Abstract: Objective　To investigate the composition and diversity of midgut microbial community of Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV)． Methods　The midgut DNA of three group Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV was extracted, and the 16S rDNA gene of the sample was sequenced by HiSeq platform. The composition and diversity of endosymbiotic microbial community were clarified by OTU cluster analysis and alpha diversity analysis. Results　The midgut microbial clusters of the three groups infected with SFTSV were 143, 113, 163 OTUs respectively; the sparsity curve and abundance grade curve showed that the data had sufficient sequencing depth, and the midgut of Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV was rich in microbial composition, but the species distribution was uneven. The analysis of microbial community composition showed that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the main dominant bacteria at the phyla level. At the class level, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria and Actinomycetia were the main dominant bacteria. At the order level, Legionellales, Bacillales, Burkholderiales and Actinomycetales were the main dominant orders. At the family level, Coxiellaceae, Bacillaceae, Moraxellaceae and Rhodococcaceae were the main dominant families. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Coxiella was the highest, followed by Aeribaillus and Azonexus. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the average Shannon index was 139.67, the average Simpson index was 0.48, the average Chao index was 145.06, and the average ACE index was 147.11. Conclusions　The species diversity of intestinal microorganisms in Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV is rich. The results provide a basis for further exploring the interaction between intestinal microbes of Haemaphysalis longicornis and SFTSV and developing new ideas for the prevention and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases.

Objective To investigate prognostic factors of medullary thyroid carcinoma.Methods By using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis,the prognostic factors were investigated in 102 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma treated at this hospital.Results Overall survival rates of 5-year,10-year and 15-year were 87.4%,74.6%and 54.2%respectively by Kaplan-Meier method analysis.In univariate analysis,gender,age,bilateral thyroid lobe tumors,tumor size＞4 cm,invasion of thyroid capsule,distant metastasis,and non-radical tumor resection were significant poor prognostic factors.In multivariate analysis,tumor size＞4 cm(X2=7.43,P=0.0035),distant metastasis(X2=23.50,P=0.0000),and non-radical tumor resection(X2=25.90,P=0.0000)remained as independent pmgnostic factors.Conclusions Tumor size＞4 cm,distant metastasis,and non-radical tumor resection are the independent predictors of patients survival.Early diagnosis and early therapy can improve significantly the prognosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of post-traumatic abortion and the relationship between trauma and abortion. METHODS: We collected and analyzed 23 cases of post-traumatic abortion encountered in the department of clinical forensic medicine, faculty of forensic medicine, China Medical University in recent years. RESULTS: All 23 post-traumatic abort inns were early abortions. Their traumata were mild and external only. Vagina bleeding and abortion occurred shortly after trauma. Most patients were older, from countryside, or unemployed. CONCLUSION The causes of abortion are complex. Post-traumatic abortion can only be diagnosed after excluding non-traumatic factors. For those cases abortion occur shortly after injuries and non-traumatic factors can not be excluded, trauma should be assessed for its role in abortions as primary, secondary or induction factors correlated with clinical symptoms and pre-
Abdominal Injuries/complications* ; Abortion, Spontaneous/etiology* ; Adult ; Brain Injuries/complications* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Hemorrhage/etiology* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyse the clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis of patients with T-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) in intermediate-high and high risk.

METHODSFifty-four patients with T-cell NHL classified intermediate-high and high risk were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAccording to WHO classification criteria, there were 12 cases of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (TLBL), 31 peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified (PTCL-U), and 11 hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL). The IPI were 12 cases of intermediate-high risk and 42 high risk. Of them, 49 cases were bone marrow affected and 7 CNS affected. The response rate (RR) for the whole group was 86.5%, complete remission (CR) rate 67.3%, and 3-year survival rate 16.0%. The 3-year survival rates for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and chemotherapy groups were 44.4% and 8.3%, respectively. Multi-factor analysis showed that choice of therapy modality, and achievement of remission were significant factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONT-NHL is a group of heterogeneous malignancies. The response rate of intermediate-high and high risk T- NHL, especially PTCL-U and LTBL, is not low, but its long-term outcome is poor. New treatment modality needs to be explored for these patients, and autologous HSCT is perhaps a good choice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the -344T/C polymorphism of aldosterone synthase gene is associated with early renal damage in Han nationality with essential hypertension in Shandong province.

METHODSPlasma aldosterone concentration and urinary albumin excretion were measured with radioimmunoassays in 225 patients with essential hypertension, and hypertensives were classified as hypertension with normal albuminuria or hypertension with microalbuminuria according to urinary albumin excretion during 24 hours. -344T/C polymorphism of aldosterone synthase gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in controls and hypertensives.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found in genotype distribution among groups of control, primary hypertension with normal albuminuria and hypertension with microalbuminuria. The C allele frequency in hypertension with microal buminuria group was significantly higher than that in control and hypertension with normal albuminuria group (P < 0.05). In hypertensive patients, plasma aldosterone concentration and urinary albumin excretion of TC+CC genotypes were significantly higher than that of TT genotype ( P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that -344T/C polymorphism of aldosterone synthase gene may be associated with early renal damage in Han nationality with essential hypertension, C allele may be a genetic factor susceptible to renal damage in hypertensives.

Adult ; Albumins ; metabolism ; Albuminuria ; blood ; genetics ; Aldosterone ; blood ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2 ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; complications ; Kidney Diseases ; complications ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Radioimmunoassay

OBJECTIVETo compare the results of different treatment modalities for the advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma and investigate the factors that influence its prognosis.

METHODSNinety-two patients with advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma without distant metastasis, treated in our hospital from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariate analysis was performed by the Cox Proportional hazard model.

RESULTSThe overall 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 52.40% and 37.23% respectively. There was a significant difference in the overall between the two groups survival rate (chemotherapy only and radiotherapy after induced chemotherapy) and the three groups (operation only, operation after induced chemotherapy, radiotherapy after operation) cTNM stage, operation for the primary lesion and local recurrence were the independent factors that influenced the prognosis.

CONCLUSIONSRisk factors that independently influence the survival of patients with advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma were the local recurrence, cTNM and receiving operation or not for the primary lesion. Operation only or comprehensive therapy including operation could give a better prognosis, but the results of chemotherapy only or radiotherapy after chemotherapy were poor.

Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Tongue Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of induction chemotherapy on the patients with moderate tongue squamous cell carcinoma and to investigate the factors that influence prognosis of these patients.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty two patients with moderate tongue squamous cell carcinoma (stage II-III, T2-3 N0/T1-3N1), treated from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 69 and 53 patients were received operation alone and operation after induction chemotherapy respectively [cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil + bleomycin-A5 (PBF), 17 cases; bleomycin-A5, 36 cases]. Survival rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis by the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTSThe mean follow-time of all patients were (79.9 +/- 49.8) (x +/- s) months (range: 7 to 177 months), and 45 patients died (including 5 lost to follow up) , 66 of 77 patients alive followed more than 5 years. The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rate were 79.4% and 69. 0% respectively. The overall 3-year and 5-year free-disease survival rate were 71.7% and 66. 3% respectively. The survival rate of 3-year and 5-year was 82.5% and 73.1% respectively for the group of operation alone; 82.4% and 70.1% respectively for the group of operation after induction chemotherapy with PBF, 72.2% and 61.1% respectively for the group of operation after induction chemotherapy with bleomycin-A5; and there were no significant difference between the above three groups (chi2 = 0.42, P = 0.8106). The locoregional recurrence rate were 30.4%, 41.2% and 38.9% for the operation alone group, operation after PBF induction chemotherapy group and operation after bleomycin-A5 induction chemotherapy group respectively. No significant benefit on decreasing locoregional recurrence (chi2 = 1.148, P = 0.563) or distant metastasis rate (chi2 = 2.305, P = 0.316) were found by induction chemotherapy by univariate analysis. Using multivariate analysis, risk factor that independently influence survival was the recurrence.

CONCLUSIONSRisk factors that independently influence survival of moderate tongue squamous cell carcinoma was the locoregional recurrence. No significant benefit on improving survival rate or decreasing locoregional recurrence or metastasis rate were found by induction chemotherapy, there was no difference between the two induction chemotherapy schemes on the survival rate or locoregional recurrence or metastasis rate of these patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tongue Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe prostate apoptosis response factor-4 (Par-4) gene was originally identified by differential screening for genes that are up-regulated when prostate cells are induced to undergo apoptosis. Par-4 was found to possess potent apoptotic activity in various cellular systems in response to numerous stimuli. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Par-4 gene on the apoptosis of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) exposed to glutamate.

METHODSPrimary culture of hBMSCs was carried out and siRNAs targeted Par-4 gene (Par-4-SiRNA) were chemically synthesized. Eukaryocytic expression vector was built and were transfected into hBMSCs with liposome. After selecting with G418, the stable cell clones were treated with glutamate. The expression of Par-4 mRNA was determined by real-time PCR. The apoptosis of hBMSCs was quantified by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of phosphorylated Akt1 (Thr308). Relative Caspase-3 activity was determined by colorimetric assay.

RESULTSThe Par-4-SiRNA-1 and Par-4-siRNA-2 could markedly down-regulate the mRNA levels of Par-4 gene in hBMSCs. With the transfections of Par-4-SiRNA-1 and Par-4-SiRNA-2, the levels of Par-4 mRNA were respectively decreased by 88% and 67%. Both Par-4-SiRNA-1 and Par-4-SiRNA-2 inhibited significantly the apoptosis of hBMSCs induced by glutamate, in which the percentages of apoptotic cells were respectively decreased to 38.80% +/- 3.97% (P < 0.01) and 45.49% +/- 4.32% (P < 0.01) from 60.30% +/- 6.82%. Western blot assays demonstrated that, glutamate down-regulated the expression of phosphorylated Akt1 proteins in hBMSCs (89.07 +/- 6.42 and 28.30 +/- 5.65, respectively, P < 0.01). However, Par-4-SiRNA-1 and Par-4-SiRNA-2 could markedly recover the down-regulation of Akt1 proteins induced by glutamate (63.56 +/- 6.75 and 45.59 +/- 4.88, respectively, P < 0.01). And the relative Caspase-3 activity which was enhanced by the treatment with glutamate (0.1428 +/- 0.0495 and 0.8616 +/- 0.1051, P < 0.01), was suppressed by Par-4-SiRNA-1 and Par-4-SiRNA-2 (0.8616 +/- 0.1051 and 0.6581 +/- 0.0555, respectively, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSiRNA against Par-4 gene could inhibit the apoptosis of hBMSCs induced by glutamate, and its inhibitory effects may be mediated by the up-regulation of phosphorylated Akt1 and the suppression of the relative Caspase-3 activity.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of forensic identification cases involved with peripheral nerve injury, and to discuss how to apply the clinical information, forensic examination and neurophysiological testing. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight cases which were diagnosed peripheral nerve injury in clinic, were collected. Then the individual characteristics, injuries, identification results, exaggeration or camouflage were analysed. RESULTS: The male, the unemployed, and the young and middle-aged were common in our cases. The main reasons of "peripheral nerve injury" were traffic accidents and sharp injuries. Most wounded parts were in limbs. Also the exaggeration and camouflage accounted for a considerable proportion in our cases. CONCLUSION The forensic identification of "peripheral nerve injury" cases should be evaluated with clinical information, forensic examination and electrophysiological testing comprehensively.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Disability Evaluation ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction/physiology* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves/physiopathology* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Trauma Severity Indices ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating/physiopathology* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo timely summarize past experience and to provide more pertinent reference for control and prevention in A/H1N1 cases in influenza season.

METHODSDuring May 25 to 31, 2009, 2 secondary community cases caused by a influenza A/H1N1 imported case. In the close contacts of 3 A/H1N1 cases, 14 had some aspirator symptoms onset, such as fever (> or = 37.5 degrees C), cough, sore throat and etc. Laboratory tests excluded the infection of A/H1N1 influenza. For throat swab test for the 14 cases, 7 were tested for seasonal influenza virus. A face-to-face or telephone interview was conducted by CDC staff to collect information of 62 close contacts.

RESULTSOf 14 fever cases, there was no significant by differences by age[15-age group: 19.2% (5/26), over 25-age group: 25.0% (9/36); chi(2) = 0.287, P = 0.592]; by sex group [24.0% (6/25) for male and 21.6% (8/37) for female; chi(2) = 0.048, P = 0.826], by working units [dressing and design, photograph, saleroom and others, consumer group: 42.1% (8/19), 27.3% (3/11), 12.5% (2/16) and 6.3% (1/16); chi(2) = 7.653, P = 0.054], by dormitory style [dormitory style = 33.3% (4/12), non-dormitory style = 29.4% (10/34); chi(2) = 0.699, P = 0.403]. All the cases had fever (37.5 - 37.9 degrees C), no case had diarrhea. One in 3 A/H1N1 cases had diarrhea. All the 14 cases were negative result for A/H1N1 RNA. Six from 7 cases were positive for seasonal influenza test.

CONCLUSIONThis was a seasonal influenza outbreak happened in the close contacts of first confirmed A/H1N1 cases in community in mainland China. It showed that we should exclude the seasonal influenza in the investigation of A/H1N1 cases in the seasonal influenza period in some time. It is necessary to take effective measure to strengthen the control and prevention of seasonal influenza.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Community-Acquired Infections ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult