Background The human body is usually exposed to a variety of heavy metals at the same time, and different types and concentrations of heavy metals may have complex interactions during their absorption and metabolism in the human body. Seminal fructose is an important energy source for sperm movement. A large number of studies have shown that metal exposure may impair semen quality, and seminal fructose is an important factor affecting male reproduction, so it is necessary to investigate the relationship between mixed heavy metal exposure and seminal fructose to explore the mechanism of semen quality damage caused by metal exposure. Objective To understand the status of common heavy metal exposure in men of childbearing age in Puyang City, Henan Province, and to study the relationship between mixed exposure to heavy metals and seminal fructose, as well as potential interactions among heavy metals. Methods Volunteers were recruited from the Puyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital Reproductive Center for a cross-sectional survey on general demographic characteristics, smoking, alcohol consumption, and other information. Semen samples were collected to detect 12 metals such as vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), barium (Ba), thallium (Tl), iron (Fe), and lead (Pb) in seminal plasma and seminal fructose. After correcting for selected confounding factors, a Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model was used to evaluate the impact of seminal plasma heavy metal mixed exposure and its interactions on seminal fructose. Results A total of 825 adult males were enrolled. The concentrations in M (P₂₅, P₇₅) of V, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, Fe, and Pb in seminal plasma were 0.39 (0.28, 0.54), 12.31 (8.92, 17.52), 0.26 (0.18, 0.38), 5.15 (3.32, 8.64), 182159.80 (121847.80, 199144.50), 13.61 (10.55, 17.68), 0.03 (0.02, 0.04), 0.34 (0.27, 0.46), 8.64 (5.94, 13.43), 0.06 (0.05, 0.08), 168.74 (114.17, 259.45), and 1.69 (1.15, 2.36) μg·L⁻¹ respectively. The Spearman correlation results indicated that there was a negative correlation between V, Mn, Co, Zn, Se, Ba, Tl, or Fe in seminal plasma and seminal fructose (P<0.05), and the values of r (95%CI) were −0.044 (−0.087, −0.001), −0.129 (−0.171, −0.087), −0.055 (−0.099, −0.012), −0.099 (−0.143, −0.056), −0.053 (−0.097, −0.010), −0.068 (−0.111, −0.025), −0.095 (−0.138, −0.052), and −0.082 (−0.125, −0.039), respectively. The results of multiple linear regression indicated that there was a negative correlation between the exposure level of Cd, Mn, Zn, Ag, Ba, Tl, or Fe in seminal plasma and seminal fructose (P<0.05), the values of associated β (95%CI) were −0.551 (−0.956, −0.147), −0.315 (−0.419, −0.212), −0.187 (−0.272, −0.103), −0.161 (−0.301, −0.021), −0.188 (−0.314, −0.062), −1.159 (−2.170, −0.147), and −0.153 (−0.230, −0.076), respectively. The BKMR model analysis showed that seminal fructose level decreased with the increase of plasma metal mixed exposure concentration. Compared with all metal exposure at P₅₀, the seminal fructose level decreased by 0.2374 units when all metal exposure was at P₇₅. Seminal plasma Zn [posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs)=1.0000] had the strongest effect on seminal fructose, followed by Mn (PIPs=0.5872), Se (PIPs=0.5656), and Ba (PIPs=0.5398). The univariate exposure-response curve showed a negative approximate linear correlations between Ba or Mn and seminal fructose, a positive linear correlation between Se and seminal fructose, and an approximate inverted U-shaped association between Zn and seminal fructose. No significant interaction between studied metals was found. Conclusion Mixed metal exposure may lead to decrease of seminal fructose, in which Zn, Mn, Se, and Ba may play an important role. Mn and Zn exposure may reduce the level of seminal fructose, Se may increase the level of seminal fructose, and there may be a threshold effect between Zn exposure and seminal fructose level. No interaction between different metals on seminal fructose is found.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide. According to GLOBOCAN 2020, it was estimated that there were 600, 000 new EC cases and 540 000 EC deaths, while nearly half of all newly diagnosed cases of EC and associated deaths worldwide occurred in China. The annual incidence and mortality of EC have been reduced in the last 20 years in China. However, the early symptoms and signs of EC are not easily distinguished and the disease tends to be within the middle and late stage of pathogenesis when identified, leading to its low 5-year survival rate. Therefore, it could help effectively reduce the burden of EC by clarifying its etiology and risk factors, as well as taking preventive and early diagnosis measures. This article reviews the epidemiology, etiology, screening and early diagnosis of EC in China, to provide systematic references for EC prevention and control.

One of the distinct hallmarks of cancer cells is aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect). Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is thought to play a key role in aerobic glycolysis and has been extensively studied, while lactate dehydrogenase C (LDHC), an isoform of LDHA, has received much less attention. Here we showed that human LDHC was significantly expressed in lung cancer tissues, overexpression of Ldhc in mice could promote tumor growth, and knock-down of LDHC could inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells. We solved the first crystal structure of human LDHC4 and found that the active-site loop of LDHC4 adopted a distinct conformation compared to LDHA4 and lactate dehydrogenase B4 (LDHB4). Moreover, we found that (ethylamino) (oxo)acetic acid shows about 10 times selective inhibition against LDHC4 over LDHA4 and LDHB4. Our studies suggest that LDHC4 is a potential target for anticancer drug discovery and (ethylamino) (oxo)acetic acid provides a good start to develop lead compounds for selective drugs targeting LDHC4.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) complicated with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is rare.We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of two patients with refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) complicated with CVST who were hospitalized in Xi′an children′s Hospital from December 2018 to April 2019, inquired the relevant literature, analyzed the clinical diagnosis and treatment characteristics, and discussed the diagnosis and treatment measures of RMPP complicated with CVST.Two cases were 6-year-old girls with fever and cough as the main symptoms.After physical examination, the respiratory sounds of the affected lung decreased, and the sounds of phlegm and dampness could be heard in both lungs.Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) antibody and RNA were positive.Chest CT showed lobar pneumonia with a large number of pleural effusion.The effect of macrolide antibiotics anti infection treatment was not good.Headache symptoms occurred during the course of the disease, and serum D-dimer increased significantly.Brain MRI showed CVST, including 1 case with lower extremity pain, and B-ultrasound showed right lower extremity arterial embolism.After anti infection, thrombectomy, anticoagulation and symptomatic treatment, 2 cases were discharged.When children with MPP, especially those with RMPP, have extracranial thrombosis and/or neurological symptoms, accompanied by elevated serum D-dimer, the possibility of CVST should be considered, and brain MRI examination should be performed in time to confirm and actively treat, which can reduce or avoid the occurrence of sequelae.Thrombosis may be related to excessive inflammatory reaction and vascular endothelial injury caused by MP infection.

Objective To study patient delay and the influencing factors of the elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis（PTB），so as to provide evidence for developing effective prevention and control strategies. Methods Derived the information from PTB management information system in 2010-2019 of the tuberculosis patients who were aged 60 years or older in Huai'an City, described and analyzed the influencing factors of patient delay. Results The median time of PTB patients delay in Huaian was 21 day, while the rate was 65.91%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that compared with permanent residents, city dwellers, the first diagnosis unit specialized hospital, and the patient source referral, the patient delay risks of the floating residents（OR = 2.942 , 95% CI: 2.461-3.518）, the country dwellers（OR = 1.528,95% CI :1.377-1.697）, the first diagnosis unit general hospital（OR = 1.203,95% CI: 1.087-1.333）, and the patient source recommendation （OR = 2.395,95% CI: 1.960-2.928）were higher, Compared with the peasants（OR = 0.315 , 95% CI : 0.213-0.512）, new patients（OR = 0.812 , 95% CI : 0.689-0.974） and sputum smear positive patients（OR = 0.866 , 95% CI : 0.780-0.962）, the patient delay risks of the non-peasants, recurrent patients, and sputum negative patients were lower. Conclusion The patient delay of the elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis（PTB）in Huaian was serious, the influencing factors of patient delay were type of household registration, current residence, occupation, type of first-time unit, source of patient , classification of treatment, and the sputum test results.

Objective:To understand the infection and distribution of syphilis in hospitalized patients, thus to provide reference for syphilis prevention and control.Methods:TP-ELISA test was used to examine early syphilis antibody, and adopted the TPPA test to validation syphilis antibody, and TRUST was used to determine the titer of syphilis antibody in 80 478 hospitalized patients from January 2015 to November 2017, then the results were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among 80 478 inpatients, 1 326 cases were positive by TP-ELISA test(1 223 cases positive, 101 cases weak positive and 2 cases negative by TPPA confirmed). The positive rates of TP-ELISA in different years were 1.62%(445/27 394), 1.72%(490/28 412) and 1.58%(389/24 672), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant( P>0.05). The positive rates of male and female patients were 2.02%(689/33 985) and 1.37%(635/46 479), and the difference was statistically significant(χ 2=52.91, P=0.00). The positive rates of ≤18 years old, >18-59 years old, >59-79 years old and>79 years old were 0.32%(7/2 161), 1.44%(765/53 001), 2.31%(488/21 163) and 1.50%(62/4 153), respectively.The highest proportion of syphilis patients was in the group of >59-79 years old, and the differences were statistically significant compared with the other groups(χ 2=37.08, 67.05, 10.80, all P<0.01). Among the TP-ELISA positive patients, 54.90%(728/1 326) had TRUST titer negative, 36.50%(484/1 326) had titer less than 1∶8, and the others had 8.44%(112/1 326). Conclusion:The incidence of syphilis was higher in males than in females in 80 478 hospitalized patients.The highest positive rate was found in >59-79 years old group, and the number of elderly cases increased rapidly.Therefore, the effective interventions should be developed to control the transmission of syphilis according to the epidemiological features.

Objective To understand the strategy of schistosomiasis elimination and its effects in Jinhu County, Jiangsu Province. Methods The data of schistosomiasis control in Jinhu County at different stages from 1970 to 2017 were collected and analyzed. Results From 1970 to 2017, there were three stages of schistosomiasis control, including transmission control, transmission interruption, and monitoring and elimination stages in Jinhu County. The main measures included Oncomelania hupensis snail control, infectious source control, and health education. A total of area of 290 691.78 hm² was detected in Jinhu County, and the area with snails was 3 420.98 hm². There were 8 729.37 hm² area with snails was controlled. Since 2014, no O. hupensis snails were found. A total of 525 377 person-times were examined for schistosomiasis, with 2 815 schistosomiasis patients identified, and 2 844 person-times were treated by chemotherapy. In addition, 977 cases received the expand chemotherapy. Since 1990, no local schistosome-infected persons were found. In 2017, the awareness rate of schistosomiasis control knowledge and the correct rate of health behavior were increased by 54.59% and 14.23% respectively compared with those in 1992. Conclusions The comprehensive schistosomiasis control measures implemented in Jinhu County at different periods have achieved remarkable outputs and accelerated the schistosomiasis elimination process. However, the precise control measures should be implemented in the future to consolidate the prevention and control achievements.

Objective To analyze the dosimetric and delivery efficiency differences between IMRT plans based on Halcyon and Trilogy Accelerator for left side breast cancer.Methods A total of 10 patients with left side breast cancer based on the Trilogy platform were retrospectively analyzed.For each patient,plan based on Halcyon was redesigned using Eclipse Version 15.1 TPS.In order to evaluate plan quality,dose coverage of target and dose to organs at risk,monitor unit efficiency,segment size and delivery time were compared.Results Halcyon treatment platform could meet the clinical objective.Dose distribution of the target volume had no significant difference with the Trilogy plans (P＞0.05).Volumes receiving 10 Gy,20 Gy and D of the left lung were significantly reduced(Z=-2.22--1.78,P＜0.05).V5 of heart for Halcyon and Trilogy was(27.80±7.66)％ and (23.18±8.19)％,respectively(Z=-0.71,P＜0.05),while D was (7.03± 1.8)Gy and(7.11±2.40)Gy,respectively(P＞0.05).Halcyon increased the monitor unit from 1 526.2±227.7 by Trilogy to 1 770.5±383.9(Z=-0.71,P＜0.05),but decreased the delivery time from (12.38± 1.49) min by Trilogy to (3.01 ±0.28) min (Z =-3.42,P＜ 0.05).Conclusion Halcyon treatment platform can meet the clinical requirements,reduce dose to normal tissue with high delivery efficiency.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the long-term sensorimotor gating system after sevoflurane anaesthesia in neonatal rats.Methods One hundred forty-four clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 4-6 days,weighing 8-15 g,were divided into 4 groups (n =36 each) using a random number table method:control group (group C),sevofluraue group (group S),dexmedetomidine plus sevoflurane group (group D + S),and dexmedetomidine plus α2 receptor antagonist atipamezole plus sevoflurane group (group D+A+S).In group S,anesthesia was induced with 6％ sevofluraue for 3 min and maintained with 2.1％ sevoflurane,and the anesthesia time was 6 h in total.Dexmedetomidine 25 μg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group D.In group D +A+ S,dexmedetomidine 25 μg/kg and atipamezole 250 μg/kg were intraperitoneally injected,and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group S.Twelve rats in each group were randomly selected after anesthesia and sacrificed,and blood samples were collected for determination of serum corticosterone concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Twenty-four rats were randomly selected in each group,and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle test was performed at 70 days after birth.PPI rate (PP3％,PP6％,PP12％) was calculated.The serum corticosterone concentration was measured by restraint stress test on 80 days after birth.Results There was no significant difference in PP6％ or PP12％ among the four groups (P＞0.05).Compared with group C,PP3％ was significantly decreased,and the serum corticosterone concentration was increased after the end of anesthesia and during restraint stress test at 80 days after birth in S and D+A+ S groups (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group D (P＞0.05).Compared with group S,PP3％ was significantly increased,and the serum corticosterone concentration was decreased after the end of anesthesia and during restraint stress test at 80 days after birth in group D (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group D+ A+S (P＞0.05).Compared with group D,PP3％ was significantly decreased,and the serum corticosterone concentration was increased after the end of anesthesia and during restraint stress test at 80 days after birth in group D+A+S (P＜0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can alleviate the damage to long-term sensorimotor gating system after sevoflurane anesthesia in neonatal rats,and the mechanism may be related to activating central α2 receptors and improving hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperfunction.

Objective To evaluate the actual effect of the schistosomiasis control program in Jiangsu Province from 2010 to 2015. Methods A total of 67 schistosomiasis-endemic counties in 10 cities were selected, and a combination of retrospective investigation and on-site investigation was adopted to collect and record the epidemic data of the counties from 2010 to 2015, and a retrospective survey database of epidemic situation was established. The effects of integrated control strategies with both Oncomelania hupensis snail control and infection source control were evaluated. Results From 2010 to 2015, 2 465 911 persons who lived in endemic areas were detected for schistosomiasis, with 16 974 positive cases of blood examinations, and 8 positive cases of fecal examinations. Totally 5 145 people with advanced schistosomiasis were treated and 40 460 people with the history of schistosome cercarial-infested water contact received the expanded chemotherapy. A total of 127 636 cattle raised in the endemic areas were detected, and 51 619 cattle (head-times) with the history of cercarial-infested water contact also received the expanded chemotherapy. The area with snails control by molluscicides was 18 604.84 hm². By the end of 2015, schistosomeinfected snails had not been found and there was no zoological schistosome infection for 5 consecutive years, and in addition, there had been no acute schistosome-infected persons for 6 consecutive years in the whole province. The area with snails dropped to 1 977.18 hm², with a decreasing rate of 55.24% compared with that in 2010. Conclusion After the implementation of the plan for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis in Jiangsu Province (2010–2015), the prevention and control of schistosomiasis has achieved remarkable effects and realized the goal of the plan.