Stimulation of lipopolysaccharide from Pseudomonas aeruginosa following H9N2 IAV infection exacerbates inflammatory responses of alveolar macrophages and decreases virus replication.

H9N2 IAV infection contributed to P. aeruginosa coinfection, causing severe hemorrhagic pneumonia in mink. In this study, the in vitro alveolar macrophage models were developed to investigate the innate immune responses to P. aeruginosa LPS stimulation following H9N2 IAV infection, using MH-S cells. The cytokine levels, apoptosis levels and the viral nucleic acid levels were detected and analyzed. As a result, the levels of IFN-α, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-10 in MH-S cells with P. aeruginosa LPS stimulation following H9N2 IAV infection were significantly higher than those in MH-S cells with single H9N2 IAV infection and single LPS stimulation (P < 0.05), exacerbating inflammatory responses. LPS stimulation aggravated the apoptosis of MH-S cells with H9N2 IAV infection. Interestingly, LPS stimulation influences H9N2 IAV replication and indirectly reduced H9N2 IAV replications in in vitro AMs. It implied that LPS should play an important role in the pathogenesis of H9N2 IAV and P. aeruginosa coinfection.

Percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided transabdominal sac embolization is an effective technique for treating complicated type II endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair.

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we evaluated and compared the outcomes of transarterial embolization with those of percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided transabdominal sac embolization (PUSE) for type II endoleaks (T2ELs). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of consecutive patients who had undergone T2EL embolization between January 2015 and December 2020 at our center. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the embolization approach: PUSE vs transarterial. Freedom from aneurysm growth, safety, immediate technical success, freedom from persistent T2ELs, and the repeat embolization rate were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients and 28 embolization procedures (PUSE, n = 16; transarterial embolization, n = 12) were examined. Both the fluoroscopic time (13.3 ± 3.2 minutes vs 35.0 ± 7.0 minutes; P < .001) and the procedural time (84.9 ± 8.4 minutes vs 117.1 ± 14.8 minutes; P < .001) were significantly shorter in the PUSE group than in the transarterial group. After the embolization procedure, the patients were followed up for a mean duration of 24.7 ± 14.9 months for the PUSE group and 35.9 ± 21.1 months for the transarterial group (P = .1323). Five patients in the transarterial group had undergone unsuccessful embolization, with success in 7 of the 12 patients in the transarterial group and all 16 patients in the PUSE group (P = .0081). Failure had resulted from failed transarterial access or a recurrent T2EL. Three of the five patients had undergone subsequent PUSE during follow-up. No patient in the PUSE group had experienced sac expansion compared with four patients in the transarterial group (P = .0242). Similarly, no patient in the PUSE group had developed a newly discovered T2EL vs four patients in the transarterial group (P = .0242). Thus, the outcomes were markedly better for the PUSE group than were those for the transarterial group. A major procedure-related complication (abdominal abscess) occurred in one patient in the transarterial group. CONCLUSIONS: PUSE is safe and effective for managing T2ELs. It yields better outcomes in terms of preventing aneurysm growth, decreasing the incidence of repeat embolization and complications, minimizing the recurrence of T2ELs, and reducing the fluoroscopic and procedural times. We, thus, regard it as the preferred approach for the management of T2ELs.

Serotypes and virulence genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from mink and its pathogenicity in mink.

In this study, 20 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from 112 farmed mink exhibiting hemorrhagic pneumonia in mideastern Shandong province, China. Serotype G (18/20) was the dominant serotype among the isolates with prevalence in mink, followed by serotype B (1/20), serotype C (1/20). The 9 virulence-associated genes of P. aeruginosa were tested using PCR. The prevalence of the virulence genes for the isolates were algD 95% (19/20), plcH 85% (17/20), exoY 80% (16/20), aprA 75% (15/20), lasB 70% (14/20), exoS 65% (13/20), exoT 60% (12/20) and toxA 60% (12/20), respectively. The 20 isolates were negative for exoU gene. The isolates exhibited multidrug resistance and cross resistance, using antimicrobial disc susceptibility assays. The animal experiments demonstrated that LD50% of the P.aeruginosa-CS-2 in the intratracheally challenged mink was 2.2 × 107.0 CFU, and 6.8 × 104.0 CFU in the intraperitoneally challenged mink. It implied that both the inoculation doses and the routes of inoculation could have influences on the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa in mink. Therefore, the evolutionary and epidemiological surveillance of P. aeruginosa in mink should be further strengthened for public health.

