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Objective:To study the characteristics of vaginal microbiota in pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and to establish prediction models for PROM.Methods:This study involved 35 women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), 180 with term premature rupture of membranes (TPROM) and 255 term birth cases without premature rupture of membranes (TBWPROM, control group). The V3-V4 hypervariable region sequences in the vaginal samples collected at 16-28 weeks of gestation were detected by 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing. The differences in Alpha and Beta diversity, and the attributes and metabolic function prediction of each recognized species among the three groups were analyzed. Subsequently, a random forest model was used to establish the prediction models for PROM using vaginal microbiota species and environmental risk factors.Results:Compared with the control group, the Alpha diversity of the PPROM group was higher (Observed features, P=0.022; Faith_pd index, P=0.024) and Beta diversity was also significantly different (Unweighted UniFrac, P=0.010; Jaccard index, P=0.008). In PPROM cases, Megasphaera genomosp. typeⅠ was significantly increased ( P=0.017) and Lactobacillus mulieris was significantly decreased ( P=0.003). In the patients with TPROM, Megasphaera was significantly increased ( P=0.009) and Lactobacillus mulieris was significantly decreased ( P=0.002). In terms of functional pathways, sulfur oxidation ( P=0.021), methanogenesis from acetate ( P=0.036), L-histidine biosynthesis ( P=0.009), adenosylcobalamin biosynthesis ( P=0.041) and fucose degradation ( P=0.001) were significantly increased in patients with PPROM; L-histidine biosynthesis ( P<0.001) and fucose degradation ( P=0.030) were significantly increased in patients with TPROM. The prediction models were established using the random forest model with vaginal microbiota species and environmental risk factors and the prediction model for PPROM performed well [AUC: 0.739 (95%CI: 0.609-0.869), sensitivity: 0.928, specificity: 0.659, positive predictive value: 0.750, negative predictive value: 0.906], which had a certain reference value. Conclusions:Vaginal microbiota might be related to the development and progression of PROM. Studying the differences in vaginal microbiota might provide a new idea for the prevention and treatment of PROM. Functional prediction provided a direction for further research on the mechanism of PROM. The established prediction model could prevent the occurrence of PPROM and promote maternal and infant health.
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ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemic trends and current status in the prevalence of schistosomiasis in Jiangxi Province from 2002 to 2021， and to provide evidence for formulating and optimizing schistosomiasis control strategies in the province. MethodsEpidemiological data of schistosomiasis in Jiangxi Province from 2002 to 2021 were collected. The Joinpoint regression model was used to investigate the epidemic trends of schistosomiasis， and the annual average percent change （AAPC） was used to assess the changing trend of schistosomiasis infection in humans and bovines. SPSS 25.0 software was used to analyze the target achievement status， infection rate of schistosomiasis in humans and the areas with snails in 2021 to evaluate the differences among various districts and epidemic regions. ResultsBy 2021， 24 counties （61.50%） in the province had achieved the elimination goal， with hilly and marsh counties reaching 82.60% and 31.30%， respectively. The seropositive rate of schistosomiasis in human was 3.51% across the province. However， the seropositive rate in marshland areas （4.77%） was significantly higher than that in hilly areas （1.23 %） （χ2=3 827.51， P<0.001）. The total area with snails in the province was 84 938.32 hm2， including 82 196.86 hm2 in marshland areas and 2 741.46 hm2 in hilly areas. From 2002 to 2021， the infection rate of schistosomiasis in the humans and bovines exhibited a declining trend， with AAPC values of -48.70 and -39.70， respectively. The decline rate in the hilly areas was higher than that in marshland areas. However， the area with snail showed an upward trend （AAPC=0.50）， with a growth rate of 5.80% in hilly areas， which was greater than that in marshland areas （0.40%）. ConclusionFrom 2002 to 2021， the infection rate of schistosomiasis in humans and bovines in Jiangxi Province continued to decline， while the areas with snails increased. The prevention focus should still be on the marshland endemic areas， and attention should also be given to the risk of schistosomiasis in hilly endemic areas. Therefore， it is necessary to continue implementing a comprehensive prevention and control strategy that emphasizes controlling the sources of infection and adopts tailored measures based on local conditions and precise policies.
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Objective:To study the characteristics and influencing factors of vaginal microbiota in normal pregnant women.Methods:This study was based on a cohort of pregnant women established in Anqing Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from February 2018 to February 2020. Vaginal samples of normal pregnant women who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were ordered by the gestational weeks at sampling. Five samples were randomly selected from each gestational week group and if the samples were less than five, all samples were included. Sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed. Dominant species were analyzed by MicrobiomeAnalyst. Alpha diversity was measured with Chao1, Observed Features, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, Faith_pd and Pielou′s Evenness. The dominant status of Lactobacillus was also described and compared. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing vaginal microbiota. Analysis of variance and Kruskal Wallis test were used for statistical analysis of continuous variables, and Chi-square test and Fisher′s exact test were used for categorical data. The differences were considered statistically significant when the P value was less than 0.05. Results:This study enrolled 91 pregnant women (91 vaginal samples) with an average age of (27.37±3.60) years. There were 18, 56 and 17 vaginal samples collected at the median gestational age of 11.93 weeks (the first trimester), 19.43 weeks (the second trimester) and 38.29 weeks (the third trimester), respectively. The relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus was 91.30% and 87.67%, respectively. Lactobacillus iners and Lactobacillus crispatus had a relative abundance of 43.95% and 36.33%, respectively. Moreover, Lactobacillus iners-dominated vaginal microbiota was detected in all trimesters. The number of samples with high relative abundance of Lactobacillus iners gradually decreased with gestational age. Lactobacillus crispatus-dominated vaginal microbiota was found in the second and third trimesters and the number of samples with high relative abundance gradually increased during pregnancy. The Alpha diversity of vaginal microbiota had a decreasing trend during the gestation. There were significant differences in Pielou′s Evenness diversity index of vaginal microbiota between different smoking groups ( P<0.05) and in Shannon diversity index between different drinking groups ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in Chao1, Observed Features and Faith_pd diversity index of vaginal microbiota between pregnant women with different education ( P<0.05) and in Shannon and Simpson diversity index between different income groups ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Vaginal microbiota was dominated by Lactobacillus in normal pregnant women. The dominance of Lactobacillus iners gradually decreased, while that of Lactobacillus crispatus increased during gestation. In normal pregnant women, the Alpha diversity of vaginal microbiota was correlated with smoking, drinking, education and family annual income. Smoking cessation and drinking before pregnancy were related to lower Alpha diversity of vaginal microbiota in pregnant women, while lower education and higher family income were associated with higher Alpha diversity.
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Objective@#To observe the cellular damage of low-dose combined exposure to Hg, Pb and Cd on hippocampal neurons in rat.@*Methods@#SH-SY5Y cells were randomly divided into 8 groups by 2×2×2 factorial design: control group, Pb exposure group, Hg exposure group, Pb+Hg exposure group, Pb+Cd exposure group, Hg+Cd exposure group and Pb+Cd+Hg exposure group. And the cell viabilities were measured. On this basis, an animal model was established. Twenty eight-week-old SD pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups by random number table, and five in each group: the control group(distilled water), 1-fold metal mixture exposure group (1×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 0.15 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 25 mg/L, cadmium chloride 7.5 mg/L), 5-fold metal mixture exposure group (5×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 0.75 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 125.00 mg/L, cadmium chloride 37.50 mg/L), 10-fold metal mixture exposure group (10×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 1.50 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 250.00 mg/L, cadmium chloride 75.00 mg/L). Pregnant rats drank water until delivery. Twenty male pups were selected and exposed to these metals through breast milk until weaned. The heavy metals dose of poisoning water was adjusted, and then the weaned rats were exposed to heavy metals via drinking poisoning water until adulthood (postnatal day 83). The blood samples and brain hippocampus samples were collected to observe the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus, and to determine the levels of Hg, Pb and Cd in blood. In addition, apoptosis rate and fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species and intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in hippocampal neurons were measured.@*Results@#Cellular factorial design analysis showed that Hg+Pb+Cd (at no observed adverse effect level, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1 μmol/L, respectively)had a interaction on cell viability after 48 or 72 hours of combined exposure (P<0.05). The results of ultrastructure showed that mitochondria decreased, ridges and matrixes gradually dissolved in rat hippocampal neurons of 5×MM group; nuclear chromatin aggregated, more ridges and matrixes dissolved and the mitochondria also decreased in rat hippocampal neurons of 10×MM group. The concentration of Hg, Pb and Cd in the blood of 1×MM group, 5×MM group and 10×MM group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in apoptosis rate between the 1×MM group and the control group. The apoptosis rate of 5×MM group and 10×MM group was higher than that in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species in hippocampal neurons of the 1×MM group and the control group. The fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species in the 5×MM group and the 10×MM group was higher than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the fluorescence intensity of [Ca2+]i between the 1×MM group and the control group. The fluorescence intensity values of [Ca2+]i in the 5×MM group and the 10×MM group were higher than the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001).@*Conclusion@#Low-level combined exposure to Hg, Pb, and Cd caused synergistic neurotoxic damage, and the process may be related to the changes of neuronal apoptosis, reactive oxide species, and [Ca2+]i levels.
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ObjectiveTo explore the roles of procalcitonin in differentiating bacterial infection from other inlfammatory processes and identifying bacterial species.MethodsThe blood culture results of 253 hospitalized children diagnosed with sepsis from January 2010 to June 2014 were analyzed retrospectively and its relationship with PCT was also analyzed. ResultsIn 253 children with sepsis, the blood culture results of 124 children showed positive (49.01%). There were 71 (28.06%) cases of Gram-positive infection and 53 (20.95%) cases of Gram-negative infection. The median level of PCT in 253 patients was 1.6 (0.4-4.5) ng/ml. According to the PCT levels, all patients were divided into low level group (0.05-0.5 ng/ml,n=86), middle level group (0.5-2.0 ng/ml,n=55), high level group (2.0-10 ng/ml,n=75) and extremely high level group (10-300 ng/ml,n=37). The positive rates of bacterial culture were signiifcantly different among different levels of PCT (χ2=69.14,P<0.01). In low lev-el group the positive rate of bacterial culture was the lowest and in other three groups the positive rate was all above 60%. The detection rate of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was signiifcantly different among different levels of PCT (P<0.01). In high level group the detection rate of Gram-positive bacteria was the highest while in extremely high level group the rate of Gram-negative bacteria was the highest.ConclusionsThe level of PCT is helpful for the differentiation of bacterial infection from other inlfammatory processes in children with sepsis and abnormally elevated PCT level may indicates Gram-negative infection.