Ultrasonography in the intensive care unit: a bibliometrics analysis.

Background: Ultrasonography is widely used in critical care practice. The status of related studies remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to analyze current literature investigating the use of ultrasound in critical care units by using bibliometric analysis. Methods: The Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) database was used for data retrieval. The search formula for literature retrieval was "ultrasound" OR "ultrasonography" AND "intensive care unit" OR "critical care unit" OR "intensive care" OR "critical care". The bibliometric software package of R software was used to analyze the results. Information of related literatures were analyzed. Results: Finally, 3,715 articles were included. The number of published articles and the number of references increased annually. The research fields included medical imaging, critical care medicine, cardiology, etc. The United States has published more documents in this field than other countries and has shown the highest rate of cooperation with other countries. Among the top 10 research institutions with the largest number of publications, 5 are from France and 3 are from the United States. There are many authors from China in the top 10 published studies. Among the top 10 journals with the largest number of published articles, 5 journals are top journals in the field of critical care medicine. Among the top 10 keywords, there are 5 of ultrasound specialty and 2 of critical care medicine. Conclusions: Researches on the use of ultrasound in critical care units are mainly concentrated in several developed countries in Europe and the United States. Chinese research institutions should perform more studies in this field and increase cooperation with institutions from other countries.

Loss of ZBED6 Protects Against Sepsis-Induced Muscle Atrophy by Upregulating DOCK3-Mediated RAC1/PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in Pigs.

Sepsis-induced muscle atrophy often increases morbidity and mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, yet neither therapeutic target nor optimal animal model is available for this disease. Here, by modifying the surgical strategy of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), a novel sepsis pig model is created that for the first time recapitulates the whole course of sepsis in humans. With this model and sepsis patients, increased levels of the transcription factor zinc finger BED-type containing 6 (ZBED6) in skeletal muscle are shown. Protection against sepsis-induced muscle wasting in ZBED6-deficient pigs is further demonstrated. Mechanistically, integrated analysis of RNA-seq and ChIP-seq reveals dedicator of cytokinesis 3 (DOCK3) as the direct target of ZBED6. In septic ZBED6-deficient pigs, DOCK3 expression is increased in skeletal muscle and myocytes, activating the RAC1/PI3K/AKT pathway and protecting against sepsis-induced muscle wasting. Conversely, opposite gene expression patterns and exacerbated muscle wasting are observed in septic ZBED6-overexpressing myotubes. Notably, sepsis patients show increased ZBED6 expression along with reduced DOCK3 and downregulated RAC1/PI3K/AKT pathway. These findings suggest that ZBED6 is a potential therapeutic target for sepsis-induced muscle atrophy, and the established sepsis pig model is a valuable tool for understanding sepsis pathogenesis and developing its therapeutics.

Increasing incidence of Plasmodium ovale and persistent reporting of Plasmodium vivax in imported malaria cases: an analysis of 9-year surveillance data in four areas of China.

Background: This study aimed at exploring the epidemiological pattern of imported malaria in China before malaria elimination in 2021, to provide evidence-based data for preventing malaria re-establishment in China. Methods: Nine-year surveillance data on imported malaria in four provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) (Anhui, Chongqing, Guangxi, and Zhejiang) between 2011 and 2019 were thoroughly collected and analyzed. Results: A quite stable trend in imported malaria cases between 2011 and 2019 was observed. In total, 6,064 imported patients were included. Plasmodium falciparum was the most frequently reported species (4,575, 75.6%). Cases of malaria were most frequently imported from Western Africa (54.4%). We identified an increasing trend in P. ovale and a persistence of P. vivax infections among the cases of malaria imported from Western Africa. Most patients (97.5%) were 20-50 years old. Among imported malaria infections, the main purposes for traveling abroad were labor export (4,914/6,064, 81.0%) and business trips (649, 10.7%). Most patients (2,008/6,064, 33.1%) first visited county-level medical institutions when they sought medical help in China. More patients were diagnosed within 3 days after visiting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) or entry-exit quarantine facilities (EQFs) (1,147/1609, 71.3%) than after visiting medical institutions (2,182/3993, 54.6%). Conclusion: Imported malaria still poses a threat to the malaria-free status of China. County-level institutions are the primary targets in China to improve the sensitivity of the surveillance system and prevent the re-establishment of malaria. Health education should focus on exported labors, especially to Western and Central Africa. Increasing trend in P. ovale and persistence of P. vivax infections indicated their underestimations in Western Africa. Efficient diagnostic tools and sensitive monitoring systems are required to identify Plasmodium species in Africa.

