Objective To observe the effects of berberine on ICAM-1, VCAM-1 expression and inflammatory cells exudation in mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus, and explore its anti-injury effect. Methods Totally 108 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, and berberine group. 25 μL 50 LD50 influenza virus, mouse lung-adapted strain, was intranasally inoculated to model group and berberine group. 1 h after infection, control and model group were intragastrically given 25 μL distilled water, berberine group was treated by intraperitoneal injection with berberine at a dose of 0.005 g/(kg·d) for 5 days, twice per day. On day 2, 4 and 6 after infection, immunocytochemical method was used to detect ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, and sorting cell count of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. Results The expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in model group increased obviously on day 2, 4, 6, and which in berberine group decreased compared with model group (P<0.01). WBC, mononuclear cell, eosinophile cell and neutrophil cell number in model group increased significantly. WBC and neutrophil cell number decreased in berberine group on day 6 (P<0.01), and the mononuclear cell number decreased on day 4 (P<0.01). Conclusion Berberine inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and decreased the inflammatory cells exudation in lung of mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus. Berberine has protective effect on inflammatory injury of lung tissue in mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus.

Objective To review the trends of survival rates and complications in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants and to improve the prognosis of ELBW infants.Method From January 1999 to December 2015,ELBW infants in our hospital were retrospectively studied.Their survival rates and complications were compared among groups with different birth weight,and the risk factors for survival were identified using multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis.Result A total of 243 ELBW infant were collected.The median gestational age of ELBW infant was 27.3 weeks (23 ～ 34 weeks),and their median birth weight was 890 g (490 ～ 995 g).Excluding 40 cases refused treatment,the cure and survival rates of the remaining 203 ELBW infants were 43.8％ (89/203) and 65.0％ (132/203),respectively.The survival rate in ELBW infant with birth weight ＜ 600 g was 0/3,increased to 70.8％ (68/96) when birth weight was 900 ～ 999 g,with an ascending trend with increased birth weight (x2 trend =12.673,P ＜0.001).The most common complications of 243 cases were neonatal respiration distress syndrome [87.7％ (213/243)],sepsis [45.3％ (110/243)],intraventricular hemorrhage [37.4％ (91/243)],bronchopulmonary dysplasia [36.6％ (89/243)] and pheumonia [36.6％ (89/243)].The incidence of complications (including intracerebral hemorrhage and hydrocephalus),decreased with increased birth weight.Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis found that birth weight below 800 g (＜ 700 g:OR =22.333,95％ CI 1.493 ～ 334.148,P =0.024;700 ～ 799 g:OR =3.573,95％ CI 1.075 ～ 11.874,P =0.038),stage Ⅲ necrotizing enterocolitis (OR =8.803,95％ CI 1.308 ～ 59.244,P =0.025),stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ of intraventricular hemorrhage (OR =8.902,95％ CI 1.127 ～ 70.338,P =0.038) and mechanical ventilation (OR =3.597,95％ CI 1.043 ～ 12.410,P =0.043) were risk factors affecting the ELBW infant's survival.Conclusion As birth weight increases,the survival rate also increases,and the rate of complications decreases.Birth weight,stage Ⅲ necrotizing enterocolitis,stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ intraventricular hemorrhage and mechanical ventilation are risk factors for the ELBW infant's survival.

The effective therapeutics for the sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaker dysfunction induced by SCN5A gene mutation this is still being explored recently. In this study, a two-dimensional experimental model of rabbit SAN-atrial cell system which proposed by Zhang et al., was used as a prototype, the gene mutation was considered, and effects of both the acid concentration and temperature were also introduced. The effects of acid concentration and temperature on sick sinus syndrome (SSS) at the tissue level were investigated by simulation. The results showed that the SAN abnormal pacemaker could be caused by the reduction of I(Na), which is induced by the two mutations of T220I and delF1617. The results also showed that if we properly adjusted the acid concentration and temperature of the system, not only could we increase the relevant currents, but also could we increase I(Na) which reduced by gene mutations, so that the pacemaking behavior of SAN tissue could return to normal state from abnormalities. The above simulation results imply that the abnormal pacemaking of SAN system may closely relate to the gene mutation of ion channel mutations, and the acid concentration and temperature may play a modulatory role. Our study could be useful for clinical medical diagnosis and therapy of cardiac disease.
Acids ; Animals ; Computer Simulation ; Mutation ; NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; genetics ; Rabbits ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; etiology ; genetics ; Sinoatrial Node ; pathology ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo explore the application of factor analysis in creating a new health-related questionnaire for evaluating quality of life, the Chinese for Quality of Life Instrument (ChQOL).

