Identification and characterization of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients in eastern china from 2009 to 2019 using an identification array system

Abstract Objective Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) species are increasingly being isolated and have become a key factor affecting public health by causing pulmonary diseases. Most NTM species do not respond to conventional tuberculosis (TB) drugs. This study aimed to identify NTM isolated from suspected pulmonary TB patients from the Zhejiang province and analyze their distribution in the region. Methods A total of 1,113 NTM isolates from patients suspected to be suffering from acid-fast bacilli-positive tuberculosis were identified at the species level, using the CapitalBio Mycobacterium identification array and polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of 16S-23S gene internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 16S rRNA, and hsp65. Results Of the 23,138 isolates, we identified 1,102 NTM (4.8%), mainly including Mycobacterium intracellulare (54.81%, 604/1,102), M. chelonae-M. abscessus (16.52%, 182/1,102), M. avium (13.16%, 145/1,102), M. kansasii (8.17%, 90/1,102), and M. gordonae (3.27%, 36/1,102). Conclusion The distribution of NTM species observed in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis provides guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of NTM pulmonary diseases.

Factors influencing HIV infection among college students who are young men who have sex with men in Tianjin / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To analyze associated factors of HIV infection among college students who are young men and have sex with men (YMSM) in Tianjin, providing reference for HIV prevention and control among YMSM college students.@*Methods@#During Aug. 1st, 2018 to Dec. 31st, 2018, SHENLAN recruited college students who were YMSM aged 18-24 years from gay baths, gay bars, QQ, WeChat and gay dating app BLUED. HIV infection status and associated factors (general demographic characteristics, unsafe sexual behaviors, addictive substance using, basic knowledge of HIV) was collected and analyzed.@*Results@#A total of 470 college students, including 21 HIV infected (4.47%), were enrolled in this study. Univariate Logistic regression analyses indicated that age, age at first sex behavior, HIV related knowledge, tobacco use, recreational drug usage, syphilis infection was associated with HIV infection among YMSM students (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis found age of first sex (OR=21.20，95%CI=3.09-145.43), recreational drug use (OR=5.07，95%CI=1.77-14.48), lack of HIV related knowledge (OR=3.38，95%CI=1.33-8.63)were associated with HIV infection (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#College students who are YMSM in Tianjin have a high rate of HIV infection, who deserves further attention. Targeted campus HIV/AIDS prevention program should be developed combined with specific characteristics of this population.

Special strategies and management of urological diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: initial experiences from a Medical Center of China

ABSTRACT Although urological diseases are not directly related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), urologists need to make comprehensive plans for this disease. Urological conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and tumors are very common in elderly patients. This group of patients is often accompanied by underlying comorbidities or immune dysfunction. They are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection and they tend to have severe manifestations. Although fever can occur along with urological infections, it is actually one of the commonest symptoms of COVID-19; urologists must always maintain a high index of suspicion in their clinical practices. As a urological surgeon, how we can protect medical staff during surgery is a major concern. Our hospital had early adoption of a series of strict protective and control measures, and was able to avoid cross-infection and outbreak of COVID-19. This paper discusses the effective measures that can be useful when dealing with urological patients with COVID-19.

Changes of awareness of tuberculosis and access to tuberculosis-related information among students in Zhejiang Province in the year of 2014 and 2018 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the changes of awareness of tuberculosis and access to tuberculosis-related information among students in Zhejiang Province.@*Methods@#There were 554 students younger than 30 y were included in the study during April to sept. of 2014 and during sept. to Nov. of 2018. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were conducted to find the related factors of knowing about tuberculosis and related knowledge. Chi-square test was used to analyze the changes of ways access to tuberculosis-related information.@*Results@#There were 440 participants (79.4%) aware of tuberculosis, including 215(85.7%) in 2014 and 225(74.3%) in 2018. The factors affecting awareness on tuberculosis were female ( AOR=1.60, 95%CI =1.04-2.47) vs male; and junior middle school( AOR=1.99, 95%CI =1.03-3.85), high school( AOR=3.27, 95%CI =1.57-6.81), college or higher ( AOR=6.73，95%CI =2.55-17.76) vs primary school or lower; year 2018 ( AOR=0.50, 95%CI =0.31-0.80) vs 2014. There was no significant statistical difference in the overall knowledge scores of tuberculosis between the students in the two surveys. In 2018, the proportion of tuberculosisrelated information accessed from the Internet (forum, WeChat, Weibo.) and community activities (assembly promotion)(75.10%, 26.70%) was higher than that of 2014(36.20%, 13.10%)( χ 2=68.88, 12.79, P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#The proportion of students aware of tuberculosis and TB control in Zhejiang Province were not significantly improved. Higher proportion of students get tuberculosis-related information from the new media. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen health education of tuberculosis in schools, especially through the usage of new media apart from traditional pathways.

HrpNEa-induced deterrent effect on phloem feeding of the green peach aphid Myzus persicae requires AtGSL5 and AtMYB44 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Myzus persicae, a generalist phloem-feeding insect, develops with induced expression of the AtMYB44 gene. Special GLUCAN SYNTHESIS-LIKE (GSL) genes and β-1,3-glucan callose play an important role in plant defence responses to attacks by phloem-feeding insects. Here we report that AtGLS5 and AtMYB44 are both required for HrpNEainduced repression of M. persicae feeding from the phloem of Arabidopsis leaves. In 24 h successive surveys on large-scale aphid populations, the proportion of feeding aphids was much smaller in HrpNEa-treated plants than in control plants, and aphids preferred to feed from the 37 tested atgsl mutants rather than the wild-type plant. The atgsl mutants were generated previously by mutagenesis in 12 identified AtGSL genes (AtGSL1 through AtGSL12); in the 24 h survey, both atgsl5 and atgsl6 tolerated aphid feeding, and atgsl5 was the most tolerant. Consistently, atgsl5 was also most inhibitive to the deterrent effect of HrpNEa on the phloem-feeding activity of aphids as monitored by the electrical penetration graph technique. These results suggested an important role of the AtGSL5 gene in the effect of HrpNEa. In response to HrpNEa, AtGSL5 expression and callose deposition were induced in the wild-type plant but not in atgsl5. In response to HrpNEa, moreover, the AtMYB44 gene known to be required for repression of aphid reproduction on the plant was also required for repression of the phloem-feeding activity. Small amounts of the AtGSL5 transcript and callose deposition were detected in the atmyb44 mutant, as in atgsl5. Both mutants performed similarly in tolerating the phloem-feeding activity and impairing the deterrent effect of HrpNEa, suggesting that AtGSL5 and AtMYB44 both contributed to the effect.

Thirty-seven transcription factor genes differentially respond to a harpin protein and affect resistance to the green peach aphid in Arabidopsis.

The harpin protein HrpN Ea induces Arabidopsis resistance to the green peach aphid by activating the ethylene signalling pathway and by recruiting EIN2, an essential regulator of ethylene signalling, for a defence response in the plant. We investigated 37 ethylene-inducible Arabidopsis transcription factor genes for their effects on the activation of ethylene signalling and insect defence. Twenty-eight of the 37 genes responded to both ethylene and HrpN Ea , and showed either increased or inhibited transcription, while 18 genes showed increased transcription not only by ethylene but also by HrpN Ea . In response to HrpN Ea , transcription levels of 22 genes increased, with AtMYB44 being the most inducible, six genes had decreased transcript levels, and nine remained unchanged. When Arabidopsis mutants previously generated by mutagenicity at the 37 genes were surveyed, 24 mutants were similar to the wild type plant while four mutants were more resistant and nine mutants were more susceptible than wild type to aphid infestation. Aphid-susceptible mutants showed a greater susceptibility for atmyb15, atmyb38 and atmyb44, which were generated previously by T-DNA insertion into the exon region of AtMYB15 and the promoter regions of AtMYB38 and AtMYB44. The atmyb44 mutant was the most susceptible to aphid infestation and most compromised in induced resistance. Resistance accompanied the expression of PDF1.2, an ethylene signalling marker gene that requires EIN2 for transcription in wild type but not in atmyb15, atmyb38, and atmyb44, suggesting a disruption of ethylene signalling in the mutants. However, only atmyb44 incurred an abrogation in induced EIN2 expression, suggesting a close relationship between AtMYB44 and EIN2.