Objective To detect the global level of histone 4 lysine 20 (H4K20) methylation and its relation with DNA damage-repair in peripheral blood cell of arsenic-exposed residents in the coal-contaminated arsenism areas in Guizhou,in order to provide a basis to deepen the interpretation of the role of arsenic in inhibiting DNA damage-repair.Methods Jiaole village in coal-burning-borne arsenism areas in Xingren County of Guizhou was selected as the survey point,and 115 cases of arsenic-exposed residents were selected as the arsenic exposed group on the basis of physical examination.Moreover,53 residents from one village of non-epidemic area neighboring the diseased area were selected as controls.Hair and peripheral blood samples of these subjects were collected,and the histone protein was extracted from the lymphocytes separated from blood samples.The hair samples were digested with microwave digestion instrument,and the hair arsenic content was tested via the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method;the level of H4K20 1,2,3 methylation (H4K20me2,me2,me3) in peripheral blood cell was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA);DNA damage of peripheral blood cell was measured by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE).Results The testing results of hair arsenic contents showed that the arsenic levels of hair in arsenic exposed group [0.30 (0.19-0.46)μg/g] were significantly higher than those of control group [0.12 (0.08-0.18) μg/g,F=11.968,P ＜ 0.05].Compared with the control (0.44 ± 0.14,0.99 ± 0.41,1.06 ± 0.33),the level of H4K20me1 (0.60 ± 0.29) in arsenic exposed group was higher (F =2.513,P ＜ 0.05),H4K20me2 (0.75 ± 0.26) was lower (F =4.707,P ＜ 0.05),and H4K20me3 (1.20 ± 0.62) was of no significant difference (F =0.582,P ＞ 0.05).The detecting results of DNA damage of the lymphocytes separated from peripheral blood showed a statistically significant increase (F =9.307,9.457,all P ＜ 0.05) in TailDNA％ and Olivetailmoment in arsenic exposed group [Median (M):10.75,11.69]compared with those of control group (M:2.12,1.16).The correlation analysis indicated that the arsenic levels of hair of subjects were positively correlated with H4K20me1 (r =0.214,P ＜ 0.05) and inversely with H4K20me2 (r =-0.224,P ＜ 0.05);H4K20me1 was positively associated with TailDNA％ (r =0.383,P ＜ 0.05) and Olivetailmoment (r =0.380,P ＜ 0.05);H4K20me2 was inversely associated with TailDNA％ (r =-0.290,P ＜ 0.05) and Olivetailmoment (r =-0.298,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion H4K20 methylated modification makes a response to arsenic exposure of human body,the alteration of H4K20mel/me2 may participate in regulating DNA damage-repair induced by arsenic in vivo.

This study aimed at exploring a fast method to accurately identify the medicinal insect Vespa mandarinia Smith from its adulterants using DNA barcode and COI sequences.The extracted DNAs from V.mandarinia and its adulterants V.soror were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced bilaterally based on COI barcode sequence investigation.The information of the COI sequences of V.mandarinia and V.soror were gathered from GenBank.All the sequences were compared and analyzed,and their intraspecific and interspecific genetic distances were calculated using MEGA 6.06.In addition,the phylogenetic tree was established with neighbor-joining (NJ) method.As a result,the COI sequences of V.mandarinia and V.soror were successfully amplified.The minimum interspecific distance between V.mandarinia and its adulterants was 0.152 ± 0.017,being considerably larger than the maximal intraspecific distance between V.mandarinia,0.009±0.004.The constructed phylogenetic tree showed an independent branch for each species.It was concluded that the DNA barcode based on COI sequence can efficiently identify V.mandarinia and its adulterants.This study provided an innovative tool for the quality control and market regulation of Chinese materia medica,securing the safe medication of V.mandarinia.

To investigate the cellular immunity abnormalities of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA), peripheral blood lymphocytes subpopulations, interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and natural killer (NK) cell activity were determined in 9 patients with RA. The results showed that there were a remarkable decrease in NK cell activity and poor response to IL-2 stimlulation. IL-2 production and.the expression of membrane-bound IL-2 receptor were increased in RA patients. The percentage of T4 positive cells and the ratio of T4/T8 were also increased in patients with RA. The results indicate that there are severe cellular immunity abnormalities in patients with RA.

Methods: This study enrolled 51 patients with LDK out of 382 patients with adult degenerative spinal deformity. Baseline information was reviewed including demographic data and complications. Sagittal spinopelvic alignments and global imbalance parameters were assessed on full-length X-ray images of the spine. Muscularity and the fatty infiltration area of the ES and multifidus (MF) were measured at the L4/5 level on preoperative magnetic resonance image to evaluate the lumbar erector muscle atrophy. Stratification by sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was performed: group 1 with SVA <100 mm and group 2 with SVA >100 mm, and these groups were compared. Spearman correlation and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze and define risk factors of postoperative proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK). Results: Group 2 had lower ES and MF muscularity than group 1. ES muscularity correlated with SVA (r=−0.510, p<0.003), lumbar lordosis (r=−0.415, p<0.018), and postoperative PJK (r=−0.508, p<0.022). MF muscularity did not correlate with the above parameters. Multivariable logistic regression analysis verified ES muscularity (odds ratio [OR], 0.001; p<0.039) and SVA (OR, 1.034; p<0.048) as the risk factors for postoperative PJK. Conclusions ES atrophy, besides the MF, is an important predictor in distinguishing decompensated LDK from well-compensated ones. It plays an important role in compensatory mechanism, not only correlates with global sagittal imbalance but also ties to PJK after deformity corrective surgery.

