Comments on Environmental and Sanitary Aspects of the Scorpionism by Tityus trivittatus in Buenos Aires City,Argentina

Deaths by venomous animals are medical emergencies that can lead to death and thus constitute sanitary problems in some regions of the world. In the South of America, the accidents by these animals are a common sanitary problem especially in warm, tropical or subtropical regions, related with rural work in several countries. Argentina is located in the extreme South of South America and a minor part of the continental surface is in tropical or subtropical regions, where most of the accidents by venomous animals happen. However, in the big cities in the center and South of the country, with no relation to rural work, scorpionism, mostly due to the synanthropic and facultative parthenogenetic scorpion Tityus trivittatus, has become a sanitary problem in the last few decades. This scorpion is present in the biggest cities of Argentina and in the last decades has killed over 20 children in provinces of the center and north of the country, mostly in big cities. In addition, it seems that this species is growing and spreading in new regions of the cities. In this revision, some characteristics of this scorpion regarding its habitat, spreading in Buenos Aires city, combat measures and available treatments are discussed.     

Chinese herbal compounds containing scorpion in the treatment of epilepsy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Epilepsy is 1 of the common neurodevelopmental diseases. It can affect about 0.5% to 1.0% of the population regardless of their race and social class. Despite the development of a wide range of treatments, there remaining about one-third of patients still experience seizures. Chinese herbal compounds containing scorpion (CHCCS) have shown an outstanding curative effect on nerve protection and epilepsy. But there''s no study to assess its clinical efficacy and safety.Methods:Each data of CHCCS in treating epilepsy from related English and Chinese databases will be searched. The primary outcome is the efficacy of the CHCCS on epilepsy. And the secondary outcomes include recurrence rate and side effects. The risk of bias will be assessed, and RevMan5.3 and Stata14.0 will be performed for meta-analysis. Finally, we will assess the level of the resulting evidence.Results:The results of the study will be combined with current evidence and published in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusions:This study will specifically investigate the effectiveness and safety of CHCCS in treating epilepsy.INPLASY registration number:INPLASY202120056.     

Skeletal development of Kinosternon scorpioides limbs (Chelonia: Kinosternidae)

The morphological study of limbs is important for the understanding of tetrapod biology, where it can be applied to taxonomy and phylogeny, as well ecology and behavior. In this study area, osteogenesis is a subject in Kinosternidae, which has been little researched. The main aim of this study was to characterize the skeletogenesis of Kinosternon scorpioides limbs. Samples were histologically processed, and the embryos were cleared with potassium hydroxide and stained with alcian blue and alizarin red. It was observed that the limbs arose in embryonic Stage 10 as mesenchymal condensate cells. The first stylopodium chondrification centers were noted at Stage 14. Zeugopodium chondrification centers appeared at Stage 15; carpal, metacarpal, tarsal, and metatarsal regions were observed at Stage 16, and the cartilage molds of all bones limbs were present at Stage 18. Ossification began in the humerus and femur at Stage 20, and continued into the radius, ulna, tibia, and fibula bones. By Stage 23, it was already effectively directed toward the bone epiphyses in both limbs. At Stage 26 and hatching, only articular cartilages remained, and in the majority of samples the carpal region showed no affinity for alcian blue or alizarin red staining. This study acts as an indicative parameter of the taxon's normal development and can contribute to the phylogenetic understanding of this group.     

荧光定量PCR检测梅毒螺旋体方法的建立及初步应用

目的采用二聚体蝎型探针技术建立一种高敏感性和特异性的检测梅毒螺旋体(TP)的荧光定量聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法。方法根据TP特异性外膜蛋白Gpd的基因序列设计引物和荧光探针,采用基因工程技术构建可用于TP定量的标准品,优化荧光定量PCR的反应体系和反应条件,建立检测TP的二聚体蝎型探针定量PCR。采用本研究建立方法和商品化荧光定量PCR试剂盒检测40例临床标本,对比分析检测结果的统计学差异。结果成功构建了TP重组质粒标准品和TP的二聚体蝎型探针定量PCR,该方法线性范围为101~108 copy/mL,灵敏度为10copy/mL,特异性和敏感性均为100.0%;二聚体蝎型探针定量PCR对疑似梅毒病例阳性检出率显著高于目前商品化Taqman荧光定量PCR试剂盒(82.5%vs 62.5%,P0.05)。结论成功建立了二聚体蝎型探针荧光定量PCR快速检测TP的方法,为临床上TP的早期诊断和防控奠定了基础。     

基于毒素多肽BmK NaTx-13的全蝎质控工艺研究

目的 基于毒素多肽建立一种新型的全蝎质量检测工艺。方法 从东亚钳蝎毒液中分离得到了一种新型钠通道毒素BmK NaTx-13,制备并鉴定了BmK NaTx-13的特异性抗体,并通过竞争性ELISA法检测全蝎提取物中的BmK NaTx-13的含量。结果 建立的竞争性酶联免疫吸附法可快速检测全蝎提取物中的BmK NaTx-13的含量并呈现良好的浓度线性依赖。结论 该研究为全蝎质控提供了一种快速免疫检测方法,为提升全蝎入药质量标准提供了借鉴。      

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Following a Scorpion Sting

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinicoradiologic entity not yet understood, that is present with transient neurologic symptoms and particular radiological findings. The most common imaging pattern in PRES is the presence of edema in the white matter of the posterior portions of both cerebral hemispheres. The cause of PRES is unclear. We report a case of 13‐year‐old male who was stung by a scorpion and developed a severe headche, visual disturbance, and seizures and had the diagnosis of PRES with a good outcome. Numerous factors can trigger this syndrome, most commonly: acute elevation of blood pressure, abnormal renal function, and immunosuppressive therapy. There are many cases described showing the relationship between PRES and eclampsia, transplantation, neoplasia and chemotherapy treatment, systemic infections, renal disease acute, or chronic. However, this is the first case of PRES following a scorpion sting.     

Scorpion venoms and associated toxins as anticancer agents: update on their application and mechanism of action

Cancer remains one of the deadliest non-infectious diseases of the 21^st century, causing millions of mortalities per year worldwide. Analyses of conventional treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have shown not only a lower therapeutic efficiency rate but also plethora of side-effects. Considering the desperate need to identify promising anticancer agents, researchers are in quest to design and develop new tumoricidal drugs from natural sources. Over the past few years, scorpion venoms have shown exemplary roles as pivotal anticancer agents. Scorpion venoms associated metabolites, particularly toxins demonstrated in vitro anticancer attributes against diversified cell lines by inhibiting the growth and progression of the cell cycle, inhibiting metastasis by blocking ion channels such as K⁺ and Cl⁻, and/or inducing apoptosis by intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. This review sheds light not only on in vitro anticancer properties of distinct scorpion venoms and their toxins, but also on their mechanism of action for designing and developing new therapeutic drugs in future.     

蝎毒多肽干预K562/BALB/c-nu小鼠Hedgehog通路传导的机制研究

目的探究蝎毒多肽干预K562/BALB/c-nu白血病荷瘤小鼠Hedgehog通路信号传导的机制,从基因、蛋白水平解析蝎毒多肽抑制慢性粒细胞白血病发展的分子机制和作用靶点。方法将K562/BALB/c-nu白血病荷瘤小鼠分为对照组、模型组、伊马替尼(50 mg/kg)组和蝎毒多肽高、中、低剂量(0.3、0.6、1.2 mg/kg)组,药物干预14 d后,实时荧光定量PCR(q RT-PCR)法检测小鼠瘤组织Hedgehog信号通路上游因子Shh、Ptch、Smo m RNA表达水平,Western blotting法检测Shh、Ptch、Smo蛋白表达水平,ELISA法检测小鼠瘤组织Hedgehog信号通路下游因子Gli1蛋白表达水平。结果与模型组比较,蝎毒多肽干预组小鼠瘤组织Shh m RNA和蛋白表达水平均升高;蝎毒多肽低、中剂量组小鼠瘤组织Ptch、Smo m RNA及蛋白表达水平均降低;伊马替尼组各上游因子与模型组比较差异不显著;蝎毒多肽低、中剂量组小鼠瘤组织Gli1蛋白表达水平降低,蝎毒多肽高剂量组、伊马替尼组Gli1蛋白表达水平无显著差异。结论蝎毒多肽能够抑制Hedgehog信号通路上游因子Ptch、Smo以及下游因子Gli1的表达,而伊马替尼对Hedgehog信号通路无明显抑制作用。     

一种快速检测HBV基因的荧光定量PCR法的建立

目的：利用二聚体蝎型荧光探针技术,建立一种能用于临床的快捷、敏感、特异、价格低廉的HBV实时荧光定量PCR检测方法。方法：根据HBV基因组保守区域precore／core设计二聚体蝎型荧光探针和引物,构建质粒标准品,优化荧光定量PCR条件,并进行方法学评价。结果：所建方法的检测范围为10^1～10^8 copies／μl,灵敏度达到10copies／μl,低拷贝样品的批内和日间重复性（CV）分别为1．71％和2．57％,高拷贝样品的批内和日间GV,分别为3．00％和3．86％。与商品化TaqMan试剂盒相比,本法阳性检出率较高,且检测时间缩短了45min（约减少1／3）,成本降低50％。结论：成功建立了快速检测HBVDNA的二聚体蝎型荧光定量PCR方法,为研发适合临床应用的HBV基因定量检测试剂盒奠定了基础。     

蝎毒多肽干预CML K562细胞Hedgehog通路上游 活化因子的分子机制研究

摘要：目的 观察蝎毒多肽提取物（PESV）对K562细胞Hedgehog通路上游活化因子的影响并探讨分子调节机 制。方法 体外培养K562细胞,接种于24孔培养板,治疗组分别加入低、中及高浓度（10、20及40 mg/L）PESV 20 μL,阳性对照加入2 g/L的甲磺酸伊马替尼（GLEEVEC）20 μL（GLEEVEC组）,阴性对照组加入生理盐水20 μL,共培 养48 h,应用Real-time PCR及Western blot法检测K562细胞BCR/ABL基因mRNA及融合蛋白P210bcr/abl表达的变化, 并检测Hedgehog通路上游活化因子Shh、Smo、Ptch mRNA及蛋白的表达。结果 与阴性对照组比较,PESV各剂量组 对K562细胞BCR/ABL融合基因mRNA及P210bcr/abl蛋白的表达均有不同程度的抑制作用（P＜0.05）;与阴性对照组比 较,中、高剂量组Shh、Smo、Ptch 基因mRNA 及蛋白在K562细胞中的表达水平均降低（P＜0.05）;与GLEEVEC 组比 较,中、高剂量组Shh、Smo、Ptch基因相对表达水平差异均无统计学意义,但低剂量组均升高（P＜0.05）。结论 PESV 可以抑制K562细胞BCR/ABL融合基因及P210bcr/abl蛋白的表达,并通过抑制Hedgehog通路上游活化因子的表达阻断 该通路的激活,进而抑制慢性粒细胞白血病的进展。