Adolescent ; Adult ; Bleomycin ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemangioma ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Young Adult

In order to establish K562 line with stable expressions of hermap and hermap-siRNA, amplified hermap and hermap-siRNA were cloned into pEGFP-c1 and pRNAT to acquire hermap-pEGFP-c1 and hermap-siRNA-pRNAT, respectively. These two plasmids were electrotransferred into K562 cells, then were followed by culturing with G418. The result showed that the transfer rate of hermap-pEGFP-c1-K562 and hermap-siRNA-pRNAT-K562 plasmids were 10.0% and 9.3%, respectively. After selective culture by G418, these two cell lines were still able to express GFP. It is concluded that the eukaryotic expression plasmids containing hermap and hermap-siRNA have been successfully constructed, and the cell lines of hermap-K562 and hermap-siRNA-K562 are established, definitely contributing to further functional investigation on HERMAP and its interaction with other proteins.
Erythrocytes ; chemistry ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Plasmids ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the viral etiology of acute low respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) among hospitalized children in Changsha of Hunan Province of China.

METHODSNasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from 1165 hospitalized children with ALRTI in Changsha from September 2007 to August 2008. Respiratory syncytin virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV), influenza virus A (IFVA), influenza virus B (IFVB), parainfluenza 1-3 (PIV 1-3), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), human coronaviruses NL63 (HCoV-NL63), and human coronaviruses HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1) were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Adenovirus (ADV) and human bocavirus (HBoV) were detected by standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR). WU polyomaviruses (WUPyV) and KI polyomaviruses(KIPyV) were detected by nested PCR. The positive samples further underwent genetic sequencing.

RESULTSAmong the 1165 nasopharyngeal aspirates, viruses were detected in 871 samples (74.76%), among which RSV (27.03%) was the most common virus, followed by HRV (17.33%), PIV3 (13.73%), HBoV (8.67%) and hMPV (6.52%). The overall positive rate of viral detection showed no significant differences between males and females (X2=2.241, P=0.134), whereas the positive rates of PIV3, hMPV, and HBoV in males were higher than in females. The positive rate of viral detection showed significant differences among different age groups (X2=10.934, P=0.027), and the highest positive rate was noted in the age group of 6 months to 1 year. Furthermore, the overall positive rate of viral detection showed a significant difference in term of seasonal distribution, with a peak prevalence in winter.

CONCLUSIONSVirues predominate in the etiology of pediatric ALRTI in Changsha, and RSV, HRV and PIV3 are the main viruses for ALRTI. HBoV and hMPV have become increasingly important. Viral infection-associated ALRTI shows a prevail in the age group of 6 months to 1 year as well as in winter.

Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Nasopharynx ; virology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; etiology ; virology ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution ; Viruses ; isolation & purification

In order to investigate the potential role of human ERMAP gene in erythropoiesis, the ERMAP-dsDNA was designed, ERMAP-shRNA expressing plasmids was constructed, and ERMAP-shRNA/K562 cell was established. Cell morphology, biphenylamine staining, expression of cell surface antigens as well as quantitative level of human ERMAP gene were observed during K562 cells differentiating toward erythroid lineage induced by Ara-C. The results showed that at 72 hours after Ara-C treatment, ERMAP-shRNA/K562 cell size became large with increasing cytoplasm content. The percentage of biphenylamine positive cells increased from 1.17% to 2.04% (p < 0.05), but still lower than that in group K562 + Ara-C. The percentage of CD36(-)/CD235a(+) increased from 8.83% to 11.28%, CD36(+)/CD235a(+) increased from 1.23% to 2.64%, and CD36(+)/CD235a(-) increased from 0.59% to 1.47% respectively, which were all lower than that in group K562 + Ara-C at either time point. At the same time, the level of ERMAP expression increased slowly from 2.52 x 10(-3) to 4.53 x 10(-3), which was also significantly lower than that of group K562 + Ara-C. It is concluded that the ERMAP-shRNA inhibits the Ara-C-induced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells, which further suggests that there is relationship between hERMAP and erythroid differentiation and development.
Blood Group Antigens ; genetics ; Butyrophilins ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cytarabine ; pharmacology ; Erythropoiesis ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of hermap gene on kinases in erythroid signal transduction pathway and investigate the mechanism of hermap on erythroid differentiation.

METHODSThe K562 cells expressing hermap and hermap-siRNA respectively were established for up- and down-regulating the expression of hermap gene. These K562 cells were then induced by Ara-C to erythroid differentiation and analyzed at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively, for cell morphology and biphenylamine staining positive cells, determination of CD235a, CD36, kinases p-STAT5, p-Akt, p-MAPK and p-c-JUN by FCM; and quantification of hermap gene and γ (Aγ,Gγ) globin gene by FQ-PCR.

RESULTSWith up-regulating hermap gene and inducing by Ara-C, K562 cells were changing to low ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm, cytoplasm colour from basophilic to pinkish or amethyst tinge, increase of number of biphenylamine positive cells and expression of CD235a, CD36, γ (Aγ,Gγ) globin gene, hermap gene and p-STAT5 from 0 to 96 h. At 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of culture, the positive rates of p-STAT5 cells were detected of 0.46%, 4.54%, 20.01%, 23.65% and 33.08%, respectively. This results demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between expression of p-STAT5 and hermap gene expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONhermap gene can stimulate erythroid differentiation of Ara-C induced K562 cells mainly through JAK/STAT5 signal transduction pathway.

Cell Differentiation ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; Erythrocytes ; cytology ; Erythropoiesis ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Receptors, Erythropoietin ; genetics ; STAT5 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo establish a rapid, sensitive and specific real-time PCR method for detection of Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6).

METHODSAccording to the reference, a pair of primers and a probe were designed located in U65-66 gene and to set up the standards. We established a real-time RT-PCR method for detection of HHV-6, and to verify the specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility.

RESULTSThe correlation coefficient was 0.999, E = 97.9%, the coefficient of variation values of Ct were 0.61% and 3.13% in real-time PCR assay for inter and intra assay, respectively. The results of all viruses were negative except of HHV-6 for the assay. The quantitative detection limit of the assay was 3 x 10(0) copies/microl.

CONCLUSIONThe real-time PCR assay is highly specific, sensitive and reproducible, which can be used to quatitative detecting clinical samples.

Herpesvirus 6, Human ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the coagulation function indicators and identify influence factors of hypercoagulability in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) independent Cushing syndrome (CS). METHODS: In our retrospective study, the electronic medical records system of Peking University First Hospital was searched for the patients diagnosed with ACTH independent CS on discharge from January 2014 to June 2019. Nonfunctional adrenal adenoma patients were chosen as control group and matched 1 ∶1 by body mass index (BMI), gender, and discharge date. Clinical features and coagulation function indicators were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In the study, 171 patients were included in each group. Compared with control group, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and prothrombin time (PT) in ACTH independent CS group were significantly lower [(29.22±3.39) s vs. (31.86±3.63) s, P < 0.001; (29.22±3.39) s vs. (31.86±3.63) s, P < 0.001], and both D-dimer and fibrin degradation products (FDP) levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Percentage of APTT levels under the lower limit of reference range in the CS patients was significantly higher than that in nonfunctional group (21.6% vs. 3.5%, P < 0.001). Percentage of D-dimer levels over the upper limit of reference range in the CS patients was significantly higher than that in nonfunctional group (13.5% vs. 6.6%, P=0.041). There were three patients with deep venous thrombosis and one patient with pulmonary embolism in CS group, however none was in control group. The area under curve (AUC) of serum cortisol rhythm (8:00, 16:00 and 24:00) levels was negatively associated with the levels of PT (r=-0.315, P < 0.001) and APTT (r=-0.410, P < 0.001), and positively associated with FDP (r=0.303, P < 0.001) and D-dimer levels (r=0.258, P < 0.001). There were no differences in coagulation function indicators among different histopathologic subgroups (adrenocortical adenoma, adrenocortical hyperplasia, oncocytic adenoma, adrenocortical carcinoma). With Logistic regression analysis, the AUC of cortisol and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were independent risk factors for hypercoagulability in the ACTH independent CS patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION ACTH independent CS patients were more likely in hypercoagulable state compared with nonfunctional adrenal adenoma, especially in ACTH independent CS patients with higher levels of cortisol AUC and HbA1c. These patients should be paid attention to for the hypercoagulability and thrombosis risk.
Humans ; Cushing Syndrome/complications* ; Adrenocortical Adenoma/complications* ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Hydrocortisone ; Retrospective Studies ; Glycated Hemoglobin ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Adenoma/diagnosis* ; Thrombophilia/complications*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of antibiotic use for very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of Hunan Province. METHODS: The use of antibiotics was investigated in multiple level 3 NICUs of Hunan Province for VLBW and ELBW infants born between January, 2017 and December, 2017. RESULTS: The clinical data of 1 442 VLBW/ELBW infants were collected from 24 NICUs in 2017. The median antibiotic use duration was 17 days (range: 0-86 days), accounting for 53.0% of the total length of hospital stay. The highest duration of antibiotic use was up to 91.4% of the total length of hospital stay, with the lowest at 14.6%. In 16 out of 24 NICUs, the antibiotic use duration was accounted for more than 50.0% of the hospitalization days. There were 113 cases with positive bacterial culture grown in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, making the positive rate of overall bacterial culture as 7.84%. The positive rate of bacterial culture in different NICUs was significantly different from 0% to 14.9%. The common isolated bacterial pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae was 29 cases (25.7%); Escherichia coli 12 cases (10.6%); Staphylococcus aureus 3 cases (2.7%). The most commonly used antibiotics were third-generation of cephalosporins, accounting for 41.00% of the total antibiotics, followed by penicillins, accounting for 32.10%, and followed by carbapenems, accounting for 13.15%. The proportion of antibiotic use time was negatively correlated with birth weight Z-score and the change in weight Z-score between birth and hospital discharge (r=-0.095, -0.151 respectively, P<0.01), positively correlated with death/withdrawal of care (r=0.196, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics used for VLBW/ELBW infants in NICUs of Hunan Province are obviously prolonged in many NICUs. The proportion of routine use of third-generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems antibiotics is high among the NICUs.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective::On the basis of previous research, to detect the changes of six main alkaloids in Gelsemium elegans rhizomes before and after being processed, so as to reveal its internal mechanism of processing. Method::The contents of gelsemine, humantenidine, koumine, gelsenicine, gelsevirine and humantenine in G. elegans rhizomes was determined simultaneously by HPLC, the content changes of these components before and after processing and its reasons were analyzed by cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The mobile phase was methanol (A)-0.1%formic acid aqueous solution (B) for gradient elution (0-10 min, 22%A; 10-20 min, 22%-30%A; 20-30 min, 30%-40%A). The flow rate was 1.0 mL·min^-1. The detection wavelength was set at 254 nm, the injection volume was 10 μL, and the column temperature was 30 ℃. Result::Before processing, contents of the above six components in raw products were 1.444, 1.129, 3.590, 1.603, 2.376, 1.631 mg·g^-1, after processing, the contents of these six components were 2.258, 0.343, 1.176, 0.115, 0.459, 0.281 mg·g^-1, respectively. Gelsenicine, the most toxic ingredient of G. elegans rhizomes, decreased most significantly with a decreasing rate of 92.83%, while the less toxic ingredient, gelsemine, increased by 56.37%after processing. The contents of other four components in G. elegans rhizomes decreased to varying degrees after processing. The results of cluster analysis indicated that G. elegans rhizomes were clearly divided into two categories before and after processing. Principal component analysis showed that the first principal component before and after processing was changed from koumine to gelsemine. Conclusion::The degradation of toxic components and content changes of other components may be one of the intrinsic mechanism of toxicity attenuation and efficacy reservation of G. elegans rhizomes being processed.