The epidemiology and etiology of three suspected cases of imported skin diphtheria infection in Fujian Province were investigated.Secretion samples of patients with skin damage were collected for isolation and culture of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.Biochemical identification and mass spectrum analysis of pure cultures of suspected C.diphtheriae were conduc-ted,the virulence-related genes,including diphtheria toxin reporter(dtxR),toxin A(toxA),and toxin B(toxB)were detec-ted,and multilocus sequence typing(MLST)was performed.All three cases had typical clinical manifestations of cutaneous diphtheria,and C.diphtheriae was isolated from the damaged skin.The virulence genes of two C.diphtheriae strains isolated from two cases were identified as dtxR(+),toxA(-),and toxB(-),and the MLST type was ST-703.The virulence genes of C.diphtheriae isolated from one case were identified as dtxR(+),toxA(+),toxB(+),and the MLST type was ST-248.There is an increased risk of diphtheria in Fujian Province.C.diphtheriae without diphtheria toxin genes can also cause skin diphtheria.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) associated with SARS-CoV-2 in China, and to improve the understanding of MIS-C among pediatricians. Methods: Case series study.Collect the clinical characteristics, auxiliary examinations, treatment decisions, and prognosis of 64 patients with MIS-C from 9 hospitals in China from December 2022 to June 2023. Results: Among the 64 MIS-C patients, 36 were boys and 28 were girls, with an onset age being 2.8 (0.3, 14.0) years. All patients suffered from fever, elevated inflammatory indicators, and multiple system involvement. Forty-three patients (67%) were involved in more than 3 systems simultaneously, including skin mucosa 60 cases (94%), blood system 52 cases (89%), circulatory system 54 cases (84%), digestive system 48 cases (75%), and nervous system 24 cases (37%). Common mucocutaneous lesions included rash 54 cases (84%) and conjunctival congestion and (or) lip flushing 45 cases (70%). Hematological abnormalities consisted of coagulation dysfunction 48 cases (75%), thrombocytopenia 9 cases (14%), and lymphopenia 8 cases (13%). Cardiovascular lesions mainly affected cardiac function, of which 11 patients (17%) were accompanied by hypotension or shock, and 7 patients (12%) had coronary artery dilatation.Thirty-six patients (56%) had gastrointestinal symptoms, 23 patients (36%) had neurological symptoms. Forty-five patients (70%) received the initial treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin in combination with glucocorticoids, 5 patients (8%) received the methylprednisolone pulse therapy and 2 patients (3%) treated with biological agents, 7 patients with coronary artery dilation all returned to normal within 6 months. Conclusions: MIS-C patients are mainly characterized by fever, high inflammatory response, and multiple organ damage. The preferred initial treatment is intravenous immunoglobulin combined with glucocorticoids. All patients have a good prognosis.
Male ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use* ; Blood Coagulation ; COVID-19 ; China/epidemiology* ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Coronary Aneurysm ; Fever ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome/therapy*

Reduced levels of retinal dopamine, a key regulator of eye development, are associated with experimental myopia in various species, but are not seen in the myopic eyes of C57BL/6 mice, which are deficient in melatonin, a neurohormone having extensive interactions with dopamine. Here, we examined the relationship between form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and retinal dopamine levels in melatonin-proficient CBA/CaJ mice. We found that these mice exhibited a myopic refractive shift in form-deprived eyes, which was accompanied by altered retinal dopamine levels. When melatonin receptors were pharmacologically blocked, FDM could still be induced, but its magnitude was reduced, and retinal dopamine levels were no longer altered in FDM animals, indicating that melatonin-related changes in retinal dopamine levels contribute to FDM. Thus, FDM is mediated by both dopamine level-independent and melatonin-related dopamine level-dependent mechanisms in CBA/CaJ mice. The previously reported unaltered retinal dopamine levels in myopic C57BL/6 mice may be attributed to melatonin deficiency.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; Melatonin ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred CBA ; Myopia ; Retina ; Sensory Deprivation

Asymptomatic Infections ; Betacoronavirus ; Carrier State ; Coronavirus Infections ; transmission ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; transmission

The stiffness can respond to the function of muscle and tendon. Resistance training leads to the change of muscle-tendon stiffness, and various with the patterns and strength of contraction. This paper reviewed the impacts of mechanical load on stiffness of muscle and tendon, to explore the adaptation of muscle and tendon to mechanical load.

ObjectiveTo explore Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection in the urogenital tract of infertile men and its influence on semen quality.

METHODSSemen samples were collected from 352 infertile males in the Center of Reproductive Medicine of Nanjing General Hospital from March to July 2015. MG infection was detected by real-time fluorescence simultaneous amplification and testing and semen analyses were conducted according to the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed) on the semen pH value, semen volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration, total sperm motility, percentages of progressively motile sperm (PMS) and immotile sperm (IMS), and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis by t-test and non-parametric test (Wilcoxon test).

RESULTSMG infection was found in 3.4% (12/352) of the infertile patients. Compared with the MG-positive cases, the MG-negative ones showed a significantly higher semen volume (［2.85 ± 0.14］ vs ［3.84 ± 0.12］ ml, P = 0.008) and percentage of PMS (［15.86±1.72］ vs ［60.95 ± 5.63］ %, P = 0.032) but a lower DFI (［30.73 ±2.24］ vs ［20.71 ± 1.55］%, P = 0.014). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in the semen pH value (7.38 ±0.02 vs 7.39 ± 0.01, P = 0.774), sperm concentration (［52.96 ± 15.78］ vs ［60.05 ± 4.29］×10⁶/ml, P = 0.683), sperm count (［154.15 ± 46.37］ vs ［221.56 ± 15.43］×106, P = 0.236), total sperm motility (［29.04 ± 3.11］ vs ［33.52 ± 1.51］ %, P = 0.626), or percentage of IMS (［23.57 ± 0.99］ vs ［62.34 ± 1.69］ %, P = 0.691).

CONCLUSIONSUrogenital MG infection is common in infertile males and potentially affects the semen quality, especially sperm vitality of the patient.

DNA Fragmentation ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; microbiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Male Urogenital Diseases ; microbiology ; Mycoplasma Infections ; complications ; Mycoplasma genitalium ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

ObjectiveTo study the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) on the spermatogenic function of the male rats with oligoasthenozoospermia induced by ornidazole (ORN).

METHODSSeventy male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A (solvent control: 1 ml 0.5% CMC-Na + 1 ml olive oil), B (low-dose ORN model: 400 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), C (low-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), D (low-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), E (high-dose ORN model: 800 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), F (high-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), and G (high-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), and treated respectively for 20 successive days. Then all the rats were sacrificed and the weights of the body, testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle obtained, followed by calculation of the organ index, determination of epididymal sperm concentration and motility, and observation of the histomorphological changes in the testis and epididymis by HE staining.

RESULTSCompared with group A, group E showed significantly decreased body weight (［117.67 ± 11.53］ vs ［88.11 ± 12.65］ g, P < 0.01) and indexes of the testis (［1.06 ± 0.12］ vs ［0.65 ± 0.13］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.21 ± 0.03］ vs ［0.17 ± 0.01］ %, P < 0.01). In comparison with group E, group F exhibited remarkable increases in the epididymal index (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.20 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group G in the body weight (［88.11 ± 12.65］ vs ［102.70 ± 16.10］ g, P < 0.05) and the indexes of the testis (［0.65 ± 0.13］ vs ［0.95 ± 0.06］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.19 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.05), but no obvious difference was observed in the index of seminal vesicle among different groups. Compared with group A, group B manifested significant decreases in sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［40.25 ± 6.08］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group E in sperm count (［38.59 ± 6.40］ vs ［18.67 ± 4.59］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.01) and sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［27.58 ± 8.43］ %, P < 0.01). Sperm motility was significantly lower in group B than in C and D (［40.25 ± 6.08］ vs ［58.13 ± 7.62］ and ［76.04 ± 8.44］%, P < 0.01), and so were sperm count and motility in group E than in F and G (［18.67 ± 4.59］ vs ［25.63 ± 9.66］ and ［29.92 ± 4.15］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01; ［27.58 ± 8.43］ vs ［36.56 ± 11.08］ and ［45.05 ± 9.59］ %, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). There were no obvious changes in the histomorphology of the testis and epididymis in groups A, B, C and D. Compared with group A, group E showed necrotic and exfoliated spermatogenic cells with unclear layers and disorderly arrangement in the seminiferous tubules and remarkably reduced sperm count with lots of noncellular components in the epididymal cavity, while groups F and G exhibited increased sperm count in the seminiferous tubules and epididymis lumen, also with exfoliation, unclear layers and disorderly arrangement of spermatogenic cells, but significantly better than in group E.

CONCLUSIONSLA can reduce ORN-induced damage to the spermatogenetic function of rats, improve sperm quality, and protect the reproductive system.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Asthenozoospermia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Male ; Oligospermia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Ornidazole ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Seminiferous Tubules ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Thioctic Acid ; pharmacology

Objective: To investigate the value of real-time RNA simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT) in the detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) in the semen of infertile males and its clinical significance. METHODS: We collected semen samples from 542 infertility patients and 120 normal fertile men as controls in the Andrology Clinic of Nanjing General Hospital from March to September 2015. We detected UU infection in the samples using the culture method and SAT technology, respectively. RESULTS: All the UU positive cases (except 4 false positive cases) detected by the culture method were also shown to be positive in SAT. The UU detection rate of SAT was significantly higher than that of the culture method both in the infertility patients (54.1 vs 19.7%, P<0.05) and in the normal controls (42.5 vs 12.5%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS SAT is a rapid and accurate method for detecting UU infection in semen samples, with a higher sensitivity and accuracy than the culture method, and it can also be used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. However, the culture method has its own advantages, such as low requirement of technical equipment, easy operation, and possibility of drug sensitivity test at the same time. Therefore, SAT and the culture method can be used alternatively according to the clinical need.
Andrology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; microbiology ; Male ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; RNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Semen ; chemistry ; microbiology ; Semen Analysis ; Ureaplasma Infections ; diagnosis ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Objective To observe the brain cerebrovascular function and blood flow changes in patients with brain diseases during hyperbaric oxygen therapy of different states to provide evidence for their clinical treatment.Methods Forty-nine patients with brain diseases,admitted to our hospital from November 2010 to May 2011,were chosen in our study; their rheoencephalography data captured during a complete hyperbaric oxygen therapy of 4 different states were collected and compared; these 4 states were:state Ⅰ,before pressure raising,which could also be the beginning of the therapy; state Ⅱ,before oxygen intake while pressure coming to a stable level; state Ⅲ,40 min after oxygen uptake; and state Ⅳ,while the pressure inside the chamber coming back to normal level.Results Carotid artery and vertebrobasilar system enjoyed likely changes.Parameters of rheoencephalography showing cerebral blood flow changes,including impedance,raising time,total retraction time and high turn ratio,did not show any differences among the four states (P＞0.05),those showing vascular tension and elasticity,including elasticity index,angle of increasing,top angle of peak value,filling time and amplitude,showed statistically significant difference between each 2 states (P＜0.05),and those showing cerebral vascular resistance,such as resistance index,rising time and high turn ratio,showed significant difference between each 2 states (P＜0.05).Conclusion The hyperbaric oxygen therapy has little effect on changing the brain blood flow; it mainly functions as controlling the impedance and extending the contraction of brain vascular.

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference of effects on SiO(2)-induced alveolitis and early fibrosis between bone marrow-derived mesenchymal-like stem cells (BM-MSCs) and BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF and to explore the mechanism of this effects.

METHODSThe Primary BM-MSCs from Wistar male young rats were cultured and labeled by 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:model group (10 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected PBS via the tail vein; BM-MSCs group (20 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected with 1 ml suspension of BM-MSCs via the tail vein; pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSC group (20 rats),which was administered with SiO(2) by the trache, the next day,injected with 1 ml suspension of BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF via the tail vein. On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, half of the animals were sacrificed, respectively, and the lungs were harvested for frozen section to observe the cell marked by DAPI. HE staining under a fluorescent microscope, and to observe the pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis by HE and Masson staining under a light microscope. Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of HGF in rat lungs. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in pulmonary tissues were analyzed quantitatively by ELISA. The contents of HYP in pulmonary tissues were analyzed quantitatively by sample hydrolysis method.

RESULTSOn the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the scores of pulmonary alveolitis and early fibrosis in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 2.36 ± 0.17, 2.8 ± 0.14 and 0.1 ± 0.11, 1.16 ± 0.13, which were significantly lower than those (1.68 ± 0.17, 1.58 ± 0.31 and 0.54 ± 0.15, 1.36 ± 0.13) in BM-MSCs group, also which were significantly lower those (2.36 ± 0.17, 2.80 ± 0.14 and 0.64 ± 0.09, 1.84 ± 0.17) in model group (P < 0.05); On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the TNF-α contents of pulmonary tissues in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 280.4 ± 23.11 and 249.78 ± 22.33 pg/mg, which were significantly lower than those (341.58 ± 35.34, 442.29 ± 36.76 pg/mg and 319.51 ± 17.84, 348.53 ± 33.95 pg/mg) in BM-MSCs and model groups (P < 0.05); On the 14th and 28th days after treatment, the HYP contents of pulmonary tissues in pcDNA3.1-HGF plus BM-MSCs group were 0.46 ± 0.04 and 0.65 ± 0.05 µg/mg, which were significantly lower than those (0.63 ± 0.04, 1.04 ± 0.07 µg/mg and 0.72 ± 0.60, 1.39 ± 0.60 µg/mg) in BM-MSCs and model groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effects of BM-MSCs transfected by pcDNA3.1-HGF on suppressing pulmonary alveolitis and early fibrosis induced by SiO2 were better than those of BM-MSCs. The mechanism may be associated with the reduced pulmonary inflammation.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; prevention & control ; Transfection