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This study aimed to compare the current Essen rabies post-exposure immunization schedule (0-3-7-14-28) in China and the simple 4-dose schedule (0-3-7-14) newly recommended by the World Health Organization in terms of their safety, efficacy, and protection. Mice were vaccinated according to different immunization schedules, and blood was collected for detection of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNAs) on days 14, 21, 28, 35, and 120 after the first immunization. Additionally, different groups of mice were injected with lethal doses of the CVS-11 virus on day 0, subjected to different rabies immunization schedules, and assessed for morbidity and death status. In a clinical trial, 185 rabies-exposed individuals were selected for post-exposure vaccination according to the Essen schedule, and blood was collected for RVNAs detection on days 28 and 42 after the first immunization. A statistically significant difference in RVNAs between mice in the Essen and 0-3-7-14 schedule groups was observed on the 35th day (P < 0.05). The groups 0-3-7-14, 0-3-7-21, and 0-3-7-28 showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in RVNAs levels at any time point. The post-exposure immune protective test showed that the survival rate of mice in the control group was 20%, whereas that in the immunization groups was 40%. In the clinical trial, the RVNAs positive conversion rates on days 28 (14 days after 4 doses) and 42 (14 days after 5 doses) were both 100%, and no significant difference in RVNAs levels was observed (P > 0.05). The simple 4-dose schedule can produce sufficient RVNAs levels, with no significant effect of a delayed fourth vaccine dose (14–28 d) on the immunization potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To characterize the cytokine profile of patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in relation to disease severity.Patients and Methods: 60 laboratory-confirmed SFTS patients and 12 healthy individuals from multi-centers in Shandong Province of China were included, and all patients were divided into fatal patients (9) and recovered patients (51) due to their final outcomes. Multiplex-microbead immunoassays were conducted to estimate levels of 27 cytokines in the sera of patients and controls.Results: The results showed that levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-15, IL-1RA, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α, basic FGF, PDGF-BB, RANTES, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1, and Eotaxin differed significantly among the SFTS fatal patients, recovered patients, and the healthy controls (all p< 0.05). Compared to the healthy controls, the fatal patients and recovered patients had reduced levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, PDGF-BB, RANTES, and Eotaxin, while the levels of PDGF-BB and RANTES were significantly lower in fatal patients compared to recovered patients. The increasing levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, IL-1RA, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, TNF-α, basic FGF, IP-10, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and MCP-1 were observed in fatal patients (all p< 0.05), and the levels of IL-6, IP-10, MIP-1α, and MCP-1 were significantly higher than other two groups. The Spearman correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between platelet count and PDGF-BB levels (p< 0.05), while the white blood cell count had a negative correlation with MIP-1 level (p< 0.05).Conclusion: The research exhibited that the SFTS virus (SFTSV) caused an atypical manifestation of cytokines. The levels of IL-6, IP-10, MIP-1α, and MCP-1 had been observed a positive association with the severity of the illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To investigate changes in pulsograph caused by pain in primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients. Methods. Pulsograph and pain level of PD patients were detected using electropulsograph and Visual-Analogue Scale (VAS), respectively, at four time points, 7–10 days before menstruation (T0), maximal pain during menstruation (T1), immediately after acupuncture analgesia (T2), and 30 mins after acupuncture analgesia (T3). Parameters (t, h, w) and normalized time parameters (t′) of pulsograph were analyzed. Results. VAS pain scores decreased from 6.40 ± 1.13 at T1 to 0.70 ± 0.75 at T2 to 0.11 ± 0.32 at T3 (P<0.001 and 0.001). At T1, compared with those at T0, w1, h3, and h4 significantly increased (P<0.01), and t2, t2′, t3′, and h(d) significantly decreased (P<0.01, 0.001, 0.05, and 0.001). At T2, compared with those at T1, t1, w1, w2, h2, h3, t1′, and t4′ significantly decreased (P<0.05, 0.01, 0.01, 0.001, 0.01, 0.001, and 0.05), and h(d) significantly increased (P<0.001). There was no difference between T2 and T3. Conclusions. There are almost opposite changing trends in pulsographic parameters when pain occurs and when it is relieved in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging disease that is caused by a novel bunyavirus, referred to as SFTS virus. During January 2011 to December 2011 we conducted a case-control study in Henan, Hubei and Shandong Provinces of China to determine the risk factors for SFTS. Methods: Case-patients were identified in hospitals and reported to provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while being notified electronically to the National Surveillance System. Controls were randomly selected from a pool of patients admitted to the same hospital ward within one week of the inclusion of the cases. They were matched by age (+/−5 years) and gender. Results: A total of 422 patients participated in the study including 134 cases and 288 matched controls. The median age of the cases was 58.8 years, ranging from 47.6 to 70.1 years; 54.5% were male. No differences in demographics were observed between cases and controls; however, farmers were frequent and more common among cases (88.8%) than controls (58.7%). In multivariate analysis, the odds for SFTS was 2.4∼4.5 fold higher with patients who reported tick bites or presence of tick in the living area. Other independent risk factors included cat or cattle ownership and reported presence of weeds and shrubs in the working environment. Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that ticks are important vectors of SFTS virus. Further investigations are warranted to understand the detailed modes of transmission of SFTS virus while vector management, education on tick bites prevention and personal hygiene management should be implemented for high-risk groups in high incidence areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordyceps militaris is a traditional Chinese medicinal food that is challenging to quality maintaining while mass cultivation. Many studies have found that abundant microbes inhabit Ophiocordyceps sinensis and perform important functions for their host. In this study, our objective was to reveal the microbial communities that inhabit C. militaris and analyze their potential functions. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS genes was used to compare the diversity and composition of the bacterial and fungal communities associated with naturally occurring C. militaris collected from Yunnan Province, southwestern China. The diversity and richness of the microbial communities and the number of function genes of the bacteria were significantly higher in the habitat soil than in the fruiting body. The sclerotia and stromata samples shared the same microbiota and functions. The main bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, and Ascomycota was the main fungal phylum. The growth-promoting bacteria Herbaspirillum and the plant probiotic Phyllobacterium, which may enhance C. militaris quality and facilitate its cultivation, were detected in the fruiting body samples. Genes related to metabolism were more abundant in the soil bacteria, while membrane transport genes were more abundant in the endophytic bacteria of C. militaris. Our study is the first to reveal the unexpectedly high diversity of the microbial communities and the bacterial functions inhabiting the natural C. militaris using high-throughput sequencing, and our results provide insights into mining the functions of microorganisms in the development and quality of C. militaris.

The microbial community is one of the most important factors in shaping the characteristics of fermented food. Nuodeng ham, traditionally produced and subjected to 1-4 years of fermentation, is a dry fermented food product with cultural and economic significance to locals in southwestern China. In this study, we aimed to characterize the microbiota and physicochemical profiles of Nuodeng ham across different stages of fermentation. Ham samples from each of the four years were analyzed by sequencing bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal internal transcribed spacer sequence, in order to characterize the diversity and composition of their microflora. A total of 2,679,483 bacterial and 2,983,234 fungal sequences of high quality were obtained and assigned to 514 and 57 genera, respectively. Among these microbes, Staphylococcus and Candida were the most abundant genera observed in the ham samples, though samples from different years showed differences in their microbial abundance. Results of physicochemical properties (pH, water, amino acid, NaCl, nitrate and nitrite contents, and the composition of volatile compounds) revealed differences among the ham samples in the composition of volatile compounds, especially in the third year samples, in which no nitrite was detected. These results suggest that the structure and diversity of microbial communities significantly differed across different stages of fermentation. Moreover, the third year hams exhibits a unique and balanced microbial community, which might contribute to the special flavor in the green and safe food products. Thus, our study lends insights into the production of high quality Nuodeng ham.

Importance: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a potentially lethal complication of hyperthyroidism. However, only 1 specific susceptibility locus for TPP has been identified. Additional genetic determinants should be detected so that a prediction model can be constructed., Objective: To investigate the genetic architecture of TPP and distinguish TPP from Graves disease cohorts., Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based case-control study used a 2-stage genome-wide association study to investigate the risk loci of TPP and weighted genetic risk score to construct a TPP prediction model with data from a Chinese Han population recruited in hospitals in China from March 2003 to December 2015. The analysis was conducted from November 2014 to August 2016., Main Outcomes and Measures: Loci specifically associated with TPP risk and those shared with Graves disease and prediction model of joint effects of TPP-specific loci., Results: A total of 537 patients with TPP (mean [SD] age, 35 [11] years; 458 male) 1519 patients with Graves disease and no history of TPP (mean [SD] age, 38 [13] years; 366 male), and 3249 healthy participants (mean [SD] age, 46 [10] years; 1648 male) were recruited from the Han population by hospitals throughout China. Two new TPP-specific susceptibility loci were identified: DCHS2 on 4q31.3 (rs1352714: odds ratio [OR], 1.58; 95% CI, 1.35-1.85; P = 1.24 × 10-8) and C11orf67 on 11q14.1 (rs2186564: OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.29-1.74; P = 2.80 × 10-7). One previously reported specific locus was confirmed on 17q24.3 near KCNJ2 (rs312729: OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.83-2.38; P = 8.02 × 10-29). Meanwhile, 2 risk loci (MHC and Xq21.1) were shared by Graves disease and TPP. After 2 years of treatment, the ratio of persistent thyrotropin receptor antibody positivity was higher in patients with TPP than in patients with Graves disease and no history of TPP (OR, 3.82; 95% CI, 2.04-7.16; P = 7.05 × 10-6). The prediction model using a weighted genetic risk score and 11 candidate TPP-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms had an area under the curve of 0.80., Conclusions and Relevance: These findings provide evidence that TPP is a novel molecular subtype of Graves disease. The newly identified loci, along with other previously reported loci, demonstrate the growing complexity of the heritable contribution to TPP pathogenesis. A complete genetic architecture will be helpful to understand the pathophysiology of TPP, and a useful prediction model could prevent the onset of TPP.

Objective: To identify correlations of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism indices with the urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) as an indicator of nephropathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D)., Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 297 patients with T2D were divided into 3 groups according to the urine ACR. Patients' data were analyzed to identify associations of general conditions, blood glucose level, lipid levels, and uric acid level with BMD and bone metabolism indices., Results: BMD at every location tested (femoral neck, trochanter, inside hip, Ward's triangle, total hip, and lumbar vertebrae) was negatively correlated with the urine ACR (all p<0.05). Osteocalcin, beta-C-terminal telopeptide (β-CTX), and procollagen type 1 N- peptide (P1NP) were positively correlated with urine ACR (all p<0.05). Finally, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was negatively correlated with urine ACR (p<0.05). Multiple regression analysis with adjustment for age, body mass index, disease duration, and other clinical measurements revealed no significant correlation between urine ACR and BMD measurements or β-CTX (p>0.05). However, significant correlations remained between urine ACR and osteocalcin, P1NP, and 25(OH)D (p<0.05). The same results were obtained for postmenopausal women specifically, with the exception of a significant correlation between the ACR and β-CTX (p<0.05)., Conclusion: In the early stage of diabetic nephropathy, BMD changes and bone transformation acceleration may occur, and the acceleration of bone transformation may occur before the change in BMD. Therefore, it is important to monitor bone metabolism indices in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy in T2D patients., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

BACKGROUND This study aimed to discover the common cause of non-variceal upper-gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) by conducting a multi-center retrospective study from 2008 to 2012. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hospitalized patients ages ≥18 years old, from 8 hospitals in China, diagnosed with NVUGIB by endoscopy from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012 were enrolled. Questionnaires were developed and a data-entry graphical user interface was designed by using EpiData software. RESULTS Total of 2977 hospitalized patients from 8 medical centers were included. A total of 95.47% (2842/2977) of patients were admitted to a general ward, 3.53% (105/2977) were admitted to an emergency ward, and 1.00% (31/2977) were admitted to an intensive care unit. Peptic ulcer remained the most common cause of NVUGIB (73.26%), but there was a declining trend in its constituent ratio, from 2008 to 2012. A total of 14.41% (429/2977) of patients had co-morbid conditions, 92.85% (2764/2977) used proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) prior to endoscopic treatment, 19.65% (585/2977) underwent emergency endoscopy, and 23.45% (698/2977) received a transfusion of red blood cell suspensions. A total of 5.34% (159/2977) underwent endoscopic therapy, with a treatment rate of 16.9% in high-risk peptic ulcer patients (96/568). A total of 7.69% (237/2977) were administered aspirin, of whom 32.50% (77/237) resumed aspirin intake after gastrointestinal bleeding was controlled. The median length of hospitalization was 8 days (IQR, 5-11) and the mortality rate was 1.71% (51/2977). CONCLUSIONS Peptic ulcer was still the most common cause of NVUGIB in China. The proportion of patients with high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding who received endoscopic therapy was 16.9%. Only 19.65% of NVUGIB patients underwent emergency endoscopy.

Background: Limited data are available in relation to the clinical features of PIBO undergoing prolonged nebulization treatment with budesonide, terbutaline and ipratropium bromide. This retrospective study aimed to outline the features of clinical, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function test (PFT) of PIBO, undergoing maintenance therapy utilizing a triple nebulization treatment and to determine the factors associated with prognosis., Methods: Children diagnosed with PIBO were followed up between April 2014 and March 2017. The clinical features after maintenance nebulization treatment for 12 months were thereafter summarized., Results: Thirty patients, 21 boys and 9 girls, were enrolled in the study. The median age of patients was 17.4 months, with a range between 3.0 and 33 months. Persistent coughing and wheezing were detected whilst wheezing and crackles were the common manifestations presented. HRCT scans revealed patchy ground and glass opacity, while PFT showed fixed airway obstruction in all patients. Four patients were lost during follow-up. After treatment, the clinical symptoms were improved greatly in all patients (P < 0.01). The mean increase in the percentage of TPEF%TE and VPEF%VE were improved greatly (P < 0.01). Images of the HRCT scan indicated marked improvements in 18 patients (81.8%) in comparison with scans obtained pre-treatment., Conclusions: Our data suggest a potential role of long-term nebulization treatment of budesonide, terbutaline, ipratropium bromide on PIBO, due to its efficacy as indicated in the improved clinical symptoms, pulmonary functions and CT manifestations identified in the children. New prospective and controlled studies are required to confirm this proposition.

Since 2006, China has conducted the surveillance program for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and other subtypes of prion diseases covering 12 provinces. In this study, the characteristics and special role of Beijing CJD surveillance network in the national CJD surveillance system were analyzed. Based on the registered permanent resident places, all reporting suspected CJD cases and diagnosed CJD cases via Beijing CJD surveillance network between 2006 and 2013 were grouped as the cases from Beijing and from outside of Beijing. Both numbers of the suspected and diagnosed CJD cases via Beijing CJD surveillance network constantly increased along with the years, totally 532 reporting cases and 192 diagnosed CJD cases were obtained in the past 8 y. About 75% of suspected and diagnosed CJD cases via Beijing CJD surveillance network came from other provinces, mainly from neighboring provinces. Altogether, 46 different hospitals in the Beijing region have reported suspected CJD cases to the CJD surveillance system during the period from 2006 to 2013. Five hospitals continually reported suspected CJD cases during those 8 y and 5 other hospitals had reported cases except for 1 to 2 y. Additionally, we found that the diagnosed CJD patients from Beijing region had less numbers of hospital transfer and shorter interval from the disease onset to the final diagnosis than those outside of Beijing. It indicates that as the most important component, Beijing CJD surveillance network functions more actively, which supplies the special medical services not only for Beijing residents but also for patients from all of China.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a sensitive indicator of thyroid function. High and low TSH levels reflect hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, respectively. Even within the normal range, small differences in TSH levels, on the order of 0.5-1.0 mU/l, are associated with significant differences in blood pressure, BMI, dyslipidemia, risk of atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis. Most of the variance in TSH levels is thought to be genetically influenced. We conducted a genome-wide association study of TSH levels in 1346 Chinese Han individuals. In the replication study, we genotyped four candidate SNPs with the top association signals in an independent isolated Chinese She cohort (n = 3235). We identified a novel serum TSH susceptibility locus within XKR4 at 8q12.1 (rs2622590, Pcombined = 2.21 × 10(-10)), and we confirmed two previously reported TSH susceptibility loci near FOXE1 at 9q22.33 and near CAPZB at 1p36.13, respectively. The rs2622590&#95;T allele at XKR4 and the rs925489&#95;C allele near FOXE1 were correlated with low TSH levels and were found to be nominally associated to patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (OR = 1.41, P= 0.014 for rs2622590&#95;T, and OR = 1.61, P= 0.030 for rs925489&#95;C). The rs2622590 and rs925489 genotypes were also correlated with the expression levels of FOXE1 and XKR4, respectively, in PTC tissues (P = 2.41 × 10(-4) and P= 0.02). Our findings suggest that the SNPs in XKR4 and near FOXE1 are involved in the regulation of TSH levels., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A novel actinomycete strain, designated YIM M13705(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample of the South China Sea and its characteristics were determined by a polyphasic approach. The slowly growing, Gram-stain-positive, aerobic strain produced branched substrate mycelium and aerial hyphae, and no diffusible pigment was produced on the media tested. At maturity, spore chains were formed on aerial hyphae and substrate mycelium was not fragmented. Whole-cell hydrolysates of the strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and galactose, glucose, ribose and rhamnose. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4) and MK-10(H2). The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and ninhydrin-positive phosphoglycolipids. The major fatty acid was iso-C(16 : 0). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.2 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, the strain was shown to be most closely related to species of the genus Actinophytocola. DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness values (<70%) of the isolate with its closest neighbour Actinophytocola xinjiangensis QAIII60(T) supported classification of the isolate as a representative of a novel species. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, and phenotypic and genotypic data, it is concluded that the new isolate belongs to a novel species of the genus Actinophytocola, for which the name Actinophytocola sediminis sp. nov. (type strain YIM M13705(T) = DSM 45939(T) = BCRC 16956(T)) is proposed., (© 2014 IUMS.)

A rod- to coccus-shaped, non-spore-forming actinobacterium, strain YIM M13091(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from the South China Sea and examined by a polyphasic approach to clarify its taxonomic position. This Gram-staining-positive, aerobic actinobacterium did not produce substrate mycelium and aerial hyphae, and no diffusible pigments were produced on the media tested. The optimum growth occurred at 30 °C, 1% (w/v) NaCl and pH 8.0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate belongs to the genus Nocardioides, with low levels (≤96.2%) of sequence similarity with respect to Nocardioides kribbensis KSL-2(T) and other members of the genus Nocardioides. Whole-organism hydrolysates of the strain contained ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4), with MK-8 in a minor amount. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, hydroxyphosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine, were the main polar lipids detected, while iso-C(16 : 0) and C(18 : 1)ω9c were the major fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.5 mol%. Based on phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic and genotypic data, it is concluded that the isolate represents a member of the genus Nocardioides, and the name Nocardioides nanhaiensis sp. nov. (Type strain YIM M13091(T) = JCM 18127(T) = CCTCC AA 2011020(T)) is proposed for the novel species., (© 2014 IUMS.)

A novel Gram-stain-positive, motile, catalase- and oxidase-positive, aerobic, endospore-forming, peritrichous, rod-shaped bacterium, designated YIM M13235(T), was isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from the South China Sea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YIM M13235(T) belonged to the genus Bacillus. The strain grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and in the presence of 2-4% (w/v) NaCl. meso-Diaminopimelic acid was present in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. Strain YIM M13235(T) exhibited a menaquinone system with MK-7, and the major polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, four unknown phospholipids and one unknown glycolipid. The major fatty acids (>5%) were iso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(17 : 0), iso-C(17 : 1)ω10c and summed feature 4 (anteiso-C(17 : 1) and/or iso-C(17 : 1)). The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.1 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain YIM M13235(T) and its close relatives (16S rRNA gene sequence similarities >97%) including Bacillus halmapalus DSM 8723(T), Bacillus horikoshii DSM 8719(T) and Bacillus zhanjiangensis JSM 099021(T) were 41%, 44% and 44%, respectively. On the basis of genotypic, phenotypic and DNA-DNA relatedness data, it is apparent that strain YIM M13235(T) represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus tianshenii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM M13235(T) ( = DSM 25879(T) = KCTC 33044(T))., (© 2014 IUMS.)

The BACH2 gene regulates B cell differentiation and function and has been reported to be a shared susceptibility gene for several autoimmune diseases. Our previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) indicated that several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the BACH2 gene are associated with Graves' disease (GD) in the Chinese Han population; however, the association did not achieve genome-wide significance levels. Recently, this association of BACH2 with GD was confirmed in Caucasians in the UK population, but fine mapping in this region has not yet been reported. Here, we provide a refined analysis of a 331-kb region in the BACH2 gene, which harbors 359 SNPs, using GWAS data from 1,442 GD patients and 1,468 controls. The SNPs rs2474619 and rs9344996 were implied as the independent variants associated with GD by forward and two-locus logistic regression analysis. We genotyped eight out of 10 tagSNPs with P < 1 × 10(-3) in 3,508 GD patients and 3,209 controls, the results also showed that rs2474619 was independently associated with GD in the combined population from GWAS and the second stage (P = 1.81 × 10(-5)). The rs2474619 and rs9344996 were further genotyped in the third stage cohorts, and rs2474619 showed evidence of association with GD at genome-wide significance levels in the combined population (P = 3.28 × 10(-8), odds ratio = 1.13). The association of rs9344996 with GD can be explained by its linkage to rs2474619 in the combined population. Our study clearly demonstrated that BACH2 is a susceptibility gene for GD in the Chinese Han population and further supported rs2474619, in intron 2 of BACH2, is the best association signal with GD. However, the mechanism by which BACH2 confers increased risk of GD requires further study.

Background: Serum pepsinogen (PG) levels are valuable in the diagnosis of gastric diseases. However, PG levels are affected by many factors such as the area and race. This study aimed to investigate serum PG levels in patients with different gastric diseases who were Chinese Han people in Hunan Province, midsouth China., Methods: A total of 248 gastric disease patients and 34 healthy controls were enrolled. The patients included those with non-atrophic and chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcer, early and advanced gastric cancer. Serum PG I and II levels were detected by Biohit ELISA kit (Finland), and PG I/II ratio was calculated. Differences in patients with gastric disease and healthy controls were analyzed using paired t-test., Results: Compared with controls, patients with early and advanced gastric cancer had a significantly lower PG I level and PG I/II ratio (p <0.005). In contrast, patients with gastric and duodenal ulcer had a significantly higher PG I level (p <0.005). Compared with atrophic gastritis patients, patients with early and advanced carcinoma of the stomach had a significantly lower PG I/II ratio (p < 0.001). Combination of the cut-off levels of PG I (70 μg/L) and PG I/II ratio (6) provided 62.1% sensitivity of and 94.2% specificity for the diagnosis of gastric cancer., Conclusions: Decreased PG I level and PG I/II ratio are risk factors for gastric cancer. Combined use of serum PG I level and PG I/II ratio may help the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Background: Convincing evidence has demonstrated the association of TSH receptor (TSHR) with Graves' disease (GD) in the Chinese Han population., Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the causal variants for GD in the region encompassing TSHR by a refining association study., Design and Methods: GD patients (1536) and 1516 sex-matched controls were recruited in the first stage, and an additional 3832 GD patients and 3426 sex-matched controls were recruited in the replication stage. Genotyping was performed using Illumina Human660-Quad BeadChips or TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Genotyping Assays and the Fluidigm EP1 platform., Results: When the results of regression analysis for 74 genotyped SNPs and 922 imputed SNPs in the first-stage cohort were combined, rs179243 and rs3783949 were the probable susceptibility SNPs associated with GD in TSHR. Eleven SNPs, including rs179243 and rs3783949, were selected to further refine the association in the replication study. Finally, rs12101261 and rs179243 were confirmed as independent GD susceptibility variants in the replication and combined populations. Further, we also found that the rate of persistent TSHR autoantibody positivity (pTRAb+) was significantly higher in the GD patients with the susceptible genotypes rs12101261 or rs179243 than in the GD patients carrying the protective genotypes, after the GD patients had been treated for more than 1 year., Conclusions: These findings indicate that rs12101261 and rs179243 are the possible causal SNPs for GD susceptibility in the TSHR gene and could serve as genetic markers to predict the outcome of pTRAb+ in GD patients.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a kind of rare, rapidly progressive fatal central nervous system disorders. In China, the surveillance for CJD has started since 2006. As one of the major issues in CJD surveillance, the follow-up process via telephone plays important role in CJD diagnosis and surveillance. Although the follow-up process was conducted by the experiential staffs from CJD surveillance center in China CDC, it is frequently encountered that some interviewed family members do not cooperate well during follow-up. To screen the possible factors influence on the compliances of the interviewees during CJD follow-up, 11 independent variables from patient aspect and 4 variables from interviewee aspect were selected and a questionnaire was prepared. Based on 199 suspected sporadic CJD cases reported to CJD surveillance center in 2013, a telephone-inquiring was conducted and the degree of compliances of the interviewees were given as good, fair or poor. After screened with univariate analysis and evaluated ordinal logistic regression analysis, several indictors, such as the patient gender, CJD diagnosis, numbers of clinical symptoms, continual medical treatment after diagnosis, medical treatment mode, as well as the relationship with the patient and CJD knowledge of the interviewees, showed influence on the compliance in CJD follow-up process significantly. The data here provide for the first time the factors related with the compliances of the interviewed family members of the suspected CJD patients during follow-up process, which supplies useful clue for us to improve CJD follow-up process and increase the capacity of CJD surveillance.

Two actinomycete strains isolated from marine sediment samples, designated YIM M11335(T) (from the Indian Ocean) and 12A09(T) (from the South China Sea), were obtained and examined by a polyphasic approach. The two Gram-staining-positive, aerobic strains produced branched substrate mycelia and aerial hyphae that were not fragmented, and no diffusible pigment was produced on the media tested. At maturity, spore chains and single spores were formed on aerial hyphae and substrate mycelium, respectively. Whole-organism hydrolysates of both strains contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the diagnostic sugars glucose and galactose. Their predominant menaquinones were MK-10(H4), MK-10(H6), MK-11(H4), MK-11(H6) and MK-11(H8) for strain YIM 11335(T) and MK-10(H4), MK-10(H6), MK-11(H4), MK-11(H6) and MK-11(H8) for strain 12A09(T). The polar lipids detected in the two strains were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine, an unknown phosphoglycolipid and several unknown glycolipids, phospholipids and polar lipids. The major fatty acids (>10%) were iso-C16 : 0 and C16:0 for strain YIM 11335(T) and iso-C16:0 for strain 12A09(T). The G+C contents of the genomic DNA of strains YIM 11335(T) and 12A09(T) were 70.7% and 74.4%, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness values of these two isolates with the type strains Nocardiopsis arabia DSM 45083(T) and Streptomonospora halophila YIM 91355(T) supported the hypothesis they are representatives of two different species. Based on phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic and genotypic data, it is concluded that the two isolates belong to the genus Streptomonospora of the family Nocardiopsaceae and that the type strain of N. arabia should be reclassified as a representative of Streptomonospora arabica comb. nov. The names proposed for the two novel species are Streptomonospora sediminis sp. nov. (type strain YIM M11335(T) = DSM 45723(T) = CCTCC AB 2012051(T)) and Streptomonospora nanhaiensis sp. nov. (type strain 12A09(T) = KCTC 29145(T) = CCTCC AB 2013140(T)), respectively. An emended description of the genus Streptomonospora is also proposed in the light of the new data.

A novel bacterium, designated YIM M13075(T), was isolated from a sediment sample collected from the South China Sea. Growth occurred from 4 to 45 °C (optimum 28 °C), pH 6.0-11.0 (optimum pH 8.0). The strain formed yellow-cream colonies after 5 days incubation on TSA modified with 5 % NaCl medium at 28 °C. Cells were Gram-positive, short rods and motile. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM M13075(T) was affiliated with the genus Geomicrobium (93.5 %). The strain YIM M13075(T) contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The major fatty acids were iso-C15:0 and anteiso-C15:0. The predominant menaquinones were MK-7 and MK-6. The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.7 mol%. On the basis of the morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics as well as genotypic data, strain YIM M13075(T) represents a novel species in the genus Geomicrobium, for which the name Geomicrobium sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM M13075(T) (=DSM 25540(T) =JCM 18144(T) =CCTCC AB 2013245(T)). An emended description of the genus Geomicrobium is also proposed in the light of the new data.

Objective: Associations between IL2RA and various autoimmune diseases have been reported in Caucasians. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms at the IL2RA locus were associated with Graves' disease (GD) in the Chinese Han population., Design: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 1 536 GD patients and 1 516 controls. The 1000 Genomes Project data were adopted as references for imputation analysis. After forward and conditional logistic regressions, we found that rs11256313 was the major risk variant in the CD25/IL2RA region. Thus, we further genotyped rs11256313 in a replication cohort with 3 694 GD patients and 3 510 controls using ABI 7900HT TaqMan Real-Time PCR System., Results: Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL2RA block were nominally associated with GD in our GWAS (0·01 < P < 0·05). After imputation analysis, 13 imputed SNPs in the IL2RA block were weakly associated with GD (P ≤ 0·05). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the imputed rs11256313 could represent the IL2RA block (P = 0·003). However, we failed to replicate the association of rs11256313 in a larger cohort (P = 0·145). A subphenotype analysis of rs11256313 on thyroid hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) and gender showed that there was no association in any of the subphenotype groups (P > 0·05)., Conclusions: The results suggested that common genetic polymorphisms at IL2RA do not exert a significant genetic effect on the development of GD in the Chinese Han population. Previously reported associations between CD25/IL2RA and autoimmune diseases including GD in Caucasians again imply that heterogeneity exists in different ethnic populations., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In this study, a large area of well preserved Zostera japonica dominated meadow was found in a coastal lagoon, Swan Lake, in Rongcheng of Shandong Province. Due to its unique geographical position and high biomass, this meadow may act as a typical Z. japonica bed in the coastal area of Shandong. From September, 2011 to October, 2012, an annual investigation was conducted on the Z. japonica and its habitats in east coast of Swan Lake, and the distribution of the Z. japonica and its habitats ecological characteristics were preliminarily understood. The major ingredients of sediments particles in the Z. japonica bed was sand (81%) and silt (14%). The C and N contents in the sediments were the highest in winter, and the C/N ratio was the highest in autumn. The shoot density, shoot height, and biomass of the Z. japonica were all significantly correlated with water temperature (P < 0.05). There was an obvious change in the Z. japonica growth among seasons, with the peak biomass obtained in August-September. The C and N contents and C/N in Z. japonica leaves also varied with seasons. The leaf C content was significantly higher in autumn than in spring and summer (P < 0.05), the leaf N content was significantly lower in summer than in spring and autumn (P < 0.01), whereas the leaf C/N ratio was significantly higher in summer than in spring (P < 0.05). The annual carbon sequestration by the Z. japonica in the Swan Lake was estimated to be 111.4 g C x m(-2).

Aim: To evaluate psychometrics of the Chinese (mainland) chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)., Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 460 Chinese patients with CHB was selected from the Outpatient Department of the Eighth Hospital of Xi'an, including CHB (CHB without cirrhosis) (n = 323) and CHB-related cirrhosis (n = 137). The psychometrics includes reliability, validity and sensitivity. Internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach's α. Convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated by item-scale correlation. Factorial validity was explored by principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Sensitivity was assessed using Cohen's effect size (ES), and independent sample t test between CHB and CHB-related cirrhosis groups and between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normal and abnormal groups after stratifying the disease (CHB and CHB-related cirrhosis)., Results: Internal consistency reliability of the CLDQ was 0.83 (range: 0.65-0.90). Most of the hypothesized item-scale correlations were 0.40 or over, and all of such hypothesized correlations were higher than the alternative ones, indicating satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. Six factors were extracted after varimax rotation from the 29 items of CLDQ. The eligible Cohen's ES with statistically significant independent sample t test was found in the overall CLDQ and abdominal, systematic, activity scales (CHB vs CHB-related cirrhosis), and in the overall CLDQ and abdominal scale in the stratification of patients with CHB (ALT normal vs abnormal)., Conclusion: The CLDQ has acceptable reliability, validity and sensitivity in Chinese (mainland) patients with CHB.

Background: Prion diseases are kinds of progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disorders. So far, survival time of the patients with these diseases in China is unclear., Methods: Based upon the surveillance data from Chinese Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance network from January 2008 to December 2011, a retrospective follow-up survey was performed. The survival times of Chinese patients with prion diseases and the possible influencing factors were analyzed., Results: Median survival time of 121 deceased patients was 7.1 months, while those for sporadic CJD (sCJD), familial CJD (fCJD) and fatal familial insomnia (FFI) cases were 6.1, 3.1 and 8.2 months, respectively. 74.0% of sCJD patients, 100% of fCJD cases and 91.7% FFI cases died within one year. The general socio-demographic factors, abnormalities in clinical examinations, clinical manifestations, and social factors did not significantly influence the survival times of Chinese prion patients., Conclusions: Survival time of Chinese patients with prion diseases was comparable with that of many Western countries, but obviously shorter than that of Japan. Patients with acute onset and rapid progression had significantly short survival times.

A novel Gram-negative, aerobic, slightly halophilic, yellow-pigmented, oxidase-negative, Voges-Proskauer positive, non-spore-forming bacterium, designated YIM M 13059(T), was isolated from a sediment sample collected from the South China Sea at a depth of 310 m. Optimal growth was found to occur at 28-30 °C, pH 7.0 and in the presence of 3-4 % (w/v) NaCl. Cells were observed to be rod-shaped and motile by peritrichous flagella. The polar lipids of strain YIM M 13059(T) were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, a ninhydrin-positive phospholipid, one glycolipid and two unknown phospholipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was determined to be Q-9. The major fatty acids were identified as C18:1 ω7c, C16:1 ω6c/C16:1 ω7c, C16:0 and C12:0 3-OH. The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 54.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the isolate belongs to the genus Halomonas in the family Halomonadaceae. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between strain YIM M 13059 (T) and the type strains of members of the genus Halomonas were in the range 93.3-98.3 %. However, the levels of DNA-DNA relatedness values between YIM M 13059 and the type strains of the most closely related species, Halomonas zhangjiangensis, Halomonas variabilis, Halomonas neptunia, Halomonas boliviensis and Halomonas sulfadieris were 50.2 ± 0.68 %, 46.8 ± 1.9 %, 28.5 ± 0.74 %, 42.9 ± 0.55 % and 37.1 ± 0.68 %, respectively. Based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, the strain YIM M 13059(T) is proposed to represent a novel member of the genus Halomonas, with the name Halomonas nanhaiensis sp. nov. The type strain is YIM M 13059(T) (=JCM 18142(T) =CCTCC AB 2012911(T)).

In 2002, the first Chinese domestic preservative-free inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, Healive®, was introduced in China. It is highly immunogenic, and provides lasting protection in healthy individuals and generates protective levels of antibodies in other at-risk individuals. Over 10 years since its first licensure, postmarketing surveillance data have confirmed the outstanding safety profile of the vaccine. Comparative clinical trials indicated that Healive® induce equal or similar immunogenicity with other currently available inactivated hepatitis A vaccines and are interchangeable for the course of HAV immunization in Chinese children. The vaccine is effective in curbing outbreaks of hepatitis A due to rapid seroconversion and the long incubation period of the disease. Additional issues surrounding the use of the vaccine are also reviewed.

Objective: To screen for potential mutations of LKB1 gene in Chinese familial Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) patients and analyze their clinical manifestations., Methods: Eleven PJS families were collected and genomic DNA of peripheral blood was extracted. Typically mucosal pigmentation and hamartomatous polyps were present in all 11 probands. Mutation screening of the probands were carried out by PCR and direct sequencing. Two hundred and fifty healthy adults were enrolled as normal controls, for whom genomic DNA of peripheral blood was also extracted. PCR-denaturing high performance liquid chromatography was carried out to verify the mutation identified in the patients., Results: Nine germline mutations were identified in eight PJS patients, which included 7 point mutations, 1 deletion and 1 insertion. Among these, 4 were considered to be pathogenic, of which 2 were de novel, 4 were considered to be polymorphism, and 1 was uncertain., Conclusion: LKB1 gene mutations with pathogenic effect are a common cause of familial PJS in Chinese patients. Most mutations are point mutations.

Aim: To explore the potential risk factors related to gastrointestinal cancer in northern China., Methods: A total of 3314 cases of gastrointestinal cancer (esophageal, gastric, pancreatic and biliary) and 2223 controls (including healthy individuals, glioma and thyroid cancer) were analyzed by case-control study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association between different cancers and hepatitis B surface antigen, sex, age, blood type, diabetes, or family history of cancer., Results: Type 2 diabetes was significantly associated with gastric, biliary and pancreatic cancer with an OR of 2.0-3.0. Blood type B was significantly associated with esophageal cancer [odd ratio (OR) = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-2.14] and biliary cancer (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.09-2.05). The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was significantly higher in gastric, biliary and pancreatic cancers compared with other groups, with ORs ranging between 2.0 and 3.0. Family history of cancer was strongly associated with gastrointestinal compared with other cancers., Conclusion: Blood type B individuals are susceptible to esophageal and biliary cancer. Type 2 diabetes is significantly associated with gastric, biliary and especially pancreatic cancer.

Objective: To investigate the association of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) IVS10+12 G>A in hMSH2 gene with colorectal cancer in a Chinese population of Jiangsu province., Methods: A case-control study to investigate whether this SNP affects the risk of developing colorectal cancer was conducted. Subjects included 108 colorectal cancer patients and 180 healthy individuals. Peripheral white blood cell DNA was obtained from all subjects. The hMSH2 gene IVS10+12 G>A was genotyped using a PCR-based DHPLC, the existence of IVS10+12 G>A was verified by DNA sequencing., Results: The allele frequency of the IVS10+12 G>A in the hMSH2 gene in the healthy individuals was 51.7%. There was significant difference in the frequency of the IVS10+12 G>A between patients and healthy controls (P<0.05), and between familial patients and healthy controls (P<0.05). There was also significant difference of the frequency of the IVS10+12 G>A between patients younger than 50 years, and patients with high consumption of fried food and pickled vegetable and healthy controls respectively (P<0.05)., Conclusion: This SNP may be associated with colorectal cancers in Chinese. Further investigation with larger sample size is needed.

Objective: To investigate the southern region of Zhejiang hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection., Methods: A cluster sampling strategy was used to sample all blood donors from February to October in 2008 in Wenzhou blood center. Their blood was tested for IgG and IgM antibody against HEV. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and sequencing were applied to detect its genotype and sequence homology in HEV IgM-positive specimen., Results: The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG in 3044 cases of blood donors was 33.28%. IgG increased with age. There are certain increase in positive rates between the 20-year-old group and over 40 years of age group from 21.16% to 50.36%. The positive rate of IgM was 0.92%. The ratio of infection among different age group was the highest in the age range from 31 to 40 years and up to 1.90%. IgG and IgM through their negative and positive analysis of samples found in their group with donors age, sex and blood type does not significantly related to each other. Nucleic acids were found in three cases through PCR amplification in all 28 cases of HEV IgM positive samples. The total positive rate was one-thousandth, of which two cases for gene 4, 1 cases of infection for gene 1., Conclusion: The results indicate that there was a certain percentage of HEV virus in voluntary blood donors in south Zhejiang.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between drinking and polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (ADH2) and/or aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) for risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Chinese males., Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 190 cases and 223 population-based controls. ADH2 Arg47His (G-A) and ALDH2 Glu487Lys (G-A) genotypes were identified by PCR and denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC). Information on smoking and drinking was collected and odds ratio (OR) was estimated., Results: The ADH2 A/A and ALDH2 G/G genotypes showed moderately increased CRC risk. The age- and smoking-adjusted OR for ADH2 A/A relative to G/A and G/G was 1.60 (95% CI=1.08-2.36), and the adjusted OR for ALDH2 G/G relative to G/A and A/A was 1.79 (95% CI=1.19-2.69). Significant interactions between ADH2, ALDH2 and drinking were observed. As compared to the subjects with ADH2 G and ALDH2 A alleles, those with ADH2 A/A and ALDH2 G/G genotypes had a significantly increased OR (3.05, 95% CI= 1.67-5.57). The OR for CRC among drinkers with the ADH2 A/A genotype was increased to 3.44 (95% CI= 1.84-6.42) compared with non-drinkers with the ADH2 G allele. The OR for CRC among drinkers with the ALDH2 G/G genotype was also increased to 2.70 (95% CI= 1.57-4.66) compared with non-drinkers with the ALDH2 A allele., Conclusion: Polymorphisms of the ADH2 and ALDH2 genes are significantly associated with CRC risk. There are also significant gene-gene and gene-environment interactions between drinking and ADH2 and ALDH2 polymorphisms regarding CRC risk in Chinese males.

Objective: To study the HIV related high-risk behaviors and associated factors on the spread of HIV among men having sex with men(MSM) who lived in mainland China and to provide evidence for developing related policies and intervention measures., Methods: Questionnaires were distributed at gay bars and volunteer activity venues in six big cities of China. Data on 1389 valid cases was collected and urine HIV screening test was provided. Data was analyzed with SPSS 11.0., Results: The respondents were 27.62 year olds on average with an average age for first intercourse at 19.18. The most commonly available way of finding a sex partner was through internet(43.07%), followed by gay bar and public bathrooms(35.29 % ). 6 months prior to the study, the average number of their male sex partners was 5.69 including 4.37 unfamiliar sex partners and the average number of anal-intercourse was 4.33 with 11.61 per cent of them had experienced group sex. 13 cases of them showed positive results for preliminary urine HIV screening test. In the prior 6 months, 32.46 per cent of those who had experienced intercourse using condom every time while 76.37 per cent of them during the last sex episode. In the previous 6 months, 47.18 per cent of those who had experienced intercourse with women never used condoms., Conclusion: HIV high-risk behaviors are ubiquitous among MSM and AIDS intervention measures should be significantly strengthened in reaching MSM via a wide variety of conduits, especially internet. Meanwhile, a gay-friendly environment for prevention and control of AIDS is vital.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of large fragment aberrations of MSH2 and MLH1 genes from Chinese colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with family history., Methods: Sixteen exons of MSH2, nineteen exons of MLH1 and seven DNA sequences from the other genes of the samples were screened and checked by multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (MLPA). First, the methodology was confirmed by testing the positive and negative control samples. Then, 32 CRC or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) patients with family history and 20 cases of sporadic CRC were applied to investigate for the large fragment aberrations of MSH2 and MLH1 genes., Results: The genomic DNA fragment deletions of all positive controls were identified and verified by MLPA. Three cases of 32 familial (hereditary) CRC/HNPCC were detected and identified to be the germline heterozygous deletions of MSH2 gene, of which exons 1-7 were deleted from patient No.3, exon 11 from No.25 and exons 2-6 from No.11. However, no genomic DNA fragment aberration of either MSH2 or MLH1 gene was uncovered from 20 sporadic CRC., Conclusion: Large DNA fragment aberrations of MSH2 gene was a frequent cause of Chinese HNPCC and CRC patients with family history, and the identification of those aberrations should be included in the regular genetic analysis for CRC/HNPCC patients.