Compact and broadband silicon polarization splitter-rotator using adiabaticity engineering.

We propose and demonstrate a short and broadband silicon mode-conversion polarization splitter-rotator (PSR) consisting of a mode-conversion taper and an adiabatic coupler-based mode sorter both optimized by adiabaticity engineering (AE). AE is used to optimize the distribution of adiabaticity parameter over the length of the PSR, providing shortcut to adiabaticity at a shorter device length. The total length of the PSR is 85 µm. The design is compatible with standard silicon photonics platforms and requires only one patterning step. Fabricated PSR has a polarization cross talk of less than -20 dB over the entire O-band for the TE polarization and a polarization cross talk of less than -15 dB from 1267 to 1348 nm for the TM polarization. Overall, the PSR shows low polarization cross talk (-15 dB) over a bandwidth of 81 nm in the O-band. Cross-wafer measurements show that the PSR has good fabrication tolerance.

Efficacy of electroacupuncture stimulating Zusanli (ST36) and Xuanzhong (GB39) on synovial angiogenesis in rats with adjuvant arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulating Zusanli (ST36) and Xuanzhong (GB39) on synovial angiogenesis in rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA). METHODS: AA models were established by bilateral injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Three days after injection, rats were given EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Xuanzhong (GB39) acupoints, once every other day, for 16 d. The arthritis index score, paw volume, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed for each animal. Angiogenesis marker cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) expression and synovial cell apoptosis in synovial tissue were observed. The levels of Notch1, hairy and enhancer of split homolog-1 (Hes1), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were subsequently detected. RESULTS: We found that EA significantly decreased arthritis index scores, paw volume, and HE staining scores. EA could significantly inhibit the expression of CD34, promoting apoptosis of synovial cells in the joint synovial tissue of AA rats. The expression of Notch1 signaling pathway proteins and mRNAs (Notch1, Hes1, TGF-ß, and bFGF) were markedly downregulated by EA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results prove that EA attenuates synovial angiogenesis by inhibiting the Notch1 signaling pathway in AA rat models. Based on our findings, we propose that EA is a promising complementary and alternative therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Effect of Tuina along "bladder meridian" alleviating intervertebral disc degeneration by regulating the transforming growth factor-ß1/Smad signaling pathway in a rabbit model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Tuina (a traditional Chinese massage therapy) on intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and the regulatory mechanisms of the transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/small mothers against decapentaplegic (Smad) signaling pathway. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomized into five groups: the control group, model group, model + Tuina group (Tuina group), model + TGF-ß1 group (TGF-ß1 group), and model + TGF-ß1 inhibitor SB431542 group (SB431542 group). The model was established by posterolateral annulus fibrosus puncturing (AFP). Recombinant TGF-ß1 and inhibitor SB431542 was injected into the TGF-ß1 group and SB431542 group with a microsyringe, respectively. The rabbits in the Tuina group received Tuina treatment along the bladder meridian for 4 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on rabbits before AFP and after 4 weeks of intervention. Lumbar IVDs (L2-L3 to L4-L5) were harvested after intervention. Histopathological changes in the IVDs were measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Type I collagen was analyzed by immunohistochemistry detection. The expression level of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling and Western blotting. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of TGF-ß1 and Smad2/3/4 and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5. RESULTS: Posterolateral AFP induced IVD degeneration in rabbits with histopathological damage and noticeable changes in MRI images. Tuina alleviated histo-pathological changes and reversed the expression of extracellular matrix degeneration-related molecules and apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, AFP induced the activation of TGF-ß1 and Smad2/3/4, whereas Tuina therapy markedly reduced the protein expression of Smad2/3 and the gene expression of TGF-ß1 and Smad2/3/4. Additionally, the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway was activated in the TGF-ß1 group, while the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway was inhibited in the SB431542 group. CONCLUSION: Posterolateral AFP induced disc degeneration as determined by MRI assessment and histological analysis. Tuina alleviated disc degeneration, possibly by inhibiting the fibrotic response mediated by the TGF-ß1/Smad pathway, thus alleviating extracellular matrix degeneration and reducing cell apoptosis.

Proteomics analyses of acute kidney injury biomarkers in a rat exertional heat stroke model.

The frequency of exertional heat stroke (EHS) increases with the gradual elevation of global temperatures during summer. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of EHS, and its occurrence often indicates the worsening of a patient's condition or a poor prognosis. In this study, a rat model of AKI caused by EHS was established, and the reliability of the model was evaluated by HE staining and biochemical assays. The expression of kidney tissue proteins in the EHS rats was analyzed using label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 3,129 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were obtained, and 10 key proteins were finally identified, which included three upregulated proteins (Ahsg, Bpgm, and Litaf) and seven downregulated proteins (medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 2 (Acsm2), Hadha, Keg1, Sh3glb1, Eif3d, Ambp, and Ddah2). The qPCR technique was used to validate these 10 potential biomarkers in rat kidney and urine. In addition, Acsm2 and Ahsg were double-validated by Western blotting. Overall, this study identified 10 reliable biomarkers that may provide potential targets for the treatment of AKI caused by EHS.

The genomic landscape of sensitivity to arsenic trioxide uncovered by genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening.

Introduction: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a promising anticancer drug for hematological malignancy. Given the dramatic efficacy of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), ATO has been utilized in other types of cancers, including solid tumors. Unfortunately, the results were not comparable with the effects on APL, and the resistance mechanism has not been clarified yet. This study intends to identify relevant genes and pathways affecting ATO drug sensitivity through genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockdown screening to provide a panoramic view for further study of ATO targets and improved clinical outcomes. Methods: A genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockdown screening system was constructed for ATO screening. The screening results were processed with MAGeCK, and the results were subjected to pathway enrichment analysis using WebGestalt and KOBAS. We also performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis using String and Cytoscape, followed by expression profiling and survival curve analysis of critical genes. Virtual screening was used to recognize drugs that may interact with the hub gene. Results: We applied enrichment analysis and identified vital ATO-related pathways such as metabolism, chemokines and cytokines production and signaling, and immune system responses. In addition, we identified KEAP1 as the top gene relating to ATO resistance. We found that KEAP1 expression was higher in the pan-cancer, including ALL, than in normal tissue. Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with higher KEAP1 expression had worse overall survival (OS). A virtual screen showed that etoposide and eltrombopag could bind to KEAP1 and potentially interact with ATO. Discussion: ATO is a multi-target anticancer drug, and the key pathways regulating its sensitivity include oxidative stress, metabolism, chemokines and cytokines, and the immune system. KEAP1 is the most critical gene regulating ATO drug sensitivity, which is related to AML prognosis and may bind to some clinical drugs leading to an interaction with ATO. These integrated results provided new insights into the pharmacological mechanism of ATO and potentiate for further applications in cancer treatments.

Surprising leopard restoration in fragmented ecosystems reveals connections as the secret to conservation success.

The Chinese Loess Plateau has been the cradle of Chinese civilization and the main human settlement in China for thousands of years, where anthropogenic activities are believed to have deeply eroded natural landscapes. After decades of minimal leopard sighting in forests of northern China, due to serious human interference, we recently discovered that the leopard population is recovering. This finding provides hope for successful biodiversity conservation in human-dominated ecosystems. To understand the mechanism of leopard return into such a highly fragmented landscape, we applied the concept of ecological networks (ENs) to identify key factors promoting leopard restoration and quantify the ecological links among habitats. We first determined the existence of a healthy leopard population in the study area based on the size of its home range and presence of breeding individuals. We then innovatively used the relationship between species richness and top predators to generate ENs, and found that the connectivity of ENs had a significant positive interaction with leopard survival. Our study validates the effectiveness of establishing ecologically connected habitats for leopard protection, and highlights the importance of applying ENs for conservation planning in highly fragmented ecosystems. This study provides a successful case for the protection of top predators in human-dominated landscapes.

The application of genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens to dissect the molecular mechanisms of toxins.

Many toxins are life-threatening to both animals and humans. However, specific antidotes are not available for most of those toxins. The molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicology of well-known toxins are not yet fully characterized. Recently, the advance in CRISPR-Cas9 technologies has greatly accelerated the process of revealing the toxic mechanisms of some common toxins on hosts from a genome-wide perspective. The high-throughput CRISPR screen has made it feasible to untangle complicated interactions between a particular toxin and its corresponding targeting tissue(s). In this review, we present an overview of recent advances in molecular dissection of toxins' cytotoxicity by using genome-wide CRISPR screens, summarize the components essential for toxin-specific CRISPR screens, and propose new strategies for future research.

The Impact of Career Growth on Knowledge-Based Employee Engagement: The Mediating Role of Affective Commitment and the Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support.

Based on social exchange theory and attribution theory, this paper explores the role of affective commitment and organizational support in the relationship between career growth and the engagement of knowledge workers. The results show that (1) career growth has a positive impact on knowledge workers' organizational engagement; (2) career goal progress and professional ability development promote job engagement; (3) career growth has a positive effect on affective commitment, which in turn influences employee engagement; (4) affective commitment plays a mediating role in the effect of career growth on engagement; and (5) perceived organizational support positively moderates the relationship between career growth and affective commitment.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: a multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of T-cell lymphomas with low incidence. Due to their indolent characteristics, treatment strategies have not yet been established for advanced CTCLs. In this study, relative incidence of CTCLs in Asia was estimated and the therapeutic outcomes presented based on various treatments currently used in clinics for advanced CTCLs. As part of a prospective registry study of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) conducted across Asia, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, subgroup analysis was performed for patients with CTCLs. Among 486 patients with PTCL, 37 with CTCL (7.6%) were identified between April 2016 and February 2019. Primary cutaneous ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, 35.1%) was the most common subtype. With a median follow-up period of 32.1 months, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 53.5 months (95% CI 0.0-122.5), and overall survival was not reached. 14 patients (48.2%) underwent subsequent treatment after the first relapse, but the response rate was 20% with a PFS of 2.2 months (95% CI 0.3-4.0). Six patients received autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT). However, auto-SCT did not result in better outcomes. Additional studies are needed on standard care treatment of advanced or refractory and relapsed CTCLs.

Comprehensive analysis of peripheral T-cell and natural killer/T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: A multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are uncommon and their frequency is regionally heterogeneous. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of this disease entity, but the majority of these were conducted in limited areas, making it difficult to comprehensively analyze their relative frequency and clinical features. Furthermore, no consensus treatment for PTCLs has been established. Therefore, we conducted an Asia-specific study to understand the relative frequency of PTCLs and assess treatments and their outcomes in Asian patients. METHODS: We performed a multinational, multicenter, prospective registry of adult patients with PTCLs that was named as the International Cooperative non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma prospective registry study where thirty-two institutes from six Asian countries and territories (Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia) participated. FINDINGS: A total of 486 patients were registered between April 2016 and February 2019, and more than a half of patients (57%) had stage III or IV. Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T- cell lymphoma was the most common subtype (n = 139,28.6%), followed by angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL, n = 120,24.7%), PTCL-not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS, n = 101,20.8%), ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, n = 34,6.9%), and ALK-negative ALCL (n = 30,6.2%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21.1 months (95% CI,10.6-31.6) and 83.6 months (95% CI, 56.7-110.5), respectively. Upfront use of combined treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy showed better PFS than chemotherapy alone in localized ENKTL whereas consolidation with upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) provided longer PFS in advance stage ENKTL. In patients with PTCLs other than ENKTL, anthracycline-containing chemotherapies were widely used, but the outcome of those regimens was not satisfactory, and upfront autologous SCT was not significantly associated with survival benefit, either. The treatment outcome of salvage chemotherapy was disappointing, and none of the salvage strategies showed superiority to one another. INTERPRETATION: This multinational, multicenter study identified the relative frequency of each subtype of PTCLs across Asian countries, and the survival outcomes according to the therapeutic strategies currently used. FUNDING: Samsung Biomedical Research Institute.

[Effect of density and directional cultivation on yield, quality and benefit of Nuomi yam].

A split-plot experiment was conducted to study the optimum planting density of Nuomi yam in directional groove shallow cultivation. Nuomi yam was the main local cultivar of Dioscorea. The study of this paper may help to give valuable instructions of local production. Three different planting densities and shallow groove diameter were designed in the experiment. The results showed that the fresh weight of aerial part per plant, yield and planting benefit of Nuomi yam tuber were the highest when the planting density was 12 000 plants/hm~2 and the diameter of shallow growth groove was 11.0 cm, while they were the lowest when the planting density was 22 500 plants/hm~2 and the diameter of shallow growth groove was 7.5 cm. Along with the increase of planting density, the fresh weight of aerial part, tuber, fresh yield, benefit and commercial tuber rate of Nuomi yam also decreased. The commercial tuber rate of Nuomi yam of 11.0 cm diameter in shallow growing pot was the highest, while it was the lowest with no shallow growing pot. On the contrary, the content of amylopectin and mucin was the highest when there was no shallow groove, and was the lowest when the diameter of shallow groove was 7.5 cm, although there was no significant difference between the two treatments. Therefore, Nuomi yam with the directional cultivation combination of planting density of 12 000 plants/hm~2 and shallow groove diameter of 11.0 cm showed high yield, good appearance quality, high planting benefit and no obvious adverse effect on internal quality.

[Preparation and quality evaluation of orodispersible film containing ginkgolide B novel nanosuspension lyophilized powder].

To prepare a new dosage form that can improve the drug loading of the film--ginkgolide B nanosuspension lyophilized powder orodispersible film(GB-NS-LP-ODF) and to evaluate its quality. Firstly, ginkgolide B nanosuspension(GB-NS) was prepared by media milling method, and then ginkgolide B nanosuspension lyophilized powder(GB-NS-LP) was prepared with freeze-drying method. The mannitol was used as lyoprotectant and its dosage was also investigated. GB-NS-LP-ODF was prepared by solvent casting method and its formulation was screened by single factor test method and optimized by orthogonal test. The appearance, mechanical properties, content uniformity and in vitro dissolution of the optimized GB-NS-LP-ODF were investigated. The particle size of prepared GB-NS was about 201 nm, and the optimal dosage of mannitol was 8%. According to the optimal formula, the GB-NS-LP-ODF was prepared with GB-NS-LP 35.6%, PVA 0588 49.4%, PEG 400 10.7% and CMS-Na 4.3%, and completely disintegrated in about 30 s, and the particle size of reconstituted GB nanoparticles from ODF was about 210 nm. The film with smooth appearance and good mechanical properties was stable within 30 days and the content uniformity(A+2.2 S<15) conformed to the regulations. Scanning electron microscope(SEM) showed that GB-NS-LP-ODFs were evenly distributed and the particle size was about 200 nm. X-rays diffraction(XRD) showed that its crystallinity was significantly lower than that of GB raw drug and GB-ODF. The results of in vitro release test showed that the drug film was completely dissoluted within 10 minutes. These results indicated that nanosuspension lyophilized powder was prepared by freeze drying of nanosuspensions, and then loaded into the orodispersible film to effectively increase the drug loading of the ODF and have broad application prospects.

[Systematic review of efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection in treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure].

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure. Seven databases,namely CNKI, VIP,WanFang,SinoMed,PubMed,EMbase,Cochrane Library, were retrieved by computer for collecting the randomized controlled trials about Xinmailong Injection in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure. The literatures were screened out, data was extracted, and the methodological quality evaluation was conducted by 2 researchers independently according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis and corresponding description analysis. A total of 19 studies involving 1 922 patients were included, including 967 cases in the trial group and 955 cases in the control group. All the clinical studies showed a low quality. Meta-analysis results showed that Xinmailong Injection combined with conventional treatment could better reduce the BNP level(SMD=-3.34, 95%CI[-4.06,-2.63]) in patients of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure or NT-proBNP level, improve the cardiac function(RR=1.23,95%CI[1.18,1.29]) and LVEF(MD=6.85,95%CI[4.93,8.76]),increase 6 MWT(MD=24.34, 95%CI[16.05, 32.64]) and VEGF(MD=26.39,95%CI[24.30,28.49]),and decreased LVEDD(MD=-4.06, 95%CI[-6.33,-1.80]). And subgroup analysis suggested that the course of treatment may be related to the increase of LVEF. This study found that Xinmailong Injection for coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure can further alleviate clinical symptoms and relevant indicators, with no serious adverse reaction. However, it still needs the support of well-designed multicenter, double-blind and high-quality clinical trials.

Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat.

PURPOSE: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. METHODS: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. RESULTS: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

Morphological and molecular identification of four new resupinate species of Lyomyces (Hymenochaetales) from southern China.

Four new wood-inhabiting fungal species, Lyomyces bambusinus, L. cremeus, L. macrosporus and L. wuliangshanensis, are proposed based on a combination of morphological and molecular evidence. Lyomyces bambusinus is characterized by resupinate basidiomata with colliculose to tuberculate hymenial surface and broadly ellipsoid, hyaline, slightly thick-walled, smooth basidiospores. Lyomyces cremeus is characterised by resupinate basidiomata with smooth, cream hymenial surface and ellipsoid, hyaline, thin-walled to slightly thick-walled basidiospores. Lyomyces macrosporus is characterized by pruinose basidiomata with reticulate hymenial surface, presence of three kinds of cystidia and larger basidiospores (6.7-8.9 × 4.4-5.4 µm). Lyomyces wuliangshanensis is characterized by coriaceous basidiomata and ellipsoid, hyaline, slightly thick-walled, smooth basidiospores. The phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences revealed that the four new species belonged to Lyomyces. Lyomyces bambusinus grouped with L. sambuci. Lyomyces cremeus clade was sister to a clade comprised of L. microfasciculatus. Lyomyces macrosporus was sister to L. allantosporus. Lyomyces wuliangshanensis was closely related to L. mascarensis.

Regional differential decomposition and convergence of rural green development efficiency: evidence from China.

An objective understanding of the current situation and influencing factors of rural green development in China is an important prerequisite for effective formulation making of green development policies. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces of China from the year 1997 to 2017, this paper constructs and measures the rural green development efficiency (RGDE) based on Driving-Force, Pressure, State, Influence, Response (DPSIR) model and super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model. The results show that, the overall RGDE in China is fluctuating and rising from 1997 to 2017, and there are some differences between and within regions. The RGDE in developed areas is higher than that in developing areas, and coastal areas are higher than that in inland areas. The entire country, eastern, central, and western regions show σ convergence, which indicates that the RGDE is getting better, but there is no absolute ß convergence, that means there is no "catch-up effect" between regions, but the gradient divergence showed central > eastern > western. At the same time, there is no conditional ß convergence; the initial RGDE has a positive impact on the growth rate of RGDE, and the financial self-sufficiency rate promotes the growth of RGDE of the whole country and the western region, but inhibits the improvement of RGDE of the eastern region. The per capita GDP, mechanization degree, and agricultural industrial structure in rural areas did not promote the growth of RGDE. Based on the results, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions, such as promoting the classified implementation of rural green development policies, strengthening the top-level design, optimizing the existing agricultural mechanism and system, and guiding and standardizing the farmers' green production behavior.

Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. Methods: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. Results: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. Conclusions: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

[Status and working principals of soil-transmitted nematodiasis during new period in China].

The current status of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in China is analyzed. The achievements in prevention and control of soil-transmitted nematodiasis are illustrated. Moreover, the challenges in condition of the decline of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in China are demonstrated. Finally, the working principals for prevention and control of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in the new period are proposed, combining with the health poverty alleviation project, focusing on the goals of control plan for important parasitic diseases, establishing monitoring system for soil-transmitted nematodiasis, and implementing the principles of precise prevention and control.

[Short term effect of total hip arthroplasty through direct anterior approach for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with hip flexion deformity].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short term clinical efficacy of direct anterior approach(DAA) total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with hip flexion deformity. METHODS: From September 2014 to June 2017, 15 cases of ankylosing spondylitis with flexion deformity of the hip were treated with total hip arthroplasty through DAA approach including 12 males(17 hips) and 3 females(4 hips) with an average age of 34.4 years old ranging from 21 to 57 years old. Harris score system was used before and after operation to evaluate hip function, total hip activity and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. RESULTS: All 15 patients were followed up for an average of 26.2 months. In the operation, 1 case of great trochanter avulsion was given wire binding, and 1 case of linear split of the femur were given by wire binding. There were no hematoma, nerve injury and deep vein thrombosis of lower extremity. No prosthesis loosening and sinking were observed in the follow-up of X-ray film after operation. There was no heterotopic ossification after operation. After operation, 18 hips pain were relieved completely, and 3 hips pain were found when walking, which all satisfied with the daily life self-care requirements. Harris hip score, total hip motion and VAS score at 1 week after operation were significantly different from those before operation(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the scores of HHS, total hip motion and VAS at 1, 6 months after operation(P>0.05). At the final follow-up, the Harris score was 91.2±5.3, the total hip mobility was (217.1±29.7)°, and the postoperative VAS pain score was 1.2±0.5, which was significantly different from the preoperative score(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DAA approach THA has good effect in treating AS hip nonfunctional ankylosis with less trauma, less pain and quick recovery. It has a good short term effect, which can effectively improve the quality of life of patients.

[Epidemiological survey on clonorchiasis and awareness of prevention and control knowledge in Xinfeng County of Jiangxi Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemic status of clonorchiasis and awareness of prevention and control knowledge in Xinfeng County of Jiangxi Province, so as to provide the evidences for control measures. METHODS: The baseline survey was carried out with a clue in vestigation of raw-fish eating behavior in potential endemic areas in 2016.The residents were examined by stool tests. The metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis in fish, the rediae and cercariae in freshwater mollusk were detected. The feces samples of cats, dogs and pigs were collected and examined by sedimentation technique. Meanwhile, the epidemic factors, health knowledge and behavior were also surveyed. RESULTS: The residents in 26 villages had the habit of eating raw freshwater fish, and 19.51% of the respondents had this habit. The average infection rates of the population, Parafossarulus striatulus, freshwater fishes and reservoir hosts were 21.56%, 0, 8.24% and 2.27%, respectively. The infection rate of the population increased with age. There was a significant positive correlation between the behavior and the infection rate of the population (r = 0.88, P < 0.01). Only 11.46% of the respondents knew that eating raw-fish might cause C. sinensis infection, and 5.28% of them knew that C. sinensis was harmful to health. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-six villages in five townships were endemic areas of clonorchiasis in Xinfeng County. The permanent solution of prevention and control of clonorchiasis is to strengthen the health education and change the habit of raw-fish eating gradually.