OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the protective effect of Schistosoma japonicum cystatin (rSj-Cystatin) in a mouse mode of "two-hit" sepsis. METHODS: Sixty male C57BL/6 mice randomized equally into sham-operated group, protein group, "two-hit" modeling group, and protein intervention group. In the former two groups, the mice received an intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS followed by exposure of the cecum and then by intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin 30 min later; In the latter two groups, 100 μL PBS containing LPS (5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 24 h before cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin were injected 30 min after CLP. At 12 h after rSj-Cystatin treatment, 6 mice from each group were sacrificed for detection of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β, iNOS and Arg-1 in the serum, spleen, liver, lung and kidney tissues using ELISA, for examinations of liver, lung and kidney pathologies with HE staining, and for analysis of CD3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cell percentage in the spleen using flow cytometry. The remaining mice were observed for general condition and 72-h survival. RESULTS: The 72-h survival rates in the 4 groups were 100%, 100%, 0% and 20%, respectively, showing significant differences between the latter two groups. The mouse models of "two-hit" sepsis exhibited obvious tissue pathologies and significant elevations of TNF-α and IL-6 in both the serum and tissue homogenate, which were significantly ameliorated by rSj-Cystatin treatment. Treatment with rSj-Cystatin also increased IL-10 and TGF-β levels and spleen CD3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cell percentage. The septic mouse models also showed increased iNOS levels in all the detected tissues and a decreased Arg-1 level in the kidney, and these changes were obviously improved by rSj-Cystatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS rSj-Cystatin has a protective effect against "two-hit" sepsis in mice by regulating the inflammatory microenvironment.
Animals ; Mice ; Sepsis/drug therapy* ; Male ; Schistosoma japonicum/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cystatins/therapeutic use* ; Interleukin-10/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism*

Objective To evaluate the protective effect of Schistosoma japonicum cystatin(rSj-Cystatin)in a mouse mode of"two-hit"sepsis.Methods Sixty male C57BL/6 mice randomized equally into sham-operated group,protein group,"two-hit"modeling group,and protein intervention group.In the former two groups,the mice received an intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS followed by exposure of the cecum and then by intraperitoneal injection of 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin 30 min later;In the latter two groups,100 μL PBS containing LPS(5 mg/kg)was injected intraperitoneally 24 h before cecal ligation and puncture(CLP),and 100 μL PBS or 25 μg rSj-Cystatin were injected 30 min after CLP.At 12 h after rSj-Cystatin treatment,6 mice from each group were sacrificed for detection of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-10,TGF-β,iNOS and Arg-1 in the serum,spleen,liver,lung and kidney tissues using ELISA,for examinations of liver,lung and kidney pathologies with HE staining,and for analysis of CD3+CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cell percentage in the spleen using flow cytometry.The remaining mice were observed for general condition and 72-h survival.Results The 72-h survival rates in the 4 groups were 100％,100％,0％and 20％,respectively,showing significant differences between the latter two groups.The mouse models of"two-hit"sepsis exhibited obvious tissue pathologies and significant elevations of TNF-α and IL-6 in both the serum and tissue homogenate,which were significantly ameliorated by rSj-Cystatin treatment.Treatment with rSj-Cystatin also increased IL-10 and TGF-β levels and spleen CD3+CD4+CD25+Foxp3+T cell percentage.The septic mouse models also showed increased iNOS levels in all the detected tissues and a decreased Arg-1 level in the kidney,and these changes were obviously improved by rSj-Cystatin treatment.Conclusion rSj-Cystatin has a protective effect against"two-hit"sepsis in mice by regulating the inflammatory microenvironment.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological, etiological characteristics and transmission of an imported D8 genotype measles case in a child in Shandong Province, August 2023.Methods:A study was conducted on a measles case and 16 contacts in Shandong Province in August 2023. Field epidemiological surveys, including recent exposure and immunization history, were conducted. Serum and throat swab samples were collected from all 16 subjects. Measles IgM and IgG antibody levels and avidity were measured by ELISA, while virus detection and genotyping were performed using fluorescence quantitative PCR and RT-PCR. Genetic evolutionary analysis of the obtained sequences was conducted using MEGA and Beast software.Results:The case was an 11-year-old boy, a fifth-grade student, who developed symptoms on August 28, 2023. A total of five close contacts were investigated, including three family members (grandfather, father and sister) and two playmates. Additionally, 11 classmates who had close contact with the case′s sister during the infectious period (within five days after the rash onset) were also investigated. Among the 16 serum samples tested, only one case was positive for IgM, while the other 15 samples were negative for IgM. The results of the serum antibody avidity test showed that among the 16 serum samples, 14 were positive for IgG. Of these, eight had a relative avidity index >55%, indicating high-avidity antibodies; one had a relative avidity index <45%, indicating low-avidity antibodies; and five had an avidity index between 45% and 55%. The IgG detection OD values for the case′s sister and grandfather were higher than those of the other contacts. Based on the vaccination history of the subjects and the results of IgM and IgG tests, it was preliminarily determined that the case had a recent wild-type measles virus infection. The case′s sister and grandfather had a history of measles wild-type virus infection, while the high-avidity antibodies in the other contacts were likely induced by the measles vaccine. The results of the pharyngeal swab tests showed that only the case was positive for measles virus nucleic acid, while the remaining 15 samples were negative for measles virus. The genetic evolutionary analysis revealed that the viral sequence of this case (Mvs/Shandong.CHN/38.23) had a 100% homology with the Hong Kong strain sequence from August 2023. It belonged to a different transmission chain from the D8 genotype strains that appeared in Shandong Province between 2018 and 2019, with sequence homology ranging from 98.0% to 98.8%. The sequence homology within the transmission chain of this case was between 99.1% and 100%. The evolutionary rate of this transmission chain was approximately 8.38×10 -3 sub/site/year, and the most recent common ancestor was estimated to have emerged around the year 2011. Conclusion:This case is the first imported D8 genotype measles case in Shandong Province. There is no spatio-temporal correlation between this case and adult cases of D8 genotype imported from Shandong Province in 2018-2019, indicating a new D8 genotype imported epidemic.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological, etiological characteristics and transmission of an imported D8 genotype measles case in a child in Shandong Province, August 2023.Methods:A study was conducted on a measles case and 16 contacts in Shandong Province in August 2023. Field epidemiological surveys, including recent exposure and immunization history, were conducted. Serum and throat swab samples were collected from all 16 subjects. Measles IgM and IgG antibody levels and avidity were measured by ELISA, while virus detection and genotyping were performed using fluorescence quantitative PCR and RT-PCR. Genetic evolutionary analysis of the obtained sequences was conducted using MEGA and Beast software.Results:The case was an 11-year-old boy, a fifth-grade student, who developed symptoms on August 28, 2023. A total of five close contacts were investigated, including three family members (grandfather, father and sister) and two playmates. Additionally, 11 classmates who had close contact with the case′s sister during the infectious period (within five days after the rash onset) were also investigated. Among the 16 serum samples tested, only one case was positive for IgM, while the other 15 samples were negative for IgM. The results of the serum antibody avidity test showed that among the 16 serum samples, 14 were positive for IgG. Of these, eight had a relative avidity index >55%, indicating high-avidity antibodies; one had a relative avidity index <45%, indicating low-avidity antibodies; and five had an avidity index between 45% and 55%. The IgG detection OD values for the case′s sister and grandfather were higher than those of the other contacts. Based on the vaccination history of the subjects and the results of IgM and IgG tests, it was preliminarily determined that the case had a recent wild-type measles virus infection. The case′s sister and grandfather had a history of measles wild-type virus infection, while the high-avidity antibodies in the other contacts were likely induced by the measles vaccine. The results of the pharyngeal swab tests showed that only the case was positive for measles virus nucleic acid, while the remaining 15 samples were negative for measles virus. The genetic evolutionary analysis revealed that the viral sequence of this case (Mvs/Shandong.CHN/38.23) had a 100% homology with the Hong Kong strain sequence from August 2023. It belonged to a different transmission chain from the D8 genotype strains that appeared in Shandong Province between 2018 and 2019, with sequence homology ranging from 98.0% to 98.8%. The sequence homology within the transmission chain of this case was between 99.1% and 100%. The evolutionary rate of this transmission chain was approximately 8.38×10 -3 sub/site/year, and the most recent common ancestor was estimated to have emerged around the year 2011. Conclusion:This case is the first imported D8 genotype measles case in Shandong Province. There is no spatio-temporal correlation between this case and adult cases of D8 genotype imported from Shandong Province in 2018-2019, indicating a new D8 genotype imported epidemic.

Purpose: Tamoxifen showed individual differences in efficacy under different CYP2D6*10 genotypes. Our study evaluated the prognosis of tamoxifen or toremifene in hormone receptor (HR)–positive breast cancer patients under different genotypes. Materials and Methods: CYP2D6*10 genotypes of HR-positive breast cancer patients were determined by Sanger sequencing, and all the patients were divided into tamoxifen group or toremifene group. Results: A total of 268 patients with HR-positive breast cancer were studied. The median follow-up time was 72.0 months (range, 5.0 to 88.0 months). Of these, 88 (32.9%), 114 (42.5%), and 66 (24.6%) patients had C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes, respectively. Among patients who received tamoxifen (n=176), the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate in patients with C/C and C/T genotype was better than that in patients with T/T genotype, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001 and p=0.030, respectively). In patients receiving toremifene, CYP2D6*10 genotype was not significantly associated with DFS (p=0.325). Regardless of genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was higher in patients treated with toremifene than in patients with tamoxifen (91.3% vs. 80.0%, p=0.011). Compared with tamoxifen, toremifene remained an independent prognostic marker of DFS in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.422; p=0.021). For all the 180 patients with CYP2D6*10 C/T and T/T genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was significantly higher in the toremifene group than in the tamoxifen group (90.8% vs. 70.1%, p=0.003). Conclusion Toremifene may be an alternative adjuvant endocrine therapy for patients with CYP2D6*10 mutant genotypes.

Objective:To compare the long-term clinical outcomes between cannulated screw internal fixation for stable femoral neck fractures and arthroplasty for unstable ones in the elderly patients.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 542 patients with femoral neck fracture who had been admitted to Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2015 to April 2017. The 542 patients were divided into 2 groups based on fracture stability and treatment method. In the stable group (Garden type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ, and abduction compression type) of 121 cases who underwent cannulated screw internal fixation, there were 28 males and 93 females with a mean age of (77.6±8.1) years, and 20 cases of type Ⅰ, 101 cases of type Ⅱ, and 34 cases of abduction compression type by the Garden classification. In the unstable group (Garden type Ⅲ, type Ⅳ, and type Ⅱ with a posterior tilt angle >20°) of 421 cases who underwent arthroplasty, there were 130 males and 291 females with a mean age of (78.7 ± 6.9) years, and 14 cases of type Ⅱ, 403 cases of type Ⅲ, and 4 cases of type Ⅳ by the Garden classification. The postoperative mortality, reoperation rate, and mobility at the last follow-up were compared between the 2 groups.Results:There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics, except for serum albumin concentration and peripheral white blood cell count at admission, between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). The hospital stay in the stable group [5.0 (4.0, 6.0)d] was significantly shorter than that in the unstable group [6.0 (5.0, 8.0)d], and the follow-up time for the stable group [54.4 (49.3, 58.7) months] significantly longer than that for the unstable group [52.2 (46.0, 59.3) months] ( P<0.05). A total of 158 patients (45 cases in the stable group and 113 cases in the unstable group) were lost to the last follow-up. At the last follow-up, the mortality in the stable group (18.4%, 14/76) was significantly lower than that in the unstable group (31.5%, 97/308), the reoperation rate in the former (15.8%, 12/76) significantly higher than that in the latter (3.6%, 11/308), and the capability of daily activities in the former (by the fracture mobility scoring: level 1 in 35 cases, level 2 in 13 cases, level 3 in 3 cases, level 4 in 2 cases, and level 5 in 1 case) significantly better than that in the latter (level 1 in 99 cases, level 2 in 47 cases, level 3 in 24 cases, level 4 in 22 cases, and level 5 in 5 cases) (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with the arthroplasty for unstable femoral neck fractures, cannulated screw internal fixation for stable femoral neck fractures leads to a lower long-term mortality and a better capability of daily activities, but a significantly higher reoperation rate.

Objective:To evaluate the protection performance of military transport aircraft oxygen system for aircrew and provide the physiological tests basis for product design finalization.Methods:Four dummies and 4 healthy volunteers who were equipped with individual protection equipment and military transport aircraft oxygen system completed 4 tests in altitude chamber including the oxygen supply performance physical test of oxygen system, the rapid decompression physical test of oxygen system, the physiological tests of oxygen continuously supplying for 6 h and oxygen supply performance test in rapid decompression at 12.0 km. Oxygen concentration, respiratory resistance, safety pressure, peak value, peak duration and steady pressure of mask under rapid decompression were tested. Electrocardiograph and oxygen saturation of volunteers were monitored.Results:The oxygen partial pressure provided by military transport aircraft oxygen system under 12.0 km was ≥19.1 kPa corresponding to the respiration ventilation volume of 20 L/min of dummy. The expiratory resistance was no higher than 441.3 Pa and the inspiration resistance was no higher than 490.3 Pa before the safety pressure connected. The peak pressure value in rapid decompression with 1.0 L lung volume of dummy was no higher than 5.8 kPa. The oxygen partial pressure provided by military transport aircraft oxygen system for volunteers was over 21.9 kPa in the 6 h cruising flight. All 4 volunteers successfully completed the rapid decompression physiological tests at 12.0 km with good subjective and objective responses.Conclusions:The protection performance of military transport aircraft oxygen system for aircrew can provide enough protection against the hypoxia up to 12.0 km

Objective:To evaluate the protection performance of military transport aircraft oxygen system for aircrew and provide the physiological tests basis for product design finalization.Methods:Four dummies and 4 healthy volunteers who were equipped with individual protection equipment and military transport aircraft oxygen system completed 4 tests in altitude chamber including the oxygen supply performance physical test of oxygen system, the rapid decompression physical test of oxygen system, the physiological tests of oxygen continuously supplying for 6 h and oxygen supply performance test in rapid decompression at 12.0 km. Oxygen concentration, respiratory resistance, safety pressure, peak value, peak duration and steady pressure of mask under rapid decompression were tested. Electrocardiograph and oxygen saturation of volunteers were monitored.Results:The oxygen partial pressure provided by military transport aircraft oxygen system under 12.0 km was ≥19.1 kPa corresponding to the respiration ventilation volume of 20 L/min of dummy. The expiratory resistance was no higher than 441.3 Pa and the inspiration resistance was no higher than 490.3 Pa before the safety pressure connected. The peak pressure value in rapid decompression with 1.0 L lung volume of dummy was no higher than 5.8 kPa. The oxygen partial pressure provided by military transport aircraft oxygen system for volunteers was over 21.9 kPa in the 6 h cruising flight. All 4 volunteers successfully completed the rapid decompression physiological tests at 12.0 km with good subjective and objective responses.Conclusions:The protection performance of military transport aircraft oxygen system for aircrew can provide enough protection against the hypoxia up to 12.0 km

Purpose: C5α receptor 1 (C5ΑR1) is associated with the development of various human cancers. However, whether it is involved in the development of hepatitis B virus (HBV)–related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood. We explored the expression, biological role, and associated mechanisms of C5AR1 in HBV-related hepatoma cells. Materials and Methods: The expression of C5ΑR1 mediated by HBV and HBV core protein (HBc) was detected in hepatoma cells. The function of nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) pathway in HBc-induced C5AR1 expression was assessed. The roles of C5ΑR1 in the activation of intracellular signal pathways, the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, and the growth and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc, were investigated. The effect of C5α in the development of HCC mediated by C5AR1 was also measured. Results: C5ΑR1 expression was increased in HBV-positive hepatoma cells. Dependent on HBc, HBV enhanced the expression of C5ΑR1 at the mRNA and protein levels. Besides, HBc could promote C5ΑR1 expression via the NF-κB pathway. Based on the C5ΑR1, HBc facilitated the activation of JNK and ERK pathways and the expression and secretion of interleukin-6 in hepatoma cells. Furthermore, C5ΑR1 was responsible for enhancing the growth and migration of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc. Except these, C5α could promote the malignant development of HBc-positive HCC via C5AR1. Conclusion We provide new insight into the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis mediated by HBc. C5ΑR1 has a significant role in the functional abnormality of hepatoma cells mediated by HBc, and might be utilized as a potential therapeutic target for HBV-related HCC.

Focusing on the requirements of visual traceability for reprocessing of reused medical devices under the background of deep integration of intelligent medical treatment, a quality and safety traceability system for disinfection of reused medical devices is developed. The multi-dimensional data of the reprocessing chain of reusable medical devices are acquired in real time by the RFID mobile terminal handset and stored temporarily. The data package is formatted based on LoRa protocol and uploaded to the management and control platform in multi-threaded transmission mode for in-depth analysis and traceability. The corresponding prototype system is developed. The first-line operation and maintenance test results show that the prototype system has strong cooperation, strong operation robustness, and obvious advantages in the identification rate and other layers of sterile equipment package.
Disinfection ; Radio Frequency Identification Device ; Technology