[Association and gender difference analysis of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome and liver injury].

Objective: To investigate the correlation and sex difference between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and liver injury. Methods: A total of 974 OSAHS patients (444 cases of mild to moderate, 530 cases of severe) and 111 cases of simple snoring in the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University and Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital from November 2015 to September 2019 were included in the study. The basic information of the patients was obtained through face-to-face survey with self-made questionnaire, physical examination, sleep monitoring and blood biochemical and liver function index detection were carried out among the included subjects. Multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between OSAHS and liver injury and the gender differences. Results: The subjects were (50±14) years old, including 841 males (77.5%). Statistically significant differences in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose, alamine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT/AST, gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), the rate of elevated ALT, AST and liver injury were observed among the three groups (all P values<0.05). There was no significant difference in total bilirubin and ALP among all groups (all P values>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, severe OSAHS was positively correlated with liver injury [OR (95%CI): 2.25 (1.22-4.14)]. Subgroup analysis by gender showed that severe OSAHS was positively correlated with liver injury in males [OR (95%CI): 2.20 (1.04-4.65)], but not in females, mild to moderate OSAHS [OR (95%CI): 1.56 (0.52-4.71)] or severe OSAHS [OR (95%CI): 2.07(0.64-6.75)], after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusion: Severe OSAHS is positively correlated with liver injury in males, while female OSAHS is not associated with liver injury.

[Current status and progress of precision nutritional weight management guided by single nucleotide polymorphism].

The incidence of obesity in our country is increasing year by year. Diet and lifestyle interventions are the most commonly used weight loss measures, but their intervention effects are affected by individual genetics, environment and other factors. Genome-wide association analysis has found many SNPs related to weight loss, and explored the interaction between these loci and diet, intestinal flora and other environmental factors. This article summarizes the study of single nucleotide polymorphisms, the analysis of gene-environment interactions related to diet interventions for weight loss, and the multi-loci analysis and prediction models such as genetic risk scores and machine learning modeling in weight loss, which provides reference for the further application and development of the precise nutrition in medical weight loss.

[Epidemiological research progress on the relationship between children's dietary patterns and health].

As food preferences and eating habits form early in life, the development of healthy eating habits in early childhood is a way to prevent diet-related diseases. The dietary pattern approach examines the effect of an overall diet on health outcomes, instead of individual foods or nutrients, thereby presenting a comprehensive evaluation of children's dietary intake. This article reviews the current literature to summarize the main methods for assessing dietary patterns and explore relationships between children's dietary patterns and obesity, puberty onset, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodevelopment. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence-based support for reducing the risk of diet-related diseases in children and recommendations for future research directions.

Improving probiotic spore yield using rice straw hydrolysate.

Spore-forming Bacillus sp. has been extensively studied for their probiotic properties. In this study, an acid-treated rice straw hydrolysate was used as carbon source to produce the spores of Bacillus coagulans. The results showed that this hydrolysate significantly improved the spore yield compared with other carbon sources such as glucose. Three significant medium components including rice straw hydrolysate, MnSO4 and yeast extract were screened by Plackett-Burman design. These significant variables were further optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal values of the medium components were rice straw hydolysate of 27% (v/v), MnSO4 of 0·78 g l-1 and yeast extract of 1·2 g l-1 . The optimized medium and RSM model for spore production were validated in a 5 l bioreactor. Overall, this sporulation medium containing acid-treated rice straw hydrolysate has a potential to be used in the production of B. coagulans spores.

[The cervical microbiota characteristics in patients with human papillomavirus infection].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of cervical microbiota in patients with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) infection, and to analyze the associations of cervical microbiota and HPV infection or cervicitis. Methods: 300 samples underwent HPV nucleic acid testing was collected in this case-control study from June 2019 to April 2020 in the Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, there were 150 cases allocated in HPV infection group (HPV+), and 150 cases of negative nucleic acid test were non-infectious Group (HPV-). Next-generation sequencing was used to sequence the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, and QIIME pipeline was used to analysis the microbiota composition of the two groups. Wilcoxon rank sum test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to statistically analysis the differences of the microbiota between groups; and the α diversity and ß diversity of the flora between groups were statistically analyzed by Adonis multivariate analysis of variance and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: A total of 300 samples were analyzed in this study, of which 150 samples were HPV-positive and 150 samples were HPV-negative; among HPV-positive cases, 132 were infected by high-risk HPV (88.0%), and 18 were low-risk HPV infections (12.0%). The composition of the cervical microbiota were significantly different between the HPV+group and the HPV-group, which in the HPV+group, the α diversity of the cervical microbiota were significantly increased (Shannon index, W=8 174, P<0.000 1; PD whole tree, W=8 887, P=0.001 7). The ß diversity of the two groups was significantly different (Binary Jaccard, F=2.325 4, P=0.042 0; Bray Curtis, F=2.136 44, P=0.044 0). The relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and L.iners in the HPV+group sample decreased significantly (W=7 730, P<0.000 1; W=8 979, P=0.002 5), accompanied by enriched Achromobacter, Stenotrophomonas, Methylobacterium, Sneathia and Dialister. There was no significant difference in the composition of the cervical microbiota between high-risk HPV infection and low-risk HPV infection (F=4.100 4, P>0.05). In addition, cervicitis is significantly related to HPV infection (χ²=19.78, P<0.000 1), the composition of cervical flora has similarity features in cervicitis and HPV infection samples. Compared with the normal group, the cervical microbiota of cervicitis with HPV infection is mainly enriched in Achromobacter, Aerococcaceae, Streptococcus, Fusobacteria, and Xanthomonadaceae. Conclusion: The cervical microbiota of patients with HPV infection has a significant dysbiosis, with increased diversity and significant depletion of lactobacillus, accompanied by an increase in the abundance of pathogenic bacteria such as Achromobacter.

[Long-term effect of risk-adaptive therapy for early stage extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma].

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the role of extended involved-field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients with early stage extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) in a single center, and to explore the long-term effect of risk-adaptive therapy. Methods: Among 238 patients with early stage NKTCL, there were 191 in high-risk group [any risk factor of age > 60, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score≥2, primary tumor invasion, or Ann Arbor stage Ⅱ] and 47 in low-risk group (no risk factor). A total of 204 patients received radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy, 15 received radiotherapy alone and 19 received chemotherapy alone. One-hundred and eighty-six patients had radiotherapy at a dose ≥50 Gy and 159 patients received chemotherapy with asparaginase-based regimen. Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression- free survival (PFS)rate of all patients were 66.2% and 57.5%. Five-year OS and PFS rates in low-risk group were 91.8% and 88.0%, while 59.3% and 49.3% in high-risk group. The survival of patients in low-risk group were better than those in high-risk group (both P<0.001). The five-year OS rate in combined therapy group, radiotherapy group and chemotherapy group were 71.7%, 52.3% and 20.7%, respectively (P<0.001). The five-year PFS rate were 63.5%, 23.3% and 24.1%, respectively (P<0.001). Among 219 patients receiving radiotherapy, the 5-year OS and PFS rate of patients with primary site radiotherapy dose ≥ 50 Gy were 72.6% and 66.1%, higher than those of patients with a dose <50 Gy (57.3% and 30.9%, respectively; P=0.031, P<0.001). In the high-risk group, the 5-year OS and PFS rate of the patients who received radiotherapy combined with more than 4 cycles of chemotherapy were 66.5% and 62.6%, higher than those of patients received less than 4 cycles of chemotherapy (56.7% and 46.4%, P=0.045 and 0.020, respectively). Cox multivariate analysis showed that ECOG score (HR=2.208, P=0.001), primary site (HR=4.887, P<0.001), primary tumor invasion (HR=3.265, P=0.001) and radiation dose (HR=1.895, P=0.011) were independent factors of OS in early NKTCL patients. Conclusion: Extended-involved field IMRT with radiation dose more than 50 Gy was the main treatment for patients with early stage NKTCL. Radiotherapy combined with adequate cycle chemotherapy significantly improved prognosis of high-risk patients.

[Clinical characteristics and analysis of prognostic factors of 222 patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma(HL). Methods: The clinical data of HL patients who were newly treated in Guizhou Cancer Hospital from August 2007 to March 2019 was retrospectively collected, and the efficacy and prognostic factors were analyzed. Results: The clinical data of a total of 222 patients were analyzed in this study. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)rate of them were 82.8% and 81.3%, respectively. The 5-year PFS rate and OS rate of early (stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ) HL were 87.3% and 86.1%, respectively, and the 5-year PFS rate and OS rate of progressive (stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ) HL were 77.9% and 76.3%, respectively. Among the 118 patients with early Hodgkin's lymphoma, the complete remission(CR) rate of chemotherapy alone was 55.6%(15/27), and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was 86.8% (79/91), the difference between which was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy in early stage patients, 5-year PFS (93.0%) and 5-year OS (92.0%) rate in patients with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy were better than those with chemotherapy alone which were 63.7% and 62.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age, LDH, ABVD cycle number and chemoradiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for 5-year OS and PFS rate in HL patients. The adverse reactions were increased level Ⅰ-Ⅱ aminotransferase with an incidence of 47.7% (106/222), decreased level Ⅰ-Ⅱ neutrophils with an absolute value of 54.1% (120/222), and decreased level Ⅲ-Ⅳ neutrophils with an absolute value of 45.9% (102/222). No adverse cardiac and pulmonary reactions or secondary tumors associated with chemotherapy was found in all patients. Conclusions: HL is a type of malignant tumor with good prognosis, and the short-term and long-term efficacy of chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in early patients is better than that of chemotherapy alone. Age, LDH, ABVD cycle number and chemoradiotherapy are associated with prognosis in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Adverse reactions can be tolerated.

[The association of pre-pregnancy body mass and weight gain during pregnancy with macrosomia: a cohort study].

Objective: To examine the association of pre-pregnancy body mass and weight gain during pregnancy with macrosomia. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2015, a total of 20 477 pregnant women were recruited by probabilistic proportional scale sampling with simple randomization in Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces. Basic information of pregnant women, weight gain during pregnancy and weight of newborn were collected. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess the association between the pre-pregnancy body mass and gestational weight gain indicators with macrosomia. Results: 20 321 mother-infant were included in the final analysis. 20 321 pregnant women were (30.09±4.10) years old and delivered at (39.20±1.29) weeks, among which 12 341 (60.73%) cases were cesarean delivery. The birth weight of 20 321 infants were (3 292.26±431.67) grams, and 970 (4.77%) were macrosomia. The multiple logistic regression model showed that after adjusting for the age of women, compared to the normal weight group in the pre-pregnancy, the overweight and obesity group elevated the risk of macrosomia, with OR (95%CI) about 1.99 (95%CI: 1.69-2.35) and 4.05 (95%CI: 3.05-5.39), respectively. After adjusting for the age, the pre-pregnancy BMI, delivery weeks, delivery mode and infant's gender, compared to the weight-gain appropriate group, higher weight gain rate in the mid-pregnancy and excessive total gestational weight gain elevated the risk of macrosomia, with OR (95%CI) about 1.99 (95%CI: 1.66-2.39) and 1.80 (95%CI: 1.55-2.08), respectively. Conclusion: The overweight before pregnancy, obesity before pregnancy, the rate of weight gain in the second trimester and the high total weight gain during pregnancy could increase the risk of macrosomia.

[Analysis of 2 cases of dyspnea happening after tracheotomy and the clinical application of Mimics 10.01].

Post-intubation tracheal stenosis was a late time complication after tracheotomy but the happening of dyspnea was unusual. Diagnosing tracheal stenosis after incubation, and figuring out the location and causes of the stenosis were important. Treatment of post-incubation tracheal stenosis relied on accurate diagnosis of the type of tracheal stenosis. Computed tomography (CT) and laryngoscope could be used for detecting the stenosis but not enough. Two patients who were already under the urgent tracheotomy over 1 year were reported. However apnea was found on these two patients for a long time after traheotomy. Obviously laryngeal obstruction appeared. CT virtual bronchoscope and laryngoscope examination showed that the cannula was obstructed and plenty of granulation tissue blocked the orificium. But the exact location of the cannula and the adjacent relationship of the tissue around the cannula was equivocal. Mimics 10.01 software was used to analyze the data of the CT scan and found that a pseudo cavity was formed by granulation tissue which partly blocked the cannula in 1 case; granulation tissue occupation and scar formation in the trachea were the reason of tracheal stenosis but not the collapse of the cartilage in case 2. The purpose of this report is to discuss the cause of dyspnea after emergency tracheotomy, its diagnostic method and their management. CT virtual bronchoscope and laryngoscope should be used as a regular examination after tracheotomy to clarify the location of cannula and avoid the failure of airway opening caused by the dislocation of cannula and the complication. Trachea tissue should be protected properly during and after the tracheotomy which might decline the rate of the tissue remodeling, tracheal stenosis and dyspnea after surgery. The clinical use of Mimics 10.01 made it possible to observe morphology more directly by invasive examination and provided a significant clue to make the operation plan so that it should be used widely. Meanwhile, the method to put the cannula into its right way under the guidance of rigid endoscope and the excision of granulation tissue by semiconductor laser should become one of the best treatments of this disease. Following the method above, laryngeal obstruction was relieved after the surgery. Postoperative follow-up lasted for 1 year and recurrence was not found.

[The expressions and the roles of SDF-1/CXCR-4 and SDF-1/CXCR-4 in human endometriosis].

Objective: To investigate the expressions and significances of SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR-4 in endometriosis. Methods: 50 hysteromyoma patients treated at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University between 1(st) January 2016 and 31(st) December 2017 were divided into control group, that is, non-endometriosis group, while another 50 endometriosis patients were divided into experimental group.The endometrial tissues, endometriosis lesions, and peritoneal fluid samples of hysteromyoma patients were collected by operation.RT-PCR, ELISA and immunohistochemistry were adopted to detect the expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR-4 in the two groups.Cell count was used to analyze the roles of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in the mitosis and proliferation of endometrial stromal cells. Results: The mean value of SDF-1 and CXCR-4 expressions in ascites or peritoneal fluid of endometriosis patients were (2.56±0.33) mg/L and (4.47±0.32) mg/L, respectively. The mean concentrations in ascites or peritoneal fluid in hysteromyoma patients were (1.39±0.36) mg/L and (3.16±0.32) mg/L, respectively.The expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR-4 in ascites or peritoneal fluid of endometriosis patients were both significantly higher than those of patients in non-endometriosis group (P<0.05). SDF-1 and CXCR-4 were expressed in both endometriosis lesions and the glandular epithelial cells and mesenchymal cells of normal endometrial tissue.Positive staining sites were located in the cytoplasm.A value was used to calculate and analyze the expression of immune staining.The mean A value of SDF-1 and CXCR-4 in endometriosis group were 0.21±0.13 and 0.21±0.13, respectively, and the mean A value in normal endometrial tissues were 0.15±0.13 and 0.14±0.13, respectively.The expressions of these two in endometrial tissues were significantly higher than that in normal endometrial tissues, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of CXCR-4 mRNA was abundant in the mesenchymal cells of endometriosis cultured in vitro.SDF-1 promoted the mitosis and proliferation of endometrial stromal cells cultured in vitro in a dose-dependent manner.The neutralizing antibody against CXCR-4 was obviously inhibited. Conclusion: The high expressions of SDF-1 and CXCR-4 in endometriosis as well as SDF-1 through its specific receptor CXCR-4 promoted the mitosis and proliferation of endometrial stromal cells, suggesting that SDF-1 and CXCR-4 played important roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

[Complications and status quo of plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma].

Radiation treatment, including episcleral plaque radiotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, proton beam therapy and so on, is the primary eye-conserving choice for uveal melanoma. But the complications resulted from radiotherapy's nonselective kill to tumor cells can be visual-threatening and eventually result in the enucleation of eyeball. This review summarizes current radiation strategies for uveal melanoma and how these complications occur, develop and present, in the hope that it could provide insights for the radiation interventions and diagnosis of radiative complications. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 707-711).

[The effect on myocardial perfusion and clinical outcome of intracoronary nicorandil injection prior to percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction].

Objective: To investigate the effect of intracoronary administration of nicorandil prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) on myocardial perfusion and short-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: A total of 158 patients with STEMI undergoing PPCI from January 2014 to December 2015 in Fuzhou General Hospital were enrolled consecutively in this prospective controlled randomized trial. Patients were assigned into three groups with random number table: the nicorandil group (patients received intracoronary administration of 6 mg nicorandil after guide wire or balloon successfully crossed the target lesion, n=53), the nitroglycerin group (patients received intracoronary administration of 300 µg nitroglycerin after after guide wire or balloon successfully crossed the target lesion, n=52) and the control group(patients received routine treatment, n=53). The primary outcomes were myocardial perfusion, including the levels of corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC), and the incidence of no reflow or slow flow after PPCI. The secondary outcomes included the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization (all-cause death, reperfusion arrhythmia within 2 hours after PPCI, angina within 24 hours after PPCI, new heart failure or worsening cardiac function, and repeat revascularization) and within 3 months of follow-up (all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, post-infarction angina, and re-hospitalization for congestive heart failure). Results: The age of enrolled patients was (62.9±11.3) years old, and 130 cases (82.3%) of them were male. The median time of symptom-onset to balloon was 4.50 (3.20, 6.43) hours. There were significantly difference in cTFC immediately after PPCI((21.68±7.43)frames, (24.74±8.66)frames, and(27.06±10.40)frames), incidence of no reflow or slow flow after PPCI(5.7%(3/53), 13.5%(7/52), and 22.6%(12/53)), ST-segment resolution at 2 hours after procedure(90.6%(48/53), 84.6%(44/52), and 74.5%(38/53)), and reperfusion arrhythmia at 2 hours after procedure(15.1%(8/53), 36.6%(19/52), and 34.0%(18/53)) among the 3 groups(P<0.01 or 0.05). In the multivariate logistic regression models, intracoronary administration of nicorandil could lower the cTFC level (OR=0.17, 95%CI 0.10-0.41, P=0.001), acted as a protecting factor on lowering the incidence of no reflow or slow flow (OR=0.13, 95%CI 0.02-0.96, P=0.045) and reperfusion arrhythmia (OR=0.26, 95%CI 0.09-0.74, P=0.012), as well as facilitating the ST-segment resolution at 2 hours after procedure (OR=4.62, 95%CI 1.14-18.82, P=0.033). However, observed parameters were similar between intracoronary administration of nitroglycerin group compared with control group (all P>0.05). MACE within 3 months of follow-up were similar among the 3 groups(all P>0.05). Conclusion: Intracoronary administration of nicorandil prior to balloon dilation can significantly improve the myocardial perfusion and reduce the occurrence of reperfusion arrhythmia during PPCI for STEMI, but does not affect the short-term prognosis in STEMI patients.

Growth curves and age-related changes in carcass characteristics, organs, serum parameters, and intestinal transporter gene expression in domestic pigeon (Columba livia).

Two experiments were conducted to fit growth curves, and determine age-related changes in carcass characteristics, organs, serum biochemical parameters, and gene expression of intestinal nutrient transporters in domestic pigeon (Columba livia). In experiment 1, body weight (BW) of 30 pigeons was respectively determined at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days old to fit growth curves and to describe the growth of pigeons. In experiment 2, eighty-four 1-day-old squabs were grouped by weight into 7 groups. On d 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35, twelve birds from each group were randomly selected for slaughter and post-slaughter analysis. The results showed that BW of pigeons increased rapidly from d 1 to d 28 (a 25.7-fold increase), and then had little change until d 35. The Logistic, Gompertz, and Von Bertalanffy functions can all be well fitted with the growth curve of domestic pigeons (R2>0.90) and the Gompertz model showed the highest R2value among the models (R2=0.9997). The equation of Gompertz model was Y=507.72×e-(3.76exp(-0.17t))(Y=BW of pigeon (g); t=time (day)). In addition, breast meat yield (%) increased with age throughout the experiment, whereas the leg meat yield (%) reached to the peak on d 14. Serum total protein, albumin, globulin, and glucose concentration were increased with age, whereas serum uric acid concentration was decreased (P<0.05). Furthermore, the gene expressions of nutrient transporters (y+LAT2, LAT1, B0AT1, PepT1, and NHE2) in jejunum of pigeon were increased with age. The results of correlation analysis showed the gene expressions of B0AT1, PepT1, and NHE2 had positive correlations with BW (0.73

Revealing the substrate origin of the linear dispersion of silicene/Ag(111).

The band structure of the recently synthesized (3 × 3) silicene monolayer on (4 × 4) Ag(111) is investigated using density functional theory. A k-projection technique that includes the k⊥-dependence of the surface bands is used to separate the contributions arising from the silicene and the substrate, allowing a consistent comparison between the calculations and the angle-resolved photoemission experiments. Our calculations not only reproduce the observed gap and linear dispersion across the K point of (1 × 1) silicene but also demonstrate that these originate from the k⊥-dependence of Ag(111) substrate states (modified by interactions with the silicene) and not from a Dirac state.

Reference intervals of C2-C7 lateral spinous process deviation in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Lateral spinous process deviation (LSPD) is a commonly used morphological parameter in the anatomical study of the cervical spinous process. However, quantitative studies on this issue are still lacking. In this study we aimed to establish reference intervals of C2-C7 LSPD in the adult Chinese population and provide decision-making information for clinical practitioners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 92 adult patients who received neck computed tomography scans, including 42 females and 50 males meeting the inclusion criteria. Three-dimensional reconstruction and anatomical measurements were performed using Mimics Research 19.0 and 3-Matic Research 11.0. RESULTS: The inter-observer reliability of LSPD measurement in this study was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient value > 0.93). Only 2 cases of LSPD angles of 90 degrees were found, which means most cervical spinous process exist deviation. The reference interval for the C2-C7 LSPD angle was (85.11, 94.75) degrees. The C2 LSPD showed the different directions to C5 and C7 (p < 0.05). In the C4 vertebrae, the male tends to have greater LSPD angles than the female (T = -2.013, p = 0.047). In the C2 vertebrae, there was a statistically significant but weak correlation between age and LSPD angles (r = 0.24, p = 0.029). There was no statistically significant effect of sex or age on other levels of cervical vertebrae. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spinous process deviation of less than 5 degrees on either side is a common morphological manifestation in Chinese adults. Thus, LSPD may not be an indicator for clinical care. Moreover, the vertebrae may have opposite directions of LSPD in the upper levels (C2-C4) and lower levels (C5-C7).

[Epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of Blastocystis hominis infection among children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of Blastocystis hominis infection among children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City. METHODS: Children with diarrhea under 5 years of age admitted to Guangzhou Children's hospital, Guangzhou Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital and Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center during the period between January 1 and December 31, 2020, were enrolled. Participants' demographics, living environments and health status were collected using questionnaire surveys. Stool samples were collected from participants and nucleic acid was extracted. B. hominis infection was identified using PCR assay and sequence alignment, and the factors affecting B. hominis infection among children with diarrhea under 5 years of age were identified using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 684 children with diarrhea under 5 years of age were enrolled, including 468 male children and 216 female children, with a mean age of (1.79 ± 1.12) years. The overall prevalence of B. hominis infection was 4.97% [34/684, 95% confidential interval (CI): (3.59%, 6.86%)] among participants, and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of B. hominis infection between children with chronic [7.52% (20/266), 95% CI: (4.92%, 11.33%)] and acute diarrhea [3.35% (14/418), 95% CI: (2.01%, 5.54%)] (χ2 = 5.983, P = 0.014). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified keeping pet [odds ratio (OR) = 6.298, 95% CI: (2.711, 14.633)], drinking non-tap water [OR = 4.522, 95% CI: (1.769, 11.561)], lactose intolerance [OR = 4.221, 95% CI: (1.043, 17.087)], antibiotic use [OR = 0.125, 95% CI: (0.017, 0.944)] and chronic diarrhea [OR = 2.172, 95% CI: (1.018, 4.637)] as factors affecting B. hominis infection among children with diarrhea under 5 years of age in Guangzhou City. CONCLUSIONS: B. hominis infections is detected in children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City. Improving home environments and pet-keeping hygiene is recommended to reduce the likelihood of B. hominis infection among children.

[Immunoprotective effect of recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunoprotective effect of active immunization with recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice. METHODS: Female BALB/c mice at 6 weeks of age, each weighing approximately 20 g, were divided into the recombinant protein immunization group, the infection control group and the normal control group, of 25, 18, 15 mice in each group, respectively. Mice in the recombinant protein immunization group were given active immunization with recombinant BmPPIase protein, and 18 mice with the highest antibody titers were intraperitoneally injected with 100 µL of B. microti-infected whole blood 2 weeks after the last immunization. Mice in the infection control group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 µL of B. microti-infected whole blood, while 15 mice in the normal control group received no treatment. Blood samples were collected from mice in the recombinant protein immunization group and the infection control group on days 0 to 30 post-immunization for detection of B. microti infection, and blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-immunization for routine blood tests with a blood cell analyzer and for detection of serum cytokines using cytometric bead array. RESULTS: Anti-BmPPIase antibodies were detected in 25 mice in the recombinant protein immunization group 2 weeks after the last immunization, with titers of 5 × 103 to 8 × 104. B. microti infection rate peaked in mice in both the recombinant protein immunization and the infection control group on day 7 post-immunization, with positive infection rates of 13.3% and 50.0%, and there were significant differences between the two groups in terms of B. microti infection rate on days 3 (χ2= 113.18, P < 0.01), 5 (χ2 = 475.22, P < 0.01), 7 (χ2 = 465.98, P < 0.01) and 9 post-infection (χ2= 18.71, P < 0.01), while the B. microti infection rate tended to be 0 in both groups on day 11 post-immunization. Routine blood tests showed higher red blood cell counts [(5.30 ± 0.50) × 1012 to (9.87 ± 0.24) × 1012 counts/L)] and hemoglobin levels [(89.67 ± 22.80) to (148.60 ± 3.05) g/L)] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group on days 0 to 28 post-immunization. Cytometric bead array detected higher serum interferon-γ [(748.59 ± 17.56) to (3 858.28 ± 1 049.10) fg/mL], tumor necrosis factor-α [(6 687.34 ± 1 016.64) to (12 708.13 ± 1 629.79) fg/mL], interleukin (IL)-6 [(611.05 ± 75.60) to (6 852.68 ± 1 554.00) fg/mL] and IL-17a [(167.68 ± 185.00) to (10 849.27 ± 355.40) fg/mL] and lower IL-10 levels [(247.65 ± 138.00) to (18 787.20 ± 2 830.22) fg/mL] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Recombinant BmPPIase protein induces up-regulation of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and presents a high immunoprotective activity against B. microti infection in mice, which is a potential vaccine candidate protein.