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Objective To investigate the population dynamics and Echinococcus infections in small rodents around human settlement in Yushu City, Qinghai Province. Methods Rodents were captured using the mouse trap method in pastures from Batang Township and Longbao Township of Yushu City, Qinghai Province on May, August and October, 2018. The body weight and snout-vent length of all captured rodents were measured, and the species was identified according to the rodent morphology. Genomic DNA was extracted from rodent liver specimens and lesion specimens, and the mitochondrial cox1 gene of Echinococcus was amplified using PCR assay for identification of parasite species. In addition, the tissue specimens positive for PCR assay were sampled for pathological examinations. The prevalence of Echinococcus infections was estimated in rodents, and a phylogenetic tree was created based on Echinococcus cox1 gene sequences. Results A total of 285 small rodents were captured, including 143 Ochotona curzoniae (50.2%), 141 Lasiopodomys fuscus (49.5%), and 1 Neodon irene (0.3%), and there was a remarkable variation in habitat selection among these three rodent species. The number of L. fuscus correlated positively with vegetation coverage (r = 0.350, P = 0.264), with the greatest number seen in August, and the number of O. curzoniae negatively with vegetation coverage (r = −0.371, P = 0.235), with the highest number seen in August and the lowest number in May. The female/male ratios of O. curzoniae and voles were 1:0.96 and 0.82:1, respectively. The body weight (r = 0.519, P < 0.01) and snout-vent length (r = 0.578, P < 0.01) of O. curzoniae showed a tendency towards a rise with month, while the body weight (r = −0.401, P < 0.01) and snout-vent length (r = −0.570, P < 0.01) of voles presented a tendency towards a reduction with month. No Echinococcus infection was detected in voles, while 2.1% prevalence of E. shiquicus infection was seen in O. curzoniae. Phylogenetic analysis revealed consistent sequences of cox1 gene from E. shiquicus in Yushu City of Qinghai Province and Shiqu County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province. Conclusions The small rodents around the human settlement in Yushu City of Qinghai Province mainly include O. curzoniae and L. fuscus, with the greatest numbers seen in May and August, respectively. Following the concerted efforts for echinococcosis control, the prevalence of Echinococcus infections is low in small rodents around the human settlement in Yushu City; however, there is still a risk of echinococcosis transmission.
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BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a kind of pluripotent stem cells in the bone marrow. Drug-containing serum treatment may be followed by a variation in the expression of genes involved in multiple signaling pathways. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of compound Jiegu Tablets and Zhuanggu Tablets on the differentiation of BMSCs in vitro. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into Jiegu group, Zhuanggu group, combined group and blank control group. Different drug-containing sera were prepared and used to culture BMSCs isolated from the rat bone marrow. RT-PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression of BMP-2, Runx2, VEGF and Akt at mRNA and protein levels, respectively, at 24 hours after culture.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the blank control group, the expression levels of Akt and VEGF mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the Jiegu group and combined group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but showed no difference in the Zhuanggu group (P > 0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the expression levels of BMP-2 and Runx2 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in the Jiegu group (P < 0.05) and very significantly increased in the Zhuanggu group and combined group (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that compound Jiegu Tablets and Zhuanggu Tablets containing sera lead to synergistic effects on the BMSCs differentiation into vascular endothelial cells and osteoblasts in vitro.