Methods: This study included 60 patients with Lenke 1 AIS who underwent selective thoracic fusion surgery. Coronal spinal alignment parameters were analyzed preoperatively, postoperatively, and at the final follow-up. The postoperative FMS was divided into two groups: the balanced group (FMS ≤20 mm) and the unbalanced group (FMS >20 mm). An independent t-test was used to compare quantitative data between groups, and a chi-square test was used for qualitative data. Furthermore, binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics curve analyses were used to identify the risk factors for postoperative distal adding-on in AIS. Results: At 2-year follow-up, the unbalanced group was more likely to have adding-on (17 of 24 patients) than the balanced group (six of 36 patients; p<0.001). Twenty-three patients with distal adding-on had significantly greater preoperative and postoperative lower instrumented vertebrae (LIV) rotation, FMS, and FMS angle (FMSA) than those without postoperative distal adding-on. Binary logistic regression analysis selected three independent risk factors for adding-on incidence after surgery: FMS (odds ratio [OR], 1.115; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.049–1.185; p<0.001), FMSA (OR, 1.590; 95% CI, 1.225–2.064; p<0.001), and postoperative LIV rotation (OR, 6.581; 95% CI, 2.280–19.000; p<0.001). Conclusions Achieving a balanced fusion mass intraoperatively is important to avoid postoperative distal adding-on, with FMS of <20 mm and FMS angle of <4.5°. Furthermore, correcting LIV rotation helps to decrease the incidence of postoperative distal addingon.

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of IgM antibodies against 9 kinds of respiratory patho gens of children in Chengdu area so as to provide evidence for clinically effective prevention and treatment.Methods The IgM antibodies of 9 pathogens in the serum were detected by using indirect immunofluorescence assay.The positive rate of IgM antibodies and its seasonal distribution were observed.Results Among 20 647 cases,there were total 5 623 positive cases of IgM antibodies against 9 kinds of respiratory pathogens and the positive rate was 27.23％;The positive rate of mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP) was highest,followed by influenza B virus (INFBV) and parainfluenza virus (PIV) with the detection rate of 15.95％,6.27％ and 4.35 ％,respectively.Positive rates of MP,INFBV and PIV of girls were higher than those of boys,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05);The distribution differences of most pathogens infection were statistically significant in different age groups(P＜0.05);In addition,infection of most them displayed a seasonal distribution,and the difference were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion MP and INFBV are the main pathogens in respiratory tract infection of children in Chengdu area,and the infection rates of MP,INFBV and PIV among girls more higher than that among boys,and the incidence of the infections caused by the respiratory tract pathogens vary in the age and seasons.

