Objective To evaluate the effect of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) on paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.Methods Fifty-four male Kunming mice,aged 8-10 weeks,weighing 30-35 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=18 each) using a random number table:control group (C group),pulmonary fibrosis group (PF group) and CNP group.Paraquat 10 mg/kg (in 0.1 ml of normal saline) was injected intraperitoneally once every 3 days for 5 times in total in PF and CNP groups,and in addition CNP 3 μg/kg (in 0.1 ml of normal saline) was simultaneously injected via the tail vein once every 2 days for 14 times in total in group CNP.The equal volume of normal saline was given instead of paraquat in group C.On days 1,8 and 15 after the end of administation of paraquat,6 mice were sacrificed,and lungs were removed for determination of wet to dry weight ratio (W/D ratio),hydroxyproline (HYP) content (using alkaline hydrolysis),and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) content (using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay) in lung tissues.Results Compared with group C,the W/D ratio and contents of HYP and TGF-β1 in lung tissues were significantly increased at each time point after the end of administation of paraquat (P＜0.05),and the pulmonary fibrosis was obvious in group PF.Compared with group PF,the W/D ratio and contents of HYP and TGF-β1 in lung tissues were significantly decreased at each time point after the end of administation of paraquat (P＜0.05),and the pulmonary fibrosis was significantly attenuated in group CNP.Conclusion CNP can reduce paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Objective: To investigate the difference in influencing factors for diabetes between urban and rural residents in Hefei City, so as to provide the basis for control and research of diabetes. Methods: The residents aged 18 years and older were selected using the stratified multistage random sampling method from 5 districts (counties) in Hefei City from August to December 2021. Demographic information, smoking, self-rated health status and sleep duration were collected through questionnaire surveys. Height, body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured. The crude prevalence of diabetes was calculated and standardized by age using China Statistical Yearbook 2022. Factors affecting diabetes were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Totally 10 443 residents were investigated, including 6 386 urban residents (61.15%) and 4 057 rural residents (38.85%). There were 4 690 males (44.91%) and 5 753 females (55.09%). Diabetes were detected in 1 492 cases, with a standardized prevalence of 9.57%. The standardized prevalence of diabetes among urban and rural residents were 9.21% and 12.58%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that region, age, educational level, occupation, body mass index and self-rated health status were influencing factors for diabetes. Further analysis stratified by urban and rural area showed that, in addition to the above factors, gender and smoking were influencing factors for diabetes among urban residents, while sleep duration was the influencing factor for diabetes among rural residents (all P<0.05). Conclusions There are urban-rural differences in the prevalence of diabetes among residents in Hefei City, and the prevalence of diabetes is associated with age, educational level, occupation, body mass index and self-rated health status.

Hydatid worms, hosted by humans and animals, impose serious human health risk and cause significant livestock production loss. To better understand the disease infection status in Xinjiang, China, we investigated the disease epidemics in 4 livestock animals, i.e., cattle, sheep (both sheep and goat), camels, and horses, slaughtered at the abattoirs in Urumqi, Yining, Tacheng, and Altay areas. The results showed that the animals were infected at different rates, in the order of sheep (9.8%), cattle (8.4%), camels (6.8%), and horses (4.3%). The infection rates were found to be different between the abattoirs in various regions even for the same animals. For sheep, the rates increased significantly as the animals grew older. It was 1.9% before 1 year of age and increased to 8.2% in the age of 1-2 years, and further increased to 12.3% when the animals were 3-4 years old, and reached 17.2% when they were 5-6 year old. Sheep older than 6 years had an infection rate of 19.5%. This study demonstrates that the 4 livestock animals in the pastoral areas in Xinjiang were infected by the parasites to various extend. This study is the first systematic investigation of the hydatid worms in various livestock animals in Xinjiang, China, which provides epidemiological information about the infection of hydatid worms in livestock, and is valuable in developing strategies for prevention and control of the hydatid disease.
Age Factors ; Animals ; China/epidemiology ; Echinococcosis/epidemiology/*veterinary ; *Livestock ; Prevalence

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) in sheep is a hazardous zoonotic parasitic disease that is caused by Echinococcus granulosus (Eg). At present, serological test is an important diagnostic method for Eg infection in domestic animals. Here, a fusion protein Eg mefAg-1 harboring 8 dominant B-cell epitopes of Eg such as antigen B, tetraspanin 1, tetraspanin 6, reticulon and Eg95 was produced in E. coli and evaluated for CE in sheep by indirect ELISA. Eg mefAg-1 showed in ELISA a high sensitivity (93.41%) and specificity (99.31%), with a coincidence rate of 97.02%. Overall, it is suggested that the Eg mefAg-1 could be a potential antigen candidate for CE serodiagnosis in sheep.
Animals, Domestic ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcus granulosus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte ; Methods ; Parasitic Diseases ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serologic Tests ; Sheep