Eimeria labbeana is a major pathogen of pigeon coccidiosis,causing damage to the intes-tinal epithelial cells of pigeons,which leads to gut injury,diarrhea,decreased production perform-ance,and even death.There have been no research on the pathogen characteristics of isolated strains in China.In this study,1 008 fecal samples were collected from nine cities in Zhejiang Prov-ince,including Hangzhou,Ningbo,Wenzhou,Shaoxing,Huzhou,Jinhua,Quzhou,Taizhou and Lishui.The samples were examined using the McMaster counting method to quantify oocysts per gram of feces,and coccidia species in positive samples were identified through microscopy.Patho-gens were isolated and purified with methods of single oocyst pickout under the microscopy and passage in coccidia-free pigeon,followed by a detailed study of their characteristics.Our findings demonstrated an overall infection rate of 55.8％(562/1 008)for pigeon coccidia in the surveyed ar-eas,with E.labbeana present across all farms.A strain of E.labbeana isolated from Zhejiang was successfully obtained and designated E.labbeana-ZJ.PCR identification and sequence alignment showed that this Zhejiang isolate shared a 99.67％similarity in the 18S rRNA gene sequence with the Australian strain(KT305927.1)and clustered into a small subgroup.Pathogenicity and oocyst shedding patterns were assessed through animal infection experiments,revealing a 4 days latent period,with peak infection occurring on the 8th day.Following infection,notable clinical symptoms emerged,with significant intestinal damage,and changes in body weight,indicating moderate path-ogenicity.The results enriched the epidemiological survey data of pigeon coccidiosis in China,and provide a new basis for further research and effective control measures against pigeon coccidiosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that infects nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004). It occurs worldwide and can persist for a lifetime in mammals. Humans get infected by eating undercooked meat of animals containing the tissue cysts of this parasite. In immune-competent individuals, T. gondii infection usually does not cause significant clinical symptoms, whereas in pregnant or immunocompromised individuals, T. gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) can cause more serious problems like abortion and even death (Dunn et al., 1999; Wang et al., 2017). A combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is usually used to treat toxoplasmosis, although it is generally inefficient and causes side effects (Alday and Doggett, 2017). Worse still, there is a lack of vaccines to prevent T. gondii infection in humans or animals.
Toxoplasma/enzymology* ; Animals ; Humans ; Toxoplasmosis ; Mitochondria/enzymology* ; Protozoan Proteins/metabolism*

AIM:To investigate the protective ef-fect of midazolam(MID)on cardiac function and angiogenesis in myocardial infarction(MI)rats and its effect on c-Jun N-terminal kinase-signal trans-ducer and activator of transcription 3(JNK/STAT3)pathway.METHODS:MI rat model was established by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation method.A total of 68 rats were modeled.After ex-cluding the rats that died(n=3,mortality rate≈4.4％)or failed modeling(n=5),the 60 MI rats in-cluded in this experiment were randomly divided in-to the model group(Model group),MID low,medi-um and high dose group(1 mg/kg MID-L group,3 mg/kg MID-M group,6 mg/kg MID-H group),MID high dose+JNK activator Anisomycin group(6 mg/kg MID-H+Anisomycin group),12 rats in each group.Another 12 rats undergoing sham surgery were selected as the control group.All rats were echocardiographic and evaluated for cardiac func-tion.The myocardial tissue pathological morpholo-gy and the myocardial fibrosis degree were ob-served by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and Mas-son staining.The serum myocardial injury markers[creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB)and brain na-triuretic peptide(BNP)]and inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis fa ctor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and C-reactive protein(CRP)],myocardial tis-sue oxidative stress indicators[malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and reduced glutathione(GSH)]levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),vascular endothe-lial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2),p-JNK,JNK,p-STAT3 and STAT3 proteins expression levels were detected by Protein blot method(Western blot).RE-SULTS:Compared with Control group,the myocar-dial tissue damage degree in Model group was more severe,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis de-gree was greatly deepened,the collagen volume fraction was significantly increased,the left ventric-ular end-systolic diameter(LVESD),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were significantly in-creased,the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left ventricular short axis shortening rate(LVFS),GSH and SOD levels were significantly de-creased,and the VEGF,VEGFR2 proteins expression levels were significantly decreased,the p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with Model group,with the MID dose increase,the myocardial tissue damage de-gree in MID-L,MID-M and MID-H groups was signif-icantly reduced,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis degree was reduced,the collagen volume fraction was decreased,the LVESD,LVEDD,CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were significantly decreased,the LVEF,LVFS,GSH and SOD levels were significantly increased,and the VEGF,VEGF2R protein expression levels were significantly in-creased,p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were signifi-cantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with MID-H group,the myocardial tissue damage degree in MID-H+Anisomycin group was more severe,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis degree was greatly deepened,the collagen volume fraction was signifi-cantly increased,the cardiac function was weak-ened,the oxidative stress and inflammation were aggravated,LVESD,LVEDD,CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were increased,the LVEF,LVFS,GSH,SOD,VEGF and VEGFR2 proteins expres-sion levels were significantly decreased,p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:MID may improve myocardial tissue damage in MI rats by regulating JNK/STAT3 pathway,reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response,promote angiogenesis,so as to play a role in cardiac protection.

AIM:To investigate the protective ef-fect of midazolam(MID)on cardiac function and angiogenesis in myocardial infarction(MI)rats and its effect on c-Jun N-terminal kinase-signal trans-ducer and activator of transcription 3(JNK/STAT3)pathway.METHODS:MI rat model was established by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation method.A total of 68 rats were modeled.After ex-cluding the rats that died(n=3,mortality rate≈4.4％)or failed modeling(n=5),the 60 MI rats in-cluded in this experiment were randomly divided in-to the model group(Model group),MID low,medi-um and high dose group(1 mg/kg MID-L group,3 mg/kg MID-M group,6 mg/kg MID-H group),MID high dose+JNK activator Anisomycin group(6 mg/kg MID-H+Anisomycin group),12 rats in each group.Another 12 rats undergoing sham surgery were selected as the control group.All rats were echocardiographic and evaluated for cardiac func-tion.The myocardial tissue pathological morpholo-gy and the myocardial fibrosis degree were ob-served by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and Mas-son staining.The serum myocardial injury markers[creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB)and brain na-triuretic peptide(BNP)]and inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis fa ctor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and C-reactive protein(CRP)],myocardial tis-sue oxidative stress indicators[malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD)and reduced glutathione(GSH)]levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),vascular endothe-lial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2),p-JNK,JNK,p-STAT3 and STAT3 proteins expression levels were detected by Protein blot method(Western blot).RE-SULTS:Compared with Control group,the myocar-dial tissue damage degree in Model group was more severe,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis de-gree was greatly deepened,the collagen volume fraction was significantly increased,the left ventric-ular end-systolic diameter(LVESD),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were significantly in-creased,the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left ventricular short axis shortening rate(LVFS),GSH and SOD levels were significantly de-creased,and the VEGF,VEGFR2 proteins expression levels were significantly decreased,the p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with Model group,with the MID dose increase,the myocardial tissue damage de-gree in MID-L,MID-M and MID-H groups was signif-icantly reduced,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis degree was reduced,the collagen volume fraction was decreased,the LVESD,LVEDD,CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were significantly decreased,the LVEF,LVFS,GSH and SOD levels were significantly increased,and the VEGF,VEGF2R protein expression levels were significantly in-creased,p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were signifi-cantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with MID-H group,the myocardial tissue damage degree in MID-H+Anisomycin group was more severe,the myocardial interstitial fibrosis degree was greatly deepened,the collagen volume fraction was signifi-cantly increased,the cardiac function was weak-ened,the oxidative stress and inflammation were aggravated,LVESD,LVEDD,CK-MB,BNP,CRP,TNF-α,IL-1β and MDA levels were increased,the LVEF,LVFS,GSH,SOD,VEGF and VEGFR2 proteins expres-sion levels were significantly decreased,p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:MID may improve myocardial tissue damage in MI rats by regulating JNK/STAT3 pathway,reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response,promote angiogenesis,so as to play a role in cardiac protection.

Eimeria labbeana is a major pathogen of pigeon coccidiosis,causing damage to the intes-tinal epithelial cells of pigeons,which leads to gut injury,diarrhea,decreased production perform-ance,and even death.There have been no research on the pathogen characteristics of isolated strains in China.In this study,1 008 fecal samples were collected from nine cities in Zhejiang Prov-ince,including Hangzhou,Ningbo,Wenzhou,Shaoxing,Huzhou,Jinhua,Quzhou,Taizhou and Lishui.The samples were examined using the McMaster counting method to quantify oocysts per gram of feces,and coccidia species in positive samples were identified through microscopy.Patho-gens were isolated and purified with methods of single oocyst pickout under the microscopy and passage in coccidia-free pigeon,followed by a detailed study of their characteristics.Our findings demonstrated an overall infection rate of 55.8％(562/1 008)for pigeon coccidia in the surveyed ar-eas,with E.labbeana present across all farms.A strain of E.labbeana isolated from Zhejiang was successfully obtained and designated E.labbeana-ZJ.PCR identification and sequence alignment showed that this Zhejiang isolate shared a 99.67％similarity in the 18S rRNA gene sequence with the Australian strain(KT305927.1)and clustered into a small subgroup.Pathogenicity and oocyst shedding patterns were assessed through animal infection experiments,revealing a 4 days latent period,with peak infection occurring on the 8th day.Following infection,notable clinical symptoms emerged,with significant intestinal damage,and changes in body weight,indicating moderate path-ogenicity.The results enriched the epidemiological survey data of pigeon coccidiosis in China,and provide a new basis for further research and effective control measures against pigeon coccidiosis.

Objective:To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)small nucleolar RNA host gene 14(SNHG14)on the malignant biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells by targeting miR-579-3p/secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine(SPARC)axis.Methods:Normal human hepatocytes(LO2)and HCC cells(Huh7,Hep3B,HepG2)were routinely cultured.Huh7 cells were randomly divided into control,sh-NC,sh-SNHG14,sh-SNHG14+anti-NC,and sh-SNHG14+anti-miR-579-3p groups.The mRNA expression levels of SNHG14,miR-579-3p,and SPARC in the above cells were detected by qPCR.Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to verify the regulatory relationship between SNHG14 and miR-579-3p,as well as between miR-579-3p and SPARC.The proliferation,migration,invasion,and apoptosis of Huh7 cells in each group were assessed using MTT,wound-healing,Transwell,and flow cytometry assays,respectively.WB was used to detect the protein levels of PCNA,E-cadherin,vimentin,and SPARC.Results:In HCC cells,SNHG14 and SPARC mRNA were upregulated,whereas miR-579-3p was downregulated(all P<0.05).There was a direct binding regulatory relationship between SNHG14 and miR-579-3p,as well as between miR-579-3p and SPARC mRNA(all P<0.05).Knockdown of SNHG14 significantly inhibited the proliferation,migration,invasion,and the expression of PCNA and vimentin,as well as the mRNA and protein expression of SPARC in Huh7 cells(all P<0.05),while promoting apoptosis,expression of miR-579-3p,and E-cadherin expression(all P<0.05).Inhibition of miR-579-3p partially reversed the effects of SNHG14 knockdown on Huh7 cells(all P<0.05).Conclusion:Knockdown of SNHG14 can inhibit the malignant biological behaviors of Huh7 cells and promote their apoptosis by targeting the miR-579-3p/SPARC axis.The SNHG14/miR-579-3p/SPARC axis may represent a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Insulin-like peptides(ILPs)play a crucial role in the biological processes of nematode metabolism,signal transduction,and developmental processes,representing potential therapeutic targets for nematode infections in animals.In order to explore the specific role of ILPs in nematode development and infection,genome-wide identification,sequence and evolution analysis of the ILPs coding genes were conducted on Haemonchus contortus(H.contortus);transcriptional levels of these ILPs coding genes among developmental stages were determined by a real-time quantitative PCR method;recombinant ILPs were produced in prokaryotic system for polyclonal antibody prep-aration and Western blot analysis;indirect immunofluorescence localization experiment was used to reveal the tissue distribution of ILPs at different developmental stages.It was showed that the number of ILPs coding genes in H.contortus were significantly reduced compared with that of Caenorhabditis elegans,namely three members of ILPs coding genes exhibiting antagonistic fea-tures;the highest transcriptional levels of ILPs coding genes was detected in the infective third stage larvae of H.contortus;ILPs were found dominant in the intestine and hypodermis of the in-fective larvae of this parasitic nematode.In this study,three genes encoding antagonistic ILPs were identified in H.contortus,they might play a role in regulating the development and infection processes.The finding lay a foundation for the study of nematode hypobiosis(larval diapause)in animals and the screening of potential intervention targets.

Objective:To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome(MS) and its relationship with hyperuricemia(HUA) in perimenopausal women in Anning city, Yunnan province.Methods:This is a cross-sectional survey. In May 2021, a multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to collect demographics and clinical data [ethnicity, living community, height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides(TG), serum uric acid, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), alanine transaminase(ALT), etc] in a total of 6 721 perimenopausal women aged 45-60 years.Results:A total of 6 721 perimenopausal women were included in this study. The prevalences of MS and HUA were 14.05%(95% CI 13.22%-14.88%) and 6.46%(95% CI 5.88%-7.07%), respectively. The average age, HDL-C, urea, direct bilirubin, and albumin levels in the perimenstrual HUA population were lower than those in the non-HUA population while the levels of TG, ALT, heart rate, body mass index(BMI), and creatinine were higher(all P<0.05). The prevalence of HUA in perimenopausal women with ethnic minorities and family history of chronic diseases was higher than that in Han nationality and without family history of chronic diseases. The prevalence of MS in perimenopausal women was increased with the increase of serum uric acid( Z=-15.313 8, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression model showed that HUA was positively correlated with MS( OR=1.526, 95% CI 1.192-1.954) after adjusting for covariates such as BMI and ethnicity, and the incidence of MS in perimenopausal women in HUA group was 1.526 folds higher than that in non-hyperuricemia group. Conclusion:HUA is highly positively correlated with MS in perimenopausal women. The management of uric acid level in perimenopausal women should be strengthened.

Objective:To characterize the histopathological subtypes and their clinicopathological parameters of gender and onset age by common, rare and sparse primary esophageal malignant tumors (PEMT).Methods:A total of 272 437 patients with PEMT were enrolled in this study, and all of the patients were received radical surgery. The clinicopathological information of the patients was obtained from the database established by the State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment from September 1973 to December 2020, which included the clinical treatment, pathological diagnosis and follow-up information of esophagus and gastric cardia cancers. All patients were diagnosed and classified by the criteria of esophageal tumor histopathological diagnosis and classification (2019) of the World Health Organization (WHO). The esophageal tumors, which were not included in the WHO classification, were analyzed separately according to the postoperative pathological diagnosis. The χ 2 test was performed by the SPSS 25.0 software on count data, and the test standard α=0.05. Results:A total of 32 histopathological types were identified in the enrolled PEMT patients, of which 10 subtypes were not included in the WHO classification. According to the frequency, PEMT were divided into common (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ESCC, accounting for 97.1%), rare (esophageal adenocarcinoma, EAC, accounting for 2.3%) and sparse (mainly esophageal small cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, etc., accounting for 0.6%). All the common, rare, and sparse types occurred predominantly in male patients, and the gender difference of rare type was most significant (EAC, male∶ female, 2.67∶1), followed with common type (ESCC, male∶ female, 1.78∶1) and sparse type (male∶ female, 1.71∶1). The common type (ESCC) mainly occurred in the middle thoracic segment (65.2%), while the rare type (EAC) mainly occurred in the lower thoracic segment (56.8%). Among the sparse type, malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were both predominantly located in the lower thoracic segment (51.7%, 66.7%), and the others were mainly in the middle thoracic segment.Conclusion:ESCC is the most common type among the 32 histopathological types of PEMT, followed by EAC as the rare type, and esophageal small cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma as the major sparse type, and all of which are mainly occur in male patients. The common type of ESCC mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment, while the rare type of EAC mainly in the lower thoracic segment. The mainly sparse type of malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma predominately occur in the lower thoracic segment, and the remaining sparse types mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment.

At present, artificial intelligence voice technology is widely used in medical care services. This paper summarizes the functional evaluation indicators of the technology from perspectives of intelligence and technology. This paper reviews the user experience evaluation indicators of the technology from the perspectives of user usability, user satisfaction, patient acceptance, and medical and nursing staff acceptance, so as to provide a reference for nursing workers to establish an objective multi-dimensional evaluation standard, and also for the application and development of artificial intelligence voice technology in the field of medical and health care.