To establish a method for detecting Toxoplasma gondii based on recombinant polymerase amplification(RPA)technology and apply it to clinical sample validation of pet cats.Using the 529 repeat sequence of the Toxoplasma gondii gene as the target gene sequence,primers and probes were designed,and the Rep-529 recombinant plasmid was constructed as the standard.A fluorescent RPA reaction system was established.Dilute the plasmid standard 10 times to different concentrations as the detection template for sensitivity testing;Specific testing was conducted using genomic DNA from several parasitic spe-cies,including Toxoplasma gondii,Cryptosporidium,Neosporidium,Trichinella spiralis,Giardia flagellata,Babesia bo-vis and Theileria annulata as templates;Simultaneously,fluorescence RPA and RT-PCR were used to detect 52 positive and 40 negative cats clinical samples,and the coincidence rate of the detection results of the two methods were compared and ana-lyzed.The RPA reaction system was successfully established using PTRep recombinant plasmid as the standard,ToxD-F/ToxD-R as the primer,and RepD-P as the fluorescent probe.The reaction temperature was constant at 39 ℃,the reaction time was 30 minutes,and the detection sensitivity was 1 copy/μL.There is no significant cross reaction with parasites such as Cryptosporidium,Neosporidium,Trichinella spiralis,Giardia,Babesia bovis and Theileria annulata,and the specificity is good.A total of 92 clinical fecal samples from cats were tested,and the positive coincidence rate of fluorescence RPA detection method was higher than that of conventional RT-PCR method(98.08％vs.82.69％),and the difference of the positive rate was not statistically significant(X2=1.392,P＞0.05).The fluorescence RPA detection method for Toxoplasma gondii suc-cessfully established in this study has the characteristics of being fast,sensitive,specific,accurate,and reliable.It can be used as a rapid clinical detection kit for Toxoplasma gondii in cats and other animals,providing new technical support for the subsequent epidemiological monitoring and precise clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in cats,other animals,and humans in the future.

Objective: To analyze the correlation between serum homocysteine (Hcy) and both folic acid (FA) and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), so as to provide the evidence for male fertility assessment. Methods: Males who visited and measured the serum Hcy in the Reproductive Medicine Center of Huzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from September 2022 to September 2023 were selected as the study subjects. Sperm quality parameters and sperm DFI were analyzed by collecting sperm. Hcy and FA were measured by collecting venous blood. Participants were stratified into a high Hcy group (Hcy≥15.0 μmol/L) and a normal group (Hcy<15.0 μmol/L). The correlations between serum Hcy and FA and sperm DFI were evaluated using linear regression models. Results: A total of 173 participants were enrolled, including 39 in the high Hcy group and 134 in the normal group. The sperm concentration in the high Hcy group was significantly lower than that in the normal group [(91.77±61.11)×106/mL vs. (144.21±106.82)×106/mL, P<0.05]. No statistically significant differences were observed in semen volume, sperm motility, curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, average path velocity, or sperm morphology normal rate (all P>0.05). The FA level in the high Hcy group was lower than that in the normal group [(4.44±1.79) nmol/L vs. (7.64±3.68) nmol/L, P<0.05]. The sperm DFI in the high Hcy group was higher than that in the normal group [(19.21±8.85)% vs. (13.07±6.43)%, P<0.05]. Serum Hcy level showed a negative correlation with FA level (r=-0.369, P<0.05) and a positive correlation with sperm DFI (r=0.351, P<0.05). Conclusion Serum Hcy level is associated with sperm concentration, FA and sperm DFI, suggesting that serum Hcy may affect sperm quality.

OBJECTIVE: Poxviruses are zoonotic pathogens that infect humans, mammals, vertebrates, and arthropods. However, the specific role of ticks in transmission and evolution of these viruses remains unclear. METHODS: Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic raw data from 329 sampling pools of seven tick species across five continents were mined to assess the diversity and abundance of poxviruses. Chordopoxviral sequences were assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to trace the origins of the unblasted fragments within these sequences. RESULTS: Fifty-eight poxvirus species, representing two subfamilies and 20 genera, were identified, with 212 poxviral sequences assembled. A substantial proportion of AT-rich fragments were detected in the assembled poxviral genomes. These genomic sequences contained fragments originating from rodents, archaea, and arthropods. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that ticks play a significant role in the transmission and evolution of poxviruses. These viruses demonstrate the capacity to modulate virulence and adaptability through horizontal gene transfer, gene recombination, and gene mutations, thereby promoting co-existence and co-evolution with their hosts. This study advances understanding of the ecological dynamics of poxvirus transmission and evolution and highlights the potential role of ticks as vectors and vessels in these processes.
Animals ; Poxviridae/physiology* ; Ticks/virology* ; Phylogeny ; Transcriptome ; Evolution, Molecular ; Poxviridae Infections/virology* ; Genome, Viral

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children with newly diagnosed HL from January 2011 to December 2023 at four hospitals: Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University Zhangzhou Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Fujian Children's Hospital. Patients were categorized into low-risk (R1), intermediate-risk (R2), and high-risk (R3) groups based on HL staging and pre-treatment risk factors. The patients received ABVD regimen or Chinese Pediatric HL-2013 regimen chemotherapy. Early treatment response and long-term efficacy were assessed, and prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: The overall complete response (CR) rates after 2 and 4 cycles of chemotherapy were 42% and 68%, respectively. Compared with the ABVD regimen group, patients treated with the HL-2013 regimen in the R1 group showed significantly higher CR rates after both 2 and 4 cycles (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences in CR rates were observed between the two regimens in the R2 and R3 groups (P>0.05). The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate, overall survival rate, and freedom from treatment failure rate were 83%±4%, 97%±2%, and 88%±4%, respectively. Cox analysis indicated that the presence of a large tumor mass at diagnosis and failure to achieve CR after 4 cycles of chemotherapy were independent risk factors for lower EFS rates (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric HL generally has a favorable prognosis. The presence of a large tumor mass at diagnosis and failure to achieve CR after 4 cycles of chemotherapy indicate poor prognosis.
Humans ; Hodgkin Disease/pathology* ; Male ; Child ; Female ; Adolescent ; Retrospective Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Analysis ; Infant

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between CDKN2A copy number deletion and clinical features of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and its prognostic value. METHODS: 155 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with complete clinical data in the Department of Hematology of People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from March 2009 to March 2022 were included, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were obtained and DNA was extracted from them, and next-generation sequencing technology was applied to target sequencing including 475 lymphoma-related genes, the relationship between CDKN2A copy number deletion and clinical features, high-frequency mutated genes and overall survival (OS) of DLBCL patients were analyzed. RESULTS: CDKN2A copy number deletion was present in 12.9% (20/155) of 155 DLBCL patients, grouped according to the presence or absence of copy number deletion of CDKN2A, and a higher proportion of patients with IPI≥3 were found in the CDKN2A copy number deletion group compared to the group with no CDKN2A copy number deletion (80% vs 51.5%, P =0.015) and were more likely to have bulky disease (20% vs 5.2%, P =0.037). Survival analysis showed that the 5-year OS of patients in the CDKN2A copy number deletion group was significantly lower than that of the non-deletion group (51.3% vs 69.2%, P =0.047). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that IPI score≥3 (P =0.007), TP53 mutation (P =0.009), and CDKN2A copy number deletion (P =0.04) were independent risk factors affecting the OS of DLBCL patients. CONCLUSION CDKN2A copy number deletion is an independent risk factor for OS in DLBCL, and accurate identification of CDKN2A copy number deletion can predict the prognosis of DLBCL patients.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16/genetics* ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Gene Deletion ; Adult ; Aged

To establish a method for detecting Toxoplasma gondii based on recombinant polymerase amplification(RPA)technology and apply it to clinical sample validation of pet cats.Using the 529 repeat sequence of the Toxoplasma gondii gene as the target gene sequence,primers and probes were designed,and the Rep-529 recombinant plasmid was constructed as the standard.A fluorescent RPA reaction system was established.Dilute the plasmid standard 10 times to different concentrations as the detection template for sensitivity testing;Specific testing was conducted using genomic DNA from several parasitic spe-cies,including Toxoplasma gondii,Cryptosporidium,Neosporidium,Trichinella spiralis,Giardia flagellata,Babesia bo-vis and Theileria annulata as templates;Simultaneously,fluorescence RPA and RT-PCR were used to detect 52 positive and 40 negative cats clinical samples,and the coincidence rate of the detection results of the two methods were compared and ana-lyzed.The RPA reaction system was successfully established using PTRep recombinant plasmid as the standard,ToxD-F/ToxD-R as the primer,and RepD-P as the fluorescent probe.The reaction temperature was constant at 39 ℃,the reaction time was 30 minutes,and the detection sensitivity was 1 copy/μL.There is no significant cross reaction with parasites such as Cryptosporidium,Neosporidium,Trichinella spiralis,Giardia,Babesia bovis and Theileria annulata,and the specificity is good.A total of 92 clinical fecal samples from cats were tested,and the positive coincidence rate of fluorescence RPA detection method was higher than that of conventional RT-PCR method(98.08％vs.82.69％),and the difference of the positive rate was not statistically significant(X2=1.392,P＞0.05).The fluorescence RPA detection method for Toxoplasma gondii suc-cessfully established in this study has the characteristics of being fast,sensitive,specific,accurate,and reliable.It can be used as a rapid clinical detection kit for Toxoplasma gondii in cats and other animals,providing new technical support for the subsequent epidemiological monitoring and precise clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in cats,other animals,and humans in the future.

Objective To observe the protective effect of modified Baishile Decoction on hippocampal neuronal cells cultured in vitro;To explore its mechanism of treating post-stroke depression.Methods Hippocampal neuronal cells from mammary rats were isolated and cultured in vitro,cell injury was induced by oxygen glucose deprivation combined with lipopolysaccharide.The cells were divided into normal group,model group,blank serum group(10%)and modified Baishile Decoction containing serum group(10%).Invertedmicroscope was used to observe cell morphological changes,CCK-8 method was used to detect cell survival rate,Hoechst33342 staining was used to observe apoptosis,ELISA was used to detect Glu,5-HT,TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6 contents in cell supernatant,the expressions of purinergic P2X7 receptor(P2X7R)and NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)were detected by immunofluorescence staining.Results Compared with the normal group,the hippocampal neurons in the model group showed significant changes in cell morphology,the cell survival rate significantly decreased(P<0.01),the cell apoptosis increased(P<0.01);Glu,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 contents in cell supernatant significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),5-HT content significantly decreased(P<0.01),P2X7R and NLRP3 expressions in hippocampal neuronal cells significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the morphology of hippocampal neurons in modified Baishile Decoction containing serum group was significantly improved,the cell survival rate significantly increased(P<0.01),the cell apoptosis reduced(P<0.01);Glu,TNF-α and IL-1β content in cell supernatant significantly reduced(P<0.05,P<0.01),5-HT content significantly increased(P<0.01),and P2X7R and NLRP3 expressions in hippocampal neuronal cells significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Modified Baishile Decoction may exert a protective effect on oxidative glucose deprivation combined with lipopolysaccharide induced hippocampal neuronal inflammation damage by inhibiting the P2X7R/NLRP3 signaling pathway,regulating neurotransmitter secretion,and inhibiting inflammatory factor release,thus treating post-stroke depression.

BACKGROUND:Animal models of diabetic encephalopathy that have been studied mainly include streptozotocin-induced model,high-sugar and high-fat diet-induced model and spontaneous animal model.Establishing a simple,easy,short-cycle,safe and effective model of diabetic encephalopathy can help to explore the subsequent pathogenesis and screen therapeutic drugs. OBJECTIVE:To further explore and evaluate the method of building diabetic encephalopathy rat models. METHODS:Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control(n=10)and model(n=10)groups.Rats in the model group were given a single injection of 45 mg/kg streptozotocin in the left lower abdominal cavity,and those in the control group were given the same amount of citrate buffer.During the experiment,the body mass,feed intake,water intake and blood glucose were measured.After 8 weeks,the glucose tolerance and oxidative stress levels were measured,and the pathological changes of brain tissue and the expression of apoptotic proteins were compared between groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the food intake,water intake,encephalization quotient,blood glucose and area under the blood glucose curve were significantly increased in the model group,while the body mass decreased significantly(P<0.01).Histopathological examination of the brain showed that compared with the control group,the number of surviving nerve cells was significantly reduced in the model group(P<0.01),with more significant pathological damage of nerve cells.Compared with the control group,the activities of serum superoxide dismutase,catalase and glutathione in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the content of oxidative malondialdehyde was significantly increased(P<0.05).The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Caspase-3 in brain tissue increased in the model group compared with the control group,while the expression of Bcl-2 decreased(P<0.01).In conclusion,an 8-week injection of 45 mg/kg streptozotocin can cause obvious pathological damage to the brain tissue of diabetic rats,to successfully establish the rat model of diabetic encephalopathy.

A new Schiff base fluorescence probe (E)-3-(4-(E)-((4-hydroxyphenyl) imino) methyl) phenyl)-1-(6-methoxynaphthal-2-yl) isopropyl-2-en-1-one (DFFH) was synthesized by using 6-methoxy-2-acetylnaphthalene as raw material. The probe was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR,13C NMR) and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS),etc. In the EtOH-H2O (1:4,V/V) system,the 4-hydroxyaniline portion of probe DFFH complexed with Fe3+to form a 1:1 metal complex,resulting in a significant decrease in fluorescence at 386 nm. In the DMSO-H2O (9:1,V/V,pH=5) system,N2H4 reacted with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group and underwent cyclization addition reaction,and at the same time,the cleavage of the imine bond released aldehyde group from the probe,showing a ratio type fluorescence recognition characteristices. The luminescence intensity of the probe solution decreased slightly upon the additon of Fe3+,and the probe solution changed from colourless to yellowish-brown with the addition of different concentrations of N2H4. Whereas the detection of Fe3+and N2H4 did not interfere with each other. The experimental results showed that probe DFFH had high sensitivity and selectivity toward Fe3+and N2H4,with detection limit of 34.0 nmol/L for Fe3+and 30.0 nmol/L for N2H4,respectively. Moreover,probe DFFH was applied to detection of the contents of Fe3+and N2H4 in actual water samples with satisfactory results,and the spiking recoveries were 96.5％～102.3％and 98.1％～103.0％,respectively.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hypomethylating agents (HMA) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) .Methods:A total of 409 MDS patients from 45 hospitals in Zhejiang province who received at least four consecutive cycles of HMA monotherapy as initial therapy were enrolled to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HMA. Mann-Whitney U or Chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in the clinical data. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to analyze the factors affecting efficacy and survival. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis. Results:Patients received HMA treatment for a median of 6 cycles (range, 4-25 cycles) . The complete remission (CR) rate was 33.98% and the overall response rate (ORR) was 77.02%. Multivariate analysis revealed that complex karyotype ( P=0.02, OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.84) was an independent favorable factor for CR rate. TP53 mutation ( P=0.02, OR=0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.77) was a predictive factor for a higher ORR. The median OS for the HMA-treated patients was 25.67 (95% CI 21.14-30.19) months. HMA response ( P=0.036, HR=0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95) was an independent favorable prognostic factor, whereas complex karyotype ( P=0.024, HR=2.14, 95% CI 1.10-4.15) , leukemia transformation ( P<0.001, HR=2.839, 95% CI 1.64-4.92) , and TP53 mutation ( P=0.012, HR=2.19, 95% CI 1.19-4.07) were independent adverse prognostic factors. There was no significant difference in efficacy and survival between the reduced and standard doses of HMA. The CR rate and ORR of MDS patients treated with decitabine and azacitidine were not significantly different. The median OS of patients treated with decitabine was longer compared with that of patients treated with azacitidine (29.53 months vs 20.17 months, P=0.007) . The incidence of bone marrow suppression and pneumonia in the decitabine group was higher compared with that in the azacitidine group. Conclusion:Continuous and regular use of appropriate doses of hypomethylating agents may benefit MDS patients to the greatest extent if it is tolerated.