Objective To investigate the expression of macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF) in pulmonary tissues of the smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods The subjects were assigned into three groups:non-smokers without COPD (control group,n =12),smokers without COPD (smoker group,n =13) and smokers with COPD (COPD group,n =16).The specimens were obtained from lung tissues as far away from cancer focus as possible (＞ 5cm).Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the expression and distribution of MIF in pulmonary tissues.The relationship between the severity of airflow obstruction and the differential expressions of MIF in lung tissues of the smokers with or without COPD was analyzed.Results (1) MIF mRNA expression in COPD group (4.87 ± 1.79) was higher than that in the smoker group (2.16 ±0.72;P＜0.01),which was higher than that in the control group (1.09 ±0.48;P ＜0.01).(2)Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that MIF protein expression in lung tissues of the COPD group (0.277±0.025) was higher than that in the smokers group (0.199 ±0.034;P ＜0.01),which was significantly higher than that in control group (0.130 ±0.021 ;P ＜0.01).(3) Correlation analysis of MIF mRNA expression in the lung tissues and pulmonary function parameters of forced expired volume in one second (FEV1) percentage of predicted (FEV1 pred) and ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) suggested that MIF mRNA expression in the lung tissues was negatively related with FEV1 pred (r=-0.578,P ＜ 0.01) and FEV1/FVC (r =-0.607,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions MIF expression significantly increases in the smokers with COPD,and MIF level in the lung is positively correlated with airflow limitation.The results suggest that MIF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of smokinginduced COPD.

AIM: To investigate whether Ligustrazine(LTZ) has an effect on the changes of protein kinase C(PKC) signaling pathway induced by inflammatory mediators involved in asthma in normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). METHODS: 10 mL peripheral venous blood was obtained from each of 63 health humans and treated as follows. The activities of PKC from cytosolic and membrane fractions in PBL were measured by -ATP-catalyzing assay, after PBL had been isolated and performed by following processes: (1) First: three groups treated with 5 g/L LTZ(n=6) or 5 ?mol/L Ro31-8220 (n=6); Paired untreated PBL served as control of this group, as well as the negative controls of the following groups(n=6); (2)Second : three groups treated with 100 nmol/L Methacholine (Mch, n=5), 5 g/L LTZ+100 nmol/L Mch(n=5)or 5 ?mol/L Ro31-8220(a PKC inhibitor)+100 nmol/L Mch(n=5); (3)Third: three groups treated with 100 nmol/L histamine, 5 g/L LTZ+100 nmol/L histamine(n=5) or 5 ?mol/L Ro31-8220+100 nmol/L histamine(n=5); (4)Fourth: three groups treated respectively with 100 nmol/L PMA(a PKC activator, n=5), 5 g/L LTZ+100 nmol/L PMA(n=5) or 5 ?mol/L Ro31-8220+100 nmol/L PMA(n=5). RESULTS: (1)LTZ had no effect on the activities of PKC in inactive PBL in normal humans; (2) Methacholine or histamine resulted in an increase in membrane PKC activity of normal human PBL, which was partly suppressed by LTZ (all P

Objective To assess the correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels with vitamin D-binding protein (the group-specific component,GC) gene polymorphism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods In a cross-sectional case-control study,250participants,including 116 COPD patients with smoking history and 134 healthy smokers,were investigated.A questionnaire about smoking history,vitamin D intake and comorbidities was collected.General pulmonary function was done by routine.Serum 25-OHD levels were detected by ELISA.The genetic variants (rs4588and rs7041) were genotyped by real time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with TaqMan probe technology.Results The COPD patients had lower serum vitamin D level than the smoker subjects (36.58 nmol/L vs 43.80 nmol/L,P ＜0.001).In the COPD patients,vitamin D level was 39.43 nmol/L in those with percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ％ pred) greater than or equal to 80％.In other groups with FEV1 ％ pred 50％-80％,30％-50％ and lower than 30％,vitamin D levels were 35.32 nmol/L,32.21 nmol/L,26.25 nmol/L respectively (P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,there was a significant relevance of 25-OHD levels with FEV1 ％ pred in both COPD patients and healthy smokers (r2 =1.911; P ＜0.000 1).The mean 25-OHD concentration had a negative correlation with Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages.Homozygous carriers of vitamin D-binding protein gene rs7041 T allele were independently related to 25-OHD levels and susceptibility of COPD (P ＜ 0.01 ; OR =2.140,95％ CI 1.157-3.959,P =0.015 respectively).Conclusions Patients with COPD are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COPD is inversely correlated with vitamin D levels.Furthermore,homozygous carrier of rs7041 T allele influences 25-OHD serum levels and is related to susceptibility of COPD,which may be a potential candidate gene for screening COPD.

