盐城地区未成年过敏性疾病患者吸入性过敏原IgE检测结果分析

摘要 目的：通过研究分析盐城地区未成年过敏性疾病患者吸入性过敏原特异性IgE检测结果分布变化特点,为过敏性疾病预防和临床诊疗提供科学依据。方法：自2020年1月至2021年3月期间,选择430例未成年(<18岁)过敏性疾病患者,血清检测方法采用欧蒙公司生产的过敏原特异性IgE检测试剂盒。结果：430例患者中,血清过敏原IgE阳性166例(38.60%),其中尘螨和屋尘是主要的吸入性过敏原。血清IgE阳性率男性39%,女性36% (P>0.05),中学组女性阳性率（61.11 %）高于男性（45.83 %）（P<0.05）。不同年龄组间IgE阳性率有统计学差异（P<0.05）,蟑螂、尘螨、霉菌、豚草、屋尘和年龄组间有统计学差异（P<0.05）。不同临床症状与IgE阳性率有统计学差异(P<0.05),其中呼吸道过敏症状组IgE阳性率最高（48.30 %）,不同症状组间主要过敏原都是尘螨。屋尘阳性患者均合并尘螨阳性,其中70.93 %的患者表现出了呼吸道过敏症状。结论：尘螨、屋尘是盐城地区未成年过敏性疾病患者最主要的吸入性过敏原,研究血清过敏原分布,对未成年人过敏性疾病的预防、诊疗具有重要意义。     

Innate lymphoid cells and gastrointestinal disease

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a group of innate immune cells, which constitute the first line of defense in the immune system, together with skin and mucous membrane. ILCs also play an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the body, particularly in the complex and diverse environment of the intestine. ILCs respond to different microenvironments, maintaining homeostasis directly or indirectly through cytokines. As a result, ILCs, with complex and pleiotropic characteristics, are associated with many gastrointestinal diseases. Their ability of transition among those subgroups makes them function as both promoting and inhibiting cells, thus affecting homeostasis and disease progressing to either alleviation or deterioration. With these special characteristics, ILCs theoretically can be used in the new generation of immunotherapy as an alternative and supplement to current tumor therapy. Our review summarizes the characteristics of ILCs with respect to category, function, and the relationship with intestinal homeostasis and gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, potential tumor immunotherapies involving ILCs are also discussed to shed light on the perspectives of immunotherapy.     

Knowledge and attitudes regarding genetic testing among Jordanians: An approach towards genomic medicine

BackgroundThe twenty first century can be called the genomic era referring to the rapid development of genetics, and the beginning of genomic medicine. An initial step towards genomic medicine is to evaluate the knowledge and attitude towards genetic testing among different populations. The aims of this study were to assess the genetic knowledge and attitude towards genetic testing among the Jordanian population and patients with immune diseases. In addition, we evaluated the association between knowledge, attitude and several demographic factors of the population.MethodsThis study was performed using an online questionnaire that was distributed to respondents from different regions of Jordan.ResultsA total of 1149 participants were recruited from the Jordanian population. Overall factual genetic knowledge of the participants was good (65.4%), with education level, working or studying in a health-related field and household average monthly income being significant predictors of factual knowledge scores (P = 0.03, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, factual knowledge results revealed that scores of questions related to diseases were significantly higher than scores of gene-related scientific facts (P < 0.01). Participants of our study reported to have low perceived knowledge on medical uses (39.5%) and social consequences (23.9%) of genetic testing. Regarding the participants’ attitudes, favorable attitudes towards genetic testing were prevailing (91.5%). Favorable attitudes were more prominent among higher educated participants, and participants with higher scores of factual knowledge.ConclusionDespite the fact that our Jordanian-based study revealed a good level of genetic knowledge as well as a favorable attitude towards genetic testing, we realized an imbalance of knowledge between gene-related scientific facts and disease-related concepts as well as between factual and perceived genetic knowledge, which indicates the necessity of increasing the awareness about genetic testing in order to ensure that individuals can take informed decisions that help in the employment of personalized medicine.     

Noncommunicable disease outcomes and the effects of vertical and horizontal health aid

Foreign health aid forms a substantial portion of health spending in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It can be either vertical (funds earmarked for specific diseases) or horizontal (funds used for broad health sector strengthening). Historically, most health aid has been disbursed vertically toward key infectious diseases, with minimal allocations to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). High NCD burden in LMICs underscores a need for increased assistance toward NCD objectives, but evidence on the outcomes of health aid for NCDs is sparse. We obtained annual data on cause-specific deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for four leading NCDs across 116 countries, 2000–2016, and evaluated the relationship between these indicators and vertical and horizontal health aid using country fixed-effects models with 1-to-5-year lagged effects. After adjusting for fixed and time-variant country heterogeneity, vertical assistance for NCDs was significantly associated with subsequent reductions in NCD morbidity and mortality, particularly for persons under age 70 and for cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases. An additional dollar in per-capita NCD vertical assistance corresponded to reductions in the average annual NCD burden of 7,459 DALYs/281 deaths after one year, 7,728 DALYs/319 deaths after two years, and 8,957 DALYs/346 deaths after three years. The findings suggest that vertical assistance for NCD programs may be an appropriate mechanism for addressing short-term NCD needs in LMICs, where it may help to fill health sector gaps in NCD care, but longer-term evaluation is needed for assessing the role of horizontal assistance.     

传粉昆虫下降背景下的授粉生态弹性: 内涵、机制和展望

全球传粉昆虫多样性正在下降, 如何保障农林生态系统传粉功能是当前研究的热点。理论上说, 传粉功能不仅与生态系统的传粉昆虫多样性相关, 还与生态系统的调节能力有关。近年来, 学者们逐渐认识到授粉生态弹性对传粉功能的影响。本文在回顾已有研究的基础之上, 总结传粉昆虫授粉生态弹性的内涵, 厘清授粉生态弹性与工程弹性、稳定性和抗性的异同。目前, 学者对授粉生态弹性形成机制开展广泛探讨, 提出功能冗余假说、密度补偿假说、响应多样性假说、连接周转假说和跨尺度弹性假说, 但这5个假说间的关系仍不清楚, 存在一词多义、词意混淆等现象。我们依次阐述功能冗余假说、密度补偿假说、响应多样性假说、连接周转假说和跨尺度弹性假说, 介绍不同假说中授粉生态弹性形成过程、研究热点和发展动态。通过解析授粉生态弹性的形成机制可知, 5个假说在内涵上存在紧密联系, 它们从不同空间尺度和研究对象下解释传粉昆虫授粉生态弹性的形成机制。未来授粉生态弹性研究将整合传粉昆虫群落动态和传粉功能动态的量化方法, 通过实验验证5个假说的合理性, 并揭示不同假说间的联系, 由此阐明授粉生态弹性的发生条件、形成阈值和动态规律。随着研究的深入, 授粉生态弹性理论有望用于指导农林生态系统传粉功能的经营管理。     

Research and effectiveness of anti-viral drugs against COVID-19; global public intervention to prevent coronavirus and to improve human health

Since the first case report on COVID-19, its transmission took place rapidly across the globe. Currently, it is reported to be spread into a total of 216 countries and territories. The suppression on industrial and gasoline burning activities accompanied after COVID-19 lock down favorably boosted the nature to restore its deteriorated sections such as in air with the improved Air quality index and in water bodies with the natural tone of purity. Increased use of anti-viral drugs along with herbal therapies has been observed at mass scale as global intervention to prevent the disease. The use of personal protective equipment and disinfection strategies for the control of pandemic has dramatically increased the pollution of plastic and medical waste. This article aims to forecast and highlight the evidence-based impact/changes (+ive and -ive) of coronavirus on the environment, global interventions to prevent the disease along with the levels of effectiveness of personal used protective equipment to stop the spread of coronavirus.     

A protective effect of curcumin on cardiovascular oxidative stress indicators in systemic inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats

ObjectiveInflammation has been considered as an important factor in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Curcumin has been well known for its anti-inflammatory effects. In current research, protective effect of curcumin on cardiovascular oxidative stress indicators in systemic inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated in rats.Material and methodsThe animals were divided into five groups and received the treatments during two weeks [1]: Control in which vehicle was administered instead of curcumin and saline was injected instead of LPS [2], LPS group in which vehicle of curcumin plus LPS (1 mg/kg) was administered [3-5], curcumin groups in them three doses of curcumin (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg) before LPS were administered.ResultsAdministration of LPS was followed by an inflammation status presented by an increased level of white blood cells (WBC) (p < 0.001). An oxidative stress status was also occurred after LPS injection which was presented by an increased level of malondialdehyde (MDA) while, a decrease in thiols, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase(CAT) in all heart, aorta and serum (p < 0.001). The results also showed that curcumin decreased WBC (doses: 10 and 15 mg/kg) (p < 0.001) accompanying with a decrease in MDA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). Curcumin also improved the thiols and the activities of SOD and catalase (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001).ConclusionBased on our findings, curcumin can ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammation induced by LPS in rats to protect the cardiovascular system.     

A finite element model of stress-mediated vascular adaptation: application to abdominal aortic aneurysms

Despite rapid expansion of our knowledge of vascular adaptation, developing patient-specific models of diseased arteries is still an open problem. In this study, we extend existing finite element models of stress-mediated growth and remodelling of arteries to incorporate a medical image-based geometry of a healthy aorta and, then, simulate abdominal aortic aneurysm. Degradation of elastin initiates a local dilatation of the aorta while stress-mediated turnover of collagen and smooth muscle compensates the loss of elastin. Stress distributions and expansion rates during the aneurysm growth are studied for multiple spatial distribution functions of elastin degradation and kinetic parameters. Temporal variations of the degradation function are also investigated with either direct time-dependent degradation or stretch-induced degradation as possible biochemical and biomechanical mechanisms for elastin degradation. The results show that this computational model has the capability to capture the complexities of aneurysm progression due to variations of geometry, extent of damage and stress-mediated turnover as a step towards patient-specific modelling.     

Signaling pathway factors expression in renal tissue of apoE-knockout mice

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is regarded as one of the major plasma lipoproteins, and it plays an important role in the transport and metabolism of lipids. apoE can be found in multiple tissues, such as liver, kidney, jejunum, urinary bladder, ileum, colon, brain, adrenal glands, lung, ovary, spleen, pancreas, and testis, etc. As a secreted protein, it plays an important role in the systemic lipoprotein metabolism and vascular wall homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of renal diseases. apoE-knockout (apoE(?/?)) mice is a classic model of atherosclerosis and renal diseases. However, no review summed up the signaling pathway factors expression in renal tissue of apoE-knockout mice. The literatures were searched extensively and this review was performed to review the signaling pathway factors expression in renal tissue of apoE-knockout mice.     

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine‐1 is associated with cognitive impairment and predicts cognitive decline – the Sydney Memory and Aging Study

Higher levels of macrophage inhibitory cytokine‐1, also known as growth differentiation factor 15 (MIC‐1/GDF15), are associated with adverse health outcomes and all‐cause mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between MIC‐1/GDF15 serum levels and global cognition, five cognitive domains, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), at baseline (Wave 1) and prospectively at 2 years (Wave 2), in nondemented participants aged 70–90 years. Analyses were controlled for age, sex, education, Framingham risk score, history of cerebrovascular accident, acute myocardial infarction, angina, cancer, depression, C‐reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukins 6 and 12, and apolipoprotein ε4 genotype. Higher MIC‐1/GDF15 levels were significantly associated with lower global cognition at both waves. Cross‐sectional associations were found between MIC‐1/GDF15 and all cognitive domains in Wave 1 (all P < 0.001) and between processing speed, memory, and executive function in Wave 2 (all P < 0.001). Only a trend was found for the prospective analyses, individuals with high MIC‐1/GDF15 at baseline declined in global cognition, executive function, memory, and processing speed. However, when categorizing MIC‐1/GDF15 by tertiles, prospective analyses revealed statistically significant lower memory and executive function in Wave 2 in those in the upper tertile compared with the lower tertile. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to determine MIC‐1/GDF15 cutoff values associated with cognitive decline and showed that a MIC‐1/GDF15 level exceeding 2764 pg/ml was associated with a 20% chance of decline from normal to MCI or dementia. In summary, MIC‐1/GDF15 levels are associated with cognitive performance and cognitive decline. Further research is required to determine the pathophysiology of this relationship.