BACKGROUND:Placental mesenchymal stem cel s with rich sources are similar to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s in terms of morphology, surface markers and differentiation potential, which are one of ideal mesenchymal stem cel s in human body. However, there are few studies addressing the ultrastructure and phagocytotic function of human placental mesenchymal stem cel s and its physiological role in the the placenta has been little explored. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the ultrastrcture and phagocytotic function of placental mesenchymal stem cel s. METHODS:Placental mesenchymal stem cel s obtained from five placentae of normal pregnancy were cultured in vitro and observed for ultrastructure under transmission electron microscope. The fluorescent beads were added in the supernatant for 3 hours, and then the phagocytosis of placental mesenchymal stem cel s was evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Under the transmission electron microscope, placental mesenchymal stem cel s had large nuclei with prominent nucleoli. In the cytoplasm, a plenty of rough endoplasmic reticula was seen, dilated or stacked. The cytoplasm was also rich in Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. The cel surfaces were covered by microvil i. The intercel ular junctions could be seen occasional y. A part of cel s from these five samples could phagocytose fluorescence beads, which ranged from 49.6%to 18.4%. The ultrastructural characteristics of placental mesenchymal stem cel s suggested these cel s were active to synthesize and secrete proteins and had phagocytotic function, indicating placental mesenchymal stem cel s may play a role in keeping the balance of micro-environments and clean the foreign substances in the placenta.

Abstract: Objective　This article summarizes the clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment experience of an elderly patient infected with Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 of COVID-19 in Hainan Province. Methods　The clinical data and treatment of an elderly patient infected with Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 of COVID-19 admitted to Haikou designated hospital on August 15, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results　A 107-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with "fever and cough for 1 day". Two of her family members have infected with COVID-19. The patient initially developed fever, accompanied by cough, expectoration, a little white sticky sputum, accompanied by sore throat, muscle pain, fatigue. Nucleic acid test was positive in throat swab, indicating Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 infection. The patient was diagnosed as mild COVID-19 and treated with antiviral therapy, Chinese medicine conditioning, anticoagulation, electrolyte disorder regulation and symptomatic treatment for 9 days. The patient's clinical symptoms were relieved, and she was cured and discharged after two negative nucleic acid tests. One week later, the patient recovered well. Conclusions　Omicron variant BA.5.1.3 is highly infectious, and comprehensive treatment such as antiviral treatment and traditional Chinese medicine treatment has achieved good efficacy. For elderly patients, attention should be paid to maintaining the stability of organ function and internal environment, which is helpful to improve the prognosis of patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and brain injury in inflammation-induced preterm mice, and to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of brain injury.

METHODSAn intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide in pregnant mice was performed to establish a model of inflammation-induced preterm mice with brain injury (preterm group). The full-term mice delivered by normal pregnant mice were used as controls (full-term group). The lncRNA chip assay was used to screen out the lncRNAs associated with brain injury in preterm mice. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to validate the lncRNAs identified by the above method.

RESULTSThe preterm and full-term groups showed significant differences in the expression of 1 978 lncRNAs (P<0.05), consisting of 786 up-regulated lncRNAs and 1 192 down-regulated lncRNAs, and 29 lncRNAs were 1.5 or more times differentially expressed between the two groups. A further analysis was performed for the 10 most differentially expressed lncRNAs, and the results showed that these lncRNAs were involved in the biological processes including transcription, signal transduction, apoptosis, cell cycle, and inflammatory response, as well as G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway and neuropeptide signaling pathway. Real-time PCR was performed to validate the expression of two lncRNAs in brain tissue in the preterm and full-term groups, and the results were consistent with those of the chip assay.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression profiles of lncRNAs in brain tissue change significantly in inflammation-induced preterm mice, and the G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of preterm brain injury.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Female ; Inflammation ; complications ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; analysis ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo obtain isolated human metapneumovirus (HMPV) strains from clinical specimens collected from infants and children in Beijing and to promote the investigation on this important respiratory pathogen.

METHODClinical specimens including throat swabs from outpatients and nasopharyngeal aspirates from hospitalized children were collected from infants and children visited the affiliated children's hospital for acute respiratory infections during May 2008 to April 2009. HMPV positive specimens identified by RT-PCR and/or direct immunofluorescent assay with monoclonal antibody against HMPV were inoculated to LLC-MK(2) cells and incubated at 37°C and 33°C, respectively. The replication of the virus in the cells was detected by direct immunofluorescent assay followed by RT-PCR. The genotypes of the isolated virus strains were identified by RT-PCR.

RESULTOut of 1092 clinical specimens, 81 were HMPV positive by RT-PCR, the positive rate was 7.4% (81/1092). Among these positive specimens, 33 were inoculated to LLC-MK(2) cells and the replication of HMPV was revealed by antigen detection and RT-PCR from 5 out of these 33 inoculates. These isolated viruses could be passed in LLC-MK(2) cells and were not cross-reacted with other common respiratory viruses, such as ADV, RSV and Parainfluenza viruses 1/2/3 by monoclonal antibodies against these viruses in direct immunofluorescent assay. The HMPV was more likely to be isolated from fresh specimens within 24 hours after the collection of specimens which were not frozen. Four of the 5 isolated strains were identified as genotype A and 1 as genotype B. Unlike other respiratory viruses, these isolated HMPV did not show specific CPE in cell culture and the replication of the virus was identified by antigen detection and RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONHMPV of both genotypes were isolated from infants and children with acute respiratory infections in Beijing which will accelerate the investigation of this important virus.

Acute Disease ; Child ; China ; Genes, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Metapneumovirus ; isolation & purification ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and erythropoietin in the hippocampus of aging rats, and to investigate the role of HIF-1alpha and erythropoietin in the aging of nervous system. METHODS: The expression of Nissl body, HIF-1alpha, and erythropoietin in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in different months was observed by Nissl staining and immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: Nerve cells became bigger and appeared sparse, and the Nissl bodies decreased with age. HIF-1alpha positive cells increased significantly with age in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (P<0.05). The expression of erythropoietin presented a parabola with aging in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. The increase from 3 to 18 months and the reduction from 18 to 30 months of erythropoietin positive cells had statistical significance (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION HIF-1alpha and erythropoietin are parallelly incremental before middle age, and are separated after middle age, suggesting decreased activity of HIF-1alpha and recession of protein synthesis function may be the main reasons for decreased expression of erythropoietin in the brain during aging. Strengthened endogenous HIF-1alpha activity and supply of exogenous erythropoietin may delay the aging of the nervous system.
Aging ; metabolism ; Animals ; Erythropoietin ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To explore the clinical factors affecting the prognosis of craniocerebral traffic injuries to provide scientific evidence for ameliorating the prognosis. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 652 patients treated in our hospital for serious injuries in car accidents (Glascow Coma score [GCS] 3～8) between February, 1998 and February, 2008. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) three months after injury, patients were divided into good prognosis and poor prognosis groups. Their gender, age, type of brain injury, admission time, pupil status, blood oxygen saturation, systolic blood pressure, level of blood sugar, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and GCS were compared. Results As compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group showed a significant low level of blood oxygen saturation and systolic blood pressure, low GCS and pupils status score (P<0.05);it showed a long admission time, a significant high level of blood sugar and high ISS (P<0.05). Bad prognosis appeared in intracranial hematoma, contusion and laceration of the brain. And the level of blood sugar and oxygen, GCS and ISS were the independent factors affected the prognosis. Conclusion The level of oxygen saturation and blood sugar, ISS and GCS can help to evaluate the prognosis of patients with severe brain injury, effectively.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of hospitalized pediatric patients infected with 2009 H1N1 influenza.

METHODSTotally 159 children (83 male and 76 female) with influenza A (H1N1) confirmed by the real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assay were admitted to a special ward of Capital Institute of Pediatrics from November 2009 to January 2010. Clinical manifestations, laboratory and therapy data from the hospitalized children were collected by designed case report form and analyzed.

RESULTSOut of 159 hospitalized patients, 139 (87.4%) were under the age of 5 years and 34.0% of them had at least one underlying medical conditions. Proportions of the severe cases, pneumonia and underlying medical diseases were similar between the 78 infants and 81 older children. All of these 159 cases had influenza-like symptoms at onset and the most common presentations were fever (115 cases, 72.3%) and cough (154 cases, 96.8%). Five severe cases presented dyspnea, cyanosis and hypoxemia. The virus easily invaded into the lower respiratory tract as indicated by that 61% of the cases had findings consistent with pneumonia by X-ray and/or CT and 21.6% had bacterial co-infection. Part of them had mycoplasma pneumonia (20 cases, 27.0%) or other respiratory viruses (5 cases, 3.1%) co-infection simultaneously. The duration of fever was similar between the H1N1 virus sole infection group and the co-infection group (t = 0.975, P > 0.05), but the average course of the disease and hospitalized days of the latter group were longer than the former (t = 3.182 and 3.190, P < 0.01). The proportion of children with pneumonia in the co-infection group was significantly higher than that in the H1N1 sole-infection group (χ(2) = 4.082, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMost of the H1N1 infected pediatric patients had mild respiratory symptoms, a few of them developed severe manifestations. Dyspnea and hypoxemia were the early signals for the developing severe cases. Rational and experienced treatment with antibiotics was important addition to the antiviral therapy for those co-infected with bacteria.

Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; therapy ; Male

OBJECTIVEThe novel influenza A (H1N1) virus firstly detected in April 2009 in Mexico rapidly spread to many countries including the United States and Canada where humans were infected with the H1N1 virus and deaths were reported. The pandemic virus strain had never been detected in specimen of human beings and swine. It was so highly contagious and widely spread that threatened life of humans globally. This study aimed to analyze clinical data of hospitalized children patients with 2009 novel H1N1 influenza A virus infection confirmed by etiologic tests, and compared with that of seasonal influenza A.

METHODClinical manifestations, laboratory and therapy data from the hospitalized children were collected by designed case report form and analyzed. All patients were enrolled from Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2003 to 2010. There were 152 cases in seasonal influenza A group, which was composed of 100 boys and 52 girls. Other 93 boys and 86 girls formed 2009 novel influenza A group.

RESULTInfluenza A was dominate from 2003 to 2008 and the peak season was December and January, while the peak hospitalized time of 2009 novel H1N1 influenza was from November 2009 to January 2010. The median age of seasonal influenza group was 35 months, which was lower than that of novel influenza group (Z = -6.702, P<0.01). Besides, 80.9% of the patients in seasonal influenza group were infants, while the novel influenza A group was mainly composed of infants and pre-school children (chi2 = 40.725, P<0.01). The cases of both groups had influenza-like symptoms at onset and the most common presentations were fever and cough. The duration of fever was much longer in 2009 novel influenza group (Z = -7.173, P<0.01). Patients in two groups nearly had the same symptoms except cough was more frequently presented by novel influenza A group cases (chi2 = 4.109, P<0.05). In laboratory examination, the novel influenza group had more cases with abnormality in blood platelet, CRP, ALT, and CK-MB than that of seasonal influenza group (chi2 = 7.562, 17.245, 4.398, 6.217, P<0.01). Patients in novel influenza A group had more changes in electrocardiogram (chi2 = 24.461, P<0.01). More patients had common underlying medical condition in novel influenza groups than those in seasonal influenza group (chi2 = 12.553, P<0.01). Furthermore, the groups had different age distribution in underlying medical diseases (chi2 = 7.231, P<0.05). Children with 2009 novel H1N1 virus infection tended to catch pneumonia (chi2 = 8.661, P<0.01) and became the severe cases (chi2 = 10.595, P<0.01). They had much higher ICU admission rate (chi2 = 12.873, P<0.01) and longer hospital stay (Z = -2.764, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAs a new variant of influenza virus A, 2009 novel H1N1 influenza A had stronger pathogenicity. Children with underlying medical conditions had the high risk to be infected and developed severe manifestations.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male

Objective To isolate and culture brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) from glioma tissues and explore the biological characteristics of BTSCs. Methods Different grade glioma tissues were obtained from 20 clinical cases. After tumors were dissociated, the sample was triturated into the single cells and then filtered. The primary glioma cells were collected and cultured in the DMEM/F12 medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), in order to promote the proliferation of BTSCs. CD133 + cells were separated by immunomagnetic bead method and identified by testing the expressions of CD133, NSE and GFAP using immunocytochemistry. CCK8 was employed to assay the proliferating situation of CD133+ cells in the different grade gliomas, and to compare the drug resistance between the CD133+ and CD133- cells in the medium containing VM-26. Results CD133+ cells were successfully separated from glioma tissues.CD133+ cells proliferated by self-renewal, then differentiated into NSE+ cells and GFAP+ ones respectively. CD133+ cells in the high grade gliomas showed the faster generation than the ones in the low grade gliomas. CD133+ cells survived more easily than the CD133- cells in the medium containing VM-26. Conclusions BTSCs exist in the glioma tissues, and possess the more tolerant to the VM-26.CD133+ cells in the high grade glioma can proliferate much more easily.

Objective: On the basis of traditional experience identification,and appearance characteristics and intrinsic index components of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma pieces,a comprehensive evaluation was carried out to explore the method of grading Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma pieces and establish grading standards. Method: Based on the investigation of 44 batches of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma pieces,including their properties,glycyrrhizin content and ammonium glycyrrhizinate content,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma pieces were classified according to the market grading to establish the grading standards. Result: Based on the above data,the Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma pieces were classified into four grades. First-class:average diameter>1.66 mm,average weight>0.54 g,glycyrrhizin content>1.10%,glycyrrhizic acid content>2.12%. Second-class:the average diameter is between 1.40-1.66 mm,the average weight is between 0.42-0.54 g,the content of glycyrrhizin is between 0.74%-1.10%,and the content of glycyrrhizic acid is between 1.95%-2.12%. Third-class:the average diameter is between 1.07-1.40 mm,the average weight is between 0.29-0.42 g,the content of glycyrrhizin is between 0.65%-0.74%,and the content of glycyrrhizic acid is between 1.88%-1.95%. Substandard:the average diameter<1.07 mm,average weight<0.29 g,content of glycyrrhizin<0.65%,content of glycyrrhizic acid<1.88%. Conclusion: This experiment combines the traditional experience and modern analysis method,in order to develop a scientific,reasonable and accurate classification method.