An electrochemical sensor has been developed for the selective determination of chlortetracycline ( CTC) using the molecularly imprinted technique. A molecular imprinted polymer ( MIP) on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode ( GCE ) was prepared by electropolymerization of o-aminophenol ( OAP ) in the presence of CTC in the sodium perchlorate ( NaClO4 ) solution using cyclic voltammetry ( CV ) . The electrochemical performance of the sensor was studied by using differential pulse voltammetry ( DPV ) . A linear relationship between the peak current difference and the CTC concentration was found in the range of 2. 0×10-8-6. 1×10-7 mol/L with the detection limit of 1. 5×10-8 mol/L (3σ). After regeneration by washing with the mixture of methanol and sulfuric acid, the sensor showed excellent reproducibility and good stability. The MIP electrode exhibited almost no response to chloramphenicol and penicillin, and very weak responses to tetracycline and oxytetracycline, proving a good selectivity. Recoveries of standard addition measured in the actual samples of milk and chicken meat were between 86 . 4% -96 . 9%. Compared with the reported methods, this sensor showed a low detection limit, simple operation without derivatization, rapid response and low cost.

Objective: Depression was common during coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, while the association of perceived stress with depression among vaccinated healthcare workers has not been investigated. This study aimed to address this issue. Methods: We included a total of 898 fully vaccinated healthcare workers during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta variant in Nanjing, 2021. Depression was ascertained by Patient Health Questionnaire-9, with a cut-off score of ≥5 indicative of mild-to-severe depression. Perceived stress, resilience, and compassion fatigue were assessed by Perceived Stress Scale-10, Resilience Scale-25, and Professional Quality of Life Scale version-5, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), along with subgroup and mediation analyses. Results: The prevalence of mild-to-severe depression was 41.1% in vaccinated healthcare workers. The odd of mild-to-severe depression was increased with higher perceived stress. Compared with vaccinated healthcare workers with the lowest tertile of perceived stress, those with the highest tertile had increased odds of mild-to-severe depression by 120% (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.31) after multivariable-adjustment. However, perceived stress was not associated with mild-to-severe depression in vaccinated healthcare workers with strong resilience, but was in those with weak resilience (pinteraction=0.004). Further analysis showed that compassion fatigue mediated the relationship between perceived stress and mild-to-severe depression, with a mediating effect of 49.7%. Conclusion Perceived stress was related to an increased odd of mild-to-severe depression in vaccinated healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic, and this relationship might be explained by compassion fatigue.

Objective To investigate the effect of statin pretreatment on collateral circulation and prognoses of patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke.MethodsFifty-three patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to July 2019 were selected. All patients had unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. DSA was used to evaluate the collateral flows, and the differences of collateral flows and prognoses in patients took statins before onset were compared with those did not take statins.ResultsAs compared with patients did not take statins, patients took statins had higher incidences of diabetes and coronary heart disease, lower content of low density cholesterol, higher proportion of patients with good collateral circulation (grading 3 to 4), and lower modified Rankin scale scores 3 months after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P< 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that percentage of patients took statins was independent factors affecting collateral flow in patients with cardiac arterial occlusive stroke(OR=5.000, 95％CI: 1.136-22.006,P=0.033).ConclusionIn patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke, statin pretreatment could improve collateral flow and clinical prognoses.

Objective To evaluate the effect of conversion from mycophenolic acid (MPA) to mizoribine (MZR) in renal transplant recipients with gastrointestinal tract (GI) symptoms.Methods A total of 355 renal transplant recipients with GI symptoms caused by MPA administration were enrolled from April 2015 to March 2017 in 25 different renal transplant centers in China.The symptomatic improvement of GI before (baseline) and after conversion to MZR (1,2,4 weeks) was assessed by each item of GI symptoms indication.In addition,the efficacy and safety of the conversion therapy during 12 months were determined.Results Patients showed improvement in GI symptoms including diarrhea,abdominal pain,abdominal distention and stomachache after conversion to MZR 1,2,4 weeks (P＜0.05).In patients with different severity of diarrhea,conversion to MZR therapy significantly improved diarrhea (P＜0.05).During 12 months,no patient experienced clinical immune rejection.We did not observe any infections,leucopenia and other serious side effects.Conclusion MZR could markedly improve GI symptoms caused by MPA administration in renal transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting mouse epididymis-specific colipase-like (meClps) gene on mouse sperm mobility.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression vector pDsRed2.0-C1-meClps was constructed and transfected into NIH-3T3 cells, and the protein expression was detected with anti-meClps serum. Three interfering sequences targeting meClps (RNAi-251, 224 and 286) were inserted into lentiviral vectors pRNAT-U6.2/lenti, which were co-transfected with pDsRed2.0-C1-meClps into NIH-3T3 cells. The RNA interfering efficiency was confirmed by semi-quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The lentivirus, packed with the lentiviral vector with the highest interfering efficiency, was injected into the caput tissues of mouse epididymis, and its effect on sperm mobility of the cauda epididymis was evaluated.

RESULTSAll the 3 lentiviral RNAi vectors targeting meClps could inhibit the mRNA and protein expressions of meClps, among which pRNAT-U6.2/lenti-RNAi-251 had the highest interfering efficiency. The lentivirus packed with pRNAT-U6.2/lenti-RNAi-251 significantly reduced the path velocity of cauda sperm after injection into the caput epididymis of the mice (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONKnock-down meClps expression by lentiviral-mediated RNA interference can lower sperm mobility of mice.

Animals ; Epididymis ; Gene Targeting ; Genetic Vectors ; Lentivirus ; Male ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Transfection

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were not complex, and the endothelial barrier was destroyed in the pathogenesis progress of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Previous studies have demonstrated that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which was secreted by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, could decrease endothelial apoptosis. We investigated whether mTOR/STAT3 signaling acted in HGF protective effects against oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and ALI mice. METHODS: In our current study, we introduced LPS-induced PMEVCs with HGF treatment. To investigate the effects of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway in endothelial oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 were, respectively, used to inhibit mTOR/STAT3 signaling. Moreover, lentivirus vector-mediated mTORC1 (Raptor) and mTORC2 (Rictor) gene knockdown modifications were introduced to evaluate mTORC1 and mTORC1 pathways. Calcium measurement, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential and protein, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and endothelial junction protein were detected to evaluate HGF effects. Moreover, we used the ALI mouse model to observe the mitochondria pathological changes with an electron microscope in vivo. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated that HGF protected the endothelium via the suppression of ROS production and intracellular calcium uptake, which lead to increased mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1 and mitochondria tracker green detection) and specific proteins (complex I), raised anti-apoptosis Messenger Ribonucleic Acid level (B-cell lymphoma 2 and Bcl-xL), and increased endothelial junction proteins (VE-cadherin and occludin). Reversely, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and STAT3 inhibitor S3I-201 could raise oxidative stress and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis even with HGF treatment in LPS-induced endothelial cells. Similarly, mTORC1 as well as mTORC2 have the same protective effects in mitochondria damage and apoptosis. In in vivo experiments of ALI mouse, HGF also increased mitochondria structural integrity via the mTOR/STAT3 pathway. CONCLUSION In all, these reveal that mTOR/STAT3 signaling mediates the HGF suppression effects to oxidative level, mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, and endothelial junction protein in ARDS, contributing to the pulmonary endothelial survival and barrier integrity.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Endothelium/metabolism* ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor/metabolism* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Mammals/metabolism* ; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1/metabolism* ; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mitochondria/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome ; Sirolimus/pharmacology* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism*

Objective:To develop an area under curve (AUC)-based nomogram to predict vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity in critically ill patients.Methods:This retrospective cohort study included adult patients treated with vancomycin in the intensive care unit at a tertiary teaching hospital from January 2015 to December 2017. Baseline clinical characteristics before vancomycin treatment and pharmacokinetic parameters were collected to establish a prediction model of nephrotoxicity. Univariate analysis was used to screen variables, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to establish the prediction model and nomogram.Results:A total of 159 patients met the inclusion criteria, sixty-four were included in the final analysis. Sixteen patients (25%, 16/64) developed vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity. The following variables were incorporated into the prediction model: vancomycin AUC, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and combined nephrotoxic drugs. The following equation was established to calculate the probability of nephrotoxicity: logit (P)=-4.83+0.009×AUC-2.87×1 (if GFR>60 ml/min)+2.53×1 (if number of combined nephrotoxic drugs≥2). A nomogram was generated based on the equation. The receiver-operating characteristic curve demonstrated that the AUC of the prediction model was 0.927 (95% CI 0.851-1.000). The cut-off value of the probability of nephrotoxicity was 26.48%. The sensitivity and specificity were 87.5% and 87.5% respectively. Conclusion:The incidence of vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity is high. The AUC-based nomogram can effectively predict vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity in critically ill patients.