Exosomal ERBB2IP contributes to tumor growth via elevating PSAT1 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Both exosomes and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in tumor growth. Hsa_circ_0001492 (circERBB2IP) has been reported to be overexpressed in plasma exosomes from patients with lung adenocarcinoma, but the biological role of exosomal circERBB2IP in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is indistinct. METHODS: Exosomes isolated from serums and medium samples were validated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and western blotting. Relative expression of circERBB2IP was detected by RT-qPCR. Loss-of-function was done to determine the effect of circERBB2IP on NSCLC cell proliferation and migration. Molecular mechanisms associated with circERBB2IP were predicted by bioinformatic analysis and validated by dual-luciferase reporter, RIP, and RNA pulldown assays. In vivo experiments were performed to identify the function of circERBB2IP in NSCLC. RESULTS: We discovered that circERBB2IP expression was correlated with TNM grade, lymph node metastasis and tumor size of NSCLC patients. Upregulation of circERBB2IP was observed in exosomes derived from NSCLC patient's serum and circERBB2IP might be a potential diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC. CircERBB2IP was transmitted between carcinoma cells through exosomes. Knockdown of circERBB2IP lowered cell growth in mouse models and restrained NSCLC cell proliferation and migration. CircERBB2IP could mediate PSAT1 expression via sponging miR-5195-3p. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, circERBB2IP may drive NSCLC growth by the miR-5195-3p/PSAT1 axis in NSCLC, shedding light on a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.

SARS-CoV-2 and Plasmodium falciparum Co-Infection in a Returning Traveler.

Since December 2019, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a non-neglectable context for the whole healthcare system. Under the background of COVID-19, the detection and diagnosis of malaria cases are under challenge. Here, we reported a COVID-19 and malaria co-infection traveler who has a long living history in Cameroon. The case was administered with dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine tablets for malaria, Lopinavir and Ritonavir tablets, Arbidol, recombinant human interferon α-2b and Compound Maxing Yifei mixture for COVID-19, and Zolpidem Tartrate tablets, Diazepam, Paroxetine Hydrochloride tablets, Thymosin α1, and Lianhua Qinwen Jiaonang during the second hospitalization of the patient since the patient has a certain level of anxiety and insomnia with no evidence of inflammatory reactions. After being tested negative two times for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 48 h, the patient met China's COVID-19 discharge standards and was discharged with stable vital signs and mental state. Since most countries in the sub-Saharan region have a fragile health system, co-infection for both Plasmodium and SARS-CoV-2 may not be uncommon, and raise a challenge in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for both diseases. We add to the literature on co-infection of P. falciparum malaria and COVID-19 and offer operational advice on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment for the co-infection.

Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake in Patients Undergoing Dialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: Fish oil supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation or dietary adjustment in dialysis patients.Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to study the effects of omega-3 supplementation on dialysis patients. The variables of interest included the levels of blood lipids, inflammatory indicators, proteins, parathyroid hormone (PTH), gastrointestinal adverse reactions, and all-cause mortality. The mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 test. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify potential sources.Results: The systematic review included 49 RCTs and evaluated the efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in dialysis patients. Data synthesis showed that compared with the control group, the group receivingomega-3 supplementation exhibited significantly decreased serum triglyceride (TG) levels, decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) and TNF-alpha levels, increased hemoglobin levels, reduced serum phosphorus levels, increased PTH levels, and increased gastrointestinal adverse reactions to a certain extent. Furthermore, there was no effect on the blood total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), albumin or calcium levels and all-cause mortality.Conclusion: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is related to a reduction in serum TG, LDL and inflammation index levels and has few adverse reactions. Therefore, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may be a useful nutrition therapy for dialysis patients.

Soil-transmitted helminths, intestinal protozoa and Clonorchis sinensis infections in southeast China.

BACKGROUND: Extensive parasitic diseases epidemiology in Zhejiang province has not been carried out since the second national survey in 2004. Therefore, dynamics in prevalence and infection pattern of the major intestinal parasites should be explored. METHODS: The distribution of three parasites including soil-transmitted helminths (STH), intestinal protozoa and C. sinensis in Zhejiang from 2014 to 2015 were explored. Kato-Katz technique was used for STH and C. sinensis detection, whereas transparent adhesive paper anal swab was used for pinworm detection, and iodine smear was used for protozoa detection. A questionnaire survey on alimentary habits and sanitary behaviors was conducted in half of the studied counties. RESULTS: This study recruited 23,552 participants: 19,935 from rural and 3617 from urban area. Overall prevalence of intestinal helminth infections was 1.80%. In this study, seven helminth species were identified including A. duodenale, N. americanus, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, C. sinensis, Fasciolopsis buski and pinworm. The average prevalence of STH infection was 1.71%: 1.94% in rural and 0.44% in urban area. Hookworm was the most prevalent infection at 1.58%: 1.79% in rural and 0.44% in urban area. Prevalence varied considerably in the studied counties. Prevalence was highest in Yongkang county at 10.25%. Only 2.79% of children from rural area were infected with pinworm. A proportion of 0.40% of rural participants were infected with protozoa, whereas Endolimax nana was the most prevalent at 0.23%. C. sinensis showed infection only in one man. Awareness on C. sinensis was 24.47% in rural and 45.96% in urban area, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of STH and protozoa infections declined considerably whereas C. sinensis infections remained few in Zhejiang province compared with the prevalence reported in previous large scale surveys (19.56% for national STH infection in 2004, 18.66% and 4.57% for provincial STH and protozoa infection, respectively in 1999). The findings of this study showed that hookworm, mainly N. americanus remained a parasitic threat to population health, mainly in the central and western Zhejiang. Therefore, more health education regarding fertilization and farming habits is necessary in rural areas. The awareness concerning hookworm infection should be reinforced.

[Effects of intermittent feeding and continuous feeding on muscle atrophy and nutritional status in critically ill patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of intermittent feeding and continuous feeding on muscle atrophy, nutritional status and nutritional intolerance of critically ill patients, and to provide a reference for critically ill patients to select more suitable nutritional support in clinic. METHODS: An observational study was conducted. The clinical data of 59 critically ill patients who received enteral nutrition admitted to anesthesia intensive care unit (ICU) of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army from January 2019 to December 2020 were analyzed. According to different feeding methods, the patients were divided into intermittent feeding group (n = 32, 200-250 mL nutrient solution was pumped each time, 4-5 times a day, 5-6 hours interval each time) and continuous feeding group (n = 27, nutrient solution was pumped continuously and evenly). The changes of related indexes before and 7 days after enteral nutrition in ICU were recorded, including rectus femoris thickness and cross-sectional area, nutritional status related indexes [hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA) and blood glucose], incidence of aspiration, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, abnormal gastric residue volume (gastric residue volume > 250 mL), other nutritional intolerance and the length of ICU stay. RESULTS: After nutritional support for 7 days, the thickness and cross-sectional area of rectus femoris decreased in both groups, indicating muscle atrophy occurred in both groups, and there was no significant difference in change value of thickness or cross-sectional area of rectus femoris between intermittent feeding group and continuous feeding group [the change value of rectus femoris thickness (cm): -0.06±0.04 vs. -0.07±0.03, the change value of rectus femoris cross-sectional area (cm2): -0.71±0.23 vs. -0.81±0.24, both P > 0.05]. There were no significant differences in nutritional status related indicators after nutritional support for 7 days between intermittent feeding group and continuous feeding group [Hb (g/L): 102.2±10.9 vs. 103.2±11.3, ALB (g/L): 34.1±3.6 vs. 32.9±4.0, PA (mg/L): 209.8±10.6 vs. 205.9±13.7, blood glucose (mmol/L): 6.34±1.91 vs. 6.93±3.54, all P > 0.05]. The patients in both groups had intestinal nutrition intolerance such as aspiration, diarrhea, constipation and vomiting. However, the incidence of abnormal gastric residual volume in intermittent feeding group was significantly lower than that in continuous feeding group [9.4% (3/32) vs. 33.3% (9/27), P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in the length of ICU stay between intermittent feeding group and continuous feeding group (days: 21.03±11.51 vs. 21.41±9.74, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with continuous feeding, intermittent feeding does not improve the muscle atrophy and nutritional status of critically ill patients, but reduce the symptoms of enteral nutrition intolerance caused by abnormal increase of gastric residual volume. It is an easy-to-implement, safe and feasible feeding method.

Perioperative aspirin and long-term survival in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft.

This study aimed to examine association between perioperative uses of aspirin and long-term survival in patients undergoing CABG. A retrospective cohort study was performed in 9,584 consecutive patients receiving cardiac surgery from three tertiary hospitals. Of all the patients, 4,132 patients undergoing CABG met inclusion criteria and were divided into four groups: with or without preoperative or postoperative aspirin respectively. 30-day postoperative and long-term mortality were compared with the use of propensity scores and inverse probability weighting adjustment to reduce the treatment-selection bias. The patients taking preoperative aspirin presented significantly more with comorbidities. However, the results of this study showed that preoperative aspirin (vs. no preoperative aspirin) was associated with significantly reduced the risk of 30-day mortality in the patients undergoing CABG. Further, the results of long-term mortality showed that the patients taking preoperative aspirin and postoperative aspirin (vs. not taking) were associated with significantly reduced the risk of 4-year mortality (14.8% vs. 18.1%, RR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.75-0.89, P = 0.005; 10.7% vs. 16.2%, RR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50-0.82, P = 0.003). In conclusion, this cohort study showed that perioperative (before and after surgery) use of aspirin was associated with significant reduction in 30-day mortality without significant bleeding complications, also improved long-term survival in patients undergoing CABG.

Identification and molecular typing of Naegleria fowleri from a patient with primary amebic meningoencephalitis in China.

Naegleria fowleri is the only Naegleria spp. known to cause an acute, fulminant, and rapidly fatal central nervous system infection in humans called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In 2016, a patient with suspected PAM was found in Zhejiang Province of China. The pathogen was identified by microscopic examination and PCR. The positive PCR products were sequenced and the sequences were aligned using the NCBI BLAST program. The homologous and phylogenetic analysis was conducted using MEGA 6 program. On microscopy of direct smears, motile cells with pseudopodia were observed, and the motion characteristics of the pseudopodia as well as the cell morphology suggested that the pathogens were amoeba trophozoites. Wright-Giemsa-stained smears showed amoeba trophozoites of various shapes, which measured 10-25µm in size; these were characterized by a prominent, centrally placed nucleolus and a vacuolated cytoplasm. PCR was negative for Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar, but positive for Naegleria spp. and N. fowleri. The nucleotide sequences acquired in this study have been submitted to GenBank with accession numbers KX909928 and KX909927, respectively. The BLAST analysis revealed that the sequences of KX909928 and KX909927 had 100% similarity with the sequence of the N. fowleri gene (KT375442.1). Sequence alignment and the phylogenetic tree revealed that the N. fowleri collected in this study was classified as genotype 2 and was most closely related to Naegleria lovaniensis. This study confirmed N. fowleri as the agent responsible for the infection in this patient. PAM normally progresses rapidly and is generally universally fatal within a week. Unfortunately this patient died at 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms.

Genetic diversity analysis of PvCSP and its application in tracking of Plasmodium vivax.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax remains a potential cause of morbidity and mortality for people living where it is endemic. Understanding the regional genetic diversity of P. vivax is valuable for studying population dynamics and tracing the origins of parasites. The Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite gene (PvCSP) is highly polymorphic and has been used previously as a marker in P. vivax population studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the genetic diversity of the PvCSP, to provide more genetic polymorphism data for further studies on P. vivax population structure, and tracking of the origin of clinical cases. METHODS: Nested PCR and DNA sequencing of the PvCSP were performed to obtain nucleotide sequences of P. vivax isolates collected from Zhejiang province, China, between 2006 and 2014. To investigate the genetic diversity of PvCSP, the nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences of the PvCSP were analyzed using DNAstar, Mega software and the phylogenetic tree constructed. The relatedness between the polymorphism and infection source were also analyzed using the SPSS software. RESULTS: The 66 P. vivax isolates collected from Zhejiang province were either indigenous cases or cases imported from different regions of the world. All 66 P. vivax isolates belonged to the VK210 variant. Fourteen different Peptide Repeat Motifs (PRMs) were detected in the Central Repeat Region (CRR) of PvCSP, among which, two PRMs of GDRADGQPA and GDRAAGQPA were widely distributed in all isolates. Several polymorphic characteristics of the VK210 variant were observed, including the insertion sequence of 12 peptides, the frequency of the GGNA repeat, the frequency of the PRMs repeat in CRR, and the frequency of the PRM of GNGAGGQAA repeat, which were indicative for tracking the parasite. CONCLUSION: This study presents abundant genetic diversity in the PvCSP marker among P. vivax strains around the world. The genetic data are valuable to expand the polymorphism information on P. vivax, which could be helpful for further study on population dynamics and tracking the origin of P. vivax.

Malaria in Southeastern China from 2012 to 2016: Analysis of Imported Cases.

To study the epidemiological distribution and the incident trends of imported malaria from 2012 to 2016 in Zhejiang Province, southeastern China, we collected data on malaria from the Information System for Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 1,003 malaria cases were reported during 2012-2016, and all of these cases were imported. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species (76.3%) in Zhejiang Province. The percentage of Plasmodium vivax decreased from 33.6% to 8.1%, whereas the percentage of Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae increased. Most cases were male (89.8%), mostly in the age group of 21-50 years (82.6%). Businessmen (33.0%), workers (21.0%), farmers (18.8%), and overseas laborers (11.7%) were at high risk. The origin of the largest number of imported cases was Africa (89.5%), followed by Asia (10.0%) and Oceania (0.5%). The time interval from illness onset to confirmation was found to be significantly associated with the complications of patients. Out of 3,461 febrile individuals tested during reactive case detection, 10 malaria-positive individuals were identified. Effective surveillance and response system should be strengthened to prevent the reintroduction of malaria.

Human babesiosis in Southeast China: A case report.

A 60-year-old female patient living in Southeast China presented with persistent fever, chills, night sweats, fatigue, and dizziness of 12-day duration. Blood tests showed neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and active hemolytic anemia, with elevated C-reactive protein. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered for a possible diagnosis of sepsis, without any response. Malaria was initially diagnosed after visualizing intraerythrocytic ring-shaped parasites in bone marrow and blood smears. The patient resided in an area of unstable endemicity for Plasmodium falciparum. Blood samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a definitive diagnosis of human babesiosis was made using Babesia microti-specific PCR. Chloroquine phosphate and clindamycin were started and the patient became normothermic. However, due to the intolerable adverse effects of the antibiotics, intravenous azithromycin was given as an alternative. The patient recovered from fever and hemolysis, and repeated peripheral blood smears showed hemoparasite clearance. Cases of human babesiosis are rarely reported and probably under-diagnosed in China; therefore, improving our understanding of this disease as a newly emerging public health threat is imperative.

[Overexpression of PPENK reduces myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury by promoting mitophagy in rats].

Objective To investigate the effect of preproenkephalin-minimalistic immunologically defined gene expression-nuclear localization signal (PPENK-MIDGE-NLS) vector postconditioning on mitophagy during myocardial ischemia reperfusion in rats. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham operation group, ischemia reperfusion group, PPENK-MIDGE-NLS group and Control-MIDGE-NLS group. Myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury model was induced by ligating left anterior descending branch of coronary artery (LAD). Sham operation group was treated identically with the ischemia reperfusion group except that LAD was not tied and occluded. Ischemia reperfusion group, PPENK-MIDGE-NLS group, and Control-MIDGE-NLS group were treated with ligation and occlusion of LAD for 30 minutes followed by 24 hour-reperfusion, with 1.5 mL saline, or 1.5 mL PPENK-MIDGE-NLS vectors (200 µg), or 1.5 mL Control-MIDGE-NLS vectors (200 µg) administered respectively right before reperfusion started. Serum cTnI was assayed by ELISA and myocardial infarct size was measured by TTC. Ultrastructural changes of mitochondria and mitophagy were observed using electron microscope, and mitochondrial damage scores were analyzed. Expressions of the mitophagy-related proteins such as PINK1, parkin, p62, TOM20 and LC3B were measured by Western blotting. Results Compared with the ischemia reperfusion group, both serum cTnI content and myocardial infarct size in the PPENK group decreased; the expression of PINK1, parkin, p62 and LC3B were all up-regulated. Mitophagy was enhanced and mitochondrial damages were alleviated, with conspicuous improvement in mitochondria ultrastructure. Conclusion PPENK-MIDGE-NLS vector postconditioning can mitigate myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury by promoting mitophagy in rats.

Once malaria is eliminated, more attention should be paid to imported malaria: Data from five years of surveillance in the City of Yiwu in eastern China.

This study reviewed and analyzed data on malaria cases in Yiwu from 2012 to 2016 via a webbased system for managing and reporting information on infectious diseases. A total of 161 cases were diagnosed (77.02% due to Plasmodium falciparum, 18.01% due to P. vivax, 4.35% due to P. ovale, and 0.62% due to P. malariae). One case was imported from Yunnan Province in China and the others were imported from overseas. The ratio of male to female patients was 7.47:1. The average age was 36.34 years (SD: 9.63). Most cases (87.58%) were imported from 1 of 30 countries in Africa. As malaria is gradually being eliminated in China, the main task at this stage has transitioned to the prevention and control of cases of imported malaria. Particular attention should be paid to malaria cases from Africa.

Delta opioid receptor agonist attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced myocardial injury by regulating autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have described the protective effects of DADLE on myocardial injury in sepsis. Recently, autophagy has been shown to be an innate defense mechanism in sepsis-related myocardial injury. However, whether DADLE has an pro-autophagic effect is yet to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of DADLE on the regulation of autophagy during sepsis. METHODS: Male mice were subjected to LPS or vehicle intraperitoneal injection. After LPS injection, mice received either DADLE, Naltrindole or vehicle. ELISA and JC-1 were used to evaluate the level cTnI and Mitochondrial membrane potential. Cardiac ultrastructural and autophagosomes were visualized by transmission electron microscopy. The relative protein levels were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The results showed that treatment with DADLE both immediately or 4 h after LPS intraperitoneal injection could improve the survival rate of mice with endotoxemic. DADLE could ease myocardium ultrastructure injury induced by LPS, this cardioprotective effect was also seen in increased MMP levels, and decreased cTnI levels. Through observation of transmission electron microscopy and Western blot we have discovered that the amount of autophagosome and the expression of autophagy related protein LC3II, Beclin1 were significantly increased with DADLE treatment. DADLE promoted LPS-induced autophagosome maturation as indicated by the increased LAMP-1 protein level and decreased SQSTM1/p62 protein level. The selective δ-opioid receptor antagonist Naltrindole play an opposite effects. CONCLUSIONS: DADLE could improve the survival and protect myocardial dysfunction in mice with LPS-induced endotoxemia. This effect was related to the increase of autophagy.

Genetic diversity of Plasmodium Vivax revealed by the merozoite surface protein-1 icb5-6 fragment.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax remains a potential cause of morbidity and mortality for people living in its endemic areas. Understanding the genetic diversity of P. vivax from different regions is valuable for studying population dynamics and tracing the origins of parasites. The PvMSP-1 gene is highly polymorphic and has been used as a marker in many P. vivax population studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of the PvMSP-1 gene icb5-6 fragment and to provide more genetic polymorphism data for further studies on P. vivax population structure and tracking of the origin of clinical cases. METHODS: Nested PCR and sequencing of the PvMSP-1 icb5-6 marker were performed to obtain the nucleotide sequences of 95 P. vivax isolates collected from Zhejiang province, China. To investigate the genetic diversity of PvMSP-1, the 95 nucleotide sequences of the PvMSP-1 icb5-6 fragment were genotyped and analyzed using DnaSP v5, MEGA software. RESULTS: The 95 P. vivax isolates collected from Zhejiang province were either indigenous cases or imported cases from different regions around the world. A total of 95 sequences ranging from 390 to 460 bp were obtained. The 95 sequences were genotyped into four allele-types (Sal I, Belem, R-III and R-IV) and 17 unique haplotypes. R-III and Sal I were the predominant allele-types. The haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (Pi) were estimated to be 0.729 and 0.062, indicating that the PvMSP-1 icb5-6 fragment had the highest level of polymorphism due to frequent recombination processes and single nucleotide polymorphism. The values of dN/dS and Tajima's D both suggested neutral selection for the PvMSP-1icb5-6 fragment. In addition, a rare recombinant style of R-IV type was identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study presented high genetic diversity in the PvMSP-1 marker among P. vivax strains from around the world. The genetic data is valuable for expanding the polymorphism information on P. vivax, which could be helpful for further study on population dynamics and tracking the origin of P. vivax.

[Diagnosis and treatment of a local case of Taenia saginata infection in Zhejiang Province].

Objective: To diagnose and provide treatment for a local case of taenia infection in Zhejiang Province and identify the species of the worm. Methods: The information of disease onset, clinical feature and therapeutic process was collected and epidemiological investigation was carried out. The anal cellophane swab was used to detect the eggs. Areca and pumpkin seeds were used for deworming. Morphological observation, PCR amplification and sequencing of cytochrome C oxidase 1(COX1) gene were performed for the discharged worm. Results: The epidemiological results showed that the patient did not go outside Pujiang County in the past two years, and had no history of eating raw pork, beef or animal offal. But she often had barbecues and hot-pot food, occasionally with raw vegetables. Taenia eggs were found on her perianal skin. The discharged worm was suspected to be Taenia saginata or Taenia asiatica by morphological observation. PCR amplification of COX1 resulted in a band of 832 bp, which was 99%, 96% and 88% homologous to COX1 of Taenia saginata (GenBank accession number: AB107239.1), Taenia asiatica (GenBank accession number: AB107235.1) and Taenia solium (GenBank accession number: AB066485.1), respectively. Conclusion: According to the clinical feature, epidemiological information and sequencing results, this case is confirmed to be a local infection of Taenia saginata.

[Myocardial cells and mitochondrial autophagy in sepsis mice induced by lipopolysaccharide].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alterations in the level of myocardial cells and mitochondrial autophagy during myocardial injury in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic animal models. METHODS: Male C57BL/J mice were randomly divided into negative control group (NC), LPS treatment groups (6, 12, 24, 36 hours). The LPS treatment groups were subjected to LPS (10 mg/kg) injection intraperitoneally, and the NC group was injected intraperitoneally with the same amount of saline. The mice were sacrificed at the above time points to collect blood and heart tissues. Cytoplasmic protein, mitochondria and mitochondrial proteins were extracted from the myocardial tissue, and other myocardial tissue was frozen for next analysis. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels in sera were evaluated by ELISA; mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was tested by JC-1 staining and fluorescence cytometry at different time points after LPS intraperitoneal injection. Furthermore, the levels of autophagy-related proteins such as microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), PTEN-induced kinase 1 (pink1), E3-ubiquitin ligase parkin were measured by Western blotting and fluorescent immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the serum levels of cTnI induced by LPS were significantly higher as 6 hours, while the MMP was significantly lower in the LPS treatment groups, and the lowest was in the 12-hour group. The expression of autophagy-related protein LC3-II/LC3-I significantly increased in the LPS 12-hour treatment group, pink1/parkin was significantly elevated in the LPS 6-hour treatment group, and they then gradually decreased. CONCLUSION: The autophagy stress is activated in myocardium during myocardial injury induced by LPS treatment and it probably happens earlier at myocardial mitochondria.

Effects of erythropoietin preconditioning on rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and the GLT-1/GLAST pathway.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether erythropoietin (EPO) preconditioning affects the expression of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) and glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST) and protects against rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. A total of 140 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of the following four groups: Sham, EPO-sham, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and EPO-MCAO. Neurological function scores were obtained 24, 36 and 72 h after reperfusion. Seventy-two hours after the induction of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, the number of apoptotic neural cells and the cerebral infarct volume of each group were measured. The mRNA levels of GLT-1 and GLAST were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis, while the GLT-1 and GLAST protein levels were assessed using western blotting. The cerebral infarct volume was significantly increased in the MCAO group compared with that in the sham group (P<0.01); however, the infarct volume of the EPO-MCAO group was significantly lower than that of the MCAO group (P<0.01). In addition, the number of apoptotic cells found in the MCAO group was higher than that in the sham group (P<0.01), but the number of apoptotic cells in the EPO-MCAO group was significantly lower than that in the MCAO group (P<0.01). The GLT-1 and GLAST mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased 72 h after the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (P<0.01) compared with those in the sham group, whereas the same levels were increased significantly in the EPO-MCAO group relative to those in the MCAO group (P<0.01). In conclusion, EPO preconditioning protected against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and upregulated the GLT-1 and GLAST expression.