[Comparative study of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors by infrared thermal imaging].

Objective: To analyze the temperature difference of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors in preoperative infrared thermography (IRT), and to provide the basis for predicting tumor properties. Methods: The clinical data of 98 patients with parotid gland tumor admitted to the Department of Oral and maxillofacial Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, from May 2021 to April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 61 males and 37 females, aged (51.1±16.0) years (10-86 years). In addition to routine examination, the temperature difference between the lesion site of parotid gland and the contralateral mirror area was measured by infrared thermal imager in all patients one day before surgery. The maximum diameter (dmax) and location of the tumor (deep or superficial lobe) were recorded according to preoperative clinical examination and imaging examinations such as CT and ultrasound. The patients were divided into three groups by tumor size: dmax≤2 cm, 2 cm4 cm. The patients were also divided into different groups: deep lobe group and superficial lobe group (according to the tumor location), benign group and malignant group (according to postoperative pathological results). The relationship between temperature difference, pathology, size and location was analyzed. Results: There were 79 cases in the benign group and 19 cases in the malignant group. The temperature difference of the healthy and affected side in the malignant group [(1.73±0.21) ℃] was significantly higher than that in the benign group [(0.73±0.32) ℃] (t=16.70, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in temperature difference between the healthy and affected sides of tumors with different diameters (P>0.05). The temperature difference of healthy and affected side of tumor in superficial lobe [(0.97±0.50) ℃] was significantly higher than that in deep lobe [(0.67±0.44) ℃] (t=2.24, P=0.028). Conclusions: The difference of temperature difference between benign and malignant parotid gland tumors detected by IRT is statistically significant, which can be used to predict tumor properties, and has certain clinical application value.

Epidemiology and characteristics of the dengue outbreak in Guangdong, Southern China, in 2014.

Dengue is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and has emerged as a severe public health problem around the world. Guangdong, one of the southern Chinese provinces, experienced a serious outbreak of dengue in 2014, which was believed to be the worst dengue epidemic in China over the last 20 years. To better understand the epidemic, we collected the epidemiological data of the outbreak and analyzed 14,594 clinically suspected dengue patients from 25 hospitals in Guangdong. Dengue cases were then laboratory-confirmed by the detection of DENV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen and/or DENV RNA. Afterwards, clinical manifestations of dengue patients were analyzed and 93 laboratory-positive serum specimens were chosen for the DENV serotyping and molecular analysis. Our data showed that the 2014 dengue outbreak in Guangdong had spread to 20 cities and more than 45 thousand people suffered from dengue fever. Of 14,594 participants, 11,387 were definitively diagnosed. Most manifested with a typical non-severe clinical course, and 1.96 % developed to severe dengue. The strains isolated successfully from the serum samples were identified as DENV-1. Genetic analyses revealed that the strains were classified into genotypes I and V of DENV-1, and the dengue epidemic of Guangdong in 2014 was caused by indigenous cases and imported cases from the neighboring Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia and Singapore. Overall, our study is informative and significant to the 2014 dengue outbreak in Guangdong and will provide crucial implications for dengue prevention and control in China and elsewhere.

Androgen receptor gene polymorphisms and risk for androgenetic alopecia: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have shown an association between polymorphisms in the androgen receptor gene (AR) and the risk for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), but the overall results are still controversial. AIM: To determine, by conducting a meta-analysis, whether the common AR gene polymorphisms confer susceptibility to AGA. METHODS: Publications addressing the association between AR gene polymorphisms and risk for AGA were selected from the PubMed, EMBASE and CBMdisc databases. Data were extracted from the studies by two independent reviewers. The meta-analysis was performed using the software programs RevMan (version 5.0.25) and STATA (version 9.2). From these data, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. RESULTS: Only eight studies were found, reporting a total of 2074 patients with AGA and 1115 healthy controls. Three common polymorphisms of the AR gene were addressed: a StuI restriction-site polymorphism (rs6152, G>A), and CAG and GGC triplet-repeat polymorphisms. Meta-analysis results identified a significant association between the G allele of the AR StuI polymorphism and the risk for AGA (OR = 2.68, 95% CI 1.71-4.19, P < 0.01), especially in white populations (OR = 2.76, 95% CI 1.71-4.45, P < 0.01). No association was found between the CAG or GGC polymorphism and the risk for AGA (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.49-1.34, P = 0.41; OR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.47-2.14, P = 0.99, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis suggests that the G allele of AR StuI polymorphism might be a potential risk factor for AGA, especially in white populations. However, we did not find any obvious association of the CAG and GGC triplet-repeat polymorphisms of the AR gene with risk for AGA.

Immunolocalization of aquaporins in rat brain.

The aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of homologous water channels expressed in many tissues. In this study, the expression and immunolocalization of different AQP subtypes in rat brains were investigated by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The data showed that AQP1 was expressed in the subpial processes of astrocytes, choroid plexus and ependyma. AQP3, AQP5 and AQP8 had similar distribution patterns in piriform cortex, choroid plexus, hippocampus and dorsal thalamus. AQP4 and AQP9 were widely expressed in the rat brain and distributed in the subpial processes of astrocytes, ependyma, dorsal thalamus, hippocampus, white matter, suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and supraoptic nucleus. AQP3, AQP4, AQP5, AQP8 and AQP9 were found in the Bergmann glial cells of cerebellum, cochlear nucleus and trapezoid nuclei. The distinct localization of various AQPs in cerebrum and the similarities of distribution patterns within cerebellum, cochlear nucleus and trapezoid nuclei suggest that AQPs may play an important role in maintaining the specific microenvironments of the brain.

Prevalence and genetic diversity of pneumococcal serogroup 6 in Australia.

The prevalence of the newly discovered pneumococcal serotype 6C has increased in some countries since the introduction of seven-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7). The distribution of invasive serogroup 6 serotypes, in Australia, including 6C and 6D, has not been reported previously. During the period 1999 to 2008, 6097 isolates were referred to the New South Wales Pneumococcal Reference Laboratory for serotyping. Of these, 847 were identified by Quellung reaction as belonging to serogroup 6 and 702 were available for further study. Serotypes were determined by serotype-specific PCR as follows: 6A, 197 (28.1%); 6B, 452 (64.4%); 6C, 52 (7.4%) and one 6D. The average numbers of invasive serogroup 6 isolates, per annum, fell from 62.2 before (2000-2005) to 49.7 after (2006-2008) the introduction of PCV7. The proportions of invasive 6B fell (from 72.4% to 47.3%, p 0.03), those of 6C rose (from 3.3% to 17%, p 0.02) significantly and those of 6A remained fairly constant (24.3% vs 27%, p 0.69) between the two periods. All 6C and 6D and selected 6A and 6B isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing and sequence analysis of cps genes cpsA-cpsB (wzg-wzh) and wchA-wciN(beta) -wciO, wciP. Results showed considerable diversity within serotype 6C, apparently as a result of both mutation and recombination. Sequence typing indicates that, in Australia, 6C has been largely derived from 6A. The genetic diversity and rapid increase in incidence of serotype 6C causing invasive pneumococcal disease has potential implications for vaccine efficacy.