Objective To understand the species diversity of ectoparasites on Niviventer confucianus in the surrounding areas of Erhai Lake.Methods Small mammals were randomly captured in 12 investigated sites surrounding Erhai Lake with baited mouse cages.The cage-traps were examined and re-baited each morning.Trapped small mammals were brought to the laboratory for identification according to color, body length, ear length, hind foot length.All ec-toparasites on the surface of the hosts were collected and identified.The constituent ratio(C), prevalence(P) and average ectoparasite abundance(A) were used to evaluate the prevalence and density of ectoparasites.Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test was used to test differences in the abundance and richness of ectoparasites between female and male hosts.Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between ectoparasites and the body param-eters of hosts.Results Eighty-nine individuals of N.confucianus were captured, of which 79% were found infested with 51 species of ectoparasites, including 31 species of chigger mites, 13 species of mesostigmatid(gamasid) mites, 4 species of fleas and 3 species of sucking lice.Walchia ewingi Fuller(66.2%), Laelaps turkestanicus Lange(38.5%), Paradoxopsyllus custodies Jordan(42.9% ) and Hoplopleura pacifica(80.1% ) were the most predominant species of chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas, and sucking lice, respectively.Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test showed that there was no significant difference between male and female hosts on the species richness and abundance of total ec-toparasites, chigger mites, sucking lice, fleas or gamasid mites.Spearman correlation analysis showed that the abun-dance and species of total ectoparasites, chigger mites, sucking lice, fleas or gamasid mites were not correlated with the body weight of hosts.Conclusion There is a high speices diversity of ectoparasites on N.confucianus.Sucking lice, fleas, chiggers and gamasid mites are the main ectoparasites.

Objective To investigate the ecological niches of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) on the body surface of small mammal hosts and the co-evolutionary relationship between lice and mammal hosts in Yunnan Province. Method Thirty species of small mammals were captured and used as 30 resource sequences. The distribution and composition of the dominant 22 species of sucking lice on the body surface of the 30 species small mammal hosts were analyzed as the utilization proportion for each resource sequence. The niche breadth and proportional similarity were measured. SPSS 13.0 statistical software was used for analyzing the niche overlap matrix of sucking lice by hierarchical clustering analysis, and a dendrogram was made. Results The niche breadth was narrow for most species of sucking louse. Among the detected species, Hoplopleura pacifica showed the widest niche breadth, but only 0.1536. Indices of niche proportional similarity of most sucking lice were relatively small from 0.0005 to 0.4695. The 22 species of sucking lice were classified into 16 niche overlap groups, by ?=5.5, through a hierarchical clustering analysis for the niche overlaps, and the clustering process of most sucking lice was late. Conclusion The sucking lice have a high specificity for hosts, of which different species show an apparent niche divergence on host selection. The results reveal a high coevolution between sucking lice and the mammal hosts.

Leptotrombidium eothenomydis.There was a wide niche overlap between any two chigger species with all indices beyond 0.76.Slight positive association existed between each two dominant species of chigger mites by the coefficient of association(V).Conclusion The community structure of chigger mites on the 7 major species of rodent hosts is complex,reflecting a high diversity of mite species.The niche breadth of the 6 dominant chigger species is different with a wide niche overlap.

Objective To investigate the distribution of Leptotrombidium deliense among different small mammal hosts in some areas of Yunnan province. Methods A field survey was carried out in some counties of Yunnan province and the small mammal hosts were captured, using mouse cages and traps with baits. Chigger mites on the surface of two auricles were scraped off by a bistoury, and then preserved in 70% ethanol. Every specimen of the chigger mites on the slides was finally identified into species under a microscope. Some conventional statistical methods were adopted to calculate all the collected chigger mite species and the constituent ratios of Leptotrombidium deliense in different areas and on different hosts, together with its prevalence and mean abundance on different hosts. Results A total of 10 222 small mammal hosts were captured from 19 counties and identified as 11 families, 34 genera and 62 species in 5 orders, and 92 990 individuals of chigger mites were collected from the body surface of these small mammal hosts. All the collected chigger mites were identified as 3 subfamilies, 22 genera, and 225 species. Meanwhile, Leptotrombidium deliensee only accounted for 1.659% of the total. The host specificity of Leptotrombidium deliense was very low and 1544 individuals of Leptotrombidium deliense collected from 8518 small mammal hosts belonged to 6 families, 13 genera and 19 species in 3 orders. Our results showed that Leptotrombidium delienses were mainly collected from Insectivora and Rodentia. Leptotrombidium deliense had long been considered as the dominant species of chigger mites and the main vector of tsutsugamushi disease in Yunnan province of China, but our results seemed not thoroughly supporting this point of view. Conclusion Traditionally, Leptotrombidium deliense was the dominant species and the main vectors of scrub typhus in Yunnan province. However, based on our results, the above view might be true in some local places and the composition of chigger mites and the main vector of tautsugamushi disease might be different in regions and habitats in Yunnan province.

OBJECTIVESTo construct a novel virus-like particulate peptide-nucleic acid vaccine (VPNV) of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), and to study its anti-liver cancer immunity.

METHODSA cationic antigenic peptide was synthesized and purified, and then human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) and TERT gene were cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pTCAE. The peptide was combined with the nucleic acid vaccine to make a VPNV, which was transfected into eukaryotic cell COS-7. The immunogenicity of hGM-CSF and hTERT were detected using ELISA and Western blot. The efficacy of VPNV for inducing antigen specific CTL response was determined using the lactate dehydrogenase release method.

RESULTSVPNV was verified capable to trigger specific CTL responses and has shown a specific cytolytic activity to liver cancer cell HepG2.

CONCLUSIONA VPNV which can stimulate antigen specific CTL response was successfully constructed. This paves the way for our further investigation of anti-liver cancer immunity in mice.

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; Cloning, Molecular ; Eukaryotic Cells ; metabolism ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; genetics ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Peptide Nucleic Acids ; genetics ; immunology ; Telomerase ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

OBJECTIVE: To study the sedative effects of Jujuboside A (JuA) on the Central Nervous System of mice. METHODS: Using a novel jiggle-cage test, we compared the sedative effect of JuA with that of Diazepam (DZP) both with a single and cumulative dose of JuA. We also assessed the anticonvulsant effect of JuA on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in mice. RESULTS: JuA significantly decreased total activity intensity and increased the quiet state time of mice. The sedative effects of JuA were more stable and more lasting than that of DZP. However, JuA failed to resist and delay the induced seizure activity in mice. CONCLUSION: Though JuA has sedative effects on mice CNS, it has no anticonvulsant effect on PTZ-induced seizures.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was designed to examine the expression of Skp2 gene in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and to investigate the role of Skp2 gene in tumorigenesis and progression of LSCC. METHOD: FQ-PCR method was used to examined the expression of Skp2 gene in 40 LSCC and 10 normal laryngeal mucosa tissues, and relationship between its expression and clinical biological factors of patients with LSCC was analyzed. RESULT: The median copy number of Skp2 mRNA expression in LSCC was 6622.54 copy/microg RNA, the median copy number of Skp2 mRNA expression in normal laryngeal mucosa tissues was 0 copy/microg RNA, there was a very significant difference between them (P < 0.01); The positive rate of Skp2 mRNA expression in LSCC and adjacent normal laryngeal tissue were 50%, 0, respectively (P < 0.01). The median copy number of Skp2 RNA expression in LSCC with cervical lymph node metastasis was 617138.4 copy/microg RNA, the median copy number of Skp2 mRNA expression in LSCC without cervical lymph node metastasis was 0 copy/microg RNA, there was a very significant difference between them (P < 0.05); The positive rate of Skp2 mRNA expression in LSCC with and without cervical lymph node metastasis were 100.00%, 35.48%, respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Skp2 gene might have relation with the cervical lymph node metastasis of LSCC. FQ-PCR is an accurate assay to detecting expression of Skp2 mRNA in patient with LSCC. The level of Skp2 mRNA expression might be a new and more accurate marker, and it can be used to predict cervical lymph node metastasis of LSCC.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

This paper describes a new species of chigger mite (Acari: Trombiculidae), Gahrliepia cangshanensis n. sp., from rodents in southwest China. The specimens were collected from Yunnan red-backed voles, Eothenomys miletus (Thomas, 1914), and a Chinese white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus (Milne-Edwards, 1871) in Yunnan Province. The new species is unique mainly in its number of dorsal setae (n=21), and it has the following features: fT (formula of palpotarsus)=4B (B=branched), fp (formula of palpal seta)=B/N/N/N/B (N=naked), a broad tongue-shaped scutum with an almost straight posterior margin, and 17 PPLs (posterior posterolateral seta) with a length of 36-43 microm. This chigger mite may also infect other rodent hosts and may be distributed in other localities.
Animal Structures/anatomy & histology ; Animals ; Arvicolinae/*parasitology ; China ; Ectoparasitic Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary ; Microscopy ; Murinae/*parasitology ; Rodent Diseases/*parasitology ; Rodentia/*parasitology ; Trombiculidae/anatomy & histology/*classification

OBJECTIVETo recognize the main risk factors and to provide evidence for prevention and intervention of type 2 diabetes chronic complications.

METHODSA hospital-based frequency matched case-control study including 200 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) chronic complications cases and 200 controls without T2DM chronic complications was carried out in Baoding city. Relationships between factors and T2DM chronic complications were analyzed by non-conditional uni-variate and multivariate logistic regression methodologies.

RESULTSHigh C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 5.568), dyslipidemia (OR = 4.400), high blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (OR = 4.399), high low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR = 3.594), time of hospitalization (OR = 2.612), grease food intake before developing DM (OR = 2.300), high HbA1c% (OR = 1.747), lack of exercise after the development of DM (OR = 1.672), duration of DM (OR = 1.509), mental stress (OR = 1.427), high-quality sleep (OR = 0.606), well control of blood glucose (OR = 0.517), well control of blood fat (OR = 0.299), insulin injections (OR = 0.155) etc. were all significantly associated with T2DM chronic complications.

CONCLUSIONThe main risk factors of T2DM chronic complications seemed to be related to high CRP, dyslipidemia, high BUN and high LDL-C. The main protective factors were insulin injections, well control of blood fat and blood glucose, good-quality of sleep, while the unique risk factors of cardiovascular disease seemed to be high LDL-C and mental stress. The unique risk factors of neuropathy were lack of exercise after developing DM and the amount of sweet food intake. The duration of DM appeared to be the common risk factor and the common protective factor on those three complications was insulin injection.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Diabetes Complications ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma.

METHODSThe clinical and histologic features of 23 cases of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma were analyzed. Immunohistochemical study was also performed in 14 of the cases.

RESULTSThe age of patients ranged from 12 to 47 years. Fourteen of them occurred in males. Thirteen cases involved the bony skeleton and 5 cases affected the soft tissue. The patients presented with pain and/or swelling. Histologically, the tumor consisted of a mixture of undifferentiated small round cells and hyaline cartilage. Transition between the two components was demonstrated and growth plate-like cartilage was observed. Immunohistochemical study showed that the small round cells were positive for Sox9 (14/14), CD99 (12/14), vimentin (6/14), CD56 (4/14), CD57 (4/14), neuron-specific enolase (3/14) and desmin(1/14). They were negative for Coll-II, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, pan-cytokeratin, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, CD34 and c-erbB2.

CONCLUSIONSMesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor. Thorough histologic examination, when coupled with immunohistochemical findings, is helpful in arriving at a correct diagnosis.

12E7 Antigen ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Child ; Chondrosarcoma, Mesenchymal ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Orbital Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Radiography ; SOX9 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult