To investigate the practicability of establishing zebrafish lipid-lowering drug screening model and the effect of berberine (BBR) on hyperlipidemic zebrafish. Three-month-old zebrafishes were fed with 4% cholesterol for 0, 2, 4, 8, 14, 20, 25, 30 days, and the level of total cholesterol in serum was measured. Zebrafish were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the high cholesterol diet group, the 0.01% simvastatin-treated group, the 0.1% berberine-treated group and the 0.2% berberine-treated group. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in serum were measured; the expression of hepatic HMGCR, LDLR and CYP7A1a mRNA expressions were detected by real time PCR. Oil red O staining was performed to observe the changes in fat content in the liver. According to the result, the level of serum TC in the 4% cholesterol diet group significantly was higher than that of the normal control group in a time-dependent manner and reached a stable level at the 20th day. The BBR group showed significant decreases in the levels of TC, TG and LDL-c, HMGCR mRNA expression and fat content and increases in LDLR and CYP7A1a mRNA. The hyperlipidemia zebrafish model was successfully established by feeding with 4% cholesterol for 20 days. The findings lay a foundation for further screenings on lipid-lowering drugs.
Animals ; Berberine ; administration & dosage ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Triglycerides ; metabolism ; Zebrafish ; metabolism

Atomic force microscope ( AFM) and fluorescence microscope ( FM) have been emerging as two most commonly used tools for single-molecule study in living cells. Combining the advantages of two microscopes, the development of the integrated AFM-FM technique with high spatiotemporal resolution and multi-function has attracted increasing interest. In this review, the principles of AFM single-molecular force spectroscopy and single-molecule fluorescence imaging were briefly discussed, and the recent advances in the integrated AFM-FM instrumentation were summarized. Subsequently based on our own research in the investigation of ligand-receptors interactions with the integrated AFM-FM technique, its applications in live-cell single-molecule imaging and characterization were introduced.

Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics of LymphGen genotyping in a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) population and verify its prognostic value. Methods: We collected the clinical data and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples of 155 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL in the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from June 2014 to December 2020. DNA was extracted from tumor tissue and 475 gene mutations were detected by next-generation sequencing technology. We investigated the distribution of LymphGen genotyping in the DLBCL population, patients with different COO genotypes in the Xinjiang region, and their effects on PFS and OS. Results: ①Among 155 patients, 105 patients (67.7%) could be genotyped, including 14 (9.0%) for MCD, 26 (16.8%) for BN2, 10 (6.5%) for N1, 8 (5.2%) for EZB, 27 (17.4%) for A53, and 20 (12.9%) for ST2. ②The distribution of each gene subtype was different in different cell origin (COO) types (P=0.021) . ST2 was dominant in the germinal center type (GCB) group (28.8%) , and A53 and MCD were dominant in the non-GCB group (35.8%, 17.0%) . The BN2 type was the most common in both groups (23.1%, 26.4%) . ③There were statistically significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among different gene subtypes (P=0.031 and 0.005, respectively) . N1 and A53 had poor prognosis. The 2-year PFS and OS rates of N1 were both (21.3±18.4) %, and the 3-year PFS and OS rates of A53 were (60.9±11.3) %, (46.8±10.9) %, respectively. ④ The 3-year PFS and OS rates of MCD were the best, but the 5-year PFS and OS rates were worse. ⑤In the ROC curve of LymphGen genotyping for OS prediction, the AUC was 0.66, showing a certain degree of differentiation. Conclusion: LymphGen genotyping in the DLBCL population was different from previous reports and was of great significance for the prognosis of patients with DLBCL.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Disease-Free Survival ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/drug therapy* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To investigate a SARS-CoV-2 epidemic reported in Rongcheng City, Weihai, Shandong Province. Methods: The SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid positive patients and their close contacts were investigated, and the whole genome sequencing and genetic evolution analysis of 9 variant viruses were carried out. An infection source investigation and analysis were carried out from two sources of home and abroad, and three aspects of human, material and environment. Results: A total of 15 asymptomatic infections were reported in this epidemic, including 13 cases as employees of workshop of aquatic products processing company, with an infection rate of 21.67% (13/60). Two cases were infected people's neighbors in the same village (conjugal relation). The first six positive persons were processing workers engaged in the first process of removing squid viscera in the workshop of the company. The nucleic acid Ct value of the first time were concentrated between 15 and 29, suggesting that the virus load was high, which was suspected to be caused by one-time homologous exposure. The whole genome sequence of 9 SARS-CoV-2 strains was highly homologous, belonging to VOC/Gamma (Lineage P.1.15). No highly homologous sequences were found from previous native and imported cases in China. It was highly homologous with the six virus sequences sampled from May 5 to 26, 2021 uploaded by Chile. The infection source investigation showed that the company had used the squid raw materials captured in the ocean near Chile and Argentina from May to June 2021 over the last 14 days. Many samples of raw materials, products and their outer packages in the inventory were tested positive for nucleic acid. Conclusion: This epidemic is the first local epidemic caused by the VOC/Gamma of SARS-CoV-2 in China. It is speculated that the VOC/Gamma, which was prevalent in South America from May to June 2021, could be imported into China through frozen squid.
Humans ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19 ; Epidemics ; China/epidemiology*