Objective To preliminarily understand the infection of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in Cangyuan County, a southern border area of Yunnan Province, and provide a reference basis for the prevention and control of Chikungunya fever. Methods In April 2020, a total of 400 serum samples from individuals seeking medical care at the People's Hospital of Cangyuan County in Yunnan Province were collected. Among these, 121 samples were from healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations, and 279 samples were from patients with fever. The serum samples collected underwent CHIKV neutralizing antibody testing using a serum micro-neutralization assay. Real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect CHIKV nucleic acid in the samples, followed by analysis of the test results. Results The results of neutralizing antibodies showed that 18 of the 400 human serum samples were positive for neutralizing antibodies against CHIKV, with an overall positivity rate for serum samples of 4.5% (18/400). Among the 279 serum samples collected from patients with fever, 18 were positive for neutralizing antibodies against CHIKV, with a positive rate of 6.45% (18/279), and the neutralizing antibody titers ranged from 1∶10 to 1∶320. The results of 121 healthy human serum samples were negative for neutralizing antibodies against CHIKV. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR showed that 3 of the 400 human serum samples were positive for CHIKV nucleic acid, and the positive rate was 0.75% (3/400). Among the 279 serum samples collected from patients with fever, 3 samples were positive for CHIKV nucleic acid, with a positive rate of 1.08% (3/279), and Ct values ranged from 36.58 to 37.74. While all healthy human serum samples were negative for CHIKV nucleic acid. Conclusions The findings indicate that infection of CHIKV exists in the population of Cangyuan County, a southern border area of Yunnan Province, and an outbreak of the disease is occurring. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring, prevention, and control of CHIKV in this area.

Objective This study aims to comprehensively investigate the molecular characteristics of the predominant circulating Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) during the 2019 Dengue fever outbreak in Xishuangbanna, providing an essential insight to support the prevention and control of dengue fever in the local area. Methods A Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) strain, designated as JHS45, isolated from the blood of a febrile patient in Xishuangbanna in 2019, underwent a process of inoculation and cultivation in C6/36 cells. Second-generation sequencing was employed to capture the viral genetic sequence. Bioinformatics software, including CLC, was used for assembling the sequencing data. Sequentially, sequence alignment, construction of a phylogenetic tree, and analysis of amino acid sites were conducted using software such as Lasergene and MEGA6.1. Results Cytopathic effects of JHS45 appeared in C6/36 cells after 6 days. After sequencing and assembly, a 10 687-nucleotide (nt) long sequence of the JHS45 virus was obtained (GenBank accession number: OR593353). Genetic evolutionary analysis revealed that the JHS45 virus formed an evolutionary branch with DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang in China during 2019, as well as the DENV-1 genotype I virus prevalent in Thailand in 2013, with nucleotide homology of 97.6% to 99.9% and amino acid homology of 99.1% to 100%. Further analysis revealed that the JHS45 strain shared a smaller evolutionary branch with the DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna (MW386863) and Guangzhou (MW261839) in 2019, showing the highest homology with nucleotide and amino acid homology of 99.9% and 100%, respectively. Amino acid differential site analysis between the JHS45 strain and the DENV-1 prevalent in Xishuangbanna since 2015 revealed 40 amino acid differential sites in the coding region of the JHS45 virus, primarily concentrated in the NS3 and NS5 regions of non-structural proteins. Conclusion The comprehensive analysis of the JHS45 strain's whole genome sequence indicates it is a DENV-1 genotype I virus. The genetic evolutionary relationship between this Xishuangbanna dengue fever outbreak is closely related to the prevalent virus strains in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang. These findings provide a robust scientific foundation for monitoring dengue fever outbreaks, conducting virus evolution studies, and shaping effective prevention and control strategies, not only within Yunnan Province but also on a broader scale throughout China.

This paper describes the digital earth technology and its core technology-"3S" integration technology. The advance and promotion of the "3S" technology provide more favorable means and technical support for Chinese medicine resources survey, evaluation and appropriate zoning. Grid is a mature and popular technology that can connect all kinds of information resources. The author sums up the application of digital earth technology in the research of traditional Chinese medicine resources in recent years, and proposes the new method and technical route of investigation in traditional Chinese medicine resources, traditional Chinese medicine zoning and suitability assessment by combining the digital earth technology and grid.
Conservation of Natural Resources ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Research ; Satellite Communications ; Technology

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of VKORC1 gene -1639G/A polymorphism with atrial fibrillation (AF) in ethnic Uygurs and Hans from Xinjiang.

METHODSThe above polymorphism was detected among 100 Uygur and 102 Han AF patients and 103 Uygur and 111 Han subjects that have no AF with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.

RESULTSA statistically significant difference was detected between the patient and control groups of Uygur origin in terms of genotypic and allelic frequencies (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis also indicated the -1639G/A polymorphism as an independent risk factor for AF in Uygur population (OR=2.085, 95% CI: 1.067-4.072, P=0.031). No similar statistical difference was found between the patient and control groups of Han origin (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe -1639G/A polymorphism of VKORC1 gene is associated with AF in the Uygur population but not in Hans.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Atrial Fibrillation ; ethnology ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases ; genetics

Objective:To understand the prevalence of arboviruses in mosquito samples in Xichang City, Sichuan Province, and enrich the data of arbovirus activity and genetic characteristics in southwestern Sichuan Province.Methods:In June 2018, the nucleic acid was extracted from Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes collected from different pigsties in three villages and suburbs of Xichang City. The specific primers of Yunnan orbivirus, Banna virus, Tibet orbivirus (S7, S10), Flavivirus and alphavirus were used for quantitative polymerase chain reaction examination, and the positive product was cloned for sequencing analysis. Results:A total of 9 012 mosquitoes were collected, of which Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was the dominant species. A number of 88 batches of these mosquitoes were amplified, and 2 strains of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), 7 strains of Banna virus (BAV), 7 strains of Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV) and 1 strain of Yunnan orbivirus virus (YOUV) were detected, respectively. By the results of cluster analysis and evolutionary tree analysis, the 17 newly found virus strains were close to the Yunnan isolates, and 2 JEV strains were located in the GI-b clade. The other 7 strains of BAV were A2 evolutionary clades. Of the 7 TIBOV plants, 6 were located in the same clade. One TOUV was in the same clade as the Yunnan strain. Conclusions:Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes in Xichang city might carry JEV, BAV, YOUV and TIBOV, among them JEV was GI-b type and BAV was A2 type. The results provide data supporting the detection and analysis of arboviruses in Xichang city.

Objective: Investigate osteogenic differentiation of canine periodontal ligament stem cells ( cPDLSCs) via over-expression ephrinB2 in cPDLSCs． Methods : cPDLSCs were isolated from the premolars and molars of Beagle．After transfected with EfnB2-GFP-Bsd and GFP-Bsd empty Vector，cPDLSCs were induced to osteogenic differentiation．Western blot was used to invest the expression of ephrinB2 protein．The effect of osteogenic differentiation of EfnB2-cPDLSCs and Vector-cPDLSCs were analyzed by RT-PCR , CCK-8，Alizarin-red S staining and ALP. Results: There was no significant difference in cell proliferation between EfnB2-cPDLSCs and Vector-cPDLSCs．While EfnB2-cPDLSCs displayed an enhanced ALP activity and more prominent mineralized nodules compared with Vector-cPDLSCs．The odonto-/ osteogenic genes in EfnB2-cPDLSCs were also highly enhanced． Conclusion The results of our study indicated that ephrinB2 gene-transfected cPDLSCs showed enhanced osteogenic differentiation.