An innovative three-layer strategy in response to a quartan malaria outbreak among forest goers in Hainan Island, China: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: An outbreak of Plasmodium malariae infection among forest goers in Sanya City of Hainan Island, China was reported in 2015. In response to this outbreak, an innovative three-layer strategy (TLS) targeted forest goers was adapted based on the 1-3-7 approach. MAIN TEXT: Key elements of TLS are: (i) The village with five malaria cases and adjacent villages were set as the first layer. All residents including forest goers were taken as the high-risk population (HRP). Active case detection (ACD) by blood smear microscopy and PCR was selected as the primary measure, and passive case detection (PCD) as complementary measure. One case was identified under TLS implementation. (ii) The township with cases (Gaofeng Town) and the nearby towns were chosen as the second layer. Only forest goers were screened by ACD, while PCD as a routine screening method. 7831 blood smears collected by ACD and PCD and tested with negative results. (iii) The city with cases (Sanya City) and others 12 counties/county-level cities were selected as the third layer. Malaria cases were monitored passively. A total of 77,555 blood slides were screened by PCD with zero positive sample. For each layer, the malaria vector mosquitoes were monitored using light traps, cattle-baited/human-bait traps. Anopheles minimus (dominant species), An. sinensis and An. dirus were captured. Vector control measures mainly include insecticide residual spraying and long-lasting insecticide nets. The capacity of clinicians, public health practitioners and laboratory technicians has been improved through training. During 2016‒2018, TLS and chemoprophylaxis were implemented in the same areas. In the first layer, all residents were monitored by ACD, and malaria chemoprophylaxis were distributed, 89.5% of forest goers were using chemoprophylaxis against malaria. The blood smears (3126 by ACD plus 1516 by PCD) were with zero positive results. Chemoprophylaxis and ACD were offered to forest goers once a year, and PCD in residents as a complementary measure in the second and third layer, 77.8% and 95.1% of forest goers received chemoprophylaxis. In each layer, vector surveillance and control of malaria and trainings for medical staff were still in place. CONCLUSIONS: TLS was effective in blocking the outbreak by P. malariae among forest goers in Hainan in malaria elimination stage. However, whether it could prevent the malaria resurgence in the post-elimination phase needs to be further assessed.

Surveillance and response systems driving malaria elimination in the mountain areas of Hainan Province.

Hainan Province is in a tropical area of China and previously experienced serious P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria epidemics. After nearly 70 consecutive years of malaria prevention and control, malaria in Hainan has gradually been eliminated. To achieve the elimination of malaria, Hainan enacted six stages: investigative research and pilot prevention and control, large-scale antimalaria measures, adjustment of strategies for prevention and control, joint prevention and control measures, global funding of routine malaria control, and malaria elimination. Different strategies for malaria control were adopted at different stages. Malaria was most prevalent in the mountainous areas of central and southern Hainan, which contain a high-risk population (the forest goers) and two highly effective malaria vectors (An. dirus and An. minimus). Forest goers have been a high-risk population for malaria in Hainan since their identification in the 1990s. This paper summarizes malaria monitoring in forest goers and the response of forest goers to malaria control and elimination, distilling specific malaria control and elimination measures via case studies in Hainan Province. Two case studies in the malaria control stage demonstrated different measures for outbreaks and sporadic cases in forest goers. In view of the malaria outbreak in Sanya during the elimination stage, three-layered strategies (TLSs) were implemented to control outbreaks and improve control measures. Moreover, this paper also illustrates specific management measures to prevent malaria retransmission from sporadic imported malaria cases during the elimination phase. Hainan finally eliminated malaria in 2020. However, the risk of malaria retransmission is still high due to the prevalence of effective malaria vectors in Hainan, and forest goers are still a high-risk population for malaria retransmission.

Knockdown of lncRNA MALAT1 ameliorates acute kidney injury by mediating the miR-204/APOL1 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) was characterized by loss of renal function, associated with chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and length of hospital stay. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participated in AKI development and progression. Here, we aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of lncRNA MALAT1 in AKI. METHODS: AKI serum samples were obtained from 129 AKI patients. ROC analysis was conducted to confirm the diagnostic value of MALAT1 in differentiating AKI from healthy volunteers. After hypoxic treatment on HK-2 cells, the expressions of inflammatory cytokines, MALAT1, miR-204, APOL1, p65, and p-p65, were measured by RT-qPCR and Western blot assays. The targeted relationship between miR-204 and MALAT1 or miR-204 and APOL1 was determined by luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down analysis. After transfection, CCK-8, flow cytometry, and TUNEL staining assays were performed to evaluate the effects of MALAT1 and miR-204 on AKI progression. RESULTS: From the results, lncRNA MALAT1 was strongly elevated in serum samples from AKI patients, with the high sensitivity and specificity concerning differentiating AKI patients from healthy controls. In vitro, we established the AKI cell model after hypoxic treatment. After experiencing hypoxia, we found significantly increased MALAT1, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α expressions along with decreased miR-204 level. Moreover, the targeted relationship between MALAT1 and miR-204 was confirmed. Silencing of MALAT1 could reverse hypoxia-triggered promotion of HK-2 cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, the increase of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α after hypoxia treatment could be repressed by MALAT1 knockdown as well. After co-transfection with MALAT1 silencing and miR-204 inhibition, we found that miR-204 could counteract the effects of MALAT1 on HK-2 cell progression and inflammation after under hypoxic conditions. Finally, NF-κB signaling was inactivated while APOL1 expression was increased in HK-2 cells after hypoxia treatment, and lncRNA MALAT1 inhibition reactivated NF-κB signaling while suppressed APOL1 expression by sponging miR-204. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these results illustrated that knockdown of lncRNA MALAT1 could ameliorate AKI progression and inflammation by targeting miR-204 through APOL1/NF-κB signaling.

Transient visual acuity loss after spine surgery in the prone position: a case report and literature review.

Visual loss after spine surgery in the prone position is a disastrous postoperative complication because it is almost irreversible. Additionally, the optimal treatments and recommended professional guidelines for visual loss after spine surgery are deficient. A 43-year-old man developed visual loss after spine surgery in the prone position. Immediate ophthalmic consultation confirmed central retinal artery occlusion. Therefore, combined therapies were administered, including neurotrophy, anticoagulation, vasodilation, and adequate fluid infusion, followed by hyperbaric oxygen treatment. After active treatment, his visual acuity gradually recovered from 5 hours postoperatively and continued to improve thereafter. We reviewed the literature on postoperative visual loss with a focus on spine surgery in the prone position. Because the etiology of this complication is complex and has few effective treatments, the best method for its avoidance is to pay close attention to preventing it during surgery.

Identification and characterization of circRNAs in the skin during wool follicle development in Aohan fine wool sheep.

BACKGROUND: Aohan fine wool sheep (AFWS) is a historically bred fine wool sheep, cultivated in China. The wool has excellent quality and good textile performance. Investigating the molecular mechanisms that regulate wool growth is important to improve wool quality and yield. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed non-coding RNAs that can act as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to bind to miRNAs. Although circRNAs have been studied in many fields, research on their activity in sheep wool follicles is limited. To understand the regulation of circRNAs in the growth of fine wool in sheep, we used RNA-Seq to identify circRNAs in sheep shoulder skin samples at three developmental stages: embryonic day 90 (E90d), embryonic day 120 (E120d), and at birth (Birth). RESULTS: We identified 8753 circRNAs and found that 918 were differentially-expressed. We then analyzed the classification and characteristic of the circRNAs in sheep shoulder skin. Using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), we identified the source genes of circRNAs, which were mainly enriched in cellular component organization, regulation of primary metabolic processes, tight junctions, and the cGMP-PKG and AMPK signaling pathways. In addition, we predicted interactions between 17 circRNAs and eight miRNAs, using miRanda software. Based on the significant pathways, we speculate that circ_0005720, circ_0001754, circ_0008036, circ_0004032, circ_0005174, circ_0005519, and circ_0007826 might play an important role in regulating wool follicle growth in AFWS. Seven circRNAs were randomly selected to validate the RNA-Seq results, using qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION: Our results provide more information about circRNAs regulation of wool follicle development in AFWS, and establish a solid foundation for future research.

Anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effect of water extract from Pleurotus citrinopileatus in C57BL/6J mice.

Obesity has become one of the most important health problems worldwide requiring urgent need for efficient control. Pleurotus citrinopileatus (P. citrinopileatus)-a type of edible mushroom with abundant bioactive molecules-is a promising source for achieving this goal. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effect of P. citrinopileatus water extract (PWE) using a series of biochemical assays in randomized high-fat diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6J mice, which were gavaged daily with low or high levels of PWE (400 or 800 mg/kg of body weight, respectively) in addition to high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Results showed that PWE significantly reduced the weight gain, fat accumulation, and food intake of DIO mice within 12 weeks. PWE also decreased the serum triglycerides, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, aspartate transaminase, nonesterified fatty acid, and creatinine, but increased high-density lipoprotein. Additionally, PWE improved the glucose tolerance of mice fed with high fat. From above, we conclude that PWE has great potential as functional foods for management of obesity and/or associated metabolic disorders.

Janus nanofiber array pellicle: facile conjugate electrospinning construction, structure and bifunctionality of enhanced green fluorescence and adjustable magnetism.

A [Fe3O4/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)]//[Tb(BA)3phen/PVP] Janus nanofiber array pellicle (denoted JNAP) was successfully constructed by facile conjugate electrospinning without twisting for the first time. The JNAP offers the dual-functionality of fluorescence and magnetism. This technology entirely solves the dilemma of the magnetic spinning dope and fluorescent spinning dope being easily mixed together during the parallel electrospinning process, as it achieves complete segregation of magnetic nanoparticles and fluorescent molecules. Moreover, conjugate electrospinning without twisting has fewer requirements on the viscosity of the spinning dope compared with parallel electrospinning, in which the two spinning dopes should have the same viscosity. It was satisfactorily found that the JNAP has higher fluorescence intensity than the corresponding non-aligned Janus nanofiber pellicle. The magnetism of the JNAP could be tailored by changing the doping amount of the Fe3O4 NPs. The JNAP has potential applications in nanotechnology and biomedicine, etc., due to its enhanced green fluorescence and adjustable magnetism. In addition, this design concept and manufacturing process provide a facile way for preparing other one-dimensional Janus nanomaterials with multifunctionality.

Ethanolic Extract of the Golden Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus citrinopileatus (Agaricomycetes), Alleviates Metabolic Syndrome in Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Pleurotus citrinopileatus is an edible medicinal mushroom rich in biomolecules and thus has a high potential for use in formulating pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. To test its effect on body weight and glucose control, we generated diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6J male mice by feeding the mice a high-fat diet (60% fat) for 8 weeks and treating them with an ethanolic P. citrinopileatus extract (PCE) at either 200 or 500 mg/kg body weight for 12 additional weeks. The results showed that PCE significantly inhibited high-fat diet-induced weight gain, fat accumulation, and glucose intolerance in the DIO mice. Moreover, the PCE had a beneficial effect on liver and kidney function. On the basis of these results, we conclude that PCE is effective in the treatment of metabolic syndrome and thus could be a good candidate for use in future pharmaceutical or nutraceutical applications.

Determinants of the N content of Quercus wutaishanica leaves in the Loess Plateau: a structural equation modeling approach.

Most terrestrial ecosystems are nitrogen (N)-limited. The elucidation of the multivariate relationships among environmental drivers, leaf morphological traits, and foliar N of dominant species which are critical to the functioning of forests remains a critical challenge for ecologists. We sampled leaves of Quercus wutaishanica across a broad natural gradient in the Loess Plateau, China, and employed structural equation modelling to evaluate the causal pathways and the relative importance of drivers of the foliar N per unit area (Narea) and per unit mass (Nmass). We found that (1) Nmass and Narea were primarily affected by leaf morphological traits instead of environmental variables and that leaf morphological traits accounted for most of their variations; (2) the total soil potassium and phosphorus and mean annual precipitation had different effects on Nmass and Narea via different pathways and path coefficients, whereas the mean annual temperature and total soil N had non-significant effects on Nmass and Narea. Our results demonstrated that variations in Nmass and Narea within Quercus wutaishanica were strongly linked to their leaf morphological traits and that the leaf N was also influenced by mean annual precipitation and soil phosphorus and potassium instead of soil N in the Loess Plateau, China.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Effects of Polysaccharides from Nameko Medicinal Mushroom, Pholiota nameko SW-01 (Higher Basidiomycetes).

Extra- (EPS) and intracellular polysaccharides (IPS) from Pholiota nameko SW-01 were extracted, and in vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects were processed. Briefly, the in vitro antioxidant results indicated that the inhibition effects of IPS at a dose of 500 mg/L on superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals were 63.24 ± 1.12%, 53.11 ± 2.92%, and 59.33 ± 9.37%, which were 7.70%, 14.84%, and 11.40% higher than those of EPS, and 9.79%, 20.32%, and 4.59% higher than those of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), respectively. The reducing power of IPS reached 0.593 ± 0.21 (absorbance at 700 nm), which was 11.30% higher than that of EPS and 15.51% higher than that of BHT. In vivo antioxidant results proved that both IPS and EPS significantly upregulated the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH peroxide (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and alanine transaminase (ALT). In addition, glycosidic bond types of EPS and IPS were primarily characterized. The findings indicate the potential antioxidant effects of polysaccharide extract from Ph. Nameko. Thus, this species has potential applicability as an antioxidant agent and should be studied further.

[miR-15a and miR-16 modulate drug resistance by targeting bcl-2 in human colon cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reversal effect of targeted modulation of bcl-2 expression by miR-15a and miR-16 on drug resistance of human colon cancer cells. METHODS: Mimics or inhibitors of miR-15a and miR-16 were transfected into HCT8 or HCT8/VCR cells with the help of Lipofectamine 2000. The expressions of miR-15a and miR-16 mRNA were detected by RT-qPCR. The levels of bcl-2 and P-gp proteins were measured by Western blot. The inhibitory effects of VCR on growth of HCT8 and HCT8/VCR cells were detected by CCK8. RESULTS: After transfection of the mimics, the expression of miR-15a in the blank control group, negative control group and miR-15a mimic group was 1.00, 0.87 ± 0.24, and 223.44 ± 59.07, respectively, and miR-15a was increased significantly (P < 0.001). The expression of miR-16 in the blank control group, negative control group and miR-16 mimic group was 1.00, 0.66 ± 0.19, and 107.32 ± 22.58, respectively, and miR-16 expression was increased significantly (P < 0.001). The Western blot assay showed that the relative expressions of bcl-2 protein in the blank control group, negative control group, miR-15a mimic group and miR-16 mimic group were 1.00, 0.97 ± 0.02, 0.51 ± 0.06, and 0.65 ± 0.03, respectively, and the expression of bcl-2 protein was decreased significantly (P < 0.05), however, the expressions of P-gp protein showed no significant difference. The CCK8 test showed that at 1, 5, 25 and 125 µg/ml concentration of VCR, the survival rates of HCT8/VCR cells were basically the same in the blank control group, negative control group, miR-15a mimic group and miR-16 mimic group, but the survival rate of HCT8/VCR cells was significantly decreased after transfection of mimics (P < 0.05). After transfection of the inhibitors, the expressions of both miR-15a and miR-16 were decreased significantly (P < 0.001). The Western blot showed that the expression of bcl-2 protein was increased (P < 0.05), while the expression of P-gp protein showed no significant difference. The CCK8 test showed that the survival rate of HCT8 cells which were transfected with inhibitors was significantly higher than that of the blank control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: miR-15a and miR-16 may reverse the drug resistance in human colon cancer cells. A possible mechanism is regulating the expression of bcl-2.

[Advances in research on automatic exposure control of mammography system].

Mammography imaging is one of the most demanding imaging modalities from the point of view of the bal- ance between image quality (the visibility of small size and/or low contrast structures) and dose (screening of many asymptomatic people). Therefore, since the introduction of the first dedicated mammographic units, many efforts have been directed to seek the best possible image quality while minimizing patient dose. The performance of auto- matic exposure control (AEC) is the manifestation of this demand. The theory of AEC includes exposure detection and optimization and also involves some accomplished methodology. This review presents the development and present situa- tion of spectrum optimization, detector evolution, and the way how to accomplish and evaluate AEC methods.

Extraction and in vitro antioxidant activity of intracellular polysaccharide by Pholiota adiposa SX-02.

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction parameters for Pholiota adiposa SX-02 intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) produced during submerged culture. The optimum conditions of IPS extraction were predicted to be, ultrasonic power at 564.93 W, precipitation time 30.34 h and pH 8.28, and IPS yield was estimated at 19.75%. The actual value of IPS under these conditions was 20.51%. The in vitro antioxidant results showed that the inhibition effects of IPS at a dosage of 250 mg/l on superoxide anion, hydroxyl and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical were 74.66 ± 5.31%, 69.20 ± 5.13%, and 75.20 ± 6.73%, respectively, which were 27.51 ± 2.23%, 16.58 ± 1.33%, and 9.46 ± 0.72% higher than that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), respectively. The reducing power of IPS was 0.32 ± 0.02 (absorbance at 700 nm), 39.13 ± 3.47% higher than that of BHT. The results provide a reference for large-scale extraction of IPS by P. adiposa SX-02 in industrial fermentation and the IPS can be used as a potential antioxidant which enhances adaptive immune responses.

Extraction and antioxidant activities of intracellular polysaccharide from Pleurotus sp. mycelium.

The extraction conditions of intracellular polysaccharide (IPS) from Pleurotus sp. mycelium in submerged culture were investigated. Four parameters affecting the IPS extraction, ultrasonic treatment time, extraction temperature, extraction time and ethanol concentration, were determined by single factor tests and then optimized by orthogonal experiments. Under the optimized conditions, the extraction rates of IPS of Pleurotus nebrodensis SJ-02, Pleurotus eryngii SI-01 and Pleurotus corncopiae SS-01 were 7.1+/-0.4%, 7.5+/-0.3%, and 8.2+/-0.5%, respectively. The in vitro hydroxyl radical inhibition percentages of IPS of three mushrooms were 32.2+/-2.8%, 16.1+/-1.5%, and 38.7+/-3.1%, respectively. The scavenging effects of IPS on superoxide anion radical and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical were 19.1+/-1.5%, 16.3+/-1.3%, 20.3+/-1.8%, 17.9+/-1.6%, 16.8+/-1.4%, and 20.5+/-1.7%, respectively. The results provide a reference for large-scale production of IPS by Pleurotus sp. in industrial fermentation.

Extraction optimization and in vivo antioxidant activities of exopolysaccharide by Morchella esculenta SO-01.

Response surface methodology was used to optimize extraction parameters for Morchella esculenta SO-01 exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced during submerged culture. The optimum conditions for EPS extraction were predicted to be, concentration at 84.07 degrees C, precipitation for 22.19 h and pH 8.44, and EPS production was estimated at 5.45 g/L. The actual yield of EPS under these conditions was 5.32 g/L. The antioxidant capacity of the EPS was measured in vivo after filling the stomach with different doses of EPS and results showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) of blood, spleen, liver, heart, and kidney were increased by 125%, 46.11%, 23.33%, 12.19%, 41.29%, and 63.24%, 63.12%, 166.54%, 98.01%, 57.68%, respectively, and that malonaldehyde (MDA) of blood, spleen, liver, heart, and kidney were decreased by 21.80%, 67.84%, 28.48%, 56.15%, 41.62%. The results provide a reference for large-scale extraction of EPS by M. esculenta SO-01 in industrial fermentation.