OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody, and to examine the correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, so as to provide insights into advanced schistosomiais control in the province. METHODS: The epidemiological data of schistosomiasis in Hunan Province in 2020 were collected, including number of permanent residents in survey villages, number of advanced schistosomiasis patients, number of residents receiving serological tests and number of residents seropositive for anti-Schistosoma antibody, and the prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were descriptively analyzed. Village-based spatial distribution characteristics of prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were identified in Hunan Province in 2020, and the correlation between the revalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was examined using Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis was 0 to 2.72% and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was 0 to 20.25% in 1 153 schistosomiasis-endemic villages in Hunan Province in 2020. Spatial clusters were identified in both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis (global Moran's I = 0.416, P < 0.01) and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (global Moran's I = 0.711, P < 0.01) in Hunan Province. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis identified 98 schistosomiasis-endemic villages with high-high clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis, 134 endemic villages with high-high clusters of the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody and 36 endemic villages with high-high clusters of both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province. In addition, spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (r_s = 0.235, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS There were spatial clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, which were predominantly located in areas neighboring the Dongting Lake. These clusters should be given a high priority in the schistosomiasis control programs.
Animals ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Schistosomiasis/epidemiology* ; Schistosoma ; Spatial Analysis ; Antibodies, Helminth ; China/epidemiology*

Berberine (BBR) as one of the most effective natural products has been increasingly used to treat various chronic diseases due to its immunosuppressive/tolerogenic activities. However, it is unknown if BBR can be applied without abrogating the efforts of vaccination. Here we show that priming of CD8⁺ T cells in the presence of BBR lead to improved central memory formation (Tcm) with substantially reduced effector proliferation, primarily orchestrated through activation of AMPK and Stat5. Tcm derived from vaccinated mice fed with BBR were able to adoptively transfer protective immunity to naïve recipients. Vaccination of BBR-fed mice conferred better memory protection against infection without losing immediate effector efficacy, suggesting appreciable benefits from using BBR in vaccination. Thus, our study may help to lay the groundwork for mechanistic understanding of the immunomodulatory effects of natural products and their potential use as adjuvant that allows the design of novel vaccines with more desirable properties.

Abstract: Objective To clarify the long-term evolution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) quasi-species in HBsAg asymptomatic carriers in Long'an county, Guangxi. Methods ELISA was used to detect serological markers of HBV. Viral loads were measured by real time PCR. HBV DNA was extracted from serum by kits. The whole HBV genome was amplified using nested PCR and amplicons were sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS). These sequences from NGS were analyzed by the software like Mega. Results Serum samples were collected from 9 HBsAg asymptomatic carriers in Longan County，Guangxi at 4 different time points in 2004, 2007, 2013, 2019 or 2020. A total of 23 serum samples and 309 full-length gene quasi-species sequences were obtained, with an average amount of (0.18±0.07) G sequencing data for each sample. Genotype of 55.54%(5/9) the studied subjects underwent genotype conversion during the long-term evolution process of HBV quasi-species, and the genotyping results of the phylogenetic tree in the PreS/S region are in perfect agreement with the results of the whole genome analysis; recombinant B/C, I/C were found; the Sn ranged from 0 to 0.37 and the genetic diversity ranged from 0 to 0.11, respectively. A total of 21 special single nucleotide/amino acid mutations (7 in the S region, 2 in the X region, 3 in the PreC region and 9 in the BCP region) and 6 deletion mutations were detected, multiple mutations were found and no drug resistant mutations were found; 77.8%(7/9) of the HBV strains carried by the subjects in 2004 had double mutations at nt1 762(A→T) and 1 764(G→A) and a stop mutation at nt1 896(G→A); HBV mutations can be restored from the mutant type to the wild type and (or) vice versa without antiviral drug pressure, and The evolution rate of HBV genome was 2.03×10-5~3.50×10-3.Conclusion HBV genotype, recombinants, genetic complexity and diversity of HBV quasi-species can change over time during in natural infection. The transformation between HBV mutation type and wild type reduces the value of predicting clinical outcomes by genetic types and related mutations to some extent. The HBV genome evolution rate of asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg in Long'an County is very high.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy, and represents a significant global health burden with rising incidence rates, despite a more thorough understanding of the etiology and biology of HCC, as well as advancements in diagnosis and treatment modalities. According to emerging evidence, imaging features related to tumor aggressiveness can offer relevant prognostic information, hence validation of imaging prognostic features may allow for better noninvasive outcomes prediction and inform the selection of tailored therapies, ultimately improving survival outcomes for patients with HCC.

Although the functions of metabolic enzymes and nuclear receptors in controlling physiological homeostasis have been established, their crosstalk in modulating metabolic disease has not been explored. Genetic ablation of the xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2E1 in mice markedly induced adipose browning and increased energy expenditure to improve obesity. CYP2E1 deficiency activated the expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) target genes, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21, that upon release from the liver, enhanced adipose browning and energy expenditure to decrease obesity. Nineteen metabolites were increased in Cyp2e1-null mice as revealed by global untargeted metabolomics, among which four compounds, lysophosphatidylcholine and three polyunsaturated fatty acids were found to be directly metabolized by CYP2E1 and to serve as PPARα agonists, thus explaining how CYP2E1 deficiency causes hepatic PPARα activation through increasing cellular levels of endogenous PPARα agonists. Translationally, a CYP2E1 inhibitor was found to activate the PPARα-FGF21-beige adipose axis and decrease obesity in wild-type mice, but not in liver-specific Ppara-null mice. The present results establish a metabolic crosstalk between PPARα and CYP2E1 that supports the potential for a novel anti-obesity strategy of activating adipose tissue browning by targeting the CYP2E1 to modulate endogenous metabolites beyond its canonical role in xenobiotic-metabolism.

Liposarcomas of the spermatic cord are rare and often clinically and histologically misdiagnosed, leading to ineffective management and poor outcomes. We present a case of metastatic dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the spermatic cord, which recurred after excision of a misdiagnosed well-differentiated liposarcoma 3 years prior. Due to its size and high-grade metastasis, the tumor was unresectable, leading to treatment with systemic chemotherapy. Complications arose including partial compression of the testicular artery and urethral obstruction secondary to local mass effect. Tumor biopsy was characterized by a unique immunohistochemical profile which helped to explain the unique processes leading to mass effect, vascular and urethral compression, and bilateral scrotal swelling. The patient’s family history of malignancy and 22/22q trisomy identified in the tumor biopsy were also interesting contributors. In conclusion, accurate diagnosis of spermatic cord tumors is essential for effective treatment, and further data collection is required to improve management of advanced metastatic disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/etiology* ; Humans ; Male ; Manufacturing Industry ; Noise, Occupational ; Occupational Exposure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR3I1) belongs to nuclear receptor superfamily. It was reported that CAR agonist TCPOBOP induces hepatomegaly but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a potent regulator of organ size. The aim of this study is to explore the role of YAP in CAR activation-induced hepatomegaly and liver regeneration. TCPOBOP-induced CAR activation on hepatomegaly and liver regeneration was evaluated in wild-type (WT) mice, liver-specific YAP-deficient mice, and partial hepatectomy (PHx) mice. The results demonstrate that TCPOBOP can increase the liver-to-body weight ratio in wild-type mice and PHx mice. Hepatocytes enlargement around central vein (CV) area was observed, meanwhile hepatocytes proliferation was promoted as evidenced by the increased number of KI67

Health Status ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Manufacturing Industry ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Exposure

Trichinellosis is an important zoonotic parasitic disease worldwide and is principally caused by ingesting animal meat containing Trichinella infective larvae. Aspartyl aminopeptidase is an intracytoplasmic metalloproteinase that specifically hydrolyzes the N-terminus of polypeptides free of acidic amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamate), and plays an important role in the metabolism, growth and development of organisms. In this study, a novel T. spiralis aspartyl aminopeptidase (TsAAP) was cloned and expressed, and its biological properties and roles in worm growth and development were investigated. The results revealed that TsAAP transcription and expression in diverse T. spiralis stages were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, and primarily localized at cuticle, stichosome and intrauterine embryos of this nematode by immunofluorescence test. rTsAAP has the enzymatic activity of native AAP to hydrolyze the substrate H-Glu-pNA. There was a specific binding between rTsAAP and murine erythrocyte, and the binding site was localized in erythrocyte membrane proteins. Silencing of TsAAP gene by specific dsRNA significantly reduced the TsAAP expression, enzymatic activity, intestinal worm burdens and female fecundity. The results demonstrated that TsAAP participates in the growth, development and fecundity of T. spiralis and it might be a potential target molecule for anti-Trichinella vaccines.