[Influence of early bolting on anatomical structure and coumarins of Peucedanum praeruptorum].

To explore the effects of early bolting on the quality of Peucedanum praeruptorum, the anatomical structures of P. praeruptorum root between bolting and no-bolting were investigated by paraffin section method, and contents of praeruptorin A, praeruptorin B, praeruptorin E, bergapten were determined by HPLC, then the differences and inter-relations were studied by comparative analysis method. The results showed that there existed great influences of early bolting on the root anatomical structures and coumarins content of P. praeruptorum.(1)The area of pericyclic parenchyma tissue and secondary phloem in P. praeruptorum without bolting are large, and have higher content of coumarins.(2) The areas of secondary phloem in bolting P. praeruptorum are large, and have lot of vessels and wood fiber, and the content of coumarins is low.(3)There are significant different of coumarins contents in P. praeruptorum with and without bolting, in their main root(MR),outside the vascular cambium(PP), inside the vascular cambium(PX), and the leaf(LF) parts, and the total content of coumarins was PP>MR>LF>PX. Accordingly, the root anatomical structure and active component of P. praeruptorum were changed after early bolting, which have an important influence on the quality of Peucedani Radix.

Evaluation of the clinical value of carbon nanoparticles as lymph node tracer in differentiated thyroid carcinoma requiring reoperation.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of parathyroid injury in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) who underwent reoperation is significantly higher than that incurred from the initial surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical value of carbon nanoparticles (CN) as tracers for lymph nodes to guide cervical lymph node dissection and protect the parathyroid during reoperation for DTC. METHODS: Our study recruited 116 patients with DTC who previously underwent thyroidectomy and later received remedial surgical treatment at the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, China, between February 2011 and February 2014. Those patients were randomly divided into the experimental group (the CN group) with 64 cases and the control group with 52 cases. Carbon nanoparticle suspension (CNS, 0.1-0.3 ml) was intraoperatively injected into the residual thyroid or enlarged lymph nodes in the CN group; in the control group, CNS was not applied intraoperatively. The differences in identification of the parathyroid glands, the number of lymph nodes resected intraoperatively, and the incidence of common complications after thyroidectomy in both groups were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The accuracy of identification of the parathyroid in the CN group and control group was 92.2 % and 28.8 %, respectively, and the identification rate of three glands or more in both groups was 75 % and 36.5 %, respectively; those differences were statistically significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the two groups in the number of lymph nodes removed in the central and lateral cervical compartments (P < 0.05). There was no increase in common complications after the second surgery compared with the previous surgery; in addition, there was a decline in the incidence of transient hypoparathyroidism (HPT) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: By tracing the thyroid and cervical regional lymph nodes with carbon nanoparticles, the parathyroid glands can be easily identified and protected to reduce the complications of transient hypoparathyroidism resulting from reoperation for residual or missed DTC. Carbon nanoparticle tracers also facilitate radical resection of lymph nodes at the central and lateral compartments of the neck.

A randomized, single-center study of equivalence of 2 intraocular lenses used in cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of 2 intraocular lenses (IOLs) for the treatment of age-related cataracts. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized trial. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with age-related cataracts were recruited and randomized to receive phacoemulsification and implantation of either the AcrySof SA60AT lens (Alcon, Inc, Fort Worth, TX) or the low-cost Tecsoft Flex lens (Fred Hollows Foundation, Tilganga, Nepal). A total of 300 patients were available for description and analysis (148 in the AcrySof group and 152 in the Tecsoft group). METHODS: Patients underwent phacoemulsification and implantation of the AcrySof SA60AT lens or the Tecsoft Flex lens. They were followed up and examined at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after cataract surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), best-corrected distance visual acuity (BDVA), incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO), Visual Function Index questionnaire results, and safety of the implanted IOLs. RESULTS: No significant difference (P>0.05) was found in UDVA and BDVA after surgery between the 2 groups. The equivalence test of the 95% confidence intervals showed that both lenses had an equal improvement of UDVA and BDVA as well as similar rates of PCO after cataract surgery. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to visual functioning or the incidence of adverse surgical events during (P>0.05) or after (P>0.05) the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The Tecsoft Flex IOL is a low-cost suitable alternative that is similar to the AcrySof IOL in terms of safety and visual outcomes.

Efficacy and safety of activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis of Traditional Chinese Medicine for managing renal fibrosis in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for managing renal fibrosis (RF) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: We searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from eight databases. RESULTS: Sixteen eligible studies with 1,356 participants were included in this study. Compared to treatment with Western Medicine (WM) alone, the combined treatment with activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis in terms of TCM (ARTCM) and WM to manage RF in patients with CKD significantly ameliorated type Ⅳ collagen (CⅣ) (: 2.17, 95% : 3.01 to 1.34), type Ⅲ procollagen (PCⅢ) (: 1.08, 95% : 1.64 to 0.53), laminin (LN) (: 1.28, 95% : 1.65 to 0.90), transforming growth factor ß 1 (TGFß1) (: 0.65, 95% : 1.18 to 0.12), serum creatinine (Scr) (: 1.36, 95% : 1.85 to 0.87), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (: 1.51, 95% : 2.59 to 0.43), and 24 h urine protein (24hUpro) (: 1.23; 95% : 1.96 to 0.50). The level of hyaluronic acid (HA) was similar in both types of treatment (: 0.74, 95% : 1.91 to 0.44). The subgroup analysis showed that the duration of 8 weeks might affect the concentration of C-Ⅳ, PC-Ⅲ, and LN (<0.05). The effectiveness of the longer duration to C-Ⅳ, PC-Ⅲ, and LN was not certain. However, the result should be interpreted in care. The safety of the treatment using ARTCM and WM could not be evaluated because a few studies had reported adverse effects. The results of the Metaanalysis were not stable enough. There was publication bias for the reports on Scr ( 0.001), C-Ⅳ ( 0.001), PC-Ⅲ ( 0.026), and LN ( 0.030) and no publication bias for the reports on BUN ( 0.293). The quality of evidence varied from low to very low. CONCLUSIONS: The combined treatment using ARTCM and WM to manage RF in patients with CKD has some advantages over treatment with WM alone. Highquality RCTs need to be conducted for the strong support.

Danzhi Jiangtang capsule reduces renal injury in rats with diabetes induced by high fat diet and streptozotocin downregulating toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor-κB pathway and apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanisms of Danzhi Jiangtang capsule (, DJC) on renal injury in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes of rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with high fat diet for 6 weeks followed by streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg) injection. These rats were then treated with DJC (270, 540 and 1080 mg/kg) daily for 8 weeks. RESULTS: A combination of high fat diet and STZ significantly increased blood glucose creatinine, urea nitrogen, and urine albumin in rats. Meanwhile, the glomerular and tubular lesions were observed in rats fed with high fat diet and injected with STZ. These biochemical and pathological changes were significantly attenuated by DJC treatments in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, DJC treatments significantly decreased toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signals in the kidney of rats fed with high fat diet and injected with STZ. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining and caspase-8 levels showed that renal apoptosis was increased in rats fed with high fat diet and injected with STZ, and this was attenuated by DJC treatments. CONCLUSIONS: DJC treatments protect against diabetic kidney disease, and the mechanism may be closely related to downregulation of TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB pathways and apoptosis. This study provides further evidence of using DJC as a potential therapeutic option for diabetic kidney disease.

Longer axial length is protective of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema.

PURPOSE: To assess the association of ocular biometric parameters and refractive error with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) in persons with diabetes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, clinic-based study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with diabetes aged 18 years or more from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria, Australia. METHODS: Spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was assessed using objective autorefraction. Axial length (AL), corneal curvature (CC), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were measured using the IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditech AG, Jena, Germany). Diabetic retinopathy was graded from 2-field retinal photographs using the modified Airlie House classification system. Diabetic macular edema was defined as absent or present from fundus photographs and confirmed by optical coherence tomography (Stratus, Carl Zeiss Meditech AG). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Severity of DR was grouped as no DR, mild DR (Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] = 20), moderate DR (ETDRS = 31-43), and severe DR (ETDRS >43). Diabetic macular edema severity was classified as mild, moderate, or severe. RESULTS: A total of 208 of 630 eyes (33.0%) had DR. In multivariate models, eyes with longer AL were less likely to have mild (odds ratio [OR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.83; P = 0.006 per mm increase), moderate (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.60-0.88; P = 0.002), and severe DR (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.53-0.85; P=0.01), and had a lesser risk of mild (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56-0.86; P < 0.001) and moderate DME (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93; P=0.002) but not severe DME. No association was found for SE, ACD, and CC with DR. CONCLUSIONS: In persons with diabetes, eyes with longer ALs are less likely to have DR and DME.

Klebsiella pneumoniae infection following H9N2 influenza A virus infection contributes to the development of pneumonia in mice.

In this study, whether H9N2 influenza A virus (IAV) infection contributed to secondary Klebsiella pneumoniae infection was investigated. From post-infection onwards, clinical symptoms were monitored, examined and recorded daily for 11 days. As a result, no clinical signs were observed in the mice infected with single H9N2 IAV, implying that H9N2 IAV was less pathogenic to mice. Compared to single K. pneumonia infection, K. pneumoniae infection following H9N2 IAV infection exacerbates lung histopathological lesions and apoptosis, resulting in more severe diseases. Lung index of the mice with H9N2 IAV and K. pneumoniae co-infection was significantly higher than those in the other groups. Bacterial loads in the tissues in H9N2 IAV and K. pneumoniae co-infection group were significantly higher than those in the single K. pneumoniae infection group at 7 dpi. It demonstrated that prior H9N2 IAV infection contributed to K. pneumonia proliferation and delayed bacterial clearance in mice. Secondary K. pneumoniae infection influences seroconversion of anti-H9N2 antibody titers and the cytokine profiles. The findings demonstrated that H9N2 IAV infection facilitated secondary K. pneumonia infection, causing severe the diseases in mice.

Case Report: Whole-Exome Sequencing of Hypothalamic Hamartoma From an Infant With Pallister-Hall Syndrome Revealed Novel de novo Mutation in the GLI3.

Background: GLI-Kruppel family member 3 (GLI3), a zinc finger transcription factor of the sonic hedgehog pathway, is essential for organ development. Mutations in GLI3 cause several congenital conditions, including Pallister-Hall syndrome (PHS), which is characterized by polydactyly and hypothalamic hamartoma. Most patients are diagnosed soon after birth, and surgical removal of hypothalamic hamartoma in the very young is rarely performed because of associated risks. Case presentation: A 7-month-old boy with PHS features, including a suprasellar lesion, bifid epiglottis, tracheal diverticulum, laryngomalacia, left-handed polydactyly and syndactyly, and omental hernia was referred to our service. His suprasellar lesion was partially removed, and whole-exome sequencing was applied to the resected tumor, his peripheral blood, and blood from his parents. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of hypothalamic hamartoma, and molecular profiling revealed a likely pathogenic de novo variant, c.2331C>G (p. H777Q), in GLI3. Magnetic resonance imaging follow-up 1 year later showed some residual tumor, and the patient experienced normal development post operation. Conclusions: We presented a case of PHS that carries a novel GLI3 variant. Hypothalamic hamartoma showed a distinct genetic landscape from germline DNA. These data offer insights into the underlying etiology of hypothalamic hamartoma development in patients with PHS.

Nucleotide sequences of the infectious DNA clones of two mink enteritis virus isolates exhibit the diversity of the terminal palindromic sequences and predicted secondary structures.

In this study, the infectious RF-DNA clones of two mink enteritis viruses, MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7, were constructed, which generated progeny virions and seemed to contain an almost or completely full-length genome. The genomes of MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7 were 5162 bp and 5113 bp in length, respectively. The genomic organizations of MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7 were similar to that of the other carnivore parvoviruses. The 3'-UTR of the virion strand of MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7 were 311 bp and 313 bp in length, respectively, containing a 208 bp palindromic sequence assuming Y-shaped configurations. Interestingly, the difference of the 3' palindromic sequences between MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7 resulted in the orientation inversion of the hairpin ears. And the 5'-UTRs of MEV-SD1 and MEV-SD7 were 582 bp and 531 bp, respectively, containing a 198 bp palindromic sequence assuming U-shaped configurations, a triplet mismatch (5'-TAC-3') in the center of the duplex stem and a triplet mismatch (5'-AGA-3') forming a small asymmetric bubble. The findings demonstrated that the genomic termini of the carnivore parvoviruses showed the diversity in length, base composition, and predicted secondary structure.

Molecular characteristics of H9N2 influenza viruses isolated from farmed raccoon dogs and arctic foxes in China.

In this study, eight H9N2 IAVs were isolated from infected diseased, farmed raccoon dogs and arctic foxes. Eight genes shared 98.6%-100% identity among the isolates possessing a PSRSSR/GL motif at the HA cleavage site, which is same as the motif of G1 and Y280 lineages of H9N2 IAVs. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the HA genes of the eight isolates clustered with Y280-like viruses, whereas the NA genes belonged to F/98-like sublineage. Interestingly, the NS, NP, PB2 and PA genes of the isolates were closely related to H7N9 IAVs. This is the first evidence for isolation of H9N2 IAVs from raccoon dogs and arctic foxes. Raccoon dogs and arctic foxes potentially serve as an intermediate host for influenza viruses with pandemic potential toward other animals due to co-expression of both SA α-2,6-Gal and SA α-2,3-Gal receptors in a wide range of their tissues.

Co-infection of H9N2 influenza virus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to the development of hemorrhagic pneumonia in mink.

Influenza A virus (IAV) and bacteria co-infection can influence the host clinical conditions. Both H9N2 IAV and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) are potential pathogens of respiratory diseases in mink. In this study, to clarify the effects of H9N2 IAV and P. aeruginosa co-infections on hemorrhagic pneumonia in mink, we carried out to establish the mink models of the two-pathogen co-infections in different orders. Compared with the single infections with H9N2 IAV or P. aeruginosa, the mink co-infected with H9N2 IAV and P. aeruginosa showed severe respiratory diseases, and exacerbated histopathological lesions and more obvious apoptosis in the lung tissues. H9N2 IAV shedding and viral loads in the lungs of the mink co-infected with H9N2 IAV and P. aeruginosa were higher than those in the mink with single H9N2 IAV infection. Furthermore, the clearance of P. aeruginosa in the co-infected mink lungs was delayed. In addition, the anti-H9N2 antibody titers in mink with P. aeruginosa co-infection following H9N2 IAV infection were significantly higher than those of the other groups. This implied that H9N2 IAV and P. aeruginosa co-infection contributed to the development of hemorrhagic pneumonia in mink, and that P. aeruginosa should play a major role in the disease. The exact interaction mechanism among H9N2 IAV, P. aeruginosa and the host needs to be further investigated.

Expression Levels of MicroRNA-125b in Serum Exosomes of Patients with Asthma of Different Severity and its Diagnostic Significance.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of microRNA (miRNA)-125b in serum exosomes and its diagnostic efficacy for asthma severity. METHODS: The study included 80 patients with untreated asthma and 80 healthy volunteers. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to disease severity: 20 with the intermittent state, 20 with the mildly persistent state, 20 with the moderately persistent state, and 20 with the severely persistent state. The expression levels of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes of each group were detected using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction and compared. The Spearman correlation analysis was used to study the correlation between the expression levels of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes and asthma severity. The diagnostic efficacy of the expression levels of miRNA-125b in exosomes for asthma severity was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The expression levels of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes of patients with intermittent, mildly persistent, moderately persistent, and severely persistent asthma were all higher than those in the healthy control group, with statistically significant differences. The expression levels of miRNA-125b were also statistically significantly different among patients in each group. The Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation of the relative expression of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes with asthma severity. The area under the ROC curve of the diagnostic efficacy of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes for patients with intermittent, mildly, moderately, and severely persistent asthma was 0.7770, 0.8573, 0.9111, and 0.9995, respectively. CONCLUSION: The expression levels of miRNA-125b in serum exosomes had a high diagnostic efficacy and might serve as a noninvasive diagnostic marker for asthma severity.

Emergence of novel canine parvovirus type 2 and its pathogenesis in raccoon dogs.

Three parvoviruses were isolated from the raccoon dogs experiencing severe enteritis, named RDPV-DP1, RDPV-DP2 and RDPV-DP3, respectively. The VP2 genes of the 3 isolates showed 99.9% identity at the nucleotide level, and shared 99.1%-99.5% identity with the reference CPVs. The RDPVs resembled original CPV-2, but with four mutations. The RDPVs displayed S297A of VP2 protein as CPV-2a or CPV-2b prevalent throughout most of the world. Residue N375D was found in the 3 isolates, resembling CPV-2a/2b/2c. And the 3 isolates had a natural mutation of VP2 residue V562L, which is adjacent to residue 564 and 568 and might be involved in host range. Interestingly, VP2 S27T was firstly found in the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of VP2 genes revealed that the RDPVs were clustered into one small evolutionary branch and shared the identical branch with 7 CPV-2 isolates from raccoon dogs and one CPV-2 isolate from fox, not with CPV vaccine viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of NS1 genes demonstrated that the RDPVs shared the identical branch with the reference CPV-2a/2b/2c. Experimental infection showed that RDPV infection caused a high morbidity in raccoon dogs. It implied that the RDPV was virulent to raccoon dogs and continued to evolve in China.

[Remineralization effect of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate for enamel demineralization: a system review].

OBJECTIVE: This study  aims  to  assess  the  remineralization effect of casein phosphopeptide (CPP)-amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) on enamel demineralization by  performing  system review of  randomized  controlled  trials (RCT)  involving  the  treatment of enamel demineralization with  CPP-ACP. METHODS: The  study  was  developed  based  on  the 
Cochrane handbook  for  systematic  reviews of  interventions (Version 5.1.0) and included  the  following: search  strategy, selection  criteria, data  extraction, and  risk  of  bias  assessment. We  searched electronic  databases  such  as  PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP up  to  September  2016. RCT of  treating  enamel demineralization with  CPP-ACP were  included. Data  extraction  and  domain-based  risk  of  bias  assessment  were independently  performed  by  two  reviewers. RESULTS: Twelve  RCTs  were  included.  Because of the difference of experimental design and evaluation standards, the quantitative analysis can not be carried out. CONCLUSIONS: There is no strong evidence that CPP-ACP is superior to conventional fluoride formulations in enamel remineralization. However, due  to the limitations of sample size, follow-up time and study design,  more high quality and large-sample RCT are needed to  further  verify  the evidence.

Molecular characterization of feline panleukopenia virus isolated from mink and its pathogenesis in mink.

Six feline panleukopenia viruses (FPV) were detected in the intestinal samples from the 176 mink collected in China during 2015 to 2016, named MEV-SD1, MEV-SD2, MEV-SD3, MEV-SD4, MEV-SD5 and MEV-SD6. The VP2 genes of the isolates shared 98.9%-100% identity with the reference sequences. The substitution of residue V300A in VP2 protein differentiates the isolates from the reference MEVs, and A300 is a characteristic of FPV. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of VP2 genes indicated that the six isolates were clustered into the same branch of all the reference FPVs. The NS1 genes of the isolates shared 98.2%-100% identity with the reference sequences. The NS1 genes of the six isolates and the three reference FPVs formed one unique evolutionary branch. To clarify the pathogenicity of the isolates, animal experiments were performed on healthy mink, using MEV-SD1. As a result, the morbidity of the inoculated animals was 100% and the mortality was as high as 38.9%. It was implied that the FPV infection caused a high morbidity and mortality in mink and the inoculation dose had an effect on pathogenicity of MEV-SD1 in mink.

Serotype and virulence genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from mink and its pathogenesis in mice and mink.

In the study, 15 K. pneumoniae strains were isolated from the mink experiencing respiratory distress in mideastern Shandong province, China, and the prevalence of K. pneumoniae in the sampled mink was 11.9% (15/126). Fourteen (93.33%) of the 15 K. pneumoniae isolates were identified as serotype K2 and hypermucoviscosity phenotype. The 12 virulence-associated genes of the K. pneumoniae isolates were tested. The prevalence of the wabG gene for the isolates were 100% (15/15), the ureA gene 100% (15/15), the rmpA gene 93.33% (14/15), the aerobactin gene 93.33% (14/15), the uge gene 93.33% (14/15), the IucB gene 80% (12/15) and the ybtA gene 13.33% (2/15). But the other five genes, fim, iroNB, wcaG, alls and kfuBC, gave a negative PCR reaction in the 15 isolates, respectively. The animal experiments using K. pneumoniae-SD-12 and K. pneumoniae-SD-21 demonstrated that the serotype K2 was high virulence for mice and mink. These finding implied there exist potential threat that K. pneumoniae pathogens could transmit to human, especially the fur animal farm workers and residents lived near the fur animal farms. Therefore, the etiology and epidemiological surveillance of K. pneumoniae in mink should be strengthened for people's public health.

Intraspecies and interspecies transmission of mink H9N2 influenza virus.

H9N2 influenza A virus (IAV) causes low pathogenic respiratory disease and infects a wide range of hosts. In this study, six IAVs were isolated from mink and identified as H9N2 IAV. Sequence analysis revealed that the six isolates continued to evolve, and their PB2 genes shared high nucleotide sequence identity with H7N9 IAV. The six isolates contained an amino acid motif PSRSSR↓GL at the hemagglutinin cleavage site, which is a characteristic of low pathogenic influenza viruses. A serosurvey demonstrated that H9N2 IAV had spread widely in mink and was prevalent in foxes and raccoon dogs. Transmission experiments showed that close contact between H9N2-infected mink and naive mink, foxes and raccoon dogs resulted in spread of the virus to the contact animals. Furthermore, H9N2 challenge experiments in foxes and raccoon dogs showed that H9N2 IAV could infect these hosts. Virological and epidemiological surveillance of H9N2 IAV should be strengthened for the fur animal industry.