[Analysis of the common respiratory viruses in children with acute respiratory infection in a hospital in Lanzhou City from 2021 to 2022]

To explore the situation of 8 common respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infection (ARI) from 2021 to 2022.The retrospective study selected 8 710 ARI patients from September 2021 to August 2022 in the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Gansu Province as the study object, patients aged 0 to 17 years old, including 5 048 male children and 3 662 female children. Indirect immunofluorescence was used to detect 8 common respiratory pathogens, including influenza virus A (FluA), influenza virus B (FluB), parainfluenza virus (PIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP), and Coxsackie virus group B (CoxB) IgM antibodies. χ2 test was used to analyze the results. The results showed that 1 497 of 8 710 children with ARI were positive, with a positive rate of 17.19%. The detection rate of MP among 8 common respiratory pathogens was 11.34%, accounting for 66.0%, followed by FluB, CoxB, PIV, RSV, ADV, FluA and CP, accounting for 13.83%, 9.55%, 6.01%, 2.61%, 1.47%, 0.40% and 0.13%, respectively. Respiratory tract viruses (FluA, FluB, RSV, ADV, PIV, CoxB) accounted for 33.86%.There were significant differences in the detection rates of PIV, ADV and MP among children of different genders (χ2=6.814, 5.154 and 17.784, P<0.05). The detection rate of school-age children (6-17 years old) was the highest, accounting for 33.27% (184/553). The detection rates of 8 common respiratory pathogens in patients with ARI were higher in spring and winter and lower in summer and autumn. To sum up, from 2021 to 2022, MP and FluB infection were dominant in ARI patients in our hospital. The peak period of 8 common respiratory pathogens was in spring and winter. The physical examination rate of 8 common respiratory pathogens in ARI patients aged 6-17 years old was the highest.

[Long-term outcome of EVAHEART I implantable ventricular assist device for the treatment of end stage heart failure: clinical 3-year follow-up results of 15 cases]

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of the implantable ventricular assist system EVAHEART I in clinical use. Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients with end-stage heart failure who received left ventricular assist device therapy in Fuwai Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study, their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Cardiac function, liver and kidney function, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, 6-minute walk distance and quality of life were evaluated before implantation and at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after device implantation. Drive cable infection, hemolysis, cerebrovascular events, mechanical failure, abnormally high-power consumption and abnormal pump flow were recorded during follow up. Results: All 15 patients were male, mean average age was (43.0±7.5) years, including 11 cases of dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 cases of ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 2 cases of valvular heart disease. All patients were hemodynamically stable on more than one intravenous vasoactive drugs, and 3 patients were supported by preoperative intra aortic balloon pump (IABP). Compared with before device implantation, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) was significantly decreased ((80.93±6.69) mm vs. (63.73±6.31) mm, P<0.05), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), total bilirubin and creatinine were also significantly decreased ((3 544.85±1 723.77) ng/L vs. (770.80±406.39) ng/L; (21.28±10.51) μmol/L vs. (17.39±7.68) μmol/L; (95.82±34.88) μmol/L vs. (77.32±43.81) μmol/L; P<0.05) at 1 week after device implantation. All patients in this group were in NYHA class Ⅳ before implantation, and 9 patients could recover to NYHA class Ⅲ, 3 to class Ⅱ, and 3 to class Ⅰ at 1 month after operation. All patients recovered to class Ⅰ-Ⅱ at 6 months after operation. The 6-minute walk distance, total quality of life and visual analogue scale were significantly increased and improved at 1 month after implantation compared with those before operation (P<0.05). All patients were implanted with EVAHEART I at speeds between 1 700-1 950 rpm, flow rates between 3.2-4.5 L/min, power consumption of 3-9 W. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 100%, 87%, and 80%, respectively. Three patients died of multiple organ failure at 412, 610, and 872 d after surgery, respectively. During long-term device carrying, 3 patients developed drive cable infection on 170, 220, and 475 d after surgery, respectively, and were cured by dressing change. One patient underwent heart transplantation at 155 d after surgery due to bacteremia. Three patients developed transient ischemic attack and 1 patient developed hemorrhagic stroke events, all cured without sequelae. Conclusion: EVAHEART I implantable left heart assist system can effectively treat critically ill patients with end-stage heart failure, can be carried for long-term life and significantly improve the survival rate, with clear clinical efficacy.

[The application of combining low dose naloxone with ropivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block]

Objective: To observe the effect of low dose naloxone combinewith ropivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Methods: Seventy patients undergoing elective upper limb surgery were randomly divided into two groups, ropivacaine group (Group R, n=35) and naloxone group (Group N, n=35). An ultrasound guided technique was used in both two groups.The onset and duration time of sensory and motor blockade, visual analog score(VAS)of 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 h postoperatively, time of first request fordezocine, total amount of dezocine needed, incidence of nausea and vomiting postoperatively(PONV) and patients' satisfaction score for analgesia in 24 h after surgery were measured.At the same time, blood samples were taken before anesthesia, 6 h, 24 h after operation for inspecting the concentration of β-endorphin(β-EP)in plasma. Results: The duration of sensory and motor blockade, time of first request for dezocine in Group N were 736.0(713.5, 836.5), 514.5(491.3, 572.8), 708.5(683.2, 877.0)min, which were all prolonged compared to Group R(522.0(469.5, 606.5), 401.0(370.0, 458.5), 570.0(435.0, 618.5)min)(Z=-6.844, -6.758, -6.700, all P<0.01). The 6, 12, 18 h postoperatively VAS of Group N were 0, 5.0(3.0, 5.8), 5.0(5.0, 6.0)point. Among which the 6, 12 h postoperatively VAS of Group N were lower than that of Group R(1.0(1.0, 3.5), 6.0(6.0, 7.0)point)(Z=-6.596, -4.864, all P<0.01), while the 18 h postoperatively VAS was higher than that of Group R (5.0(4.0, 5.0)point)(Z=-2.603, P<0.01). Total amount of dezocine needed in Group N in 24 h after surgery was 7.5(5.0, 10.0)mg, which was lower than that of Group R(10.0(10.0, 15.0)mg)(Z=-3.449, P<0.01). The incidence of PONV after surgery in Group N was 21.9%, which was lower than that of Group R(45.5%)(χ(2)=4.034, P<0.05). Ptients' satisfaction score for analgesia in 24 h after surgery in Group N was 8.0(7.0, 8.0)point, which was higher than that of Group R(7.0(6.0, 7.0)point)(Z=-3.509, P<0.01). At 6 h postoperatively , the concentration of plasma β-EP in Group N was(113.34±12.36)μg/L, lower than that of Group R((147.14±11.65)μg/L)(t=-7.694, P<0.01). Conclusion: Low dose naloxone combine with ropivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus block, prolong the duration of sensory and motor blockade without affecting the onset time.

[Investigation of heterotrophic and autotrophic components of soil respiration in a secondary forest in subtropical China]

Trenched plots were set up in 2010 in a secondary forest in subtropical China, in order to investigate the seasonal variations of soil respiration (R(s)) and heterotrophic respiration (R(h)). Autotrophic respiration (R(a)) was estimated to be the difference between R(s) and R(h). Soil temperature and moisture were simultaneously measured during respiration measurements. Results indicated that R(s) and R(h) showed the similar seasonal variations. Seasonal mean rates for R(s), R(h) and R(a) were 3.42, 2.36 and 1.06 micromol x (m2 x s)(-1), respectively. Regression analysis indicated that R(h) increased with the increase of R(s); an natural logistic equation could be employed to explained the relationship between R(h) (y) and R(s) (x). Approximately 90.5% (R2 = 0.905) variations in R(h) could be explained by the equation. Apparent exponential relationships of R(h) and R(a) with soil temperature existed, but differed from each other and from the relationship for R(s). The exponential equations explained about 78.4%, 76.4% and 65.6% variations in R(s), R(h) and R(a), respectively, with the P values less than 0.01. The Q10 values for R(s), R(h) and R(a) were 1.97, 1.76 and 3.31, respectively. It was indicated that, seasonally, R(h) and R(a) represented 69% and 31% of R(s). R(a) showed significantly higher temperature sensitivity than R(h).

[Review of the factors influencing the temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration in terrestrial ecosystem]

Soil respiration is an important process in carbon cycling. Understanding the processes and controlling factors of soil respiration are crucial in investigating the terrestrial carbon cycling. This article reviews the investigations about the factors controlling the temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration. The temporal and spatial variability in soil respiration is linked with climate, vegetation and soil factors. Air temperature and precipitation generally contribute great to the variability of soil respiration. Leaf area index (LAI), litter fall and fine root biomass are three plant-related factors that can be employed to explained the variability of soil respiration, while soil carbon content and texture are two soil factors responsible for the variability of soil respiration. Generally, climate, vegetation and soil factors contribute collectively to the temporal and spatial variability of terrestrial soil respiration. Temperature and precipitation, on the one hand, directly affect the root and microbial respiration rates. On the other hand, temperature and precipitation indirectly affect soil respiration by influencing the plant and microbial growth and soil conditions. In order to understand the controlling factors of the temporal and spatial variability of soil respiration, there are four main issues need to be addressed. The issues include quantitatively partitioning the autotrophic and heterotrophic components of soil respiration, standardizing the method and scale of measuring soil respiration, coupling measurements of soil respiration with environmental factors and performing more measurements of soil respiration in wetland ecosystems.

[Effects of elevated ozone concentration on soil respiration, nitrification and denitrification in a winter wheat farmland]

Field experiments were carried out in a winter wheat farmland, in order to investigate the effects of elevated ozone concentration on soil respiration, nitrification and denitrification. Three ozone concentration treatments, which were CK, T1 (100 nL x L(-1)) and T2 (150 nL x L(-1)), were arranged using open top chambers (OTCs). A portable soil CO2 fluxes system was used to measure soil respiration rates. Nitrification and denitrification rates were determined by using a Barometric Process Separation (BaPS) method. Results indicated that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in soil respiration rates among CK, T1 and T2 treatments. Mean soil respiration rates for CK, T1 and T2 treatments were (5.36 +/- 0.72), (5.08 +/- 0.04), (4.94 +/- 0.18) micromol x (m2 x s)(-1), respectively. No significant differences (p > 0.05) in mean soil nitrification and denitrification rates were observed between the treatments of CK and T2. During the experimental period, soil respiration showed an exponential relationship with soil temperature for each of the treatment. The Q10 (the respiratory flux at one temperature over the flux at a temperature 10 degrees C lower) values were 1.72, 1.58 and 1.51 for CK, T1 and T2 treatments, respectively. A correlation (Pearson product-momentum correlation) analysis showed that soil water content was correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with soil nitrification (r = 0.828) and denitrification (r = 0.890) rates for CK treatment. Soil water content was correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with soil nitrification rate for T2 treatment, with the correlation coefficient of 0.772. This study indicated that elevated ozone concentration did not significantly affect soil respiration, nitrification and denitrification rates in the winter wheat farmland. Elevated ozone concentration, however, significantly reduced the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration.

Body-centered-cubic Ni and its magnetic properties

The body-centered-cubic (bcc) phase of Ni, which does not exist in nature, has been achieved as a thin film on GaAs(001) at 170 K via molecular beam epitaxy. The bcc Ni is ferromagnetic with a Curie temperature of 456 K and possesses a magnetic moment of 0.52+/-0.08 micro(B)/atom. The cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy of bcc Ni is determined to be +4.0x10(5) ergs x cm(-3), as opposed to -5.7x10(4) ergs x cm(-3) for the naturally occurring face-centered-cubic (fcc) Ni. This sharp contrast in the magnetic anisotropy is attributed to the different electronic band structures between bcc Ni and fcc Ni, which are determined using angle-resolved photoemission with synchrotron radiation.

[Observations on serum digoxin-like immunoreactive substances in patients with cor-pulmonale]

The level of endogenous digoxin-like immunoreactive substances (DLIS) was determined with RIA in 27 patients with cor-pulmonale and 10 normal subjects as controls. The results showed that the concentration of serum DLIS was 0.51 +/- 0.18 ng/ml in the controls, 0.82 +/- 0.24 (P < 0.05), 1.45 +/- 0.51 (P < 0.001), and 2.31 +/- 1.22 ng/ml (P < 0.001) in the patients groups with cardiac function grade II (9 cases), III (10 cases) and IV (8 cases) respectively. It has been reported that both endo- and exogenous digoxin-like substances have the same function. Cor-pulmonale patients with heart failure who are treated with digoxin tend to have toxic reactions. We consider the increase in serum endogenous DLIS as the cause. It is suggested that the dosage of digoxin, if it must be used, should be individualized and the serum level monitored if possible, so as to achieve best therapeutic effects with smaller doses.

[Hemodilution therapy for cerebral ischemic acidosis]

The four-vessel (bilateral vertebral arteries and carotid arteries) occlusion rabbit models were used as brain ischemia models. At the beginning of reperfusion, blood was withdrawn and replaced with dextran 20 equivalently until various scale hemodilution was achieved and lasted for 30 min. Hematocrits were 31.7 +/- 1.4%, 23.7 +/- 2.8%, 13.7 +/- 2.5% respectively during hemodilution. Before and after reperfusion for 30, 90 and 180 minutes, internal jugular venous blood samples were taken for gas analysis and lactate acid determination. The results showed that pHv of internal jugular vein was improved in limited and medium hemodilution, and lactate acid level was reduced from 160.17 +/- 26.76 mg/dl to 148.83 +/- 18.98 mg/dl in limited hemodilution group, while it was 184.5 +/- 54.21 mg/dl in the controls after reperfusion for 90 minutes. It is suggested that cerebral ischemia acidosis could be improved by hemodilution, in addition to the clearance of lactate acid. However, the shortage of extreme hemodilution, metabolic acidosis, made it limited for clinical practice.

Intrathecally injected antibody can diffuse into spinal cord

Antibody microinjection has been widely used to investigate the function of neuropeptides, but the capability of antibody to diffuse in the brain tissue has not been well characterized. The present study was conducted with an immunohistochemical method to determine if the anti-enkephalin serum injected intrathecally could diffuse into the spinal cord. Enkephalin immunoreactivity was observed in laminae I and II in slight amounts after 10 min, in moderate amounts after 30 minutes and very clearly after 60 min of the intrathecal injection of enkephalin antiserum. In addition, marked nonspecific staining was observed in the dorsal part but not in the ventral part of the white matter. These results indicate that antibodies injected intrathecally are capable of diffusing into the spinal cord within a time period of 10-60 min.

Further studies on interactions between periaqueductal gray, nucleus accumbens and habenula in antinociception

Previous findings from this laboratory with the intracerebral microinjection technique suggested that the periaqueductal gray (PAG), nucleus accumbens, and habenula might constitute a unidirectional loop to play their roles in pain modulation. In the present study we demonstrate that intra-habenular injection of naloxone antagonizes the analgesia elicited by morphine injected into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and that intra-accumbens injection of naloxone is capable of attenuating the analgesic effects of morphine injected into the habenula. These results indicate that the relationships between these nuclei may be more complex than the putative unidirectional loop.

Naloxone blocks opioid peptide release in N. accumbens and amygdala elicited by morphine injected into periaqueductal gray

It has been proposed that a serial, unidirectional circuit from the PAG to the N. accumbens and the amygdala are involved in antinociception and that enkephalins (ENK) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) act as neurotransmitters in this circuitry. In the present study, we measured the release of ENK and beta-EP by simultaneous push-pull perfusion of the N. accumbens and amygdala after microinjection of morphine into the PAG. Morphine administration elicited an increase in immunoreactive ENK and beta-EP in both the N. accumbens and the amygdala, which was antagonized in each nucleus by perfusion with naloxone. These data suggest that the three nuclei were not serially connected and that they may take part in one and the same antinociceptive system with an "all or none" character.

[Cardiovascular reactions mediated by 5-HT1A and 5-HT3 receptors in the spinal cord of conscious rats]

Intrathecal administration (ith) of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25 and 12.5 micrograms/10 microliters) to conscious rats produced a marked dose-dependent hypertensive effect without significant change in heart rate (HR). Ith administration of fluoxetine (10 micrograms/microliters), one of the presynaptic reuptake inhibitors of 5-HT, produced a marked increase in the mean arterial blood pressure (mABP). This effect could be prevented by a pretreatment with cinanserin (25 micrograms ith) as a blocker of 5-HT receptor. It was further observed that ith of 8-OH-DAPT (2.5, 5, 10 micrograms/10 microliters), a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, produced a dose-dependent increase of mABP and lowering of HR. However, ith of 5-HT3 receptor agonist 2-Methylserotonin (25, 50, 100 micrograms/10 microliters), decreased mABP markedly without change in HR. The results indicate that 5-HT in the spinal cord may extra hypertensive effect via 5-HT1A receptor and a hypotensive effect via 5-HT3 receptor. This gives a possible explanation about the conflicting reports concerning the effect of 5-HT in the central nervous system on blood pressure.

Lumbar intrathecal administration of naloxone antagonizes analgesia produced by electrical stimulation of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats

In lightly pentobarbital-anesthetized and acutely-prepared rats, electrical stimulation within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus consistently inhibited the tail-flick responses to noxious heating of the tail. The opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone hydrochloride applied intrathecally at the lumbar level, at dose of 20 micrograms, reversed this inhibition without affecting the baseline pain threshold. The same dose of naloxone, applied to the cervical subarachnoid space, had no effect on the inhibitory modulation by the arcuate nucleus. Naloxone, at doses 2- to 4-fold greater than the intrathecal dose, did not modify the suppression of the tail-flick, when given systemically. With the doses ranging from 5 to 40 micrograms, naloxone showed a dose-dependent blockade of the inhibition produced by stimulation of the arcuate nucleus. These results indicate that an endogenous opioid system is most likely involved in the descending inhibition of spinal nociceptive reflexes, resulting from stimulation of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Studies on the mesolimbic loop of antinociception--II. A serotonin-enkephalin interaction in the nucleus accumbens

In a previous report we have shown that the antinociceptive effect elicited by microinjection of morphine into the periaqueductal gray is due, at least in part, to the activation of an ascending serotonergic pathway which releases 5-hydroxytryptamine in the nucleus accumbens. We now report that antinociception induced by intra-periaqueductal gray injection of morphine can be attenuated also by the narcotic antagonist naloxone or the enkephalin antibodies administered into the nucleus accumbens, and potentiated by D-phenylalanine, a putative inhibitor of the degradation of enkephalins. Moreover, the antinociceptive effect induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine administered into nucleus accumbens could be blocked by naloxone injected into the same site, whereas the antinociception elicited by intra-accumbens injection of [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin was not affected by cinanserin, a 5-hydroxytryptamine blocking agent. It is concluded that morphine administered to the periaqueductal gray is capable of activating an ascending serotonergic pathway to release 5-hydroxytryptamine in the nucleus accumbens, which in turn activates an enkephalinergic mechanism within the same nucleus, resulting in an antinociceptive effect.