Objective:To investigate the infection of spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR) and Rickettsia mooseri ( R.mooseri) of wild rodents in the field of plague foci in Western Yunnan. Methods:The DNA of liver samples of 2 512 wild rodents captured from the plague foci in Lianghe County, Jianchuan County and Yulong County in Western Yunnan from 2015 to 2016 was extracted by magnetic bead method, and the heat shock protein groEL gene primers were used for nested PCR amplification. Gene sequence splicing and Blast homology comparison were performed using DNAStar 7.1 software and GenBank of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the United States, respectively, and DNAStar 7.1 and MEGA 6.0 softwares were used to construct phylogenetic trees.Results:The wild rodents infected with SFGR were Mus pahari, Rattus steini, Crocidura attenuata and Suncus murinus (one for each), with a total infection rate of 0.16% (4/2 512); no R.mooseri infection was detected. The SFGR infection rates of wild rodents in the plague foci of Lianghe County and Jianchuan County were 0.49% (3/611) and 0.10% (1/1 029), respectively; no SFGR infection was detected in the wild rodents in the plague foci of Yulong County. The homology analysis showed that the homology between SFGR positive samples and reference sequences was 95.45%-100.00%; some of the groEL gene sequences were highly similar among the four positive samples, and the homology was 89.60%-97.40%. Sequence evolution analysis showed that the sequences of three SFGR positive samples from the plague focus in Lianghe County were clustered in the same branch, and the homology reached 94.40%-97.40%; one positive sample sequence from the plague focus in Jianchuan County was clustered in one branch. Conclusion:SFGR infection rate of wild rodents in the field of plague foci in Western Yunnan is low, and no R.mooseri infection is found.

Objective:To investigate the seroepidemiological status of Toxoplasma gondii among humans, dogs and cats and its influencing factors in three counties of Yunnan Province, and to assess the risk of dogs and cats transmitting Toxoplasma gondii to humans and causing disease and epidemics. Methods:Three pestis foci of demestic rodent in Mile City, Mang City and Lianghe County in Yunnan Province were selected as the investigation areas, and blood samples of humans, dogs and cats from 16 natural villages were collected. Serum IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were detected by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the influencing factors were analyzed by logistic regression. Results:A total of 368 human serum samples, 307 dog serum samples, and 12 cat serum samples were tested. The positive rates of serum IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in humans, dogs and cats were 54.62% (201/368), 90.88% (279/307), and 91.67% (11/12), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection (serum IgG antibodies positive) in humans of Mang City and Lianghe County were 8.20 times ( AOR = 8.20, 95% CI: 4.38 - 15.36) and 2.22 times ( AOR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.24 - 3.97) higher than those in Mile City, respectively, and the risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection (serum IgG antibodies positive) in humans in the age group of 30 - < 40 years old decreased by 57% compared to the age group of 30 years old ( AOR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.19 - 0.98, P < 0.10). The risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection (serum IgG antibodies positive) in dogs of Lianghe County was 89% lower than that in Mile City ( AOR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02 - 0.47). The risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection(serum IgG antibodies positive) in dogs aged 2 years old and older was 2.05 times higher than that in dogs aged younger than 2 years old ( AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 0.91 - 4.64, P < 0.10). Conclusions:The positive rates of serum IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in humans, dogs and cats in the three counties where the three pestis foci of demestic rodent are located in Yunnan Province is relatively high. The risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection (serum IgG antibodies positive) in humans, dogs is related to the region and age. The risk of dogs and cats transmitting Toxoplasma gondii to humans and other animals is relatively high. It is necessary to strengthen monitoring in key regions, carry out health education, and take corresponding health measures.

Objective:To learn about the infection and gene polymorphisms of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in murine-shaped animals of plague foci in Yunnan Province.Methods:From July to August 2019, around 16 natural villages (4 in Mile City, 6 in Mangshi and 6 in Lianghe County), which were the foci of domestic plague in Yunnan Province, the murine-shaped animals were captured by the night-time method. The liver RNA was extracted, and the target gene of rat HEV was detected by one-step real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the positive rate of rat HEV was calculated. The rat HEV positive samples were amplified by PCR for further clone sequencing, and the resulting sequences were compared with the HEV sequences registered in the GenBank and a phylogenetic tree was constructed by using MegAlign and MEGA 7.0.Results:A total of 491 murine-shaped animals were captured from 3 orders, 5 families, 8 genera, 15 species, and the positive rate of rat HEV was 4.89% (24/491). Among them, the positive rate of Rattus tanezumi and Niviventer fulvescens was 9.39% (23/245) and 1/3, respectively; and other species were negative. There was a statistically significant difference in the positive rate of rat HEV between different habitats ( P = 0.014), and the positive rate of rat HEV in the habitats near the dwellings was higher than that in other habitats ( P < 0.05). The sequence comparison analysis showed that the gene sequence of P018 from Lianghe County was 100.0% homologous to the MG813927.1 sequence of the first patient with rat HEV in Hongkong, and it was clustered into the same branch with the sequences of MG813927.1 and LC549185.1 from rat, was the type HEV C. G024 from Mangshi shared a low homology (20.7% - 31.5%) with other virus strains, and it was clustered into the same branch with a HEV sequence from an avian (AY535004.1). Conclusions:Rat HEV is prevalent in murine-shaped animals of plague foci of Yunnan Province, and there may be gene polymorphisms of rat HEV. In addition, the difference infection rate may be related to the habitats.

Great progress has been made in the treatment of lymphoma in recent decades, but the prognosis for patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma is often disappointing. Studies have found that the pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is associated with changes in histone acetylation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors can increase the level of histone acetylation in lymphoma cells, and exert anti-lymphoma effects through mechanisms such as cell cycle inhibition, induction of apoptosis, and immunomodulation. However, histone deacetylase inhibitors alone have limited therapeutic effects, and the combination with other antineoplastic drugs for the treatment of relapsing and refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma has shown good efficacy. Summarizing basic research and clinical trials of histone deacetylase inhibitor containing regimens provides ideas for the treatment of lymphoma.

Objective: To screen related genes of melanoma-associated antigen-A11 (MAGE-A11) in breast cancer cells based on highthroughput DNAmicroarray technology, and to validate from the aspects of quantity and function. Methods: DNAmicroarray was used to screen the differently-expresseddown-stream mRNAs of MAGE-A11 in breast cancercelllines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and BT-549). Cluster analysis was applied on representative genes and quantitative RT-PCR was used to validate. CCK-8, scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assaywere used to detect the effect of MAGE-A11 on the proliferation,migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Results: Over-expression of MAGE-A11 caused the differential expression of 1608 down-stream genes in 3 breast cancer cell lines, which was associated with various cell functions such as protein ubiquitination,cell proliferation and apoptosis, tumor invasion and metastasis.qRT-PCR validated that the expression of ZNF-451, CENPTJ, CDK13, API5 and LMO7, which were highly expressed in microarray, were also significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01);in addition, SHPRH, PML, MARK2, LIMA1 and ANGPTL4, which were low-expressed in microarray, were also significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.01). MAGE-A11transfection directly increased the proliferation of breast cancer MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells at 72 h (all P<0.01); compared with control group after transfectionexhibited obvious wound healing at 48 h (P<0.05 or P<0.01) and significantly increased trans-membrane cell numbers (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Many differentially expressed genes related to ubiquitination, cell proliferation and apoptosis, tumor invasion and migration were screened in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 breast cancer cells. Among them, 10 typical differentially expressed genes were identified in terms of quantity and function.

Objective:To detect and analyze the contents of eight metal elements in water samples of plague foci in Yunnan Province.Methods:During the period from December 2015 to November 2016, the plague foci of Yulong, Jianchuan and Lianghe were selected as sampling sites, water samples were collected in areas with rodent activities in the 4 seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The contents of eight metal elements calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), plumbum (Pb), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and cuprum (Cu) in water samples were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and the data [median (interquartile distance)] were statistically analyzed.Results:Twenty-six, 58 and 54 water samples were collected from Yulong, Jianchuan and Lianghe plague foci, respectively. The contents of metal elements of Pb and Cd in water samples of the three plague foci [Yulong: 0.19 (0.78) and 0.08 (0.07) mg/L; Jianchuan: 0.23 (0.56) and 0.03 (0.06) mg/L; Lianghe: 0.13 (0.61) and 0.09 (0.08) mg/L] were higher than that of "Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water" (Pb: 0.10 mg/L, Cd: 0.01 mg/L). There were significant differences in the contents of Ca and Cd elements among the three regions ( P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the contents of the other 6 metal elements among the three regions ( P > 0.05). The content of Ca element was the highest in Yulong plague foci, and the lowest in Lianghe plague foci ( P < 0.017). In the Yulong plague foci, there was no statistically significant difference in the content of Fe element in different seasons ( P > 0.05), and the differences in the contents of the other 7 metal elements were statistically significant ( P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the content of Cr element in Jianchuan plague foci in different seasons ( P > 0.05), and the differences in the content of the other 7 metal elements were statistically significant ( P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the content of Ca element in Lianghe plague foci in different seasons ( P > 0.05), and the differences in the content of the other 7 metal elements were statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:The metal element contents of Pb and Cd are relatively abundant in water samples from 3 plague foci of Yunnan Province, and the seasonal variation trend of metal element content in water samples of Yulong and Jianchuan plague foci is similar.

Objective: To investigate the effect of miR-124 on the invasion and migration of esophageal cancer KYSE170 cells by regulating autophagy. Methods: miR-124 mimic was transfected into esophageal cancer KYSE170 cells. Transwell assay was used to detect the change of invasion and migration ability of cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the targeted regulation of BECN1 (Beclin1) by miR-124, and Western blotting was used to analyze the expressions of BECN1, P62 and LC3 protein. siRNA targeting BECN1 was transfeted into KYSE170 cells, and then the cell invasion and migration ability was calculated by Transwell assay. The expressions of BECN1, P62 and LC3 protein were detected by Western blotting. miR-124 mimic and BECN1 over-expression plasmid were co-transfected into KYSE170 cells, and then Transwell assay was used to detect the changes of cell invasion and migration ability, and Western blotting to examine the expression levels of autophagy-related gene. Results: The invasion and migration ability of KYSE170 cells were significantly inhibited after transfection with miR-124 mimic (All P<0.05). The expression of autophagyrelated protein P62 was increased, and the expression of BECN1 and LC3 was significantly decreased (All P<0.01); in addition, the activity of luciferase reporter gene was also significantly reduced (P<0.01). Silencing BECN1 expression inhibited the invasion and migration of esophageal cancer KYSE170 cells (P<0.01). However, after co-transfection with BECN1 over-expression plasmids, the effects of miR-124 mimic on the autophagy, invasion and migration of esophageal carcinoma KYSE170 cells were significantly weakened (P<0.01), it was also accompanied with lower P62 expression, and higher LC3 expression (P<0.01). Conclusion: miR-124 mimic can inhibit the invasion and migration of esophageal carcinoma cells. The mechanism may be related to the autophagy-related gene BECN1 expression.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of melanoma antigen A family（MAGE-As）in the peripheral blood of patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC), and to analyze its correlations to the clinicopathological features and the prognosis of EC patients. Methods: mRNA expression of MAGE-As in peripheral blood from 153 EC patients and 30 healthy donors was detected using multiplex semi-nested PCR. In addition, restriction endonuclease treatment was used to determine the expression of MAGE-As family members, including MAGE-A1, A2, A3, A4 and A6. Results: The positive expression of MAGE-As was observed in 30 of 153 EC patients (19.61%) in peripheral blood. The positive expression rate of MAGE-A1, A2, A3, A4, A6 was 10.46% (16/153), 16.34%(25/153), 9.8% (15/153), 11.11% (17/153) and 18.30%(28/153), respectively. Additionally, the expression of MAGE-As was positively associated with clinical stage, lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis (all P<0.05). The positive expressions of MAGE-As and its sub-type genes were all associated with low 5-year overall survival of ES patients (all P<0.05). Expression of MAGE-As, tumor volume, lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis can be used as independent prognostic factors for the survival of EC patients (all P<0.01). Conclusion: The expression of MAGE-As in peripheral blood of EC patients was associated with the prognosis of EC, and may be used as an important indicator for the prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.