OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the intestinal flora in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explore its possible mechanism based on the gut-lung axis theory. METHODS: A total of 30 male SD rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each one. In the model group and the EA group, COPD model was established by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide combined with cigarette fumigation. In the EA group, EA was applied at bilateral "Feishu" (BL13) and "Zusanli" (ST36), with disperse-dense waves, in frequency of 4 Hz/20 Hz, current of 1-3 mA, 20 min a time, once a day for 14 days continuously. Before and after modeling, as well as after intervention, body weight was observed; after intervention, the lung function indexes (forced expiratory volume in 0.1 second [FEV_0.1], FEV_0.1/forced vital capacity [FVC]%, forced expiratory volume in 0.3 second [FEV_0.3] and FEV_0.3/FVC%) were measured, serum levels of inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α[TNF-α], interleukin-6[IL-6], interleukin-1β[IL-1β] and interleukin-10[IL-10]) were detected by ELISA, histopathology of lung and colon tissues was observed by HE staining, the intestinal flora were analyzed by 16S rRNA, and the correlations between lung function and intestinal flora were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the NC group, in the COPD group, the body weight and lung function indexes were reduced (P<0.01); the lung and colon tissues were damaged, the mean linear intercept (MLI) of alveolus and inflammatory cell numbers of 100 μm² in lung tissue were increased (P<0.01); the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the serum level of IL-10 was decreased (P<0.01); α-diversity indexes of intestinal flora were increased (P<0.01); the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus was increased (P<0.01), the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, YRC22 was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05); 31 different expressed metabolic pathways were identified between the two groups. Compared with the COPD group, in the EA group, the body weight and lung function indexes were increased (P<0.01); the damage of lung and colon tissues was improved, the MLI of alveolus was decreased (P<0.05); the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased (P<0.05), and the serum level of IL-10 was increased (P<0.05); α-diversity indexes of intestinal flora were decreased (P<0.01); the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, YRC22 was increased (P<0.01); 35 different expressed metabolic pathways were identified between the two groups. The lung function was positive related with Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, TM7 and YRC22, and was negative related with Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Oscillospira, Bacteroides, Coprococcus. CONCLUSION EA may ameliorate lung function and tissue injury of COPD by regulating intestinal flora dysbiosis and inflammatory response, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect mediated via "gut-lung" axis.
Animals ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/genetics* ; Male ; Electroacupuncture ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Lung/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Interleukin-6/immunology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology* ; Intestines/microbiology* ; Interleukin-10/immunology*

OBJECTIVE: To carry out prenatal diagnosis for a fetus with normal ultrasonographic finding at 20 weeks' gestation but a copy number variant(CNV) of 13q indicated by non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT). METHODS: Karyotyping analysis and chromosomal CNV assay were carried out on the amniotic fluid sample. Parental peripheral blood sample was collected for chromosomal analysis. Detailed fetal ultrasound scan was carried out to rule out structural abnormalities of the fetus. RESULTS: The fetus was detected with a heterozygous 10.14 Mb deletion at 13q21.1q21.32, which has originated from the phenotypically normal mother. No apparent karyotypic abnormality was detected in the fetus and its parents. No ultrasonic abnormality was found in the fetus. CONCLUSION Both the fetus and its mother have carried a heterozygous 10.14 Mb deletion at 13q21.1q21.32 and presented normal phenotypes.Combined with literature review, the segmental deletion was judged to be a benign variant.
Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Pedigree ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

Objective:To investigate the application value of laparoscopy for stage Ⅳ gastric cancer after transformation therapy.Methods:The clinical data of 7 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgery after transformation therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Seven patients were diagnosed as stage Ⅳ gastric cancer by computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET-CT) and laparoscopy, and underwent paclitaxel based conversion therapy. After evaluating the curative effect, they underwent surgical resection. The intraoperative and postoperative conditions and survival rate of the patients were analyzed.Results:After transformation therapy, 6 patients (85.7%) had partial remission, 1 patient (14.3%) had stable disease, and the overall effective rate was 6/7. Laparoscopic-assisted surgery was performed in 3 patients, and 4 patients were converted to laparotomy. The operation time was (297.9±35.6)min, the intraoperative blood loss was (257.0±106.0)ml, the number of dissected lymph nodes was (38.4±9.1), the gastric tube indwelling time was (72.4±9.6)h, the jejunal feeding tube indwelling time was (15.4±5.6)d, and the liquid diet time was (8.6±3.4)d, the length of hospital stay was (17.1±5.5)d. The postoperative complication rate was 3/7, and there were no unplanned secondary operations and deaths. R0 resection was performed in 6 cases, and R1 resection in 1 case. Tumor regression grade (TRG) classification: 5 cases were grade 2 and 2 cases were grade 3. The median progression free survival of the 7 patients was 15.3 months, the median overall survival was 21.6 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 6/7.Conclusions:Laparoscopy has irreplaceable value in the staging and efficacy judgment of transformation therapy for gastric cancer. However, after transformation therapy, the tissue edema increases, the tumor boundary becomes more unclear, and the surgical operation becomes more difficult. Therefore, it is not necessary to force the laparoscopic operation, and switch to laparotomy according to the situation.

Three new coumarins, integmarins A-C (1-3), and a new coumarin glycoside, integmaside A (4) were isolated from the leaves and stems of Micromelum integerrimum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR and MS data, and their absolute configurations were assigned according to the ECD data of the in situ formed transition metal complexes and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD data. Compounds 1 and 2 are two rare coumarins with butyl and propyl moieties at the C-6 position; compound 3 is a novel coumarin with a highly oxidized prenyl group, and compound 4 is a rare bisdihydrofuranocoumarin glycoside.
Coumarins/isolation & purification* ; Glycosides/isolation & purification* ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Plant Stems/chemistry* ; Rutaceae/chemistry*

Turnner syndrome is a common sex chromosome disorder. We reported a rare case with Turnner syndrome caused by abnormal number and structure of sex chromosomes. Hereby fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and copy number variation by whole genome low depth sequencing (CNV-seq) were used to clarify the abnormal chromosome. This study provides a diagnostic strategy for clinicians and genetic researchers.

Objective:To investigate the effect of cyclin D1 (CCND1) negatively regulated by miRNA-541 (miR-541-5p) on the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells as well as its related mechanism.Methods:Expression levels of miR-541-5p in colon cancer cell lines HT29, SW480, SW620, HCT116 and enterocyte line HIEC of the normal people as well as cancer tissues and pericarcinomatous normal tissues of 112 patients undergoing the colon cancer surgery from the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University between April 2017 and March 2020 were detected by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). The potential target gene of miR-541-5p was predicted by using TargetScan, and was verified by using dual luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot. Expression level of CCND1 was detected in colon cancer cell lines and tissues. Cells with the lowest expression level of miR-541-5p were divided into miR-NC group (the transfected control plasmid), miR-541-5p group (the transfected miR-541-5p mimics), miR-541-5p+CCND1 group (the co-transfected miR-541-5p mimics and CCND1). Effect of miR-541-5p and CCND1 on proliferation and migration ability of colon cancer cells was detected by using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and Transwell method. The xenograft model of colon cancer in nude mice was constructed to observe the effect of miR-541-5p on tumor growth.Results:The relative expression level of miR-541-5p in colon cancer tissues was lower than that in pericarcinomatous normal tissues (0.45±0.06 vs. 1.00±0.12, t = 43.385, P < 0.01). The relative expression level of miR-541-5p was 0.46±0.03, 0.67±0.04, 0.57±0.06, 0.17±0.02, 1.00±0.15, respectively in colon cancer cell lines HT29, SW480, SW620, HCT116 and enterocyte line HIEC of the normal people, and the difference was statistiacally significant ( F = 5.621, P < 0.01); the relative expression level of miR-541-5p in all colon cancer cell lines was lower than that in enterocyte line HIEC of the normal people. HCT116 cells were selected to make the subsequent experiments. The predicted results of TargetScan showed that 3'UTR of CCND1 might have sites complementary to those of miR-541-5p. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that CCND1 was the target gene of miR-541-5p, and miR-541-5p negatively regulated the expression of CCND1. CCK-8 method showed that cell proliferation rate of HCT116 was (2.00±0.16)%, (0.89±0.08)%, (2.56±0.23)%, respectively in miR-NC group, miR-541-5p group, miR-541-5p+CCND1 group, and the difference was statistically significant ( F = 6.715, P < 0.01); among HCT116 cells with the overexpression of miR-541-5p, the transfected CCND1 chould reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-541-5p on cell proliferation. Transwell results showed that the overexpression of miR-541-5p inhibited the cell migration ability of HCT116, while the co-transfection of miR-541-5p mimics and CCND1 could reverse the inhibitory effect. In the colon cancer nude mice xenograft model, the tumor mass and size of nude mice in miR-541-5p group was decreased compared with that in the control group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:miR-541-5p inhibits cell proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells via negatively regulating CCND1, and inhibits tumor growth in xenograft model of colon cancer in nude mice, thereby acting as a tumor suppressor in colon cancer.

Objective To evaluate radiography with CO2 combined with contrast agents for endoscopic drainage of unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Clinical data of 43 patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma undergoing endoscopic drainage at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from October 2010 to October 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different contrast agents in radiography, patients were divided into the study group ( CO2 combined with contrast agent) and the control group ( contrast agent alone) . There were 23 cases in the study group and 20 cases in the control group. Total postoperative bilirubin(TBIL),white blood cell(WBC),procalcitonin(PCT)and the incidence of complications in the two groups were compared. Results The endoscopic procedure ranged from 50 min to 70 min. TBIL, WBC, PCT at 48 h and 72 h after operation in the study group were lower than those in the control group[48 h TBIL:(173. 42±66. 78) μmol/L VS (210. 81±78. 34) μmol/L,P=0. 025;72 h TBIL:(104. 64±56. 35) μmol/L VS (159. 33±59. 59) μmol/L, P=0. 023; 48 h WBC:(11. 51±7. 78)×109/L VS (15.83±6.67)×109/L, P=0.026; 72 h WBC:(10.92±5.64)×109/L VS (14.72±4.97)×109/L, P=0. 026; 48 h PCT:(0. 56±0. 18) ng/mL VS (1. 24±0. 73) ng/mL, P=0. 003; 72 h PCT:(0. 42± 0. 27) ng/mL VS (0. 90±0. 20) ng/mL, P=0. 001]. The incidence of postoperative cholangitis in the study group was lower than that in the control group [ 13. 0％( 3/23) VS 40％( 8/20) , P=0. 043] . Relatively low incidence of postoperative pancreatitis occurred in both groups, with no significant difference [ 4. 3％( 1/23) VS 10. 0％(2/20),P=0. 090]. Conclusion Radiography with CO2 combined with contrast agents during endoscopic drainage procedures for unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma is safe and effective, which could lower incidence of postoperative cholangitis.

Objective To explore the application value of surgical operation combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for rectal carcinoma in phase Ⅱ and Ⅲ and to evaluate the effect of surgical resection. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed from January 2012 to January 2017, including 70 cases of middle and lower rectal carcinoma in phase ⅡandⅢin the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University.Neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy before operation was applied.Neoadjuvant radiotherapy: total dose 50 Gy, 2.0 Gy for once, 5 times per week, 5 weeks in total, the radiation field 5 wild for pelvic irradiation. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: XELOX (oxaliplatin, capecitabine) / FOLFOX (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil) was used for synchronous chemotherapy. After radiotherapy, the patients received surgery in 6-8 weeks. All the operations were performed according to the total mesorectum excision (TME) specification.Results A total of 70 patients underwent neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy.The adverse effect rate was 15.71 % (11/70) of gradeⅠand 7.14 % (5/70) of gradeⅡ. No gradeⅢandⅣadverse reactions occurred. The tumor stage of 94.29 % (66/70) patients reduced. The TNM stage of the postoperation was decreased compared with that before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (χ 2= 7.846, P < 0.05). Tumor resection rate was 94.29 % (66/70). Conclusion Surgical operation combined with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy before operation for middle and lower rectal carcinoma in phase ⅡandⅢhas a favorable efficacy and safety,which can alleviate the tumor staging and increase the eradication rate of tumors.

The emission of hydrogen sulfide in the waste gas from slaughter plant, fishmeal feed processing and some other food industrial processing could cause serious air pollution to the surrounding environment. The purpose of this study was to screen heterotrophic bacterium strains for the removal of hydrogen sulfide odor. One heterotrophic bacterial mutant ZJNB-B3 was derived from the sulfide degrader Bacillus cereus XJ-2 and its sulfide removal efficiency was 97%. Based on the morphology studies, biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis, the strain was identified as Bacillus cereus ZJNB-B3. The NCBI GenBank accession number is MF679650. Batch tests showed that the strain tolerated up to 300 mg/L of toxic S²⁻ concentration. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the conditions of degradation of sulfide. The optimal parameters were as follows: initial sulfide concentration 211.8 mg/L, initial pH 6.72, inoculum volume 5.04%, and incubation temperature 30 ℃. The accumulated sulfate concentration was 63.8 mg/L and the sulfide removal efficiency was 97.3% after 48 h incubation. No sulfuric acid was generated during sulfide oxidation by the strain. Sulfide could be removed effectively by this strain under mild pH conditions. The results suggested that the strain may have great industrial application potential. This study provides the fundamentals for the removal of hydrogen sulfide gas.

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) for the detection of chromosomal aneuploidies in chorionic villus samples from early abortion.

METHODSOne hundred seventy seven specimens were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted, and aneuploidies of 8 chromosomes (13, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22, X and Y) were detected by QF-PCR analysis.

RESULTSThe QF-PCR was successful in 176 (99.4%) of the cases. All detection was completed in 48 hours. Sixty three(35.8%) cases have shown abnormal signals, which included 3 cases of trisomy 13, 3 cases of trisomy 15, 14 cases of trisomy 16, 2 cases of trisomy 18, 7 cases of trisomy 22, 3 cases of trisomy 21, 13 cases of 45,X, 1 case of 47,XXX, 2 cases of 47,XXY, 2 cases of haploidy, 11 cases of triploidy, 1 case of trisomy 16 and trisomy 22, 1 case of trisomy 21 and trisomy 22. Trisomy 16 was the most common chromosome aneuploidy (22.22%), which was followed by 45,X (20.63%), triploidy (17.46%) and trisomy 22 (11.11%).

CONCLUSIONQF-PCR is a quick and easy method for detecting chromosomal aneuploidies in chorionic villi tissue. The results can provide important information for genetic counseling for spontaneous abortions.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Chorionic Villi ; chemistry ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods