Objective:To observe the influence of pregnant mice having malaria on T cell function of offspring mice, and to study the changes of cellular immune response in offspring mice exposed to malaria infection in uterus.Methods:Adult Kunming mice of clean grade were selected after mating, on the 14th day of pregnancy, pregnant mice were randomize assigned into experimental group ( n = 5) and control group ( n = 5) according to the method of random number table. Each mouse in the experimental group was intraperitoneally inoculated with 1 × 10 6 red blood cells infected with Plasmodium berghei ( P.b), and same volume of normal saline was given to control group. After birth, the changes of CD4/CD8 T cell subsets in their thymuses and spleens of the two group neonatal mice were analyzed by flow cytometry at day 0, 1, 3, 5 and 4-week-old. Then the 4-weeks-old neonatal mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with 1 × 10 6P.b. On the third day, the changes of CD4/CD8 T cells subsets in their thymuses and spleens were observed, respectively, and the immune response of spleen cells stimulated by P.b antigen or mitogen [concanavalin A (Con A)] was detected. Results:Compared with the control group, the proportions of CD3 +CD4 +CD8 - T cells in thymus and spleen of the offspring of the experimental group (0, 1, 3, 5 days) were higher ( P < 0.05), while the proportions of CD3 +CD4 -CD8 + T cells in thymus were lower ( P < 0.05). For 4-week-old offspring and after infection of P.b, the proportions of CD3 +CD4 +CD8 - T cells in thymus and spleen of the experimental group were both significantly higher than those of control group ( P < 0.05), in contrast, the proportions of CD3 +CD4 -CD8 + T cells in thymus and spleen were both significantly lower than those of control group ( P < 0.05). The spleen cells of 4-week-old mice were stimulated by P.b antigen or mitogen ConA in vitro, compared with the control group, there were no significant differences in the proportions of CD3 +CD4 +CD8 - T cells and CD3 +CD4 -CD8 + T cells in the experimental group ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:During pregnancy, the maternal infection of P.b could significantly affect the ratio of CD4/CD8 T cell subsets in thymus and spleen of offspring mice; and could change the cellular immune response of offspring to P.b infection.

To study the genotype-phenotype and genetic characteristics of Kallmann syndrome. Five patients with Kallmann syndrome were enrolled. Clinical data collection, chromosome karyotyping, whole exome sequencing (WES), and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were used. All the five patients were males, aging from 2 months to 45 years old. Three of the five patients complained cryptorchidism, one complained gonadal dysgenesis, and one complained fasting hyperglycemia. The clinical feature was hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with anosmia, and all karyotype was 46 XY. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed undeveloped olfactory bulbs and tracts. Kallmann syndrome related gene novel variants were found in all the 5 patients. The hypoplasia of right kidney was found in a patient with c. 1795_1799del (p.Asn599Profs*66) of anosmin 1 (ANOS1) variant. Clinical heterogeneity and incomplete penetrance were seen in a patient with c. 2824A>G (p.Thr942Ala) of chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 (CHD7). Besides, WES indicated a 109 bp-deletion on Xp22.31 (chrX: 8507699-8507804), which was the deletion of exon 10 on ANOS1 gene verified by MLPA. The deletion variant was inherited form his mother, and conformed to X-linked recessive inheritance. Kallmann syndrome is genetic and clinical heterogeneous. WES is helpful for early diagnosis. MLPA and genome copy number variation analysis (CNV) are also recommend if necessary.

BACKGROUNDBased on the excellent medical care and management system for Chinese veterans, as well as the detailed medical documentation available, we aim to construct a Chinese Veteran Clinical Research (CVCR) platform on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and carry out studies of the primary disabling NCDs.

METHODSThe Geriatric Neurology Department of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital and veterans' hospitals serve as the leading and participating units in the platform construction. The fundamental constituents of the platform are veteran communities. Stratified typical cluster sampling is adopted to recruit veteran communities. A cross-sectional study of mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders are performed in two stages using screening scale such as the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal cognitive assessment, followed by systematic neuropsychological assessments to make clinical diagnoses, evaluated disease awareness and care situation.

RESULTSA total of 9 676 among 277 veteran communities from 18 cities are recruited into this platform, yielding a response rate of 83.86%. 8 812 subjects complete the MNS subproject screening and total response rate is 91.70%. The average participant age is (82.01±4.61) years, 69.47% of veterans are 80 years or older. Most participants are male (94.01%), 83.36% of subjects have at least a junior high school degree. The overall health status of veterans is good and stable. The most common NCD are cardiovascular disorders (86.44%), urinary and genital diseases (73.14%), eye and ear problems (66.25%), endocrine (56.56%) and neuro-psychiatric disturbances (50.78%).

CONCLUSIONWe first construct a veterans' comprehensive clinical research platform for the study of NCDs that is primarily composed of highly educated Chinese males of advanced age and utilize this platform to complete a cross-sectional national investigation of MNS disorders among veterans. The good and stable health condition of the veterans could facilitate the long-term follow-up studies of NCDs and provide prospective data to the prevention and management of NCDs.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Disease ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Veterans ; statistics & numerical data