Abstract: Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics and influencing factors of school influenza-like cases in 2011-2022 in Nanchang, so as to provide reference for the prevention and control of school influenza outbreaks. 　　　Methods The epidemiological relevant data of school influenza-like cases from 2011 to 2022 in Nanchang and the pathogen test results of respiratory tract samples were collected for epidemiological and etiology analysis. Results　From 2011 to 2022, a total of 142 influenza-like cases were reported in schools in Nanchang, with a cumulative morbidity of 2 880 cases and a morbidity rate of 1.89%. A total of 1 263 samples were collected, with an overall positive influenza nucleic acid detection rate of 58.91%. The highest proportion of outbreaks occurred in 2017-2019, while the lowest incidence was in 2011-2013. Outbreaks mainly occurred from November to March of the following year (accounting for 79.58%), presenting obvious seasonal characteristics. The distribution was mainly in primary schools, accounting for 70.42% (100/142) of all outbreaks. From 2011 to 2022, all types of influenza viruses were tested, and more than 2 types of influenza viruses were prevalent each year. The dominant strains alternated between influenza A H1N1, influenza A H3N2 and Victoria lineages of type B influenza viruses. From 2011 to 2019, the influenza epidemic in schools in Nanchang showed a continuous upward trend. During COVID-19 in 2020-2022, Nanchang adopted a variety of non-drug prevention and control measures for COVID-19, and both the number of influenza epidemics in various schools and the number of influenza virus nucleic acid positive cases decreased. The average number of classes involved in the epidemic was (3±2), and the average duration of the epidemic was (8±4) days. 　Conclusions The outbreaks of influenza-like illness in Nanchang schools is highly prevalent in winter and spring, , with urban primary schools being the high incidence locations. Non-drug prevention and control measures for COVID-19 have an impact on the epidemic trend of influenza, so the continuous monitoring of the school influenza virus activities and improving the timeliness of the report will be conducive to the rapid control of the epidemic.

Objective To investigate the geometric modeling method for trans-femoral prosthetic socket. Methods The socket reference shapes (i.e. shape templates) were constructed based on the statistic analysis and integrated into the CASD program. The initial socket shape was obtained by transformation from the corresponding reference shape based on the data from the patient's stump and the final socket shape was determined by a kind of three-dimensional interaction method under the OpenGL environment. The fabrication experiment is conducted on the specialized numerical control machine. Results The interactive modification method was easy to use. The machined socket mold is consistent with the designed model in the shape and the precision. Conclusion This method can meet the clinical requirements in the main, but need to optimize the surface shaping characters and rules during the interactive modification stage.

In order to investigate the K+ channels and their effects on resting membrane potential (Em) and excitability in rat bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs), the components of outward K+ channel currents and the effects of K+ channels on Em and tension in rat bronchial smooth muscle were observed by using standard whole-cell recording of patch clamp and isometric tension recording techniques. The results showed that under resting conditions, total outward K+ channel currents in freshly isolated BSMCs were unaffected by ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker. There were two types of K+ currents: voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K+ channel (Kv) and large conductance calcium-activated K+ channel (BKCa) currents. 1 mmol/L 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, an inhibitor of Kv) caused a significant depolarization (from -8.7 +/- 5.9 mV to -25.4 +/- 3.1 mV, n = 18, P < 0.001). In contrast, 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium (TEA, an inhibitor of BKca) had no significant effect on Em (from -37.6 +/- 4.8 mV to -36.8 +/- 4.1 mV, n = 12, P > 0.05). 4-AP caused a concentration-dependent contraction in resting bronchial strips. TEA had no effect on resting tension, but application of 5 mmol/L TEA resulted in a left shift with bigger pD2 (the negative logarithm of the drug concentration causing 50% of maximal effect) (from 6.27 +/- 0.38 to 6.89 +/- 0.54, n = 10, P < 0.05) in the concentration-effect curve of endothine-1, and a right shift with smaller pD2 (from 8.10 +/- 0.23 to 7.69 +/- 0.08, n = 10, P < 0.05) in the concentration-effect curve of isoprenaline. It was suggested that in rat BSMCs there may be two types of K+ channels, Kv and BKca, which serve distinct roles. Kv participates in the control of resting Em and tension. BKca is involved in the regulation of relaxation or contraction associated with excitation.
Animals ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Membrane Potentials ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; physiology ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The effect of nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on resting membrane potential (Em) and potassium currents of the bronchial smooth muscle cells from rats was investigated. All experiments were conducted in conventional whole-cell configuration. The changes of Em and potassium currents after addition of 0.1 mmol/L SNP were measured under the current-clamp mode and the voltage-clamp mode respectively. Results showed that (1) SNP could decrease the Em from -33.8 +/- 7.4 mV to -43.7 +/- 6.7 mV (n = 10, P < 0.01); (2) SNP could increase the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel peak currents under ramp protocol from 466.9 +/- 180.1 pA to 597.7 +/- 237.6 pA (n = 7, P < 0.01), and the currents under pulse protocol at mV were increased from 544.2 +/- 145.4 pA to 678.1 +/- 206.2 pA (n = 6, P < 0.05); (3) SNP also could increase voltage-gated K+ channel peak currents under ramp protocol from 389.6 +/- 84.1 pA to 526.7 +/- 98.7 pA (n = 7, P < 0.01), the currents under pulse protocol at mV were increased from 275.7 +/- 85.2 pA to 444.3 +/- 128.5 pA (n = 6, P < 0.01). It was concluded that SNP increases the activities of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels and voltage-gated K+ channels and leads to K+ efflux and hyperpolarization of the cell membrane, resulting in a decrease of the cell excitement.
Animals ; Bronchi ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Donors ; pharmacology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction