Search

Interleukin 33 (IL‐33) and soluble form of ST2 (sST2) are involved in inflammation. This study aimed to assess the role of serum IL‐33 and sST2 in neonates with HCMV infection. The concentration of serum IL‐33 and sST2 in 20 patients and 16 healthy controls were measure by enzyme‐linked immune‐sorbent assay (ELISA). The clinical and laboratory data were described. Our results showed serum sST2 and IL‐33 levels were significantly higher in the HCMV group than the control group. Significant positive correlation was observed between sST2 and IL‐33 (r = 0.518, P = 0.001). Furthermore, there was a positive, moderate, and statistically significant correlation between sST2 and ALT levels in the control and HCMV groups (r = 0.579, P = 0.007; r = 0.66, P = 0.005, respectively). The AUC of sST2 and IL‐33 was found to be 0.822 and 0.867 respectively. Further, at a cut‐off value of 1823.4 ng/mL, sST2 gave 65% sensitivity and 93.7% specificity. Similarly, IL‐33 gave 95% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity at a cut‐off value 2.04 pg/mL. The Youden index of sST2 and IL‐33 was found to be 0.587 and 0.637, respectively. In conclusion, this study revealed that sST2 and IL‐33 have great potential to be used as biomarkers for early screening and indicate liver damage for HCMV patients in future after validation in large cohort study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been successfully applied in immune-related diseases of adults and neonates, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Objective: This study aims to investigate the distinct impacts of IVIG on cultured dendritic cells (DCs) from newborn and healthy adult. Materials and methods: Blood samples were collected from eight full-term newborns and eight healthy adult volunteers. DCs from cord blood and peripheral blood were both cultured in the RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum, 50 ng/ml granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and 10 ng/ml recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhIL-4) for 5 d with therapeutic IVIG (20 mg/ml) or physiological IVIG (10 mg/ml). Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs, 1 μg/ml) were added on the fifth day to induce the maturation of immature DCs. The phagocytosis of monocytes, expression of MR (mannose receptor), CD14, CD1a, CD80, CD83, CD86 and MHC II were examined by flow cytometry. The expression of IL-4 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR, while IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-10 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) commercial kits. Results: IVIG of therapeutic dose inhibited the phagocytosis, differentiation and maturation of DCs, whereas physiological dose exhibited an accelerated role in vitro, especially on DCs from neonates, but aroused different effects on cytokine secretion. Discussion and conclusion: The different responses are generally due to immature immune system of neonate, which has a limit capacity to maintain immunity homeostasis. Modulation of DCs phagocytosis, differentiation, maturation and cytokine secretion by IVIG is of potential relevance to its dosage and immune status of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Content, Context, Connection and Researching, Reasoning, Reflecting (3C3R) model is a conceptual framework for problem-based learning (PBL) problem design. We introduced the 3C3R-PBL method into a pediatric teaching plan, and evaluated its effectiveness and feasibility. The 3C3R model was applied in a pediatric problem design teaching plan “why the lips turn purple when a baby is crying”. All students were assigned either into a traditional PBL course or into a 9-step 3C3R model PBL course (3C3R-PBL). The performance outcomes of both groups were compared. For the PBL group, the proportion of students scoring ≥4 for content, context, and problem design connection, was 90.8%, 80.3%, and 64.5% respectively, while for tutors, it was 71.4%, 71.4%, and 28.6%; for researching, reasoning, and reflecting, the proportion of students scoring ≥4 was 81.6%, 55.3%, and 40.8%, while for tutors, it was 71.4%, 100%, and 57.1%. The learning difficulty was not considered high with only 31.6% of students and 42.9% of tutors rating the task as difficult. For the 3C3R-PBL group, the proportion of students scoring content, context, and connection, ≥4 was 100%, 98.4%, and 90.5%, while for tutors it was 100%, 100%, 83.3%; for researching, reasoning, and reflecting, the proportion of students scoring ≥4 was 95.2%, 88.9%, and 76.2%, while for tutors it was 100% for all 3 R components. Students and tutors were convinced by the content, case context, research process and reasoning process of both teaching plans, while scores for connection and reflecting were significantly improved when the PBL plan was amended by a 3C3R model (p<0.05) and the case learning difficulty was statistically increased (p<0.05). The 3C3R model, evaluated for the first time in China, was helpful for effective and reliable problem design in a pediatric PBL teaching plan for Chinese students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We examined the change of IL-10 receptor expression in MRC-5 cells under different conditions. [•] IL-10 inhibits autophagy in MRC-5 cells induced by HCMV infection. [•] HCMV replications are repressed when autophagy is inhibited by IL-10 treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Through a comprehensive analysis on the fundamental theory of the equivalent static wind load (ESWL), it is pointed out that the ESWL derived from the wind-induced vibration factor in Chinese Load Code will lead to the equivalent results for all the load effects provided that only the first vibration mode needs to be considered. But on the condition that several vibration modes are involved, the ESWL satisfying all the load effects doesn' t exist unless these modes are completely correlated. So in general cases, an ESWL given by different analysis methods including the gust loading factor method is only effective for one or more specific equivalent targets. Other load effects may be overestimated or underestimated under the action of such ESWL. In order to overcome the limit of the conventional methods, a new approach was proposed to make wind-resistant design based on load effects. The envelope of various load effects was obtained first through wind tunnel tests and it was combined directly with the corresponding effects induced by other loads. This design method was demonstrated by an engineering case. It is shown that the ESWL derived from the gust loading factor overestimated significantly some load effects while the wind-resistant design using the load effects envelop is accurate and convenient to carry out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis method was proposed to derive the equivalent static wind load (ESWL) on the large-span spatial structures on the basis of the instantaneous wind pressure at specific time. The response time history was resolved firstly by generalized coordinates synthesis method and the time at which the response reaches its extreme was identified. As long as the dynamic amplification factor or the additional wind-induced vibration force was imposed on the instantaneous wind pressure at that time, the ESWL corresponding to the extreme response could be obtained accordingly. The combination of the instantaneous wind pressure and the additional wind-induced vibration force can result in a reasonable ESWL which acts along the different direction with the surface wind pressure and thus avoid overestimating the ESWL at some situations. Moreover for the convenience of the engineering application, the quasistatic component and additional wind-induced vibration force were thoroughly separated according to the accurate formula of the ESWL and the simplified estimation of the additional wind-induced vibration force was also proposed. The validity of the method was demonstrated by the case study on a large-span structure. Under the action of the ESWL derived by the method, the equivalence of the target response is achieved and other responses also agree with the actual responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]