OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Wenyang Huoxue Recipe (WRHXR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for warming yang and promoting blood flow, on the expression of angiopoietin mRNA in rats with chronic aristolochic acid nephropathy induced by Caulis Aristolochia Manshuriensis (CAM) decoction, and to explore the protection mechanism of WYHXR against kidney damage. METHODS: Twenty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, CAM group and WYHXR-treated group. Rats in the normal control group (n=8) and CAM group (n=10) were intragastrically administered with normal saline 10 ml/(kg.d) or CAM decoction 10 ml/(kg.d) respectively. Rats in the WYHXR-treated group (n=10) were intragastrically administered with WYHXR 30 g/(kg.d) and CAM decoction 10 ml/(kg.d). The expressions of Ang-l and Ang-2 mRNAs were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after 20-week treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the expression of Ang-l mRNA was significantly decreased, and the expression of Ang-2 mRNA was significantly increased in the CAM group (P<0.01). Compared with the CAM group, the expression of Ang-l mRNA was increased in the WYHXR-treated group (P<0.01). The expression of Ang-2 mRNA had no significant difference between the CAM group and the WYHXR-treated group (P>0.05). Renal pathology showed that renal damage in WYHXR-treated group was significantly reduced as compared with the CAM group. CONCLUSION: WYHXR can up-regulate the expression of Ang-l mRNA, which may be its action mechanism in protecting the kidneys.

Objective:To explore the learning experience of the medical massive open online course (MOOC) teaching design standard system constructed by the research group in the early stage.Methods:In this study, the questionnaire was adapted from four dimensions: academic analysis, curriculum content design, teaching process design, and teaching evaluation design, including 519 students majoring in clinical medicine of a university who had studied MOOC cases like "Ultra-early Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Cerebral Infarction" based on the system. SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results:The system had a high degree of recognition in all dimensions, with 64.5% of academic analysis, 57.6% of content design, 54.5% of teaching design process, and 59.3% of teaching evaluation design.Conclusion:The study has found that the medical MOOC teaching design system has good learning experience effect. According to the data feedback, the key teaching design points such as the core factors of learning experience analysis and the suitability of teaching content in the practical operation of teaching design has been explored, providing the practical basis and method reference for the design of medical MOOC teaching design.

Objective To investigate the iodine nutritional status in the key populations before and after the adjustment of salt iodine content in Yantai of Shandong.Methods In 2010 (the pre-adjustment period) and 2014,2015 (the post-adjustment period),the changes in the residents' iodized salt,the goiter prevalence and urinary iodine of children aged 8-10,the urinary iodine of pregnant women,and the iodine content of drinking water before and after the adjustment were analyzed.Results The coverage rate of iodized salt and the edible rate of qualified iodized salt were 98.27％ and 97.28％,respectively before the adjustment of salt iodine content,and 97.44％ and 96.14％ after the adjustment.The mean of salt iodine after the adjustment (21.96 mg/kg) was significantly lower than that of 2010 (31.45 mg/kg,t =66.29,P ＜ 0.05).The goiter prevalence of children aged 8-10 by thyroid palpation was 0.92％ in 2010,while it was 1.89％ by ultrasonic in 2014,2015.There was significant difference in the iodine nutritional status of children in 2010 (191.0 μg/L) and in 2014,2015 (173.0 μg/L,Z =3.56,P ＜ 0.05).The difference of iodine nutritional status in pregnant women between pre-adjustment (154.0 μg/L) and post-adjustment (130.4 μg/L) was also significant (Z =5.54,P ＜ 0.05).The median of water iodine was 5.4 μg/L after the adjustment.There were 52 towns with medians of water iodine below 10 μg/L.Conclusions The coverage rate of iodized salt and the edible rate of qualified iodized salt have all met the national standard before and after the adjustment of salt iodine content.The mean of salt iodine during 2014,2015 is significantly lower than that of 2010.Before and after the adjustment,the goiter rates of children aged 8-10 are all below 5％.The adjustment of salt iodine content is more suitable to children aged 8-10 than to pregnant women currently.It is suggested that pregnant women eat more foods rich in iodine.

Objective To establish a rapid,specific and sensitive TaqMan real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR assay for detection of murine polyomavirus ( MPyV) .Methods The specific primers and TaqMan probe were designed based on genome sequence of MPyV.The primers amplified a 69 bp fragment.After optimizing the reaction system and reaction condition, the standard curve was plotted by detecting recombinant plasmid standards.The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of this method were evaluated.In addition, samples of lungs, spleens and feces obtained from experimentally infected mice and 86 clinical samples were used to validate the efficacy of this real-time PCR assay.Results The specificity assay showed that this assay could specifically detect MPyV and the sensitivity for MPyV was about 100 copies/well.The coefficients of variation ( CV) of both intra-assay and inter-assay were less than 1.13%.All of the samples from experimentally infected mice were positive for MPyV and 3 out of 86 clinical samples were positive by this TaqMan-PCR detection with a positive rate of 3.5%.Conclusions The real-time fluorescence quantitative TaqMan-PCR assay established in this study has high specificity, sensitivity and stability.It can be used for clinical diagnosis, routine detection and epidemiological investigation of murine polyomavirus infections.

OBJECTIVETo find an inhibitor to reduce the volatilization of formalin.

METHODThe saturated solution of sodium hydrosulphite (SHS) was sprayed on the surface of the anatomy specimens, then the concentration of formaldehyde in the air was tested.

RESULTSThe concentration of formaldehyde in the air of SHS sprayed group [(3.10 +/- 1.22) mg/m3] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(8.36 +/- 4.11) mg/m3, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONSHS may be a volatilization inhibitor for formalin, which could reduce the concentration of formaldehyde in the air.

The medical massive open online course (MOOC) quality certification standard is the reference for the implementation of medical MOOC quality monitoring. This thesis utilizes data mining, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis and other methods, taking the comment text of the Chinese medicine courses on the Ai Course (MOOC of China Universities) platform as the data source out of which to extract certain potential indicators for the medical MOOC quality certification standard. Based on the analysis of the existing research results on MOOC quality evaluation domestic and abroad as well as the relevant policies of the Ministry of Education, a medical MOOC quality accreditation standard including 6 first-level indicators are formed, including course content, teaching design and so on. Expert scores and AHP method were used to calculate the weight coefficient of the quality certification standard. Finally, this paper explains the procedure of medical MOOC quality certification in college. This certification system can be used to conduct self-assessment and quality monitoring of medical MOOC in colleges and universities.

Objective:To explore the clinical and imaging characteristics of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) caused by mitochondrial DNA 14453G>A (m.14453G>A) mutation.Methods:A case of MELAS caused by m.14453G>A mutation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University on October 12, 2021 was reported. At the same time, the reported cases of MELAS and Leigh syndrome (LS) caused by the m.14453G>A mutation were reviewed. This enabled a comprehensive summarization, analysis, and comparison of these cases.Results:The patient was a female. She has suffered from the disease since 13-year old with seizures, accompanied by the disturbance of mood and the loss of memory. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings consisted of lesions in frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal lobe and cerebellar. The patient was initially considered with autoimmune encephalitis and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Since direct sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome from blood of the patient revealed m.14453G>A mutation in ND6 gene, and the mutation rate was 17.0%, the patient eventually diagnosed with MELAS based on clinical manifestations, imaging examinations, and genetic testing results. Using "m.14453G>A" as the search term, the relevant literature in China and abroad was retrieved and those with complete clinical data were identified. A total of 11 cases of m.14453G>A mutation including this case were reported, of whom 5 patients were diagnosed as MELAS, and 6 patients were diagnosed as LS. Among the 11 patients, those being adolescent or adult and with lesions in the cortex and subcortical white matter were probably be MELAS; those being infant or young child and with lesions in basal ganglia, thalamus and brainstem could be LS. Conclusions:Mitochondrial disease caused by m.14453G>A gene mutation shows a great heterogeneity, which can cause MELAS and LS. The clinical phenotype of the m.14453G>A mutation may be related to the age of onset and lesion′ s location.

Objective:To study the influence of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) specific agonist G1 and antagonist G2 in epilepsy susceptibility of temporal lobe epileptic rats.Methods:Sixty rats were randomly divided into control group, G1 treatment group and G15 treatment group ( n=20). Rats in the latter two groups were intraperitoneally injected with GPER1 agonist G1 (10 μg) or antagonist G15 (40 μg) for a consecutive 12 d. Lithium chloride pilocarpine epilepsy models were prepared in the 3 groups. The behavior manifestations of these rats were observed within 1 h of intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine; Racine grading was used to evaluate the severity of epileptic seizures every 5 min; the latency of epileptic seizures (Racine grading IV) and epileptic seizure grading at different time points in the 3 groups were compared. The EEG monitoring was performed to these rats, and EEG data were recorded from 10 min before pilocarpine injection to 2 h after pilocarpine injection; EEG time-frequency was analyzed by Fast-Fourier transform (FFT); distribution of brain electrical energy and changes of θ and α wave energy during 20 min of epileptic status were compared among the 3 groups. Results:(1) As compared with that in the control group and G1 treatment group, the latency of epileptic seizures in the G15 treatment group was significantly shortened ( P<0.05); 15 and 20 min after pilocarpine injection, the epileptic seizure grading of rats in G1 treatment group was statistically lower than that in control group ( P<0.05); 15-35 min after pilocarpine injection, the epileptic seizure grading of rats in G15 treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group ( P<0.05). (2) As compared with those in the control group, rats in the G1 treatment group had smaller brain wave amplitude, while the rats in the G15 treatment group had earlier seizure time, larger brain wave amplitude and higher frequency. There were no obvious changes in the amount of brain electrical energy between the G1 treatment group and control group; while the amount of brain electrical energy in the G15 treatment group 2 h after pilocarpine injection was higher than that in the control group. As compared with those in the control group and G1 treatment group, the θ and α wave energy values of rats in the G15 treatment group were significantly increased within 20 min of epileptic status ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Activation level of GPER1 might be associated with susceptibility to epileptic seizures, and specific inhibition of GPER1 activation can enhance the susceptibility to epilepsy and increase the energy values of specific frequency bands during epilepsy.

Annotation of the genome sequence of the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) is indispensable to understand its evolution and pathogenesis. We have performed a full annotation of the SARS-CoV genome sequences by using annotation programs publicly available or developed by ourselves. Totally, 21 open reading frames (ORFs) of genes or putative uncharacterized proteins (PUPs) were predicted. Seven PUPs had not been reported previously, and two of them were predicted to contain transmembrane regions. Eight ORFs partially overlapped with or embedded into those of known genes, revealing that the SARS-CoV genome is a small and compact one with overlapped coding regions. The most striking discovery is that an ORF locates on the minus strand. We have also annotated non-coding regions and identified the transcription regulating sequences (TRS) in the intergenic regions. The analysis of TRS supports the minus strand extending transcription mechanism of coronavirus. The SNP analysis of different isolates reveals that mutations of the sequences do not affect the prediction results of ORFs.
Amino Acid Substitution ; Base Composition ; Base Sequence ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Genome, Viral ; Isoelectric Point ; Models, Genetic ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Open Reading Frames ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis ; Transcription, Genetic

We studied structural and immunological properties of the SARS-CoV M (membrane) protein, based on comparative analyses of sequence features, phylogenetic investigation, and experimental results. The M protein is predicted to contain a triple-spanning transmembrane (TM) region, a single N-glycosylation site near its N-terminus that is in the exterior of the virion, and a long C-terminal region in the interior. The M protein harbors a higher substitution rate (0.6% correlated to its size) among viral open reading frames (ORFs) from published data. The four substitutions detected in the M protein, which cause non-synonymous changes, can be classified into three types. One of them results in changes of pI (isoelectric point) and charge, affecting antigenicity. The second changes hydrophobicity of the TM region, and the third one relates to hydrophilicity of the interior structure. Phylogenetic tree building based on the variations of the M protein appears to support the non-human origin of SARS-CoV. To investigate its immunogenicity, we synthesized eight oligopeptides covering 69.2% of the entire ORF and screened them by using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) with sera from SARS patients. The results confirmed our predictions on antigenic sites.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cluster Analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoassay ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; genetics ; Oligopeptides ; Phylogeny ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology