Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis,asthma as the first symptom,and subsequent Loeffler endocarditis:A case report

BACKGROUND Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis(EGPA),formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome,is a rare form of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodyassociated vasculitis characterized by asthma,vasculitis,and eosinophilia.CASE SUMMARY We report an atypical case of EGPA in a 20-year-old female patient.Unlike previously reported cases of EGPA,this patient’s initial symptom was asthma associated with a respiratory infection.This was followed by Loeffler endocarditis and cardiac insufficiency.She received treatment with methylprednisolone sodium succinate,low molecular weight heparin,recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide,furosemide,cefoperazone sodium/sulbactam sodium,and acyclovir.Despite prophylactic anticoagulation,she developed a large right ventricular thrombus.EGPA diagnosis was confirmed based on ancillary test results and specialty consultations.Subsequent treatment included mycophenolate mofetil.Her overall condition improved significantly after treatment,as evidenced by decreased peripheral blood eosinophils and cardiac markers.She was discharged after 17 d.Her most recent follow-up showed normal peripheral blood eosinophil levels,restored cardiac function,and a reduced cardiac mural thrombus size.CONCLUSION This case illustrates the swift progression of EGPA and underscores the significance of early detection and immediate intervention to ensure a favorable prognosis.

The structural characteristics of precipitation in Asian-Pacific's three monsoon regions measured by tropical rainfall measurement mission

The three-dimensional structure of precipitation on a seasonal scale in the Asian-Pacific＇s three monsoon regions is investigated based on the tropical rainfall measurement mission （TRMM） data. The results show that： （1） The maximum seasonal variation of the relative proportional difference of convective precipitation and stratiform rain occurs in the East Asian monsoon region, the second occurs in the Indian monsoon region, and the minimum is in the northwest Pacific monsoon region. In both the northwest Pacific mon soon region and the Indian monsoon region, the convective rain is proportionately larger than stratiform rain in all four seasons. （2） Cloud ice reaches its maximum at around 9 km. Cloud water＇s maximum range is between 3 and 4 km. The large value area of precipitation ice is mainly between 4 and 9 km. The precipi tation water particle is concentrated mostly below 4 km. The largest content is from the ground to 2 km. （3） The most remarkable variance of the content of cloud ice in the Indian monsoon region occurs from spring to winter, and the content of cloud water in the northwest Pacific is always higher than that in the other two regions. （4） The latent heat profile has a similar double-peak structure. The first peak is at 4 km and the second peak is at 2 km. In autumn and winter, the latent heat is higher in the northwest Pacific than in other two regions. In all three regions, the release of the latent heat is higher in summer and autumn than in spring and winter.

Safety and Efficacy of Circumcision Stapler in the Treatment for Children with Phimosis and Redundant Prepuce

Objective: To observe the clinical effect and safety of circumcision stapler in children with phimosis and redundant prepuce. Methods: From July 2013 to July 2017, 40 children were prospectively randomized and assigned to experiment group (circumcision stapler n = 20) or control group (conventional circumcision, n = 20). Outcomes were operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications. Results: There was significant difference between the two groups for operation time (5.35 min vs 30.30 min, P < 0.05) and intraoperative blood loss (2.56 ml vs 10.40 ml, P < 0.05) respectively. Conclusion: Circumcision staplers are superior to conventional circumcision for the advantages of shorter operation time and fewer blood losses.

Domain Ⅲ of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Envelope: Expression at High Levels in Escherichia coli and Competitive Inhibition of Virus Entry

Obejective The domainⅢof dengue virus type 2 envelope was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and the inhibited effects of recombinant protein on virus was detected. Methods In this study, the domainⅢ(DⅢ) protein of the dengue virus type-2 (DENV-2) envelope (E) antigen was expressed in Escherichia coli by fusion with a carrier protein. The protein was puriifed using enzymatic cleavage and afifnity puriifcation. Rabbit immunization and antibody detection was carried out. Inhibition of DENV-2 infection was observed by DENV-2 EDⅢprotein and its immunity rabbits serum. Results The recombinant expression DENV-2 EDⅢ protein plasmid was constructed successfully. After isopropyl thiogalactoside induction, a speciifc soluble 29 kD protein was obtained, and the expression product accounted for 68.87%of the total protein of the cell lysate. Western blot demonstrated the reactivity of the recombinant protein with his-tag and DENV (Ⅰ-Ⅳ) monoclonal antibodies. The protein was puriifed using enzymatic cleavage and affinity purification. The purified recombinant EDⅢ protein inhibited the entry of DENV-2 into BHK-21 cells. DENV-2 plaque neutralization assays were carried out using serially diluted antibodies against EDⅢprotein. At a 1︰16 dilution, the antibodies produced at least 90%neutralization of the DENV-2 virus. Furthermore, the antibodies continued to exhibit high neutralization effects (approximately 80%) until the anti-EDⅢantibody titer reached 1︰1 024. Conclusions DENV-2 EDⅢwas cloned and expressed successfully. DENV-2 EDⅢprotein could be useful in the development of inexpensive dengue vaccine. The data also suggested that DENV-2 employed an attachment molecule or receptor for its entry into C6/36 mosquito cells.

A Research on the Application of the“Internet Plus Swimming”Teaching Mode in Universities

This study focuses on the reform and development of physical education in colleges and universities in the post-epidemic era,beginning from the design of an innovative“Internet Plus Swimming”teaching mode to enhance the quality of swimming lessons in colleges and universities,and subsequently applying it to the teaching of technical movements in swimming,so as to promote the teaching reform of swimming lessons in colleges and universities,as well as improve the teaching quality.This study showed that the students in the experimental group were better than those in the control group in four aspects:theoretical knowledge of swimming,speed,technique,and students’independent learning ability.It can be concluded that it is both,effective and feasible to integrate multimedia learning resources,using digital information technology and network mobile devices,to construct the“Internet Plus Swimming”teaching mode and apply it to general swimming courses in colleges and universities in the post-epidemic era.

Traditional Chinese Medicine etiology and pathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected Chinese rhesus macaques

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) etiology and pathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS) by 18-month observation of Chinese rhesus macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus(SIV) mac 239.METHODS:Thirty-five healthy Chinese rhesus macaques were divided into a model group(n=30) and a control group(n=5).The model was established by inoculating monkeys intravenously with SIVmac 239.Changes in TCM symptoms after SIV infection within 18 months were then observed and recorded.Routine blood tests,SIV viral load,T-lymphocyte subsets,plasma triiodothyronine(T3),tetraiodothyronine(T4),adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) and cortisol(Cor) were tested periodically during the experiment.RESULTS:During the acute infection period of SIV,model monkeys temporarily showed clinical symptoms such as diarrhea,dysphoria and slight weight loss.Decrease percentages of CD4+ T-lymphocytes were observed but levels of T3,T4,Cor,and ACTH were relatively unchanged.Monkeys in the model group during the early and middle periods of infection showed no obvious symptoms,except few monkeys exhibited transient diarrhea and reduced food intake.All variables at this stage showed normal fluctuations.In the middle period model group monkeys showed chronic and persistent diarrhea,weight loss,reduced food intake and low levels of T3 and Cor.In the late period,symptoms including emaciation,weight loss,listlessness,crouching in corners and low levels of T3 appeared.CONCLUSION:The results suggest that the rhesus monkey SIV/SAIDS model can be applied to research on TCM etiology and pathogenesis of AIDS.According to this model,the etiology of disease is the SIV virus.The pathogenesis manifests as the invasion of SIV virus,incubation of the virus,balance between virus and healthy "Qi",damage to spleen and kidney as the disease progressed,exhaustion of vitality and finally the failure of five zang and six fu organs.

Polydopamine-modified collagen sponge scaffold as a novel dermal regeneration template with sustained release of platelet-rich plasma to accelerate skin repair:A one-step strategy

Although employed to release growth factors(GFs)for regenerative medicine,platelet-rich plasma(PRP)has been hindered by issues like burst effect.Based on collagen sponge scaffolds(CSSs)modified with polydopamine(pDA),a novel dermal regeneration template(DRT)was designed.However,whether it could efficiently deliver PRP and even foster wound healing remained unclear.In this work,after PRP was prepared and pDA-modified CSSs(pDA-CSSs)were fabricated,microscopic observation,GFs release assay and in-vitro biological evaluations of pDA-CSSs with PRP(pDA-CSS@PRP)were performed,followed by BALA-C/nu mice full-thickness skin defects implanted with pDA-CSS@PRP covered by grafted skins(termed as a One-step strategy).As a result,scanning electron microscope demonstrated more immobilized platelets on pDA-CSS′surface with GFs’controlled release via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,compared with CSSs.In line with enhanced in-vitro proliferation,adhesion and migration of keratinocytes&endothelial cells,pDA-CSS@PRP were histologically revealed to accelerate wound healing with less scar via rapid angiogenesis,arrangement of more mature collagen,guiding cells to spread,etc.In conclusion,pDA-CSSs have potential to serve as a novel DRT capable of delivering PRP,which may foster full-thickness skin defect healing by means of a One-step strategy.

Senescence in chronic wounds and potential targeted therapies

Chronic wounds(e.g.diabetic wounds,pressure wounds,vascular ulcers,etc.)do not usually heal in a timely and orderly manner but rather last for years and may lead to irreversible adverse events,resulting in a substantial financial burden for patients and society.Recently,a large amount of evidence has proven that cellular senescence has a crucial influence on chronic nonhealing wounds.As a defensive mechanism,cell senescence is a manner of cell-cycle arrest with increased secretory phenotype to resist death,preventing cells from stress-induced damage in cancer and noncancer diseases.A growing amount of research has advanced the perception of cell senescence in various chronic wounds and focuses on pathological and physiological processes and therapies targeting senescent cells.However,previous reviews have failed to sum up novel understandings of senescence in chronic wounds and emerging strategies targeting senescence.Herein,we discuss the characteristics and mechanisms of cellular senescence and the link between senescence and chronic wounds as well as some novel antisenescence strategies targeting other diseases that may be applied for chronic wounds.

不同促透剂用于隔药饼灸对高脂血症兔肝脏脂质及HSL和HMG-CoA还原酶的影响

目的:探讨冰片和氮酮作为促透剂用于隔药饼灸对高脂血症兔肝脏脂质及激素敏感脂肪酶(HSL)和羟甲基戊二酰辅酶A(HMG-CoA)还原酶的影响.方法:将40只新西兰兔按随机数字表法随机分成5组,每组8只.空白组正常喂养普通饲料;其余组高脂饲料喂养12周,复制高脂模型.空白组和模型组不治疗.无促透剂组成模后采用不加促透剂的药饼施灸;氮酮组和冰片组分别将氮酮和冰片加于药饼中,进行隔药饼灸.治疗4周后,分离血清,酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测HSL和HMG-CoA还原酶.取肝组织采用酶法测定总胆固醇(TC)和甘油三酯(TG),直接一步法测定高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C),透射比浊法测定载脂蛋白A1(Apo-A1)及载脂蛋白B(Apo-B).结果:氮酮组和冰片组血清药物浓度显著高于无促透剂组(均P<0.05);除丹参酮ⅡA外,冰片组其他药物渗透量均显著高于氮酮组(均P<0.05).氮酮组和冰片组HSL显著高于无促透剂组,HMG-CoA还原酶显著低于无促透剂组(均P<0.05);冰片组HSL显著高于氮酮组(P<0.05).模型组兔肝脏LDL-C、TG、TC和Apo-B含量显著高于空白组(P<0.05);无促透剂组、氮酮组和冰片组LDL-C、TG、TC及Apo-B含量显著低于模型组(均P<0.05),氮酮组TG和TC显著低于无促透剂组(均P<0.05),冰片组LDL-C、TG、TC和Apo-B显著低于无促透剂组(均P<0.05);冰片组TG、LDL-C和Apo-B显著低于氮酮组(均P<0.05);模型组HDL-C和Apo-A1显著低于空白组(均P<0.05),无促透剂组、氮酮组和冰片组HDL-C及Apo-A1显著高于模型组(均P<0.05),氮酮组Apo-A1、冰片组HDL-C及Apo-A1均显著高于无促透剂组(均P<0.05).结论:氮酮和冰片作为促透剂用于隔药饼灸,能促进药饼中药物吸收,降低肝脏TC、TG、LDL-C和Apo-B含量,提高HDL-C和Apo-A1含量,改善HSL和HMG-CoA还原酶的代谢;冰片效果略优于或相当于氮酮.

Effects of Danqidihuang Granules on glucolipid metabolism in insulin-resistant rats

OBJECTIVE:To explore whether the insulin resistance(IR) model could be established through feeding Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats high-sugar and high-fat diets and to further observe the preventive and treatment effects of different doses of Danqidihuang Granules in rats.METHODS:Thirty-two SD rats were divided randomly into control group A(given regular feed),model group B(food high in sugar and fat),intervention group C(food high in sugar and fat as well as regular doses of Danqidihuang Granules),and intervention group D(food high in sugar and fat as well as double doses of Danqidihuang Granules).The interventions were for 8 weeks.Motion,change in color,body weight,and food intake,as well as plasma lipids(including low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C),total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride(TG),fasting blood glucose(FBG),fasting insulin(FINs) levels,insulin sensitivity index(ISI),and insulin resistance index(HOMO-IR) were observed.RESULTS:At the end of the second week of the experiment,the appetite and activities of rats in groups B,C and D decreased significantly compared with group A.The fur of the rats in those three groups was curly.After the fourth week,the activities,food intake and color of rats in group B were worse than those in groups C and D,but there were no significant differences in weight(P>0.05).Compared with group A,LDL-C,TC,FBG and HOMO-IR in model group B were increased significantly(P<0.05),whereas the FINs and ISI increased obviously(P<0.05).The levels of LDL-C and TC in group D was decreased obviously compared with those in group C,and HOMO-IR in group D was less than that in group B(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Danqidihuang Granules helped to prevent and improved the insulin resistance of rats.

Bilateral asymmetric tonic seizure in insuloopercular epilepsy:an anatomo-electroclinical study

Background:Insulo-opercular seizures are highly heterogeneous in seizure semiology and electrical features.Bilateral asymmetric limb posturing,as a classical pattern of supplementary sensorimotor area(SMA)seizure,also occurs in insulo-opercular epilepsy.This study was aimed to study the anatomo-electro-clinical correlations in bilateral asymmetric tonic seizures(BATS),in order to advance the understanding of insulo-opercular epilepsy.Methods:Eight patients with insulo-opercular epilepsy as confirmed by stereoelectroencephalography(SEEG)and manifesting BATS as the major ictal motor sign,in Guangdong Sanjiu Brain Hospital Epilepsy Center from 2014 to 2018,were employed in this study.The BATS of the patients were evaluated,and the semiologic features and concomitant intracerebral EEG changes were quantified.Then the variables were examined with Cluster Analysis,and the semiologic features were correlated with anatomic localization using the Kendall correlation test.Results:Of the 8 patients,the most frequent initial motor sign was bilateral asymmetric tonic posturing(62.5%).Facial tonic-clonic sign also had a high prevalence in the evolution of seizures(87.5%).The results of Cluster Analysis showed that the semiologic features were subdivided into two main groups,one group comprising exclusively BATS and the other including signs of focal tonic seizure,aura,focal limb tonic-clonic seizure(TCS),facial TCS,hypermotor behavior,eye movement,autonomic changes and generalized TCS.The BATS was strongly associated with the posterior long gyrus(PLG)of insula(t=0.732)and parietal operculum(t=1.000);the hypermotor behaviors were associated with the anterior long gyrus(ALG)(t=0.770);and the autonomic changes were associated with the anterior limiting sulcus(ALS)(t=0.734)and middle short gyrus(MSG)(t=0.700).Conclusions:The seizure semiology of insulo-opercular epilepsy is characterized,in temporal order,by BATS,with or without simultaneous hypermotor behaviors,and frequently ends up with facial tonic-clonic signs,which is different from that of the SMA seizure.The early spread network involving the posterior insular lobe and parietal operculum may contribute to this pattern of manifestation.

Isothermal detection of RNA transcription levels using graphene oxide-based SYBR Green I fluorescence platform

An isothermal graphene oxide （GO）-based SYBR Green I fluorescence platform for sensitive detection of RNA transcription levels is proposed. Briefly, a synthesized T7 DNA template was transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase, to produce many copies of single-stranded （ss） RNA transcripts. The ssRNA transcripts were then hybridized with a label-free ssDNA probe which alone will be adsorbed on the GO surface. The resultant double-stranded （ds） RNA：DNA hybrids were incubated with GO and SYBR Green 1. Then the hybrid binding with SYBR Green I emits enhanced fluorescence for detection. Experimental results show that the detection limit of the method is 0.5 pmol]L of T7 DNA template. A calibration curve with a linearity range of 0.5 pmol[L to 5 nmol/L is established, thus, making quantitative analysis feasible. The method may become a powerful tool for RNA transcription detection due to its sensitivity, rapidity and convenience.