Quarantine Disinfestation of Papaya Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Using Gamma and X-rays Irradiation.

Paracoccus marginatus is a highly polyphagous invasive pest that poses a significant quarantine threat to tropical and subtropical countries. Infested commodities in international trade should undergo phytosanitary treatment, and irradiation is recommended as a viable alternative to replace methyl bromide fumigation. Dose-response tests were conducted on the 2-, 4-, and 6-day-old eggs and gravid females of P. marginatus using the X-ray radiation doses of 15-105 Gy with an interval of 15 Gy. Radiotolerance was compared using ANOVA, fiducial overlapping and lethal dose ratio (LDR) test, resulting in no significant difference among treatments, except for the overall mortality and LDR at LD90 (a dose causing 90% mortality at 95% confidence level). The estimated dose for LD99.9968 was 176.5-185.2 Gy, which was validated in the confirmatory tests. No nymphs emerged from a total of 60,386 gravid females exposed to a gamma radiation dose range of 146.8-185.0 Gy in the confirmatory tests. The largest dose in confirmatory tests should be the minimum threshold for phytosanitary treatment, consequently, a minimum dose of 185 Gy is recommended for the phytosanitary irradiation treatment of papaya mealybug-infested commodities, ensuring a treatment efficacy of ≥99.9950% at 95% confidence level.

Spatial variation of life-history traits in Bulinus truncatus, the intermediate host of schistosomes, in the context of field application of niclosamide in Côte d'Ivoire.

BACKGROUND: Control of intermediate host snails using molluscicides for the control and/or elimination of schistosomiasis is a strategy in line with WHO recommendations. Niclosamide is the main chemical molluscicide recommended by WHO. However, except the immediate killing of the snail, the extent of the impact of the molluscicide application on the evolution of snail life-history traits, in relation to recolonization of treated sites is not well known. This study aimed to characterize the spatial variation of life-history traits of populations of the freshwater snail Bulinus truncatus, in relation to niclosamide spraying in the field. From 2016 to 2018, we conducted a trial, using niclosamide to control the intermediate host snails for interrupting the seasonal transmission of urinary schistosomiasis in northern and central Côte d'Ivoire. Five villages (sites) were considered, including three test and two control villages. In the test villages, the molluscicide was sprayed in habitats harboring B. truncatus snails three times a year (November, February-March and June). We sampled six B. truncatus populations: two populations from the control villages without any treatment; one collected before treatment and three sampled 2-3 months after treatment of the site with niclosamide. The snail populations were monitored for several life-history traits, including survival, growth, fecundity and hatchability, under laboratory conditions, over one generation (G1). We tested the population, region (North/Centre) and treatment status (treated/untreated) effects on the variation of the measured life-history traits and correlations between pairs of traits were estimated. RESULTS: On the whole, the traits varied among populations. The risk of death was lower in northern populations compared to central ones. The age at first reproduction was reached earlier with a smaller size of snails in northern populations. Values of first reproduction features (size and fecundity) were lower in treated snail populations. The overall growth of untreated populations was higher than that of treated ones. The late fecundity and egg hatching were higher in northern than in central snails. At first reproduction, age was negatively correlated with some fecundity parameters. However, growth was positively associated with fecundity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a spatial variation of life-history traits in B. truncatus snails. The mollusciciding seems to have led to the depression of some life-history traits in the snail populations. However, investigations should be carried out over several generations of snails to better clarify the impact of niclosamide on the evolution of the life-history traits.

Effectiveness of Four Different Interventions Against Schistosoma haematobium in a Seasonal Transmission Setting of Côte d'Ivoire: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Annual mass drug administration (MDA) using praziquantel is the cornerstone of schistosomiasis morbidity control but is not sufficient to interrupt transmission. We implemented a cluster-randomized trial to compare the effectiveness of 4 different intervention packages to interrupt transmission of Schistosoma haematobium in a seasonal transmission setting of Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS: Sixty-four localities with a S. haematobium prevalence in school children aged 13-14 years above 4% were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 intervention arms over a 3-year period: (1) the current standard strategy consisting of annual MDA before peak of transmission, (2) annual MDA after peak of transmission, (3) biannual MDA, and (4) standard MDA combined with snail control. The primary outcome was prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium infection in children aged 9-12 years 1 year after the final intervention, using urine filtration performed by experienced microscopists. RESULTS: By study end, we observed the lowest S. haematobium prevalence in the biannual MDA, compared to the standard treatment arm (0.6% vs 7.5%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .02 to .24). The prevalence in arms 2 and 4 was about 3.5%, which was not statistically significantly different from the standard strategy (both ORs 0.4, 95% CI = .1 to ~1.8). New cases of infection were still observed in all arms at study end. CONCLUSIONS: Biannual MDA was the only regimen that outperformed the standard treatment. All strategies resulted in decreased prevalence of infection; however, none of them was able to interrupt transmission of S. haematobium within a 3-year period. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: ISRCTN10926858.

[Systematic analysis on chemical constituents of Mori Cortex, mulberry root bark and its phellem layer based on HPLC-ESI-MS].

In this study, HPLC-ESI-MS and HPLC methods were established to explore the differences in the main chemical components and content of Mori Cortex with(mulberry root bark) and without(Mori Cortex) the phellem layer from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The HPLC-ESI-MS method was used for quality analysis in positive and negative ion modes, and 33 compounds were identified in mulberry root bark, 22 compounds in Mori Cortex, and 26 compounds in phellem layer; mulberry root bark and Mori Cortex shared 22 components, and mulberry root bark has 11 unique compounds; Mori Cortex and its phellem layer shared 15 components, while Mori Cortex has 7 unique compounds. HPLC method was used to simultaneously determine 7 major constituents, including mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, dihydromorin, oxyresveratrol, moracin O, kuwanon G, and kuwanon H, and the developed method showed good linearity(r>0.998 9) within the concentration range and the recoveries varied from 99.88% to 103.0%, and the RSD was 1.7%-2.9%. The HPLC results showed that the contents of the 7 compounds have great differences in 13 batches samples, compared with mulberry root bark, the contents of mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, dihydromorin and moracin O of Mori Cortex were increased, while the contents of oxyresveratrol, kuwanon G and kuwanon H were decreased after peeling process. These results can provide a basis for the rationality and quality control of Mori Cortex required to remove the phellem layer.

Differential expression and clinical significance of COX6C in human diseases.

Mitochondria, independent double-membrane organelles, are intracellular power plants that feed most eukaryotic cells with the ATP produced via the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Consistently, cytochrome c oxidase (COX) catalyzes the electron transfer chain's final step. Electrons are transferred from reduced cytochrome c to molecular oxygen and play an indispensable role in oxidative phosphorylation of cells. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6c (COX6C) is encoded by the nuclear genome in the ribosome after translation and is transported to mitochondria via different pathways, and eventually forms the COX complex. In recent years, many studies have shown the abnormal level of COX6C in familial hypercholesterolemia, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine leiomyoma, follicular thyroid cancer, melanoma tissues, and other conditions. Its underlying mechanism may be related to the cellular oxidative phosphorylation pathway in tissue injury disease. Here reviews the varied function of COX6C in non-tumor and tumor diseases.

Baseline and Impact of First-Year Intervention on Schistosoma haematobium Infection in Seasonal Transmission Foci in the Northern and Central Parts of Côte d'Ivoire.

