ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Biomarkers , Metabolomics , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/diagnosis , Prospective Studies , ROC CurveABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Exenatide/therapeutic use , Metformin/therapeutic use , Obesity/drug therapy , Overweight , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/drug therapyABSTRACT
Objective To compare the changes of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) related to taeniasis and cysticercosis among primary school students before and after health education interventions in disease-elimination pilot areas of Henan Province, so as to evaluate the effectiveness of health education interventions. Methods A primary school was selected from each of Dushu, Bowang and Yangji townships, Fangcheng County, Henan Province from 2017 to 2019; then, 2 to 3 classes were randomly selected from grade 4 to 6 in each primary school, and finally, all students in these classes were enrolled as study subjects. A thematic health education lecture pertaining to taeniasis and cysticercosis was given once each year by means of “health education in class”. The KAP towards taeniasis and cysticercosis was investigated among primary school students using selffilled structured questionnaires, and the changes of awareness of taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge and percentage of healthy behaviors formation were compared in primary school students among years and following various frequencies of health education interventions. Results More than 10 thousand person-time primary school students received health education interventions during the period from 2017 to 2019, and a total of 1 223 person-time primary school students were investigated during the 3-year study period, including 633 person-time men and 590 person-time women and 88.55% of primary school students at ages of 10 to 12 years. The proportion of households raising pigs and using dry toiliets decreased from 5.30% (24/453) and 18.10% (82/453) in 2017 to 3.60% (13/361) and 11.08% (40/361) in 2019, respectively. The awareness rate of taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge increased significantly from 0.22% (1/453) in 2017 to 62.59% (256/409) in 2018 and 76.73% (277/361) in 2019 (χ2 = 567.60, P < 0.001), and the awareness rate was 85.25% (104/122) among primary school students attending the thematic special health education courses for successive three times. The awareness rates of taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge were 0.44% (1/225), 58.00% (116/200) and 71.63% (149/208) among male students and 0 (0/338), 66.99% (140/209) and 83.66% (128/153) among female students from 2017 to 2019, and there was a significant difference in the awareness of taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge between male and female students in 2019 (χ2 = 7.14, P = 0.01). On-site teaching by doctors was the students’ favorite way to receive health education interventions (70.07%, 857/1 223), followed by watching health education videos (58.63%, 717/1 223) and seeing parasite specimens (48.9%, 598/1 223). The proportion of students’ families who used cutting boards for raw and cooked food separately increased from 7.28% (33/453) in 2017 to 47.37% (171/361) in 2019, was 67.21% (82/122) among students attending the health education courses for successive three times. The proportion of students who frequently washed their hands before meals and after using toilet increased from 71.96% (324/453) in 2017 to 89.47% (319/361) in 2019 and was 95.90% (117/122) among students attending the health education courses for successive three times. In addition, the percentage of students washing hands frequently in families using dry toilets was significantly lower in those who did not use dry toilets (χ2 = 9.21, P = 0.002), and the proportion of students with a habit of eating raw or undercooked meat decreased significantly from 35.76% (162/453) in 2017 to 6.65% (24/361) in 2019 (χ2 = 69.11, P < 0.01). Conclusion The thematic health education activity of “health education in class” contributes greatly to the increase in the awareness of taeniasis and cysticercosis control knowledge and the rate of healthy behaviors formation among primary school students in diseaseelimination pilot areas of Henan Province.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the correlation between fish intake and cognitive function in the elderly.Methods:Based on data for Hubei province of the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey 2015, 335 participants aged 60 and over were included in the study.Face-to-face cognitive screening was used to evaluate cognitive function.Fish intake was converted into four classifications: 0 g/d, 0-50 g/d, 50-100 g/d, and >100 g/d.The multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the correlation between fish intake and cognitive function in the elderly.Results:There were 335 subjects, including 142 males(42.4%)and 193 females(57.6%). In the overall population( F=4.19, P=0.006)and females( F=2.30, P=0.079), cognitive scores of the elderly increased with increased fish intake, but no increase was found in males( F=1.99, P=0.119). After adjusting for confounding factors such as age, sex, urban and rural living, education level, marital status, smoking, alcohol consumption, daily total energy intake, dietary fat-to-energy intake ratio, BMI, history of hypertension and stroke, fish intake >100 g/d in the elderly was positively correlated with the cognitive score( β=2.68, 95% CI: 0.38-4.98), compared with the lowest fish intake group(0 g/d); gender-stratified analysis showed that the regression coefficient was 4.26(95% CI: 1.23-7.30)for women and 1.70(-1.76-5.15)for men. Conclusions:Increased fish intake is positively correlated with improved cognitive function in elderly women, but the same is not true in elderly men.Increasing fish intake may be beneficial in preventing cognitive decline in elderly women.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of exercise stress echocardiography combined with left ventricular two-dimensional speckle tracking layer-specific strain technique in evaluating subclinical myocardial damage and reserve function in patients with hypertension.Methods:A total of 51 healthy subjects(control group) and 55 hypertensive patients (hypertension group) were enrolled in the treadmill exercise stress test in Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital from October 2018 to January 2020. According to the European Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension, the inclusion criteria for patients with hypertension were: blood pressure≥140/90 mmHg or who explicitly took antihypertensive drugs, and related cardiovascular diseases were excluded. The conventional parameters of resting and peak exercise, including left ventricular mass index, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index and left ventricular ejection fraction et al, were analyzed by speckle tracking software in two groups. According to the standard images in the resting and peak exercise, the endocardium /mid-myocardium /epicardium of left ventricular (three-, two-, four-chamber and global) longitudinal strain and circumferential strain (papillary muscle level) were compared respectively in two groups. The characteristics of strain differences and the systolic function reserve between the resting and peak exercise were evaluated.Results:There were significant differences in conventional ultrasound parameters between resting and peak exercise period in hypertension group, except E/A and e/a ratio (all P<0.05), and E/e value increased significantly(12.1±0.38) during peak exercise, indicating impaired diastolic reserve function. The longitudinal and circumferential layer-specific strain values from endocardial to epicardial were gradually decreased in both two groups. Compared with the control group, the resting longitudinal and circumferential endocardial strain values in hypertensive group were decreased, and the differences were more obvious at peak status, for instance global longitudinal endocardium strain at rest[control group (24.4±1.5)%, hypertension group (20.4±2.3)%], peak status[control group (30.8±2.8)%, hypertension group (22.8±2.9)%]( P<0.05). There were no significant differences of the partial layer-specific strain values between the peak exercise and resting status in hypertension group, while peak layer-specific strain of the control group were all significantly increased, suggesting that the left ventricular systolic reserve function of hypertension patients was lower than that of the control group. Conclusions:Left ventricular layer-specific strain can effectively evaluate the myocardial function in patients with hypertension, especially the endocardial strain can be used as an indicator parameter, and the peak exercise stress state is more sensitive. The systolic and diastolic reserve function of the left ventricle in patients with hypertension at the peak period are reduced to different degrees. Exercise stress echocardiography combined with left ventricular layer-specific strain technique can be used as a new method for detection of myocardial function impairment in patients with hypertension.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the changes of fetal renal artery blood flow parameters in fetuses with isolated borderline oligohydramnios (IBO) in the middle and third trimesters by Doppler ultrasound, and to assess its correlations with maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes.Methods:Twenty-seven IBO fetuses (IBO group) and 27 gestational age-matched normal fetuses (control group) from April to October 2019 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University underwent prenatal ultrasound examination during the middle and third trimesters. Renal artery blood flow parameters, including renal artery pulsatility index (RAPI), volume corrected renal artery pulsatility index (vcRAPI) and pregnancy outcomes were measured and compared between the two groups. Once diagnosed IBO, patients were recommended to the obstetric clinic for consultation and intervention. The correlation between RAPI, vcRAPI measured before intervention and prepartum amniotic fluid volume and pregnancy outcomes was analyzed, the ROC curve was plotted to find the better predictor.Results:The vcRAPI of the IBO group was higher than that of the control group ( P=0.015). In the IBO group, the vcRAPI measured before intervention was higer in those fetuses who were still IBO before delivery( P=0.048). In the IBO group, the correlation of the vcRAPI measured before intervention and IBO before delivery was statistically significant ( OR=2.41, 95% CI=1.06-5.43, P=0.035). The ROC curve showed that the sensitivity of vcRAPI to IBO was 0.67, the specificity was 0.75( P=0.002). Conclusions:Compared with RAPI, The vcRAPI may reflect the increase in fetal renal artery perfusion resistance of IBO group more timely. The higher vcRAPI before intervention in the IBO group have difficulty in recovering amniotic fluid volume before delivery.Increased vcRAPI is a better predictor of IBO before delivery.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
Objective To establish a nucleic acid assay for detection of Paragonimus skrjabini based on the recombinase-aided isothermal amplification (RAA) technique, and to preliminarily evaluate its detection efficiency. Methods The metacercariae of P. skrjabini, P. westermani and Euparagonimus cenocopiosus were isolated from crabs, and genomic DNA was extracted for molecular characterization. The cytochrome coxidase 1 (cox1) gene sequence of P. skrjabini was selected as the target gene fragment, and the primers and probes were designed, screened and synthesized for RAA assay. The genomic DNA of P. skrjabini metacercariae from Jiyuan City and Yiyang County of Luoyang City, Henan Province were used as templates for verification of the fluorescent RAA assay. The fluorescent RAA assay was performed to detect different concentrations of plasmids containing target gene fragment and P. skrjabini metacercariae genomic DNA to determine the sensitivity. Fluorescent RAA assay was performed with recombinant plasmids containing P. skrjabini cox1 gene sequences at different concentrations and P. skrjabini genomic DNA as templates to evaluate its sensitivity, and the genomic DNA of P. westermani, E. cenocopiosus, Clonorchis sinensis and Schistosoma japonicum was detected with fluorescent RAA assay to evaluate its specificity. Results P. skrjabini, P. westermani and E. cenocopiosus metacercariae were isolated from crabs, respectively. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis confirmed their homology with the genes sequences of standard Paragonimus strains in GenBank. A fluorescent RAA assay was successfully established for nucleic acid detection of P. skrjabini, and the genomic DNA of P. skrjabini metacercariae from Jiyuan City and Yiyang County of Luoyang City, Henan Province was amplified using the fluorescent RAA assay within 5 min, while the negative control was not amplified. If the recombinant plasmid containing P. skrjabini cox1 gene sequences was used as templates, the fluorescent RAA assay showed the lowest detection limit of 10 copies/μL, and positive amplification was observed within 5 min. If genomic DNA was used as templates, the fluorescent RAA assay showed the lowest detection limit of 10 pg/μL, and all positive amplifications were found within 5 to 10 min. In addition, the fluorescent RAA assay was tested negative for P. westermani, E. cenocopiosus, C. sinensis and S. japonicum. Conclusions A rapid, sensitive and specific fluorescent RAA assay is successfully established for nucleic acid detection of P. skrjabini, which has potential values in rapid field detection and species identification in freshwater crabs in areas endemic for P. skrjabini.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of intestinal protozoan infections among rural children in Henan Province. Methods A total of 104 survey sites were sampled from 35 counties (cities) in Henan Province using the stratified cluster sampling method to investigate the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections among rural children from 2014 to 2015. The trophozoites and cysts of intestinal protozoa were identified using the iodine staining method and the physiological saline direct smear method (one detection for one stool sample). The prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections was compared among rural children with different characteristics, and the factors affecting intestinal protozoan infections among rural children were identified. Results The overall prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections was 0.60% (40/6 771) among rural children in Henan Province from 2014 to 2015. There were 7 species of intestinal protozoa identified, and there was no species-specific prevalence (χ2 = 37.732, P = 0.000). No significant differences were found in prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections among rural children in terms of gender (χ2 = 1.793, P = 0.181), age (χ2 = 1.443, P = 0.486), occupation (χ2 = 0.219, P = 0.896) or ecological region (χ2 = 1.700, P = 0.637). In addition, terrain (χ2 = 2.311, P = 0.510), economic level (χ2 = 4.322, P = 0.229), source of drinking water (χ2 = 0.731, P = 0.393), eating raw vegetables (χ2 = 1.134, P = 0.287) and deworming (χ2 = 1.089, P = 0.297) had no remarkable effects on the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections among rural children in Henan Province; however, the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections varied significantly among rural children living in regions with different coverage of non-harmless toilets (χ2 = 10.050, P = 0.018). Conclusion The prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections is low among rural children in Henan Province.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) in hematopoietic stem cell mobilization in 71 normal healthy donors for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).@*METHODS@#From March 2018 to July 2019, 71 patients received allo-HSCT in The General Hospital of Western Theater Command were enrolled in the study, a single dose of PEG-rhG-CSF was injected subcutaneously at 12 mg to all the stem cell donors. After injection for 4 days, CD34@*RESULTS@#Seventy-one healthy stem cell donors included 39 males and 32 females with a median age of 38 (16-58) years old. The median number of CD34@*CONCLUSION@#For allo-HSCT donor mobilization, PEG-rh-G-CSF is effective, safe, and convenient, providing more options for HSC mobilization.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Antigens, CD34 , Graft vs Host Disease , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Recombinant Proteins , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Osteoporosis as a systemic chronic skeletal disease is characterized by low bone mineral density and increased risk to osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporosis is prevalent in the middle-aged and elderly population, especially in the postmenopausal women. With population aging, osteoporosis has become a world-wide serious public health problem. Early recognition of the high-risk population followed by timely and efficient intervention and/or treatment is important for preventing osteoporotic fractures. In light of the high heritability and complex pathogenesis of osteoporosis, comprehensive consideration of vital biological/biochemical factors is necessary for accurate risk evaluation of fractures. For this purpose, we review recent research progress on molecules which can be applied to assess risk for osteoporotic fractures. Future integrative analyses and systematic evaluation of these molecules may facilitate developing novel methodologies and/or test strategies, i.e., biochips, for early recognition of osteoporosis, hence contributing to preventing osteoporotic fractures.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to explore the pharmacodynamic differences of Puerariae Lobatae Radix(PLR), Puerariae Thomsonii Radix(PTR) and their different processed products and the influences of these medical materials on the diversity of intestinal flora. The Sennae Folium-induced diarrhea model, streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetes model and L-nitro-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME)-induced hypertension model were used to compare the pharmacodynamic differences in anti-diarrhea, blood glucose reduction and blood pressure lowering among raw, roasted and vinegar-processed PLR and PTR. The effects of raw and processed PLR and PTR on intestinal flora diversity of rats were evaluated by 16 S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. The roasted PLR and PTR performed better in anti-diarrhea, especially the former. PLR and its processed products all presented the efficacy of reducing blood glucose, and the vinegar-processed PLR was the most outstanding. The raw PTR was not that effective in reducing blood glucose, whereas its efficacy was improved after roasting and vinegar processing. Both PLR and PTR were capable of lowering blood pressure to a certain extent, and PLR is superior to PTR in this aspect. Further, the vinegar-processed PLR showed the best effect. The diversity of intestinal flora was different among rats to which different products of PLR and PTR were administered. The roasted PLR led to the highest abundance of Lactobacillus, which was closely related to its best antidiarrheal effect. The highest abilities of vinegar-processed PLR to lower blood glucose and blood pressure were associated with the high abundance of Blautia and Prevotella_9. This study lays a foundation for elucidating the processing mechanisms of PLR and PTR and provides a basis for their further development and application.