Objective To develop a highly sensitive and rapid nucleic acid detection method for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2). Methods We designed,developed,and manufactured an integrated disposable device for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid extraction and detection.The precision of the liquid transfer and temperature control was tested.A comparison between our device and a commercial kit for SARS-Cov-2 nucleic acid extraction was performed using real-time fluorescence reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The entire process,from SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid extraction to amplification,was evaluated. Results The precision of the syringe transfer volume was 19.2±1.9 μL(set value was 20),32.2±1.6(set value was 30),and 57.2±3.5(set value was 60).Temperature control in the amplification tube was measured at 60.0±0.0 ℃(set value was 60)and 95.1±0.2 ℃(set value was 95)respectively.SARS-Cov-2 nucleic acid extraction yield through the device was 7.10×106 copies/mL,while a commercial kit yielded 2.98×106 copies/mL.The mean time to complete the entire assay,from SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid extraction to amplification detection,was 36 min and 45 s.The detection limit for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid was 250 copies/mL. Conclusion The integrated disposable devices may be used for SARS-CoV-2 Point-of-Care test(POCT).

Objective To investigate the effects of harmine(HM)on the expression level of mitochondrion fusion related proteins and mitochondrial function injury in PC 12 cells.Methods PC 12 cells were divided into cell control group,HM group,mitochondrion mitosis inhibitor Mdivi-1 group,HM+Mdivi-1 group,mitochondrion fission agonist WY14643 group,HM+WY14643 group,with drug concentrations of 1,10,25,50,100 μmol·L-1.After 24 h treatment,the MTT method was used to detect the cell survival rate,and a microscope was used to observe the cell morphology,MitoTracker Red probe staining was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology and the length ratio of vertical and horizontal axes,JC-1 staining was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential,and a kit was used to detect ATP level and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activity.Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were used to assess the expression levels of caspase-3,apoptosis-promoting protein(Bax)cytochrome C(cyt-c),mitochondrial fusion protein(Mfn2)and mitochondrial mitotic protein(Drp-1).The interference sequence of Drp1 was transfected by electroporation,and the siRNA sequence with good transfection effect was screened.The related indicators were detected by fluorescence method,MTT method,and immunoblotting method in cooperation with drug intervention.Results MTT results showed that compared with the cell control group,the survival rate of HM group,Mdivi-1 group,HM+Mdivi-1 group,WY14643 group and HM+WY14643 group decreased significantly(P＜0.01),and the EC50 were(11.48±2.32),(12.35±1.67),(14.88±2.07),(39.14±3.25),(20.09±1.97),respectively.According to this,subsequent experiments selected 20 μmol·L-1for HM,WY 14643 and HM+WY14643 as working concentrations to construct PC 12 cell model.Microscopic observation and MitoTracker Red probe staining showed that the cell density in the drug group decreased in varying degrees,and a transition from branched to round morphology in the drug-treated groups was observed.The morphology of mitochondria tended to be round,and the ratio of the length of the longitudinal axis to transverse axis was(3.33±0.72)in the cell control group,(2.19±0.58)in the HM group,(2.45±0.44)in Mdivi-1 group,and(1.43±0.62)in HM+Mdivi-1 group,respectively.The results of JC-1 staining showed that compared with the cell control group,the mitochondrial mode potential of the HM group significantly decreased(P＜0.01).ROS significantly increased(P＜0.01)and ATP levels decreased(P＜0.01),and LDH enzyme activity increased(P＜0.01).Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting results showed that compared with the cell control group,the expression levels of proapoptotic proteins Bax,cytochrome C,and caspase-3 in the HM group were significantly increased(all P＜0.01).Compared with the cell control group,the expression level of mitochondrial fission related protein Drp1 in HM group was significantly higher(P＜0.01).The expression level of mitochondrial fusion related protein Mfn2 significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After specific interference with Drp1 and synergistic intervention with HM,the survival rate of PC 12 cells in each interference group decreased compared to each drug intervention group.The expression of Drp1 and Mfn2 was downregulated,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion HM can reduce the mitochoudrial membrane potential and ATP levels by accumulating ROS,there by activating the caspase-3 apoptosis pathway and promoting cell apoptosis.Mitochondrial fusion division may be involved in the damage of PC12 cells caused by HM,initiating apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway.

Objective:This study aimed to develop a rapid and accurate integrated nucleic acid detection method tailored for the influenza virus.Methods:We designed primers and probes targeting the predominant influenza virus strains circulating in China in recent years. These were integrated with extraction and amplification reagents and a point of care testing (POCT) system to facilitate a seamless and expedited process involving nucleic acid extraction, reaction system preparation, amplification, and result interpretation for the influenza virus. The specificity of the POCT system was evaluated using cultured influenza viruses, while its cross-reactivity was assessed against common respiratory pathogens, including adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus.Results:Our study successfully developed duplex amplification primers and probes for both influenza A and B viruses, achieving a detection threshold as low as 500 copies/ml. Specificity tests confirmed that the detection reagents did not show cross-reactivity with other respiratory pathogens such as adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. The POCT-based rapid nucleic acid detection method for influenza virus was established, it is capable of completing the entire process from nucleic acid extraction to amplification and result interpretation within 50 minutes, while enabling real-time data upload.Conclusions:The POCT-based rapid influenza virus detection kit developed in this study offers a " sample in, results out" convenience, making it suitable for rapid influenza virus detection in primary care settings. This innovation has significant potential for clinical application.

Bluetongue virus is an arbovirus that seriously harms ruminants such as sheep,this study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of bluetongue virus infection and host cell interferon antiviral immune response.The study was conducted to characterize the mRNA expression of inter-feron pathway genes by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR,as well as Western blot analysis of MDA5,TRAF3,RIG-Ⅰ,and TBK1 protein expression in BHK-21 cells induced by BTV with a multiplicity of infections(MOI)of 1 for 18,24,and 36 h.The results showed that the most pro-nounced changes in the expression of interferon signaling pathway genes were observed at 24 h of induction,the gene mRNA expression levels of the IFN-α,IFN-β,RIG-Ⅰ,TBK1,MDA5,VISA,and TRAF3 genes were upregulated.However,the mRNA expression levels of IKKε and TRAF6 genes were downregulated.At the protein level,MDA5 and TBK1 proteins were upregulated while RIG-1 and TRAF3 proteins were downregulated,which showed that BTV infection induces a typeⅠ interferon immune response in BHK-21 cells.This study lays the foundation for further exploring the antiviral immunity mechanism of IFN-Ⅰ signaling pathway regulatory genes in host cells infected with BTV infection.

Objective To analyze the correlation between T lymphocyte subsets,neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR),procalcitonin(PCT)and the severity of sepsis.Methods A prospective research method was adopted.A total of 78 sepsis patients admitted to the department of intensive care medicine of Zibo Central Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected as the research subjects.Patients were divided into a septic shock group(37 cases)and a sepsis group(41 cases)based on the severity of their condition,with 40 healthy examinees from our hospital as the healthy control group.Using flow cytometry to measure the levels of CD4+ T lymphocytes count(CD4+ T)and CD8+ T lymphocytes count(CD8+ T)in three groups of subjects,calculate the CD4+ T/CD8+ T lymphocyte ratio(CD4+ T/CD8+ T)and NLR.The levels of PCT and interleukin-6(IL-6)were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay,and the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP)were measured using immunoassay turbidimetry.Acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ)score within 24 hours was recorded for the two groups of patients,and the differences in lymphocyte subsets and various inflammatory indicators were compared between the groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between various indicators and APACHEⅡscore.Results The CD4+ T,CD8+ T,and CD4+T/CD8+T levels in the septic shock and sepsis groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group[CD4+ T(×106/L):168.27±76.68,266.08±131.57 vs.789.60±173.78,CD8+ T(×106/L):156.50±68.37,205.81±75.60 vs.636.42±90.59,CD4+ T/CD8+ T:1.09±0.39,1.27±0.34 vs.1.44±0.38,all P<0.01],NLR,PCT,CRP and IL-6 were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group[NLR:25.85±11.62,15.94±8.72 vs.2.68±1.31,PCT(μg/L):21.82±15.28,9.09±4.96 vs.0.13±0.10,CRP(mg/L):158.65±62.33,106.97±51.49 vs.6.48±2.08,IL-6(ng/L):1 344.64±899.21,245.31±176.99 vs.3.25±1.83,all P<0.01].The APACHEⅡscore in the septic shock group was significantly higher than that in the sepsis group(32.00±1.00 vs.22.01±1.09,P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the levels of CD4+ T,CD8+ T,CD4+ T/CD8+ T in two groups of sepsis patients were negatively correlated with the APACHEⅡscore(r values were-0.571,-0.506,and-0.555,respectively,all P<0.01),while the levels of NLR,PCT,CRP,and IL-6 were positively correlated with the APACHEⅡscore(r values were 0.711,0.709,0.777,and 0.707,respectively,all P<0.01).Conclusions As the levels of T lymphocyte subsets decrease,inflammatory indicators like NLR and PCT rise,indicating a more severe sepsis condition.Therefore,T lymphocyte subsets and levels of various inflammatory indicators can serve as markers for evaluating the severity of sepsis.

Objective:To construct standard strains representing the main epidemic clades of HIV-1 in China, amplify the virus strains, and establish a seed lot.Methods:Six isolates of HIV-1 virus were identified and analyzed in genotype and phenotype, according to " interpretation for the social organization of the Standard strains of pathogenic microorganism- technical specifications for establishment of HIV strains". The isolates were amplified and cultivated to generate the secondary generation primary seed lot and the third generation working seed lot as frozen storage in liquid nitrogen. Results:Six HIV-1 standard strains were obtained, of which 3 strains are CRF_ 07BC (NRPC2.4.9003, NRPC2.4.9005, NRPC2.4.9006), 1 strain is CRF_ 01AE (NRPC2.4.9001), 1 strain is CRF_ 08BC (NRPC2.4.9002), and 1 strain is URF (NRPC2.4.9004). Phenotypic detection showed that all six strains are CCR5 tropics and Non syncytia inducing virus. TCID 50 were all greater than 1 × 10 5/ml, and concentrations of p24 antigen were all higher than 2 ng/ml. A primary seed lot with no less than 20 vials per strain and a working seed lot with no less than 50 vials per strain were constructed. The standard virus strains were used in evaluating antiviral drugs PEG2kC34, PEG5kC34, LP-19, and neutralizing antibody LSEVh LS-F. Conclusions:Six standard strains of HIV-1 virus covering the three main epidemic subtypes of HIV-1 in China have been obtained, and a storage of HIV-1 standard strain was constructed. It meets the need of the preservation of HIV-1 standard strains in China and provides support for drug and vaccine evaluation.

Cell pyroptosis is a programmed death of inflammatory cells. Many members of the gasdermin family （the effector protein family that forms pores） participate in the pathological process of a variety of diseases， such as cancer， myocardial ischemia， renal injury， and osteoarthritis， mainly by activating cysteine aspartate-specific protease （Caspase） for polymerization and shear. Cell pyroptosis has bidirectional regulation. Induction of pyroptosis can promote cell clearance under pathological conditions （such as cancer and tumor cells）， but long-term induction of pyroptosis can lead to abnormal lipid and related vitamin metabolism in vivo. Regulating the balance between cell pyroptosis and proliferation is an important target for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment of diseases. The Yin-Yang theory runs through the whole process of TCM diagnosis and treatment， which is used to explain the physiological and pathological changes of human body and guide the theory， diagnosis and treatment of diseases and health care. The balance between cell proliferation and pyroptosis is essentially the embodiment of Yin-Yang balance at the cellular level， and the theory of Yin-Yang spontaneous harmonization dominates the balance. TCM intervention on cell pyroptosis is mainly reflected in promoting and inhibiting cell pyroptosis， which has the same significance as Yin-Yang regulation. Based on this theory， this paper revealed the relationship between TCM inhibiting and promoting cell pyroptosis through the Yin-Yang theory， to provide theoretical support for the modernization of the Yin-Yang theory and new goals for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at rs1801516 and rs1800054 and sporadic breast cancer (SBC) in Inner Mongolia.Methods:A total of 102 patients with SBC (72 Han and 30 Mongolian) who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from January 2018 to September 2019 were prospectively collected as case group and 102 healthy women (72 Han and 30 Mongolian) during the same period as control group. 2 ml of venous blood was collected to extract DNA. According to the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Database (dbSNP), the highly polymorphic sites rs1801516 and rs1800054 of ATM gene were selected. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing were used to detect the polymorphism of the two sites, and the correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphism of the two sites and the susceptibility of SBC in Inner Mongolia was analyzed. The potential association between clinicopathological factors and ATM gene polymorphism in patients with SBC in Inner Mongolia were explored.Results:GG, GA and AA genotypes were detected in rs1801516 locus of ATM gene. Only CC genotype was detected in the rs1800054 locus of ATM gene. There was no significant difference in the distribution of genotype frequency and allele frequency between Mongolian breast cancer group and Han breast cancer group, Mongolian control group and Han control group, Mongolian breast cancer group and Mongolian control group, Han breast cancer group and Han control group (all P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that allele G was the susceptibility gene of SBC in Inner Mongolia ( OR: 1.775, 95% CI: 1.04-3.03, P=0.04). ATM rs1801516 polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer in patients with mass diameter ≤2 cm and/or without lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The polymorphism of ATM gene rs1801516 and rs1800054 may not be significantly correlated with the risk of SBC in Inner Mongolia. The rs1801516 locus may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer in patients with mass diameter ≤2 cm and/or without lymph node metastasis. Gene G may be one of the susceptible genes of SBC in Inner Mongolia.

Approximately 15% of couples suffer from infertility worldwide, and male factors contribute to about 30% of total sterility cases. However, there is little progress in treatments due to the obscured understanding of underlying mechanisms. Recently microRNAs have emerged as a key player in the process of spermatogenesis. Expression profiling of miR-181a was carried out in murine testes and spermatocyte culture system. In vitro cellular and biochemical assays were used to examine the effect of miR-181a and identify its target S6K1, as well as elucidate the function with chemical inhibitor of S6K1. Human testis samples analysis was employed to validate the findings. miR-181a level was upregulated during mouse spermatogenesis and knockdown of miR-181a attenuated the cell proliferation and G1/S arrest and increased the level of S6K1, which was identified as a downstream target of miR-181a. Overexpression of S6K1 also led to growth arrest of spermatocytes while inhibitor of S6K1 rescued the miR-181a knockdown-mediated cell proliferation defect. In human testis samples of azoospermia patients, low level of miR-181a was correlated with defects in the spermatogenic process. miR-181a is identified as a new regulator and high level of miR-181a contributes to spermatogenesis via targeting S6K1.

Approximately 15% of couples suffer from infertility worldwide, and male factors contribute to about 30% of total sterility cases. However, there is little progress in treatments due to the obscured understanding of underlying mechanisms. Recently microRNAs have emerged as a key player in the process of spermatogenesis. Expression profiling of miR-181a was carried out in murine testes and spermatocyte culture system. In vitro cellular and biochemical assays were used to examine the effect of miR-181a and identify its target S6K1, as well as elucidate the function with chemical inhibitor of S6K1. Human testis samples analysis was employed to validate the findings. miR-181a level was upregulated during mouse spermatogenesis and knockdown of miR-181a attenuated the cell proliferation and G1/S arrest and increased the level of S6K1, which was identified as a downstream target of miR-181a. Overexpression of S6K1 also led to growth arrest of spermatocytes while inhibitor of S6K1 rescued the miR-181a knockdown-mediated cell proliferation defect. In human testis samples of azoospermia patients, low level of miR-181a was correlated with defects in the spermatogenic process. miR-181a is identified as a new regulator and high level of miR-181a contributes to spermatogenesis via targeting S6K1.