Objective:To establish a rapid pipeline for whole genome sequencing of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) by combining imbricated multiplex-PCR amplification and Illumina high-throughput sequencing platform.Methods:The primary reference sequences of CHIKV were downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, covering all genotypes of CHIKV. After multiple alignments using the Mafft software and phylogenetic analysis, the 20 CHIKV references were selected for primer design. The Primal Scheme tool and Geneious Prime software were used to design, evaluate and optimize the primer panel. Finally, seven CHIKV-positive samples were involved in the validation of the primer panel.Results:All the amplicons of the designed panel were generated successfully. The consensuses generated from the mapping results could cover 100.00% of the coding region of the CHIKV genome when the Ct-value of the sample was less than 33, as the percentage would decrease to 99.38% when the Ct-value reached 35. The mapping percentage could be increased by 5.70%-25.43% when using the stepwise correction mapping strategy.Conclusion:The multiplex-PCR amplification method for CHIKV whole genome sequencing is relatively simple and convenient, which only requires two tubes of PCR amplification and performs well on CHIKV-positive clinical samples with different concentration levels of virus.

Objective:To explore the potent effects of denatonium benzoate(DB)on Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-B2(MrgprB2)-mediated rat mast cell degranulation.Methods:RBL-2H3 cells were treated with DB overnight,before challenged with MrgprB2 ligands substance P(SP).The release of β-hex from MrgprB2-activated RBL-2H3 was detected by substrate method.Detec-tion of LTC4,IL-6,TNF-α and cPLA2 activity were performed by ELISA.The Ca2+influx and the expression of RBL-2H3 MrgprB2 re-ceptors were measured by fluorescence assay.Results:The results showed 10 μmol/L,50 μmol/L,80 μmol/L,100 μmol/L DB treat-ments promoted β-hex and LTC4 releases from activated RBL-2H3,accompanied by increased Ca2+mobilization and cPLA2 activa-tion.DB treatments did not affect IL-6 and TNF-α LTC4 releases in MrgprB2-activated RBL-2H3,as well as the levels of MrgprB2 ex-pression in mast cells.Conclusion:Taken together,DB enhanced the MrgprB2-mediated RBL-2H3 degranulation in vitro,probably by up-regulating Ca2+mobilization in activated cells.

Objective:To establish a rapid pipeline for whole genome sequencing of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) by combining imbricated multiplex-PCR amplification and Illumina high-throughput sequencing platform.Methods:The primary reference sequences of CHIKV were downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, covering all genotypes of CHIKV. After multiple alignments using the Mafft software and phylogenetic analysis, the 20 CHIKV references were selected for primer design. The Primal Scheme tool and Geneious Prime software were used to design, evaluate and optimize the primer panel. Finally, seven CHIKV-positive samples were involved in the validation of the primer panel.Results:All the amplicons of the designed panel were generated successfully. The consensuses generated from the mapping results could cover 100.00% of the coding region of the CHIKV genome when the Ct-value of the sample was less than 33, as the percentage would decrease to 99.38% when the Ct-value reached 35. The mapping percentage could be increased by 5.70%-25.43% when using the stepwise correction mapping strategy.Conclusion:The multiplex-PCR amplification method for CHIKV whole genome sequencing is relatively simple and convenient, which only requires two tubes of PCR amplification and performs well on CHIKV-positive clinical samples with different concentration levels of virus.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a complex pathological condition that lacks a cure. Certain Chinese medicines, such as melittin, a major component in bee venom, have shown efficacy in treating CRF patients. On the other hand, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of melittin are unclear.MATERIALS/METHODS: A 5/6 nephrectomy model (5/6 Nx) of renal failure was established on rats for in vivo assays, and mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) mouse podocyte cells were treated with angiotensin II (AngII) to establish an in vitro podocyte damage model. The 24-h urine protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels were evaluated after one, 2, and 4 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining, and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to examine the pathological changes in kidney tissues. A cell counting kit 8 assay was used to assess the cell viability. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to assess the mRNA and protein levels in the cells, respectively. RESULTS: In the rat 5/6 Nx, melittin reduced the 24-h urinary protein excretion and the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Furthermore, the renal pathology was improved in the melittin-treated 5/6 Nx rats. Melittin promoted podocin, nephrin, Beclin 1, and the LC3II/ LC3I ratio and inhibited phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/mTOR in 5/6 Nx-induced rats and AngII-induced MPC5 mouse podocyte cells. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy with 3-MA weakened the effects of melittin on podocin, nephrin, and the LC3II/ LC3I ratio in podocytes. CONCLUSION Melittin may offer protection against kidney injury, probably by regulating podocyte autophagy. These results provide the theoretical basis for applying melittin in CRF therapy.

Objective To explore the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) and establish a predictive model. Methods Based on the case-control design, clinical materials of 316 IS patients treated in the Department of Neurology of Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from March 2022 to October 2023 were retrospectively collected. According to incidence of aspiration during hospitalization, the patients were divided into case group with 89 cases (aspiration occurred during hospitalization) and control group with 227 cases (no aspiration occurred during hospitalization). Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed in both groups to screen out the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients. R software was used to extract 70 % of the data from the two groups as the training set (establishing a Nomogram model), and the remaining 30 % data was used as test set. Value of predictive model was evaluated by area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve. Results There were significant differences in the terms of age, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, number of lesions, homocysteine (Hcy) level, spontaneous cough, and grading of Wada drinking water test between the case group and the control group (P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that large age (OR=2.201, 95 %CI, 1.254 to 3.865), high NIHSS score (OR=4.816, 95 %CI, 1.652 to 14.041), multiple lesions (OR=2.649, 95 %CI, 1.249 to 5.613), high level of Hcy (OR=1.501, 95 %CI, 1.044 to 2.158), weakened or absent spontaneous cough (OR=3.384, 95 %CI, 1.639 to 6.987), and high grading of Wada drinking water test (OR=2.878, 95 %CI, 1.422 to 5.783) were the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients (P < 0.05). In the training set, the AUC of the Nomogram model for predicting aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients was 0.872 (95 %CI, 0.827 to 0.919), and was 0.859 (95 %CI, 0.807 to 0.904) in the test set. The calibration curve analysis showed that P value was 0.869 in the training set and 0.898 in the test set. The decision curve analysis for both the training set and test set showed that the Nomogram model was of good clinical applicability. Conclusion The risk of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients is related to large age, high NIHSS score, multiple lesions, high level of Hcy, weakened or absent spontaneous cough, and high grading of Wada drinking water test. The Nomogram predictive model established on these factors can effectively evaluate the risk of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients.

Objective To investigate the impact of the Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) model on blood glucose levels and self-management behaviors in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods A total of 87 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM at the Obstetrics and Gynecology and Endocrinology Outpatient Departments of the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2021 to October 2022 were enrolled and divided into treatment group (n=44) and control group (n=43). The treatment group received SMA-based GDM management, while the control group underwent routine outpatient follow-up. Baseline data, flash glucose monitoring (FGM)-related indicators before and after treatment, and self-management behavior scale scores were compared between the two groups. Results No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), uric acid (UA), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (P>0.05). After treatment, the time in range (TIR) of glucose was higher in the treatment group than that in the control group, while mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), standard deviation of blood glucose (SDBG), coefficient of variation (CV), and mean blood glucose (MBG) were lower in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Within the treatment group, post-treatment TIR was higher, and MAGE, CV, SDBG, and MBG were lower than pre-treatment levels (P < 0.05). In the control group, post-treatment TIR was higher, and SDBG and MBG were lower than pre-treatment levels (P < 0.05). After treatment, the total score and scores for dietary management, exercise management, medication management, and blood glucose monitoring management in the self-management behavior scale were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). In the treatment group, post-treatment scores for all self-management behaviors were higher than pre-treatment levels, while post-treatment total scores and scores for medication management and blood glucose monitoring management in the control group were higher than pre-treatment levels (P < 0.05). Conclusion SMA management model can comprehensively improve blood glucose levels and enhance self-management behavior capabilities in GDM patients.

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of tumor deposits (TD) by number and anatomical distribution in gastric cancer (GC) patients without lymph node metastasis.Methods:From Aug 2012 to Aug 2018 all 91 GC patients undergoing radical gastrectomy and without nodal metastasis at Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into L1, L2, and L3 groups according to the number of TD and into Q1 and Q2 groups according to the anatomical regions of the TD.Results:The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of groups L1, L2, and L3 were 58.9%, 52.1%, and 31.5%, respectively ( χ2=9.769, P=0.008). The 3-year OS rates of groups Q1 and Q2 were 58.9% and 7.1% ( χ2=46.310, P<0.001). The number of TD, their distribution, neural invasion, vascular invasion, tumor size, and pT stage were all related to prognosis by univariate analysis (all P<0.05). Tumor size>4 cm ( HR=2.460, 95% CI:1.307-4.629, P=0.005), distribution of TD (non-perigastric)( HR=3.959, 95% CI:2.077-7.545, P<0.001), neural invasion ( HR=4.299,95% CI:1.953-9.461, P<0.001), and pT 4 stage ( HR=2.283, 95% CI:1.250-4.171, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for prognosis by multivariate analysis. Conclusion:The distribution of TD (non-perigastric) is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy and with negative lymph node metastasis.

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy

Pulmonary blast injury has become the main type of trauma in modern warfare, characterized by externally mild injuries but internally severe injuries, rapid disease progression, and a high rate of early death. The injury is complicated in clinical practice, often with multiple and compound injuries. Currently, there is a lack of effective protective materials, accurate injury detection instrument and portable monitoring and transportation equipment, standardized clinical treatment guidelines in various medical centers, and evidence-based guidelines at home and abroad, resulting in a high mortality in clinlcal practice. Therefore, the Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association and the Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized military and civilian experts in related fields such as thoracic surgery and traumatic surgery to jointly develop the Clinical treatment guideline for pulmonary blast injury ( version 2023) by combining evidence for effectiveness and clinical first-line treatment experience. This guideline provided 16 recommended opinions surrounding definition, characteristics, pre-hospital diagnosis and treatment, and in-hospital treatment of pulmonary blast injury, hoping to provide a basis for the clinical treatment in hospitals at different levels.

Objective: To examine the correlation between atmospheric PM2.5 and emergency call for respiratory diseases. Methods: The daily emergency call for respiratory and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases was collected from Hangzhou Emergency Medical Center from 2018 to 2020, and meteorological and atmospheric pollutant data were collected from Hangzhou Municipal Center for Ecological and Environmental Monitoring during the same period, including daily mean air temperature, daily mean relative humidity, PM2.5, PM10 and SO2 levels. The correlation between atmospheric PM2.5 and emergency call for respiratory and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases was examined using a generalized additive model, and the risk of emergency call was predicted using excessive risk (ER) and its 95%CI. Results: The daily mean emergency call was 14 (interquartile range, 12) cases for respiratory diseases and 20 (interquartile range, 7) cases for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in Hangzhou City from 2018 to 2020, and the daily mean PM2.5 mass concentration was 29.77 (interquartile range, 21.32) μg/m3. Cumulative exposure to PM2.5 for 5 or 6 d caused the largest effect on the emergency call for respiratory diseases, and an increase in PM2.5 by 10 μg/m3 led to a 1.93% (95%CI: 0.76%-3.11%) rise in the emergency call for respiratory diseases. Cumulative exposure to PM2.5 for 4 d caused the largest effect on the emergency call for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and an increase in PM2.5 by 10 μg/m3 led to a 1.88% (95%CI: 0.80%-2.97%) rise in the emergency call for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Cumulative exposure to PM2.5 for 7 d caused the largest effect on the emergency call for respiratory diseases among residents aged 60 years and older, and an increase in PM2.5 by 10 μg/m3 led to a 4.37% (95%CI: 2.70%-6.06%) rise in the emergency call for respiratory diseases. Cumulative exposure to PM2.5 for 4 d caused the largest effect on the emergency call for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases among residents aged 60 years and older, and an increase in PM2.5 by 10 μg/m3 led to a 2.44% (95%CI: 0.97%-3.52%) rise in the emergency call for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. However, exposure to PM2.5 had no marked effects on emergency call for respiratory or cardio-cerebrovascular diseases among residents aged <60 years. Conclusions Elevated atmospheric PM2.5 mass concentration may lead to an increase in the daily emergency calls for respiratory and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, notably among residents aged 60 years and older.