Objective Experimental animal facilities account for a significant proportion of the energy consumption by scientific research institutions;however,the energy consumption characteristics of these facilities differ from those of ordinary buildings,and thus require specialized monitoring and management.Methods A set of energy consumption monitoring systems was designed for experimental animal facilities and deployed in the specific pathogen-free-level experimental animal facility of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.Results The system achieved real-time collection and recording of the facility's electricity consumption data,and proposed energy-saving measures for three application scenarios.Conclusions This energy consumption monitoring system designed for experimental animal facilities is reliable,efficient,and user-friendly,and has the potential to guide and promote energy management programs at experimental animal facilities.

Objective To analyze the application characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia(PHN)using complex networks;To provide clinical acupuncture and moxibustion treatment with application basis for acupoint selection,acupuncture and moxibustion,and treatment ideas.Methods The clinical research literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for PHN was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,PubMed and Web of Science.The literature was screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,and Excel 2019 was used to establish an acupuncture and moxibustion treatment PHN database.SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used for modeling and association rule analysis,and Gephi 0.10.1 software was used for complex network analysis.Results Totally 237 articles were included,and 262 acupuncture and moxibustion prescriptions data were extracted,involving a total of 115 acupoints,with a total use frequency of 1 432 times.The top 10 most frequently used acupoints were Ashi acupoint(214 times)and Jiaji acupoint(198 times),Zusanli(74 times),Taichong(74 times),Sanyinjiao(66 times),Hegu(65 times),Yanglingquan(62 times),Xuehai(60 times),Zhigou(53 times),and Quchi(52 times).The association rule analysis showed that the acupoint combination with the highest correlation was Ashi acupoint-Jiaji acupoint.K-core hierarchical analysis and community analysis on the complex network of the acupoint prescriptions obtained two core acupoint groups.Therapy analysis showed that filiform needle acupuncture was the most commonly used intervention for acupuncture treatment of PHN;syndrome type-acupoint analysis showed that the syndrome types with the highest frequency of PHN were liver meridian heat stagnation,blood stasis and collaterals obstruction,and spleen meridian damp-heat;tonic and diarrhea-acupoint analysis showed that the main operating techniques were neutral-tonifying and neutral-discharging.Conclusion Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for PHN mainly selects local acupoints,Ashi acupoint and Jiaji acupoint are often selected,and focusing on the cooperation with distal acupoints.The external and internal meridians are mostly selected according to different syndrome types.The operation is performed using neutral-tonifying and neutral-discharging techniques.Commonly used filiform acupuncture combined with electro-acupuncture,pricking,cupping and other therapies.The application characteristics can provide clinical reference for the treatment of PHN.

Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Antibodies, Viral ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus

Background::Urticaria is a common skin disease characterized by episodes of wheals, and it has a negative effect on patients’ quality of life. Large-scale population-based epidemiological studies of urticaria are scarce in China. The aim of this survey was to determine the prevalence, clinical forms, and risk factors of urticaria in the Chinese population.Methods::This survey was conducted in 35 cities from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities of China. Two to three communities in each city were selected in this investigation. Participants completed questionnaires and received dermatological examinations. We analyzed the prevalence, clinical forms, and risk factors of urticaria.Results::In total, 44,875 questionnaires were distributed and 41,041 valid questionnaires were collected (17,563 male and 23,478 female participants). The lifetime prevalence of urticaria was 7.30%, with 8.26% in female and 6.34% in male individuals ( P < 0.05). The point prevalence of urticaria was 0.75%, with 0.79% in female and 0.71% in male individuals ( P < 0.05). Concomitant angioedema was found in 6.16% of patients. Adults had a higher prevalence of urticaria than adolescents and children. Living in urban areas, exposure to pollutants, an anxious or depressed psychological status, a personal and family history of allergy, thyroid diseases, and Helicobacter pylori infection were associated with a higher prevalence of urticaria. Smoking was correlated with a reduced risk of urticaria. Conclusion::This study demonstrated that the lifetime prevalence of urticaria was 7.30% and the point prevalence was 0.75% in the Chinese population; women had a higher prevalence of urticaria than men. Various factors were correlated with urticaria.

Objective: To determine the effects of ginsenoside rg3 on the body weight of C57BL/6J obese mice and to investigate its underlying weight loss mechanisms with a focus on white fat browning-related factors. Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were fed a high-fat diet for 12 successive weeks to construct the obese model. C57BL/6J male mice were fed a standard chow diet to construct normal control group. After 8 weeks of intervention with ginsenoside rg3, the food intake, body weight, body fat mass, blood sugar, and lipid profiles of the mice in each group were detected. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histological morphology of the adipose tissues. Real-time poly-merase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB) were applied to detect the gene and protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gama (PPARγ), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator -1alpha (PGC-1α), PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1).Results: Compared to normal control group mice, the body weight, food intake, body fat composition, and blood lipid levels of model group mice increased significantly. After 8 weeks of intervention with ginsenoside rg3, body weight, body fat composition, food intake, and blood lipid profiles decreased. HE staining showed that ginsenoside rg3 can improve white adipocyte hypertrophy to a certain extent. RT-PCR and WB demonstrated that ginsenoside rg3 can increase the mRNA and protein expression levels of PPARγ, PGC-1α, PRDM16, and UCP-1 in the adipose tissues of obese mice. Conclusion: The weight reduction effect of ginsenoside rg3 may be related to the promotion of white fat browning.

BACKGROUND: Derlin 3 (DERL3) is downregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) samples. Its level is closely linked to lymphatic metastasis or distant metastasis rate in CRC patients. However, its biological behavior in lung adenocarcinoma were rarely reported. The aim of this study is to investigate the ectopic expression of DERL3 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and its effect on the invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line to reveal the possible mechanism of invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Lung adenocarcinoma microarray gene chip data included 3 cases of lymph node metastasis and 3 cases of lung adenocarcinoma tissue without lymph node metastasis. The GEDS and Kaplan-Meier plot queries the survival curve and expression level of DERL3. Western blot was used to detect the expression of DERL3 in lung adenocarcinoma cells. The efficiency of knockdown DERL3 gene was detected by Western blot assay. Transwell detected the number of cells passing through the basement membrane of the transwell. EDU assay detected cell proliferation ability. Western blot detected the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition related proteins E-cadherin and Vimentin. RESULTS: The microarray gene chip results showed that compared with lung adenocarcinoma tissues without lymph node metastasis, 1,314 mRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma tissues with lymph node metastasis were up-regulated, 400 mRNAs were down (P<0.05). The expression of DERL3 increased in lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). The results of survival curve showed that the lung cancer patients with high expression of DERL3 with poor prognosis (P<0.05). Western blot results indicated that plasmid transfection was successful. Knockdown of DERL3 suppressed the ability of proliferation, invasion and migration in A549 cells (P<0.05). After knockdown of DERL3, the expression level of Vimentin was decreased, while E-cadherin expression increased (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Knockdown of DERL3 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of A549 cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of miR-204 on the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer by targeted regulation of HNRNPA2B1. METHODS: The bioinformatics database was used to obtain data of the expressions of miR-204 in breast cancer patients and the survival rate of the patients. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-204 in breast cancer cell lines. The expression vector GV369-miR-204 was used to overexpress miR-204 in MDA-MB-231 cells. Transwell assay was performed to detect the effect of miR-204 on the migration and invasion ability of the breast cancer cells. The key genes (hub genes) of miR-204 were determined by bioinformatics method. A dual luciferase assay was used to analyze the targeting relationship between miR-204 and HNRNPA2B1. The expression of HNRNPA2B1 in MDA-MB-231 cells after miR-204 overexpression was detected by Western blotting, and Transwell assay was used to examine the changes in the cell invasion ability. RESULTS: The expression of miR-204 was decreased in both breast cancer tissues, and was significantly lower in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells than in MCF-10A cells ( < 0.05). The decreased expression of miR-204 was associated with poorer prognosis of breast cancer patients ( < 0.05). Upregulation of miR-204 in MDA-MB-231 cells significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of the cells ( < 0.05). Analysis of the data from the Starbase revealed that the expression of miR-204-5p was negatively correlated with the expression of HNRNPA2B1, and the expression of HNRNPA2B1 was increased in breast cancer patients ( < 0.05) in association with a poorer prognosis of the patients ( < 0.05). Dual luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-204 could bind to HNRNPA2B1 in a target-specific manner. Western blotting and Transwell assay showed that miR-204 significant inhibited the migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells by targeting HNRNPA2B1 ( < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS miR-204 expression is decreased in breast cancer tissues and cells, and its overexpression can inhibit the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by targeted regulation of HNRNPA2B1.
Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Objective To investigate the early predictors of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in children with blockage of airway mucous plug.Methods Retrospective analysis was executed on the clinical data of 130 children,who were diagnosed as MPP and treated with fiberoptic bronchoscopy at the Department of Pediatrics,the First Hospital of Jilin University,from September 2016 to January 2017.The patients were divided into the mucus plug group (60 cases)and the control group(70 cases) according to the performance of flexible bronchoscopy.The general information,clinical manifestations,laboratory examination,radiological features,bronchofibroscopic findings and treatment were compared between 2 groups.The multiple Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for the single factor with clinical and statistical significance to identify the early predictors of the MPP with blockage of airway mucus plug.Results Compared with the control group,the fever peak [39.8 ℃ (39.5 ℃,40.0 ℃) vs.39.5 ℃ (39.0 ℃,39.8 ℃)],the fever duration [(11.3 ± 3.1) d vs.(7.8 ± 2.4) d],hospitalization time [(13.5 ± 3.8) d vs.(8.5 ± 3.2) d],white blood cells (WBC) [(9.4 ± 3.7) × 109/L vs.(8.2 ± 2.9) × 109/L],the percentage of neutrophils (NE) (0.698 ± 0.112 vs.0.623 ± 0.119),C-reactive protein (CRP) [48.2 (19.8,91.0) mg/L vs.12.4 (7.1,25.4) mg/L],lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) [466.5(371.5,639.0) U/L vs.323.0 (273.2,376.8) U/L],the proportion of combined with pleural effusion (56.7％ vs.17.1％),atelectasis(23.3％ vs.7.1％),necrosis (16.7％ vs.0) and involved lobes more than 2 (40.0％ vs.21.4％) were higher in the mucus plug group,and these indicators had significantly statistical differences (Z =-3.394,t =-6.957,-8.021,-2.046,-3.672,Z =-6.402,-6.433,x2 =22.074,6.786,12.639,5.306,all P ＜ 0.05).The multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that the febrile time,CRP and LDH were independent predictors for the MPP with blockage of airway mucus plug.The ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off values of the 3 predictors were febrile time ≥ 9.5 d [area under curve (AUC) =0.810,95 ％ confidence interval (CI):0.738-0.883],CRP ≥ 30.4 mg/L (AUC =0.826,95％ CI:0.757-0.895),and LDH ≥ 343.5 U/L (AUC =0.828,95％ CI:0.756-0.900).Conclusion The fever duration ≥9.5 d,increased CRP (≥30.4 mg/L),and increased serum LDH (≥343.5 U/L)can be applied as one of the early predictors for MPP in children with mucus plug.

Objective To investigate the effects of N-acetylserotonin (N-AS) on the expression of active caspase-3,Bcl-2 and Bax in rat retinas induced by retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI).Methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (6 cases),RIRI group (30 cases) and NAS group (30 cases),RIRI models in NAS group were established after giving NAS,the groups were sub-divided into 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours,48 hours and 72 hours group based on the time of RIRI.Morphologic changes were evaluated by HE staining.The expression of active caspase-3,Bcl-2 and Bax protein in the retina of rats was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results HE staining showed that the retinal structure in the normal control group was clear,and the cells in each layer were tightly packed;Each layer of retina was edema in the RIRI group after 6 hours and 12 hours,the edema gradually alleviated after 24 hours,the ganglion cells decreased gradually,the distribution was in disorder,with the prolongation of time,the retinal ganglion cells were defected;drug group of as Compared with RIRI group,the cell edema in the NAS group at 6 hours and 12 hours were obvious reduced,the cells in 24 hours,48 hours,72 hours group arranged regularly,the loss number of ganglion cells were reduced.The number of active caspase-3 positive cells in RIRI group increased at 6 hours after peffusion,the number was (561.15 ±37.19) cell ·mm-2,and reached the high level at 24 hours,the number was (1522.61 ±84.36) cell · mm-2,and then decreased gradually.The number of active caspase-3 positive cells in NAS group was significantly lower than that in RIRI group,the difference was statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).The expression of Bcl-2 positive cells in RIRI group began to decrease after 6 hours,and decreased to a low level at 24 hours,and the number of Bcl-2 positive cells in NAS group was significantly higher than that in RIRI group at each time point,the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).There were almost no Bax positive cells in the retina of the control normal group,and the Bax positive cells were found to be higher of the RIRI group at the 6 hours after RIRI,and reached the higher level at 24 hours,and decreased at 48 hours.The Bax positive cells of NAS group were significantly less than those in the RIRI group at different time points,and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜0.05).Conclusion NAS can promote the expression of Bcl-2 protein in rat retina after RIRI,inhibit the expression of Bax protein,decrease the expression of active caspase-3 protein,alleviate cell apoptosis,and have neuroprotective effects.

Objective To analyze the relationship between the brain functional alterations of patients with Cushing's disease (CD) and patients' mental symptom by applying the Evaluating Emotional Scales and task functional magnetic resonance imaging (Task fMRI).Methods Task fMRI was performed on 8 patients with diagnosed CD admitted in the Department of Endocrinology of Chinese PLA General Hospital from Nov. 2015 to Nov. 2016 and 21 healthy people with matched age, gender and education level as control. Meanwhile, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Positive and Negative Affective Scale (PANAS) and Cushing Quality of Life Scale (Cushing QOL) were obtained to assess the brain functions.Results Significant depression and anxiety were observed in patients with CD, and their positive affective score was substantially lower while the negative affective score was relatively higher compared with that in the controls. Task fMRI revealed that, when watching the positive pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum and right postcentral gyrus weakened in CD patients than in the controls, and the positive correlations existed between the activation degree of left cerebellum and the 16 o'clock adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) level, and between the activation degree of right postcentral gyrus and the urinary free cortisol (UFC) level in CD patients. In contrast, when watching the negative pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus was weakened in CD patients than in the controls, and the activation degree of left cerebellum was negatively correlated to the 0 o'clock cortisol level and SAS score, but is positively correlated to the UFC level. When watching the neutral pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum and left parahippocampal gyrus was weakened in CD patients than in the controls.Conclusions CD patients may have impaired brain function with depression and anxiety mental symptoms. By Task fMRI, it can be found that the weakened activation degree of left inferior frontal gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and left cerebellum may be related to CD patients' mental symptoms.