ObjectiveThe tolerance of C57BL/6 mice to artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant strains of Plasmodium berghei （Pb） K173 and the differences in blood parameters， spleen coefficient and spleen structure during infection were compared to explore whether the artemisinin resistance of Pb would aggravate malaria infection. MethodPbK173 artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant strains were tested in parallel. C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 1 control group， 4 artemisinin-sensitive strain groups and 4 artemisinin-resistant strain groups by body weight. Each infection group was simultaneously inoculated （ip） with 1×10⁷ infected red blood cells （iRBCs） of sensitive/resistant strain. For the mice in the survival test group， the body weight was recorded every day post infection， and the tail vein blood smear was collected to calculate the Pb infection rate. In the other infection groups， peripheral blood and spleen were collected on 2， 5 and 9 d after infection. Peripheral blood parameters， spleen coefficient， pathological section of spleen and spleen cells were detected in each group. ResultOn 1-3 d after infection， the infection rate of the resistant strain （0.4±0.0， 0.8±0.1， 1.9±0.4）% was always higher than that of the sensitive strain （0.2±0.1， 0.4±0.1， 1.1±0.3）% （P<0.01）. From the 4^th d of infection， the infection rate of the two groups gradually approached. The survival period of the sensitive strain group （20.5±1.2） d was shorter than that of the resistant strain group （23.3±1.4） d （P<0.01）. On the 9^th d， the white blood cell count of the sensitive strain group （16.2±1.1）×10⁹ cells/L was higher than that of the resistant strain group （10.6±1.8）×10⁹ cells/L （P<0.01）. Flow cytometry analysis of spleen cells showed that the sensitive strain group （3.6±0.4） demonstrated a higher CD4⁺/CD8⁺ value than the resistant strain group （2.3±0.2） on the 9^th d （P<0.01）. The spleen of C57BL/6 infected mice was gradually enlarged during infection， and on the 9^th d， the resistant strain group （3.1±0.1）% showed a higher spleen coefficient than the sensitive strain group （2.7±0.2）% （P<0.01）. In the early stage of C57BL/6 infected mice， the red pulp of spleen was hyperemic and swollen. On the 9^th d， the marginal area of the spleen disappeared and the structure of the red and white pulp was destroyed. ConclusionWithout drug treatment， the protective immune responses of peripheral blood and spleen of C57BL/6 mice were more sensitive to PbK173 artemisinin-sensitive strain. The artemisinin-resistant strain of PbK173 bred with mouse-to-mouse blood transmission and increased artemisinin dose exhibited shortened growth period and reduced toxicity.

Objectives: To evaluate the immunogenicity of Methods: Protein extracts from Results: Immunization with Conclusion This is the advanced study to investigate the immunogenicity of
Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology* ; Antigens, Bacterial/immunology* ; Bacterial Proteins/immunology* ; Cross Reactions ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Female ; Genome, Bacterial ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology* ; Immunoglobulin M/immunology* ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mycobacterium avium Complex/immunology* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/immunology* ; Tuberculosis Vaccines/administration & dosage* ; Whole Genome Sequencing

Objective:To explore the inhibitory effect of dihydroartemisinin （DHA） on the proliferation of HepG2 cells， elucidate the mechanism from the perspectives of oxidative damage and energy metabolism， and discuss the possibility of combined use of DHA with sorafenib （Sora）. Method:Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to obtain the 50% inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of DHA and Sora on HepG2 and SW480 cells and Chou-Talalay method was used to obtain the combination index （CI） of DHA and Sora. HepG2 cells were classified into the control group， DHA group （10 µmol·L^-1）， Sora group （5 µmol·L^-1）， and DHA + Sora group （DHA 10 µmol·L^-1， Sora 5 µmol·L^-1） and then incubated with corresponding drugs for 8-12 h. Seahorse XF glycolytic rate assay kit and cell mito stress test kit were employed to respectively detect the glycolysis function of cells and oxidative phosphorylation function of mitochondria. DCFH-DA and lipid peroxidation MDA assay kit were separately used to analyze the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS） and malondialdehyde （MDA）. Western blot was applied to determine the intracellular levels of heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1） and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit （GCLC）. Result:Compared with the control group， DHA alone inhibited the ATP synthesis in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis （P<0.01）， increased the levels of intracellular ROS and MDA （P<0.05）， and decreased the levels of HO-1 and GCLC （P<0.05） in HepG2 cells. DHA and Sora had synergistic inhibitory effect on proliferation of HepG2 and SW480 cells， with CI < 0.90. The DHA + Sora group showed stronger suppression of ATP synthesis in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis （P<0.01）， higher levels of intracellular ROS and MDA （P<0.01）， and lower levels of intracellular antioxidation-related proteins HO-1 and GCLC in HepG2 cells （P<0.01） than the DHA group. Conclusion:DHA may increase the level of MDA by reducing HO-1 and GCLC and increasing ROS in HepG2 cells， which results in mitochondria oxidative damage， restricts cell glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation， and thus finally inhibits the proliferation of HepG2 cells. DHA and Sora have synergistic inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 and SW480 cells， and the mechanism may be related to the synergistic oxidative damage that affects the mitochondrial electron transport chain and suppresses cell energy metabolism.

Zearalenone(ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium, possessing estrogen-like effects, carcinogenicity, and multiple toxicities. To seek more efficient and practical agents for biological detoxification and broaden their application, this study isolated 194 bacterial strains from the moldy tuberous root of Pseudostellaria heterophylla, which were co-cultured with ZEN. An efficient ZEN-degrading strain H4-3-C1 was screened out by HPLC and identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus by morphological observation and molecular identification. The effects of culture medium, inoculation dose, culture time, pH, and temperature on the degradation of ZEN by H4-3-C1 strain were investigated. The mechanism of ZEN degradation and the degrading effect in Coicis Semen were discussed. The degradation rate of 5 μg·mL~(-1) ZEN by H4-3-C1 strain was 85.77% in the LB medium(pH 6) at 28 ℃/180 r·min~(-1) for 24 h with the inoculation dose of 1%. The degradation rate of ZEN in the supernatant of strain culture was higher than that in the intracellular fluid and thalli. The strain was inferred to secret extracellular enzymes to degrade ZEN. In addition, the H4-3-C1 strain could also degrade ZEN in Coicis Semen. If the initial content of ZEN in Coicis Semen was reduced from 90 μg·g~(-1) to 40.68 μg·g~(-1), the degradation rate could reach 54.80%. This study is expected to provide a new strain and application technology for the biological detoxification of ZEN in food processing products and Chinese medicinal materials.
Bacteria ; Fusarium ; Mycotoxins ; Temperature ; Zearalenone

Fusarium is the major pathogen of root rot of Pseudostellaria heterophylla. This study aims to explain the possible distribution of Fusarium species and the contamination of its toxin-chemotypes in tuberous root of P. heterophylla. A total of 89 strains of fungi were isolated from the tuberous root of P. heterophylla. Among them, 29 strains were identified as Fusarium by ITS2 sequence, accounting for 32.5%. They were identified as five species of F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum, F. fujikuroi, F. oxysporum, and F. graminearum based on β-Tubulin and EF-1α genes. LC-MS/MS detected 18, 1, and 5 strains able to produce ZEN, DON, and T2, which accounted for 62.1%, 3.4%, and 17.2%, respectively. Strain JK3-3 can produce ZEN, DON, and T2, while strains BH1-4-1, BH6-5, and BH16-2 can produce ZEN and T2. PCR detected six key synthase genes of Tri1, Tri7, Tri8, Tri13, PKS14, and PKS13 in strain JK3-3, which synthesized three toxins of ZEN, DON, and T2. Four key synthase genes of Tri8, Tri13, PKS14, and PKS13 were detected in strains BH1-4-1, BH6-5, and BH16-2, which were responsible for the synthesis of ZEN and T2. The results showed that the key genes of toxin biosynthesis were highly correlated with the toxins produced by Fusarium, and the biosynthesis of toxin was strictly controlled by the genetic information of the strain. This study provides a data basis for the targeted prevention and control of exo-genous mycotoxins in P. heterophylla and a possibility for the development of PCR for rapid detection of toxin contamination.
Caryophyllaceae ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Fusarium/genetics* ; Mycotoxins ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Objective:To summarize the patient profiles and therapeutic efficacies of ABO-incompatible living-related kidney transplantations at 19 domestic transplant centers and provide rationales for clinical application of ABOi-KT.Methods:Clinical cases of ABO-incompatible/compatible kidney transplantation (ABOi-KT/ABOc-KT) from December 2006 to December 2009 were collected. Then, statistical analyses were conducted from the aspects of tissue matching, perioperative managements, complications and survival rates of renal allograft or recipients.Results:Clinical data of 342 ABOi-KT and 779 ABOc-KT indicated that (1) no inter-group differences existed in age, body mass index (BMI), donor-recipient relationship or waiting time of pre-operative dialysis; (2) ABO blood type: blood type O recipients had the longest waiting list and transplantations from blood type A to blood type O accounted for the largest proportion; (3) HLA matching: no statistical significance existed in mismatch rate or positive rate of PRA I/II between two types of surgery; (4) CD20 should be properly used on the basis of different phrases; (5) hemorrhage was a common complication during an early postoperative period and microthrombosis appeared later; (6) no difference existed in postoperative incidence of complications or survival rate of renal allograft and recipients at 1/3/5/10 years between ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT. The acute rejection rate and serum creatinine levels of ABOi-KT recipients were comparable to those of ABOc-KT recipients within 1 year.Conclusions:ABOi-KT is both safe and effective so that it may be applied at all transplant centers as needed.

According to the classification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of coronavirus disease 2019 by the national competent authority, this study determined that human coronavirus 229 E(HCoV-229 E) was infected in a mouse model of cold and dampness syndrome, so as to build the human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking lung syndrome model. The model can simulate the traditional Chinese medicine treatment of common disease syndromes in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnosis and Treatment Program(the sixth edition for trial). Specific steps were as follows. ABALB/c mouse model of cold and dampness syndrome was established, based on which, HCoV-229 E virus was infected; then the experiment was divided into normal control group, infection control group, cold-dampness control group, cold-dampness infection group(the model group), high-dose Chaiyin Particles group(8.8 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and low-dose Chaiyin Particles group(4.4 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)). On the day of infection, Chaiyin Particles was given for three consecutive days. Lung tissues were collected the day after the last dose, and the lung index and inhibition rate were calculated. The nucleic acid of lung tissue was extracted, and the HCoV-229 E virus load was detected by Real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR. Blood leukocytes were separated, and the percentage of T and B lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry. Lung tissue protein was extracted, and IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ contents were detected by ELISA. High and low-dose Chaiyin Particles significantly reduced the lung index(P<0.01) of mice of human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking the lung syndrome, and the inhibition rates were 61.02% and 55.45%, respectively. Compared with the model control group, high and low-dose Chaiyin Particles significantly increased cross blood CD4~+ T lymphocytes, CD8~+T lymphocytes and total B lymphocyte percentage(P<0.05, P<0.01), and reduced IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in lungs(P<0.01). In vitro results showed that TC_(50), TC_0, IC_(50) and TI of Chaiyin Particles were 4.46 mg·mL~(-1), 3.13 mg·mL~(-1), 1.12 mg·mL~(-1) and 4. The control group of in vitro culture cells had no HCoV-229 E virus nucleic acid expression. The expression of HCoV-229 E virus nucleic acid in the virus control group was 1.48×10~7 copies/mL, and Chaiyin Particles significantly reduced HCoV-229 E expression at doses of 3.13 and 1.56 mg·mL~(-1), and the expression of HCoV-229 E nucleic acid was 9.47×10~5 and 9.47×10~6 copies/mL, respectively. Chaiyin Particles has a better effect on the mouse model with human coronavirus pneumonia with pestilence attacking the lung syndrome, and could play a role by enhancing immunity, and reducing inflammatory factor expression.
Animals ; Coronavirus 229E, Human ; Coronavirus Infections ; immunology ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lung ; immunology ; virology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Objective: Several COVID-19 patients have overlapping comorbidities. The independent role of each component contributing to the risk of COVID-19 is unknown, and how some non-cardiometabolic comorbidities affect the risk of COVID-19 remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 1,160 laboratory-confirmed patients were enrolled from nine provinces in China. Data on comorbidities were obtained from the patients' medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio ( Results: Overall, 158 (13.6%) patients were diagnosed with severe illness and 32 (2.7%) had unfavorable outcomes. Hypertension (2.87, 1.30-6.32), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (3.57, 2.32-5.49), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3.78, 1.81-7.89), fatty liver disease (7.53, 1.96-28.96), hyperlipidemia (2.15, 1.26-3.67), other lung diseases (6.00, 3.01-11.96), and electrolyte imbalance (10.40, 3.00-26.10) were independently linked to increased odds of being severely ill. T2DM (6.07, 2.89-12.75), CVD (8.47, 6.03-11.89), and electrolyte imbalance (19.44, 11.47-32.96) were also strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease on admission (5.46, 3.25-9.19), while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes (6.58, 1.46-29.64) within two weeks. Conclusion Besides hypertension, diabetes, and CVD, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, other lung diseases, and electrolyte imbalance were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity and poor treatment outcome. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease, while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; COVID-19/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To understand the epidemic situation and the source of infection of the reemerge human rabies in Qinghai. Methods We collected the data on human rabies and the data on the cases of multi- victims bitten by the identical dog, and also the laboratory data of the nucleoprotein ( N) gene of rabies virus from the samples which were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA) from 2012 to 2017, to describe the epidemiological characteristics of human rabies and the prevalence of rabies virus in host animals, and to explore the source of infection of reemerge human rabies. Results A total of 7 human cases were reported in 2012-2017 in Qinghai province, among which 1 was bitted by wolf, 2 were bitted by stray dogs, 3 were bitted by domestic dogs which injured by stray dogs or wolfs. A total of 892 canine brain tissue samples were collected, from which 46 positive samples were detected with the positive rate of 5.16% (95% CI：3.70%-6.61%). The positive samples were collected from the nomadic region, which were consistent had the location of the human rabies. The samples collected from the cases of multi-victims bitten by the identical dog/animal had the positive rate of 73.08%, and 4 out of 7 human rabies were exposed to the cases of multi-victims bitten by the identical dog/animal. Genetic sequencing of the rabies virus detected from canine brain tissue samples were belong to China IV lineage, which was closely related to the Arctic clade. Conclusions The reemerging rabies happened in nomadic region of Qinghai province could be a consequence of spillover from wildlife especially from wolfs. The better surveillance system covering the human, livestock and wildlife should be set up to mitigate the rabies virus spread from the wildlife.

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) combined with direct bilirubin (DB) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. METHODS: A total of 667 infants with cholestasis who were hospitalized and treated from July 2010 to December 2018 were enrolled as subjects. According to the results of intraoperative cholangiography and follow-up, they were divided into biliary atresia group with 234 infants and cholestasis group with 433 infants. The two groups were compared in terms of age of onset, sex, and serum levels of total bilirubin (TB), DB, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid (TBA), and GGT. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for indices with statistical significance, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and the optimal cut-off value for diagnosis were calculated. RESULTS: The biliary atresia group had a significantly younger age of onset than the cholestasis group (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in sex, ALT, and AST between the two groups (P>0.05), while the biliary atresia group had significantly higher serum levels of TB, DB, TBA, and GGT than the cholestasis group (P<0.05). GGT combined with DB had the highest AUC of 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.868-0.916) in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. At the optimal cut-off values of 324.0 U/L for GGT and 115.1 μmmol/L for DB, GGT combined with DB had a sensitivity of 79.8% and a specificity of 83.2% in the diagnosis of biliary atresia. CONCLUSIONS GGT combined with DB has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of biliary atresia and can be used as an effective indicator for diagnosis of biliary atresia in infants.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biliary Atresia ; diagnosis ; Bilirubin ; Humans ; Infant ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood