This study aimed to investigate the presence of human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus in male lichen sclerosus patients. We extracted DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded foreskin tissue blocks of 47 male LS patients and 30 healthy men and performed real-time PCR test to detect HPV and EBV. None of the 47 LS patients and 30 healthy men had detectable HPV infection. EBV was detected in 18 LS patients (38.3%) and four healthy men (13.3%), the difference is significant (P < 0.05). Tissue blocks with significant inflammatory reaction tend to have higher EBV load. HPV has no significant relationship with LS. Male LS patients have higher EBV infection rate, but the role of EBV in the pathogenesis of LS needs further investigate.

Teaching competition is an effective way for college and university teachers to improve their teaching skills. Based on the teaching practice and experience in medical parasitology,this paper discusses several key issues in teaching competition including topics,teaching designs and teaching methods. It provides references for the teachers in department of parasitology of universities and colleges to improve the quality of classroom teaching.

Objective To explore the anti-tumor effect of 17XL strains of Plasmodium yoelii(P.y)infection on melanoma in mice. Methods B16F10 tumor cells were axillarilly injected into the right flank of 20 C57BL/6 mice to establish tumor-bearing mouse models. The next day,the mice were randomly divided into a P.y infection group and control group,10 mice each group. Each mouse of the P.y infection group was intraperitoneally injected with 1×106 red blood cells including 20% P.y infection red blood cells,and each one of the control group were intraperitoneally injected with 1×106 normal red blood cells of C57BL/6 mice. The time of tumor formation of the mice in the two groups was observed and the tumor volumes were measured. Results The time of tumor formation in the P.y infection group[(11.30 ± 0.21)d]was significantly later than that in the control group [(10.40 ± 0.22)d](P < 0.05). From the tumors could be accurately measured to the study end point,both the tumors of mice in the two groups were growing,and the tumor volumes of mice in the P.y infection group were significantly less than those in the control group at each time point(all P < 0.05). The growth rate of tumors in the P.y infection group[(71.10 ± 6.29)mm3/d]was significantly slower than that in the control group[(302.80 ± 49.94)mm3/d](P < 0.05),and the growth rates of tumors every day in the P.y infection group were significantly slower than those in the control group(all P < 0.05). Conclusion The P.y in-fection can delay the occurrence of tumor and inhibit the growth of melanoma.

To establish a simple,convenient,sensitive,and specific method for rapid detection of Zi-ka virus(ZIKV),the whole genome sequences of ZIKV isolated from different times and regions were analyzed.The specific primers and probes were designed based on the screened target se-quences located in the conserved region of the ZIKV NS5 gene.By combining RT-LAMP isother-mal amplification technology and immunochromatography technology,a reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification nucleic acid and flow visualization strip(RT-LAMP-VF)detec-tion method for ZIKV was established.The results showed that the method had good specificity and sensitivity.When the ratio of inner,outer,and ring primers(FIP∶LF∶F3)was 4∶2∶1,the detection method can specifically detect 102 copies/pL RNA transcripts or 2.15 pfu ZIKV at 61 ℃for 45 minutes,with no cross reaction with other flaviviruses such as Japanese encephalitis virus and classical swine fever virus.Other RNAs in blood tissue samples did not affect the sensitivity and specificity of RT-LAMP-VF,indicating that the method can be applied to clinical practice.The ZIKV RT-LAMP-VF detection method established in this study is easy to perform and does not require special instruments and equipment.It is particularly suitable for the rapid detection of ZIKV in grassroots units,providing technical support and material support for the establishment of on-site rapid detection and early warning and prediction systems for ZIKV disease.

OBJECTIVES: Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with anhedonia tend to have a poor prognosis. The underlying imaging basis for anhedonia in MDD remains largely unknown. The relationship between nodal properties and anhedonia in MDD patients need to be further investigated. Herein, this study aims to explore differences of cerebral functional node characteristics in MDD patients with severe anhedonia (MDD-SA) and MDD patients with mild anhedonia (MDD-MA) before and after the antidepressant treatment. METHODS: Ninety participants with current MDD were recruited in this study. 24-Item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) were used to assess the severity of depression and anhedonia at baseline and the end of 6-months treatment. The MDD patients who scored above the 25th percentile on the SHAPS were assigned to an MDD-SA group (n=19), while those who scored below the 25th percentile were assigned to an MDD-MA group (n=18). All patients in the 2 groups received antidepressant treatment. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images of all the patients were collected at baseline and the end of 6-months treatment. Graph theory was applied to analyze the patients' cerebral functional nodal characteristics, which were measured by efficiency (e_i) and degree (k_i). RESULTS: Repeated measures 2-factor ANCOVA showed significant main effects on group on the e_i and k_i values of left superior frontal gyrus (LSFG) (P=0.003 and P=0.008, respectively), and on the e_i and k_i values of left medial orbital-frontal gyrus (LMOFG) (P=0.004 and P=0.008, respectively). Compared with the MDD-MA group, the significantly higher e_i and k_i values of the LSFG (P=0.015 and P=0.021, respectively), and the significantly higher e_i and k_i values of the LMOFG (P=0.015 and P=0.037, respectively) were observed in the MDD-SA group at baseline. Meanwhile, higher SHAPS scores could result in higher e_i and k_i values of LSFG (P=0.019 and P=0.026, respectively), and higher e_i value of LMOFG (P=0.040) at baseline; higher SHAPS scores could result in higher e_i values of LSFG (P=0.049) at the end of 6-months treatment. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that sex were negatively correlated with the e_i and k_i values of LSFG (r= -0.014, P=0.004; r=-1.153, P=0.001, respectively). The onset age of MDD was negatively correlated with the k_i value of LSFG (r=-0.420, P=0.034) at the end of 6-months treatment. We also found that SHAPS scores at baseline were positively correlated with the HAMD-24 scores (r=0.387, P=0.022) at the end of 6-months treatment. CONCLUSIONS There are obvious differences in nodal properties between the MDD-SA and the MDD-MA patients, such as the high e_i of LSFG in the MDD-SA patients, which may be associated with the severity of anhedonia. These nodal properties could be potential biomarkers for the prognosis of MDD. The increased e_i and k_i values in the LSFG of MDD-SA patients may underlie a compensatory mechanism or protective mechanism. The mechanism may be an important component of the pathological mechanism of MDD-SA. The poor prognosis in the MDD-SA patients suggests that anhedonia may predict a worse prognosis in MDD patients. Sex and onset age of MDD may affect the nodal properties of LSFG at baseline and the end of 6-months treatment.
Anhedonia ; Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use* ; Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prefrontal Cortex