Subtypes of Blastocystis in Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii)

Blastocystis is a protist that is distributed in the gut tract of humans and animals. However, the reports about Blastocystis infection in Tibetan antelope are scarce. We collected 173 Tibetan antelope feces samples from Xinjiang, Qinghai and Xizang, and amplified the SSU rRNA gene of 600 bp region of Blastocystis in our research. Fifty-one samples in total were positive for Blastocystis, with all subtypes being ST31. The lowest prevalence of Blastocystis was observed in Xizang (2/20, 9.1%), followed by Qinghai (18/92, 16.4%), Xinjiang (31/61, 33.7%). The highest prevalence of Blastocystis in Tibetan antelope was detected during the summer was (19/30, 38.8%). This is the first research work regarding the Blastocystis subtypes ST31 in Tibetan antelope. Our research provides information for future researches on the distribution of this Blastocystis subtype and the control of Blastocystis infection.

Global prevalence of Plasmodium infection in wild birds: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Avian malaria is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium infection transmitted to birds by mosquitoes. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the global prevalence of malaria and risk factors associated with infection in wild birds. A systematic search of the databases CNKI, WanFang, VIP, PubMed, and ScienceDirect was performed from database inception to 24 February 2023. The search identified 3181 retrieved articles, of which 52 articles met predetermined inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. The estimated pooled global prevalence of Plasmodium infection in wild birds was 16%. Sub-group analysis showed that the highest prevalence was associated with adult birds, migrant birds, North America, tropical rainforest climate, birds captured by mist nets, detection of infection by microscopy, medium quality studies, and studies published after 2016. Our study highlights the need for more understanding of Plasmodium prevalence in wild birds and identifying risk factors associated with infection to inform future infection control measures.

[Periconceptional maternal homocysteine and birth weight outcomes in offspring: a prospective cohort study]

Objective: To quantify the associations between periconceptional maternal homocysteine (HCY) and offspring's birth weight and risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infant. Methods: The 19 984 mother-child pairs in this prospective cohort study were recruited from the Shanghai preconception cohort; the infants were delivered from 1st September 2016 to 11th November 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the mothers' demographic information, medical history, dietary supplement use, and maternal complications during pregnancy, and their serum samples were collected. Serum HCY, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay based on serum sample drawn at enrollment. Birth weight data were obtained from medical records. Multiple imputation methods were applied to handle missing data in key variables. Multivariable linear regression and Poisson regression models were used to analyze the relationship between maternal HCY concentration during the periconceptional period and the birth weight and SGA risk of the offspring. Results: A total of 9 452 pairs were enrolled preconceptionally and the remaining 10 532 pairs were enrolled in early pregnancy. The proportion of mothers whose pregnancy age was greater than 35 years was 9.2% (1 832/19 984), the proportion of primiparous women was 76.5% (15 283/19 984), the proportion of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity was 14.0% (2 804/19 984), the proportion of using folic acid supplements before pregnancy was 21.4% (4 272/19 984), and the proportion of those who supplemented with folic acid during early pregnancy was 85.2% (8 976/10 532); gestational diabetes mellitus was in 6.2% (1 245/19 984), gestational hypertensive syndrome in 3.6% (711/19 984). The birth weight of the offspring was (3 297±468) g, and there were 1 962 SGA children (9.8%). The HCY concentration in the overall population in appropriate for gestational age during the periconceptional period was (7.9±3.2) μmol/L, with (8.3±3.7) μmol/L in the preconception subgroup and (7.3±2.4) μmol/L in the early pregnancy subgroup. After adjustment for the covariates of perinatal demographic information, adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum folate and vitamin B12, increased maternal periconceptional HCY was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (β=-2.30, 95%CI -4.43--0.16, P=0.035). Only the early pregnancy subgroup was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (β=-7.39, 95%CI-11.50--3.21, P<0.001). No association was found between peripregnancy HCY and offspring SGA risk. However, elevated HCY in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA in the offspring (RR=1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.08, P=0.002). Periconceptional vitamin B12 was a mediator of the association between HCY and offspring birth weight, accounting for 16.5%, 41.2% and 5.4% of its total effect in the overall periconceptional population, the pre-pregnancy subgroup and the early pregnancy subgroup, respectively. Conclusions: Maternal periconceptional HCY level is associated with lower birth weight in offspring, but not with the risk of SGA. Elevated maternal HCY in early pregnancy subgroup may be associated with increased risk of SGA in offspring.

Meta-analysis of the prevalence of Giardia duodenalis in sheep and goats in China

Giardia duodenum (G. duodenalis) can cause giardiasis and infect a variety of hosts. So far, there have been no detailed data regarding the positive rate of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats in China. Here, a systematic literature review was carried out to investigate the epidemiology of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats in China. To perform the meta-analysis, the databases CNKI, VIP, WanFang, PubMed, Web of science and ScienceDirect were employed for screening studies related to the prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats in China. The total prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats was estimated to be 7.00% (95% CI: 4.00-10.00). In the age subgroup, the prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats of >12 months (11.29%; 95% CI: 8.08-14.97) was higher than that in sheep and goats of ≤12 months (7.57%; 95% CI: 3.95-12.24). An analysis based on seasons showed that the prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats was higher in summer (11.90%; 95% CI: 0.50-35.05) than that in other seasons. The prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats after 2016 was 8.57% (95% CI: 5.34-11.79), which was higher than others. The highest prevalence of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats was 13.06% (95% CI: 6.26-19.86) recorded in Southwestern China. The prevalence of Giardia infection in sheep (7.28%; 95% CI: 2.30-14.73) was higher than that in goats (5.43%; 95% CI: 2.73-8.98). The NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information (https://gis.ncdc.noaa.gov/maps/ncei/cdo/monthly) was used to extract relevant geoclimatic data (latitude, longitude, elevation, temperature, precipitation, humidity, and climate). By analyzing the data of each subgroup, it was shown that region, genetype, and climate were potential risk factors for giardiasis prevalence in sheep and goats. Based on the analysis of common factors and geographical factors, it is recommended to strengthen effective management measures (e.g. ventilation and disinfection in warm and humid areas) and formulate relevant policies according to local conditions. Breeders should strengthen the detection of G. duodenalis in sheep and goats, customize corresponding control measures according to the diet and living habits of sheep and goats, and strengthen the protection of sheep and lamb calves, so as to reduce the incidence rate and reduce the economic loss of China's animal husbandry.

Prevalence of bovine coronavirus in cattle in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is one of the important pathogens that cause calf diarrhea (CD), winter dysentery (WD), and the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), and spreads worldwide. An infection of BCoV in cattle can lead to death of young animals, stunted growth, reduced milk production, and milk quality, thus bringing serious economic losses to the bovine industry. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent and control the spread of BCoV. Here, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the prevalence of BCoV in cattle in China before 2022. A total of 57 articles regarding the prevalence of BCoV in cattle in China were collected from five databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, CNKI, VIP, and Wan Fang). Based on the inclusion criteria, a total of 15,838 samples were included, and 6,136 were positive cases. The overall prevalence of BCoV was 30.8%, with the highest prevalence rate (60.5%) identified in South China and the lowest prevalence (15.6%) identified in Central China. We also analyzed other subgroup information, included sampling years, sample sources, detection methods, breeding methods, age, type of cattle, presence of diarrhea, and geographic and climatic factors. The results indicated that BCoV was widely prevalent in China. Among all subgroups, the sample sources, detection methods, breeding methods, and presence or absence of diarrheal might be potential risk factors responsible for BCoV prevalence. It is recommended to strengthen the detection of BCoV in cattle, in order to effectively control the spread of BCoV.

Global prevalence and risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Intoduction

Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Cryptosporidium infection with the main symptom of diarrhea. The present study performed a metaanalysis to determine the global prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus animals.

Methods

Data collection was carried out using Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database (VIP), WanFang Data, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, with 35 articles published before 2021 being included in this systematic analysis. This study analyzed the research data through subgroup analysis and univariate regression analysis to reveal the factors leading to high prevalence. We applied a random effects model (REM) to the metadata.

Results

The total prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was estimated to be 7.59% from the selected articles. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in female Equus was 2.60%. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus under 1-year-old was 11.06%, which was higher than that of Equus over 1-year-old (2.52%). In the experimental method groups, the positive rate detected by microscopy was the highest (10.52%). The highest Cryptosporidium prevalence was found in scale breeding Equus (7.86%). The horses had the lowest Cryptosporidium prevalence (7.32%) among host groups. C. muris was the most frequently detected genotype in the samples (53.55%). In the groups of geographical factors, the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was higher in regions with low altitude (6.88%), rainy (15.63%), humid (22.69%), and tropical climates (16.46%).

Discussion

The search strategy use of five databases might have caused the omission of some researches. This metaanalysis systematically presented the global prevalence and potential risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus. The farmers should strengthen the management of young and female Equus animals, improve water filtration systems, reduce stocking densities, and harmless treatment of livestock manure.

Global Prevalence of Echinococcosis in Goats: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Echinococcosis is a foodborne parasitic zoonosis caused by the larvae of Echinococcus. This disease can affect goats and other mammals. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis for echinococcosis in global goats were performed based on the following five databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], VIP Chinese Journal Database, Wanfang Data, PubMed, and ScienceDirect). In total, 108,197 samples were collected. The global prevalence of echinococcosis in goats was identified to be 10.85% (3217/108,197). The prevalence of echinococcosis in goats was 6.16% (1369/22,208) and 13.27% (874/5932) in South America and Africa, respectively. The prevalence of echinococcosis in goats before 2010 (9.76%; 112/713) was significantly higher than that from 2010 to 2014 (1.44%; 45/32,145) or after 2014 (2.95%; 154/3889). The prevalence of echinococcosis in goats aged <12 months (4.48%; 70/2911) was higher than that in goats aged ≥12 months (2.88%; 36/819). We also investigated the effects of geographical factors and climates on the prevalence of echinococcosis in goats. The results showed that the prevalence of echinococcosis was higher in the areas with high altitude and cold climate. This meta-analysis indicated that echinococcosis was ubiquitous in goats. Thus, we should improve the feeding conditions for goats, and strengthen the control measures of echinococcosis epidemic in goats, with the aims of reducing the economic losses of animal husbandry and providing protection for humans in the aspects of food security and health.

Born to Win: Reproductive Health Policy and Urban Education Returns in China

This study explores the relationship between China's reproductive health policy and the rate of return on urban education by using fixed-effect, mediating-effect, and breakpoint regression models. The authors study the impact of China's reproductive health policy on individual years of education, income, return on education, the impact of reproductive health policy on population health, and overall human development. The empirical results show that the implementation of China's reproductive health policy can improve the rate of return on urban education and increase the average length of education of urban residents by 0.29 years. Under the breakpoint regression model, the educational return rate of urban residents is approximately 12.2% higher than the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimate. China's reproductive health policy has significantly promoted the return rate of residents' education and simultaneously effectively promoted the income of urban residents. With the development of the economy, the government should properly adjust reproductive health policies and improve the population health rate so that the adjustment of reproductive health policies can comprehensively promote the health of residents of all ages. The overall relaxation of family restrictions on children's human capital investment will likely reduce the negative impact of the overall relaxation of family planning, not only improving the health of the population but also contributing to sustainable economic development.

[Association of lipoprotein a in early pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study]

Objective: To investigate the association of lipoprotein a (Lpa) in early pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk. Methods: A total of 445 pregnant women in 12-14 gestational weeks from "Maternal Key Nutritional Factors and Offspring's Atopic Dermatitis" cohort were included in this study. The demographic characteristics of participants were collected by using questionnaires, and the fasting glucose and lipids levels in early pregnancy were measured. The results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between 24-28 gestational weeks were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression model was applied to analyze the association of Lpa with GDM by calculating the OR and 95%CI after adjustment for covariates. Results: The incidence number of GDM was 78 (17.5%). The Lpa level in pregnant women with GDM was significantly higher than that in pregnant women without GDM [105.5 (92.0, 122.0) vs. 97.0 (87.0, 109.0) mg/L], P<0.05. Lpa was significantly associated with GDM risk [OR (95%CI) =1.21(1.08-1.36) per 10 mg/L], P<0.05. The association was still significant after adjustment for covariates including age, gestational weeks et al, the adjusted OR was 1.14 (95%CI: 1.01-1.30), P=0.03. Conclusions: The elevation of Lpa in early pregnancy is one of risk factor for GDM. Maintaining normal Lpa level during early pregnancy can benefit early prevention of GDM and offspring health.

[Application of three semi-quantitative risk assessment methods in electroplating enterprises]

Objective: To apply the semi-quantitative risk assessment model in the Technical Guidelines for Occupational Health Risk Assessment of Chemical Hazardous Factors in the Workplace to assess the occupational health risk of electroplating enterprises and explore its applicable conditions and characteristics. Methods: Three electroplating enterprises were selected as the research objects. Occupational hygiene survey and hazard factor detection were conducted on the spot. Three semi-quantitative risk assessment methods were used to assess the risk, and the evaluation results were compared. Results: The consistency between the contact index method and the comprehensive index method was strong. The weighted Kappa value was 0.946 and the P value was less than 0.001, but the consistency between the contact ratio method, the contact index method and the comprehensive index method was poor. The weighted Kappa value was 0.345 and 0.391, and the P value was 0.009 and 0.004, respectively. When the contact concentration is less than 50% OELs, the evaluation results of the contact ratio method are lower than those of the exponential method and the comprehensive exponential method. The consistency of the three methods was the highest when the contact concentration (>50%) and (<OELs). When the contact concentration >OELs, the results of the contact ratio method are higher than those of the index method and the comprehensive index method. Conclusion: Contact ratio method is suitable for occupational health risk assessment under the condition of incomplete occupational health information and for enterprise managers to identify key control points of health risk through self-assessment; Contact index method is suitable for hazard risk assessment of occupational hazards without sampling test conditions or OELs, and pre-assessment of occupational hazards of construction projects without access to analogical test data. The index method is suitable for occupational health risk assessment with available testing data and complete occupational health information.

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among children aged 7 to 18 years old: a school-based cross-sectional study in Minhang district of Shanghai in 2014]

OBJECTIVE

To study the infection rate and current infection rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) among children aged 7 to 18 years old in Minhang district of Shanghai.

METHOD

A school-based cross-sectional study in three elementary and middle schools (with students aged 7 to 18 years old) in Minhang district of Shanghai was conducted. A total of 1 988 students were investigated by questionnaire and non-invasive tests. The positive rate of serum Hp-IgG or (13)C urea breath test was the basis for calculation for Hp infection rate. The positive rate of (13)C urea breath test was the basis for current infection rate. The relationship between infection rate and age was studied through Spearman rank correlation analysis. The consistency of the two diagnostic methods was determined using kappa value analysis.

RESULT

A total of 1 988 subjects were included in the analysis: 944 males and 944 females. The Hp infection rate was 36.3%(721/1 988). Current infection rate was 32.1%(625/1 949). Hp infection rates of primary (7-12 years old), junior (13-15 years old), high school group (16-18 years old) were 27.4% (223/813), 33.6% (93/277), 45.1% (405/898) respectively. Hp infection was associated with age, with a correlation coefficient of 0.167 (P<0.001). The kappa value of the serum Hp-IgG and (13)C Urea breath test was 0.67.

CONCLUSION

Hp infection rate among children aged 7 to 18 years old in Minhang district of Shanghai is 36.3%, with the infection rate increasing with age. Serum Hp-IgG and the (13)C urea breath test are two detection methods each of which has advantages and disadvantages.

Effect of conditioning by PAM polymers with different charges on the structural and characteristic evolutions of water treatment residuals

Three types of polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculants with different charges (cationic PAM WD4960, nonionic PAM M351, and anionic PAM WDA110) were used for water treatment residuals (WTRs) conditioning, and the physicochemical, morphological and structural characteristics of raw and conditioned WTRs were investigated. Rheological methods were employed to analyze the internal structural transition between the raw and conditioned WTRs under a typical dosage of WD4960. Results showed that when the raw WTRs were conditioned with the polymers, the optimum dosage of WD4960 was 4.82 g/kg total suspended solid (TSS) while that of both M351 and WDA110 was 7.24 g/kg TSS. The residual PAM content in the supernatant of the WTR matrix conditioned at the optimum WD4960 dosage was 5.59 mg/L, which is the least among the supernatants obtained with the three types of PAM. Furthermore, the visible fulvic acid (FA) in the supernatant disappeared and the intensity of the ultraviolet FA decreased. The average diameter of irregularly shaped aggregates in the WTR suspensions increased from 35.73 μm to several hundred micrometers with increasing PAM dosage. The size of WTR aggregates conditioned at the optimum WD4960 dosage was much larger than that of aggregates obtained at the optimum M351 or WDA110 dosages. Two-dimensional fractal dimension (D2) values presented an increasing trend with increasing PAM dosage. D2 values of the conditioned WTR aggregates were 1.87, 1.76, and 1.83 at optimum WD4960, M351, and WDA110 dosages, respectively. The cationic PAM (CPAM) WD4960 thus appears to be a more ideal conditioner for WTRs. Consistent relationships were observed among the capillary suction time (CST), average particle size, and D2 values of the conditioned WTR aggregates at the optimum WD4960 dosage. Mass fractal dimensions (D(f)) indicated that both the raw and WD4960-conditioned WTRs behave like weak-link flocs/aggregates. D(f) values (log G'-log TSS) of the WTR aggregates before and after conditioning with the optimum WD4960 dosage were 2.79 and 2.81, respectively. Although the transition from an alum/ferric hydrogel to a cross-linked gel occurred during the WD4960-conditioning process, only a small amount of the alum/ferric hydrogel was destroyed, and the conditioned WTR aggregates showed a gel-like matrix in which residual alum-ferric hydrogels were embedded in cross-linked WD4960 molecules.

Adsorption of lead and humic acid on chitosan hydrogel beads

Chitosan hydrogel beads were studied for the adsorption of lead ions and humic acid from aqueous solutions to examine the adsorption behaviors and mechanisms. The experiments were carried out at room temperature with solution pH ranging from 5 to 7.5 (in near neutral pH range). Three types of batch adsorption experiments, including single species adsorption, sequential adsorption of one species after another and co-adsorption of both species, were investigated. The results show that: (1) adsorption of either species mainly results from the complexations between adsorbate and functional groups at the surface of the hydrogel beads; (2) previously adsorbed species can either act as additional binding sites for, or occupy the same binding sites as the subsequent species to be adsorbed, resulting in enhanced or retarded adsorption of the subsequent species; and (3) for co-adsorption, metal-organic interactions play a very important role in determining the extent of adsorption. It is concluded that multi-species adsorption can be significantly affected by adsorbate interactions and the understanding of these interactions needs great attention in adsorption study in the future.

Childhood-onset schizophrenia/autistic disorder and t(1;7) reciprocal translocation: identification of a BAC contig spanning the translocation breakpoint at 7q21

Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) is defined by the development of first psychotic symptoms by age 12. While recruiting patients with COS refractory to conventional treatments for a trial of atypical antipsychotic drugs, we discovered a unique case who has a familial t(1;7)(p22;q21) reciprocal translocation and onset of psychosis at age 9. The patient also has symptoms of autistic disorder, which are usually transient before the first psychotic episode among 40-50% of the childhood schizophrenics but has persisted in him even after the remission of psychosis. Cosegregating with the translocation, among the carriers in the family available for the study, are other significant psychopathologies, including alcohol/drug abuse, severe impulsivity, and paranoid personality and language delay. This case may provide a model for understanding the genetic basis of schizophrenia or autism. Here we report the progress toward characterization of genomic organization across the translocation breakpoint at 7q21. The polymorphic markers, D7S630/D7S492 and D7S2410/D7S646, immediately flanking the breakpoint, may be useful for further confirming the genetic linkage for schizophrenia or autism in this region. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:749-753, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sequence analysis and mapping of a novel human mitochondrial ATP synthase subunit 9 cDNA (ATP5G3)

We describe the cloning, sequence analysis, and chromosomal mapping of a novel mitochondrial ATP synthase subunit 9cDNA, P3. Subunit 9 transports protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane to the F1-ATPase protruding on the matrix side, resulting in the generation of ATP. Sequence analysis of the P3 cDNA reveals only 80% identity with the human subunit 9 genes P1 and P2 in the DNA sequence encoding the mature peptide. However, this sequence predicts a mature protein identical to P1 and P2. The predicted sequence of the P3 leader peptide differs from the P1 and P2 leaders, but retains the "RFS" motif critical for mitochondrial import and maturation. The P3 gene (ATP5G3) maps to chromosome 2.

Linkage analysis in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL, Batten disease) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by progressive mental retardation, cortical atrophy, seizures, and retinal degeneration. Several subtypes have been delineated on the basis of age-at-onset and histological characteristics; the most common is the juvenile (JNCL) form. Recently, the gene for JNCL was shown to reside on chromosome 16 through linkage studies to the haptoglobin locus and anonymous DNA markers using numerous European families. We have now examined 8 families from North America with JNCL for linkage to markers in 16q21-23. Results in 3 families tend to support linkage to chromosome 16;3 families remained uninformative, and 2 families produced negative lod scores in this region. A test of homogeneity was suggestive, but could not significantly reject the null hypothesis of homogeneity. We are continuing to collect families, particularly those with multiple living affecteds, and are identifying other probes in this region. Given close localization on chromosome 16 for JNCL, molecular strategies, including candidate gene strategies, are being explored.