Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe infectious disease caused by Ebola virus in humans and primates. The main clinical features are fever and bleeding. The disease was first identified in Zaire and Sudan in Africa in 1976. Since then, it has caused many large-scale epidemics in Africa. One of the largest and most complex Ebola outbreaks in history was the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa, which caused more cases and deaths than all previous outbreaks combined. As of 2022, about 35 000 EVD cases and 15 000 deaths have been reported. During the African pandemic, EVD also spread to other regions outside the African continent, such as the Americas and Europe, and became a public health issue of worldwide concern. In Africa, the re-emergence of the disease in Uganda and the Republic of Congo in 2022 has attracted much attention from the world. This article systematically summarizes the history, epidemiological distribution, route of infection, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of Ebola virus disease, so as to provide reference for relevant workers in China.

Transforming growth factor-β is an important cytokine with various bioactivities, including embryonic development, wound healing, chemotaxis and cell cycle regulation. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the main pathway of tumor cell to obtain the ability of invasion and metastasis. The TGF-β is the key factor known to induce EMT in cancer cells and plays an important role in the process. In recent years, some progress has been obtained. Some TGF-β inhibitors have approved in the market or in clinical trials. TGF-β inhibitors can play an important role on the treatment of tumors, glaucoma, liver and kidney fibrosis disease and scar repair. Novel TGF-β inhibitors reported in recent years were reviewed in this article.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Wound Healing

Objective To investigate the exact protocol eliciting the hippocampal CA1 long-term depression (LTD) of rats in vivo and the effect of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) on the LTD.Method By applying test stimulation to Schaffer collateral in hippocampal CA1 region in rats,recorded the in vivo field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) ;further,observed the induction of LTD with different low frequency stimulation (LFS) and investigated the effect of Aβ25-35 on the LTD.Results Prolonged LFS (1,5 and 10 Hz) but not paired-pulse stimulus (PPS) effectively elicited the LTD in the hippocampal CA1 region,with significantly decreased amplitude of fEPSPs after LFS ; 1 Hz 900 pulses group induced a stronger LTD,being (63.7 ± 3.8) ％ at 120 min post-LFS,lower (P ＜ 0.05) than (75.1 ± 3.2) ％ in 600 pulses group ; different frequencies (1,5 and 10 Hz) of LFS with same pulses induced similar degree of LTD,the amplitude of fEPSPs were (63.7 ± 3.8) ％,(61.2 ± 3.6) ％ and (59.8 ± 3.9) ％ respectively,without significant differences between any two groups (P ＞ 0.05) ; after applying 12.5 nmol and 25 nmol Aβ25-35,the amplitude of fEPSPs decreased to (63.2 ± 3.8) ％ and (46.8 ± 3.9) ％,respectively,and lower and than that in control ((73.9 ± 3.0) ％,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Prolonged LFS effectively induced in vivo hippocampal LTD of rats,which provides an important electrophysiological protocol for the study of synaptic plasticity; Aβ25-35 injection dont affect the baseline synaptic transmission,but dose-dependently enhance the in vivo hippocampal LTD of rats,indicating that Aβ-induced LTD facilitation may be involved the early impairment of learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease.

Recent studies suggested that the prostate cancer may arise from prostate cancer stem cells that share some same characteristics with normal stem cells. The purpose of this study was to detect the differences of Nanog expression between PC3 prostate cancer cell line and its tumor stem cells, and the relationship was preliminarily examined between Nanog and prostate cancer and its tumor stem cells. By using magnetic active cell sorting (MACS), we isolated a population of CD44(+)/CD133(+) prostate cancer cells that display stem cell characteristics from PC3 cell line. Immunohistochemistry revealed positive expressions of CD44, CD133 and α(2)β(1)-integin in the isolated cells. CCK-8 analysis showed that isolated cells had a strong proliferative ability. The formation of the cell spheres in serum-free medium and holoclones in serum-supplied medium showed that the cells were capable of self-renewing, indicating that the isolated cells were a population of cancer stem-like cells derived from PC3 cell line. Western blotting exhibited that the isolated cells had higher experession of Nanog, an embryonic stem marker, as compared with PC3 cells. Our study showed that Nanog might be helpful in sustaining the self-renewal and the undifferentiation of prostate cancer stem cells, and may serve as a marker for prostate cancer stem cells for isolation and identification.