Methods: A cohort of 54 consecutive patients with DLS and RO was included in the study. All the included patients underwent selective RO fusion and at least 2 years of follow-up. They were divided into two groups: group 1 with a curve <30° and group 2 with a curve ≥30°. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Numerical Rating Scale. The radiological assessment included RO location, offset and subluxated-disc orientation, Cobb angle, and coronal as well as sagittal alignments. Results: The offset value was greater in group 2 than in group 1 (13.4±4.7 mm vs. 9.3±3.5 mm, p<0.001). The subluxated disc was mainly oriented to the concave side in group 2 (15/21) but to the convex side in group 1 (20/33) (p =0.022). Group 2 had a higher rate of postoperative adjacent RO than group 1 (14/21 vs. 1/33, p<0.001). The ODI was comparable between both groups preoperatively but higher at the final follow-up in group 2 (34.9±9.5) than in group 1 (24.4±6.2). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the thoracolumbar/lumbar curve was identified as the risk factor for postoperative adjacent RO (odds ratio, 1.400; p=0.007). The receiver operating characteristic analysis verified it with an area under the curve of 0.960 (p<0.001). Conclusions The clinical and radiological outcomes were maintained well in group 1 but not in group 2. Selective RO fusion in DLS with a lumbar curve <30° is a rational option. However, it should be avoided in those with a lumbar curve >30° because of a higher complication rate and a worse clinical outcome at the final follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the eff ect of pulchinenoside (PULC) on fi broblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) apoptosis in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats. METHODS: A total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: A normal control group, an AA group, a low PULC group (50 mg/kg), a middle PULC group (100 mg/kg) or a high PULC group (150 mg/kg) and an ibuprofen (8 mg/kg) group (n=10 per group). FLS from the AA rats was cultured. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and the FLS proliferation were detected by the real time qPCR and MTT, respectively. The expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in culture medium was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the AA group, the Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated (all P<0.05), the Bax and caspase-3 expression was up-regulated (all P<0.05), and the FLS proliferation was inhibited (all P<0.05). The IL-6 and IL-8 expression was suppressed in the FLS in the PULC groups at different dosages (all P<0.05) as well as in the ibuprofen group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION PULC may inhibit the FLS proliferation in AA rats by increase in FLS apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arthritis, Experimental ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Synovial Membrane ; cytology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective:To explore the consistency of peripheral whole blood and venous serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels, and the value of peripheral whole blood PCT in evaluating pediatric bacterial infection.Methods:This multicenter cross-sectional parallel control study was conducted in 11 children′s hospital. All the 1 898 patients older than 28 days admitted to these hospitals from March 2018 to February 2019 had their peripheral whole blood and venous serum PCT detected simultaneously with unified equipment, reagent and method. According to the venous serum PCT level, the patients were stratified to subgroups. Analysis of variance and chi-square test were used to compare the demographic characteristics among groups. And the correlation between the peripheral blood and venous serum PCT level was investigated by quantitative Pearson correlation analysis.The PCT resultes were also converted into ranked data to further test the consistency between the two sampling methods by Spearman′s rank correlation test. Furthermore, the ranked data were converted into binary data to evaluate the consistency and investigate the best cut-off of peripheral blood PCT level in predicting bacterial infection.Results:A total of 1 898 valid samples were included (1 098 males, 800 females),age 27.4(12.2,56.7) months. There was a good correlation between PCT values of peripheral whole blood and venous serum ( r=0.97 , P<0.01). The linear regression equation was PCT?venous serum=0.135+0.929×PCT peripheral whole blood. However, when stratified to 5 levels, PCT results showed diverse and unsatisfied consistency between the two sampling methods ( r=0.51-0.92, all P<0.01). But after PCT was converted to ordinal categorical variables, the stratified analysis showed that the coincidence rate of the measured values by the two sampling methods in each boundary area was 84.9%-97.1%. The dichotomous variables also showed a good consistency (coincidence rate 96.8%-99.3%, Youden index 0.82-0.89). According to the severity of disease, the serum PCT value was classified into 4 intervals（<0.5、0.5-<2.0、2.0-<10.0、≥10.0 μg/L）, and the peripheral blood PCT value also showed a good predictive value (AUC value was 0.991 2-0.997 9). The optimal cut points of peripheral whole blood PCT value 0.5、1.0、2.0、10.0 μg/L corresponding to venous serum PCT values were 0.395, 0.595, 1.175 and 3.545 μg/L, respectively. Conclusions:There is a good correlation between peripheral whole blood PCT value and the venous serum PCT value, which means that the peripheral whole blood PCT could facilitate the identification of infection and clinical severity. Besides, the sampling of peripheral whole blood is simple and easy to repeat.

OBJECTIVE： To investigate the acute toxicity， long-term toxicity， skin irritation and anaphylaxis of Bee venom （BV） plastics， and to evaluate its preclinical safety. METHODS： The acute toxicity of BV plastics to rats was investigated after administration of high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose （144， 96， 48 mg/kg） of BV plastics. The long-term toxicity of BV plastics was investigated by continuous administration of high-dose， medium-dose and low-dose （72， 48， 24 mg/kg） of BV plastics for 28 days. The irritation of intact and damaged skin in rabbits with 8 mg/kg BV plastics was investigated by using the self-control method of left and right homologous body. The skin anaphylaxis of guinea pig were investigated after sensitized with 15 mg/kg BV plastics on the left back （on 0， 7th， 14th day） and stimulated with 15 mg/kg BV plastics on the right back. RESULTS： During the acute toxicity experiment with BV plastic，the weight of rats and the changes of viscera were normal，and there was no relevant toxic reaction. Long-term toxicity test results showed that no significant pathological changes were observed at 24 h after the last administration； the spleen index  of rats in BV low-dose group， testicular index in middle-dose group and epididymis index in high-dose and middle-dose groups were significantly increased， while PT in plasma of rats in BV medium-dose and low-dose groups was significantly prolonged （P＜0.05）. There were no abnormal changes in organ appearance， other organ index， coagulation index and blood biochemical index. All above indexes became normal at the end of 2-week recovery period. Skin irritation test showed that BV plastics could cause slight erythema and obvious scab on the skin of rabbits which along with little irritation on intact or damaged skin. Skin anaphylaxis test showed that BV plastics produced mild erythema in the skin of guinea pigs， belonging to light allergy. CONCLUSIONS： No acute or long-term toxicity is observed after transdermal administration of BV plastics， which is safe and only causes mild irritation and irritability to skin， indicating there is good safety of the plastic under experiment doses.