OBJECTIVETo explore the expression patterns of the chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 in human sperm.

METHODSWe collected semen samples from 10 fertile men, performed density gradient centrifugation, and then determined the expressions of both CXCL12 and CXCR4 in the sperm by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTSRT-PCR revealed the mRNA expressions of CXCL12 (0.641 +/- 0.180) and CXCR4 (0.464 +/- 0.100) in the sperm. However, only CXCR4 rather than CXCL12 was expressed at the protein level, and the positive staining for CXCR4 was observed mainly in the posterior part of the acrosome.

CONCLUSIONCXCL12 and CXCR4 are involved as important molecules in regulating the function of human sperm.

Acrosome ; metabolism ; Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the nontubercutous mycobaeterium (NTM) identification data of two groups of sputum sam- ples during the periods of 1986 to 1997 and 2000 to 2005 so as to figure out the identification of NTM.Methods A total of 222 strains of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria were included for strain identification and sensitivity test with traditional methods.Re- suits According to Runyon classification, during the period of 1986-1997 there were 15 strains (15.5%) in GroupⅠ, 4 (4.2%) in GroupⅡ, 23 (24.0%)in GroupⅢand 54 (56.3%) in GroupⅣ;during the period of 2000—2005 there were 30 strains (16.1%) in GroupⅠ, 11(5.9%) in GroupⅡ, 51 (27.4%) in GroupⅢand 94 (50.6%) in GroupⅣ.The number of NTM types increased by 133.3%.The absolute number of NTM isolates in the first five years of this century increased by 93.89% compared with the numbers in the 11 years of last century.Conclusions The number of types and absolute number of i- solates of NTM have increased in the first live years of this century compared with the numbers in the 11 years of last century. We should enhance the epidemiological research on pulmonary NTM in order to provide scientific evidence for comprehensive prevention and treatment.

Three dimensional electrical impedance tomography (3D-EIT) became an important branch of EIT recently. It is important to research imaging and image quality evaluation methods for single targets of different positions and multi-targets in 3D field. Using finite element subdivision method, 3D-EIT field was dispersed into cube unit in the present study for models with single target located in the center of field, middle of field, and near to the edge, respectively. For models with two targets and four targets near to the field edge, Tikhonov-Noser algorithm was adopted in image reconstruction. Imaging error function ER and structure similarity degree function SSIM were introduced to evaluate the reconstructed images. For the models with signal target, with the movement of the target from the center to the edge of the field, the value of ER increased and SSIM decreased, and reconstruction quality decreased. For the models with multi-targets near to the field edge, ER and SSIM increased and decreased respectively with the increase of target number, mage quality also decreased. Tikhonov-Noser algorithm is an effective 3D-EIT algorithm. ER and SSIM are adaptive for the characteristic of 3D-EIT images, and it can quantitatively evaluate the 3D-EIT imaging effect from the two perspective of imaging error and structure quality.
Algorithms ; Electric Impedance ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Tomography

Objective To systematically describe and analyze the patient safety culture assessment outcomes of medical workers in China,so as to provide scientific evidence for developing corresponding intervention measures.Methods Such databases as Web of Science,PubMed,Ovid,EBSCO,Google Scholar,CBM,VIP,CNKi and WanFang Data were used to collect studies published before December 2014,on patient safety culture assessment of medical workers in mainland China.Two reviewers independently screened,extracted and cross-checked the data,and the disagreements were resolved by discussion or by consulting a third reviewer.The qualitative synthesis method was used to analyze the study results.Results Of the total 1 721 records,65 studies were included,and most of them were cross-sectional studies.The patient safety culture assessment instruments were foreign scales by the translation and revision for the Chinese version for 52 studies,and self-made questionnaire for the other 13 studies.The main factors influencing the patient safety culture of Chinese medical workers included seniority,department,educational background,experience of patient safety training and so on.Conclusions Many studies have been carried out for patient safety culture,but the research obj ects mostly are nursing staffs,without extensive research on other professional medical workers.Hospitals should strengthen the teams,the patient safety training,and build patient safety culture that is fair and open to safeguard patient safety.

Objective To evaluate the effects of prevention and control measures on coal-burning endemic fluorosis in Wulong County of Chongqing.Methods At a county level investigation,seven of the disease affected villages were investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention and control measures on coal-burning endemic fluorosis in Wulong County from October 2012 to April 2013.Dental fluorosis of all children aged 8-12 was examined in every selected village.Urine samples of 50 children were collected and urinary iodine level was determined.The installed improved stoves,the drying of corn and pepper were investigated in every household surveyed.Ten samples of corn and pepper were collected and iodine level was determined.At a city level survey,seven of the disease affected villages were investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention and control measures on coal-burning endemic fluorosis in April 2013.Dental fluorosis of all children aged 8-12 was examined in all villages.Ten households were selected for investigation of the installation of improved stoves,drying of corn and pepper.Children dental fluorosis was diagnosed based on the standard for Diagnosis of Dental FIuorosis (WS/T 208-2011).The fluoride concentration of children's urine was measured according to the standard for Urine-determination of Fluoride-ion Specific Electrode Method (WS/T 89-1996).The fluoride concentration of corn and pepper was measured by the method of fluoride-ion selective electrode.Results The field survey results at the county level showed that the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis of children aged 8-12 was 8.01％ (44/549).The qualified rate of installed improved stoves was 99.56％(3 186/3 200) and the rate of correct usage of improved stoves was 99.78％(3 179/3 186).The correct drying rates of corn and pepper were all 100.00％(2 390/2 390).Three hundred and fourteen urine samples were collected and the fluoride content was 0.25 mg/L.Fifty-eight corn and 58 pepper samples were collected.The fluoride contents of corn and pepper were 0.70,2.09 mg/kg,respectively.At the field survey at city level,seven of the disease affected villages were investigated,the prevalence rate of dental fluorosis of children was 11.28％ (38/337).Seventy households were surveyed for the improved stoves.The qualified rate of installation of improved stoves and the rate of correct usage of improved stoves were all 100.00％(70/70,70/70).The drying of 56 corn and 58 pepper samples was surveyed.The correct drying rates of corn and pepper were all 100.00％(56/56,58/58).Conchsion All villages have reached the elimination criteria of coal-burning endemic fluorosis areas in Wulong County.

OBJECTIVE:To explore basic technology for synthesis of active ingredients of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis,and provide necessary technical support for comprehensive development of O. xuefengensis sourse. METHODS:Submerged fermenta-tion method was used to cultivate the mycelium,achieving efficient synthesis of active ingredients by controlling medium composi-tion and cultivation conditions. Using the bacteria as starting strain,the effects of different carbon sources (sucrose,glucose and soluble starch),different nitrogen sources (peptone,yeast extract powder,yeast extract,sodium nitrate,potassium nitrate and urea),different vitamin B(vitamin B1 and vitamin B complex)and different initial pH(pH was set at 4,5,6,7,8 and 9,re-spectively)on mycelial growth,extracellular and intracellular polysaccharide synthesis,cordycepin synthesis and intracellular triter-penoid synthesis were investigated to screen the optimal medium composition. RESULTS:The optimal carbon source,nitrogen source,vitamin B and initial pH were sucrose,yeast extract powder,vitamin B1 and 8,respectively. High biomass and metabolite accumulation levels can be obtained when carbon source was sucrose,nitrogen source was yeast extract powder,adding 0.1 g/L vi-tamin B1 with initial pH of 8. CONCLUSIONS:O. xuefengensis can efficiently accumulate metabolites,and achieve the optimiza-tion of strain cell growth and synthesis of active metabolite by optimizing and controlling the fermentation process.

Abstract: Objective　China was certified by World Health Organization as a malaria-free country in 2021. Malaria has become a rare infectious disease, and preventing the re-transmission of imported malaria and reducing deaths are the main challenges facing China after elimination of malaria. To analyze and clarify the characteristics of imported malaria deaths, and to provide prevention and treatment recommendations for overseas workers and health care workers. Methods　The data of 17 imported malaria deaths in the analysis of malaria deaths from 2016 to 2020 by the National Severe Malaria Treatment Expert Group were collected, and the relevant clinical epidemiological data and disease course records were analyzed. Results　The 17 malaria deaths were all imported from Africa with Plasmodium falciparum infection (malarial cerebral type), with no obvious regularity in the month of onset. Among them, 16 were male patients, 5 cases with underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus, and 10 patients were first diagnosed in a second-level or lower hospital. Excluding patients who died of respiratory cardiac arrest in ambulances, the mean time difference between first onset and malaria diagnosis in 16 patients was 6.8 days (median 5.5 days), and the mean time between first onset and antimalarial treatment was 7.4 days (median 6 days), the mean time difference from initial onset to death was 10.3 days (median 8.5 days). Excluding cases with onset abroad and unknown time of return, all 14 patients developed the disease within 30 days after returning to China. Conclusion　All the fatal cases were infected with Plasmodium falciparum imported from Africa. The patients' awareness of actively seeking medical treatment is weak, and the delay in seeking medical treatment caused by the insufficient diagnosis and treatment capacity of health institutions at the township level and below is the main reason for the deaths. It is recommended to strengthen the self-protection awareness of staff in malaria-endemic areas overseas and raise their awareness of malaria. For returnees from areas with high malaria risk, primary medical institutions should pay attention to the patient's travel history in Africa, improve the awareness of malaria diagnosis, malaria diagnosis and treatment capabilities.

To discuss the effect of puerarin (Pue) on the proliferation of hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and discuss whether the extracellular signal PI3K/AKT pathway was involved in the Pue-induced PASMC apoptosis. With the serum starvation group (SD group) as the control group, the MTT colorimetry method, Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection kit and Western blot were used to detect Pue's effect on apoptosis of rat PASMCs. The protein immunoblot assay was used to detect whether PI3K/AKT pathway was involved in the inhibition of hypoxia-induced PASMC apoptosis process. The results show that under normoxic conditions, Pue had no effect on PASMC apoptosis; Under hypoxia conditions, Pue can inhibit PASMC apoptosis; Under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, Pue had no effect on TNF-α expression. Pue can reverse hypoxia-induced Bcl-2 (P <0.01), up-regulate it and down-regulated Bax (P <0.01). Under normoxic conditions, Pue had no effect on P-AKT expression. Both LY294002 and Pue can inhibit hypoxia-induced Bcl-2, up-regulation of P-AKT expression and down-regulation of Bax expression. Compared with the hypoxia + Pue group or the hypoxia + LY294002 group, the hypoxia + Pue + LY294002 group showed more significantly changes in Bcl-2, Bax, P-AKT expressions. The results show that, Pue can inhibit the hypoxic-induced PASMC apoptosis, which may be regulated through PI3K/AKT pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; physiology ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

To discuss the effect of puerarin (Pue) on the proliferation of hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and discuss whether its mechanism is achieved by regulating reactive oxygen. PASMCs of primarily cultured rats (2-5 generations) were selected in the experiment. MTT, Western blot, FCM and DCFH-DA were used to observe Pue's effect the proliferation of PASMCs. The Western blot was adopted to detect whether ROS participated in Pue's effect in inhibiting PASMC proliferation. The PASMCs were divided into five groups: the normoxia group, the hypoxia group, the hypoxia + Pue group, the hypoxia + Pue + Rotenone group and the hypoxia + Rotenone group, with Rotenone as the ROS blocker. According to the results, under the conditions of normoxia, Pue had no effect on the PASMC proliferation; But, under the conditions of hypoxia, it could inhibit the PASMC proliferation; Under the conditions of normoxia and hypoxia, Pue had no effect on the expression of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) among PASMCs, could down-regulate the expression of hypoxia-induced cell cycle protein Cyclin A and proliferative nuclear antigen (PCNA). DCFH-DA proved Pue could reverse ROS rise caused by hypoxia. Both Rotenone and Pue could inhibit the up-regulated expressions of HIF-1α, Cyclin A, PCNA caused by anoxia, with a synergistic effect. The results suggested that Pue could inhibit the hypoxia-induced PASMC proliferation. Its mechanism may be achieved by regulating ROS.
Animals ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hypoxia ; pathology ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; physiology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of chronic progressive neuronal damage disorders. The cause is unclear, most of them share a same pathological hallmark with misfold proteins accumulating in neurons. Carboxyl-terminus of Hsc70 interacting protein (CHIP) is a dual functional molecule, which has a N terminal tetratrico peptide repeat (TPR) domain that interacts with Hsc/Hsp70 complex and Hsp90 enabling CHIP to modulate the aberrant protein folding; and a C terminal U-box ubiquitin ligase domain that binds to the 26S subunit of the proteasome involved in protein degradation via ubiqutin-proteasome system. CHIP protein mediates interactions between the chaperone system and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and plays an important role in maintaining the protein homeostasis in cells. This article reviews the molecular characteristics and physiological functions of CHIP, and its role in cellular metabolism and discusses the relationship between CHIP dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases.
Animals ; Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Protein Folding ; Proteolysis ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; genetics ; metabolism