Objective:To compare the clinical effects of restrictive blood transfusion combined with hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBOPC) and restrictive blood transfusion in the treatment of hip,knee arthroplasty (THA,THA).Methods:40 patients in the period of epidural anesthesia,femoral nerve hysteresis hip and knee arthroplasty were selected and randomly divided into two groups:restrictive transfusion group (maintain 80 g/L≤ Hb ＜100 g/L,n=20) and restrictive blood transfusion combined with HBOPC (HBOPC+maintain 80 g/L =Hb ＜100 g/L,n=20).The red blood cell transfusion,red blood cell transfusion rate,perioperative Hb,blood oxygen saturation (SO2),the incidence of hypotension during operation,hospitalization time and postoperative cerebral infarction,acute pulmonary embolism,pneumonia,myocardial infarction,wound infection rate and 90 days mortality rate were compared between two groups.Results:Compared with the restrictive transfusion group,the postoperative Hb,blood oxygen saturation (SO2) of restrictive blood transfusion combined with HBOPC group were significantly increased(P ＜ 0.05);the red blood cell transfusion,red blood cell transfusion rate,incidence of pneumonia,wound infection rate were significantly decreased (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Restrictive blood transfusion combined with hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning could improve the anoxic state of the hip,knee arthroplasty patients,which could effectively reduce red blood cell transfusion,reduce postoperative complications,has good clinical curative effect.

Objective To explore the most important risk factors in metabolic syndrome(MS) components.Methods Ninety-four individuals were classified into MS and non-MS group according to the diagnostic criteria for MS proposed by Chinese Diabetes Society(CDS) revised in 2006 or International Diabetes Federal(IDF) in 2005.Age,waist circumference(WC),body mass index(BMI),fasting plasma glucose,lipid profile,blood pressure and blood cell counts in two groups were compared.Partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLSDA) was carried out to determine the most important components of MS.Results Patients with MS diagnosed by CDS or IDF criteria have significantly older age,higher BMI,WC,blood pressure,fasting plasma glucose,triglycerides,insulin levels,insulin resistance index,high sensitivity CRP and fibrinogen levels compared with non-MS group.PLSDA analysis shows WC,BMI,blood pressure and aging are most important components of MS.Conclusion Obesity,hypertension and aging are three most important components of MS with obesity is the utmost among them.

BACKGROUND:Currently, there are a lot of studies addressing oral microflora variation in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliance. OBJECTIVE:To determine the changes in Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacil us and oral health in teenagers wearing metal orthodontic appliances. METHODS:Twenty-three who were subjected to fixed metal orthodontic appliances as testing group and 18 adolescent volunteers with no oral diseases served as controls. We col ected saliva samples from al the participants immediately, 90 days and 180 days after fixed metal orthodontic treatment to detect changes in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, which can lead to dental caries, and other oral parameters, including gingival index and oral hygiene index. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the control group, there were no difference in Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacil us, gingival index and oral hygiene index at three time points. In the testing group, the hazard levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us were significantly increased at 90 and 180 days than immediately after fixed metal orthodontic treatment (P<0.05), as wel as the gingival index at 90 days and oral hygiene index at 180 days became worse (P<0.05). At 180 days after fixed metal orthodontic treatment, the hazard levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, gingival index and oral hygiene index were severer in the testing group than the control group (P<0.05). These findings indicate that the fixed metal orthodontic appliance could lead to increasing of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacil us, and reduce oral health status badly.

OBJECTIVE:To prepare Hyaluronic acid-methyl collagen-terpolymer (HEMA-MMA-MAA)/Doxorubicin com-pound membranes-loaded tantalum stent,and to optimize the formulation. METHODS:Electrostatic self-assembly reaction was ad-opted to prepare compound membranes using metal tantalum stent as carrier,hyaluronic acid,methyl collagen and terpolymer as ex-cipients. With 1 and 30 d accumulative release rate as index,orthogonal test was used to optimize mass concentrations of hyaluron-ic acid,methyl collagen and terpolymer,and validated. The drug release behavior in vitro were investigated. RESULTS:The opti-mal formulation was as hyaluronic acid 1 mg/ml,methyl collagen 4.5 mg/ml and terpolymer 100 mg/ml. 1 and 30 d accumulative release rates of prepared tantalum stent were 7.57%(RSD=2.3%,n=3) and 84.14%(RSD=2.1%,n=3),respectively. 20 d later,dissolution rate approximated to zero level rate of drug release. CONCLUSIONS:Hyaluronic acid-methyl collagen-terpoly-mer/Doxorubicin compound membranes-loaded tantalum stent with sustained-release property is prepared successfully.

Aneurysm, Dissecting ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Stents

AIM: To investigate the effects of polidatin on phospholipase A_2(PLA_2),nitric oxide(NO),and endothelin-1(ET-1) levels in serum and lung homogenate of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension rats.METHODS: 29 healthy Spraugue-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group,chronic hypoxic group and hypoxic plus polidatin group.The model of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension was made by method of intermittent isobaric hypoxia for 21 days.The mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP) was measured by inserting a microcatheter into the pulmonary artery.The ratio of right ventricular wall and that of left ventricular wall and ventricular septum weight(R/L+S) was measured as well.RESULTS: After exposed to hypoxia for 21 days,the mPAP,R/L+S,PLA_2 and ET-1 activities in blood and lung homogenate increased significantly. The NO concentration decreased significantly.Pretreatment with PD attenuated these changes mentioned above.CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with PD effectively prevents the formation of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PLA_2 and ET-1 and promotion of NO production.