Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Underlying Immunoregulation Mechanisms of Resistant Hypertension in Injection Drug Users.

Background: Hypertension is a common complication in injection drug users (IDU), especially a high proportion of resistant hypertension occurs among them. However, the involving mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Methods: We here investigated the key signaling moieties in resistant hypertension in drug users.

Characteristics of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in pregnancy and its association with pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective comparative cohort study.

Background: Disease situations are more aggressive in patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) than in those with adult-onset SLE (aSLE). However, information on pregnant women with cSLE and its association with pregnancy outcomes is limited. This study aimed to compare pregnancies in patients with cSLE vs.

[Effects of Artesunate Combined with Arsenious Acid on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Multiple Myeloma Cells via PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effect of artesunate and arsenous acid and their combination on the proliferation and apoptosis of human multiple myeloma cells and their mechanism.

Methods: Human multiple myeloma cell line RPMI 8226 cells were cultured and treated with 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 nmol/L arsenous acid and 0, 40, 80, 160, 320 μmol/L artesunate, respectively. The inhibition of cell growth was detected by CCK-8 assay.

P[8] and P[4] Rotavirus Infection Associated with Secretor Phenotypes Among Children in South China.

Rotaviruses are known to recognize human histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) as a host ligand that is believed to play an important role in rotavirus host susceptibility and host range. In this study, paired fecal and saliva samples collected from children with viral gastroenteritis, as well as paired serum and saliva samples collected from the general population in south China were studied to evaluate potential association between rotavirus infections and human HBGA phenotypes. Rotavirus was detected in 75 (28%) of 266 fecal samples and P[8] rotaviruses were found to be the predominant genotype.

An outbreak caused by GII.17 norovirus with a wide spectrum of HBGA-associated susceptibility.

During the past norovirus (NoV) epidemic season, a new GII.17 variant emerged as a predominant NoV strain, surpassed the GII.4 NoVs, causing outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in China.

Case-control study on the association between qi-stagnation and insomnia.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between insomnia and qi-stagnation by using the international standardized measurement of sleep quality and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Constitution Scales.

Methods: A survey by means of the TCM Constitution Scales, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Deep Sleep Scale (DSS) in 169 participants aged between 16 and 80 years old was conducted. Comparison was made to examine the sleep quality and insomnia symptoms in the qi-stagnation group and other-constitution group.

Molecular epidemiology of norovirus gastroenteritis in children in Jiangmen, China, 2005-2007.

Human noroviruses (NoVs) are an important cause of epidemic acute gastroenteritis. Their role in sporadic cases, however, is less clear. In this study, we performed a two-year surveillance (September 2005 to August 2007) of NoV gastroenteritis in outpatient clinics in a southern city of China, Jiangmen City.

Development of real-time and nested RT-PCR to detect astrovirus and one-year survey of astrovirus in Jiangmen City, China.

Human astroviruses (HAstVs) are one of the major viral agents of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in all age groups, especially in young children. In this study, new one-step real-time RT-PCR and nested RT-PCR assays were developed to detect HAstVs. HAstVs were identified in 46 (8.

[Psychological anxiety evaluation and analysis of graduates at a medical university under employment pressure].

Objective: To evaluate the psychological anxiety of graduates at a medical university under the ever-increasing employment pressure, so as to provide ground work for psychological intervention on college students.

Methods: Subjects were randomly drawn from the students who majored in clinical medicine, biomedical engineering, nursing and integrated Chinese and western medicine and graduated in the year of 2008 and 2009, with 25 subjects from each major each year, totaling up to 200. In March of their graduation year, they were evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA).

[Functional changes of dendritic cells after infection by recombinant retrovirus carrying human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene fragment].

Objective: To observe the functional changes of dendritic cells (DCs) after infection by recombinant retrovirus carrying human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene fragment.

Methods: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) levels in DC culture supernatant was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The abilities of DCs infected with recombinant retrovirus carrying hTERT gene (hTERT-DCs) and non-infected DCs (N-DCs) to stimulate allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation were evaluated with mixed leukocytes reaction (MLR), and the surface markers of DCs including CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR were detected by flow cytometry.

[Summary of Guangdong provincial seminar on avian influenza and influenza].

On 8th November 2005, an academic seminar on avian influenza and influenza in Guangdong Province was held by Guangdong Society of Tropical Medicine and the Epidemiology Committee of the Guangdong Preventive Medicine Society in Southern Medical University, addressing the current problems in epidemics of avian influenza. The specialists attending the conference arrived at the common consideration that at present, the avian influenza virus H5N1 has not the capacity to trigger an pandemic in human population, but scattered cases had been reported to increase the suspicions of H5N1 virus transmission between humans. Due attention should be paid to the tendency of expansion of the host range and epidemic area, and the possibility of disastrous influenza pandemic among human populations persists, for which rational consideration is called for, and the role of specialists should be fully recognized who are endeavoring to examine the possible scale of influenza occurrence and devise strategy to deal with the epidemic in Guangdong province according to the practical situation in China.

[A field trial of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray to prevent SARS and other respiratory viral infections].

Objective: To study the preventive effect of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray against SARS and other common respiratory viral infections by serum-epidemiological method.

Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind field trial study in populations with 14,391 persons from SARS prevalent cities or provinces in China during May-Jun, 2003 and Dec-Apr, 2004. Interferon alpha-2b was given twice per day, once 9 x 10(5) IU by nasal spray for 5 days.

[A field trial for evaluating the safety of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray].

Objective: To evaluate the safety of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b for nasal spray for the prevention of SARS and other upper respiratory viral infections.

Methods: Field epidemiologic evaluation was conducted, the design was randomized and had a synchronously parallel control group. In the study, the drugs were given for five days and all subjects were followed up for ten days.

Functional change of human peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells after recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2-mediated HBsAg gene infection.

Objective: To observe the changes in the functions of human peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) after hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) gene infection mediated by recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (rAAV).

Methods: The levels of both interleukin (IL)-12 in the supernatant of in vitro cultured DCs infected with rAAV-HbsAg and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in the supernatant of the lymphocyte populations co-cultured with DCs were determined by ELISA. The functions of the rAAV-HbsAg-infected DCs were assessed by mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR), and the changes of the surface markers (including CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR) in response to the infection were detected by flow cytometry.

[Construction of recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying hepatitis B surface antigen gene and preliminary study of the gene expression and function].

Objective: To construct recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) carrying hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) gene and study the function of the expressed HBsAg.

Methods: HBsAg gene (subtype ayw) was amplified from PTHBV-1 by PCR and cloned into the adeno-associated virus vector pSNAV to form the recombinant pSNAV-HBsAg, which was transfected into BHK-21 cells by means of lipofectamine. Using G418 selection, a mixed cell line, BHK-HBsAg, was isolated, which was capable of HBsAg expression and was subsequently infected with HSV-1-HSV1-rc/Delta UL2 that was able to package the rAAV.