Combined application of field epidemiology and laboratory etiology analysis in the investigation of a foodborne disease outbreak in Xinjiang uygur Autonomous Region, 2016 / 中华预防医学杂志

Objectives: To analyze the causes of a foodborne outbreak in rural areas of Xinjiang between April 2 and April 5 in 2016. Methods: Cases and the relevant background information were obtained by consulting outpatient records of local health centers and regional people's hospitals and interviewing doctors and residents. All samples were collected by the laboratory test through epidemiological and food hygiene investigations. The χ2 test (Fisher's exact probability method) was used to compare differences in incidence rates. Molecular typing, virulence genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) were analyzed by using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS). Results: A total of 142 cases were found in this study, with incidence rate at 5.7‰ (142/24 979). Among all cases, the main symptoms were nausea (94%), vomiting (92%) and abdominal pain (67%), and the incubation period was about 2 h (1-7.5 h). There were 16 Staphylococcus aureus isolates identified and all of them could produce A+C+E mixed enterotoxin. PFGE showed 100% homology. WGS further revealed that there were 9 and 1 strains contained by Sequence Type 1 (ST1) and ST5405, respectively. All ST1 strains were in the same clade on the genome tree. Among these, 7 strains shared close proximity (74 SNPs) and 2 strains shared close relationships as well (127 SNPs). The S. aureus isolates that caused the outbreak were introduced by a mutant isolate from the milk supply station. Conclusions: This foodborne outbreak was mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

Plasma Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor and CCL3 as Potential Biomarkers for Distinguishing Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma from High-Risk Individuals Who Have Positive Epstein-Barr Virus Capsid Antigen-Specific IgA / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify novel plasma biomarkers for distinguishing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients from healthy individuals who have positive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen (VCA-IgA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-four plasma cytokines were analyzed by a Cytokine Array in eight healthy individuals with positive EBV VCA-IgA and eight patients with NPC. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunohistochemistry were employed to detect the expression levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and CC chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3) in NPC cell lines and tumor tissues. Plasma MIF and CCL3 were measured by ELISA in 138 NPC patients, 127 EBV VCA-IgA negative (VN) and 100 EBV VCA-IgA positive healthy donors (VP). Plasma EBV VCA-IgA was determined by immunoenzymatic techniques. RESULTS: Thirty-four of the 174 cytokines varied significantly between the VP and NPC group. Plasma MIF and CCL3 were significantly elevated in NPC patients compared with VN and VP. Combination of MIF and CCL3 could be used for the differential diagnosis of NPC from VN cohort (area under the curve [AUC], 0.913; sensitivity, 90.00%; specificity, 80.30%), and combination of MIF, CCL3, and VCA-IgA could be used for the differential diagnosis of NPC from VP cohort (AUC, 0.920; sensitivity, 90.00%; specificity, 84.00%), from (VN+VP) cohort (AUC, 0.961; sensitivity, 90.00%; specificity, 92.00%). Overexpressions of MIF and CCL3 were observed in NPC plasma, NPC cell lines and NPC tissues. CONCLUSION: Plasma MIF, CCL3, and VCA-IgA combination significantly improves the diagnostic specificity of NPC in high-risk individuals.

An outbreak of cutaneous anthraxcaused by slaughter sick cow in Xinjiang, China, 2016 / 中国人兽共患病学报

On June 6,2016,an outbreak of suspected cutaneous anthrax was reported by T County CDC,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous,China.An investigation was carried out to determine the magnitude and risk factors and to recommend control measures.Suspected cases were defined as any villager in T county residents whose skin appeared rash,blisters,ulceration,swelling of black eschar or ulcer between May 1 and June 8.Confirmed case were defined as suspected case plus serological positive,real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive or Bacillus anthraci isolated.We interviewed clinicians and reviewed medical files in the township and city hospital,and visited all households searching for cases.A case-control study was conducted to investigate the risk factors of human anthrax infection.Three types of specimens were collected and tested by serological detection,real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bacterial culture.Through epidemiological investigation,15 families purchased beef of a sick cow on May 26,2016.Between 29 May and 3 June,ten people from these families were diagnosed as skin anthrax.Among them,six were confirmed cases and four were suspected cases.The attack rate was 20％.The incubation period was 3 to 7 days with average incubation 5 days.The nain clinical manifestations were hand skin anthrax carbuncle.Case control study showed that the incidences of people who exposing or not exposing to contaminated beefs significantly different,with 53％ and 0％ respectively.Blood serums from six patients showed that specific antibody titer appeared to increase more than 4 times.B.anthraci was isolated from herpes fluid of one patient.B.anthraci nucleic acid was detected from beef collected from four families.The outbreak was caused by the villagers exposed sick cow which infected by B.anthraci.Contaminated beef caused the infections.

The prognostic value of serum C-reactive protein-bound serum amyloid A in early-stage lung cancer / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) have been reported to have prognostic significance in lung cancer patients. This study aimed to further identify CRP-bound components as prognostic markers for lung cancer and validate their prognostic value.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CRP-bound components obtained from the serum samples from lung cancer patients or healthy controls were analyzed by differential proteomics analysis. CRP-bound serum amyloid A (CRP-SAA) was evaluated by co-immunoprecipitation (IP). Serum samples from two independent cohorts with lung cancer (retrospective cohort, 242 patients; prospective cohort, 222 patients) and healthy controls (159 subjects) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of CRP-SAA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CRP-SAA was identified specifically in serum samples from lung cancer patients by proteomic analysis. CRP binding to SAA was confirmed by co-IP in serum samples from lung cancer patients and cell culture media. The level of CRP-SAA was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls (0.37 ± 0.58 vs. 0.03 ± 0.04, P < 0.001). Elevated CRP-SAA levels were significantly associated with severe clinical features of lung cancer. The elevation of CRP-SAA was associated with lower survival rates for both the retrospective (hazard ration [HR] = 2.181, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.641-2.897, P < 0.001) and the prospective cohorts (HR = 2.744, 95% CI = 1.810-4.161, P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that CRP-SAA was an independent prognostic marker for lung cancer. Remarkably, in stages I-II patients, only CRP-SAA, not total SAA or CRP, showed significant association with overall survival in two cohorts. Moreover, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses also showed that only CRP-SAA could be used as an independent prognostic marker for early-stage lung cancer patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CRP-SAA could be a better prognostic marker for lung cancer than total SAA or CRP, especially in early-stage patients.</p>

Function of IL-18 in promoting metastasis of lung cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the function of IL-18 in promoting metastasis of lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The differential expression of IL-18 protein or mRNA level between highly and poorly metastatic sublines of human lung giant cell carcinoma metastatic model was detected by Western blot, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and northern blot analysis. The poorly metastatic PLA801C subline or highly metastatic PLA801D subline was transfected with constructed IL-18 sense or IL-18 antisense expressed plasmid by lipofectamine stable transfection technique. The metastasis-related effect mediated by IL-18, the metastatic phenotype differences, cell motility and cell invasion potential in vitro determined by MICS system and the expression level of metastasis-associated biomarkers detected by Western blot analysis, were compared between IL-18 stably transfectants and mock control, i.e. between PLA801C/IL-18(S) and PLA801C/pcDNA3.1, or between PLA801D/IL-18(As) and PLA801D/pcDNA3.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>IL-18 was only present in highly metastatic PLA801D subline at either protein or mRNA level, which implied that IL-18 might play a role in promoting metastasis of lung cancer. After IL-18 sense expressed plasmid was transfected into poorly metastatic PLA801C subline, IL-18 fused protein with myc tag detected by Western blot analysis using either IL-18 or myc tag monoclonal antibody. In addition, cell motility ability in vitro was significantly increased about 3 times and E-cadherin protein was significantly down-regulated at about 50% in PLA801C/IL-18(S) transfectants compared with mock control. While IL-18 expressed plasmid was transfected into highly metastatic PLA801D subline, IL-18 protein and mRNA were simultaneously decreased by 30%. In addition, cell invasion ability in vitro was significantly decreased at about 75% and E-cadherin protein was significantly up-regulated in PLA801D/IL-18(As) transfectants compared with mock control.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IL-18 might play a role in enhancing tumor metastasis of lung cancer by down-regulating E-cadherin protein expression.</p>