In order to assess the impact of different control strategies against Schistosoma haematobium in seasonal transmission foci in Côte d'Ivoire, a three-year cluster randomized trial was implemented. The decrease in S. haematobium prevalence among children aged 9-12 years was the primary outcome. In the first step, an eligibility survey was conducted, subjecting 50 children aged 13-14 years to a single urine filtration. Sixty-four villages with a prevalence of S. haematobium of ≥4% were selected and randomly assigned to four intervention arms consisting of annual mass drug administration (MDA) before (arm 1) and after (arm 2) the peak transmission, biannual treatment with praziquantel before and after the peak transmission season (arm 3), and annual MDA before the peak transmission season, coupled with focal chemical snail control using molluscicides (arm 4). At baseline, we observed a prevalence of 24.8%, 10.1%, 13.9%, and 15.9% in study arms 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. One year after the first intervention, the prevalence decreased in all study arms by about two-thirds or more. The prevalence in arm 2 was lower than in arm 1 (3.5% vs. 8.1%), but the difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio (OR) = 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-1.80). After adjusting for baseline prevalence, arms 1 and 2 performed roughly similarly (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.34-3.07). The prevalence in arms 3 and 4 (1.9% and 2.2%) were significantly lower compared to arm 1 in the unadjusted and the adjusted models (arm 3 vs. arm 1, OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.05-0.95, aOR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.08-0.48; arm 4 vs. arm 1, OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.08-0.85, aOR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.06-0.87). The initial intervention showed a significant impact on the prevalence of S. haematobium. It will be interesting to monitor the comparative impact of the different intervention arms and to determine whether the interruption of seasonal transmission of S. haematobium can be achieved in this epidemiological setting within three years.

Systematic analysis on chemical constituents of Mori Cortex, mulberry root bark and its phellem layer based on HPLC-ESI-MS / 中国中药杂志

In this study, HPLC-ESI-MS and HPLC methods were established to explore the differences in the main chemical components and content of Mori Cortex with(mulberry root bark) and without(Mori Cortex) the phellem layer from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The HPLC-ESI-MS method was used for quality analysis in positive and negative ion modes, and 33 compounds were identified in mulberry root bark, 22 compounds in Mori Cortex, and 26 compounds in phellem layer; mulberry root bark and Mori Cortex shared 22 components, and mulberry root bark has 11 unique compounds; Mori Cortex and its phellem layer shared 15 components, while Mori Cortex has 7 unique compounds. HPLC method was used to simultaneously determine 7 major constituents, including mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, dihydromorin, oxyresveratrol, moracin O, kuwanon G, and kuwanon H, and the developed method showed good linearity(r>0.998 9) within the concentration range and the recoveries varied from 99.88% to 103.0%, and the RSD was 1.7%-2.9%. The HPLC results showed that the contents of the 7 compounds have great differences in 13 batches samples, compared with mulberry root bark, the contents of mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, dihydromorin and moracin O of Mori Cortex were increased, while the contents of oxyresveratrol, kuwanon G and kuwanon H were decreased after peeling process. These results can provide a basis for the rationality and quality control of Mori Cortex required to remove the phellem layer.

The function of SEC22B and its role in human diseases.

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins are a large protein complex that is involved in the membrane fusion in vesicle trafficking, cell growth, cytokinesis, membrane repair, and synaptic transmission. As one of the SNARE proteins, SEC22B functions in membrane fusion of vesicle trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, antigen cross-presentation, secretory autophagy, and other biological processes. However, apart from not being SNARE proteins, there is little knowledge known about its two homologs (SEC22A and SEC22C). SEC22B alterations have been reported in many human diseases, especially, many mutations of SEC22B in human cancers have been detected. In this review, we will introduce the specific functions of SEC22B, and summarize the researches about SEC22B in human cancers and other diseases. These findings have laid the foundation for further studies to clarify the exact mechanism of SEC22B in the pathological process and to seek new therapeutic targets and better treatment strategies.

Snail-Related Contributions from the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation Program Including Xenomonitoring, Focal Mollusciciding, Biological Control, and Modeling.

The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) was created in 2008 to answer questions of importance to program managers working to reduce the burden of schistosomiasis in Africa. In the past, intermediate host snail monitoring and control was an important part of integrated schistosomiasis control. However, in Africa, efforts to control snails have declined dramatically over the last 30 years. A resurgence of interest in the control of snails has been prompted by the realization, backed by a World Health Assembly resolution (WHA65.21), that mass drug administration alone may be insufficient to achieve schistosomiasis elimination. SCORE has supported work on snail identification and mapping and investigated how xenomonitoring techniques can aid in the identification of infected snails and thereby identify potential transmission areas. Focal mollusciciding with niclosamide was undertaken in Zanzibar and Côte d'Ivoire as a part of elimination studies. Two studies involving biological control of snails were conducted: one explored the association of freshwater riverine prawns and snail hosts in Côte d'Ivoire and the other assessed the current distribution of Procambarus clarkii, the invasive Louisiana red swamp crayfish, in Kenya and its association with snail hosts and schistosomiasis transmission. SCORE also supported modeling studies on the importance of snail control in achieving elimination and a meta-analysis of the impact of molluscicide-based snail control programs on human schistosomiasis prevalence and incidence. SCORE's snail control studies contributed to increased investment in building capacity, and specimens collected during SCORE research deposited in the Schistosomiasis Collections at the Natural History Museum (SCAN) will provide a valuable resource for the years to come.

Molecular characterization and distribution of Schistosoma cercariae collected from naturally infected bulinid snails in northern and central Côte d'Ivoire.

BACKGROUND: Accurate identification of schistosome species infecting intermediate host snails is important for understanding parasite transmission, schistosomiasis control and elimination. Cercariae emerging from infected snails cannot be precisely identified morphologically to the species level. We used molecular tools to clarify the distribution of the Schistosoma haematobium group species infecting bulinid snails in a large part of Côte d'Ivoire and confirmed the presence of interspecific hybrid schistosomes. METHODS: Between June 2016 and March 2017, Bulinus snails were sampled in 164 human-water contact sites from 22 villages of the northern and central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. Multi-locus genetic analysis (mitochondrial cox1 and nuclear ITS) was performed on individual schistosome cercariae shed from snails, in the morning and in the afternoon, for species and hybrid identification. RESULTS: Overall, 1923 Bulinus truncatus, 255 Bulinus globosus and 1424 Bulinus forskalii were obtained. Among 2417 Bulinus screened, 25 specimens (18 B. truncatus and seven B. globosus) shed schistosomes, with up to 14% infection prevalence per site and time point. Globally, infection rates per time point ranged between 0.6 and 4%. Schistosoma bovis, S. haematobium and S. bovis × S. haematobium hybrids infected 0.5%, 0.2% and 0.4% of the snails screened, respectively. Schistosoma bovis and hybrids were more prevalent in B. truncatus, whereas S. haematobium and hybrid infections were more prevalent in B. globosus. Schistosoma bovis-infected Bulinus were predominantly found in northern sites, while S. haematobium and hybrid infected snails were mainly found in central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. CONCLUSIONS: The data highlight the necessity of using molecular tools to identify and understand which schistosome species are transmitted by specific intermediate host snails. The study deepens our understanding of the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of S. haematobium and S. bovis in Côte d'Ivoire and provides the first conclusive evidence for the transmission of S. haematobium × S. bovis hybrids in this West African country. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN10926858. Registered 21 December 2016; retrospectively registered (see: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10926858 ).

p38MAPK/SGK1 signaling regulates macrophage polarization in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized with multifocal demyelination resulting from activation and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the central nerve system. Recent reports suggest that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) / serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible protein kinase 1 (SGK1) signaling pathway contributes to the pathology of MS through regulation of immunity. However, the role of this signaling pathway in MS-related macrophage activation and polarization has not been studied. Here, we used an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model for MS to study the role of p38MAPK/SGK1 signaling in the macrophage polarization and its effects on the development and severity of EAE. Here, we found that p38MAPK/SGK1 signaling is required for IL4-induced M2 macrophage polarization in vitro. Chitin-induced M2 macrophage polarization reduces the severity of EAE in mice. Generation of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying sh-p38 or sh-SGK1 under the control of a CD68 promoter successfully knockdown p38 or SGK1 levels in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with AAV-sh-p38 or AAV-sh-SGK1 abolished the effects of Chitin on macrophage polarization and the severity of EAE. Thus, our data suggest that p38MAPK/SGK1 signaling induces M2 macrophage polarization, which reduces the severity of EAE, a model for MS.

