Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Fascioliasis in Yaks, Bos grunniens, from Three Counties of Gansu Province, China

The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of fascioliasis in yaks, Bos grunniens, from 3 counties of Gansu Province in China. A total of 1,584 serum samples, including 974 samples from white yaks from Tianzhu, 464 from black yaks from Maqu, and 146 from black yaks from Luqu County, were collected and analyzed using ELISA to detect IgG antibodies against Fasciola hepatica. The overall F. hepatica seroprevalence was 28.7% (454/1,584), with 29.2% in white yaks (284/974) and 27.9% in black yaks (170/610). The seroprevalence of F. hepatica in yaks from Tianzhu, Luqu, and Maqu was 29.2%, 22.6%, and 29.5%, respectively. Female yaks (30.9%) had higher F. hepatica seroprevalence than male yaks (23.4%). Also, F. hepatica seroprevalence varied by different age group from 24.1% to 33.8%. Further, the seroprevalence ranged from 21.8% to 39.1% over different seasons. Interestingly, the season and age of yaks were associated with F. hepatica infection in yaks in the investigated areas. These findings provided a basis for further studies on this disease in yaks from 3 counties of Gansu Province in northwestern China, which may ultimately support the development of effective control strategies of fascioliasis in these areas.

Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Lanzhou, China

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer > or = 1:5). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.

Value of spiral CT and its reconstruction technique in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors in the small intestine / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the spiral CT and its reconstruction techniques in diagnosis and localization of gastrointestinal stromal tumor originated in the small intestine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of spiral CT scan and MPR, STS-MIP of 24 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the small intestine confirmed pathologically were analyzed retrospectrvely.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 24 cases, 1 had multiple tumor, while the other 23 had single one. Seventeen of these tumors were benign and 7 malignant, with 2 in the duodenum, 12 in the jejunum and 10 in the ileum. The range of tumor diameters was from 2.5 to 12 cm. The main clinical characters of the tumors on the CT image: (1) The tumor of 15 cases located outside of the enteric cavity, 7 inside of the enteric cavity or presented as thicken bowel wall and 2 showed as niche sign. (2) The tumor shape of 19 cases were round-like, and 5 lobulated or irregular. (3) The tumor density of 12 cases was homegeneous, 7 heterogeneous and 5 map-like in the center. (4) The tumor enhancement style in 19 cases were homegeneous in dynamic enhanced scan, and 16 were slightly or mildly heterogeneous in the artery phase but apparently enhanced in the venous and equilibrium phase, with 5 showed as fast-in fast-out enhanced mode. Of those, one showed obvious enhancement in artery phase, while 2 did not. (5) The tumor of 2 cases had no clear margin and had invaded the surrounding tissue. (6) The arteries supplying tumors in 20 cases were demonstrated by multiple planar reconstruction (MPR), sliding thin slab-maximum intensity projection (STS-MIP). The accuracy of diagnosis and localization of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the small intestine by spiral CT scan combined with MPR, STS-MIP were 91.7% (22/24) and 95.8% (23/24), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Spiral CT and its reconstruction techniques (MPR, STS-MIP) can play an important role in the differential diagnosis and localization of gastrointestinal stromal tumor originated in the small intestine.</p>

Expression and clinical significance of CD44v6 and sCD44v6 in gastric carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the correlation of CD44v6 and sCD44v6 expression with the biological activity of gastric carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mucosa samples from 103 gastric carcinoma patients and 10 healthy persons (control) were examined using immunohistochemical SP method; sCD44v6 level in peripheral blood samples was detected with ELISA in 86 gastric cancer patients, 30 gastric ulcer patients and 30 healthy controls. The follow-up period was 3-91 months for 88 patients in CD44v6 group and 1-91 months for 55 patients in sCD44v6 group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Positive expression of CD44v6 was found in 60.2% of gastric carcinoma, where as 0% in the normal gastric mucosa. CD44v6 protein expression was positively correlated with TNM stage, perigastric lymph node metastasis, presence of cancerous embolic angiopathy and Borrmann classification (P <0.05), but was not correlated with invasion depth, differentiation, metastasis and survival (P > 0.05); 77.8% of the patient with liver metastasis had a strong CD44v6 protein expression. (2) sCD44v6 level in the peripheral blood of gastric carcinoma patient was significantly higher than that in gastric ulcer patient or healthy control; Compared with palliative gastrectomy, sCD44v6 level significantly went down after radical operation. No relationship between sCD44v6 level and the pathological features was found, which included invasion depth, perigastric lymph node metastasis, presence of cancerous embolic angiopathy, differentiation and Borrmann classification; The survival in the high sCD44v6 level group was longer than that in low sCD44v6 level group ( P = 0.0281), but no significant difference was observed by Cox Regression analysis (P = 0.415). (3) No apparent correlation was observed between CD44v6 expression in gastric cancer and sCD44v6 concentration in peripheral blood (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Detection of CD44v6 expression in the gastric cancer may be helpful in evaluating the biological features and the survival in gastric carcinoma. The level of sCD44v6 in the blood may be also helpful in differential diagnosis, evaluation of surgical treatment and biological activity for gastric cancer. No apparent correlation is observed between CD44v6 expression in the cancer and that of sCD44v6 in the blood.</p>