted in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2010 to June 2019 were analyzed. Patients were divided into gross hematuria group and non-gross hematuria group. The clinical and pathological features and prognosis were compared between the two groups. All patients were diagnosed by kidney biopsy, and followed up until June 30, 2020. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to examine the renal survival,and Cox regression model was used to analyze the risk factors affecting renal survival in two groups.Results:Among 490 patients there were 111 patients (22.7%) in the gross hematuria group and 379 patients (77.3%) in the non-gross hematuria group. Age, hypertension, 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, blood uric acid, blood triglycerides, total blood cholesterol level, mesangial cell hyperplasia (M1), the proportion of renal tubular atrophy or renal interstitial fibrosis (T1/2) in gross hematuria group were lower than those in non-gross hematuria group ( P<0.05), while the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in gross hematuria group was higher than those in non-gross hematuria group ( P<0.05). Four hundred and twenty six patients (86.9%) were followed up for at least 6 months, including 93 patients in gross hematuria group and 333 patients in non-gross hematuria group. There was no statistically significant difference in treatment method between the two groups ( P>0.05). The incidence of end-point events in non-gross hematuria group was higher than that in gross hematuria group [18.6%(62/333) vs. 6.5%(6/93), χ2=8.023, P<0.05]. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the cumulative renal survival rate of the gross hematuria group was higher than that of the non gross hematuria group (χ2=11.44, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that urine protein>1 g/24 h, eGFR<60 ml·min -1·(1.73 m 2) -1, hypertension, hyperuricemia and the elevated serum IgA/C3 were risk factors for renal survival [ HR(95% CI)=3.457(1.137-10.514),2.736(1.073-6.977),2.720(1.144-6.465),2.789(1.102-7.060),1.070(1.009-1.135), all P<0.05]. Conclusions:IgAN patients with gross hematuria has less severe kidney damage and higher cumulative renal survival rate than non-gross hematuria patients. Urinary protein>1.0 g/d, hypertension, hyperuricemia and the elevated serum IgA/C3 are risk factors for adverse end-point events, to which timely attention and corresponding treatment should be given.