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The current diagnostic methods for tuberculosis (TB) have several limitations. Although commercial serological tests based on antibody detection are available, their variable accuracies limit their roles in the clinic. The aim of this study was to discover the improved biomarkers for TB disease by investigating the serum profiles of IgG and IgM antibodies against nearly all Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) antigens in 36 active TB patients and 18 healthy controls (HCs) using proteome microarrays. Our results revealed that multiple antigens could induce stronger serum IgG or IgM responses in TB patients compared to HCs, among them, Rv2026c and Rv2421c were further validated by ELISA with sera from 221 samples and showed the moderate performance in diagnosing TB by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Moreover, logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a combined panel that provided better sensitivity and specificity at 82.5% and 88.12%, respectively, than single antigens in the diagnosis of active TB. Furthermore, the antibody reactivity against Rv2026c and Rv2421c was correlated with clinical backgrounds. These results suggest that the combination of different antigens and classes of antibodies could provide promise and encouragement in developing an efficient serological test for the diagnosis of active TB.

To investigate the impact of AdipoQ polymorphisms, and their additional interactions with smoking and drinking on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk based on Chinese population.Hardy‒Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was performed using SNPStats (available online at http://bioinfo.iconcologia.net/SNPstats ). Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) model was used to screen the best gene‒gene and gene‒environment interaction combinations. Logistic regression was performed to investigate association between four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CHD and the interaction effect between rs1501299 and smoking.Logistic analysis showed that CHD risks were higher in carriers with homozygous mutant of rs1501299 and rs2241766 than those with wild-type homozygotes, odds ratio (ORs) (95%CI) were 1.49 (1.19-1.95) and 1.71 (1.33-2.24), respectively, but CHD risks were lower in carriers with homozygous mutant of rs7649121 than those with wild-type homozygotes, OR (95%CI) was 0.72 (0.51-0.96). GMDR model indicated that there was a significant two-locus model (p = 0.0107) involving rs1501299 and current smoking, indicating a potential gene-environment interaction between rs1501299 and current smoking. Overall, the cross-validation consistency of this model was 9/10, and the testing accuracy was 60.11% (p = 0.0010). T-allele carriage had 42% prevalence, and one-quarter of them were current smokers. Smokers with rs1501299-GT or TT genotype have the highest CHD risk, compared to never-smokers with rs1501299-GG genotype, OR (95%CI) was 3.56 (1.91-5.42), after adjustment for gender, age, alcohol status, and body mass index. But we did not find any significant gene-gene and gene-drinking interaction combinations in GMDR models.Polymorphisms in rs1501299 and rs2241766, and their additional interactions between rs1501299 and smoking were associated with increased CHD risks: polymorphism in rs7649121 was associated with decreased CHD risks.

Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has become a growing environmental concern, and toxic heavy metals released from e-waste activities may continue to threaten the health of local people. To study the impact of heavy metals in people around e-waste sites, 349 people from e-waste recycling sites (exposure group) and 118 people from a green plantation (control group) were surveyed, and their urinary levels of lead (UPb), cadmium (UCd), manganese (UMn), copper (UCu), and Zinc (UZn) were assayed. Questionnaire surveys for risk factors were also performed and analyzed by using the Pearson correlation analysis. Results indicated that the levels of urinary Cd in both occupational dismantling people {GM(GSD) 0.72(0.71) ug/L} and non-occupational dismantling people {GM(GSD) 0.50(0.79) ug/L} were higher than the control group {GM(GSD) 0.27(0.85) ug/L}. Further analyses of correlations between urinary heavy metal levels and exposure factors in the exposed group revealed positive relationship between the duration of dismantling and the level of UPb (p

Objective: To observe the effect of combined therapy of acupoint injection and Chinese herbal medicine ion-introduction in treating mammary gland hyperplasia (MGH).Methods: Eighty-six patients of MGH were treated with the combined therapy and compared with a control group treated with other Chinese or western drugs.Results: Therapeutic effect evaluated after 3 courses of treatment showed that the effect of combined therapy was superior to that of the control groups treated by Xiaoyao Pill, Rupixiao tablet, Asparagine tablet and combined therapy of vitamin E+oryzanol+vitamin B6.Conclusion: Combined treatment of acupoint injection and ion-introduction of Chinese herbal medicine is an effective treatment for mammary gland hypertrophy.