Population Genetics of Oncomelania hupensis Snails from New-Emerging Snail Habitats in a Currently Schistosoma japonicum Non-Endemic Area

Schistosomiasis is still one of the most significant neglected tropical diseases worldwide, and China is endemic for Schistosoma japonicum. With its great achievement in schistosomiasis control, the government of China has set the goal to eliminate the parasitic disease at the country level by 2030. However, one major challenge is the remaining huge areas of habitats for the intermediate host Oncomelania hupensis. This is further exacerbated by an increasing number of new emerging snail habitats reported each year. Therefore, population genetics on snails in such areas will be useful in evaluation of snail control effect and/or dispersal. We then sampled snails from new emerging habitats in Taicang of Jiangsu, China, a currently S. japonicum non-endemic area from 2014 to 2017, and performed population genetic analyses based on nine microsatellites. Results showed that all snail populations had low genetic diversity, and most genetic variations originated from within snail populations. The estimated effective population size for the 2015 population was infinitive. All snails could be separated into two clusters, and further DIYABC analysis revealed that both the 2016 and the 2017 populations may derive from the 2015, indicating that the 2017 population must have been missed in the field survey performed in 2016. These findings may have implications in development of more practical guidelines for snail monitoring and control.

In vivo efficiency of praziquantel treatment of single-sex Schistosoma japonicum aged three months old in mice

Schistosomiasis is a major neglected tropical disease mainly caused by Schistosoma haematobium, S. japonicum and S. mansoni, and results in the greatest disease burden. Mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel (PZQ), a single drug only available for the disease, has played a vital role in schistosomiasis control. Therefore, any possibility of selection of the parasites for PZQ resistance or low sensitivity may hamper the 2030's target of global disease elimination. We had experimentally demonstrated the long-term survival and reproductive potential of single-sex (of either sex) S. japonicum infections in definitive hosts mice. What has not yet been adequately addressed is whether the long live single-sex schistosomes remain sensitive to PZQ, and what reproduction potential for those schistosomes surviving treatment may have. We therefore performed experimental mice studies to explore the treatment effectiveness of PZQ (at total doses of 200 or 400 mg/kg, corresponding to the sub-standard or standard treatment doses in humans) for single-sex S. japonicum aged three months old. The results showed that no treatment efficiency was observed on female schistosomes, whereas on male schistosomes only at PZQ 400 mg/kg a significant higher efficiency in reducing worm burdens was observed. Moreover, either schistosome males or females surviving PZQ treatment remained their reproduction potential as normal. The results indicate that long (i.e., three months) live single-sex S. japonicum can easily survive the current treatment strategy, and moreover, any schistosomes, if with PZQ resistance or low sensitivity, could be easily transmitted in nature. Therefore, in order to realize the target for the national and the global schistosomiasis elimination, there is undoubtedly a great need for refining PZQ administration and dosage, looking for alternative therapies, and/or developing vaccines against schistosome.

[Consensus of experts on the oral health management and medical risk prevention for the patients with chronic airway diseases (2022 edition)]

Today, there is greater awareness on the association between oral diseases and respiration diseases after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, confusion regarding the oral health management and medical risk prevention for patients with chronic airway diseases has been remained among dental clinicians. Therefore, the dental experts of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association, combined with the experts of respiratory and critical care medicine, undertook the formation of consensus on the oral health management of patients with chronic airway diseases in order to help dental clinicians to evaluate medical risks and make better treatment decision in clinical practice. In the present consensus report, the relationship of oral diseases and chronic airway diseases, the oral health management and the treatment recommendations of patients with chronic airway diseases are provided.

[Consensus of experts on the medical risk prevention for the patients with cardiovascular diseases during dental treatment (2022 edition)]

With the aging process of population in the society, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China is increasing continuously and the number of dental patients with CVD is increasing gradually too. Due to the lack of guidelines for dental patients with CVD in our country, how to implement standardized preoperative evaluation and perioperative risk prevention remains a problem to be solved for dentists at present. The present expert consensus was reached by combining the clinical experiences of the expert group of the Fifth General Dentistry Special Committee, Chinese Stomatological Association and respiratory and cardiology experts in diagnosis and treatment for CVD patients, and by systematically summarizing the relevant international guidelines and literature regarding the relationship between CVD and oral diseases and the diagnosis and treatment of dental patients with heart failure, hypertension and antithrombotic therapy. The consensus aims to provide, for the dental clinicians, the criteria on diagnosis and treatment of CVD in dental patients in China so as to reduce the risk and complications, and finally to improve the treatment levels of dental patients with CVD in China.

[Non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of nickel in agricultural products and drinking water in an e-waste dismantling area of Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province]

Vegetables, rice, eggs and drinking water samples were collected from e-waste dismantling area of Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province. Nickel (Ni) was analyzed in each sample, and the non-carcinogenic health [the daily intake (DI) and hazard quotient (HQ)] of each sample was evaluated. In this e-waste dismantling area, the contents of Ni in rice and eggs were (0.46±0.24) and (0.16±0.13) μg/g, which were higher than those in the control area [the contents of Ni in rice and eggs were (0.17±0.03) and (0.02±0.02) μg/g, respectively] (both P values<0.05). The DI values of rice, vegetable, eggs, and drinking water were (3.61-5.86), (1.75-2.99), (0.11-0.24), and (0.08-0.12) μg·kg(-1)·day(-1), respectively. The HQ values were 0.180-0.290, 0.090-0.150, 0.005-0.010, 0.005-0.006, respectively. Although the HQ values of rice, vegetable, eggs, and drinking water were all lower than 1, which was an acceptable level. However, considering the possibility of combined exposure of heavy metals, the non-carcinogenic health risks of Ni in the e-waste dismantling area should still be concerned.

[Effects of saliva contamination on bond strength of resin-resin interfaces]

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the bond strength between different resin composite interfaces, and to evaluate the effect of saliva contamination and management with the contamination on the bond strength.

METHODS

Two commercial resin composites containing different types of fillers (AP-X: barium-glass; P60: quartz) were tested in this study. The basic composite blocks were made of AP-X. After wet-ground flatted, the experimental groups were divided into three groups according to the surface treatment: (1)Direct bonding group: the bonding surface was rinsed with distilled water for 20 s, then dried with oil-free air for 20 s; (2)Saliva contamination group: the bonding surface was bathed in saliva for 30 min, then distilled water was rinsed for 20 s and dried with oil-free air for 20 s; (3)Saliva contamination and 75% ethanol wiping group: bonding surface bathed in saliva for 30 min, then wipe the surface with 75% ethanol, distilled water rinse for 20 s and dry with oil-free air for 20 s; The control group was made of the basic composite bulks of AP-X directly bonding with composite P60. Cut each resin block into 1 mm×1 mm×14 mm sticks, observing the micro-structures and detecting the micro-tensile strength of the resin composite interfaces. The bonding strength was measured using micro-tensile tester, then calculated and statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA.

RESULTS

Scanning electronic microscope observation revealed that the control group as well as the direct bonding subgroups, two different resin tags were in good contact with each other. The saliva contamination subgroups had lots of gaps or craters, indicating saliva might have been trapped in the composite buildup and wiping the surface with 75% ethanol had no effect. The micro-tensile bond strength of the control group was (84.07±1.57) MPa and significantly higher than all the other 3 experimental subgroups(P<0.001). In experimental groups, the micro-tensile strength of 3 subgroups was (76.08±2.42) MPa, (70.98±2.33) MPa and (71.08±2.33) MPa, respectively. The saliva contamination subgroup was significant lower than the direct bonding subgroup(P<0.001), but no statistical significance with the ethanol wiping subgroup(P=0.893).

CONCLUSION

The bond strength of inner polymerization of resin-resin was greater, but decreased after resin composites interfacial bonding. Saliva contamination reduced the tensile bond strength between resin composites surface, wiping the surface with 75% ethanol had no effect.

Effects of human parathyroid hormone on bone morphogenetic protein signal pathway following spinal fusion in diabetic rats

Osteoporosis is a major complication in patients with diabetes mellitus. Thus, it is crucial to study the signal mechanisms responsible for enhancement of bone mass in diabetes. Administration of human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) has been reported to prevent osteoblast apoptosis and have anabolic effects on bone in animals and humans. In the present study, we examined the effects of hPTH on expression of bone morphogenetic protein type 2 (BMP-2) and its receptor BMPR2 in diabetic rats following spinal fusion. Our data show that hPTH amplified BMP-2 and BMPR2 in bone tissues of non-diabetic rats, but not in diabetic rats. Our data further demonstrate that hPTH plays a role in regulating BMP-2 and BMPR2 via mTOR-PI3K signal pathway. We suggest specific signaling pathways by which hPTH regulates BMP-2 via mTOR-PI3K mechanism in bone formation following spinal fusion. Notably, our data indicate under diabetic conditions this signal pathway is impaired, thereby likely affecting bone formation after spinal fusion. The subsequent induction of BMP-2 and BMPR2 are likely a part of the protective effects aimed at attenuating pathological bone damage as a result of diabetes.

[A study of temperature rising during the excimer laser keratectomy]

Here, we try to study the regularity of the temperature changing in radiated materials during excimer laser pho-torefractive keratectomy, and more attention should be paid to it during the excimer laser keratec[symbol: see text]tomy.

[c-myc gene and p53 protein expression in human primary liver carcinoma]

Photobiotin-labelled c-myc gene probe was used to study primary liver carcinoma (PHC) by in situ hybridization on the paraffin sections as well as immunohistochemistry staining for p53 protein expression in 42 cases from high liver cancer incidence regions. The results are as follows: c-myc gene and p53 protein expression were both located in the nuclei. The positive incidences of overexpression of both c-myc gene and p53 protein in PHC were 76% and 55% respectively. The distribution and strength of the overexpression of c-myc gene and p53 protein in PHC are related to the degree of cell differentiation and the overexpression in the liver tissue surrounding the carcinoma is lower than that detected in the PHC tissue.