Exploration of markers in oxidized rancidity walnut kernels based on lipidomics and volatolomics.

Walnut kernels are prone to oxidation and rancidity due to their rich lipid composition, but the existing evaluation indicators are not sensitive enough to promote their industrial development. This study aims to investigate the potential markers in oxidative rancidity walnut kernels using lipidomics and volatolomics. The results showed that the antioxidant capacity of walnut kernels significantly decreased after oxidation, with the decreasing of total phenolic content from 36276.34 mg GAE/kg to 31281.53 mg GAE/kg, the DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity from 89.25% to 73.54%, and 61.69% to 43.73%, respectively. The activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and lipase (LPS) increased by 6.08-fold and 0.33-fold, respectively. By combining volatolomics and chemometrics methods, it was found that significant differences existed in the content of hexanal, caproic acid, 1-pentanol, (E)-2-octenal, and 2-heptanenal before and after walnut kernel oxidation (VIP > 1). Based on the results of lipidomics, it can be concluded that the above five compounds can serve as characteristic markers for walnut kernel oxidative rancidity, mainly produced through glycerol phospholipid (GPL), glyceride, linoleic acid (LA), and α-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism pathways. Possible mechanisms of lipid degradation in oxidized walnut kernels were also proposed, providing technical support for the storage, preservation, and high-value utilization of walnut kernels.

Nucleic Acid and Nanomaterial Synergistic Amplification Enables Dual Targets of Ultrasensitive Fluorescence Quantification to Improve the Efficacy of Clinical Tuberculosis Diagnosis.

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs) are constrained by the limited diagnostic performance of a single indicator and the excessive Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigen stimulation time. This study presents a simultaneous, homogeneous, rapid, and ultrasensitive fluorescence quantification strategy for IFN-γ and IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10). This method relies on the high-affinity binding of aptamers to IFN-γ and IP-10, the enzyme-free catalytic hairpin assembly reaction, and the heightened sensitivity of CdTe quantum dots to Ag+ and hairpin structure C-Ag+-C and carbon dots to Hg2+ and hairpin structure T-Hg2+-T. Under optimized conditions, the selectivity of IFN-γ and IP-10 was excellent, with a linear range spanning from 1 to 100 ag/mL and low limits of detection of 0.3 and 0.5 ag/mL, respectively. Clinical practicality was confirmed through testing of 57 clinical samples. The dual-indicator combination detection showed 92.8% specificity and 93.1% sensitivity, with an area under the curve of 0.899, representing an improvement over the single-indicator approach. The Mtb antigen stimulation time was reduced to 8 h for 6/7 clinical samples. These findings underscore the potential of our approach to enhance the efficiency and performance of a tuberculosis (TB) clinical diagnosis.

[Human Accumulation and Toxic Effects of Microplastics：A Critical Review].

The effect of microplastics on the ecological environment and human health has become a topical issue， and research on the risks and harmful effects of MPs on human health in particular has attracted widespread attention. Due to the characteristics of small size， low degradability， and easy migration， MPs continuously migrate from the environment to the human body， and their main exposure pathways are oral ingestion， inhalation， and dermal contact， with the main exposure media being food， drinking water， dust， personal care products， etc. MPs have been detected in organs， fluids， and excreta of digestive， respiratory， cardiovascular， reproductive systems， etc. The abundance range of MPs in the human body is 0-1 206.94 particles per gram. After entering the human body， MPs can cause cytotoxicity， mitochondrial toxicity， DNA damage， cell membrane damage， and other effects on human cells and organs， leading to serious consequences such as local inflammation， ecological imbalance， metabolic disorders， etc.， in various systems. Owing to their small specific surface area， they can also adsorb pollutants such as heavy metals， organic pollutants， antibiotics， pathogens， and harmful microorganisms， causing combined toxicity and immunotoxicity. In the end， we highlighted general deficiencies in existing studies and provided directions for future research on the influence of MPs on human health.

Species diversity and related ecology of chiggers on small mammals in a unique geographical area of Yunnan Province, southwest China.

Chiggers are common ectoparasites and the exclusive vector of scrub typhus. Based on previous investigations from a unique geographical area in Yunnan Province of southwest China, the Three Parallel Rivers Area, we retrospectively studied the species diversity and related ecology of chiggers on rodents and other small mammals. A very high species diversity of 120 chigger species was identified. Five dominant chigger species accounted for 59.4% (5238/8965) of total chiggers, and among them Leptotrombidium scutellare is the second major vector of scrub typhus in China. Species diversity of the chigger community fluctuates greatly in different altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. There are significant differences in species composition, species diversity and dominant species of chiggers among hosts with apparent community heterogeneity. Based on the species abundance distribution, the expected total number of chigger species was estimated to be 170, 50 more than the number of actually collected species; this further indicates a very high chigger species diversity in this area. The bipartite ecological network analysis revealed the intricate relationships between chigger and host species-positive and negative correlations existed among some species of dominant and vector chiggers.

Regulation of epithelial cell differentiation by the Ubiquitous expressed transcript isoform 1 in ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mucosal healing has emerged as a desirable treatment goal for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Healing of mucosal wounds involves epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, and Y-box transcription factor ZONAB has recently been identified as the key modulator of intestinal epithelial restitution. METHODS: We studied the characteristics of UXT-V1 expression in UC patients using immunohistochemistry and qPCR. The functional role of UXT-V1 in the colonic epithelium was investigated using lentivirus-mediated shRNA in vitro and ex vivo. Through endogenous Co-immunoprecipitation and LC-MS/MS, we identified ZONAB as a UXT-V1-interactive protein. RESULTS: Herein, we report that UXT-V1 promotes differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells by regulating the nuclear translocation of ZONAB. UXT-V1 was upregulated in the intestinal epithelia of UC patients compared with that of healthy controls. Knocking down UXT-V1 in NCM-460 cells led to the enrichment of pathways associated with proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, the absence of UXT-V1 in cultured intestinal epithelial cells and colonic organoids inhibited differentiation to the goblet cell phenotype. Mechanistically, the loss of UXT-V1 in the intestinal epithelial cells allowed nuclear translocation of ZONAB, wherein it regulated the transcription of differentiation-related genes, including AML1 and KLF4. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our study reveals a potential role of UXT-V1 in regulating epithelial cell differentiation, proving a molecular basis for mucosal healing in UC.

Comparison of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) on Two Sibling Mouse Species, Apodemus draco and A. ilex (Rodentia: Muridae), in Southwest China.

Chigger mites (Acari) are common ectoparasites on rodents, and they are the exclusive vector of scrub typhus. South China field mouse (Apodemus draco) and Lantsang field mouse (A. ilex) are two sibling rodent species. Based on field investigations in southwest China (2001-2015), this paper compared the infestation of these two mouse species with chiggers. Of 42 chigger species identified from two mouse species, 36 were found on A. draco, 11 on A. ilex and 5 common species on both mice. Jaccard similarity index (J = 0.12, J < 0.25) showed a very different species composition of chiggers on two mouse species, and some parameters of the chigger community were also different. The overall mean intensity of chiggers on A. draco (MI = 4.26) was higher than that on A. ilex (MI = 3.91, p < 0.05). The dominant chigger species on A. draco were Trombiculindus yunnanus, Leptotrombidium scutellare (a major vector species in China) and L. sinicum with a total constituent ratio Cr = 42.9% (106/247). Leptorombidium sinicum and L. scutellare independently occurred on A. draco with an association coefficient V = 0.09 (V ≈ 0). The dominant chigger species on A. ilex were L. rusticum, L. densipunctatum and L. gongshanense, with a total Cr = 58.14% (25/43). Leptorombidium rusticum and L. densipunctatum on A. ilex had a slight positive association (V = 0.49, 0.5 < V < 1). All dominant chigger species were unevenly distributed among different individuals of two mouse species. Chigger infestation showed sex bias on different sexes of two mouse species. The species abundance of the chigger community on A. draco was revealed as a log-normal distribution pattern.

Potential distribution of Leptotrombidium scutellare in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, China, and its association with mite-borne disease transmission.

BACKGROUND: Leptotrombidium scutellare is one of the six main vectors of scrub typhus in China and is a putative vector of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). This mite constitutes a large portion of the chigger mite community in southwest China. Although empirical data on its distribution are available for several investigated sites, knowledge of the species' association with human well-being and involvement in the prevalence of mite-borne diseases remains scarce. METHODS: Occurrence data on the chigger mite were obtained from 21 years (2001-2021) of field sampling. Using boosted regression tree (BRT) ecological models based on climate, land cover and elevation variables, we predicted the environmental suitability for L. scutellare in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces. The potential distribution range and shifts in the study area for near-current and future scenarios were mapped and the scale of L. scutellare interacting with human activities was evaluated. We tested the explanatory power of the occurrence probability of L. scutellare on incidences of mite-borne diseases. RESULTS: Elevation and climate factors were the most important factors contributing to the prediction of the occurrence pattern of L. scutellare. The most suitable habitats for this mite species were mainly concentrated around high-elevation areas, with predictions for the future showing a trend towards a reduction. Human activity was negatively correlated with the environmental suitability of L. scutellare. The occurrence probability of L. scutellare in Yunnan Province had a strong explanatory power on the epidemic pattern of HFRS but not scrub typhus. CONCLUSIONS: Our results emphasize the exposure risks introduced by L. scutellare in the high-elevation areas of southwest China. Climate change may lead to a range contraction of this species towards areas of higher elevation and lessen the associated exposure risk. A comprehensive understanding of the transmission risk requires more surveillance efforts.

Genome-wide association study of tuberculosis in the western Chinese Han and Tibetan population.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious global public health threat. Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that human susceptibility to TB has a strong genetic basis. And different susceptibility single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) have been reported in different studies. To gain greater insight into the host susceptibility to TB, we perform a two-stage genome-wide association study to identify the susceptible loci of TB. In the discovery stage, 3116 (1532 TB patients and 1584 healthy controls) and 439 (211 TB patients and 228 healthy controls) individuals were genome-wide genotyped from a western Chinese Han and Tibetan population, respectively. Based on the additive genetic model, we discovered 14 and three independent loci that had potential associations with TB susceptibility in the Chinese Han and Tibetan populations, respectively (p < 1 × 10-5). Furthermore, we conducted an imputation-based meta-analysis on another two East Asia cohorts to replicate our findings. We identified one independent locus harbored by the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes that was genome-wide significantly associated with TB (lead SNP rs111875628 with a p-value of 2.20 × 10-9). Our findings suggest a novel mechanism of the interaction with the HLA class II genes and reinforce the importance of the HLA class II alleles in response to TB.

Sensitive Urine Immunoassay for Visualization of Lipoarabinomannan for Noninvasive Tuberculosis Diagnosis.

Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a prospective noninvasive biomarker for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Here, we report a visual immunoassay of high sensitivity for detecting LAM in urine samples toward TB diagnosis. This method uses a DNA-linked immunosorbent of LAM, followed by a transduction cascade into amplified visual signals using quantum dots (QDs) and calcein reaction with Cu2+ and copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs). The limit of detection (LOD) for LAM in the urine reaches 2.5 fg/mL and 25 fg/mL using a fluorometer and length readouts on strips, respectively, demonstrating an ultrahigh sensitivity. The clinical validation of the proposed assay was performed with 147 HIV-negative clinical urine specimens. The results show the sensitivity of test is 94.1% (16/17) for confirmed TB (culture-positive) and 85% (51/60) for unconfirmed TB (clinical diagnosis without positive culture results), respectively, when the test cutoff value is 40 fg/mL for TB. Its specificity is 89.2% (25/28) in non-TB and nontuberculous mycobacterial patients. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.86 when controls were non-TB and LTBI patients, while the AUC was 0.92 when controls were only non-TB patients. This highly sensitive visual immunoassay of LAM has shown potential for noninvasive diagnosis of TB using urine samples.

LncAABR07053481 inhibits bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell apoptosis and promotes repair following steroid-induced avascular necrosis.

The osteonecrotic area of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) is a hypoxic microenvironment that leads to apoptosis of transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we explore the mechanism of hypoxic-induced apoptosis of BMSCs, and use the mechanism to improve the transplantation efficacy of BMSCs. Our results show that the long non-coding RNA AABR07053481 (LncAABR07053481) is downregulated in BMSCs and closely related to the degree of hypoxia. Overexpression of LncAABR07053481 could increase the survival rate of BMSCs. Further exploration of the downstream target gene indicates that LncAABR07053481 acts as a molecular "sponge" of miR-664-2-5p to relieve the silencing effect of miR-664-2-5p on the target gene Notch1. Importantly, the survival rate of BMSCs overexpressing LncAABR07053481 is significantly improved after transplantation, and the repair effect of BMSCs in the osteonecrotic area is also improved. This study reveal the mechanism by which LncAABR07053481 inhibits hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs by regulating the miR-664-2-5p/Notch1 pathway and its therapeutic effect on SANFH.

RBM24 is required for mouse hair cell development through regulating pre-mRNA alternative splicing and mRNA stability.

As the sensory receptor cells in vertebrate inner ear and lateral lines, hair cells are characterized by the hair bundle that consists of one tubulin-based kinocilium and dozens of actin-based stereocilia on the apical surface of each hair cell. Hair cell development is tightly regulated, and deficits in this process usually lead to hearing loss and/or balance dysfunctions. RNA-binding motif protein 24 (RBM24) is an RNA-binding protein that is specifically expressed in the hair cells in the inner ear. Previously, we showed that RBM24 affects hair cell development in zebrafish by regulating messenger RNA (mRNA) stability. In the present work, we further investigate the role of RBM24 in hearing and balance using conditional knockout mice. Our results show that Rbm24 knockout results in severe hearing and balance deficits. Hair cell development is significantly affected in Rbm24 knockout cochlea, as the hair bundles are poorly developed and eventually degenerated. Hair bundle disorganization is also observed in Rbm24 knockout vestibular hair cells, although to a lesser extent. Consistently, significant hair cell loss is observed in the cochlea but not vestibule. RNAseq analysis identified several genes whose mRNA stability or pre-mRNA alternative splicing is affected by Rbm24 knockout. Among them are Cdh23, Pcdh15, and Myo7a, which have been shown to play important roles in stereocilia development as well as mechano-electrical transduction. Taken together, our present work suggests that RBM24 is required for mouse hair cell development through regulating pre-mRNA alternative splicing as well as mRNA stability.

Infestation of Oriental House Rat (Rattus tanezumi) with Chigger Mites Varies along Environmental Gradients across Five Provincial Regions of Southwest China.

Chigger mites are the exclusive vector of scrub typhus. Based on field investigations of 91 survey sites in 5 provincial regions of Southwest China, this paper reported variations of chigger infestation on the oriental house rat (Rattus tanezumi) along various environmental gradients. A total of 149 chigger species were identified from 2919 R. tanezumi in the 5 provincial regions, and Leptotrombidium deliense (a major vector of scrub typhus in China) was the first dominant chigger species, followed by Ascoschoengastia indica and Walchia ewingi. Rattus tanezumi had a stable overall prevalence (PM = 21.10%), mean abundance (MA = 7.01), and mean intensity (MI = 33.20) of chiggers with the same dominant mites in the whole Southwest China in comparison with a previous report in Yunnan Province, but chigger infestations on R. tanezumi varied along different environmental gradients. Rattus tanezumi in mountainous landscape had a higher infestation load of chiggers with higher species diversity than in flatland landscape. The infestation was higher at lower altitudes and latitudes. A high intensity of vegetation coverage was associated with high infestations. The results reflect the environmental heterogeneity of chiggers on the same host species. Warm climate and high relative humidity are beneficial to chigger infestation on R. tanezumi.

Three-dimensional speckle tracking for subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the difference in left ventricular dysfunction between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with hyperlipidemia and those without hyperlipidemia, and analyze the application value of three-dimensional speckle tracking technology.Methods:The clinical data of 70 patients with T2DM admitted to Heji Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College from January 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among these patients, 35 patients had hyperlipidemia and 35 patients had no hyperlipidemia. At the same time, 40 healthy subjects who concurrently underwent health checkups in the same hospital were included as healthy controls. All subjects underwent routine cardiac ultrasound and 3D-STE examinations. General clinical information and left ventricular function-related parameters, including global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, global area strain, and global radial strain were compared between healthy controls and T2DM patients with hyperlipidemia and those without hyperlipidemia.Results:The proportion of left ventricular remodeling increased in T2DM patients without hyperlipidemia, and the proportion of left ventricular hypertrophy was the highest in T2DM patients with hyperlipidemia. Global longitudinal strain and global circumferential strain in T2DM patients without hyperlipidemia were (-16.97 ± 2.59)% and (-17.41 ± 2.50)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than (-18.86 ± 2.46)% and (-18.71 ± 2.92)% in healthy controls ( t = 0.95, 0.57, both P < 0.05). Global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and global area strain in T2DM patients with hyperlipidemia were (-14.98 ± 3.15)%, (-15.80 ± 3.16)%, (-27.17 ± 4.54)%, respectively, which were significantly higher than (-18.86 ± 2.46)%, (-18.71 ± 2.92)%, (-30.62 ± 4.02)% in healthy controls ( t = 0.46, 1.37, 0.98, all P < 0.05) and (-16.97 ± 2.59)%, (-17.41 ± 2.50)%, (-30.06 ± 3.59)% in T2DM patients without hyperlipidemia ( t = 0.37, 1.02, 0.77, all P < 0.05). Global radial strain in T2DM patients with hyperlipidemia was significantly higher than [(51.49 ± 8.94)%, t = 1.35, P < 0.05] in healthy controls and [(47.71± 8.46)%, t = 0.98, P < 0.05] in T2DM patients without hyperlipidemia. In patients with T2DM, fasting blood glucose and hyperlipidemia were independently correlated with all strain-related parameters. Conclusion:Hyperlipidemia can aggravate left ventricular remodeling and dysfunction in patients with T2DM and 3D-STE is one of the examination methods for subclinical left ventricular remodeling and dysfunction in T2DM patients with or without hyperlipidemia.

Urine virology and clinical characteristics of female patients with overactive bladder / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the urinary virology and clinical characteristics of female overactive bladder (OAB) patients.Methods:Catheterized urine samples were collected from 55 women with OAB and 18 control individuals between January 2021 and August 2021. Inclusion criteria were: female with age>18, diagnosed as OAB, OABSS total score≥3 and item Urgency score≥2, informed consent signed. Exclusion criteria were: Urine culture positive, urinary catheter indwelling status, antibiotic usage in recent 30 days, other disease leading to OAB-like symptoms, pelvic organ prolapse and current pregnancy, immunosuppressive therapy or status. Clinical characteristic and history were collected. OAB symptoms were assessed via both OABSS (overactive bladder symptom score) and OAB-V8 (8-item overactive bladder questionnaire). The urine specimens were analyzed using mNGS for identifying viral infections. The correlation between the disease and JC virus infection was analyzed by t test, chi-square test, binary logistic regression analysis and Spearman correlation matrix, and the Nomogram map for predicting the risk of viral infection was constructed. Results:In total, 55 women with OAB and 18 healthy controls were recruited in the study. There are significant difference in terms of UTI history, pelvic surgery history and the habit of holding urine [60.0%(n=33)to 16.7%(n=3), P=0.002; 43.6%(n=24)to 0.0%(n=0), P<0.01; 36.4%( n=20)to 5.6%( n=1), P=0.015]. Based on mNGS results, OAB patients were identified with more positive viral infection [47.3%(n=26)to 33.3%(n=6)] and more JC virus infection. In the OAB group, subtype 7B of JCV ( n=8) was identified, while in the control group, subtype 7A(n=2) was identified. Pairwise Spearman correlation analysis indicated high correlations between viral infection and OABSS ( r=0.58), age and pausimenia ( r=0.68), hypertension and age ( r=0.53), respectively. Estimates from binary logistic regression model indicated risk factors for virus infection in OAB patients including age ( OR=1.99, 95% CI 0.02-2.61), holding urine habit( OR=2.16, 95% CI 0.18-3.85) and pelvic surgery ( OR=2.53, 95% CI 0.54-4.27). Conclusions:Urinary viral infections appear to be associated with more severe OAB symptoms and JC virus may be a potential therapeutic target for OAB.

Clinical and imaging features of population receiving opportunistic screening for lung cancer and in convalescent stage of COVID-19 / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical and imaging features of population receiving opportunistic screening for lung cancer and in convalescent stage of COVID-19.Methods:Cross-sectional study and analysis was performed on the patients who underwent chest low-dose CT examination for cancer prevention in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from December 28, 2022 to January 19, 2023. All the patients completed the COVID-19 questionnaire. A total of 334 questionnaires were sent out, all of which were recovered, and 321 valid questionnaires were collected, among them, 293 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted according to the questionnaire information, clinical symptoms and chest CT imaging results. The potential influencing factors of COVID-19 infection were explored, and the imaging characteristics of COVID-19 infection and early stage of lung cancer were compared.Results:A total of 293 patients underwent lung cancer screening during the convalescent stage of COVID-19 infection. A total of 231 (78.8%) cases had cough and 228 (77.8%) cases had fever. 214 (73.0%) cases still had clinical symptoms within 2 weeks after nucleic acid or antigen test showing negative, especially for cough in 171 (58.4%) cases, fatigue in 79 (25.3%) cases and sputum in 73 (24.9%) cases. There were 54 (18.4%) cases with positive chest CT changes. The main imaging findings showed that there were 46 cases with new patchy shadows, 25 cases with linear opacities, 10 cases with ground-glass opacities, 10 cases with nodular like shadows and 2 cases with consolidation, and most lesions were in the subpleural area of both lungs. Univariate analysis showed that positive CT findings were correlated with the time from positive detection of COVID-19 to screening ( P=0.026), age ( P<0.001) and underlying diseases ( P=0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that age≥65 years old ( OR=6.425, 95% CI: 2.688-15.358; P<0.001) and underlying diseases ( OR=2.292, 95% CI: 1.120-4.691; P=0.023) were risk factors for pulmonary imaging changes of COVID-19 infection. For lung cancer opportunistic screening, 36 (12.3%) cases showed ground-glass opacities in bilateral or unilateral lung lobes, among which 4 cases were suspected to be atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and 2 cases s were suspected to be early stage of lung cancer. Conclusions:Abnormal clinical symptoms and chest CT findings are still observed in the patients during the convalescent stage of COVID-19 infection. Age≥65 years, underlying diseases were the high-risk factors for the changes in chest CT imaging after COVID-19 infection. Attention should be paid to the differential diagnosis of chest CT findings between changes in the convalescent stage of COVID-19 and early stage of lung cancer.

Additions to hyphomycetes from Yungui Plateau, China with three new species (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes).

Background: Yungui Plateau is rich in fungal diversity. Hyphomycetes, growing on submerged wood, can promote the degradation of organisms and the reuse of rotten wood energy. During an investigation of hyphomycetes in this region, 19 species of dematiaceous hyphomycetes were collected in Yungui Plateau. New information: Both morphological identification and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of ITS, tef1 and LSU sequences supported Coryneumsevenseptatis as a new species. Phaeoisariaguizhouensis and Pleurotheciumyunanensis were introduced, based on morphology. Morphological descriptions and illustrations of the new species were detailed. Known species are listed with notes.

Changes and clinical significance of erythrocyte lifespan in megaloblastic anemia / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To investigate the lifespan of erythrocytes in megaloblastic anemia (MA) patients. Methods: A prospective cohort study analysis. Clinical data from 42 MA patients who were newly diagnosed at the Department of Hematology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital from January 2021 to August 2021 were analyzed, as were control data from 24 healthy volunteers acquired during the same period. The carbon monoxide breath test was used to measure erythrocyte lifespan, and correlations between erythrocyte lifespan and laboratory test indexes before and after treatment were calculated. Statistical analysis included the t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: The mean erythrocyte lifespan in the 42 newly diagnosed MA patients was (49.05±41.60) d, which was significantly shorter than that in the healthy control group [(104.13±42.62) d; t=5.13,P=0.001]. In a vitamin B12-deficient subset of MA patients the mean erythrocyte lifespan was (30.09±15.14) d, and in a folic acid-deficient subgroup it was (72.00±51.44) d, and the difference between these two MA subsets was significant (t=3.73, P=0.001). The mean erythrocyte lifespan after MA treatment was (101.28±33.02) d, which differed significantly from that before MA treatment (t=4.72, P=0.001). In MA patients erythrocyte lifespan was positively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (r=0.373), and negatively correlated with total bilirubin level (r=-0.425), indirect bilirubin level (r=-0.431), and lactate dehydrogenase level (r=-0.504) (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Erythrocyte lifespan was shortened in MA patients, and there was a significant difference between a vitamin B12-deficient group and a folic acid-deficient group. After treatment the erythrocyte lifespan can return to normal. Erythrocyte lifespan is expected to become an informative index for the diagnosis and treatment of MA.

Preliminary Study on Species Diversity and Community Characteristics of Gamasid Mites on Small Mammals in Three Parallel Rivers Area of China.

(1) Background: Gamasid mites are a large group of arthropods, and some of them are of medical importance. Besides directly biting humans and causing dermatitis, some gamasid mites are the vector of rickettsialpox and potential vector of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The Three Parallel Rivers Area of China is one of the hotspots of biodiversity research in the world, with complicated topographic landforms, different types of vegetation, special elevation gradients and high biodiversity. (2) Methods: Species richness (S): the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H), Simpson dominance index (D) and Pielou evenness index (E) were used to analyze the basic community structure. The ß diversity (Cody index) was used to reflect the diversity difference between any two adjacent elevation gradients. The method based on Preston's lognormal model for species abundance distribution was used to estimate the total number of gamasid mite species. (3) Results: A total of 3830 small mammal hosts captured from the nine survey sites were identified as 44 species, 27 genera and nine families in five orders. Apodemus chevrieri, Eothenomys miletus and A. draco were the dominant host species with a total constituent ratio Cr = 52.037%. From the body surface of the hosts, 26,048 gamasid mites were collected and identified as 10 families, 21 genera and 82 species (excluding 847 unidentified specimens) with high species richness (S = 82) and diversity (H = 2.33). The three dominant mite species were Dipolaelaps anourosorecis, Laelaps nuttalli and L. echidninus, with a total Cr = 64.46% (16,791/26,048). There are significant differences in the species composition, species diversity and dominant species of gamasid mites on different hosts. The species diversity of the mite community fluctuated greatly in different elevation gradients. The highest peaks of species richness and ß diversity appeared at altitudes of 3000-3500 m (S = 42) and 1500-2000 m (ß = 17.5), respectively. The species abundance distribution of the mites was successfully fitted by Preston's lognormal model with S^(R)=19e-[0.22(R-0)]2 (α = 0.22, R2 = 0.9879). Based on fitting the theoretical curve by Preston's model, the total number of gamasid mite species was estimated to be 153 species. (4) Conclusions: Gamasid mites on small mammals are abundant with complex community structures and high species diversity in the Three Parallel Rivers Area of China. There is an apparent community heterogeneity of the mites on different hosts and in different environments.

[Effects of Oyster Shell Powder and Lime on Availability and Forms of Phosphorus and Enzyme Activity in Acidic Paddy Soil].

Soil acidification improvement in the main grain production regions of southern China is an important issue to enhance the quality of cultivated land and promote grain yield. In order to explore the effects of oyster shell powder and lime on acidity and availability and inorganic forms of phosphorus in acidic paddy soil, a pot experiment was performed using oyster shell powder and lime amendments with dosages of 0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.15%. The results showed that both oyster shell powder and lime significantly (P<0.05) increased the pH and decreased exchangeable acid content of paddy soil. The improvement effects increased with the dosage of soil amendments. Under the same amendment dosage, the effects of lime on soil pH and acidity were higher than those of oyster shell powder. Both lime and oyster shell powder significantly increased the content of available P extracted using H2SO4-P, Bray-1 P, and Olsen-P techniques. The contents of inorganic P in soils decreased in the order of Fe-P>Al-P>Ca-P. The application of lime and oyster shell powder significantly increased the contents of Al-P and Fe-P in soil. Compared with the control treatment, lime and oyster shell power increased Al-P and Fe-P by 26.3%-37.4% and 7.9%-23.7%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in Al-P content among treatments of the three amendment dosages. The contents of Fe-P and Ca-P in soils increased with an increased dosage of amendments. The activities of DHA, ALP, and IPP and the copy number of the phoD gene in soil increased with the application of lime and oyster shell powder, whereas the activities of ACP and the copy numbers of phoC and pqqC decreased. The application of lime and oyster shell powder at a rate of 0.10% and 0.15% significantly (P<0.05) increased the yield of rice. The lime and oyster shell powder treatments at the dosage of 0.15% increased rice yield by 34.2% and 46.8%, respectively, whereas the amendment had no significant effect on straw biomass of the rice crop. Correlation analysis showed that soil pH and the ALP activity were significantly positively correlated with inorganic P and available P contents, respectively. These results suggested that lime and oyster shell power could effectively increase the content of available phosphorus by eliminating soil acidity and improving the phosphatase activity, which played a positive role in increasing crop yield.

Exploring the eligibility of all reported lipoarabinomannan-testing assays in different clinical situations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 97 articles.

OBJECTIVES: How to choose proper lipoarabinomannan-testing assays for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in different populations baffles clinicians. This work assessed all reported lipoarabinomannan assays' performance and aimed to identify the eligibility of each assay and offer guidance for clinicians. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until August 23, 2020. The risk of bias was evaluated by QADAS-2. Heterogeneity was evaluated by the Cochran Q test and I2. Sensitivity and specificity were pooled by a bivariate mixed model (register number: CRD42021270506). RESULTS: A total of 97 articles, covering 144 trials, 16 assays, 45,679 participants, and eight sample types, were divided into five groups. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) had a sensitivity of 65%, specificity of 92%, and an area under curve (AUC) of 0.85 in diagnosing pulmonary TB in adults. ECL showed a promising diagnostic ability (sensitivity: 78%; specificity: 88%; AUC: 0.88) in patients with HIV, especially for urine detection (sensitivity: 90%; specificity: 89%; AUC: 0.95). The enzyme-linked immune assay showed a preference for diagnosing TB in Asians and Africans, especially in Africans who were smear-positive (sensitivity: 80%; specificity: 88%; AUC: 0.91). CONCLUSION: ECL was recommended for diagnosing pulmonary TB in adults, especially for TB/HIV co-infection. Taking urine as a sample further enhanced ECL's diagnostic performance. Enzyme-linked immune assay was recommended as an additional TB-related detection for smear-positive Africans.