OBJECTIVEFor clarifying the situation of the natural infection of rodents having hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) virus and to type Hantavirus (HV) using molecular technique in Shenzhen city in 2005, and offering guidance for prevention and control of HFRS.

METHODSData on the host animals was collected from the city of Shenzhen. ELISA and indirect immunofluorscent antibody(IFA) test were applied to the specific antibodies against HV in the sera of captured rats. Direct immunofluorscece assay was adopted to determine HFRS antigens and the lung tissues of the HV infected rats were inoculated into Meriones unguiculata to isolate HV. The whole viral RNA was extracted from the lung tissues of the HV infected rats and amplified the partial M fragments with RT-nested-PCR, using the HV genotype specific primers. The amplified genes were then sequenced, and subjected to genotyping and homology analysis.

RESULTS472 rodents were captured from Shenzhen in 2005. Surveillance on rats demonstrated 9.96% rats carrying HV (with a density of 8.25%) and the main host was Rattus norvegicus. In the blood samples of rats, anti-HV IgG antibodies were detectable in 56 cases by IFA, and proved to be positive in 76 cases by ELISA. We successfully isolated a HV strain designated as SZ2083 from Rattus norvegicus for the first time in Shenzhen and was identified to SEO type by RT-nested-PCR. Compared with the coding region of the M gene of HV L99 virus strain, the homologies of nucleotide among them were 97%, but the homology was 76% of the SZ2083 with HTN 76-118 virus strain.

CONCLUSIONResults showed the existence of natural epidemic areas of HFRS in Shenzhen city. Based on the results of sequencing, it is possible that the Seoul strain of HV might be the predominant serotype of virus harbored.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; Data Collection ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Genotype ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; Rats ; virology ; Rodentia ; virology

BACKGROUNDNatural disasters have been frequent in recent years. Effective treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease following natural disasters is an unsolved problem. We aimed to develop a novel miniature mobile cardiac catheterization laboratory (Mini Mobile Cath Lab) to provide emergency interventional services for patients with critical cardiovascular disease following natural disasters. A feasibility study was performed by testing the Mini Mobile Cath Lab on dogs with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) model in a hypothetical natural-disaster-stricken area.

METHODSThe Mini Mobile Cath Lab was transported to the hypothetical natural-disaster-stricken area by truck. Coronary angiography and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were performed on six dogs with STEMI model. The transportation and transformation of the Mini Mobile Cath Lab were monitored and its functioning was evaluated through the results of animal experiments.

RESULTSThe Mini Mobile Cath Lab could be transported by truck at an average speed of 80 km/h on mountain roads during daytime in the winter, under conditions of light snow (-15°C to -20°C/-68°F to -59°F). The average time required to prepare the Mini Mobile Cath Lab after transportation, in a wetland area, was 30 minutes. Coronary angiography, and primary PCI were performed successfully.

CONCLUSIONThis preliminary feasibility study of the use of the Mini Mobile Cath Lab for emergency interventional treatment of dogs with STEMI indicated that it may perform well in the rescue of critical cardiovascular disease following natural disasters.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Animals ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Coronary Angiography ; Disasters ; Dogs ; Electrocardiography ; Feasibility Studies ; Laboratories ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlations of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) with the clinicopathological characteristics, prognostic events, and survival outcomes in esophageal cancer (EC) patients.

METHODSThe PubMed, Web of Science, Embase database and Cochrane database were searched for studies reporting the outcomes of interest. The studies were selected according to established inclusion/exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of the studies was performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata12.0 software with the odds ratio (OR), risk ratio (RR) , hazard ratio (HR) , and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) as the effect indexes.

RESULTSNineteen studies involving a total of 1766 patients were included in the analysis. Significant correlations of CTCs and DTCs were found with the clinicopathological parameters including the tumor stage (OR=1.95), depth of invasion (OR=1.99), lymph node metastasis (OR=2.44), distal metastasis (OR=5.98), histological differentiation (OR=1.67) and lymphovascular invasion (OR=4.48). CTCs and DTCs were also correlated with the prognostic events including relapse (RR=6.86) and metastasis (RR=3.22) and with the survival outcomes including the overall survival (OS) overall analysis (HR=3.46) and disease-free survival/progression-free survival (DFS/PFS) overall analysis (HR=3.00).

CONCLUSIONCTCs and DTCs are significantly associated with an advanced tumor stage, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis before therapy, differentiation, lymphovascular invasion, relapse and metastasis in patients with EC. They are also significantly correlated with a poorer survival for OS and DFS/PFS to serve as clinical and prognostic predictors in patients with EC.

Disease-Free Survival ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate serum IL-18 levels in mice with collagen-induced arthritis treated by recombinant adenoviral vector containing mIL-18BP and mIL-4 fusion gene (AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4).

METHODSArthritis was induced by injection of collagen in male DBA-1/BOM mice. Mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were intra-articularly injected with 10(7)pfu/6μL of AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4; and in mice of control groups AdLacZ or PBS were used. The animals were sacrificed at week 1, 2 and 4 after treatment. Serum IL-18 levels were determined by ELISA at the different time points.

RESULTThe mean serum levels of IL-18 at weeks 1, 2, and 4 after injection of AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4 were (36.5±5.4)ng/L, (32.5 ± 3.2) ng/L and (28.7 ±2.9)ng/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than those at the same time point of AdLacZ group [(66.2 ±5.1)ng/L, (69.2 ±4.2)ng/L and (77.7 ±3.9)ng/L] and PBS group [(67.3 ±7.1)ng/L, (71.9 ±1.8)ng/L and (78.7±4.1)ng/L] (P<0.01 at all time points). In the therapy group, there were no significant differences in the mean serum concentrations of IL-18 at all time points.

CONCLUSIONThe serum IL-18 levels in CIA mice are down-regulated by treatment of recombinant adenovirus containing mIL-18BP and mIL-4 fuse gene, which might be a promising therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; blood ; therapy ; Gene Fusion ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; genetics ; Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred DBA

The precise relationship between the degree of pain and the degree of inflammation in the individual remains debated. A quantitative analysis simultaneously applied to the immediate and prolonged painful consequences of inflammation has not yet been done. Thus, the correlations between edema, nociception and hypersensitivity following an inflammatory insult were assessed in rodents. To better understand the therapeutic value of modifying specific aspects of inflammation, the effects of an anti-inflammatory drug were compared to the results. Inbred strains of mice and outbred rats received an intraplantar injection of honeybee venom and the between-group and within-group correlations were calculated for spontaneous nociceptive measures, thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity, and edema and temperature. The effect of indomethacin on the pain and inflammation measures was examined. Edema correlated with spontaneous flinching, licking and lifting of the injected paw (P< or =0.003), and not with thermal or mechanical hypersensitivity. Indomethacin affected edema and spontaneous nociception dose-dependently, and affected hypersensitivity only at the highest dose tested (P< 0.05). These results suggest that edema may contribute only to immediate spontaneous nociceptive responses to an inflammatory insult, and not to the more clinically relevant prolonged hypersensitivity. This analysis represents a method for determining which inflammatory processes are the most promising therapeutic targets against the multiple painful consequences of inflammation.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Bee Venoms ; Edema ; chemically induced ; complications ; Indomethacin ; pharmacology ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; complications ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Pain ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Pain Measurement ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of a machine learning model based on radiomics of brain lesions on T 2WI in differentiating multiple sclerosis (MS) from neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). Methods:Totally 223 MS and NMOSD patients who were treated from January 2009 to September 2018 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Donghu Branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, and Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University were analyzed retrospectively, and according to the proportion of 7∶3, 223 patients were completely randomly divided into training set (156 cases) and test set (67 cases). A total of 74 patients with MS and NMOSD who were treated in Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University and China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Jilin University from January 2009 to September 2018 and in Xianghu Branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from March 2020 to September 2021 were collected as an independent external validation set. All patients underwent brain cross-sectional MR T 2WI, radiomics features were extracted from T 2WI, and features were selected by max-relevance and min-redundancy and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithms. Then various machine learning classifier models (logistic regression, decision tree, AdaBoost, random forest or support vector machine) were constructed to differentiate MS from NMOSD. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics was used to evaluate the performance of each classifier model in the training set, test set and external validation set. Results:Based on multi-center T 2WI, a total of 11 radiomics features related to the discrimination between MS and NMOSD were extracted and classifier models were constructed. Among them, the random forest model had the best efficiency in distinguishing MS from NMOSD, and its AUC values for distinguishing MS from NMOSD in the training set, test set and external validation set were 1.000, 0.944 and 0.902, with specificity of 100%, 76.9% and 86.0%, and sensitivity of 100%, 92.1% and 79.7%, respectively. Conclusion:The random forest model based on the radiomic features of T 2WI of brain lesions can effectively distinguish MS from NMOSD.

Objective Changes in the number and function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were reported in clinical and experimental Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), whereas the underlying mechanisms of MDSCs in SS remain to be elucidated. This study was to observe the changes in the pathologic structure and function of the submandibular gland and salivary flow in SS mice after adoptive transfer or deletion of MDSCs and explore the action mechanisms of MDSCs. Methods Ten 4-week-old non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice (without SS-like symptoms) received adoptive transfer of purified MDSCs at 1×10⁶ per mouse (the MDSC group, n = 5) or injection of PBS (the PBS group, n = 5). Another ten 10-week-old NOD mice were injected intraperitoneally with anti-Gr1 antibodies (the anti-Gr1 group, n = 5) or commensurable Rat IgG2b isotype antibodies (the Rat IgG2b group, n = 5). At 2 weeks after treatment, we determined the salivary flow rate, examined lymphocytic infiltration in the submandibular glands, and counted the MDSCs on Th2 cells in different groups of the mice. Results Compared with the PBS group, the NOD mice of the MDSC group showed significantly reduced Th2 cells in the peripheral blood ([0.67 ± 0.13] % vs [0.16 ± 0.07] %, P < 0.05) and spleen ([0.80 ± 0.13] % vs [0.37 ± 0.04] %, P < 0.05) and salivary flow ([78.70 ± 6.80] vs [33.85 ± 11.25] µL, P < 0.05), but increased numbers of MDSCs in the peripheral blood ([1.54 ± 0.14] vs [5.47 ± 1.54] ×10⁵, P < 0.05) and spleen ([1.09 ± 0.23] vs [4.50 ± 1.04] ×10⁵, P < 0.05). In comparison with the Rat IgG2b group, the animals of the anti-Gr1 group exhibited remarkably decreased Th2 cells in the peripheral blood ([0.55 ±0.09] % vs [0.92 ± 0.10] %, P < 0.05) and spleen ([0.63 ± 0.08] % vs [1.10 ± 0.06] %, P < 0.05) and salivary flow ([56.48 ± 14.18] vs [121.20 ± 10.34] µL, P < 0.05), as well as decreased numbers of MDSCs in the peripheral blood ([1.53 ± 0.12] vs [0.35±0.16] ×10⁵, P < 0.05) and spleen ([2.53 ± 1.10] vs [0.91±0.07] ×10⁵, P < 0.05). The adoptive transfer of MDSCs aggravated while the injection of anti-Gr1 antibodies attenuated lymphocytic infiltration in the submandibular gland of the mice. Conclusion MDSCs participate in the pathogenesis Sjögren’s syndrome by suppressing the response of Th2 cells, which suggests that increasing the response of Th2 cells by inhibiting MDSCs could be a novel target for the treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome.

Objective To evaluate and analyze the panel composition and conflict of interest management of clinical practice guidelines of rehabilitation.Methods Clinical practice guidelines of rehabilitation were systematically retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, China Biology Medicine disc, CNKI, Wanfang Data and Medlive database, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, National Guideline Clearinghouse, The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, World Health Organization (WHO) and Guidelines International Network until January 11, 2020. Two researchers independently screened and cross-checked the literatures, and extracted the basic information of included guidelines, including the title, formulating institution, published journol, as well as the expert group, the number of expert group, the specific division of labor and their discipline, affiliation and the geographic location, the statement and management of conflict of interest, types of conflicts of interest, and whether to accept fund and the source of the fund.Results A total of 84 guidelines were finally included, 17 domestic ones and 67 foreign ones, in which, 52 (61.9%) reported the expert panel; 22 (26.2%) reported the number of expert panel groups, 21 (25.0%) indicated the specific division of work among the members of the expert panel, 74 (88.1%) reported the names of the members of the expert panel, 47 (56.0%) reported the subjects and specialties of the panelists, 70 (83.3%) reported the affiliation and location of panelists, 14 (16.7%) mentioned the management of conflicts of interest, and 25 (29.8%) reported if there were conflicts of interest. Only five of the 16 funded guidelines stated that there was no conflict of interest between the funding and the development of the guidelines. Among them, the reporting rate of expert panel was significantly higher in foreign countries than in China (χ2 = 9.542, P < 0.01), the reporting rate of name of expert panel members and specific division of labor were higher in foreign countries than in China ( χ2 > 4.155, P < 0.05), and the reporting rate of conflict of interest management was also higher in foreign countries than in China ( P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in whether there was a conflict of interest, whether it was funded and the type of funding at home and abroad ( P > 0.05). Conclusion In gerenal, clinical practice guidelines of rehabilitation published at home and abroad are necessary to be improved in the reporting quality of expert group formulation and division of labor, conflict of interest reporting and management. It is proposed that future guideline developers should follow the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, assign roles of experts, strengthen the management and reporting of conflicts of interest, and standarderize the development process and reporting of the guidelines.

Objective To analyze the contents of the recommendations of stroke clinical rehabilitation guidelines in order to provide advice for the development and implementation of stroke rehabilitation guidelines.Methods PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, China Biology Medicine disc, Wanfang databases and guideline-related websites were retrieved from the date of establishment to January 2020, to collect stroke clinical rehabilitation guidelines. The main content, recommendations based on evidence, the type of evidences, and the scope of evidence classification had been explored based on World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development-2nd Edition.Results A total of twelve guidelines were included in this study, one in Chinese and eleven in English. They were from the United States (3 guidelines), United Kingdom (3 guidelines), Canada (3 guidelines), Australia (2 guidelines) and China (1 guidelines), and published from September, 2005 to February, 2019. Three articles (25.0%) used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) for quality evaluation, and two articles (16.7%) used Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) as the grading system. The recommendations covered the areas such as: cognitive dysfunction (4 dimensions) with a recommendation of cognitive function assessment at most (7 guidelines, 66.7%), language and swallowing dysfunction (5 dimensions) with a recommendation of swallowing-related complications at most (10 guidelines, 83.3%), motor dysfunction (6 dimensions) with a recommendation of spasm treatment at most (10 guidelines, 83.3%), and psychological and behavioral dysfunction (4 dimensions) with a recommendation for assessment or monitoring at most (6 guidelines, 50.0%). There were many recommendations in these areas, but the types of evidence were different, and observational studies and/or randomized controlled trials accounted for most.Conclusion There are different types of evidence and levels of recommendation strength. It is proposed for future guideline developers in stroke rehabilitation to follow World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development-2nd Edition to improve the quality and the overall implementation of the rehabilitation guidelines, and to improve the quality and safety of rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and their value for predicting recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation (RFCA). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with paroxysmal AF (PaAF) and 72 with persistent AF (PaAF) admitted in our hospital were recruited as AF group and 80 patients with sinus rhythm as the control group, and in all the participants, serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF were measured using ELISA and Western blotting. From 6 patients with AF and 6 with sinus rhythm undergoing cardiac surgery in our hospital, tissue samples of the right atrial appendage were taken intraoperatively for observation of structural changes of the cardiomyocytes, myocardial fibrosis and expression of ET-1 and CTGF protein. In AF group, the patients receiving RFCA were followed up for 6 months following the procedure for assessment of the outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with the control patients, the patients with AF showed obvious damages of the cardiomyocyte structure and myocardial fibrosis. Serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF levels were significantly higher in PaAF and PeAF groups than in the control group, and were higher in PeAF group than in PaAF group. In the patients with AF, serum ET-1 and CTGF levels were positively correlated with left atrial diameter (LAD) (P < 0.05), and ET-1 was positively correlated with CTGF levels (P < 0.05). In patients with postoperative AF recurrence, the serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF were significantly higher than those in patients without recurrence; serum ET-1 and CTGF levels before and after the operation were positively correlated with the recurrence of PeAF, and elevated serum levels of ET- 1 and CTGF were identified by logistic regression analysis as independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence of PeAF. CONCLUSION Serum levels of ET-1 and CTGF are significantly elevated in AF patients in positive correlation with AF duration. ET-1 and CTGF levels are higher in AF patients with postoperative recurrence, and they both have predictive value for recurrence of PeAF following RFCA.
Humans ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Endothelin-1 ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; Chronic Disease ; Atrial Appendage ; Fibrosis