The Physiological Functions and Polymorphisms of Type II Deiodinase

Type II deiodinase (DIO2) is thought to provide triiodothyronine (T3) to the nucleus to meet intracellular needs by deiodinating the prohormone thyroxine. DIO2 is expressed widely in many tissues and plays an important role in a variety of physiological processes, such as controlling T3 content in developing tissues (e.g., bone, muscles, and skin) and the adult brain, and regulating adaptive thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, the identification and cloning of DIO2 have been challenging. In recent years, several clinical investigations have focused on the Thr92Ala polymorphism, which is closely correlated with clinical syndromes such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. Thr92Ala-DIO2 was also found to be related to bone and neurodegenerative diseases and tumors. However, relatively few reviews have synthesized research on individual deiodinases, especially DIO2, in the past 5 years. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the physiological functions of DIO2 in thyroid hormone signaling and adaptive thermogenesis in BAT and the brain, as well as the associations between Thr92Ala-DIO2 and bone and neurodegenerative diseases and tumors. This discussion is expected to provide insights into the physiological functions of DIO2 and the clinical syndromes associated with Thr92Ala-DIO2.

Development and validation of a CT-based radiomics model for differentiating pneumonia-like primary pulmonary lymphoma from infectious pneumonia: A multicenter study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Pneumonia-like primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) was commonly misdiagnosed as infectious pneumonia, leading to delayed treatment. The purpose of this study was to establish a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics model to differentiate pneumonia-like PPL from infectious pneumonia.@*METHODS@#In this retrospective study, 79 patients with pneumonia-like PPL and 176 patients with infectious pneumonia from 12 medical centers were enrolled. Patients from center 1 to center 7 were assigned to the training or validation cohort, and the remaining patients from other centers were used as the external test cohort. Radiomics features were extracted from CT images. A three-step procedure was applied for radiomics feature selection and radiomics signature building, including the inter- and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the significant clinicoradiological variables and construct a clinical factor model. Two radiologists reviewed the CT images for the external test set. Performance of the radiomics model, clinical factor model, and each radiologist were assessed by receiver operating characteristic, and area under the curve (AUC) was compared.@*RESULTS@#A total of 144 patients (44 with pneumonia-like PPL and 100 infectious pneumonia) were in the training cohort, 38 patients (12 with pneumonia-like PPL and 26 infectious pneumonia) were in the validation cohort, and 73 patients (23 with pneumonia-like PPL and 50 infectious pneumonia) were in the external test cohort. Twenty-three radiomics features were selected to build the radiomics model, which yielded AUCs of 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-0.99), 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-0.98), and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87-0.99) in the training, validation, and external test cohort, respectively. The AUCs for the two readers and clinical factor model were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63-0.83), 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.82), and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62-0.84) in the external test cohort, respectively. The radiomics model outperformed both the readers' interpretation and clinical factor model ( P <0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The CT-based radiomics model may provide an effective and non-invasive tool to differentiate pneumonia-like PPL from infectious pneumonia, which might provide assistance for clinicians in tailoring precise therapy.

Interpretation of Detection and identification standard of hookworm—Hook-worm larvae coproculture techniques (WS/T 791—2021) / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Detection and identification standard of hookworm—Hookworm larvae coproculture techniques (WS/T 791—2021) is the first recommended technical standard for hookworm detection and species identification using the hookworm larvae coproculture technique in China. This standard was issued on November 23, 2021, and had been in effect since May 1, 2022. This article provides a detailed interpretation pertaining to the background, drafting process, main contents, and dos and don’ts for better understanding and application of this standard among professionals working in disease control and prevention institutions and medical institutions.

Sequence analysis of Paragonimus internal transcribed spacer 2 and cyclooxygenase 1 genes in freshwater crabs in Henan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the sequences of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and cyclooxygenase 1 (COX1) genes of Paragonimus metacercariae in freshwater crabs in Henan Province, identify the species of Paragonimus and evaluate its genetic relationships with Paragonimus isolates from other provinces in China. Methods Freshwater crabs were collected from 8 survey sites in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Pingdingshan, Nanyang and Jiyuan cities of Henan Province from 2016 to 2021, and Paragonimus metacercariae were detected in freshwater crabs. Genomic DNA was extracted from Paragonimus metacercariae, and the ITS2 and COX1 genes were amplified using PCR assay, followed by sequencing of PCR amplification products. The gene sequences were spliced and aligned using the software DNASTAR, and aligned with the sequences of Paragonimus genes in the GenBank. Phylogenetic trees were created using the MEGA6 software with the Neighbor-Joining method based on ITS2 and COX1 gene sequences, with Fasciola hepatica as the outgroup. Results The detection rates of Paragonimus metacercariae were 6.83% (11/161), 50.82% (31/61), 18.52% (5/26), 8.76% (12/137), 14.29% (9/63), 17.76% (19/105), 18.50% (32/173) and 42.71% (41/96) in freshwater crabs from 8 survey sites in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Pingdingshan, Nanyang and Jiyuan cities of Henan Province, with a mean detection rate of 19.46% (160/822), and a mean infection intensity of 0.57 metacercariae/g. The amplified ITS2 and COX1 gene fragments of Paragonimus were approximately 500 bp and 450 bp in lengths, respectively. The ITS2 gene sequences of Paragonimus metacercariae from 8 survey sites of Henan Province showed the highest homology (99.8% to 100.0%) with the gene sequence of P. skrjabini (GenBank accession number: MW960209.1), and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Paragonimus in this study was clustered into the same clade with P. skrjabini from Sichuan Province (GenBank accession number: AY618747.1), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GenBank accession number: AY618729.1) and Hubei Province (GenBank accession number: AY618751.1), and P. miyazaki from Fujian Province (GenBank accession number: AY618741.1) and Japan (GenBank accession number: AB713405.1). The COX1 gene sequences of Paragonimus metacercariae from 8 survey sites of Henan Province showed the highest homology (90.0% to 100.0%) with the gene sequence of P. skrjabini (GenBank accession number: AY618798.1), and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Paragonimus in this study was clustered into the same clade with all P. skrjabini and clustered into the same sub-clade with P. skrjabini from Hubei Province (GenBank accession numbers: AY618782.1 and AY618764.1). Conclusions Paragonimus species from freshwater crabs in Henan Province were all characterized as P. skrjabini, and the ITS2 and COX1 gene sequences had the highest homology to those of P. skrjabini from Hubei Province. The results provide insights into study of Paragonimus in Henan Province and China.

Calpain-1 accelerates endothelial cell apoptosis in pulmonary hypertension by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the mechanism by which calpain-1 promotes hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension pulmonary artery endothelial cell apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress. Methods C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and calpain-1 gene knockout mice (KO) were reared in a hypoxic chamber (10% O

Peptide P3 ameliorates foam cell formation in RAW264.7 cells and its molecular mechanisms / 中国药理学通报

Aim To examine the effect of peptide P3 on lipid accumulation in RAW264.7 cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods MTT method was used to screen the concentration of peptide P3 and oxidized low density lipoprotein(ox-LDL),and RAW.264.7 cells were induced to form foam cells by ox-LDL with 80 mg·L

Linderae Radix water extract treats diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in rats: a serum metabolomics study / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of Linderae Radix water extract(LRWE) in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D) based on serum metabolomics. Eighteen 2-week-old male SD rats were randomized into control, IBS-D model, and LRWE groups. The rats in other groups except the control group received gavage of senna concentrate combined with restraint stress for the modeling of IBS-D. The rats in the LRWE group were administrated with LRWE(5.4 g·kg~(-1)) by gavage, and those in the control and IBS-D model groups with an equal volume of distilled water for a total of 14 days. The visceral sensitivity was evaluated by the abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR) score, and the degree of diarrhea was assessed by the fecal water content(FWC). The morphological changes of the colon and the morphology and number of goblet cells were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and periodic acid-schiff(PAS) staining, respectively. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) was used for the screening of the potential biomarkers in the rat serum and their related metabolic pathways. The results showed that LRWE reduced the AWR score, decreased FWC, and alleviated visceral sensitivity and diarrhea symptoms in IBS-D rats. HE and PAS staining showed that LRWE mitigated low-grade intestinal inflammation and increased the number of mature secretory goblet cells in the colonic epithelium of IBS-D rats. A total of 25 potential biomarkers of LRWE in treating IBS-D were screened out in this study, which were mainly involved in riboflavin, tryptophan, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism. The regulatory effects were the most significant on the riboflavin and tryptophan metabolism pathways. LRWE may alleviate the visceral hypersensitivity by promoting energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and improving intestinal immune function in IBS-D rats.

Treatment Progress in Diminished Ovarian Reserve: Western and Chinese Medicine / 中国结合医学杂志

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), generally defined as a decreased number or quality of oocytes, has a significant impact on quality of life and fertility in women. In recent years, the incidence of DOR has been increasing and the ages of patients are younger. The search for an effective DOR treatment has emerged as one of the preeminent research topics in reproductive health. An effective DOR therapy would improve ovarian function, fertility, and quality of life in patients. In this review we evaluated DOR treatment progress both in Western medicine and Chinese medicine, and elucidated the characteristics of each treatment.

Epidemiological features of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021 / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2011, so as to provide insights into for echinococcosis control and surveillance. Methods The data pertaining to reported echinococcosis cases in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report System, and a descriptive epidemiological analysis was performed using the software SPSS 22.0. Results A total of 150 echinococcosis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021, including 88 confirmed cases (58.67%) and 62 clinically diagnosed cases (41.33%), 77 cases reported by Henan Province (51.33%) and 73 cases reported by other provinces (48.67%). Echinococcosis cases were reported in each month, with 8 to 21 cases reported in each month, and the number of reported echinococcosis cases appeared no remarkable temporal changes. The echinococcosis cases were reported across 18 cities of Henan Province, with the highest number of cases reported in Zhoukou (17.33%) and Nanyang cities (17.33%) and the lowest number reported in Sanmenxia City (0.67%). The reported echinococcosis cases had a male to female ratio of 1.17:1, and the cases were found at each age group, with the the highest number of cases seen at ages of 20 to 59 years (73.33%). Farmer was the predominant occupation (63.33%), followed by housekeepers and the unemployed (12.67%). Of all reported echinococcosis cases, there were 25 local cases (16.67%) and 125 imported cases (83.33%), 144 cases reported by medical institutions (96.00%) and 6 cases reported by centers for disease control and prevention (4.00%). Conclusions Although imported echinococcosis cases were the predominant source of echinococcosis cases reported in the National Notifiable Disease Report System in Henan Province from 2010 to 2021, there were still sporadic local cases, and the emergence of local sources of infection cannot be excluded. Further expanded field surveys and surveillance of echinococcosis are required.

Case report of compound oxidative phosphorylation deficiency type 10 caused by a new site mutation of MTO1 gene / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

The clinical data of a case of compound oxidative phosphorylation deficiency type 10 (COXPD10) caused by a new site mutation of MTO1 gene in the Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University on December 29, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The patient was a 2 months and 19 days old boy of Han nationality.The main clinical manifestations were shortness of breath, hyperlactic acidemia, hyperammonemia and brain damage.Cardiac hypertrophy was not obvious.Heterozygous mutations at c. 344delA and c. 1055C>T sites in the MTO1 gene have not been reported in domestic and foreign literature.COXPD10 caused by MTO1 gene mutations may result in diversified clinical manifestations due to inconsistent mutation sites.For hyperlactic acidemia with unknown predisposing factors, early genetic examination should be conducted to confirm the possibility of COXPD10.

Clinical observation of intermittently repeated application of levosimendan in the treatment of right heart failure of pulmonary hypertension / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To observe th e efficacy and safety of intermittently repeated application of levosimendan in the treatment of right heart failure of pulmonary hypertension. METHODS A total of 70 cases of right heart failure of pulmonary hypertension were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University during Jan. 2019-May 2021，and then randomly divided into control group and observation group ，with 35 cases in each group.In control group ，the patients with moderate risk of classification of pulmonary hypertension were given Tadalafil tablets and Ambrisentan tablets ，while the patients with high risk were given Tadalafil tablets ，Ambrisentan tablets and Treprostinil injection ；both were given anti-right heart failure drugs at the same time. On the basis of treatment in the control group ，patients in the observation group were additionally intravenously pumped with levosimendan injection 12.5 mg，once a month ，at a rate of 0.05-0.1 μg/（kg·min），3 months in total. Response rate of therapy ，improvement of risk stratification of pulmonary hypertension after treatment ，and average pulmonary artery pressure ，six-minute walk distance （6MWD），serum level of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP），right atrial pressure （RAP），oxygen saturation in mixed venous blood （SvO2），cardiac index （CI），right ventricular ejection fraction （RVEF），early diastolic tricuspid inflow velocity/early diastolic tricuspid annular velocity （E/Ea），tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion（TAPSE），right ventricular end-diastolic diameter （RVEDD），right ventricular end-systolic diameter （RVESD）before and after treatment ，and the occurrence of adverse reactions were observed in 2 groups. RESULTS The total response rate of observation group was significantly higher than control group after treatment （P＜0.05）. After treatment ，average pulmonary artery pressure，NT-proBNP level ，RAP，E/Ea，RVEDD and RVESD of 2 groups were significantly lower than before treatment ，while 6MWD，SvO2， CI， TAPSE and RVEF were significantly higher than before treatment ；NT-proBNP level and E/Ea of observation group were significantly lower than control group ， while 6MWD，CI，TAPSE and RVEF were significantly higher than control group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. There was no significant difference in average pulmonary artery pressure ， risk stratification improvement cases of pulmonary hypertension ， RAP， SvO2， RVEDD， RVESD and the incidence of asymptomatic hypotension between 2 groups（P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Intermittently repeated application of levosimendan can improve the function of right heart of pulmonary hypertension complicated with right heart failure and has good safety.

The correlation between grip strength and cognitive function in elderly people / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To explore the association between grip strength and cognitive function in elderly people aged 65 years and over.Methods:Information on grip strength, cognitive function, and lifestyle in the elderly population aged 65 years and over in Wuhan was collected by unified professionally trained investigators.A total of 533 study subjects aged(70.7±5.1)years were grouped by quartile into four grip strength groups of Q1(<18.6 kg), Q2(18.6~24.1 kg), Q3(24.2~31.1 kg), Q4(>31.1 kg).Multiple linear regression and Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship of grip strength with cognitive function scores and cognitive impairment.Results:The mean grip strength of the 533 subjects was(24.94±9.15)kg.After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, history of diseases, as compared with grip strength Q1 group, the linear regression coefficients(Beta value)of cognitive scores and 95% confidence intervals(95% CI)showed statistically significantly positive correlation[0.45(-0.36, 1.26)、0.40(-0.52, 1.32)and 1.19(0.07, 2.31), all P<0.05]only between cognitive scores and grip strength Q2、Q3 and Q4 value; and the odds ratio and 95% CI of incidence of cognitive impairment were 0.97(0.43, 2.21)for grip strength Q2, 0.79(0.30, 2.06)for grip strength Q3, and 0.22(0.05, 0.92)for grip strength Q4.Considering grip strength as the continuous variable, the risk of cognitive impairment was decreased by 6% and the cognitive score was increased by 0.07 with per 1kg increase of grip strength. Conclusions:The results of this study suggest that there is a positive correlation between grip strength and cognitive function in the elderly population, and a lower grip strength is related to increased risk of cognitive impairment.More attention should be paid to the grip strength of the elderly in the community.

Neuroprotective effect and the mechanism of Shenzao jiannao oral liquid on Alzheimer ’s disease model mice / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the neuroprotective effects of Shenzao jianna o oral liquid （SZJN）on Alzheimer ’s disease （AD）model mice and its mechanism. METHODS The mice were randomly divided into sham operation group ，model group ， Donepezil hydrochloride tablet group （0.65 mg/kg），SZJN low-dose ，medium-dose and high-dose groups （0.3，1.5 and 7.5 g/kg， calculated by crude drug quantity ），with 12 mice in each group ，half male and half female. Each group was given relevant medicine（intragastric administration of water at constant volume in sham operation group and model group ），twice a day ，for consecutive 28 d. On the 15th day of administration ，intracerebroventricular injection of β-amyloid 1-42（Aβ1-42）combined with intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine hydrobromide were used to induce AD model. Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory ability of mice. HE staining and Nissl staining were used to evaluate the pathological changes of brain tissue in mice. The levels of MDA and SOD in brain tissue of mice were detected. The phosphorylation level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein （CREB） and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） in hippocampal tissues were detected by Western blot. RESULTS Compared with sham operation group ，the escape latency of the model group was significantly prolonged ，and the number of crossing the platform and the percentage of residence time in the target quadrant were significantly reduced （P＜0.01）. The level of SOD in brain tissue ，the phosphorylation level of CREB and the expression level of BDNF in hippocampus decreased significantly （P＜0.01），while the level of MDA increased significantly （P＜ 0.01）. In hippocampal CA 1 area and cortical tissue ，nerve cells showed significantly decreased number ，the disordered arrangement and large gap ；the shape of nucleus was irregular and deeply stained ，and Nissl body was blurred ，loosely arranged and the number decreased. Compared with model group ，the escape latency of mice in each dose group of SZJN was significantly shortened ，and the times of crossing the platform and the percentage of residence time in the target quadrant were significantly jing- increased（P＜0.01）. Above indexes of brain tissue in mice were reversed sig nificantly in SZJN high-dose group （P＜0.01），and pathological damage of brain tiss ue was improved. CONCLUSIONS SZJN can significantly improve the learning and memory ability of AD model mice ，and alleviate the pathological injury and oxidative stress of brain tissue ，which may be related to the activation of CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.

Prevalence and risk factors of Giardia lamblia infections among colorectal cancer patients in Henan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and identify the risk factors of Giardia lamblia infections among patients with colorectal cancer in Henan Province. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed for questionnaire surveys among colorectal cancer patients in Henan Cancer Hospital during the period from March to July, 2021. Patients’ stool samples were collected, and the triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) gene of G. lamblia was amplified in stool samples using nested PCR assay to characterize the parasite genotype. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify the risk factors of G. lamblia infections among colorectal cancer patients. Results A total of 307 colorectal cancer patients were investigated, including 176 males (57.3%) and 131 females (42.7%). PCR assay detected 8.1% [95% confidential interval (CI): (0.056, 0.117)] prevalence of G. lamblia infections among the study subjects, and there was no significant difference in the prevalence between men [9.1%, 95% CI: (0.057, 0.143)] and women [6.9%, 95% CI: (0.037, 0.125)] (χ2 = 0.495, P = 0.482). In addition, there was no age-specific prevalence of G. lamblia infections among the participants (χ2 = 1.534, P = 0.675). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified use of septic tanks [odds ratio (OR) = 3.336, 95% CI: (1.201, 9.267)], daily use of well water [OR = 3.042, 95% CI: (1.093, 8.465)] and raising livestock [OR = 3.740, 95% CI: (1.154, 12.121)] as risk factors of G. lamblia infections among colorectal cancer patients, and the prevalence of abdominal pain was significantly greater in colorectal cancer patients with G. lamblia infections than in those without infections (P = 0.017). Among the 25 patients with G. lamblia infections, assemblage A was characterized in 24 (96.0%) cases and assemblage B in one case (4.0%). Conclusions The prevalence of G. lamblia is high among colorectal cancer patients in Henan Province, and assemblage A is the dominant genotype of G. lamblia. Use of septic tanks, daily use of well water and raising livestock are risk factors of G. lamblia infections among patients with colorectal cancer.

Evaluation of efficiency of different anti-cysticercus antibody test kits for serodiagnosis of cysticercosis / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of four anti-cysticercus IgG, IgG4 or IgM antibody test kits (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA) by different manufacturers, so as to provide insights into the epidemiological investigation and clinical detection of cysticercosis. Methods Forty serum samples from cerebral cysticercosis patients, 100 serum samples from healthy volunteers, 30 serum samples from paragonimiasis skrjabini patients, 17 serum samples from cystic echinococcosis and 19 serum samples from subcutaneous or cerebral sparganosis patients were collected and detected using anti-cysticercus IgG, IgG4 or IgM antibody test kits (brand A) and the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand B). The sensitivity, specificity and false negative rate of the four kits for detection of cysticercosis were estimated. Results The anti-cysticercus IgG, IgG4 or IgM antibody test kits (brand A) showed 95.00% (38/40), 87.50% (35/40), 7.50% (3/40) sensitivities and 98.00% (98/100), 100.00% (100/100) and 100.00% (100/100) for detection of cysticercosis, while the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand B) presented a 75.00% (30/40) sensitivity and 100.00% (100/100) specificity for detection of cysticercosis. The sensitivity for detection of cysticercosis was significantly higher by the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand A) than by the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand B) (χ2 = 6.28, P < 0.05); however, no significant difference was seen in the specificity by two kits (χ2 = 2.01, P > 0.05). The four ELISA kits showed overall false positive rates of 37.88% (25/66), 22.73% (15/66), 62.12% (41/66) and 15.15% (10/66) for detection of paragonimiasis, echinococcosis and sparganosis (χ2 = 37.61, P < 0.05), and the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand A) presented the highest overall false positive rate for detection of paragonimiasis, echinococcosis and sparganosis (χ2 = 7.56, P’ < 0.008), while a higher overall false positive rate was seen for detection of paragonimiasis, echinococcosis and sparganosis by the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand A) than by the anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand B) (χ2 = 8.75, P’ < 0.008). The four ELISA kits showed false positive rates of 40.00% (12/30), 16.67% (5/30), 76.67% (23/30) and 13.33% (4/30) for detection of paragonimiasis (χ2 = 32.88, P < 0.05) and 21.05% (4/19), 26.32% (5/19), 73.68% (14/19) and 15.79% (3/19) for detection of sparganosis (χ2 = 19.97, P < 0.05), and the highest false positive rates were found by the anti-cysticercus IgM antibody test kit (brand A) for detection of paragonimiasis and sparganosis (all P’ < 0.008). However, the four ELISA kits showed comparable false positive rates of 52.94% (9/17), 29.41% (5/17), 23.53% (4/17) and 17.65% (3/17) for detection of echinococcosis (χ2 = 8.24, P > 0.05). In addition, the anti-cysticercus IgM anti-body test kit (brand A) showed false positive rates of 76.67% (23/30), 23.53% (4/17) and 73.68% (14/19) for detection of paragonimiasis, echinococcosis and sparganosis (χ2 = 14.537, P < 0.05), with the lowest false positive rate seen for detection of echinococcosis (χ2 = 14.537, P’ < 0.014), while no significant differences were seen in the false positive rate for detection of paragonimiasis, echinococcosis and sparganosis by other three ELISA kits (all P > 0.05). Conclusions The four anti-cysticercus IgG, IgG4 or IgM antibody test kits exhibit various efficiencies for serodiagnosis of cysticercosis. The anti-cysticercus IgG antibody test kit (brand A) has a high sensitivity for serodiagnosis of cysticercosis; however, it still needs to solve the problems of cross-reaction with other parasitic diseases and stability.

Analysis of lactate dehydrogenase gene polymorphisms and prediction of B cell epitopes in four human Plasmodium species / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To analyze the polymorphism of Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) gene and predict B-cell epitopes in pLDH peptides in four species of human malaria parasites. Methods The blood samples and epidemiological characteristics were collected from malaria cases in Yunnan Province registered in the National Notifiable Disease Report System. The pLDH genes of four human Plasmodium species were amplified using nested PCR assay and sequenced. The polymorphisms of pLDH genes was analyzed using the software MEGA version 7.0.26 and DnaSP version 5.10, and the B-cell epitopes were predicted in pLDH peptides using the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB). Results The sequences of P. vivax LDH (PvLDH), P. falciparum LDH (PfLDH), P. ovale LDH (PoLDH) and P. malariae LDH (PmLDH) genes were obtained from 153, 29, 17 and 11 blood samples from patients with P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. ovale and P. malariae malaria, respectively, which included 15, 2, 4 and 2 haplotypes and had a nucleotide diversity (π) of 0.104. A high level of intra-species differentiation was seen in the PoLDH gene (π = 0.012), and the π values were all < 0.001 for PvLDH, PfLDH and PmLDH genes. Active regions of B-cell antigen were predicted in the pLDH peptide chain of four human malaria parasites, of 4 to 5 in each chain, and the activity score was approximately 0.430. Among these peptide chains, the “86-PGKSDKEWNRD-96” short-peptide was a B-cell epitope shared by all four species of human malaria parasites, and the “266-GQYGHS (T)-271” short-peptide was present in PvLDH and PoLDH peptide chains, while “212-EEVEGIFDR-220” was only found in the PvLDH peptide chain, and “208-LISDAE-213” was only seen in the PfLDH peptide chain. Conclusions The PoLDH gene polymorphism may be derived from the weak negative purification selection, while PvLDH, PfLDH and PmLDH genes may maintain a relatively conservative state. There may be two B-cell epitopes “212-EEVEGIFDR-220” and “208-LISDAE-213” in the proximal region of the C terminal in the pLDH peptide chain, which is feasible to differentiate between P. vivax and P. falciparum infections.

Effectiveness of training on Taenia solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among medical professionals in disease-elimination pilot areas of Henan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the changes in the awareness rate of Taenia solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among medical professionals before and after training in Fangcheng County, a disease-elimination pilot area of Henan Province, so as to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Methods Three townships in Fangcheng County were randomly selected as the study townships, including Dushu, Bowang and Yangji townships, while Erlangmiao, Yanglou and Xiaoshidian townships in the county were randomly selected as the control townships. The grassroots medical professionals in the study townships were given once training on T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge each year from 2016 to 2020, while those in the control townships were given no interventions. All village-level doctors and a part of township-level public health professionals were sampled from the study and control townships as intervention and control groups. The baseline and final assessments of the awareness of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge were performed using questionnaire survey in intervention and control groups in 2016 and 2020, and the awareness of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge was compared between the two groups. Results A total of 663 medical professionals were investigated in Fangcheng County from 2016 to 2020, including 474 participants in the intervention group and 189 participants in the control group. Results from the 2016 baseline survey showed that the awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge was 28.83% (47/163) among grassroots medical professionals in Fangcheng County, and there were no significant differences in the awareness between the intervention (32.47%, 25/77) and control groups (25.58%, 22/86) (χ2 = 0.939, P > 0.05), between men (30.50%, 43/141) and women (18.18%, 4/22) (χ2 = 1.406, P > 0.05) or between village- (31.39%, 43/137) and township-level medical professionals (15.38%, 4/26) (χ2 = 2.727, P > 0.05), while significant differences were found in the awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among medical professionals in terms of education levels (χ2 = 8.190, P < 0.05) and duration of working experiences (χ2 = 12.617, P < 0.05), and the awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge increased with education levels among medical professionals (χ2 = 6.768, P < 0.05). Only 5.52% (9/163) of the medical professionals had a history of diagnosis and therapy of T. solium taeniasis or cysticercosis, and only 1.23% (2/163) received training on T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge during the past 5 years. Results from the 2020 questionnaire survey showed a higher awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among medical professionals in the intervention group (93.55%, 116/124) than in the control group (46.60%, 48/103) (χ2 = 61.845, P < 0.05), and no significant differences were seen in the awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among medical professionals in terms of gender, level of medical professionals, duration of working experiences or history of diagnosis/therapy of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis in the intervention group (χ2 = 1.089, 0.140, 0.081 and 0.453, all P values > 0.05), while there was a significant difference in the awareness rate among medical professionals with different education levels (χ2 = 36.338, P < 0.05). In addition, the awareness rate of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge significantly increased among medical professionals with various chracteristics in 2020 than in 2016. Conclusions In the low-prevalence areas of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis, long-term and persistent training may improve the awareness of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge among grassroots medical professionals, which facilitates the timely identification of T. solium taeniasis and cysticercosis and the establishment of a sensitive disease surveillance system.

Serum metabolomic profiling reveals potential biomarkers in assessing the management of women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#As one of the most common endocrinal disorders for women at childbearing age, the diagnostic criteria of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been defined differently among different international health organizations. Phenotypic heterogeneity of PCOS also brings about difficulties for its diagnosis and management assessment. Therefore, more efficient biomarkers representing the progression of PCOS are expected to be integrated into the monitoring of management process using metabolomic approaches.@*METHODS@#In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 117 PCOS patients were enrolled from December 2016 to September 2017. Classical diagnostic parameters, blood glucose, and metabolome were measured in these patients before and at 2 months and 3 months of different medical interventions. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were built based on multivariate statistical analysis using data at baseline and 3 months' management, and combinational biomarkers with appreciable sensitivity and specificity were selected, which then validated with data collected at 2 months.@*RESULTS@#A set of metabolites including glutamic acid, aspartic acid, 1-methylnicotinamide, acetylcarnitine, glycerophosphocholine, and oleamide were filtered out with high performance in representing the improvement through 3-month management of PCOS with high sensitivity and specificity in ROC analysis and validation with other two groups showed an appreciable area under the curve over 0.96.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The six metabolites were representative of the remission of PCOS through medical intervention, making them a set of potential biomarkers for assessing the outcome of PCOS management.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03264638.

Short-term combined treatment with exenatide and metformin for overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are common features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Metformin (MET) increases insulin sensitivity, but it is associated with unsatisfactory weight loss. The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exenatide has been shown to reduce weight and IR in patients with diabetes. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of exenatide once-weekly (QW) combined with MET on body weight, as well as metabolic and endocrinological parameters in overweight/obese women with PCOS.@*METHODS@#Fifty overweight/obese women with PCOS diagnosed via the Rotterdam criteria were randomized to one of two treatment groups: MET (500 mg three times a day [TID]) or combination treatment (COM) (MET 500 mg TID, exenatide 2 mg QW) for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were anthropometric changes associated with obesity, and the secondary outcomes included changes in reproductive hormone levels, glucose and lipid metabolism, and C-reactive protein.@*RESULTS@#Forty (80%) patients completed the study. COM therapy was superior to MET monotherapy in reducing weight (P = 0.045), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.041), and waist circumference (P = 0.023). Patients in the COM group on an average lost 3.8 ± 2.4 kg compared with 2.1 ± 3.0 kg in the MET group. In the COM group, BMI and waist circumference decreased by 1.4 ± 0.87 kg/m2 and 4.63 ± 4.42 cm compared with 0.77 ± 1.17 kg/m2 and 1.72 ± 3.07 cm in the MET group, respectively. Moreover, levels of fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2-h glucose, and OGTT 2-h insulin were significantly lower with COM therapy than with MET (P < 0.050). Mild and moderate gastrointestinal reactions were the most common adverse events in both groups.@*CONCLUSIONS@#COM therapy was more effective than MET alone in reducing body weight, BMI, and waist circumference, and improving insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese women with PCOS, with acceptable short-term side effects.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04029272. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04029272.

Advances in the research of comorbidity of Blastocystis hominis infections and other diseases / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Blastocystis hominis is a common intestinal protozoan parasite. Most individuals with B. hominis infections have no apparent clinical symptoms; however, a few patients, notably those with co-infections or impaired immune system function may present abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and even death. This paper reviews the co-infections of B. hominis and other pathogens and comorbidity of B. hominis infections and other diseases, so as to provide insights into the management of B. hominis infections.