Abstract: Objective　To analyze the laboratory indexes of patients infected with malaria patients and COVID-19, so as to provide reliable evidence for the diagnosis of mixed infection of both. Methods　The routine clinical laboratory items such as routine blood, biochemistry and lymphocyte subsets were tested in three cases of COVID-19 complicated with falciparum malaria who admitted to Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University from July to December 2020 were tested. Laboratory data were stage-wise analyzed in conjunction with changes in the course of disease. Results　Three patients confirmed COVID-19 infection recruited all had malaria infection history. Fever, headache, and other symptoms emerged on the 4rd to 11th day after admission. Malaria parasite was detected by malaria parasite antigen testing and blood smear testing, and all three patients had re-ignition of malaria after being confirmed COVID-19 infection. In the early stage of malaria relapse, lymphocytes decreased, CRP and SAA increased, and gradually returned to normal level after antimalarial treatment. Interestingly, we only found one patient at the initial stage of malaria detection showed PLT decreased, no other unnormal changes in other routine blood results (WBC, ESO) and liver function results (ALT, AST, GGT, TBIL, DBIL, CG) were found from the beginning to end course of the disease. Conclusion　COVID-19 infection may promote the resurgence of malaria, so the relapse of malaria should be monitored especially for the patient with malaria infection history who begin to develop fever and other symptoms a few days after the diagnosis of COVID-19. The inflammatory indicators would be worth able as an auxiliary judgment basis for the effective treatment of the two combined infection.

Objective To evaluate the contribution of gyrA and parE detection in Ureaplasma genotyping.Methods Sixty Ureaplasma isolates were selected with the Mycoplasma IST kit.The gyrA and parE were amplified by PCR.The DNA was sequenced and compared with the corresponding sequences in GenBank.Results The nucleotide sequence of gyrA had 100% identity in serovar 1,3,6,14 and 100%identity in serovar 2,4,5,7～13,too.But the sequence had 91%identity between the two groups.The nucleotide sequence of parE had 98%～99% identity in serovar 1,3,6,14.And it had 100% identity in erovar 2,5,7,8,11 and 100% identity in serovar4,12,13.But it had only 90% identity between the two groups.Ureaplasma parvum(Up),Ureaplasma urealyticum(Uu)and Up+Uu infection were found 68.3%(41/60),21.7%(13/60)and 10%(6/60) of clinical specimens,respectively.In Up isolates,serovar 3 was 48.8%(20/41).Conclusion Ureaplasma can be divided into two genotypes(Up and Uu)by gyrA analysis.And Up can be divided into four subtypes which correspond to serovar 1,3,6,14,respectively.Serovar 3 is the main isolate in our research.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of Shugan Yiyang Capsules in the treatment of asthenospermia and its action mechanisms.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 135 asthenospermia patients to groups A (n = 47), B (n = 45), and C (n = 43) to be treated with Shugan Yiyang Capsules, oral levocarnitine, or combination of the two. We observed sperm quality and the level of α-glucosidase in the seminal plasma before and after medication.

RESULTSThe total effectiveness rate was 70.21% in group A (markedly effective in 16 cases and effective in 17), 68.89% in group B (markedly effective in 15 cases and effective in 16), and 83.72% in group C (markedly effective in 16 cases and effective in 20), significantly higher in C than in A and B (P < 0.05). Both sperm quality and the level of α-glucosidase in the seminal plasma were improved in the three groups of patients, most obviously in group C.

CONCLUSIONShugan Yiyang Capsules can be used for the treatment of asthenospermia, and its effect can be enhanced in combination with oral levocarnitine.

Asthenozoospermia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Biomedical Research ; Capsules ; Carnitine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; enzymology ; Spermatozoa ; alpha-Glucosidases ; analysis

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of herb-partitioned spreading moxibustion at Baliao points plus climen for diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). Methods: A total of 60 patients with DOR were randomized into a spreading moxibustion group and a Western medicine group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The Western medicine group was treated with climen, starting from the 5th day of the menstrual cycle for 21 d. The spreading moxibustion group was treated with herb-partitioned spreading moxibustion at Baliao points on the basis of the medication in the Western medicine group, 1 h per time, once a week. The treatment was performed for 1 month as one treatment course in both groups, for 3 courses in total. The serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) in the patients were measured before and after treatment. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and resistance index (RI) were also detected. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score was evaluated. The clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment. Results: The total effective rate in the spreading moxibustion group was 93.3％, which was significantly higher than 80.0％ in the Western medicine group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptom scores, the serum FSH levels, FSH/LH ratios and RI in both groups decreased, and the intra-group differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). The serum E2 level and PSV increased compared with those in the same group before treatment, and the intra-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptom score, the serum FSH level, FSH/LH ratio and RI in the spreading moxibustion group were lower than those in the Western medicine group, while the serum E2 level and PSV were higher than those in the Western medicine group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Herb-partitioned spreading moxibustion at Baliao points plus climen can produce valid therapeutic efficacy for DOR. It can improve the clinical symptoms, regulate serum hormone levels and increase ovarian blood perfusion, thus improving ovarian reserve function, producing more significant efficacy than climen alone.

