Objectives In order to develop a rapid microsatellite genotyping assay for inter-strain differentiation of Candida albicans isolates and understand the transmission characteristics of the infections. Methods DNA was extracted from C. albicans isolates from genitals, anal canals and oral cavities of 39 women and 27 men with genital candidiasis. The microsatellite sequences in stabel genes(CDC3, EF3 and HIS3) were amplified by a fluorescence labeled PCR. Fluorescent signals were read with an automatic se- quencer, and the data were collected with GeneScan software followed by genotyping with Genotyper soft- ware to analyze polymorphic microsatellite loci. Results Combined analysis of the 3 microsatellite markers showed 18 gene allele associations in C. albicans from genital sites of all men and women, including 10 in women, 11 in men and 3 in both. The allele associations of dominant pathogenetic strains for both sexes were 116:124, 122:131,160:200, which covered 50% of pathogenetic infection. Three common allele associations for both sexes covered 71% of all infections. Genitals and anal canals shared strains of same allele associations in 80% of women and in only 3.8% of men. The strains of same allele associations were identified in both genitals and mouth in 2.7% of women but in none of men. In their genital sites 71% of couples shared the same allele strains, of which 80% were the dominant pathogenetic strains identified in both sexes. Conclusions The improved microsatellite genotyping assay is useful for rapid differentiation, identification of infective source, and contact tracing of C. albicans infection. There are pathogenetic C. albi- cans strains with predominant allele associations in genital infections.

OBJECTIVE: To explore role of Nods (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain Nod Like receptors) kind of pattern recognition receptors (PRR) in patients with allergic rhinitis. METHOD: The mRNA and protein of Nod1, Nod2 of Nalp3 were analyzed in the turbinate mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis, nasal septum deviation (NSD) nasal mucosa of patients and nasal polyp mucosa with Real-Time RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry respectively, and Nod1 expression changes was explored in PBMC with wad explored Western-blot and then the level of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ were detected in serum of AR after desensitization treatment. RESULT: These Nods like receptors, mainly found in nasal mucosa epithelial cells, glandular epithelium and inflammatory cells (e. g. plasma cells, eosinophils), were expressed in the nasal mucosa tissues. In AR group, Nod1 (mRNA and protein) expression were lower than NSD group (P<0.05), Nalp3 expression were higher than (P<0.05), while, there was no significant difference of Nod2 (mRNA and protein) between groups. After 6 months desensitization therapy, the change of Nod1 in PBMC was negatively correlated with the change of IL-10 in the peripheral blood, r=-0.88, P<0.05; while, change of Nod1 was positively correlated, with the change of IL-6, r=0.57, P>0.05. CONCLUSION Nod1, Nod2 and Nalp3 expression were seen in the two groups,and the Nod1 expression in allergic rhinitis group was lower than other two groups, while, the Nalp3 was higher than other two groups. It showed Nod1, Nalp3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. Expression of Nod1 in PBMC reduced after sublingual desensitization treatment. Besides, the change of Nod1 was negatively correlated with the change of IL-10 in PBMC. So,it seemed that Nod1 may regulate IL-10 changes and be involved in sublingual desensitization therapy.
Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Nasal Polyps ; metabolism ; Nod1 Signaling Adaptor Protein ; metabolism ; Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein ; metabolism ; Receptors, Pattern Recognition ; metabolism ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; metabolism ; Turbinates ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the establishment,operation and performance of external quality assessment(EQA) system for microbial morphology and detection of special drug-resistance in clinical laboratory,and explore the value of the developed system in clinical application.Methods The pictures of known bacteria and fungi colony,gram staining and acid-fast staining from clinical microbiology were distributed to the participating laboratories in Gansu province twice a year at regular intervals.The pictures of standard knowledge points from CLSI,such as special drug resistance were distributed simultaneously.All the participating laboratories were required to complete the interpretation for the pictures and report their resuhs in a scheduled time.Then the resuhs were summarized and analyzed as 3 modes:complete consistency,general consistency and non-consistency.Results During the 2 years when the EQA system for microbial morphology and detection of special drug-resistance were performed for 24 times,the rate of annual complete consistency increased year by year and reached to 91.3％ in 2015.Conclusion The EQA system based on the examinations of microbial morphology and CLSI standard knowledge points for clinical laboratory may supervise the staff of clinical microbiology laboratories in the hospitals at second grade or above to master the skills of morphological identification and learn CLSI knowledge points,so their professional skills of clinical microbiology could be comprehensively improved.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of multi-disciplinary single center's CCCG-HB-2016 regimen in the treatment of hepatoblastoma (HB) in children.Methods:Clinical data of 36 HB patients treated with CCCG-HB-2016 program from Aug 2016 to March 2020 were analyzed.Results:These 36 patients included 20 boys and 16 girls. The serum AFP was all higher than 2 792 ng/ml,there was a correlation between AFP and tumor risk stratification ( H=14.973, P<0.05). Twenty eight cases (77.78%) were epithelial type and 8 cases (22.22%) were mixed epithelial mesenchymal type.All children were treated by tumor resection combined with chemotherapy, and there was a correlation between tumor risk stratification and surgical resection of liver lobe ( H=8.847, P<0.05). The probability of bone marrow suppression in the low-risk group was 58.33% (35/60),that in the intermediate-risk group was 73.49% (61/83) and in the high-risk group was 80.23% (69/86).All 36 cases were followed up to March 31, 2020,with an average follow-up of 21.9 months and the median survival was 22.5 months.The overall survival rate (OS) and event-free survival rate (EFS) were 97.2% and 83.3% respectively. Conclusions:The multidisciplinary CCCG-HB-2016 regimen was with a high success rate and along with a high incidence of bone marrow suppression.

Purpose To investigate the difference of cerebral blood flow between sleep deprivation and rest wakefulness.Materials and Methods Fifty subjects were recruited from universities in Xi'an from October 2020 to December 2021.The psychomotor vigilance test(PVT)task was used to measure sustained attention.Arterial spin labeling technique was used to analyze and compare the relative cerebral blood flow(rCBF)between sleep deprivation and rest wakefulness.The correlation between altered rCBF of specific brain regions and PVT task performance after sleep deprivation was analyzed.Results Compared with rest wakefulness,rCBF in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal lobe,bilateral parietal lobule,left orbital middle frontal gyrus,bilateral middle temporal gyrus,right posterior central gyrus,and bilateral angular gyrus was significantly decreased after sleep deprivation.The rCBF of bilateral thalamus,left precuneus,right medial prefrontal lobe,left posterior cingulate gyrus,and left inferior temporal gyrus was significantly increased(FDR corrected,P<0.05,cluster size≥20 voxels).The changes of rCBF in left dorsolateral prefrontal lobe and right parietal lobule were significantly negatively correlated with the PVT task performance(r=-0.56,P<0.001;r=-0.64,P<0.001),and the change of rCBF of left precuneus was significantly positively correlated with the PVT task performance(r=0.72,P<0.001).Conclusion The abnormal changes of CBF in default mode network,frontoparietal network-related brain regions and thalamic may be the important neural mechanism of sustained attentional decline after sleep deprivation.

Objective:To investigate the differences in clinical features and imaging findings of cirrhotic patients with fundic varices between gastroesophageal varices type 2 (GOV2) and isolated fundic varices type 1 (IGV1).Methods:Clinical and imaging data of cirrhotic patients with fundic varices treated in Union Hospital, Tonji Medical Colloge, of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from October 2013 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of 210 patients were enrolled, including 139 patients of GOV2 (GOV2 group) and 71 patients of IGV1 (IGV1 group). Blood routine examination results showed that the median value of hemoglobin in GOV2 group was lower than that in IGV1 group(91.00 g/L VS 112.00 g/L, P<0.05). The incidence of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) in GOV2 group was higher than that in IGV1 group [20.14% (28/139) VS 5.63% (4/71), P<0.05]. The incidence of peptic ulcer was lower in GOV2 group than that in IGV1 group [12.23% (17/139) VS 38.03% (27/71), P<0.05]. The median diameter of portal veins in GOV2 group was larger than that in IGV1 group (15.09 mm VS 12.85 mm, P<0.05), and the volume of gastric fundus varices in GOV2 group was smaller than that in IGV1 group (2.14 mL VS 10.00 mL, P<0.05). The proportion of afferent veins in left gastric vein in GOV2 group was higher than that in IGV1 group [98.43% (125/127) VS 77.78% (42/54), P<0.05], and the median diameter of left gastric vein in GOV2 group was larger than that in IGV1 group (5.58 mm VS 4.53 mm, P<0.05). The efferent vessels mainly included gastrorenal shunt and splenorenal shunt. The incidences of gastrorenal shunt [27.56% (35/127) VS 66.67% (36/54)] and splenirenal shunt [12.60% (16/127) VS 25.93% (14/54)] in GOV2 group were lower than those in IGV1 group ( both P<0.05). The incidences of venae parumbilicales vein [38.58% (49/127) VS 12.96% (7/54)] and retroperitoneal collateral shunt [30.71% (39/127) VS 11.11% (6/54)] in GOV2 group were higher than those in IGV1 group (both P<0.05). Conclusion:There is significant heterogeneity in clinical features and imaging findings between cirrhotic patients complicated with GOV2 and IGV1. Recognizing and understanding the differences between the two types of patients is beneficial to taking appropriate clinical measures and improving patient prognosis.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and establish a corresponding prognostic scoring model in patients with early-stage clinical features of hepatitis B-induced acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:Clinical characteristics of 725 cases with hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic hepatic dysfunction (HBV-ACHD) were retrospectively analyzed using Chinese group on the study of severe hepatitis B (COSSH). The independent risk factors associated with 90-day prognosis to establish a prognostic scoring model was analyzed by multivariate Cox regression, and was validated by 500 internal and 390 external HBV-ACHD patients.Results:Among 725 cases with HBV-ACHD, 76.8% were male, 96.8% had cirrhosis base,66.5% had complications of ascites, 4.1% had coagulation failure in respect to organ failure, and 9.2% had 90-day mortality rate. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that TBil, WBC and ALP were the best predictors of 90-day mortality rate in HBV-ACHD patients. The established scoring model was COSS-HACHADs = 0.75 × ln(WBC) + 0.57 × ln(TBil)-0.94 × ln(ALP) +10. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of subjects was significantly higher than MELD, MELD-Na, CTP and CLIF-C ADs( P < 0.05). An analysis of 500 and 390 cases of internal random selection group and external group had similar verified results. Conclusion:HBV-ACHD patients are a group of people with decompensated cirrhosis combined with small number of organ failure, and the 90-day mortality rate is 9.2%. COSSH-ACHDs have a higher predictive effect on HBV-ACHD patients' 90-day prognosis, and thus provide evidence-based medicine for early clinical diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and role of a new pattern-recognition receptors (PRR), nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (Nod) like receptors (NLRs), in the patients with nasal polyps and nasal septum normal control group. METHOD: The expressions of Nod1, Nod2 and Nalp3 mRNA and protein were explored with real-time RT-PCR, Western-Blot and immunohistochemistry respectively. RESULT: The protein levels of Nod1, Nod2 and Nalp3 were expressed in nasal polyp and the control, but the expression of Nod1 and Nalp3 in nasal polyps were higher than those in control. No significant difference of Nod2 was seen between the two groups. And then, there was no significant difference of Nod1, Nod2, Nalp3 mRNA between two groups with Real-time RT-PCR. CONCLUSION The expression of Nod1 and Nalp3 are increased in nasal polyp tissues and maybe a etiological factors in the formation of nasal polyps.
Adult ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Nasal Polyps ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nod1 Signaling Adaptor Protein ; metabolism ; Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein ; metabolism ; Receptors, Pattern Recognition ; metabolism