Integrative analysis of expression profile indicates the ECM receptor and LTP dysfunction in the glioma-related epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Seizures are a common symptom in glioma patients, and they can cause brain dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which glioma-related epilepsy (GRE) causes alterations in brain networks remains elusive. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential pathogenic mechanism of GRE by analyzing the dynamic expression profiles of microRNA/ mRNA/ lncRNA in brain tissues of glioma patients. METHODS: Brain tissues of 16 patients with GRE and 9 patients with glioma without epilepsy (GNE) were collected. The total RNA was dephosphorylated, labeled, and hybridized to the Agilent Human miRNA Microarray, Release 19.0, 8 × 60 K. The cDNA was labeled and hybridized to the Agilent LncRNA + mRNA Human Gene Expression Microarray V3.0, 4 × 180 K. The raw data was extracted from hybridized images using Agilent Feature Extraction, and quantile normalization was performed using the Agilent GeneSpring. P-value < 0.05 and absolute fold change > 2 were considered the threshold of differential expression data. Data analyses were performed using R and Bioconductor. RESULTS: We found that 3 differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-10a-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-629-3p), 6 differentially expressed lncRNAs (TTN-AS1, LINC00641, SNHG14, LINC00894, SNHG1, OIP5-AS1), and 49 differentially expressed mRNAs play a vitally critical role in developing GRE. The expression of GABARAPL1, GRAMD1B, and IQSEC3 were validated more than twofold higher in the GRE group than in the GNE group in the validation cohort. Pathways including ECM receptor interaction and long-term potentiation (LTP) may contribute to the disease's progression. Meanwhile, We built a lncRNA-microRNA-Gene regulatory network with structural and functional significance. CONCLUSION: These findings can offer a fresh perspective on GRE-induced brain network changes.

[The Molluscicidal Effect of Chlorosalicylicamide Sustained-release Granules on Oncomelania hupensis].

Objective: To evaluate the molluscicidal effect of the chlorosalicylicamide sustained-release granules (LDS-SRG) on Oncomelania hupensis. Methods: Seven effective concentrations or dosages of LDS-SRG, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 mg/L （for immersion test） or g/m2（for spraying test）, were prepared from the original 5% and 10% concentrations or dosages in the laboratory. In the immersion test, each concentration of LDS-SRG was incubated with 3 packs of snails（30 snails in each pack）, and each pack was taken for snail counting at 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. In the spraying test, each dosage of LDS-SRG was applied to 200 snails, and the snail mortality was calculated in 50 randmoly collected snails on days 3 and 7, and in the whole on day 14 after administration. In the field immersion test, LDS-SRG at concentrations of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 g/m3 was incubated with 6 packs of snails （30 snails in each pack）, and each 2 packs were taken at 24, 48, and 72 h to calculate the snail mortality. In the field spraying test, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 g/m2 LDS-SRG was sprayed in 3 snail-positive ditches （～100 m2）, and 10 boxes of snails were selected in each ditch on days 3, 7 and 14 to calculate the snail mortality. The 50% wettable powder of niclosamide ethanolamine salt （WPN） with effective concentrations or dosages of 1.0 mg/L （or g/m2 and g/m3） was used as the positive control. Fresh water served as the blank control. Results: In the labratory immersion test using the original concentration of 5%, both 0.1-6.4 mg/L LDS-SRG for 72 h and 1.6-6.4 mg/L LDS-SRG for 48 h caused 100% mortality; and the concentration lethal to 50% （LC50） at 24, 48 and 72 h was 0.70, 0.01 and 0.01 mg/L respectively. When using the original concentration of 10%, both 0.1-6.4 mg/L LDS-SRG for 72 h and 0.2-6.4 mg/L LDS-SRG for 48 h caused 100% mortality; and the LC50 at 24, 48 and 72 h was 0.15, 0.01 and 0.01 mg/L respectively. The labratory spraying test showed that 7-day administration of 1.6 and 6.4 g/m2 LDS-SRG as well as 14-day administration of 3.2 and 6.4 g/m2 LDS-SRG prepared from 5% dosage, resulted in a snail mortality>95%, with the LD50 on days 3, 7 and 14 being 0.06, 0.16, and 0.18 g/m2; 14-day administration of 1.6 g/m2 LDS-SRG as well as 7-day administration of 6.4 g/m2 LDS-SRG prepared from 10% dosage, resulted in a snail mortality>95%, with the LD50 on days 3, 7 and 14 being 3.29, 0.75, and 0.16 g/m2. The mortality by various dosages of LDS-SRG prepared from 5% dosage was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). In the field immersion test, the snail mortality by 1.6 g/m3 LDS-SRG prepared from 5% and 10% concentrations for 72 h was 96.43% and 98.21% respectively (P>0.05 versus the control group). In the field spraying test, the snail mortality by 3.2 g/m2 LDS-SRG prepared from 5% dosage for 3, 7 and 14 days was 93.99%, 91.18% and 86.48% respectively, and that from 10% dosage was 94.95%, 93.50% and 85.43%, all significantly higher than that of the control group （82.83%, 72.38% and 48.38%）（P<0.05）; the snail mortality by 0.8 g/m2 LDS-SRG prepared from 5% dosage for 14 days（66.51%） and that by 1.6 g/m2 LDS-SRG prepared from 5% dosage for 3 days（84.61%） were both significantly higher than that by 10% LDS-SRG（20.13% and 43.06%） （P<0.05）. Conclusion: The 5% and 10% LDS-SRG used separately in the immersion test and the spraying test both meet the requirements of the national standard of Efficacy Test Methods and Evaluation of Molluscicide for Pesticide Registration.

Non-neuronal and neuronal BACE1 elevation in association with angiopathic and leptomeningeal ß-amyloid deposition in the human brain.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) refers to the deposition of ß-amyloid (Aß) peptides in the wall of brain vasculature, commonly involving capillaries and arterioles. Also being considered a part of CAA is the Aß deposition in leptomeninge. The cellular origin of angiopathic Aß and the pathogenic course of CAA remain incompletely understood. METHODS: The present study was aimed to explore the pathogenic course of CAA in the human cerebrum via examination of changes in ß-secretase-1 (BACE1), the obligatory Aß producing enzyme, relative to Aß and other cellular markers, by neuroanatomical and biochemical characterizations with postmortem brain samples and primary cell cultures. RESULTS: Immunoreactivity (IR) for BACE1 was essentially not visible at vasculature in cases without cerebral amyloidosis (control group, n = 15, age = 86.1 ± 10.3 year). In cases with brain amyloid pathology (n = 15, age = 78.7 ± 12.7 year), increased BACE1 IR was identified locally at capillaries, arterioles and along the pia, localizing to endothelia, perivascular dystrophic neurites and meningeal cells, and often coexisting with vascular iron deposition. Double immunofluorescence with densitometric analysis confirmed a site-specific BACE1 elevation at cerebral arterioles in the development of vascular Aß deposition. Levels of BACE1 protein, activity and its immediate product (C99) were elevated in leptomeningeal lysates from cases with CAA relative to controls. The expression of BACE1 and other amyloidogenic proteins in the endothelial and meningeal cells was confirmed in primary cultures prepared from human leptomeningeal and arteriolar biopsies. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that BACE1 elevation in the endothelia and perivascular neurites may be involved in angiopathic Aß deposition, while BACE1 elevation in meningeal cells might contribute Aß to leptomeningeal amyloidosis.

PRRT2 mutations are related to febrile seizures in epileptic patients.

Previous studies reported that the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) gene was identified to be related to paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), infantile convulsions with PKD, PKD with migraine and benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE). The present study explores whether the PRRT2 mutation is a potential cause of febrile seizures, including febrile seizures plus (FS+), generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) and Dravet syndrome (DS); thus, it may provide a new drug target for personalized medicine for febrile seizure patients. We screened PRRT2 exons in a cohort of 136 epileptic patients with febrile seizures, including FS+, GEFS+ and DS. PRRT2 genetic mutations were identified in 25 out of 136 (18.4%) febrile seizures in epileptic patients. Five loss-of-function and coding missense mutations were identified: c.649delC (p.R217Efs*12), c.649_650insC (p.R217Pfs*8), c.412C>G (p.Pro138Ala), c.439G>C (p.Asp147His) and c.623C>A (p.Ser208Tyr). PRRT2 variants were probably involved in the etiology of febrile seizures in epileptic patients.

HMGB1 acts in synergy with lipopolysaccharide in activating rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts via p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Synovial fibroblasts (SF) play a central role in the inflammatory and destructive process in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). High-mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone failed to induce significant changes in proliferation of cultured SF from RA patients, but premixed HMGB1 with LPS (HMGB1-LPS) significantly facilitated SF proliferation. HMGB1 alone failed to induce IL-6, MMP-3, and MMP-13 production in cultured SF but greatly enhanced LPS-induced expression of IL-6, MMP-3, and MMP-13 at both mRNA and protein levels. HMGB1-LPS synergistically upregulated TLR4 and receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) expression on the surface of SF. Both blockers of TLR4 and RAGE significantly inhibited the synergistic effects of HMGB1-LPS on the production of IL-6 and MMPs, but blocking antibodies to TLR2 failed. HMGB1-LPS synergistically increased intracellular levels of phosphorylated p38 and phosphorylated I κ B. Furthermore, both NF- κ B inhibitor Bay11-7085 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 significantly suppressed the enhanced production of IL-6 and MMPs induced by HMGB1-LPS. In conclusion, HMGB1 acts in synergy with LPS to upregulate TLR4 and RAGE expression on the surface of SF in RA and then to augment IL-6, MMP-3, and MMP-13 production, which depends on p38 MAPK and NF-κB activation.

Solitary plasmacytoma of the occipital bone: a case report.

Solitary plasmacytoma (SP) of the skull is an uncommon clinical entity that is characterized by a localized proliferation of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells. This case report describes a 50-year-old male that presented with a headache and an exophytic soft mass on the occiput. The diagnosis of SP was based on the pathological results and imaging examinations. The patient underwent occipital craniotomy, skull reconstruction and lower trapezius myocutaneous flap (LTMF) transplantation under general anaesthesia. The tumour was capsulized and extended to the subcutaneous and the subdural space through the dura mater with skull defects. The neoplasm of the occipital bone involved large areas of scalp and subcutaneous tissue, which resulted in a large postoperative scalp defect that was repaired using LTMF transplantation. All of the tumour was removed and the transplanted flap grew well. Follow-up at 5 months identified an aggressive mass lesion on the right frontal lobe. The patient received six cycles of the PAD chemotherapy regimen (bortezomib, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) and the lesion was significantly reduced. This case demonstrates that LTMF is an alternative approach for the repair of scalp and subcutaneous soft tissue defects caused by the excision of a large malignant tumour of the occipital region. Chemotherapy is the choice of treatment for neoplastic recurrence.

LncRNA FOXD1-AS1 acts as a potential oncogenic biomarker in glioma.

AIMS: Altered activities of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been associated with cancer development, and lncRNA FOXD1-AS1 (FOXD1-AS1) is the antisense transcript of the gene encoding for FOXD1, known for its role as an oncogene in several tumor types including glioma. However, the role of FOXD1-AS1 in the differentiation and progression of glioma is not well known. METHODS: Expression profile chip and qPCR were used to screen and identify FOXD1-AS1. Glioma cells were transfected with siRNA or eukaryotic expression vector to observe FOXD1-AS1 function in vitro and in vivo. Dual luciferase reporter gene analysis, Western blot, and ChIRP-MS were used to detect microRNAs and protein that combine with FOXD1-AS1. RESULTS: FOXD1-AS1 was upregulated and directly correlated with the glioma grade, and it was localized in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of the glioma cell. FOXD1-AS1 silencing caused tumor suppressive effects via inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, while FOXD1-AS1 overexpression resulted in opposite effects. Additionally, in vivo experiments showed that FOXD1-AS1 knockdown reduced tumor volume and weight. More importantly, mechanical studies revealed that FOXD1-AS1 targeted both miR339-5p and miR342-3p (miR339/342). Furthermore, protein eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 subunit A (eIF5a) resulted a direct target of FOXD1-AS1. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that FOXD1-AS1, a miR339/342 target, affected biological processes via protein eIF5a; thus, it might be considered as a new therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

The molecular classification of astrocytic tumors.

AIM: This study will explore the genetic and epigenetic alterations in astrocytomas, and identify the critical molecular signatures and signaling pathways for prognosis assessment by multiplatform comprehensive analysis. METHOD: We performed integration analyses of incorporating DNA methylation, mRNA expression, microRNA expression, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression in 33 astrocytic tumor tissues and 9 non-tumor brain tissues. RESULT: We observed that 11,795 DNA methylation sites, 3,627 genes, 136 microRNAs, and 3,334 lncRNAs were significantly differential between tumors and non-tumor brain tissues, and the filtered signatures through comprehensive analysis were significantly enriched in calcium signaling pathway. Furthermore, four signatures involved in calcium signaling pathway and age could contribute to predicting the patients' overall survival. Additionally, we identified differentially expressed signatures between IDH-mutated and IDH wild-type astrocytic tumors, and complement and coagulation cascades pathway was the most significant pathway in functional enrichment analysis using multiplatform data. The IDH wild-type astrocytomas were divided into two subtypes by Cluster of Cluster (CoC) analysis, one of which was enriched for astrocytomas overexpressed in chemokine signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: The calcium signaling pathway played a key role in astrocytoma tumorigenesis and prognosis. IDH mutation was a vital biomarker, and resulted in the change of expression level in complement and coagulation cascades pathway. The chemokine signaling pathway could characterize subtypes of IDH wild-type astrocytomas.

c-Fos over-expression promotes radioresistance and predicts poor prognosis in malignant glioma.

c-Fos is a major component of activator protein (AP)-1 complex. It has been implicated in cell differentiation, proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. To investigate the role of c-Fos in glioma radiosensitivity and to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, we downregulated c-Fos gene expression by lentivirus-mediated shRNA in glioma cell lines and subsequently analyzed the radiosensitivity, DNA damage repair capacity, and cell cycle distribution. Finally, we explored its prognostic value in 41 malignant glioma patients by immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that silencing c-Fos sensitized glioma cells to radiation by increasing radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), disturbing the DNA damage repair process, promoting G2/M cell cycle arrest, and enhancing apoptosis. c-Fos protein overexpression correlated with poor prognosis in malignant glioma patients treated with standard therapy. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanism of radioresistance in malignant glioma and identify c-Fos as a potentially novel therapeutic target for malignant glioma patients.

[Longitudinal observations on effect of schistosomiasis control in Gongan County, Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of schistosomiasis control in Gongan County, Hubei Province by longitudinal observations so as to provide the evidence for formulating the schistosomiasis control strategy in lake and marshland regions. METHODS: The schistosomiasis epidemic data in Gongan County from 2000-2013 were collected by the retrospective research method, and analyzed about the changing tendency of human and cattle infection rates, and Oncomelania hupensis snail situation. RESULTS: The tendency of schistosomiasis epidemic situation was descended from 2000 to 2013. The human infection rate declined from 12.62% in 2000 to 0.69% in 2013. The decline scope of human infection rate was 24.1% in the first stage, 64.4% in the second stage, and 73.0% in the third stage. Eight acute schistosomiasis cases were reported in the first stage, 15 cases in the second stage, and none in the third stage. The cattle infection rate declined from 6.50% in 2000 to 0.30% in 2013. The rise scope of cattle infection rate was 74.2% in the first stage, but the decline scope was 75.0% in the second stage and 87.6% in the third stage. All the cattle were disposal at the end of 2013. The infection rate of snails, area with infected snails, and average density of living snails in the first stage increased by 18.1%, 46.0% and 7.6%, respectively. The 3 indexes above-mentioned in the second stage decreased by 76.8%, 97.8% and 37.9%, respectively. In the third stage, the infection rate of snails and area with infected snails decreased by both 100%, but the average density of living snails increased by 2.7%. The infected snails were found from 2000 to 2011, but none in 2012 and 2013. The infection rate of snails and area with infected snails dropped yearly, the infection rate of snails declined from 0.0007% in 2000 to 0.0002% in 2011, and the area with infected snails declined from 267.8 hm2 in 2000 to 6.37 hm2 in 2011. CONCLUSION: After the implementation of the integrated schistosomiasis prevention and control strategy with the emphasis on infectious source control, the human and cattle schistosome infection rates decline significantly. Hereafter, it is necessary to prevent the schistosomiasis epidemic outbreak or rebound.

[Schistosomiasis endemic situation at a national surveillance site in Gong'an County, Hubei Province from 2004 to 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the schistosomiasis endemic situation at a national surveillance site in Gong'an County, Hubei Province. METHODS: According to The Scheme of Schistosomiasis Surveillance in China, the schistosome infection rates of residents and cattle, and the Oncomelania hupensis snail status were investigated yearly in Zhangjiahu Village, a national surveillance site, in Gong' an County from 2004 to 2013. RESULTS: From 2004 to 2013, the human schistosome infection rates decreased from 10.66% to 0.58%, and the cattle schistosome infection rates from 12.75% to 0. Meanwhile, the snail areas and densities reduced, and the schistosome infected snails were eliminated. CONCLUSION: The schistosomiasis endemic situation declined dramatically at the surveillance site, and schistosomiasis is well-controlled.

IL-18 upregulates the production of key regulators of osteoclastogenesis from fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Recent data have demonstrated the importance of IL-18 in the induction and perpetuation of chronic inflammation in experimental arthritis. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether IL-18 has any indirect effects on osteoclastogenesis by regulating the production of molecules from fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Human FLS were isolated from RA synovial tissue and cultured in vitro for three to five passages. The expression of IL-18 receptor was determined by RT-PCR. The levels of soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in culture supernatants were determined by ELISA. Membrane-bound RANKL expression was analyzed by flow cytometry. Both α and ß chains of IL-18 receptor were confirmed in cultured FLS. IL-18 upregulated membrane-bound RANKL expression and soluble RANKL production by FLS in both time- and dose-dependent manners. In addition, IL-18 enhanced production of M-CSF, GM-CSF, and OPG from cultured FLS in a dose-dependent manner. IL-18 also increased the ratio of RANKL/OPG, suggesting that the net effect of IL-18 on FLS favors for the induction of osteoclast formation and bone resorption. In conclusion, IL-18 upregulates the production of key regulators of osteoclastogenesis from FLS in RA.

[Relationship of schistosome infection with environment and behavioral characteristics of residents in Jingzhou area].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the relationship of schistosome infection with environment and the behavioral characteristics of residents in Jingzhou area. METHODS: The schistosomiasis patients (positive in stool examinations) were investigated with the questionnaire at home. The content of questionnaire included the hygienic and environmental situation, the behavioral characteristics of the residents, and the treatment of schistosomiasis patients. RESULTS: A total of 1 552 schistosomiasis patients were investigated, and the proportion of the patients aged from 45 to 60 years was 81.0% and the proportion of the patients aged more than 65 years was 9.7%. In Gong'an County and Jianli County, in daily life, the water contact included ditch water (0.7%), running water (43.0%), and well water (56.3%). In product activities, the water contact included farming (48.3%), fishing, and fighting flood. The peak period of water contact was from May to July. Totally 91.24% of the residents knew whether there were Oncomelania snails in their fields, and the snails could be detected in 18.6% of their fields or 10 meters around. There were 8.14% of schistosomiasis patients did not take the medicine last year, and 1 007 persons (64.88%) who took the medicine last year were re-infected in next year. CONCLUSIONS: Productive activities are the main water contact ways in the 2 counties researched. It is the key measures to change the environment and the pattern of agricultural production in rural areas for schistosomiasis control.

Reversal of multidrug resistance in renal cell carcinoma by short hairpin RNA targeting MDR1 gene.

BACKGROUND: Over-expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), encoded by the MDR1 gene, confers multidrug resistance (MDR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and is a major reason for unsuccessful chemotherapy. This study aimed to determine the effct of RNA interference (RNAi) on the reversal of MDR in human RCC. METHODS: We designed and selected one short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting MDR1 gene, which is stably expressed from integrated plasmid and transfected by lentivirus fluid in human RCC A498 cell. RESULTS: The MDR1-targeted RNAi resulted in decreased MDR1 gene mRNA level (P < 0.001), almost abolished P-gp expression and reversed MDR to different chemotherapy drugs in the RCC A498 cell line. CONCLUSION: MDR could be reversed by RNAi in human RCC A498 cell line, which may be used for clinical application in future.

[Effect of modified crushing-cercariae escaping method on detection of infected Oncomelania snails in field].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a modified crushing-cercariae escaping method on the detection of infected Oncomelania snails in the field. METHODS: A snail survey was carried out in Jingzhou City in the spring of 2011, and the villages were randomly divided into several groups, the coincidence rates, detection rates and the labour cost of the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method and crushing method were compared. RESULTS: A total of 14 snail spots were surveyed, and the coincidence rate of the two methods was 100%. In the spring snail survey, 539 villages and 3 536 spots with snails were detected by the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method, and 671 villages and 11 375 spots with snails were detected by the crushing method. The detection rates of villages with infected snails of the two methods were 25.79% and 28.46%, respectively, the difference between them was not statistically significant (chi2 = 1.079 5, P > 0.05); and those of spots with infected snails were 5.57% and 3.66%, respectively, which had no significant difference between them (chi2 = 95.464 1, P < 0.01). Compared with the crushing method, the modified crushing-cercariae escaping method reduced labour cost by 87.86%, and saved 12.95 person-days per township. CONCLUSION: The modified crushing-cercaria escaping method can identify the spots with infected snails quickly and accurately with less labour cost, therefore, it is suitable for detecting environments with infected snails in batch in endemic areas.

[Effect of jian-gan-le on advanced schistosomiasis].

A total of 80 cases of advanced schistosomiasis were selected and divided into an experiment group and a control group, 40 cases each group, by the random sampling method. The patients in the experiment group were administered with Jian-gan-le, and the patients in the control group received compound purple granules. In the experiment group, the curative rate was 25.0%, the improving rate was 70.0%, the inefficacy rate was 5%, and the efficiency rate was 95.0%. In the control group, the curative rate was 12.5%, the improving rate was 75%, the inefficacy rate was 12.5%. There was no statistic difference between the 2 groups (P all > 0.05). The expense was cheaper in the experiment group than in the control group.

[Comparative evaluation of models for infectious source control of schistosomiasis in lake and marshland regions].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of different models for the control of infectious source of schistosomiasis, so as to explore the control models suitable for lake and marshland regions. METHODS: The models of "replacement of cattle with machine" and "grazing prohibition and establishing fixed pasture" were implemented in 2 towns of Gong'an and Jianli counties, Hubei Province, respectively, and the data of infection situation of human and livestock, Oncomelania hupensis snail situation and the contamination status of wild faeces were collected and analyzed from 2008 to 2010. RESULTS: In 2010, for the model of "replacement of cattle with machine", the infection rate of residents in the observation group decreased by 56.82% comparing to that in 2008, the difference had a statistical significance (chi2 = 78.197, P < 0.01), and the decrease extent in the observation group was larger than that in the control group; the infection rates of cattle and snails, and the density of infected snails of the former were all decreased to 0. No wild faeces were discovered in the observation group, while 58 pieces of wild faeces were discovered but no schistosome eggs were found in these faeces in the control group. In 2010, for the model of "grazing prohibition and establishing fixed pasture", the infection rate of residents in the observation group decreased by 39.00% without a statistic significance (chi2 = 1.594, P > 0.05), and the infection rate of cattle decreased by 43.98% without a statistically significant difference (chi2 = 0.751, P > 0.05) comparing to those in 2008. The density of living snails decreased by 89.83% in the observation group, while that in the control group increased by 6.80%. A total of 11 pieces of wild faeces were collected in the observation group, with a positive rate of 18.18%, and 7 pieces were collected in the control group, all of which were negative. During the 2 years, no acute and advanced schistosomiasis patients were newly discovered. CONCLUSIONS: "Replacement of cattle with machine" and "grazing prohibition and establishing fixed pasture" are the main measures for schistosomiasis control in lake and marshland regions, the former is suitable for inner embankment regions, while the latter is suitable for the outer-embankment areas.

[Survey of causes of infected Oncomelania snails and infectious sources of schistosomiasis in marshland and lake region of Jingzhou City].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the causes of infected Oncomelania snails and the sources of infection of schistosomiasis in marshland and lake regions of Jingzhou City, so as to provide the evidence for the establishment of control strategy. METHODS: The snail environments in villages with or without cattle in Gong'an and Jianli counties, Hubei Province were selected, the snail status, infection status of people and livestock and wildlife reservoir host (mice), as well as the contamination status of wild faeces were surveyed, and the infectivity of water in investigated villages without cattle were detected by sentinel mice. The correlation between the densities of infected snails and positive faeces were tested by the rank correlation method. RESULTS: In villages without cattle, there were no positive faeces and infected sentinel mice discovered, while in the villages with cattle, 374 pieces of wild faeces were collected, the densities of wild faeces were 0.02 - 0.29 pieces/100 m2, and those of the positive ones were 0 - 0.01 pieces/100 m2, and the densities of infected snails were 0.001 - 0.040 snails /0.1 m2. The distribution of infected snails was consistent with that of the positive faeces, but the correlation coefficient between their densities had no statistical significance (r(s) = 0.123 5, P > 0.05). The average infection rates of human in villages with cattle inside embankment of Gong'an and Jianli counties were 2.87% and 1.37%, respectively, while that of the villages outside embankment of Gong'an County was 1.23%, and all the infection rates of cattle were 0. No infected wild mice were discovered. CONCLUSIONS: Human and cattle are the main sources of schistosome infection in the local areas, the possibility of wild mice as source of infection is low, and cattle is an important cause of infected snails in marshland and lake regions in Jingzhou City.