By changing/improving the preparation,ratio,concentration and pH value of the staining solution,the cultured specimen of Trichomonas vaginalis was better observed.Different parts of the parasite are clearly viewed,and the method is simple,prompt and effective for staining and preservation.

Schaudinn solution was used to fix the Blastocystis hominis specimen and an improved Harris hematoxylin staining was applied to stain it.The method shows clearer internal structure of the parasite, simpler and less timeconsuming than the traditional iron hematoxylin solution.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between pure-tone average (PTA), the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the auditory pathway, cognitive cortex and auditory cortex in presbycusis. METHOD: Twenty-five elderly subjects with presbycusis were participated in the study. PTA, speech discrimination abilities were evaluated in each subject. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was applied to access the FA of the IC, the superior frontal gyrus and the Heschl's gyrus. Compare the difference between two sides of the values of FA in the three areas. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of PTA and FA of the inferior colliculus (IC), the superior frontal gyrus and the Heschl's gyrus on speech discrimination abilities. RESULT: There were no significant differences between the left and right side of the inferior colliculus (P > 0.05). Higher FA values were recorded at the left side of the Heschl's gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus (P < 0.05). Both PTA and the FA of the superior frontal gyrus have a negative association with speech discrimination abilities (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while the FA of the Heschl's gyrus has a positive association with speech discrimination abilities (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our findings indicated that the speech discrimination abilities of the elderly is not only related to the peripheral auditory function, but also to the central auditory and cognitive function.
Aged ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Cortex ; physiopathology ; Auditory Pathways ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Humans ; Inferior Colliculi ; physiopathology ; Presbycusis ; diagnosis ; Speech Perception

Objective To analyze the transmission pattern of Chikungunya (CHIK) fever in community and evaluate the effectiveness of mosquito control, case isolation and other key control measures by using ordinary differential equation (ODE) model.Methods According to natural history of CHIK, an ODE model for the epidemiological anaysis of CHIK outbreak was established.The key parameters of the model were obtained by fitting the model with reported outbreak data of the first CHIK outbreak in China.Then the outbreak characteristics without intervention, the effectiveness of mosquito control and case isolation were simulated.Results Without intervention, an imported case would cause an outbreak in a community with population of 11 000, and cumulative case number would exceed 941 when the total attack rate was 8.55％.The results of our simulation revealed that the effectiveness of case isolation was not perfect enough when it was implemented alone.Although the number of cases could be decreased by case isolation, the duration of outbreak would not be shortened.Differently, the effectiveness of mosquito control was remarkable.In addition, the earlier the measure was implemented, the better the effectiveness would be.The effectiveness of mosquito control plus case isolation was same with mosquito control.Conclusion To control a CHIK outbreak, mosquito control is the most recommended measures.However, case isolation is also necessary as the supplementation of mosquito control.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the adult urban population of Hezhou Guangxi. Methods One thousand and two hundred urban residents (older than 18 years) from Hezhou Guangxi were randomly selected using a random sampling. All the residents were interviewed. Their morning spot urine were tested to determine albumin to ereatinine ratio (abnormal:≥30 mg/g), and renal function [abnomal: eMDRD <60 ml·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1] was assessed. Morning spot urine dipstick of hematuria (abnormal:≥1 +) was confirmed by microscopy (abnormal: 3 red blood cells/HP). The associations among demographic characteristics, health eharacteristies and indicators of kidney damage were examined. Results Eligible data of 1069 subjects were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of albuminuria was 7.5%, hematuria 4.8%, and reduced eGFR 3.6%. The prevalence of kidney disease was 14.4% and the recognition was 1.4%. Age (OR 1.022, 95%CI 1.008-1.035), gender (OR 2.249, 95%CI 1.502-3.367), diabetes mellitus (OR 7.422, 95%CI 3.985-13.825) and hypertension (OR 4.397, 95% CI 2.601-7.432) were independently associated with CKD. Conclusions The prevalence of chronic kidney disease is 14.4% and the recognition is 1.4% in adult urban population of Hezhou Guangxi. Independent risk factors associated with chronic kidney disease are age, gender, diabetes mellitus and hypertension which is similar to those in developed countries and domestic big cities.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were reported to be responsible for intestinal permeability in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats in our previous study. However, whether and how miRNAs regulate visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D remains largely unknown. METHODS: We established the IBS-D rat model and evaluated it using the nociceptive visceral hypersensitivity test, myeloperoxidase activity assay, restraint stress-induced defecation, and electromyographic (EMG) activity. The distal colon was subjected to miRNA microarray analysis followed by isolation and culture of colonic epithelial cells (CECs). Bioinformatic analysis and further experiments, including dual luciferase assays, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and how it regulates visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats. RESULTS: The IBS-D rat model was successfully established. A total of 24 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the distal colon of IBS-D rats; 9 were upregulated and 15 were downregulated. Among them, the most significant upregulation was miR-200a, accompanied by downregulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) and serotonin transporter (SERT). MiR-200a mimic markedly inhibited the expression of CNR1/SERT. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay confirmed that CNR1/SERT are direct targets of miR-200a. Rescue experiments that overexpressed CNR1/SERT significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of miR-200a on the IBS-D rats CECs. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that miR-200a could induce visceral hyperalgesia by targeting the downregulation of CNR1 and SERT, aggravating or leading to the development and progression of IBS-D. MiR-200a may be a regulator of visceral hypersensitivity, which provides potential targets for the treatment of IBS-D.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Colon ; Computational Biology ; Defecation ; Diarrhea ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Hyperalgesia ; Hypersensitivity ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Luciferases ; Microarray Analysis ; MicroRNAs ; Models, Animal ; Permeability ; Peroxidase ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Cannabinoid ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Serotonin ; Up-Regulation

Objective:To evaluate the changes in the central auditory system of presbycusis by applying auditury brainstem response (ABR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Method:A total of twenty-five elderly subjects with expressed presbycusis, eight elderly subjects with normal hearing and fifteen healthy volunteers as young controls were enrolled in the study. Each participant was examined using ABR and DTI. ABR measures were obtained from all the subjects. The fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured at two brain regions of the auditory pathway-the inferior colliculus (IC) and Heschl's gyrus. Result:Higher FA values were recorded at the left side of the Heschl's gyrus in all three groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the left and right side of the ABR results and FA values of inferior colliculus in the three groups (P>0.05). Aging increased ABR peak latencies, yet did not change the Ⅰ-Ⅴ interpeak latency interval. Comparing with the elderly subjects with normal hearing group, the wave Ⅴ latencies of the presbycusis group were prolonged (P<0.05). Comparing with the healthy control group, the FA values of the IC were reduced in both of the elderly subjects with normal hearing group and the presbycusis group (P<0.05). No statistically differences were observed between the presbycusis group and the elderly subjects with normal hearing group in the FA values of the IC (P>0.05). Significant differences between all groups were found in the FA values of the Heschl's gyrus, with higher values in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group than in the presbycusis group and even higher values in the healthy control group than in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group (P<0.05). Conclusion:The results indicated that the age-related microstructural changes exist in the central part of the auditory system, which are more obvious in the patients with presbycusis.

BACKGROUNDNicotine is primarily rsponsible for the highly addictive properties of cigarettes. Similar to other substances, nicotine dependence is related to many important brain regions, particular in mesolimbic reward circuit. This study was to further reveal the alteration of brain function activity during resting state in chronic smokers by fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in order to provide the evidence of neurobiological mechanism of smoking.

METHODSThis case control study involved twenty healthy smokers and nineteen healthy nonsmokers recruited by advertisement. Sociodemographic, smoking related characteristics and fMRI images were collected and the data analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with nonsmokers, smokers showed fALFF increased significantly in the left middle occipital gyrus, left limbic lobe and left cerebellum posterior lobe but decreases in the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right extra nuclear, left postcentral gyrus and left cerebellum anterior lobe (cluster size >100 voxels). Compared with light smokers (pack years ≤ 20), heavy smokers (pack years >20) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right superior temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right occipital lobe/cuneus but decreased in the right/left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus, right/left frontal lobe/sub gyral, right/left cerebellum posterior lobe (cluster size >50 voxels). Compared with nonsevere nicotine dependent smokers (Fagerstrőm test for nicotine dependence, score ≤ 6), severe nicotine dependent smokers (score >6) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right/left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule but decreased in the left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus (cluster size >25 voxels).

CONCLUSIONSIn smokers during rest, the activity of addiction related regions were increased and the activity of smoking feeling, memory, related regions were also changed. The resting state activity changes in many regions were associated with the cumulative amount of nicotine intake and the severity of nicotine dependence.

Adult ; Brain ; physiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The switch/sucrose nonfermentable chromatin-remodeling (SWI/SNF) complex is a pivotal chromatin remodeling complex, and the genomic alterations (GAs) of the SWI/SNF complex are observed in several cancer types, correlating with multiple biological features of tumor cells. However, their role in liver metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Our study aims to investigate the role and potential mechanisms underlying NSCLC liver metastasis induced by the GAs of SWI/SNF complex. METHODS: The GAs of SWI/SNF complex in NSCLC cell lines (H1299, H23 and H460) were identified by whole-exome sequencing (WES). ARID1A knockout H1299 cell was constructed with the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The mouse model of liver metastasis from NSCLC was established to simulate lung cancer liver metastasis and observe the metastasis rate under different gene mutation conditions. RNA sequencing and Western blot were conducted for differential gene expression analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was used to assess protein expression levels of SWI/SNF-regulated target molecules in mouse liver metastases. RESULTS: WES analysis revealed intracellular gene mutations. The animal experiments demonstrated a correlation between the GAs of SWI/SNF complex and a higher liver metastasis rate in immunodeficient mice. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot analysis showed upregulated expression of ALDH1A1 and APOBEC3B in SWI/SNF-mut cells, particularly in ARID1A-deficient H460 and H1299 sgARID1A cells. IHC staining of mouse liver metastases further demonstrated elevated expression of ALDH1A1 in the H460 and H1299 sgARID1A group. CONCLUSIONS This study underscores the critical role of the GAs of SWI/SNF complex, such as ARID1A and SMARCA4, in promoting liver metastasis of lung cancer cells. The GAs of SWI/SNF complex may promote liver-specific metastasis by upregulating ALDH1A1 and APOBEC3B expression, providing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying lung cancer liver metastasis.
Animals ; Mice ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics* ; Lung Neoplasms/genetics* ; Mutation ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics*