A Report of Chigger Mites on the Striped Field Mouse, Apodemus agrarius, in Southwest China

Based on the field investigations in 91 investigation sites (counties) in southwest China between 2001 and 2019, the present paper reported the chigger mites on A. agrarius mice in southwest China for the first time by using a series of statistical methods. From 715 striped field mice captured in 28 of 91 investigated sites, only 255 chiggers were collected, and they were identified as 14 species, 6 genera in 3 subfamilies under 2 families. Of 715 A. agrarius mice, only 24 of them were infested with chigger mites with low overall prevalence (PM=3.4%), overall mean abundance (MA=0.36 mites/host) and overall mean intensity (MI=10.63 mites/host). The species diversity and infestation of chiggers on A. agrarius were much lower than those previously reported on some other rodents in southwest China. On a certain species of rodent, A. agrarius mouse in southwest China seems to have a very low susceptibility to chigger infestations than in other geographical regions. Of 14 chigger species, there were 3 dominant species, Leptotrombidium sialkotense, L. rupestre and Schoengastiella novoconfuciana, which were of aggregated distribution among different individuals of A. agrarius hosts. L. sialkotense, one of 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China, was the first dominant on A. agrarius. The species similarity of chigger mites on male and female hosts was low with CSS=0.25, and this reflects the sex-bias of different genders of A. agrarius mice in harboring different chigger species.

Magnetic Resonance Gd-RGD Imaging Study of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with High and Low Metastatic Potential before and after Human Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Intervention / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Biotherapy based on human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is currently the focus of research, especially in the field of autologous stem cell transplantation. A novel type of metastasis-associated magnetic resonance (MR) molecular imaging probe was constructed, and the changes in metastasis and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after BMSC intervention were observed through MR imaging (MRI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Metastasis-associated MR molecular imaging probe, integrin αvβ3ligand cRGD-PEG-DGL-DTPA-Gd (Gd-RGD), were constructed. After human BMSC intervention was performed for 6 weeks, tumor weight inhibition rates were calculated, and the RGD molecular probe was imaged through MRI with molecular imaging agent Gd-DTPA as control. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the MRI experiment were used as semi-quantitative indicators. Polymerase chain reaction method was performed to detect proliferation- and metastasis-associated indicators, transforming growth factor β-1 (TGFβ1), osteopontin (OPN), and integrin subunit αvand β3.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The highest tumor weight inhibition rates were observed 3 weeks after the BMSC transplantation. The MR Gd-RGD in the HCC tissues after the BMSC intervention showed less enhancement than Gd-DTPA. The Gd-DTPA MRI of control group had higher SNR and CNR than Gd-RGD MRI in the experimental groups (P < 0.05). For high metastatic potential hepatocellular carcinoma (MHCC97-H), significant differences were observed in the SNRs and CNRs of Gd-RGD MRI before and after the BMSC intervention (P < 0.05). For low metastatic potential hepatocellular carcinoma (MHCC97-L), the CNRs of Gd-RGD MRI were statistically different before and after BMSC intervention (P < 0.05). With regard to MHCC97-H, OPN, β3, and TGFβ1 expression significantly decreased after BMSC intervention (P < 0.05). In MHCC97-L and OPN, β3, TGFβ1, and αv expression after BMSC intervention decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The CNR index of MRI is a good indicator for distinguishing high- and low-metastatic potential HCC tissues. After BMSC transplantation of MRI through the two kinds of tracer, the SNR and CNR indexes can distinguish two kinds of high and low metastatic potential HCC tissues, and Gd-RGD imaging is more suitable in distinguishing the metastatic potential changes through BMSC intervention.</p>

Osteogenic action of human osteoblasts and alloplastic decalcified cancellous bone / 中国基层医药

Objective To study osteogenic courses and features of human osteoblasts cultured in vitro and seeded into alloplastic decalcified cancellous bone.Methods Human osteoblasts isolated from normal human perios- teum were cultured and amplified in vitro.Thy configuration and developing manners of osteoblasts were observed. Then osteoblasts were seeded into alloplastic decalcified cancellous bone.Thy composites were implanted and cultured in thy body of athymic mice.The specimens were obtained 8 weeks later.Osteogenic characteristics were observed by scanning electron microscope.Results Osteoblasts isolated from human periosteum developed well and proliferated rapidly in vitro.Island new bone formation could be observed histologically 8 weeks after the composites of os- teoblasts and alloplasric decalcified cancellous bone were implanted and cultured in the body of athymic mice.Conclu- sion Calcified bone can be formed by seeding osteoblasts into alloplastic decalcified cancellous bone,which may be a new kind of bone graft source to construct bone defects.

Clinical observation on moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) for treatment of refractory facial paralysis / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe clinical therapeutic effect of moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) on refractory facial paralysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The control group were treated with acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Touwei (ST 8), etc. , and the test group with acupuncture at the same points as those in the control group plus moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) with a warm-heat sense transmitting into the depth of the point along the needle body for the patient.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 93.3% in the test group was significantly better than 76.7 in the control group (P < 0.05); in the test group, the total effective rate for the patients with needling sensation propagating along the channel was 100%, which was significantly superior to 80.00% in the patients with no needling sensation propagating along the channel (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) activating sensation propagating along channel as main way has a better therapeutic effect on refractory facial paralysis.</p>

Clinical study of primary branchiogenic carcinoma / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical feature and prognosis of primary branchial carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The main method of this study was reviewing the clinical feature, diagnosis, treatment methods and prognosis of 5 patients suffered from primary branchial carcinoma.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All of the tumors were excised extensively. All of the patients received radical neck dissection and post-operative radiotherapy. 3 patients had pathologic evident of metastasis in lymph nodes of cervical region. 2 patients died of local recurrence of tumor and metastasis to lung. 1 patient died after post-operative 2 years. 2 patients were still alive after 5 years' follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Primary branchial carcinoma has the very similar clinical feature with branchial cyst. The diagnosis should be considered if painless mass and swollen lymph nodes were found in upper neck region of patients. Rapid frozen pathologic section should be made regularly to make the diagnosis clear. The treatment should include extensive excision of tumor and radical neck dissection to improve the cure rate and survival rate.</p>