Disinfection ; Escherichia coli ; isolation & purification ; Hospitals ; Medical Waste ; Sewage ; Waste Products ; Water Microbiology

Purpose: The imaging characteristics of two popular kV cone-beam CT (CBCT) and two MVCT systems utilised in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) were evaluated. Materials and methods: The study was performed on Varian Clinac iX, Elekta Synergy S, Siemens Oncor, and Tomotherapy. A CT phantom (Catphan-504, Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) was scanned for measurements of image quality including image noise, uniformity, density accuracy, spatial resolution, contrast linearity, and contrast resolution. The measurement results were analysed using in-house image analysis software. Reproducibility, position correction, and geometric accuracy were also evaluated with markers in a smaller alignment phantom. The performance evaluation compared volumetric image properties from these four systems with those from a conventional diagnostic CT (CCT). Results: It was shown that the linearity of the two kV CBCT was fairly consistent with CCT. The Elekta CBCT with half-circle 27-cm FOV had higher CT numbers than the other three systems. The image noises of the Elekta kV CBCT, Siemens MV CBCT, and Tomotherapy fan-beam CT (FBCT) are about 2-4 times higher than that of the Varian CBCT. The spatial resolutions of two kV CBCTs and two MV CBCTs were 8-11 lp/cm and 3-5 lp/cm, respectively. Conclusion: Elekta CBCT provided a faster image reconstruction and low dose per scan for half-circle scanning. Varian CBCT had relatively lower image noise. Tomotherapy FBCT had the best uniformity.

Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Ossification, Heterotopic/surgery*

Objective: To explore the relationship between abnormal expression of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene and methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) as well as their interaction on cervical cancerization. Methods: A total of 73 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 113 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN Ⅰ, n=45; CINⅡ/Ⅲ, n=68) and 60 women with normal cervix (NC) were included in the study. Real time PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the expression levels of mRNA and protein about FHIT and MeCP2, respectively. The methylation status of FHIT gene CpG island was tested by methylation-specifc PCR (MSP). Kruskal-Wallis H test, χ(2) test, trend χ(2) test and Spearman correlation analysis were conducted with software SPSS 20.0. The interaction was evaluated by generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) model. Results: With the deterioration of cervical lesion, the methylation rates of FHIT gene CpG island (χ(2)=18.64, P<0.001; trend χ(2)=18.08, P<0.001) increased gradually, while the expression levels of FHIT mRNA (H=27.32, P<0.001; trend χ(2)=12.65, P<0.001) and protein (H=47.10, P<0.001; trend χ(2)=29.79, P<0.001) decreased gradually. There was a negative correlation between the methylation rates of FHIT gene CpG island and the expression level of FHIT protein (r=-0.226, P<0.001). The levels of MeCP2 mRNA (H=26.19, P<0.001; trend χ(2)=11.81, P=0.001) and protein (H=69.02, P<0.001; trend χ(2)=47.44, P<0.001) increased gradually with the aggravation of cervical lesions. There was a positive correlation between the expression level of MeCP2 protein and the FHIT mRNA Ct ratio (r=0.254, P<0.001). Expression of proteins were negatively correlated between MeCP2 and FHIT (r=-0.213, P=0.001). The results analyzed by GMDR model showed that there were interactions among high MeCP2 protein expression, the CpG island methylation of FHIT and mRNA and protein expression in CINⅡ/Ⅲ group, and among high MeCP2 mRNA and protein expression, the CpG island methylation of FHIT and low mRNA and protein expression in SCC group. Conclusion: High expression of MeCP2 mRNA and protein, the CpG island methylation and low mRNA and protein expression of FHIT could increase the risk of cervical carcinogenesis, and there might be a synergistic effect on cervical carcinogenesis.
Acid Anhydride Hydrolases/metabolism* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology* ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; RNA, Messenger ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/pathology* ; Uterine Cervical Dysplasia/pathology*

Butanedioic acid was isolated from the ethyl alcohol extract of Hedysarum polybotrys. The methylated carboxylic acid was identified by GC-MS method.
Carboxylic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Succinates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective: To investigate the effect of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) and its interaction with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Methods: The participants included 67 women with normal cervix (NC), 69 women with CINⅠ and 68 women with CINⅡ/Ⅲ in a community cohort of pathologically diagnosed women established in Jiexiu of Shanxi province, from June 2014 to June 2015. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the demographic data of the subjects and the related factors of cervical lesions. Cervical exfoliated cells and cervical tissues from biopsy or surgery were selected. The infection status of HPV16 was detected by flow-through hybridization. The protein expression levels of hnRNP K were evaluated by Western blot. SPSS 23.0 software was used to collate and analyze the data. To study the differences in demographic characteristics, related factors, hnRNP K protein and HPV16 infection among NC, CINⅠand CINⅡ/Ⅲgroups, χ(2) test, trend χ(2) test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test were conducted. Multiple comparisons of hnRNP K protein in three groups were completed by using the Bonferroni method. The OR and its 95%CI of hnRNP K, HPV16 and CIN were calculated by using the unconditional logistic regression models. Two-way interactions between hnRNP K protein and HPV16 infection on CIN were analyzed by using additive model and related indicators. Results: HPV16 infection rates were 10.4% in women with normal cervix, 14.5% in women with CINⅠ and 41.2% in women with CINⅡ/Ⅲ, respectively. The differences among three groups were significant (P<0.001). Moreover, the infection rates of HPV16 gradually increased with the increasing severity of CIN (trend χ(2)=18.512, P<0.001). The differences in protein expression of hnRNP K among three groups were significant (H=48.138, P<0.001) and the expressionincreased with the development of cervical lesionss (trend χ(2)=21.765, P<0.001). Results from the interaction analysis indicated that there were additive effects between high expression of hnRNP K protein and HPV16 in CINⅡ/Ⅲ group compared with normal group (API=0.639, 95%CI: 0.083-1.196). In contrast, no such additive effect was found in CINⅠ group. Conclusions: HPV16 infection and over-expression of hnRNP K protein were associated with the increased risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. There might be interaction between hnRNP K protein overexpression and HPV16 infection existed on the progress of CINⅡ/Ⅲ.
Case-Control Studies ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K/metabolism* ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Humans ; Papillomavirus Infections ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology* ; Uterine Cervical Dysplasia/virology*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fetal fibronectin as a diagnostic method of preterm rupture of membanes and its clinical usefulness compared with standard tests. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-eight women who had recieved antenatal care and complained of fluid leakage prior to 37 weeks were enrolled in this study. Standard tests-vaginal peculum examination, Nitrazine test, transabdominal sonography-were perfomed. Rupture of membranes was diagnosed if any two of the standard tests were positive. Fetal fibronectin in posterior vaginal fornix was determined qualitatively by ROM kit (Adeza Biochemical, Sunnyvale, USA). RESULTS: The sensitivity of fetal fibronectin for prediction of rupture of membranes in the women who complained of fluid leakage was 90.6% and its specificity, positive and negative predictive value were 65.7%, 76.4% and 85.1% respectively. 12 women were not diagnosed as rupture of membrane on standard tests but were positive for fetal fironectin. CONCLUSION: Fetal fibronectin would be a useful diagnotic method for rupture of membranes, especially in the women who complained of fluid leakage but not diagnosed by standard tests.
Female ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity

背景专家委员会制定的卒中康复指南应用于退伍军人健康管理部门及国防部卫生保健系统。方法根据以前发表的指南,委员会利用美国预防服务特别工作组制定的标准,评价了截至到2002年发表的文献。指南根据临床随机化实验、非对照性研究等证据提出建议(如缺乏确定的数据则根据专家组的建议)。结果Ⅰ级水平的建议包括:在多学科康复环境中或卒中单元中传递卒中治疗,通过NI HSS对卒中患者进行评价,早期启动康复治疗,对吞咽困难患者进行吞咽功能筛查,积极进行二级预防,预防深静脉血栓等。推荐应用标准化的评价工具制定适合每个患者的全面的治疗计划。强烈建议进行抗抑郁及情感波动方面的治疗。语言治疗师应评价患者的交流及认知障碍,并在需要时提供治疗。患者、家属及护理者是康复小组的重要成员,应当介入康复的全部疗程。这些建议在以下网站可查询:httP://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/36/9/e100。并附有每项建议的全文证据表。结论这些建议应平等地应用于所有临床环境中的所有卒中康复患者,而不是仅针对联邦医疗系统的临床问题或资源。

OBJECTIVESTo perform GIS spatial analysis on malaria transmission patterns in Jiangsu after setting up a malaria database and developing GIS model of malaria transmission in Jiangsu province.

METHODSThe epidemiological GIS database of malaria in Jiangsu province was established using ArcView 3.0a software. The climate data covering Jiangsu province and its peripheral area were extracted from the FAOCLIM database, the total growing degree days (TGDD) for Plasmodium vivax were calculated, and spatial distribution for TGDD was analyzed by ArcVeiw 3.0a.

RESULTSThe predicted malaria distribution map based on TGDD was created, which showed that the transmission of malaria decreased gradually from west to east, which can be divided into three belts according to the degree of transmission. The 14-year mean morbidity distribution map of malaria in Jiangsu showed that the middle and west parts of Jiangsu is the most serious endemic area. The morbidity in the areas along the Taihu valley, such as Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou, as well as Nantong and a few of northern counties are the lowest. The morbidity of other places is at the middle level. The 14-year mean morbidity distribution map of malaria is correlated with predicted malaria distribution map for TGDD.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible to monitor the malaria transmission by GIS predicted model based on TGDD.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of super-antigen (SAg) of group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS), isolated from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. Methods: Throat swab specimens from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections were collected and tested for GAS. Eleven currently known SAg genes including SpeA, speC, speG, speH, speI, speJ, speK, speL, speM, smeZ and ssa were tested by real-time PCR while M protein genes (emm genes) were amplified and sequenced by PCR. Results: A total of 377 GAS were isolated from 6 801 throat swab specimens, with the positive rate as 5.5%. There were obvious changes noticed among speC, speG, speH and speK in three years. A total of 45 SAg genes profiles were observed, according to the SAgs inclusion. There were significant differences appeared in the frequencies among two of the highest SAg genes profiles between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=38.196, P<0.001; χ(2)=72.310, P<0.001). There also appeared significant differences in the frequencies of speA, speH, speI and speJ between emm1 and emm12 strains (χ(2)=146.154, P<0.001; χ(2)=52.31, P<0.001; χ(2)=58.43, P<0.001; χ(2)=144.70, P<0.001). Conclusions: Obvious changes were noticed among SAg genes including speC, speG, speH and speK from patients with scarlet fever or pharyngeal infections in Beijing between 2015-2017. SAg genes including speA, speH, speI and speJ appeared to be associated with the emm 1 and emm 12 strains. More kinds of SAg genes profiles were isolated form GAS but with no significant differences seen in the main SAg genes profiles, during the epidemic period.
Antigens, Bacterial/genetics* ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; Bacterial Proteins ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Exotoxins ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Pharyngitis/microbiology* ; Pharynx/microbiology* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/microbiology* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scarlet Fever/microbiology* ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus pyogenes/isolation & purification* ; Superantigens/genetics*