Pijx confers broad-spectrum seedling and panicle blast resistance by promoting the degradation of ATP ß subunit and OsRbohC-mediated ROS burst in rice.

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most important diseases of rice. Utilization of blast-resistance genes is the most economical, effective, and environmentally friendly way to control the disease. However, genetic resources with broad-spectrum resistance (BSR) that is effective throughout the rice growth period are rare. In this work, using a genome-wide association study, we identify a new blast-resistance gene, Pijx, which encodes a typical CC-NBS-LRR protein. Pijx is derived from a wild rice species and confers BSR to M. oryzae at both the seedling and panicle stages. The functions of the resistant haplotypes of Pijx are confirmed by gene knockout and overexpression experiments. Mechanistically, the LRR domain in Pijx interacts with and promotes the degradation of the ATP synthase ß subunit (ATPb) via the 26S proteasome pathway. ATPb acts as a negative regulator of Pijx-mediated panicle blast resistance, and interacts with OsRbohC to promote its degradation. Consistently, loss of ATPb function causes an increase in NAPDH content and ROS burst. Remarkably, when Pijx is introgressed into two japonica rice varieties, the introgression lines show BSR and increased yields that are approximately 51.59% and 79.31% higher compared with those of their parents in a natural blast disease nursery. In addition, we generate PPLPijx Pigm and PPLPijx Piz-t pyramided lines and these lines also have higher BSR to panicle blast compared with Pigm- or Piz-t-containing rice plants. Collectively, this study demonstrates that Pijx not only confers BSR to M. oryzae but also maintains high and stable rice yield, providing new genetic resources and molecular targets for breeding rice varieties with broad-spectrum blast resistance.

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis in mainland China from 2016 to 2020: a population-based study.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminthiasis is epidemic in China and many other countries of the world, and has caused substantial burdens to human health. We conducted successive national monitoring in China from 2016 to 2020 to analyze the prevalence, changing trends, and factors influencing soil-transmitted helminthiasis, which provided a reference for future control strategies. Methods: Soil-transmitted helminth monitoring was carried out in 31 provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities, herein after referred to as "provinces") throughout China. Each province determined the number and location of monitoring sites (counties), and a unified sampling method was employed. At least 1,000 subjects were investigated in each monitoring county. Stool samples were collected and the modified Kato-Katz thick smear method was employed for stool examination. Infection data and the details of factors influencing soil-transmitted helminthiasis from 2016 to 2020 were collected from national monitoring sites. Additional influencing factors such as environment, climate and human activities were obtained from authoritative websites. Prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths was presented by species, province, sex, and age group. ArcGIS software was used to conduct spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis on the infection data. A Poisson distribution model and SaTScan software were used to analyze the infection data with retrospective spatiotemporal scan statistics. A database was built by matching village-level infection rate data with influencing factors. Subsequently, machine learning methods, including a Linear Regression (LR), a Random Forest (RF), a Gradient Boosted Machine (GBM), and an Extreme gradient boosting (XGBOOST) model was applied to construct a model to analyze the main influencing factors of soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Findings: The infection rates of soil-transmitted helminths at national monitoring sites from 2016 to 2020 were 2.46% (6,456/262,380), 1.78% (5,293/297,078), 1.29% (4,200/326,207), 1.40% (5,959/424,766), and 0.84% (3,485/415,672), respectively. The infection rate of soil-transmitted helminths in 2020 decreased by 65.85% compared to that in 2016. From 2016 to 2020, the infection rate of soil-transmitted helminthiasis was relatively high in southern and southwestern China, including Hainan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Chongqing. In general, the infection rate was higher in females than in males, with the highest rate in the population aged 60 years and above, and the lowest in children aged 0-6 years. Global autocorrelation and hotspot analyses revealed spatial aggregation in both the national and local distribution of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in China from 2016 to 2020. The hotspots were concentrated in southwestern China. The spatiotemporal scanning analysis revealed aggregation years from 2016 to 2017 located in southwestern China, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou and Guangxi. The RF model was the best fit model for the infection rate of soil-transmitted helminths in China. The top six influencing factors of this disease in the model were landform, barefoot farming, isothermality, temperature seasonality, year, and the coverage of sanitary toilets. Interpretation: The overall infection rate of soil-transmitted helminths in China showed a decreasing trend from 2016-2020 due to the implementation of control measures and the economic boom in China. However, there are still areas with high infection rates and the distribution of such areas exhibit spatiotemporal aggregation. As a strategic next step, control measures should be adjusted to local conditions based on the main influencing factors and the prevalence of different sites to aid in the control and elimination of soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Funding: This research was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant Nos. 2021YFC2300800 and 2021YFC2300804) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32161143036).

Effects of organic zinc on production performance, meat quality, apparent nutrient digestibility and gut microbiota of broilers fed low-protein diets.

The high cost of feed and nitrogen pollution caused by high-protein diets have become major challenges restricting sustainable development in China's animal husbandry sector. Properly reducing protein levels and improving protein utilization in feed are effective approaches to solving this problem. To determine the optimal dose of methionine hydroxyl analogue chelated zinc (MHA-Zn) in broiler diets with a 1.5% reduction in crude protein (CP), a total of 216 1-day-old broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups (each group consisted of 3 replications with 18 broilers per replicate), and growth and development indexes were assessed after 42 days. The broilers in control group were fed a basic diet, whereas those in the three test groups were fed diets with a 1.5% reduction in CP. The results showed no significant difference in the edible parts of broilers between low-protein (LP) diet group (90 mg/kg MHA-Zn) and normal diet group (p > 0.05), and adding 90 mg/kg MHA-Zn to LP diet significantly improved ileum morphology and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrient (p < 0.01; p < 0.05). A 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicated that supplementing the LP diet with 90 mg/kg MHA-Zn was adequate for production performance of broilers and promoted beneficial bacteria in the cecum (Lactobacillus, Butyricoccus, Oscillospira, etc.) (p < 0.01). In summary, adding an optimal dose of organic zinc (90 mg/kg MHA-Zn) in low protein diets led to enhanced production performance of broilers and optimized cecum microbiota. Additionally, the reduction of crude protein consumption in broiler production proved to be a cost-effective measure, while also mitigated nitrogen pollutant emissions in the environment.

CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing of the OsHPPD 3' UTR confers enhanced resistance to HPPD-inhibiting herbicides in rice.

This study reports the creation of herbicide-resistant rice lines via CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing of the 3' UTR of OsHPPD. Resistance index calculations revealed that two resistant lines, TS8-2#-10 and TS8-8#-6, exhibited 4.8-fold and 3.7-fold greater resistance to HPPD-inhibiting herbicides compared with the wild type, YG3012.

Novel thermo and ion-responsive copolymers based on metallo-base pair directed host-guest complexation for highly selective recognition of Hg2+ in aqueous solution.

The development of materials with highly selective recognition towards Hg2+ is of great significance in environmental monitoring. Herein, a novel thermo-responsive copolymer with Hg2+ recognition property is prepared via thermally-initiated copolymerization of 5'-O-Acryloyl 5-methyl-uridine (APU) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM). The chemical structure and stimuli-sensitive properties of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-5-methyl-uridine) (P(NIPAM-co-APU)) linear polymers and hydrogel are thoroughly investigated. At the supramolecular level, P(NIPAM-co-APU) linear polymers could respond to both temperature and Hg2+ stimuli with highly selective recognition towards Hg2+ over other 18 metal ion species (at least 5 fold difference) and common anions. Upon capturing Hg2+ by APU units as host metal receptors, the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of P(NIPAM-co-APU, PNU-7 and PNU-11) linear polymers are significantly shifted more than 10 °C due to the formation of stable APU-Hg2+-APU directed host-guest complexes. Accordingly, at the macroscopic level, P(NIPAM-co-APU) hydrogel display selective and robust recognition of Hg2+ under optimum conditions, and its maximum Hg2+ uptake capacity was 33.1 mg g-1. This work provides a new option for Hg2+ recognition with high selectivity, which could be facilely integrated with other smart systems to achieve satisfactory detection of environmental Hg2+.

Allicin Alleviated LPS-Induced Mastitis via the TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Dairy farming is the most important economic activity in animal husbandry. Mastitis is the most common disease in dairy cattle and has a significant impact on milk quality and yield. The natural extract allicin, which is the main active ingredient of the sulfur-containing organic compounds in garlic, has anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties; however, the specific mechanism underlying its effect on mastitis in dairy cows needs to be determined. Therefore, in this study, whether allicin can reduce lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in the mammary epithelium of dairy cows was investigated. A cellular model of mammary inflammation was established by pretreating bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T) with 10 µg/mL LPS, and the cultures were then treated with varying concentrations of allicin (0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 µM) added to the culture medium. MAC-T cells were examined using RT-qPCR and Western blotting to determine the effect of allicin. Subsequently, the level of phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) was measured to further explore the mechanism underlying the effect of allicin on bovine mammary epithelial cell inflammation. Treatment with 2.5 µM allicin considerably decreased the LPS-induced increase in the levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inhibited activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in cow mammary epithelial cells. Further research revealed that allicin also inhibited the phosphorylation of inhibitors of nuclear factor kappa-B-α (IκB-α) and NF-κB p65. In mice, LPS-induced mastitis was also ameliorated by allicin. Therefore, we hypothesize that allicin alleviated LPS-induced inflammation in the mammary epithelial cells of cows probably by affecting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Allicin will likely become an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of mastitis in cows.

Composite Separable Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery and Controlled Release of Salmon Calcitonin for Osteoporosis Therapy.

A composite separable microneedles (MNs) system consisting of silk fibroin (SF) needle tips and hyaluronic acid (HA) base is developed for transdermal delivery of salmon calcitonin (sCT) for therapy of osteoporosis. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is used to modulate the conformation structure of SF to achieve controllable sustained release of sCT. The prepared MNs can effectively penetrate the skin stratum corneum. After application to the skin, the HA base is dissolved within 2 min, allowing these SF drug depots to be implanted into the skin for controllable sustained release of sCT. The release kinetics of sCT can be controlled by regulating the conformation of SF with PEG and the interaction between sCT peptide and SF proteins. Compared with traditional needle injection, delivery of sCT using optimized HA-PEG/SF MNs shows better trabecular bone repair for ovariectomized-induced osteoporosis in mice. The proposed MNs system provides a new noninjection strategy for therapy of osteoporosis.

Lithium Chloride Promotes Milk Protein and Fat Synthesis in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells via HIF-1α and ß-Catenin Signaling Pathways.

Lithium is one of the trace elements with many physiological properties, such as being anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory. However, little is known about its effect on milk synthesis during lactation. Therefore, we selected different concentrations (5 mM, 10 mM, and 20 mM) of lithium chloride (LiCl) and assessed the effect of LiCl on bovine mammary epithelial (MAC-T) cells that underwent 4 days of differentiation induction. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of LiCl on the expression of genes related to milk fat and milk protein synthesis. Herein, LiCl (5-20 mM) significantly increased the expression of ß-casein, promoted mRNA expression and phosphorylated protein expression of the signal transduction molecule and activator of transcription 5ß (STAT5-ß), and inhibited mRNA and protein expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2). In contrast, 5 and 10 mM LiCl significantly inhibited expression of SOCS3. LiCl at concentration of 5-20 mM enhanced phosphorylation level of mTOR protein; at 10 mM and 20 mM, LiCl significantly promoted expression and phosphorylation of downstream ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (S6K1) protein. Considering milk fat synthesis, mRNA expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genes was considerably increased in the presence of LiCl (5-20 mM). Additionally, increased protein expression levels of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) were observed at all LiCl concentrations tested. Subsequently, LiCl (5-20 mM) significantly promoted protein expression and phosphorylation of ß-catenin, while 10 mM and 20 mM of LiCl significantly promoted protein expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Collectively, it has been shown that 10 mM LiCl can effectively activate HIF-1α, ß-catenin, and ß-catenin downstream signaling pathways. Conversely, at 10 mM, LiCl inhibited SOCS2 and SOCS3 protein expression through JAK2/STAT5, mTOR, and SREBP1 signaling pathways, improving synthesis of milk protein and fat. Therefore, LiCl can be used as a potential nutrient to regulate milk synthesis in dairy cows.

Dual-functional polyetheretherketone surface with programmed sequential drug release coating.

The poor bacteriostasis and osseointegration properties of bioinert polyetheretherketone (PEEK) hinder its clinical application. This work reports a simple and versatile strategy for fabricating dual-functional coating with programmed sequential drug release properties on porous PEEK surfaces. The dual-drug-loaded composite coating composed of drug-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles and drug-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel can be immobilized on the surface of sulfonated PEEK by a cyclic freeze-thaw method. Based on the swelling of PVA and the slow degradation of PLGA, the composite coating can realize rapid release of antibacterial drugs and sustained release of osteogenic drugs. The in vitro antibacterial evaluations show that the porous PEEK modified with drug-loaded composite gel coating exhibits an early effective fight against Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). The results of in vitro cell experiments show that the PEEK materials modified by the composite gel coating can well support the normal growth, adhesion and proliferation of cells. In addition, the PEEK material coated with the drug-loaded composite gel is found to have positive effects on the osteogenic differentiation of cells in detections of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of cells and the amount of calcium deposition on the surface of the material. The results demonstrate that the proposed porous PEEK modified with dual-drug-loaded composite gel coating simultaneously exhibits excellent osseointegration and exerts early effective antibacterial activity. This dual-functional PEEK material has great application potential in clinical bone tissue repair.

Assessment of the Health-Related Quality of Life in Neurocysticercosis Patients in Hot Spot Areas - China, 2017-2018.

What is already known about this topic?: Neurocysticercosis is the most severe form of infection caused by ingesting cysticerci, the larval cysts of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Approximately 50 million people worldwide have neurocysticercosis, which is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy in many endemic countries. What is added by this report?: The health of neurocysticercosis patients can be seriously impaired, including through loss of mobility, inability to do self-care, impairment of usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression, and impaired cognition. Cognitive impairment is the major consequence of neurocysticercosis and significant contributor to decreased health-related quality of life. Our study made the first estimate of disability weight from neurocysticercosis as a key parameter for disease burden assessment in China. What are the implications for public health practice?: To prevent severe health outcomes from neurocysticercosis in China, it is necessary to improve public awareness of neurocysticercosis and relevant health behaviors.

Carnosine Synthase 1 Contributes to Interferon Gamma-Induced Arginine Depletion via Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase 11 Signaling in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Arginine is one of the host semiessential amino acids with diverse biological activities, and arginine depletion is associated with the incidence of many diseases. Arginine depletion induced by diet-derived interferon gamma (IFN-γ) leads to malignant transformation and impaired milk quality in healthy lactating bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). However, the molecular mechanism of IFN-γ-induced arginine depletion is unclear. In this study, the BMEC cell line, mammary alveolar cells-large T antigen cells (MAC-T), was stimulated with IFN-γ (10 ng/mL) for 24 h, and cellular arginine and ornithine quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Carnosine synthase 1 (CARNS1) was identified from RNA-seq data, CARNS1 knockdown was achieved using an shRNA interfering plasmid. The expression levels of CARNS1, argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated (p)-p38, and their cognate genes, were analyzed by Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that IFN-γ inhibited the biosynthesis of arginine, but enhanced its catalysis via disruption of key enzymes involved in arginine metabolism. IFN-γ also inhibited the expression of CARNS1, ASS1, and cationic amino acid transporter 1, while activating the expression and phosphorylation of p38. However, knockdown of CARNS1 reduced arginine level and ASS1 expression and block of either the IFN-γ receptor IFN-γ receptor 2 or p38 relieved both the expression of Carnosine synthase 1 (CARNS1) and ASS1. In summary, these results indicate that IFN-γ induced arginine depletion through inhibition of CARNS1 signaling via activation of p38 in BMECs. These findings provide a novel insight for IFN-γ-related disease control strategies in dairy cows.

National surveillance of hookworm disease in China: A population study.

BACKGROUND: Hookworm disease is endemic in China and is widespread globally. The disease burden to humans is great. METHODS: The study described the national surveillance of hookworm implemented in 31 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities (P/A/Ms) of China in 2019. Each P/A/M determined the number and location of surveillance spots (counties). A unified sampling method was employed, and at least 1000 subjects were investigated in each surveillance spot. The modified Kato-Katz thick smear method was employed for stool examination. Fifty samples positive with hookworm eggs were cultured in each surveillance spot to discriminate species between A. duodenale and N. americanus. Twenty-five soil samples were collected from each surveillance spot and examined for hookworm larva. The 2019 surveillance results were analyzed and compared with that of 2016-2018. RESULTS: A total of 424766 subjects were investigated in 31 P/A/Ms of China in 2019, and the overall hookworm infection rate was 0.85% (3580/424766). The weighted infection and standard infection rates were 0.66% (4288357/648063870) and 0.67% (4343844/648063870), respectively. Sichuan province had the highest standard infection rate (4.75%) in 2019, followed by Chongqing (2.54%) and Hainan (2.44%). The standard infection rates of other P/A/Ms were all below 1%, with no hookworm detected in 15 P/A/Ms. The standard hookworm infection rate in the males and the females were 0.61% (2021216/330728900) and 0.71% (2267141/317334970), respectively, with a significant difference between different genders ([Formula: see text] = 17.23, P<0.0001). The highest standard hookworm infection rate (1.97%) was among age ≥ 60 years, followed by 45~59 years (0.77%), 15~44 years (0.37%), and 7~14 years (0.20%). The lowest standard infection rate was among the 0~6 years age group (0.12%). A significant difference was observed among different age groups ([Formula: see text] = 2 305.17, P<0.0001). The constitute ratio for N. americanus, A. duodenale, and coinfection was 78.70% (1341/1704), 2.03% (346/1704), and 1.00% (17/1704), respectively. The detection rate of hookworm larva from soil was 3.45% (71/2056). CONCLUSION: The national surveillance showed that the hookworm infection rate has been decreasing annually from 2016 to 2019, and it is now below 1%. China has made significant progress in controlling hookworm. The national surveillance system is an important way to understand the endemic status and provide important information in this process and thus needs to be continually optimized.

Epidemiology and determinants of Clonorchis sinensis infection: A community-based study in southeastern China.

Clonorchiasis is caused by the ingestion of raw freshwater fish and causes high burden in East Asia. The epidemiological profiles and determinants of C. sinensis infection, knowledge, practice and attitude related to clonorchiasis were demonstrated in Hengxian county, Guangxi, China. The overall prevalence of C. sinensis was 60.3%, which was higher in male than in female and in elder population compared to children. The percentage knowing local transmission, transmission route and harm of C. sinensis was 20.9%, 31.4% and 32.5%. A percentage of 60.4% reported ingestion of raw freshwater fish, while 70.1% persons would like to accept treatment if infected with C. sinensis. Of the individuals ingesting raw freshwater fish, 82.0% did at home and 81.3% drunk alcohol when ingesting raw freshwater fish. Sixty-two percent showed the persistence on ingestion of raw freshwater fish in future. The ingestion of raw freshwater fish varied by seasons, with a proportion of 57.8% in spring, 48.3% in summer, 60.2% in autumn and 92.2% in winter. In multivariable regression models, age groups, history with C. sinensis treatment, and frequency on ingesting raw freshwater fish were related to C. sinensis infection, while gender, educational level, history with C. sinensis infection, and knowing local transmission were related to the practice of ingesting raw freshwater fish. Gender, history with C. sinensis treatment, frequency on ingesting raw freshwater fish, duration of ingesting raw freshwater fish and drinking alcohol when ingesting raw freshwater fish were associated to the attitude to the ingestion of raw freshwater fish in future. Great efforts are needed to combat clonorchiasis, in which the heterogeneity of population in knowledge, practice, attitude and infection needs to be considered. Men are of crucial importance in term of the morbidity control through chemotherapy. Meanwhile, massive education is expected to implement, which needs to promote the change of ingesting raw freshwater fish for sustainable control of clonorchiasis.

Effect of season on slaughter performance, meat quality, muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition, and metabolism of pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).

This study aimed to investigate the effect of summer and winter on slaughter performance, muscle quality, flavor-related substance content, and gene expression levels related to the fat metabolism of pheasants. One-hundred 1-day-old pheasants were fed for 5 months starting in March and July and then, respectively, slaughtered in summer (August) and winter (December). The results revealed that compared with summer, winter not only increased pheasant live weight, dressed percentage, full-eviscerated yield, and muscle yield (p < 0.05) but also enhanced the activities of SOD and CAT in serum (p < 0.05). Winter significantly increased meat color, the contents of inosinic acid, and flavor amino acid in muscle. Amino acid contents in leg muscles of pheasants in winter were significantly higher than in summer except for histidine (p < 0.05). Winter increased the contents of muscle mono-unsaturated fatty acid, reducing saturated fatty acid. Summer improved fat synthesis in liver, promoted the deposition of triglycerides and cholesterol, and reduced the expression levels of fat metabolism-related genes in muscle, while winter increased the expression levels of genes related to muscle fat metabolism to provide energy for body and affect muscle fatty acid profile. Overall, pheasants fed in winter had better sensory quality and flavor than summer.

Substandard starch grain4 may function in amyloplast development by influencing starch and lipid metabolism in rice endosperm.

The amyloplast is a specialized plastid in rice endosperm cells where starch is synthesized and stored as starch granules (SGs). However, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying amyloplast and SG development. In this study, a novel mutant (c134) demonstrating a floury endosperm with enlarged SGs and amyloplasts was identified. The floury endosperm was caused by rounder, loosely packed SG. Grain-quality profile and expression analysis showed reduced contents of total starch and amylose in the c134 mutant, as well as reduced expression of a number of genes involved in starch biosynthesis. Galactosyldiacylglycerol (GDG) content and fatty acid synthesis play important roles in plastid development, and in the c134 endosperm, an obvious decrease in GDG and various fatty acids was observed, with down-regulated expression of various genes involved in lipid biosynthesis. Furthermore, map-based cloning revealed an amino acid substitution (glycine to aspartic acid) in the substandard starch grain4 (SSG4) protein. The results of this study suggest that SSG4 influences the regulation of starch and lipid metabolism as well as amyloplast development, a finding that is useful for potential genetic improvement of rice grain quality in future starch and lipid breeding and biotechnology.

Epidemiological Profile and Spatial Patterns of Enterobiasis in Children Aged 3-9 Years in China from 2016 to 2020.

(1) Background: Enterobius vermicularis infection causes a significant health burden in children. The infection occurs throughout the country and remains a serious public concern in China. Therefore, it is necessary to know the situation of E. vermicularis infection, to provide a scientific basis for the disease control and the optimum conditions for children's growth. (2) Methods: Descriptive epidemiological analysis was implemented to demonstrate the status and changing trend of E. vermicularis infection from 2016 to 2020, while the spatial distribution characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering were illuminated by spatial autocorrelation analysis and spatio-temporal scanning analysis. (3) Results: The infection of E. vermicularis showed a fluctuating downward trend with a decline of 32.00% in 2020 compared to that in 2016 and was concentrated in central and southern China. There was no significant difference in infection rate between boys and girls, while the high infection rate was presented in 4-, 5- and 6- year-old children. The hotspots and spatial clustering areas were mainly concentrated in southern China. (4) Conclusions: From 2016 to 2020, the infection rate of E. vermicularis in children aged 3 to 9 years in China demonstrated a declining trend, and its distribution showed spatial clustering, mainly in southern China. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen surveillance and implement control measures in combination with health education and environmental improvement.

Cost yield of different treatment strategies against Clonorchis sinensis infection.

BACKGROUND: Clonorchiasis is attributed to the ingestion of raw freshwater fish harboring Clonorchis sinensis. Morbidity control is targeted through the administration of antihelminthics. This study modelled the cost yield indicated by effectiveness and utility of different treatment strategies against clonorchiasis. METHODS: About 1000 participants were enrolled from each of 14 counties selected from four provincial-level administrative divisions namely Guangxi, Guangdong, Heilongjiang and Jilin in 2017. Fecal examination was adopted to detect C. sinensis infection, while behavior of ingesting raw freshwater fish was enquired. Counties were grouped into four categories based on prevalence, namely low prevalence group (< 1%), moderate prevalence group (1-9.9%), high prevalence group (10-19.9%) and very high prevalence group (≥ 20%), while population were divided into three subgroups, namely children aged below 14 years old, adult female and adult male both aged over 14 years old. The average of cost effectiveness indicated by the cost to treat single infected cases with C. sinensis and of cost utility indicated by the cost to avoid per disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by C. sinensis infection was calculated. Comparisons were performed between three treatment schedules, namely individual treatment, massive and selective chemotherapy, in which different endemic levels and populations were considered. RESULTS: In selective chemotherapy strategy, the cost to treat single infected case in very high prevalence group was USD 10.6 in adult male, USD 11.6 in adult female, and USD 13.2 in children. The cost increased followed the decrease of endemic level. In massive chemotherapy strategy, the cost per infected case in very high prevalence group was USD 14.0 in adult male, USD 17.1 in adult female, USD 45.8 in children, which were also increased when the endemic level decreased. In individual treatment strategy, the cost was USD 12.2 in adult male, USD 15.0 in adult female and USD 41.5 in children in very high prevalence group; USD 19.2 in adult male, USD 34.0 in adult female, and USD 90.1 in children in high prevalence group; USD 30.4 in adult male, USD 50.5 in adult female and over USD 100 in children in moderate prevalence group; and over USD 400 in any population in low prevalence group. As to cost utility, the differences by treatment strategies, populations and endemic levels were similar to those in cost effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Both cost effectiveness and cost utility indicators are highly impacted by the prevalence and population, as well as the treatment schedules. Adults especially men in the areas with a prevalence over 10% should be prioritized, in which selective chemotherapy was best and massive chemotherapy was also cost effective. In moderate endemic areas, the yield is not ideal, but selective chemotherapy for adult male may also be adopted. In low endemic areas, all strategies were high costly and new strategies need to be developed.

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis in China: A national survey in 2014-2015.

BACKGROUND: Based on two national surveys, the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) in China had decreased from 53.58% in 1988-1992 to 19.56% in 2001-2004. To update the epidemiology and characteristics of STH in China, a third national survey was implemented in 2014-2015. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This survey covered rural areas in 31 provinces in mainland of China. Multiple-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed, which included three levels (provinces, ecozones and economical levels). Stool samples were collected and the Kato-Katz method was applied for helminth eggs detection. Samples with hookworm eggs were selected and hatched to differentiate the species based on larval morphology. Between June 2014 and May 2015, a total of 484,210 participants from 604 counties were enrolled. The weighted prevalence of STH overall was 4.49% (95% confidential interval (CI): 2.45%-6.53%), including 2.62% (95% CI: 0.86%-4.38%) hookworm infections, 1.36% (95% CI: 0.49%-2.23%) ascariasis, and 1.02% (95% CI: 0.15%-1.89%) trichuriasis. The estimated population infected was 29.12 million (95% CI: 15.88 million-42.32 million) for all STH; 16.97 million (95% CI: 5.57 million-28.39 million) for hookworm infections; 8.83 million (95% CI: 3.18 million-14.45 million) for ascariasis; and 6.60 million (95% CI: 0.97 million-12.25 million) for trichuriasis. Overall, the prevalence of ascariasis and trichuriasis was relatively high in children, while hookworm infections were more common in the older population, especially those over 60. STH was highly prevalent in western China, and moderately in central areas, but low in eastern and northern regions. Out of 3,579 hookworm cases with species differentiation, 479 cases (13.38%) were infected with only Ancylostoma spp., 2,808 cases (78.46%) with only Necator americanus, and another 292 cases (8.16%) with both species. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This survey demonstrated the continuous decrease of STH in rural China. However, endemicity still prevails in the western areas of the country. Hookworm, especially N. americanus, is becoming the predominant species. Older farmers in western China should be prioritized for control due to the high prevalence of hookworm.

Mechanisms by which mastitis affects reproduction in dairy cow: A review.

Reproductive performance is a key factor in determining the profitability of dairy farm, which is affected by many factors such as environment and diseases. Mastitis is a common and important disease, which has caused huge economic losses to the dairy industries worldwide. Mammary gland infection causes immune responses, resulting in the abnormal secretion of cytokines and hormones and abnormal function of the reproductive system such as the ovary, corpus luteum, uterus and embryo. Cows with mastitis have delayed oestrus, decreased pregnancy rate and increased risk of abortion. The adverse effects of mastitis on reproductive performance are affected by many factors, such as occurrence time, pathogen and cow factors. This paper primarily reviews the progress in the effects and mechanisms of mastitis on reproductive performance, with emphasis on maternal transcriptome, genomic analysis, epigenetic modification, microbiota, inflammatory regulation and immune evasion mechanism of mastitis, aiming to provide directions for the prevention and control of mastitis in the future.