METHODSTwo hundred and seventy-three subjects selected from two provinces of North China (Ningxia) and South China (Guangdong) were investigated by ChQOL, and the preliminary version was completed with factor analysis.

RESULTSFifty items were developed using factor analysis. The final structure model of ChQOL was confirmed through the screening and verification of factor structural model on the 78 items of ChQOL, a new questionnaire with more rational structure was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONFactor analysis is an effective method in developing new questionnaire.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; psychology ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Psychometrics ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Sepsis-induced cell lysis and necrosis lead to the passive release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) into circulation. These DNAs bind to pattern recognition receptor (PRR), triggering excessive inflammatory cytokines production and increasing mortality. Three prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) is a 3' to 5' exonuclease that rapidly degrades single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) by cleaving phosphodiester bonds. This process can prevent the accumulation of damaged DNA in the cytoplasm, thereby averting abnormal inflammation and pathological immune responses. TREX1 thus plays a significant role in regulating DNA-related damage caused by sepsis. However, the role and underlying mechanisms of TREX1 in sepsis have not been thoroughly discussed. This review aims to elucidate the structure and function of TREX1 and its mediated immune regulatory mechanisms, with the hope of clarifying the potential role of TREX1 in the field of sepsis.

Personalized medicine emphasizes individualized and dynamic treatment decisions. There is an urgent need for a new efficacy evaluation system that can adapt to this approach. By reviewing past clinical research practices， this article pointed out the innovative needs of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） efficacy evaluation from the perspective of personalized medicine in terms of ethical review， trial design， data management， and statistical analysis. Focusing on these needs， the article has proposed a strategic framework using syndrome differentiation and treatment in TCM as an example. The framework includes a method based on subgroup dynamic-static parallel group design and analysis， a safeguard mechanism of continuous review， dynamic informed consent， and multicenter ethical review， a technological support platform for personalized clinical efficacy evaluation and evidence support， and a statistical strategy integrating Bayesian and traditional analysis methods， aiming to promote the development of personalized TCM diagnosis and treatment.

In order to overcome the challenges of insufficient restriction enzyme sites, and construct a fusion-expression vector with flexible fusion direction, we designed an LB cloning system based on the type IIS and type IIT restriction enzymes LguⅠ and BbvCⅠ. The LB cloning system is constructed by inserting the LB fragment (GCTCTTCCTCAGC) into the multiple cloning site region of the broad-host plasmid pBBR1MCS-3 using PCR. The LB fragment contains partially overlapped recognition sites of LguⅠ and BbvCⅠ. Therefore, the same non-palindromic sequence will be generated by these two restriction endonucleases digestion. This feature can be used to quickly and flexibly insert multiple genes into the expression vector in a stepwise and directed way. In order to verify the efficacy of the cloning system, two glycosyltransferase genes welB and welK of Sphingomonas sp. WG were consecutively fused to the LB cloning vector, and the recombinant plasmid was transferred into Sphingomonas sp. WG by triparental mating. The results showed that gene fusion expression has little effect on sphingan titer, but enhanced the viscosity of sphingan. The viscosity of the sphingan produced by recombinant strain Sphingomonas sp. WG/pBBR1MCS-3-LB-welKB was 24.7% higher than that of the wild strain after fermentation for 84 h, which would be beneficial for its application. In conclusion, the application of LB cloning system were verified using Sphingomonas sp. WG. The LB cloning system may provide an efficient tool for fusion expression of target genes.
Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Fermentation ; Plasmids/genetics* ; Sphingomonas/metabolism*