Spatio-temporal population genetic structure, relative to demographic and ecological characteristics, in the freshwater snail Biomphalaria pfeifferi in Man, western Côte d'Ivoire.

Combining the analysis of spatial and temporal variation when investigating population structure enhances our capacity for unravelling the biotic and abiotic factors responsible for microevolutionary change. This work aimed at measuring the spatial and temporal genetic structure of populations of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria pfeifferi (the intermediate host of the trematode Schistosoma mansoni) in relation to the mating system (self-fertilization), demography, parasite prevalence and some ecological parameters. Snail populations were sampled four times in seven human-water contact sites in the Man region, western Côte d'Ivoire, and their variability was measured at five microsatellite loci. Limited genetic diversity and high selfing rates were observed in the populations studied. We failed to reveal an effect of demographic and ecological parameters on within-population diversity, perhaps as a result of a too small number of populations. A strong spatial genetic differentiation was detected among populations. The temporal differentiation within populations was high in most populations, though lower than the spatial differentiation. All estimates of effective population size were lower than seven suggesting a strong effect of genetic drift. However, the genetic drift was compensated by high gene flow. The genetic structure within and among populations reflected that observed in other selfing snail species, relying on high selfing rates, low effective population sizes, environmental stochasticity and high gene flow.

Lipid metabolism in Alzheimer's disease.

Since the metabolic disorder may be the high risk that contribute to the progress of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Overtaken of High-fat, high-glucose or high-cholesterol diet may hasten the incidence of AD in later life, due to the metabolic dysfunction. But the metabolism of lipid in brain and the exact effect of lipid to brain or to the AD's pathological remain controversial. Here we summarize correlates of lipid metabolism and AD to provide more foundation for the daily nursing of AD sensitive patients.

CZ-7, a new derivative of Claulansine F, ameliorates 2VO-induced vascular dementia in rats through a Nrf2-mediated antioxidant responses.

Vascular dementia (VD) results from accumulated damage in the vascular system, which is characterized by progressive impairments in memory and cognition and is second only to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in prevalence among all types of dementia. In contrast to AD, there is no FDA-approved treatment for VD owing to its multiple etiologies. In this study, we investigated whether CZ-7, a new derivative of Claulansine F (Clau F) with verified neuroprotective activity in vitro, could ameliorate the cognitive impairment of rats with permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO) and its potential mechanisms of action. The 2VO rats were orally administered CZ-7 (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) from day 27 to day 53 post-surgery. Morris water maze tests conducted at day 48-51 revealed that CZ-7 administration significantly reduced the escape latency in 2VO rats. After the rats were sacrificed on day 53, morphological studies using Nissl and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining showed that administration of CZ-7 markedly attenuated the pathological changes in CA1-CA3 area of the hippocampus, including neuronal cell loss, nuclear shrinkage, and dark staining of neurons, and significantly decreased the chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced cell loss. Klüver-Barrera staining study revealed that CZ-7 administration significantly improved the white matter lesions. 8-OHdG and reactive oxygen species (ROS) immunofluorescent analyses showed that CZ-7 administration significantly decreased oxidative stress in CA1-CA3 area of the hippocampus. Finally, we found that the CZ-7-improved oxidative stress might be mediated via the Nrf2 pathway, evidenced by the double immunofluorescent staining of Nrf2 and the elevation of expression levels of oxidative stress proteins HO-1 and NQO1. In conclusion, CZ-7 has therapeutic potential for VD by alleviating oxidative stress injury through Nrf2-mediated antioxidant responses.

Changes in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha target gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To identify differences in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) target genes in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among Chinese individuals. METHODS: Thirty healthy subjects were selected as the control group (CN), and 43 patients newly diagnosed with NAFLD were subdivided into two groups, non-obese group (NF, n = 21) and obese group (OF, n = 22). Expression of PPARα and its target genes was determined in PBMCs. The levels of liver cell damage markers, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), glucose, and insulin were determined in serum. RESULTS: Compared to the CN group, the blood pressure and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were increased in the other groups (P < 0.05), while the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and liver cell damage markers were significantly increased in the OF group (P < 0.05). In the OF group, PPARα target gene expression was 2.03-3.31 times higher than that in the CN group, and a negative correlation was found between PPARα target gene expression and abdominal circumference (AC), body mass index (BMI), diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Additionally, solute carrier family 25 (carnitine/acylcarnitine translocase) member 20 (SLC25A20) and acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase 2 long chain (ACADVL) were negatively correlated with HOMA-IR; PPARα, acetyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase 2 (ACAA2), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) were positively correlated with HOMA-IR. CONCLUSION: There is an up-expression of PPARα target genes in the PBMCs of NAFLD patients, possibly leading to changes in ß-oxidation and insulin resistance.

The lived experiences of patients undergoing acellular porcine corneal stroma transplantation.

To explore the lived experiences of patients undergoing acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) transplantation, a descriptive, qualitative design was performed. A purposive sample of 13 patients who underwent APCS transplantation to treat progressive infectious keratitis were enrolled in the semi-structured, open-ended interviews. The taped and transcribed interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Alterations in the transparency of APCS grafts were accompanied by a gradual improved visual acuity (before surgery: 1.38± 0.91 logMAR; 3mo postoperatively: 0.40±0.24 logMAR, respectively). Accordingly, in terms of lived experiences, the patients generally reported "negative" experiences before the operation and during the early postoperative period, but this was greatly improved 3mo after surgery. Four main themes were derived: anxiety and fear, stigma, lifestyle change, and gratitude and insights. Conclusively, health care professionals should provide holistic care for patients, proactively promoting patients' physical and mental health.

Safety of antivascular endothelial growth factor administration in the ocular anterior segment in pterygium and neovascular glaucoma treatment: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anti-VEGF agents has been widely used in ocular diseases, but its safety for treating anterior segment disorders, the conclusions are controversial. METHODS: Several major databases, including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, were searched. Safety data from 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were used to compare anti-VEGF treatment in the ocular anterior segment in pterygium and neovascular glaucoma treatment with placebo/sham treatment for eye diseases. A meta-analysis for adverse events was performed. RESULTS: Eighteen RCT studies with 955 eyes were included in the meta-analysis. Significant difference in conjunctival disorders (OR: 1.62; 95% CI, 1.01-2.59; P = .05) was noted among the included studies, but not in ocular intolerance (odds ratio [OR]: 0.75; 95% CI, 0.34-1.62; P = .46), corneal disorders (OR: 0.71; 95% CI, 0.37-1.37; P = .31), or the subgroup analysis of conjunctival disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of anti-VEGF agents in the ocular anterior segment for patients with pterygium and glaucoma was tolerable in tolerance and cornea, but was the risk factor of conjunctival disorders. The healing of corneal epithelium may be delayed in patients with primary corneal epithelial defects after anti-VEGF application. However, due to the limited evidence, further research should be performed on the safety of anti-VEGF administration in patients with different corneal disorders.

Myelin injury in the central nervous system and Alzheimer's disease.

Myelin is a membrane wrapped around the axon of the nerve cell, which is composed of the mature oligodendrocytes. The role of myelin is to insulate and prevent the nerve electrical impulses from the axon of the neurons to the axons of the other neurons, which is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Minor changes in myelin thickness could lead to substantial changes in conduction speed and may thus alter neural circuit function. Demyelination is the myelin damage, which characterized by the loss of nerve sheath and the relative fatigue of the neuronal sheath and axon. Studies have shown that myelin injury may be closely related to neurodegenerative diseases and may be an early diagnostic criteria and therapeutic target. Thus this review summarizes the recent result of pathologic effect and signal pathways of myelin injury in neurodegenerative diseases, especially the Alzheimer's disease to provide new and effective therapeutic targets.

Distribution of Plasmodium spp. infection in asymptomatic carriers in perennial and low seasonal malaria transmission settings in West Africa.

BACKGROUND: Since 2000, substantial progress has been made in reducing malaria worldwide. However, some countries in West Africa remain a hotspot for malaria with all age groups at risk. Asymptomatic carriers of Plasmodium spp. are important sources of infections for malaria vectors and thus contribute to the anchoring of the disease in favourable eco-epidemiological settings. The objective of this study was to assess the asymptomatic malaria case rates in Korhogo and Kaedi, two urban areas in northern Côte d'Ivoire and southern Mauritania, respectively. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were carried out during the rainy season in 2014 and the dry season in 2015 in both settings. During each season, 728 households were randomly selected and a household-based questionnaire was implemented to collect demographic and epidemiological data, including of malaria preventive methods used in communities. Finger-prick blood samples were obtained for biological examination using microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). RESULTS: Overall, 2672 households and 15 858 consenting participants were surveyed. Plasmodium spp. infection was confirmed in 12.4% (n = 832) and 0.3% (n = 22) of the assessed individuals in Korhogo and Kaedi, respectively. In Korhogo, the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria was 10.5% (95% CI: 9.7-11.2) as determined by microscopy and 9.3% (95% CI: 8.6-10.0%) when assessed by RDT. In Kaedi, asymptomatic malaria prevalence was 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1-0.4%) according to microscopy, while all RDTs performed were negative (n = 8372). In Korhogo, asymptomatic malaria infection was significantly associated with age and season, with higher risk within the 5-14 years-old, and during the rainy season. In Kaedi, the risk of asymptomatic malaria infection was associated with season only (higher during the dry season; crude OR (cOR): 6.37, 95% CI: 1.87-21.63). P. falciparum was the predominant species identified in both study sites representing 99.2% (n = 825) in Korhogo and 59.1% (n = 13) in Kaedi. Gametocytes were observed only in Korhogo and only during the rainy season at 1.3% (95% CI: 0.7-2.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show a low prevalence of clinical malaria episodes with a significant proportion of asymptomatic carriers in both urban areas. National policies for malaria infections are focused on treatment of symptomatic cases. Malaria control strategies should be designed for monitoring and managing malaria infections in asymptomatic carriers. Additional measures, including indoor residual spraying, effective use of long-lasting insecticidal nets is strongly needed to reduce the number of Plasmodium spp. infections in Korhogo and Kaedi.

Interrupting seasonal transmission of Schistosoma haematobium and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in northern and central Côte d'Ivoire: a SCORE study protocol.

BACKGROUND: To achieve a world free of schistosomiasis, the objective is to scale up control and elimination efforts in all endemic countries. Where interruption of transmission is considered feasible, countries are encouraged to implement a comprehensive intervention package, including preventive chemotherapy, information, education and communication (IEC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and snail control. In northern and central Côte d'Ivoire, transmission of Schistosoma haematobium is seasonal and elimination might be achieved. In a cluster-randomised trial, we will assess different treatment schemes to interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis over a 3-year period. We will compare the impact of (i) arm A: annual mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel and albendazole before the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (ii) arm B: annual MDA after the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (iii) arm C: two yearly treatments before and after peak schistosomiasis transmission; and (iv) arm D: annual MDA before peak schistosomiasis transmission, coupled with chemical snail control using niclosamide. METHODS/DESIGN: The prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth infections will be assessed using urine filtration and Kato-Katz thick smears, respectively, in six administrative regions in northern and central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. Once a year, urine and stool samples will be collected and examined from 50 children aged 5-8 years, 100 children aged 9-12 years and 50 adults aged 20-55 years in each of 60 selected villages. Changes in S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and intensity will be assessed between years and stratified by intervention arm. In the 15 villages randomly assigned to intervention arm D, intermediate host snails will be collected three times per year, before niclosamide is applied to the selected freshwater bodies. The snail abundance and infection rates over time will allow drawing inference on the force of transmission. DISCUSSION: This cluster-randomised intervention trial will elucidate whether in an area with seasonal transmission, the four different treatment schemes can interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Lessons learned will help to guide schistosomiasis control and elimination programmes elsewhere in Africa. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN ISRCTN10926858 . Registered 21 December 2016. Retrospectively registered.