Epidemiological survey of echinococcosis in Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

BACKGROUND: The echinococcosis is prevalent in 10 provinces /autonomous region in western and northern China. Epidemiological survey of echinococcosis in China in 2012 showed the average prevalence of four counties in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is 4.23%, much higher than the average prevalence in China (0.24%). It is important to understand the transmission risks and the prevalence of echinococcosis in human and animals in TAR. METHODS: A stratified and proportionate sampling method was used to select samples in TAR. The selected residents were examined by B-ultrasonography diagnostic, and the faeces of dogs were tested for the canine coproantigen against Echinococcus spp. using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The internal organs of slaughtered domestic animals were examined by visual examination and palpation. The awareness of the prevention and control of echinococcosis among of residents and students was investigated using questionnaire. All data were inputted using double entry in the Epi Info database, with error correction by double-entry comparison, the statistical analysis of all data was processed using SPSS 21.0, and the map was mapped using ArcGIS 10.1, the data was tested by Chi-square test and Cochran-Armitage trend test. RESULTS: A total of 80 384 people, 7564 faeces of dogs, and 2103 internal organs of slaughtered domestic animals were examined. The prevalence of echinococcosis in humans in TAR was 1.66%, the positive rate in females (1.92%) was significantly higher than that in males (1.41%), (χ2 = 30.31, P < 0.01), the positive rate of echinococcosis was positively associated with age (χ2trend = 423.95, P < 0.01), and the occupational populations with high positive rates of echinococcosis were herdsmen (3.66%) and monks (3.48%). The average positive rate of Echinococcus coproantigen in TAR was 7.30%. The positive rate of echinococcosis in livestock for the whole region was 11.84%. The average awareness rate of echinococcosis across the region was 33.39%. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of echinococcosis is found across the TAR, representing a very serious concern to human health. Efforts should be made to develop an action plan for echinococcosis prevention and control as soon as possible, so as to control the endemic of echinococcosis and reduce the medical burden on the population.

Mechanism of TLR-4/NF-κB pathway in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury of mouse.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and NF-κB and to discuss the mechanism of TLR-4/NF-κB pathway in the myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury of mouse. METHODS: TLR-4 mutant mice and wild homozygous mice were divided into the model group and sham group. Mice in the model group were given the ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery for the modeling, while mice in the sham group were not given the ligation after threading. The cardiac muscle tissues were collected for the morphological observation. The immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression of NF-κB, Western blot was used to detect the expression of TLR-4 and ELISA to detect the expression of serum inflammatory factors. RESULTS: The expression of NF-κB in TLR-4 null mice after the myocardial ischemia reperfusion was significantly lower than that in wild homozygous mice. For the model group and sham group, the expression of TLR-4 in wild homozygous mice was all significantly higher than that in TLR-4 null mice, while the expression of TLR-4 in TLR-4 null mice in the model group was significantly higher than that in sham group, with the statistical difference (P < 0.05). The expression of inflammatory factors in TLR-4 null mice and wild homozygous mice in the model group was significantly higher than that in sham group. The expression of all factors in group A with TLR-4 null was significantly lower than that in group B with wild homozygous type, with the statistical difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TLR-4/NF-κB pathway is closely related to the myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, which plays its role through the release of inflammatory cytokines.

Detuned slow light in the Doppler broadened multi-level D2 line of Rubidium.

We observed a detuned slow light phenomenon based on electromagnetically induced transparency in (87)Rb D2 line composed of multiple excited-hyperfine states within a Doppler-broadened linewidth. The results show that the maximum group delay of a probe occurs at off-detuned two-photon resonance frequency. The observed detuned group delay is analyzed with numerical calculations for a probe pulse interacting with the neighboring excited-states-modified Doppler broadening atoms for a fixed coupling field. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical calculations.

Coherence transfer between atomic ground states by the technique of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage.

We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate that the atomic coherence can be completely transferred or arbitrarily contributed among the different levels in a four-level atomic (tripod) scheme by a group of coupled pulse sequences. This technique can be applied to the information conversion in slow-light storage, quantum logical gates, and so on, which is based on the atomic coherence effect.

Optical information transfer between two light channels in a Pr(3+):Y(2)SiO(5)crystal.

We experimentally demonstrate light storage and release in a four-level double-lambda atomic system of a Pr (3+):Y(2)SiO(5) crystal. Based on the technique of light storage, we realize optical information transfer between two light channels. The coherent optical information of a probe pulse stored in the crystal can be selectively released into two different light channels by varying the frequency and propagation direction of the switch-on control field.