Isolation, characterization, and circulation sphere of a filovirus in fruit bats.

Bats are associated with the circulation of most mammalian filoviruses (FiVs), with pathogenic ones frequently causing deadly hemorrhagic fevers in Africa. Divergent FiVs have been uncovered in Chinese bats, raising concerns about their threat to public health. Here, we describe a long-term surveillance to track bat FiVs at orchards, eventually resulting in the identification and isolation of a FiV, Dehong virus (DEHV), from bats.

Perceived Control, Control Strategies, and Subjective Well-being in the Elderly: A Longitudinal Study of Health Behavior.

We analyzed the directional effect of perceived control and control strategies on subjective well-being in middle-aged and elderly people with historical data, and to provide data support for the intervention of well-being in the later years of the elderly group, so as to help them age successfully. Using data from the CLHLS between 2005 and 2014, we collected demographic and social data of the same elderly population over the decade. We also gathered information on changes in well-being, perceived control, and the use of control strategies.

Immunological characteristics of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells after hepatogenic differentiation.

Background: Acute liver failure is one of the most intractable clinical problems. The use of bioartificial livers may solve donor shortage problems. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) are an excellent seed cell choice for artificial livers because they change their characteristics to resemble hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) following artificial liver transplantation.

Emergent chikungunya fever and vertical transmission in Yunnan Province, China, 2019.

During the dengue epidemic in Yunnan Province, China, during 2019, a concurrent outbreak of chikungunya occurred in the city of Ruili, which is located in the southwest of the province, adjacent to Myanmar. As part of this outbreak, three neonatal cases of infection with indigenous chikungunya virus from mother-to-child (vertical) transmission were observed. Isolates of chikungunya virus were obtained from 37 serum samples of patients with chikungunya during this outbreak, and a phylogenetic analysis of these isolates revealed that they belong to the Indian Ocean subclade of the East/Central/South African genotype.

Transcriptome-wide stability analysis uncovers LARP4-mediated NFκB1 mRNA stabilization during T cell activation.

T cell activation is a well-established model for studying cellular responses to exogenous stimulation. Motivated by our previous finding that intron retention (IR) could lead to transcript instability, in this study, we performed BruChase-Seq to experimentally monitor the expression dynamics of nascent transcripts in resting and activated CD4+ T cells. Computational modeling was then applied to quantify the stability of spliced and intron-retained transcripts on a genome-wide scale.

Underwater Target Localization and Synchronization for a Distributed SIMO Sonar with an Isogradient SSP and Uncertainties in Receiver Locations.

A distributed single-input multiple-output (SIMO) sonar system is composed of a sound source and multiple underwater receivers. It provides an important framework for underwater target localization. However, underwater hostile environments bring more challenges for underwater target localization than terrestrial target localization, such as the difficulties of synchronizing all the underwater receiver clocks, the varying underwater sound speed and the uncertainties of the locations of the underwater receivers.

Non-small cell lung cancer harboring a rare EGFR L747P mutation showing intrinsic resistance to both gefitinib and osimertinib (AZD9291): A case report.

The most common EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer are exon 19 deletions and exon 21 point mutations, which are both sensitive to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, rare EGFR mutations do exist and how these mutations respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors is not well understood. A Chinese woman diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma harbored a rare EGFR L747P (2239-2240 TT > CC) mutation, and treatment with gefitinib and osimertinib failed to achieve the desired effect.

Monitoring the efficacy of infant hepatitis B vaccination and revaccination in 0- to 8-year-old children: Protective anti-HBs levels and cellular immune responses.

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of infant hepatitis B vaccination and revaccination in 0- to 8-year-old children in the context of protective anti-HBs levels and cellular immune responses. Using a random questionnaire survey, 1695 pre-school children were recruited as research subjects during January 2015 to June 2017.

Comparative Evaluation of Three Preprocessing Methods for Extraction and Detection of Influenza A Virus Nucleic Acids from Sputum.

Viscous sputum specimens usually cannot undergo automated extraction, and thus, a pre-homogenization process is desirable before isolating nucleic acids for real-time reverse transcription PCR. In this study, we compared three preprocessing methods [preprocessing with normal saline (NS), dithiothreitol (DTT), and proteinase K (PK)] of sputum specimens on the extraction and detection of influenza A virus (IAV) nucleic acids. Based on the experimental results of 217 specimens, we found that DTT and PK could be used to improve the homogenization effects of sputum and increase the positive rates by 5.

Prevalence and genetic diversity of human diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolates by multilocus sequence typing.

Background: The population structure of human diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) isolates derived from worldwide collections remains undefined.

Methods: A total of 1196 clinical isolates were obtained from a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) database. Genetic diversity analysis, MLST analysis, and phylogenetic analysis combined with different pathotypes were performed through a variety of calculation software applications.

Benefit of Early Initiation of Neuraminidase Inhibitor Treatment to Hospitalized Patients With Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus.

Background: The significance of early neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI) therapy for treating influenza A(H7N9) is currently unknown.

Methods: The duration of viral shedding was monitored by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction after patients with confirmed H7N9 infection were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, during April 2013-April 2017. Indices such as the length of hospitalization and mortality were collected, and the correlation between the time of administration of NAI and the severity of disease was systematically analyzed.

Overexpression of SATB1 Gene Inhibits the Immunosuppressive Function of Regulatory T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) is a class of nuclear matrix binding protein expressed by T cells and plays an important role in regulatory T cells (Tregs) mediated immune regulation. The immunosuppressive function of Tregs in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) being inhibited by SATB1 has been shown in our previous studies. The objective of this study was to learn the impact of SATB1 on the cellular immune function of CHB.

Surgery-induced monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells expand regulatory T cells in lung cancer.

While monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) have been reported to induce the development of regulatory T cells (Treg), little is known about their correlation with Treg during perioperative period. Here, we demonstrated that the M-MDSCs expressing CD11b+CD33+HLA-DR-CD14+ in lung cancer patients after thoractomy significantly increased in comparison with preoperation, and their accumulation linearly correlated with an increase in Treg. Surgery-induced M-MDSCs, in addition to have high arginase activity, were more efficient in suppressing T-cell proliferation.

Increasing LAG-3 expression suppresses T-cell function in chronic hepatitis B: A balance between immunity strength and liver injury extent.

Weak or absent virus-specific CD8 T-cell responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are thought to be responsible for persistent HBV infection. Previous studies have indicated that multiple inhibitory receptors, including lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), can suppress the CD8 T-cell response in chronic viral infection. This study aimed to detect LAG-3 expression and to investigate the manner in which the immune response is regulated to balance the strength of the response with the extent of liver injury in chronic HBV infection.

Laboratory diagnosis and genetic analysis of a family clustering outbreak of aseptic meningitis due to echovirus 30.

Echovirus 30 (E30) is a major pathogen associated with aseptic meningitis. In the summer of 2014, a family clustering aseptic meningitis outbreak occurred in urban-rural fringe of Ningbo city in Zhejiang Province in China. To identify the etiologic agent, specimens were tested by cell culture and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Enteropathogens in children less than 5 years of age with acute diarrhea: a 5-year surveillance study in the Southeast Coast of China.

Background: Diarrhea is the second most common cause of death among children less than 5 years of age worldwide. The etiological agents of diarrhea in the southeast coastal area of China were studied from July 2009 to December 2014.

Methods: A total of the 2318 patients were enrolled in this study and examined for the presence of viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

The influence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells on angiogenesis and tumor growth after cancer surgery.

While myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been reported to participate in the promotion of angiogenesis and tumor growth, little is known about their presence and function during perioperative period. Here, we demonstrated that human MDSCs expressing CD11b(+), CD33(+) and HLA-DR(-) significantly increased in lung cancer patients after thoracotomy. CD11b(+) CD33(+) HLA-DR(-) MDSCs isolated 24 hr after surgery from lung cancer patients were more efficient in promoting angiogenesis and tumor growth than MDSCs isolated before surgical operation in allograft tumor model.

IL-35 inhibits HBV antigen-specific IFN-γ-producing CTLs in vitro.

Interleukin (IL)-35 is an inhibitory cytokine consisting of IL-12A and Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (Ebi3) and is required by regulatory T-cells (Tregs) for maximal activity. During chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, Tregs have immunosuppressive effects on HBV-specific T helper (Th) cells, yet little is known about the complex regulation of Tregs and their contribution to the inadequate immune system response to the virus. In the present study, we investigated whether IL-35 is involved in HBV-related cellular immune responses.

Functional variants regulating LGALS1 (Galectin 1) expression affect human susceptibility to influenza A(H7N9).

The fatality of avian influenza A(H7N9) infection in humans was over 30%. To identify human genetic susceptibility to A(H7N9) infection, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 102 A(H7N9) patients and 106 heavily-exposed healthy poultry workers, a sample size critically restricted by the small number of human A(H7N9) cases. To tackle the stringent significance cutoff of GWAS, we utilized an artificial imputation program SnipSnip to improve the association signals.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells suppress ascitogenous hepatoma progression in BALB/c mouse through reducing myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) can be mobilized from bone marrow (BM) into blood stream and home in tumor stroma, where they either help or hinder tumor growth. The issue of whether BMSCs could affect MDSCs in ascitogenous hepatoma BALB/c mice, thus influencing their functional activity, remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that after transfusion into ascitogenous hepatoma BALB/c mice, the homing fraction of BMSCs in BM was 2%-5% in 24-72 h and the percentage of Gr-1+CD11b+ MDSCs was downregulated in peripheral blood (PB) and BM.

Characterization of a novel orthoreovirus isolated from fruit bat, China.

Background: In recent years novel human respiratory disease agents have been described for Southeast Asia and Australia. The causative pathogens were classified as pteropine orthoreoviruses with a strong phylogenetic relationship to orthoreoviruses of bat origin.

Results: In this report, we isolated a novel Melaka-like reovirus (named "Cangyuan virus") from intestinal content samples of one fruit bat residing in China's Yunnan province.

Inhibition of SATB1 expression in regulatory T cells contributes to hepatitis B virus-related chronic liver inflammation.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) may be a key component of this process. In the present study, Tregs and conventional T cells (Tconvs) were isolated by magnetic cell sorting of peripheral blood from CHB patients (n=57), individuals with resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections (n=15), and healthy controls (n=29).