Single-cell RNA sequencing deciphers transcriptional profiles of hepatocytes in mouse with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the cell composition and the transcriptional characteristics in microenvironments of hepatic tissues in mice at late stage of Echinococcus multilocularis infection at a single-cell level. Methods Peri-lesion and paired distal hepatic specimens were collected from two BALB/c mice (6 to 8 weeks old) infected with E. multilocularis for single-cell RNA sequencing. The Seurat package in the R software was employed for quality control of data, multi-sample integration and correction of batch effects, and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) algorithm was used for cell clustering. Cell types were annotated using classical marker genes. Differentially expressed genes were screened in each cell type through differential gene expression analysis, and the biological roles of cells were predicted using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Results A total of 43 710 cells from peri-lesion and distal hepatic tissues of E. multilocularis-infected mice were analyzed, and were classified into 11 cell types, including neutrophils, T cells, macrophages, granulocyte-monocyte progenitor cells, B cells, plasma cells, basophils, hepatic stellate cells, endothelial cells, hepatocytes, and platelets. T cells were the largest population of immune cells in the microenvironment of hepatic tissues, including five CD4+ T cell subsets, two CD8+ T cell subsets and phosphoantigen-reactive γδT cells. The proportions of CD4+ helper T cells and cytotoxic CD4+ T cells decreased and the proportion of T helper 2 (Th2) cells increased in peri-lesion tissues relative to distal hepatic tissues. In addition, the differentially expressed genes in Th2 cells were associated with negative regulation of the immune system, and the highly expressed genes in cytotoxic CD4+ T cells correlated with activation of the immune system. Conclusions Single-cell RNA sequencing deciphers the cell composition and distribution in microenvironments of hepatic tissues from mice infected with E. multilocularis, and the increased proportion of Th2 cells in peri-lesion hepatic tissues may be associated with formation of immunosuppressive microenvironments.

Molecular detection and prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infections in two types of domestic farm animals in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Area (QTPA) in China.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species infections in young cattle and sheep in the north-eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Area (QTPA), north-western China. A total number of 454 faecal samples (389 from cattle and 65 from sheep) were collected and investigated to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Cryptosporidium spp. infections detected in cattle (n = 56 positive samples) and sheep (n = 4 positive samples) were as following: C. andersoni (16/56, 28.6%) was the dominant species, followed by C. canis (9/56, 16.1%), C. bovis (9/56, 16.1%), C. hominis (8/56, 14.3%), C. struthionis (7/56, 12.5%), C. ryanae (5/56, 8.9%), and C. serpentis (2/56, 3.6%). Two Cryptosporidium species were detected in sheep: C. parvum (2/4) and C. canis (2/4). There were no mixed infections. C. hominis, C. struthionis, and C. serpentis are reported in domestic animals for the first time at the QTPA of China and our results indicate an anthropozoonotic transmission of C. hominis. The identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in domestic animals warrants better care of the farm animals in order to avoid contamination in vulnerable animal and human populations.

Epidemic status of alveolar echinococcosis in Tibetan children in south Qing-hai Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To understand the epidemic status of alveolar echinococcosis in Tibetan children in south Qinghai Province. Methods The imageology and serology methods were applied to investigate the epidemic status of alveolar echinococ?cosis of elementary school students in Yushu and Guoluo prefectures. Results Totally 19 629 children were investigated by the portable B ultrasound and 221 children were diagnosed as alveolar echinococcosis with the morbidity of 1.13%. Totally 9 888 were investigated by the indirect ELISA,and the positive rate of serum tests was 12.59%(190/9 888). The total morbidity of al?veolar echinococcosis of children in Yushu Prefecture was 0.42%(31/7 454)and it was 1.57%(190/12 175)in Guoluo Prefec?ture and there was a significant difference between them(χ2=53.42,P0.05). The total morbidity of alveolar echinococcosis of children in different age groups was from 1.00%to 1.13%,and there was no significant difference among the age groups(χ2=2.73,P>0.05). The P1a type,P1b type and P2 type accounted for 67.76%(145/214),10.75%(23/214)and 16.36%(35/214)respectively among the alveolar echinococcosis patients. The diameters of nidus of 87.38%(187/214)patients were less than 5 cm,and 2.80%(6/214)were more than 10 cm. Conclusions The epidemic status of alveolar echinococcosis of Tibetan children in south Qinghai Province is serious,but most of the patients were at early stage of the disease. The screening work of al?veolar echinococcosis should be strengthened in Tibetan children,so as to perform the early diagnosis and treatment.

Ten cases report of vascular compressive syndrome caused by the facial, acoustic nerves / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To search the features and the treatment of vascular compressive syndrome caused by the facial, acoustic nerves.@*METHOD@#Ten cases of vascular compressive syndrome caused by the facial, acoustic nerves were included in the group,which were treated by microvascular decompression(MVD). Besides, the microanatomic relationship between the nerve and their adjacent vessel at the root exit zone (REZ) were observed under microscope or nasoendoscopy in MVD.@*RESULT@#Tinnitus, vertigo and facial spasm disappeared after MVD in 7 cases (70%), improved in 2 cases (20%), and relapse in 1 case (10%). All cases were found out vessels compressing at the root zone of the facial nerve and the auditory nerve.@*CONCLUSION@#The Clinical features of vascular compressive syndrome caused by the facial, acoustic nerves are facial spasm, tinnitus, and vertigo, for which microvascular decompression has a positive therapeutic effect as long as the diagnosis is correct.