To investigate the influence of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on p38 MAPK signaling pathway during acute lung injury (ALI) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, LPS group, LPS + NaHS group, LPS + PPG (cystathionine-γ-lyase inhibitor) group, NaHS group and PPG group. The rats were sacrificed 6 h after injection and lung tissues were obtained. The structure of lung tissues and the number of polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) was observed under optical microscope; the lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were tested; intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) protein expression changes were detected by immunohistochemical staining; phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) protein expression was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that the lung injury in LPS group was observed, at the same time the MPO activity, the content of MDA, ICAM-1 and p-p38 MAPK protein expressions, the number of PMN were all higher than those in control group (all P < 0.05). Pre-injection of NaHS alleviated the changes induced by LPS, while pre-injection of PPG aggravated those alterations (all P < 0.05). ICAM-1 and p-p38 MAPK protein expressions in lung tissue were positively correlated (r = 0.923, P < 0.01). The results suggest that H2S may reduce LPS-induced ALI through inhibiting the conjugation of p38 MAPK and reducing the expression of ICAM-1.
Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; pharmacology ; Neutrophils ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus bloodletting therapy in treating insomnia in people with blood stasis constitution. Methods: Seventy-two patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group by using the random number table, 36 cases each. The treatment group received acupuncture plus bloodletting therapy, while the control group was intervened by oral administration of estazolam. One-week treatment was taken as a course, for 3 successive courses in total. A follow-up study was conducted 3 months later. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was evaluated before and after the intervention, as well as in the follow-up. The clinical efficacies were also compared. Results: The total effective rate was 88.9% in the treatment group versus 83.3% in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After the intervention, the PSQI scores dropped significantly in both groups (both P<0.05); the between-group difference in PSQI score was statistically significant (P<0.05). The follow-up study showed that the between-group difference in the global score of PSQI was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture plus bloodletting therapy can produce a more significant efficacy than oral administration of estazolam in treating insomnia in people with blood stasis constitution.

OBJECTIVETo clone tpn17 and tpn47 genes of Treponema pallidum and then construct their prokaryotic expression systems,to establish ELISAs based on rTpN17 and rTpN47 as antigens and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISAs for detection of serological diagnosis of syphilis.

METHODSThe whole length of tpn17 and tpn47 genes was amplified by PCR and then their prokaryotic expression systems were constructed. SDS-PAGE was used to measure the expression of the target recombinant proteins rTpN17 and rTpN47. Ni-NTA affinity chromatography was applied to extract rTpN17 and rTpN47, while Western blot was performed to determine the specific immunoreactivity of rTpN17 and rTpN47. By using rTpN17 and rTpN47 as the coated antigen, respectively, ELISAs (rTpN17-ELISA and rTpN47-ELISA) were established to detect serum samples from 200 healthy individuals, 25 RA patients, 17 SLE patients and 211 syphilis patients. The detection effects of the ELISAs were compared to those of TRUST and TPHA.

RESULTThe sequence similarity of the cloned tpn17 and tpn47 genes was 100 % compared with the corresponding sequences in GenBank. The expression outputs of rTpN17 and rTpN47 were approximately 37.2 % and 26.8 % of the total bacterial proteins, respectively. Both the extracted rTpN17 and rTpN47 could take place remarkable conjugation reactions to the sera with positive antibody against Treponema pallidum.The positive detection rate of TPHA (99.1%) was the highest (P<0.001). The positive detection rates of rTpN17-ELISA (85.3 %) and rTpN47-ELISA (84.3 %) were similar (P>0.05). The positive detection rates of TRUST (72.5 %) was lower than that of rTpN17-ELISA (P=0.001) but similar to that of rTpN47-ELISA (P=0.014). The detection results of all the serum samples from healthy individuals, RA patients and SLE patients were negative, whereas 7.1 % (3/42) of the samples from RA or SLE patients were positive.

CONCLUSIONrTpN17 and rTpN47 are still maintaining their original immunoreactivity. The ELISAs using rTpN17 or rTpN47 as the antigen are rapid, simple and convenient, higher sensitivity and specificity methods for serological screening and detection of syphilis.

Antibodies, Bacterial ; Antigens, Bacterial ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Syphilis ; diagnosis ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis ; Treponema pallidum ; chemistry ; immunology ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVEAcute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) accounts for 15 to 25 percent of childhood acute leukemias. Cytogenetic information is important for diagnosis, classification and prognosis of AML. Our aim was to analyze the relationship between karyotypic characteristics and prognosis of childhood AML.

METHODAccording to karyotypic characteristics, 128 newly diagnosed children AML were separated into 4 subgroups: patients with t(15;17) (group APL), patients with t(8;21)/inv(16) (group A), patients with -7/t(9;22)/complex karyotypes (group C) and the others (group B). Prognoses of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTSThe ages ranged from 1 to 16 years with the mean age of 7 years. 85 boys and 43 girls were included in this study. The 4-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were (55.9 ± 4.7)% and (69.3% ± 4.5)%, respectively. The 4-year EFS and OS of non-M(3)-AML patients were (49.9 ± 5.2)% and (57.1 ± 6.0)%, respectively. The probabilities of 4-year EFS of the four subgroups were (72.2 ± 1.1)%, (66.3 ± 7.7)%, (38.5 ± 9.1)% and (20.1 ± 12.3)%, respectively (P = 0.000). The probabilities of 4-year OS were (92.6 ± 5.1)%, (69.4 ± 7.9)%, (55.6 ± 8.6)% and (30.0 ± 12.3)%, respectively (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONCytogenetic aberrations seen in pediatric AML had a significant impact on prognosis.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Disorders ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, on LPS-induced polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) accumulation and its mechanism.

METHODSThe animal model of acute lung injury (ALI) caused by intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Adult male Spraguce-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 - 12 per group): Control group (0.5 ml/kg normal saline i.v.), LPS-treated group (1 mg/kg, i.v.), LPS plus NaHS (1 mg/kg i.v. and 28 micromol/kg i.p., respectively) and NaHS group (28 micromol/kg i.p.). Animals were sacrificed at 6 h after agent administration. Morphological changes of lung tissues were observed and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) number in alveolar septum was tested. The apoptosis of PMN in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was examined with in situ TdT-mediated dUTP end labeling (TUNEL). Intercellular adhesion factor-1 (ICAM-1) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) expressions in the lung tissue were analyzed by Western Blot.

RESULTSThe results showed that bleeding, edema, PMN accumulation and other pathological signs in the lung tissue emerged after LPS injection. Compared to control rats, the LPS-treated rats had increased PMN number, decreased PMN apoptotic percentages, and increased expressions of ICAM-1 and NF-kappaB. Administration of NaHS into LPS-treated rats reduced the PMN number and expressions of ICAM-1 and NF-kappaB but increased PMN apoptotic percentages. In addition, NaHS alleviated the degree of ALI. There were no significant differences of the above indicators between NaHS-treated rats and control rats.

CONCLUSIONNaHS can reduce the PMN accumulation in the lung, and its mechanism is related to down-regulation expression of ICAM-1 and promotion of PMN apoptosis induced by inhibition of NF-kappaB pathway.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; adverse effects ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In order to explore the diagnosis and therapy of Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA), the clinical data of 45 cases of DBA admitted in our hospital from February 1994 to July 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical characteristics, results of laboratory examination, treatment reaction and outcome of disease were investigated. The results indicated that out of 45 children diagnosed as DBA, 14 cases (31.1%) had short stature and physical malformation. All patients had anemia with reticulocytopenia. Thirty-four patients (75.6%) had mean corpuscular volume. Eleven patients (24.4%) had macrocytic anemia. Bone marrow examination showed a marked erythroid hypoplasia in all patients. Out of 29 cases tested for fetal hemoglobin (HbF), 13 cases (44.8%) had high level of HbF. Erythroid colony-forming unit of bone marrow was tested in 25 patients, among them 12 patients (48%) showed normal plasia, 13 (52%) showed hypoplasia. The erythropoietin (EPO) levels of 17 patients were elevated. Karyotypes were examined in 28 patients, and showed all normal. The treatment was based on corticosteroids and Cyclosporine A. Thirty patients had good response to corticosteroid therapy, and 10 of them obtained a sustained corticosteroid-induced remission. Twenty cases discontinued corticosteroid therapy after remission, as a result, 15 cases (75%) relapsed, moreover all the relapsed cases still had good response to corticosteroid. Two relapsed patients suffered from aplastic anemia, one of them died of therapy failure. Six patients were unresponsive to corticosteroid, 1 of which achieved remission with cyclosporine A and the others continued to receive regular transfusions. 3 patients received iron chelation therapy. It is concluded that the clinical characteristics, complete blood count, bone marrow smear, HbF level and EPO level are useful to make a diagnosis of DBA. Most patients have a good response to corticosteroid therapy, but relapse rate is high when drug was discontinued. Patients unresponsive to corticosteroid should receive regular transfusions and chelation therapy.
Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies