Objective:To investigate the influence of varied oxygen (O 2) concentration environments on the phenotypic transformation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) and the mechanism of pulmonary hypertension. Methods:Primary rat PASMC were isolated and cultured through the process of enzymatic digestion. Following identification, the stable passaged PASMC were subjected to a 6-hour incubation in sealed containers with normal O 2 content (group C) and relative O 2 content comprising 55% (group H55), 75% (group H75), and 95% (group H95). mRNA and protein expression of α-Actin (α-SMA), smooth muscle 22α (SM22α), osteopontin (OPN), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were measured using real-time quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Results:The H55 group displayed no significant difference from the C group in terms of mRNA and relative protein expression levels for α-SMA, SM22α, OPN, and MMP-2 (all P>0.05). On the other hand, groups H75 and H95 exhibited a reduction in mRNA and relative protein expression of α-SMA and SM22α, along with an increase in mRNA and relative protein expression of OPN and MMP-2 when compared with both the C and H55 groups (all P<0.05). The H95 group showed a higher relative mRNA expression of MMP-2 as compared to the H75 group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Oxygen concentration environments of 75% or higher can serve as the foundation for the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension, essentially by inducing a phenotypic transformation in PASMC towards adopting a robust secretory function. This induction is contingent upon the concentration of oxygen present.

Objective To analyze the status of occupational hazards in key positions of the small and micro book and newspaper printing enterprises in Beijing City. Methods A total of 16 small and micro printing enterprises in Beijing City were selected as the research subjects using the judgment sampling method. The status of occupational hazard was assessed using on-site occupational health investigations. The volatile chemical components in organic solvents such as inks and cleaning agents used in the workplace, the level of chemical hazardous agents in the air, and noise intensity were detected and analyzed. Results A total of 1 105 workers from 16 small and micro printing enterprises were included. The occupational hazard exposure rate was 22.2% (245/1 105), with chemical hazardous agents and noise exposure rates of 13.5% and 22.2%, respectively. The rate of compliance with occupational health training among the head of the enterprise and the occupational health management personnel, the regular detection rate of occupational hazards in last year, and the rate for the occupational health examination in last year were both 100.0%. The rate for annual update of occupational hazard project reporting was 93.8% (15/16). The usage rates of gas mask and noise-proof earplug were 68.8% (11/16) and 50.0% (8/16), respectively. The effectiveness rates of anti-toxic and noise-reduction facilities were 87.5% (14/16) and 62.5% (10/16). The sign setting rates of chemical hazardous agents and noise warning were 93.8% (15/16). Acetone and isopropanol were found in ink and cleaning agents in 15 printing enterprises, while toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene were found in three, two, and one enterprise, respectively. Benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, n-hexane, and trichloroethylene were not found in all 16 enterprises. Both the exposure concentration of short term and exposure concentration of time weighted average of the above chemical hazards were lower than the lower limit of quantitation of the detection method in the workplace and work site air among the 16 printing enterprises, and none of concentration was exceeded the national standard. A total of 240 noise work sites were detected, and the national noise-exceeding rate was 11.2%(27/240). Conclusion Noise hazards are prominent in the small and micro printing enterprises in Beijing City, and attention should be paid to the prevention and protection of noise-exposure. The usage rate of personal protective equipment is not high, and the training and on-site supervision management of protective equipment wearing in workers should be strengthened.

Objective To investigate the association between famine exposure in different life cycles and the risk of central obesity. Methods A total of 2234 spermanent residents were recruited to participate in the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) Study ,they were grouped into four birth cohorts of fetal-exposed (born between January 1,1959, and December 31,1961,95 cases), childhood-exposed (born between January 11,949, and December 31,1958,533 cases), adolescence/adult-exposed (born between January 1,1931, and December 31,1948,256 cases),unexposed cohorts（born after January 1, 1975，871 cases).we used logistic regression model to assess the effect of famine exposure on central obesity in adulthood. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, females in the fetal/infant exposure group（OR=3.283,95%CI：1.472～7.321,P＜0.001）、childhood- exposed group (OR=3.557,95%CI：2.374～5.313,P＜0.001) and adolescence/adult-exposed group (OR=5.785，95%CI：3.536～9.492，P＜0.001) had a higher risk of adult central obesity than the control group.After excluding the subjects with coronary heart disease、cancer、diabetes、stroke or obesity, sensitivity analysis was carried out. The risk of central obesity increased in the female / fetal、childhood、adolescent / adult exposure group,which was unfound in males. Conclusion Severe famine exposure in fetal/infant、childhood and adolescence/adulthood can increase the risk of central obesity in adulthood in females. Therefore, the prevention and control of central obesity in female should start from the early life.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To establish an efficient and simple HPLC-MS/MS method for determination of flucloxacillin in newborn plasma, and to investigate the interaction between ambroxol and flucloxacillin in newborns. METHODS The samples were analyzed by API4000 HPLC-MS/MS. Ultimate XB-C18 column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 5 μm) were carried out. The mobile phase was composed of water-0.1% formic acid(A) and acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid(B). The quantitative analysis of the ion transitions were monitored at m/z 452.6→284.2 for flucloxacillin and m/z 821.4→397.3 for rifampicin(internal standard). RESULTS The linear range of flucloxacillin under this analysis method was 0.20-80 ng·mL-1, and the lower limit of quantification was 0.20 ng·mL-1; The intra-day and inter-day precision of flucloxacillin were both less than 8.23%; The extraction recovery was in the range of 85.3%-89.2%, and the matrix effect was between 89.3%-92.3%; The stability of plasma samples was good under conditions of 12 h at room temperature, 4 h at room temperature after treatment, repeated freeze-thaw for 3 times, and -20 ℃ freezing for 30 d. The results of clinical samples indicated that the combination of ambroxol could significantly increase the blood concentration of flucloxacillin. CONCLUSION The established HPLC-MS/MS method is accurate, sensitive and can be used for the determination of flucloxacillin concentration in neonatal plasma. The results of clinical samples indicate that ambroxol can significantly increase the blood concentration of flucloxacillin. There are drug interactions between ambroxol and flucloxacillin.

Objective:To summarize the clinical and laboratory characteristics of infectious mononucleosis (IM) in children.Methods:Clinical features and laboratory results of 270 cases with IM admitted to the Department of Pediatrics in Strategic Support Force Medical Center of People′s Liberation Army from January 2012 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. χ2 test was used for comparison between groups. Results:IM mainly occurred in children aged 5 months to 18 years old in autumn and spring.The highest incidence rate (105 cases, 38.9%) was 3-<6 years old (preschoolers). There were 253 cases (93.7%) with fever, 266 cases (98.5%) with adenopharyngitis, 196 cases (72.6%) with tonsil pseudomembrane or exudation, 248 cases (91.9%) with cervical lymphadenopathy, 92 cases (34.1%) with eyelid edema, 202 cases (74.8%) with nasal obstruction, 124 cases (45.9%) with nasal obstruction and snoring, 24 cases (8.9%) with rash, and 112 cases (41.5%) with splenomegaly.A total of 225 cases (83.3%) presented with typical triplets of IM (fever, adenopharyngitis and cervical lymphadenopathy). Sixty-two IM patients were complicated with pulmonary infections and 3 cases with diarrhea.The main co-infection pathogens in children with IM were Mycoplasma pneumonia (MP) (79 cases, 29.3%), influenza A or B virus (34 cases, 12.6%), Streptococcus pneumonia (SP) (18 cases, 6.7%), adenovirus (22 cases, 8.1%) and cytomegalovirus (3 cases, 1.11%). A total of 46 cases (17.0%) had multiple infections.Laboratory test results suggested that absolute lymphocyte count ≥5.0×10 9/L was found in 199 cases (73.7%), and abnormal lymphocyte ratio >0.10 was found in 225 cases (83.3%). Some children had elevated transaminase levels.Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen-immunoglobulin M (EBV-VCA-IgM) was positive in 249 cases (92.2%), Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen-immunoglobulin G (EBV-VCA-IgG) was positive in 238 cases (88.1%), and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-immunoglobulin G (EBV-NA-IgG) was negative in all cases.EBV-VCA-IgG showed low affinity in all cases (<40%). EBV DNA tests of peripheral blood plasma were carried in 153 cases, of which 118 cases (77.1%) were positive. Conclusions:EBV related IM mainly attacks preschoolers.Most patients are presented with typical triplets of IM.Eyelid edema, nasal obstruction, snoring, splenomegaly and elevated transaminase levels are prevalent in IM children.Most cases have a favorable prognosis.

Antrodia cinnamomea is extensively used as a traditional medicine to prevention and treatment of liver cancer. However, its comprehensive chemical fingerprint is uncertain, and the mechanisms, especially the potential therapeutic target for anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear. Using UPLC‒Q-TOF/MS, 139 chemical components were identified in A. cinnamomea dropping pills (ACDPs). Based on these chemical components, network pharmacology demonstrated that the targets of active components were significantly enriched in the pathways in cancer, which were closely related with cell proliferation regulation. Next, HCC data was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and DisGeNET were analyzed by bioinformatics, and 79 biomarkers were obtained. Furtherly, nine targets of ACDP active components were revealed, and they were significantly enriched in PI3K/AKT and cell cycle signaling pathways. The affinity between these targets and their corresponding active ingredients was predicted by molecular docking. Finally, in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that ACDPs could reduce the activity of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and downregulate the expression of cell cycle-related proteins, contributing to the decreased growth of liver cancer. Altogether, PI3K/AKT-cell cycle appears as the significant central node in anti-liver cancer of A. Cinnamomea.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the fatal malignant tumors, and its dense stroma, which accounts for 90% of the volume of pancreatic tumor, is the main reason for the low survival rate of pancreatic cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an important group of cells in the tumor stroma of pancreatic cancer, and activated CAFs induce a strong connective tissue interstitial reaction and secretes a variety of soluble molecules to remodel the extracellular matrix, thereby forming a microenvironment that helps with the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. At present, an increasing number of evidence has shown that CAFs play an important role in the drug resistance of pancreatic cancer, especially in chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and CAFs result in a low response rate of pancreatic cancer treatment by interfering with the metabolism of antitumor drugs, participating in the signaling pathways associated with drug resistance, and forming an immunosuppressive microenvironment. This article elaborates on the specific mechanism of CAFs participating in the drug resistance of pancreatic cancer from the two aspects of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, in order to provide new ideas for identifying new therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer and improving the response rate of pancreatic cancer treatment.

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor with a high mortality rate. Drug resistance is a major obstacle to GC therapy. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of exosomal circPRRX1 in doxorubicin resistance in GC. Materials and Methods: HGC-27 and AGS cells were exposed to different doses of doxorubicin to construct doxorubicin-resistant cell lines. Levels of circPRRX1, miR-3064-5p, and nonreceptor tyrosine phosphatase 14 (PTPN14) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR or Western blot assay. Then, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, transwell,and Western blot assays were used to explore the function of circPRRX1 in GC cells. Interactions among circPRRX1, miR-3064-5p,and PTPN14 were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The in vivo function of circPRRX1 was analyzed in a xenograft tumor model. Results: CircPRRX1 was highly expressed in doxorubicin-resistant GC cell lines. Knockdown of circPRRX1 reversed doxorubicin resistance in doxorubicin-resistant GC cells. Additionally, extracellular circPRRX1 was carried by exosomes to spread doxorubicin resistance. CircPRRX1 silencing reduced doxorubicin resistance by targeting miR-3064-5p or regulating PTPN14. In GC patients,high levels of circPRRX1 in serum exosomes were associated with poor responses to doxorubicin treatment. Moreover, depletion of circPRRX1 reduced doxorubicin resistance in vivo. Conclusion CircPRRX1 strengthened doxorubicin resistance by modulating miR-3064-5p/PTPN14 signaling and might be a therapeutic target for GC patients.

Objective : To investigate the effect and potential molecular mechanisms of isorhamnetin (ISO) extracted from Ginkgo biloba on the differentiation of osteoclasts. Methods: Osteoclast precursor RAW264.7 cells were induced with RANKL to differentiate into mature osteoclasts. Different concentrations of ISO were added to RAW264.7 cells to determine its effect on osteoclast differentiation. CCK8 was used to evaluate the effect of ISO on cytotoxicity. The impact of ISO on the osteoclast differentiation process was investigated by analyzing tartrate resistance and bone resorption lacuna. Real-time PCR was performed to analyze the levels of differentiation marker genes, including tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (Trap), cathepsin K (Ctsk), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9); differentiation-related transcription factors, including the proto-oncogene protein c-Fos, nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1(NFATc1); and the levels of downstream NF-κB p65 signaling pathway phosphorylation. Using the above-described method, we verified that ISO exerted an inhibitory effect on osteoclast differentiation and explored related molecular mechanisms. Results : Different concentrations of ISO (1-10 μM) had no cytotoxic effects on RAW264.7 cells, inhibited TRAP activity and decreased the number of bone resorption lacuna during osteoclast differentiation. When applied at a concentration of 10 μM, its inhibitory effect was significant. In addition, ISO significantly reduced the expression levels of Trap, Ctsk, MMP-9, c-Fos, NFATc1 and NF-κB p65 mRNA. Conclusion ISO extracted from Ginkgo biloba extract exerted an inhibitory effect on osteoclast differentiation, and the mechanism underlying its activity may involve the inhibition of the classical NF-κB pathway.

Objective: To prepare peptide minotope-based recombinant diagnostic antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and evaluate its antigenicity preliminarily. Methods: With Trx at the N-terminal and His tag at the C-terminal, the peptide minotope of EBV (GP125, F1, A2, A3C2) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity and anion exchange chromatography (designated 'H58’); based on antigenicity of H58 identified by Western blotting (WB), we constructed and evaluated a novel early diagnostic ELISA for EBV infection. Results: The soluble H58 protein with high concentration (2.8 mg/ml) and purity (99.01) was obtained; WB analysis found that there was an obvious band (28 ×10³) on the NC membrane, using H58 anti-Trx monoclonal antibody or acute-phase sera of EBV infection as the first antibody. With the novel ELISA, 50 positive sera of EBV infection and 50 negative sera were detected, displaying that the grouping of OD value of positive serum (95%CI: 1.233-1.489) and negative serum (95%CI: 0.113-0.159) was different (P<0.05) with the sensitivity 98.0%, specificity 96.0% and kappa value 0.940. Conclusions By E. coli expression and affinity and ion exchange chromatography purification, the peptide minotope-based recombinant diagnostic antigen of EBV infection was obtained with excellent antigenicity, which could be applied for serological detection of EBV infection.