Objective To preliminarily evaluate the value of color power doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis(AS). Methods Fifty-seven sacroiliac joints in 31 patients with active AS and 40 sacroiliac joints in 20 volunteers were detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.The color flow signs inside the sacroiliac joints were observed,and the resistance index(RI) was measured. Results In active AS,color flow signs were seen in 55 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.53?0.08 in 45 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography.In the volunteers,color flow signs were seen in 16 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.97?0.01 in 6 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography. Conclusion The abnormal flow signs at the sacroiliac joints can be detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.Low RI values provide diagnosis evidence for active AS.

Objective To ascertain the characteristics of the parturient women in the district, the requirement and satisfaction for postpartum visits, and to explore the present situation of postpartum visits in the district, providing theoretical basis for the formulation and improvement of targeted work mechanism for postpartum visits. Methods A total of 540 parturients were selected to complete the questionnaire survey according to the proportion of parturients in each community, then statistical analysis of questionnaire information was made. Results Among the 540 parturients, 400 were primiparas and 140 multiparas.More than 94% of the respondents believed that postpartum visits were necessary.The demand for postpartum visits was different between primiparas and multiparas.The primiparas needed more guidance on the nursing of the newborn, and the multiparas wanted to have more concern for postpartum recovery and health care.Respondents had high satisfaction with postpartum visits. Conclusion The form and content of postpartum visits directly affect the satisfaction of puerperants, who need higher quality and personalized services.The professional quality of visitors should be improved by professional training.And the personalized postpartum visiting service should be properly carried out by making full use of modern means of information dissemination.And postpartum psychological health care also needs attention in this regard.

Abstract: Objective　To investigate the distribution characteristics of HCV genotypes and subtypes in patients with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, HIV)/HCV co-infection in Kunming based on the nucleocapsid protein gene sequence of HCV (hepatitis C virus). Methods　Serum was collected from HIV/HCV co-infected patients with household registration in 14 county-level cities, districts and counties under the jurisdiction of Kunming, who admitted to Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital from March to August 2019. The viral RNA was extracted from the serum, reverse transcribed to synthesize cDNA, and the HCV nucleocapsid protein gene-specific primers were used for nested PCR amplification. The positive amplification products were sequenced, bioinformatics software such as DNAstar and MEGAX were used for sequence analysis. Results　A total of 64 samples from co-infected patients with clinical diagnosis of suspected HIV/HCV were collected and amplified by HCV nucleocapsid protein gene-specific primers, of which 17 samples were amplified positively. The results of sequence analysis showed that the sequences of 9 cases were located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 3b subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 93.3%-95.2%; the sequences of 5 cases were located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 1b subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 96.8%-97.6%; the sequence of one case and the subtype sequence of HCV 3a gene were located in the same evolutionary branch, and the nucleotide homology was 95.2%; the sequence of one case and HCV 6n gene subtype sequence were located in the same evolutionary branch, and the nucleotide homology was 97.9%; One case was located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 6u gene subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 98.4%. Conclusions　HCV 1b, HCV 3a, HCV 3b, HCV 6n and HCV 6u genotypes or subtypes of HCV are prevalent in Kunming, and HCV 3b is the most prevalent genotype.

Toxoplasma gondii can infect all the vertebrates including human, and leads to serious toxoplasmosis and considerable veterinary problems. T. gondii heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) is associated with the activation of antigen presenting cells by inducing initial immune responses and releasing inflammatory cytokines. It might be a potential DNA vaccine candidate for this parasite. A pVAX-HSP60 DNA vaccine was constructed and immune responses was evaluated in Kunming mice in this study. Our data indicated that the innate and adaptive immune responses was elicited by successive immunizations with pVAX-HSP60 DNA, showing apparent increases of CD3e+CD4+ and CD3e+CD8a+ T cells in spleen tissues of the HSP60 DNA-immunized mice (24.70±1.23% and 10.90±0.89%, P < 0.05) and higher levels of specific antibodies in sera. Furthermore, the survival period of the immunized mice (10.53±4.78 day) were significantly prolonged during the acute T. gondii infection. Decrease of brain cysts was significant in the experimental group during the chronic infection (P < 0.01). Taken together, TgHSP60 DNA can be as a vaccine candidate to prevent the acute and chronic T. gondii infections.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Antigen-Presenting Cells ; Brain ; Chaperonin 60 ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Humans ; Immunization ; Mice ; Parasites ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis ; Vertebrates

OBJECTIVESTo construct a novel hybrid artificial liver support system and evaluate its clinical efficacy in the treatment of hepatic failure.

METHODSA hybrid bioartificial liver support system consisting of plasma exchange device, charcoal perfusion column, and bioreactor cultured human or porcine hepatocytes was developed. 30 patients with hepatic failure were treated using this hybrid system.

RESULTSBoth the excellent rate and effectual rate of the artificial liver support system were 43.3% (13/30). The total effectual rate was 86.7%. Finally, eleven out of 30 patients recovered completely. Six patients were bridged to liver transplantation. Six patients (20%) died of hepatic failure and seven patients (23.3%) discharged due to worsening of disease.

CONCLUSIONSThe hybrid artificial liver support system has prominent liver support effects for hepatic failure, which can be regarded as an efficient measure for the treatment of severe hepatitis.

Adult ; Bioreactors ; Cells, Cultured ; Charcoal ; Female ; Hemofiltration ; instrumentation ; methods ; Hemoperfusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sorption Detoxification ; instrumentation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

Neospora caninum is the etiologic agent of bovine neosporosis, which affects the reproductive performance of cattle worldwide. The transmembrane protein, NcSRS2, and dense-granule protein, NcGRA7, were identified as protective antigens based on their ability to induce significant protective immune responses in murine neosporosis models. In the current study, NcSRS2 and NcGRA7 genes were spliced by overlap-extension PCR in a recombinant adenovirus termed Ad5-NcSRS2-NcGRA 7, expressing the NcSRS2-NcGRA7 gene, and the efficacy was evaluated in mice. The results showed that the titer of the recombinant adenovirus was 10(9)TCID50/ml. Three weeks post-boost immunization (w.p.b.i.), the IgG antibody titer in sera was as high as 1:4,096. IFN-gamma and IL-4 levels were significantly different from the control group (P<0.01). This research established a solid foundation for the development of a recombinant adenovirus vaccine against bovine N. caninum.
Adenoviridae/*genetics ; Animals ; Antibodies, Fungal/blood ; Antigens, Fungal/genetics/*immunology ; *Drug Carriers ; Fungal Proteins/genetics/*immunology ; Fungal Vaccines/administration & dosage/genetics/*immunology ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Interferon-gamma/blood ; Interleukin-4/blood ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neospora/genetics/*immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics/immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage/genetics/immunology

Objective To analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of 38 HIV-1 positive seroconcordant couples in Yunnan Province. Methods The samples of HIV-1 antibody screened initially and positive confirmed in the Laboratory of Yunnan Provincial Infectious Diseases Specialist Hospital from 2014 to 2016 and laboratory data were collected. 41 samples from HIV-1 positive seroconcordant couples were selected and sequenced by RT-nested-PCR amplification. After the sequences were aligned and spliced, the qualified pol gene region sequence was used to construct phylogenetic tree and analyze subtypes, and the gene distance differences between each positive couple were calculated. Results A total of 76 pol gene regions from 38 HIV-1 positive seroconcordant couples were obtained. The major gene subtypes included CRF08_BC (45,59.2%), CRF07_BC (18,23.7%) and CRF01_AE (7,9.2%), there were also C (4, 5.3%) and B (2, 2.6%). Phylogenetic tree analysis and gene distance calculation clearly showed that HIV transmission between relationship partners occurred in 9 HIV-1 positive seroconcordant couples. Conclusions As the proportion of sexual transmission of HIV has risen year by year, the transmission between husband and wife should be the focus of our attention. Late diagnosis of HIV infection is the main factor that causes the transmission between husband and wife. For special populations, monitoring and testing should be strengthened as soon as possible, so as to reduce the occurrence of transmission between AIDS couples.

The purpose of this article is to introduce the measurements of phase coupling between spikes and rhythmic oscillations of local field potentials (LFPs). Multi-channel in vivo recording techniques allow us to record ensemble neuronal activity and LFPs simultaneously from the same sites in the brain. Neuronal activity is generally characterized by temporal spike sequences, while LFPs contain oscillatory rhythms in different frequency ranges. Phase coupling analysis can reveal the temporal relationships between neuronal firing and LFP rhythms. As the first step, the instantaneous phase of LFP rhythms can be calculated using Hilbert transform, and then for each time-stamped spike occurred during an oscillatory epoch, we marked instantaneous phase of the LFP at that time stamp. Finally, the phase relationships between the neuronal firing and LFP rhythms were determined by examining the distribution of the firing phase. Phase-locked spikes are revealed by the non-random distribution of spike phase. Theta phase precession is a unique phase relationship between neuronal firing and LFPs, which is one of the basic features of hippocampal place cells. Place cells show rhythmic burst firing following theta oscillation within a place field. And phase precession refers to that rhythmic burst firing shifted in a systematic way during traversal of the field, moving progressively forward on each theta cycle. This relation between phase and position can be described by a linear model, and phase precession is commonly quantified with a circular-linear coefficient. Phase coupling analysis helps us to better understand the temporal information coding between neuronal firing and LFPs.
Action Potentials ; Hippocampus ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Periodicity

OBJECTIVETo analyze microarray datasets deposited in the public database and to identify TNM associated genes in gastric cancers.

METHODSMicroarray datasets of gastric cancer were selected from GEO database. Differentially expressed genes related to TNM staging were evaluated by significant analysis of the microarray using MultiExperiment Viewer (MEV) platform. Candidate gene expressions in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were verified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSGES4007 dataset was re-analyzed leading to the identification of 14 genes associated with TNM staging. Over-expression of matrix gla protein (MGP) was confirmed in gastric cancer cell lines and tumor tissues by quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Increased MGP expression was found in 22 of 54 cases of (40.7%) gastric cancer specimens compared to the normal gastric tissues. The up-regulation of MGP mRNA expression closely correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.001) and prognosis (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONSPublic databases of microarray studies are the valuable resources for data mining. MGP has been identified and confirmed as a novel biomarker for the TNM stage and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Up-Regulation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss the value of pre-operative semen analysis of patients with varicocele as a predictive restore index of sperm motility and fertilizing capacity after varicocelectomy.

METHODSSemen analysis was carried out with computer-aided sperm analyzer in 107 patients with varicocele and all patients were referred to the clinic with diagnosis of male infertility. Stratification of patients as group A (n = 32), B ( n = 36) and C (n = 39) was based on pre-operative total motile sperm count (TMSC). Follow-up included semen analysis and pregnancy data after three months following left or bilateral varicocelectomy.

RESULTSThe average post-operative TMSC increased significantly when compared with the pre-operative. However, a mean absolute increase in group A and B was better than that in group C (P < 0.05). Of the 68 patients in groups A and B based on pre-operative TMSC, 56 patients' TMSC (82.4%) was > or =20 x 10(6) after varicocelectomy, and that of only 8 (20.5%) patients in group C was > or =20 x 10(6) following varicocelectomy. Of the 98 patients wives, 36 had natural conception. Pregnancy rates in groups A and B were higher than that in group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONVaricocelectomy may be the most effective method to patients with varicocele with pre-operative TMSC > or = 5 x 10(6), but it may be not the best method for patients with severe oligoasthenospermia (pre-operative TMSC < 5 x 10(6)).

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Ligation ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Semen ; physiology ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Varicocele ; physiopathology ; surgery