Positive association between serum bilirubin within the physiological range and serum testosterone levels.

BACKGROUNDS: Research has demonstrated that elevated serum total bilirubin (STB) levels have a beneficial impact on various diseases, particularly metabolic syndrome. This study aims to investigate the association between STB levels and serum testosterone (STT) in order to determine if bilirubin plays a protective role in relation to testosterone deficiency (TD) risk. METHODS: In this study, a total of 6,526 eligible male participants aged 20 years or older were analyzed, all of whom took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2011 and 2016. To investigate the relationship between STB and STT levels, we employed weighted multivariate regression models along with restricted cubic splines (RCS). Additionally, a subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the heterogeneity of this relationship across different subpopulations. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1,832 individuals (28.07%) were identified as having testosterone deficiency (TD), defined as an STT level below 300 ng/dL. A significant positive correlation between STB and STT levels was observed in both crude and adjusted models (all P < 0.0001). The association between STB and STT levels was found to be statistically significant up to a threshold of 17.1 µmol/L, after which it became statistically insignificant(P for non-linearity = 0.0035). Weighted logistic regression analysis indicated that a 1 µmol/L increase in STB was associated with a 4% decrease in the likelihood of TD (odds ratio = 0.96, P < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis showed that the inverse relationship was limited to individuals aged 60 and over, non-smokers/drinkers, and obese individuals. CONCLUSION: STB within the physiological range(17.1 µmol/L) was positively associated with STT in adult males. The potential protective role of bilirubin regarding testosterone levels merits further exploration.

Isolation and effect of Trichoderma citrinoviride Snef1910 for the biological control of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita.

BACKGROUND: Root-knot nematode is one of the most significant diseases of vegetable crops in the world. Biological control with microbial antagonists has been emerged as a promising and eco-friendly treatment to control pathogens. The aim of this study was to screen and identify novel biocontrol agents against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. RESULTS: A total of 890 fungal isolates were obtained from rhizosphere soil of different crops and screened by nematicidal activity assays. Snef1910 strain showed high virulence against second stage juveniles (J2s) of M. incognita and identified as Trichoderma citrinoviride by morphology analysis and biomolecular assay. Furthermore, T. citrinoviride Snef1910 significantly inhibited egg hatching with the hatching inhibition percentages of 90.27, 77.50, and 67.06% at 48, 72, and 96 h after the treatment, respectively. The results of pot experiment showed that the metabolites of T. citrinoviride Snef1910 significantly decreased the number of root galls, J2s, and nematode egg masses and J2s population density in soil and significantly promoted the growth of tomato plants. In the field experiment, the biocontrol application showed that the control efficacy of T. citrinoviride Snef1910 against root-knot nematode was more than 50%. Meanwhile, T. citrinoviride Snef1910 increased the tomato plant biomass. CONCLUSIONS: T. citrinoviride strain Snef1910 could be used as a potential biological control agent against root-knot nematode, M. incognita.

Phenotype-to-genotype approach reveals head-circumference-associated genes in an autism spectrum disorder cohort.

The genotype-first approach has been successfully applied and has elucidated several subtypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it requires very large cohorts because of the extensive genetic heterogeneity. We investigate the alternate possibility of whether phenotype-specific genes can be identified from a small group of patients with specific phenotype(s). To identify novel genes associated with ASD and abnormal head circumference using a phenotype-to-genotype approach, we performed whole-exome sequencing on 67 families with ASD and abnormal head circumference. Clinically relevant pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants account for 23.9% of patients with microcephaly or macrocephaly, and 81.25% of those variants or genes are head-size associated. Significantly, recurrent pathogenic mutations were identified in two macrocephaly genes (PTEN, CHD8) in this small cohort. De novo mutations in several candidate genes (UBN2, BIRC6, SYNE1, and KCNMA1) were detected, as well as one new candidate gene (TNPO3) implicated in ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders. We identify genotype-phenotype correlations for head-size-associated ASD genes and novel candidate genes for further investigation. Our results also suggest a phenotype-to-genotype strategy would accelerate the elucidation of genotype-phenotype relationships for ASD by using phenotype-restricted cohorts.

[Breviscapine protects bilateral testes of prepubertal rats after testicular torsion/detorsion].

Objective: To investigate the long-term protective effect of breviscapine on the bilateral testes of prepubertal rats after testicular torsion / detorsion. Methods: Thirty-two four-week-old healthy male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A(sham operation),B(normal saline),C(single-dose breviscapine, injected intraperitoneally at 2 mg per kg of the body weight at 30 min before testicular detorsion), and D( continuous-dosing breviscapine, injected intraperitoneally at 2 mg per kg of the body weight at 30 min before testicular detorsion qd for 7 days after surgery). At 6 weeks after establishment of the model of left testicular torsion /detorsion, the rats were sacrificed and the bilateral testes and epididymides harvested for detection of the total antioxidant capacity( TAOC),superoxide dismutase( SOD) level, nitric oxide synthase( NOS) activity, and malondialdehyde( MDA) content in the testis tissue, determination of sperm concentration, viability and motility, and observation of the pathological changes of the testis tissue. Results: Compared with group B, both groups C and D showed obvious increases in the levels of SOD,T-AOC and NOS and the concentration, survival rate and motility of sperm, but a remarkable decrease in the MDA content, with statistically significant differences(P < 0. 05) except in T-AOC, sperm concentration and motility in the contralateral testis of group C and in NOS activity in the bilateral testes of group D. In comparison with the ipsilateral testis of group C,group D exhibited markedly elevated levels of SOD,T-AOC and NOS, increased sperm concentration, viability and motility, and reduced content of MDA in the bilateral testes, with statistically significant differences( P < 0. 05) except in NOS activity in the contralateral testis. Bilateral seminiferous tubule degeneration and interstitial edema were observed in group B, more severe in the injured than in the contralateral testis. Obvious improvement was seen in the post-torsion / detorsion histological changes of the bilateral testis tissue in groups C and D. Conclusion: Breviscapine can obviously protect the bilateral testes of prepubertal rats after testicular torsion / detorsion by removal of oxygen free radicals and reduction of lipid peroxidation injury, and continuous dosing is even more effective than single-dose medication.

Determination of infective dose of H9N2 Avian Influenza virus in different routes: aerosol, intranasal, and gastrointestinal.

BACKGROUND: Low pathogenic H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) has been spreading worldwide, leading to huge economic losses to poultry husbandry, but few studies were concerned about its aerosol infection. METHODS: This study compared the infective doses of H9N2 AIV to chickens by three different routes, aerosol infection, intranasal and gastrointestinal infection, and determination of the results was conducted by detecting virus shedding and seroconversion of chickens. RESULTS: The results indicated that chickens were susceptible to H9N2 AIV with a different infection rate which depended on the route of inoculation. H9N2 AIV media aerosol-infective dose (aID50) to chickens was about 491 TCID50, intranasal infection was 398 TCID50, and gastrointestinal infection was 19,952 TCID50. CONCLUSION: The infection ability of H9N2 AIV to chickens was related to its way of invading. The respiratory infection ability was about 40 times more effective than gastrointestinal infection, which suggested that urgent attention should be paid to environmental disinfection to block airborne transmission of influenza virus.

Randomized, controlled trial of a mixed early start Denver model for toddlers and preschoolers with autism.

The early start Denver model (ESDM) has been extensively studied as a promising early intervention approach for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Various methodological drawbacks from earlier ESDM investigations must be rectified to expand the application scopes. For this purpose, the present study recruited a very large sample of 249 autistic children (aged 24-47 months), and used a randomized controlled design to compare outcomes from a mixed ESDM (M-ESDM) intervention with a mixed discrete trial teaching (M-DTT) intervention which remains one of the most commonly-used programming for early intervention. Over the course of a 12-week period, both groups (i.e., M-ESDM and M-DTT groups) received 25 h of intensive intervention per week using individual, group, and parent coaching techniques. Findings showed that: (i) the M-ESDM significantly outperformed the M-DTT in enhancing children's developmental abilities in gross motor and personal-social skills for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as in language for preschoolers with mild/moderate ASD and toddlers; and (ii) the M-ESDM dramatically reduced the severity of autistic symptoms in toddlers with severe ASD only, when compared to the M-DTT. However, the M-ESDM did not outperform the M-DTT in terms of improving children's developmental abilities in adaptability and fine motor for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as in language for preschoolers with severe ASD. In addition, when compared to the M-DTT, the M-ESDM did not show an advantage in reducing the severity of autistic symptoms in toddlers with mild/moderate ASD and preschoolers. Clinical Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Registration number ChiCTR200039492.

Diesel removal and recovery from heavily diesel-contaminated soil based on three-liquid-phase equilibria of diesel + 2-butyloxyethanol + water.

Diesel contamination poses a serious threat to ecosystem and human health. This study proposes a novel method for simultaneous diesel removal and recovery from heavily diesel-contaminated soil by washing based on three-liquid-phase equilibria of diesel+2-butoxyethanol+water. This work covers both theoretical-cum-experimental explorations. For this brand-new ternary three-liquid-phase system (TPS), Ternary-Gibbs and Fish-Shaped phase diagrams were constructed through the phase behavior investigation to provide theoretical support for diesel removal/recovery. As the experiment demonstrated, the removal efficiency was up to 87.5 % for the contaminated soil with diesel content of 226,723 mg/kg, and the recovery rate reached 73.8 %. In addition, the TPS could also be used continuously during the washing process while avoiding solution purification, and the detached diesel would automatically float into the top phase without complicated separation. The mechanism of diesel removal was determined as the surface "stripping" effect based on ultralow interfacial tension, and the enhanced process involved "stripping+dissolution". The treated soil contained almost negligible organic solvent residue and was therefore appropriate for plant cultivation. The recovered diesel exhibited less variation from commercial diesel in composition and properties, possessing a higher potential for reuse. Moreover, this study also provided key insights into the residual mechanisms of recalcitrant hydrocarbons in the soil.

Identifying NFKB1, STAT3, and CDKN1A as Baicalein's Potential Hub Targets in Parkinson's Disease-related α-synuclein-mediated Pathways by Integrated Bioinformatics Strategies.

BACKGROUND: The overexpression, accumulation, and cell-to-cell transmission of α-synuclein leads to the deterioration of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies suggest that Baicalein (BAI) can bind to α-synuclein and inhibit α-synuclein aggregation and secretion. However, it is still unclear whether BAI can intervene with the pathogenic molecules in α-synuclein-mediated PD pathways beyond directly targeting α-synuclein per se. METHODS: This study aimed to systematically investigate BAI's potential targets in PD-related A53T mutant α-synuclein-mediated pathways by integrating data mining, network pharmacological analysis, and molecular docking simulation techniques. RESULTS: The results suggest that BAI may target genes that are dysregulated in synaptic transmission, vesicle trafficking, gene transcription, protein binding, extracellular matrix formation, and kinase activity in α-synucleinmediated pathways. NFKB1, STAT3, and CDKN1A are BAI's potential hub targets in these pathways. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight BAI's potentiality to modulate α-synuclein-mediated pathways beyond directly targeting α-synuclein per se.

LncRNA Tug1 Contributes Post-stroke NLRP3 Inflammasome-Dependent Pyroptosis via miR-145a-5p/Tlr4 Axis.

Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death illuminated by inflammasomes and active caspases, is implicated in post-stroke inflammation. Our previous study showed that lncRNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (Tug1) sponging miR-145a-5p modulated microglial activation after oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). However, the role and mechanism of Tug1 on post-stroke pyroptosis is not fully clear. Photo-thrombosis stroke mice and OGD-treated BV-2 microglia were established respectively. Tug1 knockdown or overexpression was achieved by intraventricular infusion of AAV-shTug1 in vivo, or transfection of siTug1 and pcDNA3.1-Tug1 in vitro. Neurological function and infarction volume were evaluated. Meanwhile, pyroptosis-associated proteins (IL-1ß, IL-18, NLRP3, ASC, cleaved-caspase-1, and GSDMD-N), TLR4, and p-p65/p65 as well as Tug1 and miR-145a-5p were detected 24 h after photo-thrombosis or 4 h after OGD by qRT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA. The correlation between Tug1/miR-145a-5p/Tlr4 axis and pyroptosis was explored by dual-luciferase reporter assay and functional gain-and-loss experiments. Photo-thrombosis or OGD caused neural injury and upregulated pyroptosis-associated proteins, Tug1, TLR4, and p-p65 as well as downregulated miR-145a-5p, which was prevented by Tug1 knockdown in vivo and in vitro. Tlr4 gene, putatively binding with miR-145a-5p by bioinformatics analysis, was found to be a direct target of miR-145a-5p with negative interactions. Furthermore, miR-145a-5p inhibitor abolished the inhibitive effects of siTug1 on TLR4 and p-p65 as well as pyroptosis-associated proteins, whereas miR-145a-5p mimics abrogated the enhanced effects of pcDNA3.1-Tug1 on that, suggesting an involvement of Tug1/miR-145a-5p/Tlr4 axis on pyroptosis. Tug1 contributes NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis through miR-145a-5p/Tlr4 axis post-stroke, providing a promising therapeutic strategy against inflammatory injury.

Development of a real-time RT-PCR method for rapid detection of H9 avian influenza virus in the air.

Avian influenza virus (AIV) has caused serious epidemics all over the world. Notably, the low-pathogenic AIV H9N2 has been spreading widely, leading to enormous economic losses to the poultry industry. To rapidly monitor airborne H9 AIVs in chicken houses, a real-time RT-PCR method was established and used to detect virus in air samples, and it was also compared with the traditional RT-PCR. The results showed that the real-time RT-PCR possessed high specificity and sensitivity for H9 AIVs, and the sensitivity reached 100 copies/reaction, much higher than the traditional RT-PCR; airborne H9 AIVs were found in the six chicken houses by real-time RT-PCR, and their mean concentrations ranged from 1.25×10(4) to 6.92×10(4) copies/m(3) air. Overall, the real-time PCR is a valuable tool for detecting airborne H9 AIVs.

High Prevalence of Post-stroke Anxiety in Elderly Patients Following COVID-19 Outbreak.

Objective: Post-stroke anxiety (PSA) is a common affective disorder in patients with ischemic stroke. The elderly are more susceptible to mental health issues, however, few studies have so far focused on PSA in elderly patients, especially in the context of the COVID-19, causing psychological issues in the general population. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of PSA in elderly patients following COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 206 elderly inpatients with newly diagnosed acute ischemic stroke in the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, from January 2020 to December 2020. Patients were categorized into the PSA group and the non-PSA group based on Hamilton Anxiety Scale scores at admission (within 1 week after stroke onset). Demographic and clinical data, mental state by Mini-Mental State Examination, depression by Hamilton Depression Scales (HAMD), and stroke severity and outcome by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale were compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used to analyze risk factors associated with PSA. We determined the cutoff scores for significant predictors of PSA using the area under the curve (AUC) and receiver operating characteristic. Results: Of the 206 stroke patients, 62 (30.1%) developed anxiety. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that female gender [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.288, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.021-5.128, P = 0.044], high NIHSS scores [aOR: 1.264, 95% CI: 1.074-1.486, P = 0.005] and HAMD scores [aOR: 1.345, 95% CI: 1.215-1.490, P < 0.001] were independent risk factors for PSA. The cutoff threshold for the NIHSS scores was 3.5 points with an AUC of 0.64 and the cutoff threshold for HAMD scores was 5.5 points with an AUC of 0.89. Conclusion: Our results showed a high incidence of PSA in elderly patients after the COVID-19 outbreak. Female gender, high NIHSS and HAMD scores were the independent risk factors for PSA.

Aerosol Transmission of Coronavirus and Influenza Virus of Animal Origin.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused great harm to global public health, resulting in a large number of infections among the population. However, the epidemiology of coronavirus has not been fully understood, especially the mechanism of aerosol transmission. Many respiratory viruses can spread via contact and droplet transmission, but increasing epidemiological data have shown that viral aerosol is an essential transmission route of coronavirus and influenza virus due to its ability to spread rapidly and high infectiousness. Aerosols have the characteristics of small particle size, long-time suspension and long-distance transmission, and easy access to the deep respiratory tract, leading to a high infection risk and posing a great threat to public health. In this review, the characteristics of viral aerosol generation, transmission, and infection as well as the current advances in the aerosol transmission of zoonotic coronavirus and influenza virus are summarized. The aim of the review is to strengthen the understanding of viral aerosol transmission and provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of these diseases.

Mortality rates of children aged under five in Henan province, China, 2004-2008.

To analyse the mortality rates, causes of death and trends over time in children aged under five years in Henan province and to provide preventive advice to attempt to decrease the mortality rates of these children, a retrospective study was conducted, analysing the vital statistics data from 2004 to 2008 from the annual report of maternal and child health in Henan. The early neonatal (<7 days), neonatal (<28 days), infant (<1 year) and children under-five mortality rates were calculated for each year. The child mortality rates decreased in all age groups (early neonatal, neonatal, infants and children <5 years) from 2004 (7.44 per thousand, 9.81 per thousand, 12.08 per thousand and 14.04 per thousand, respectively) to 2008 (4.86 per thousand, 5.50 per thousand, 7.08 per thousand and 8.81 per thousand, respectively). The changes were more pronounced in the rural areas. However, child mortality remained higher in the rural areas (5.00 per thousand, 5.62 per thousand, 7.22 per thousand and 9.06 per thousand) than urban areas (3.98 per thousand, 4.74 per thousand, 6.21 per thousand and 7.30 per thousand). Infants and neonates accounted for a large proportion of deaths in the under-fives (84.5% and 67.9%). The first five leading causes of death in the under-fives were: disorders relating to short gestation and low birthweight, birth asphyxia, congenital anomalies, accidents and pneumonia. The leading causes of death in different age groups varied between rural and urban areas. Reducing early newborn death, especially in the rural areas, is a key step to further decreasing mortality in the under-fives. Attention should be paid to perinatal care to prevent preterm birth and congenital anomalies.

Comparison of Novel Oral Anticoagulants and Vitamin K Antagonists in Patients With Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis on Efficacy and Safety: A Systematic Review.

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are guideline-suggested subacute anticoagulants for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), although there is potential hemorrhage risk in clinical use. In the last decade, novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been applied as an alternative to VKAs in some kinds of thromboembolic diseases. Whether NOACs could replace VKAs in CVST treatment remains unclear. We conducted a comparison between the two types of medicines on efficacy and safety for the treatment of CVST based on the present clinical evidence from a literature search. Six studies [four retrospective studies, one prospective study, and 1 randomized clinical trial (RCT)] including 398 patients were included. Data suggested no significant difference between NOACs and VKAs in terms of recurrence of venous thrombotic events (VTEs) or death [risk ratio (RR) = 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06-1.98], partial recanalization (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.93-1.14), and overall hemorrhage events (RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.47-1.58). In conclusion, the application of NOACs for CVST is similar to that of VKAs in terms of efficacy and safety.

Occurrence and transmission of Newcastle disease virus aerosol originating from infected chickens under experimental conditions.

In order to better understand airborne transmission of Newcastle disease, a model system was established and two trials were conducted. Twenty-five principal specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were inoculated with NDV and were housed in one isolator. 6 days after the chickens were challenged, 15 chickens were placed into another isolator which received its air supply from the first isolator. The NDV aerosol originating from inoculated chickens was collected with All Glass Impinger-30 (AGI-30) to study the occurrence and concentration of NDV aerosol. The antibody response to infection was assessed by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and viral shedding was detected by RT-PCR and Dot-ELISA. NDV aerosol was initially detectable by RT-PCR and cell culture at day 2 or 3 post-inoculation (dpi). The aerosol concentration peaked at 1.69x10(4)PFU/m(3) air at 13dpi in trial 1, 9.14x10(3)PFU/m(3) air at 11dpi in trial 2 and was consistently detectable up to 40dpi. NDV shedding was detectable from 2 to 40dpi of inoculated chickens and from 6 days post-aerosol exposed infection (dpi) to 33dpi of aerosol exposed chickens. The viral strain induced high antibody level, both in inoculated and in aerosol exposed chickens. Airborne transmission did occur, as shown by NDV shedding and seroconversion to NDV in aerosol exposed chickens. The results indicated that viruses shed from infected chickens readily aerosolized and airborne transmission of NDV was possible.

An investigation of duck circovirus and co-infection in Cherry Valley ducks in Shandong Province, China.

The co-infection of duck circovirus (DuCV) with Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) or/and Escherichia coli (E. coli) or/and duck hepatitis virus I (DHV-I) in Cherry Valley ducks in China's Shandong Province was investigated by using polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR)-based methods. For this study, 742 ducks sampled at random from 70 duck farms during 2006-2007 were examined using PCR and dot-blot hybridisation (DBH) tests. Overall the DuCV infection rate was 33.29%. Compared with those at 2 weeks of age, the ducks at 3-4 weeks of age were more susceptible to DuCV infection. Compared with the DuCV-negative ones, the DuCV-positive ducks had a higher rate of infection by DHV-I (25.5% vs. 7.475%), RA (23.48% vs. 8.28%) and E. coli (16.19% vs. 4.85%). This investigation shows that DuCV infection is common in Cherry Valley ducks on some farms in Shandong Province.

Source identification of airborne Escherichia coli of swine house surroundings using ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR.

Evidence is mounting that microorganisms originating from livestock impact the air quality of the animal houses themselves and the public in the surrounding neighborhoods. The aim of this study was to develop efficient bacterial source tracking capabilities to identify sources of Escherichia coli aerosol pollution caused by pigs. Airborne E. coli were isolated from indoor air, upwind air (10 and 50 m away) and downwind air samples (10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 m away) for five swine houses using six-stage Andersen microbial samplers and Reuter-Centrifugal samplers (RCS). E. coli strains from pig fecal samples were also collected simultaneously. The enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerize chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) and the repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP-PCR) approaches were used to study the genetic variability and to determine the strain relationships among E. coli isolated from different sites in each swine house. Results showed that 35.1% (20/57) of the bacterial DNA fingerprints from the fecal isolates matched with the corresponding strains isolated from indoor and downwind air samples (similarity > or = 90%). E. coli strains from the indoor and downwind air samples were closely related to the E. coli strains isolated from feces, while those isolated from upwind air samples (swine house C) had low similarity (61-69%). Our results suggest that some strains isolated from downwind and indoor air originated in the swine feces. Effective hygienic measures should be taken in animal farms to prevent or minimize the downwind spread of microorganism aerosol.

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Cognitive Impairment in Chinese Patients with Parkinson's Disease in Han and Hui Ethnicity.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and they are likely to outweigh the motor symptoms and become a major factor affecting the quality of life of PD patients. However, the studies focusing on the non-motor symptoms in Chinese PD patients from different ethnicity are scarce. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive impairment in Chinese PD patients from Han and Hui populations from central China. Seventy-two Han Chinese PD patients (Han PD group) and 71 age-and sex-matched Hui Chinese PD patients (Hui PD group) were enrolled from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University between Sept. 2011 and Aug. 2014 in the study. The neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive impairment were assessed using Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). We found that the proportion of depression, anxiety, apathy, irritability, euphoria and night time behavior disturbances were higher in the Han PD group than in the Hui PD group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). But the proportion of delusion, hallucination, agitation, disinhibition, aberrant motor behavior and change in appetite were not significantly different between the Han PD group and the Hui PD group (P>0.05). The total mean scores of the MMSE from patients in the Han PD group were similar to those in the Hui PD group (P>0.05). However, the subscale scores of recall domain and language domain in the Han PD group were significantly different from those in the Hui PD group (P<0.05). No significant difference was noted in the orientation, memory and calculation domains between the two PD groups (P>0.05). This study first showed the recall domain and language domain were different between the Han PD patients and the Hui PD patients. Depression, anxiety, apathy, irritability, euphoria and night time behavior disturbances were less presented in the Hui PD patients. All these differences may be related to the different ethnicity, which would be helpful for clinical physicians to recognize the different non-motor symptoms in Chinese PD patients with different ethnicity.

Simultaneous detection of airborne aflatoxin, ochratoxin and zearalenone in a poultry house by immunoaffinity clean-up and high-performance liquid chromatography.

An AOZ method, based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), was optimized on HPLC condition such as mobile phase and wavelength to simultaneously quantify six kinds of mycotoxins [four aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEA)]. Conditions for immunoaffinity clean-up, HPLC and photo-derivatization were optimized in this study and successfully applied in assessment of airborne mycotoxins from a poultry house in Dalian, China. Fifty-two air samples were collected with AGI-30 air samplers using pure water as collection media. Twenty air samples (20/52, 38.46%) were positive for four toxins. Among the positive samples, airborne mycotoxin concentrations (mean+/-S.D.) for AFG(2), AFB(1), and ZEA were 0.189+/-0.024 (n=9), 0.080+/-0.003 (n=11) and 2.363+/-0.030 (n=5)ng/m(3) air, while the concentration for OTA was 8.530 (n=1)ng/m(3). No positive sample was found for either AFG(1) or AFB(2). A chicken may inhale 0.019-0.057 ng AFG(2), 0.013-0.019 ng AFB(1), 0.436-0.513 ng ZEA, and 1.706 ng OTA, respectively, in a day. A poultry worker may inhale 0.504-1.512 ng AFB(1), 0.752-2.28 ng AFG(2), 68.240 ng OTA, and 17.432-20.512 ng ZEA in a working day. This is the first report on airborne mycotoxins in poultry house. These data may have importance in animal and public health implications.

Transmission identification of Escherichia coli aerosol in chicken houses to their environments using ERIC-PCR.

In order to study E. coli aerosol spreading from chicken houses to their surrounding air, air samples, including indoor and outdoor air (upwind 10 and 50 m as well as downwind 10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 m away) of 5 chicken houses were collected using six-stage Andersen microbial samplers and Reuter-Centrifugal samplers (RCS). E. coli concentrations (CFU/m(3) air) collected from different sampling sites were calculated. E. coli strains from chicken feces samples were also isolated. Furthermore, the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR method was applied to amplify the isolated E. coli strain DNA samples. Through the genetic similarity analyses of the E. coli obtained from different sampling sites, the spreading of bioaerosol from animal houses to the ambient air was characterized. The results showed that the isolated E. coli concentrations in indoor air (9-63 CFU/m(3)) in 5 chicken houses were higher than those in upwind and downwind air, but there were no significant differences between the indoor and downwind sites 10 m away from all the 5 houses (P>0.05). The phylogenetic tree indicated that a part of the E. coli (34.1%) isolated from indoor air had 100% similarity with those isolated from feces, and that most of E. coli isolated (54.5%) from downwind at 10, 50, 100 or even 200 m had 100% similarity with those isolated from indoor air or feces too. But those isolated from upwind air had a lower similarity (73%-92%) with corresponding strains isolated from indoor air or feces. Our results suggested that some strains isolated from downwind air and indoor air originated in the chicken feces, but most of isolates obtained from upwind air samples did not come from the chicken feces or indoor air. Effective hygienic measures should be taken in animal farms to prevent or minimize downwind spreading of microorganism aerosol.