Cost-effectiveness evaluation of different control strategies for Clonorchis sinensis infection in a high endemic area of China: A modelling study

Clonorchiasis is an important food-borne parasitic disease caused by Clonorchis sinensis infection. The evaluation of long-term cost-effectiveness of control strategies is important for disease control and prevention. The present study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the three recommended strategies (i.e., WHO, Chinese and Guangdong strategies) and different combinations of commonly used measures (i.e., preventive chemotherapy, information, education, and communication (IEC) and environmental improvement) on clonorchiasis. The study area, Fusha town in Guangdong Province, was a typical high endemic area in China. The analysis was based on a multi-group transmission model of C. sinensis infection. We set the intervention duration for 10 years and post-intervention period for 50 years. The corresponding costs and DALYs were estimated. Strategies with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) less than 1/5 of the willingness-to-pay threshold were identified as highly cost-effective strategies. The optimal control strategy was obtained using the next best comparator method. The ICERs of Guangdong strategy were $172 (95% CI: $143-$230) US for praziquantel and $106 (95% CI: $85-$143) US for albendazole, suggesting the highest cost-effectiveness among the three recommended strategies. For praziquantel, 470 sets of control strategies were identified as highly cost-effective strategies for achieving infection control (prevalence<5%). The optimal strategy consisted of chemotherapy targeted on at-risk population, IEC and environmental improvement, with coverages all being 100%, and with the ICER of $202 (95% CI: $168-$271) US. The results for transmission control (prevalence<1%) and albendazole were obtained with the same procedures. The findings may help to develop control policies for C. sinensis infection in high endemic areas. Moreover, the method adopted is applicable for assessment of optimal strategies in other endemic areas.     

九龙江口底栖生物生态研究

本文研究了九龙江口底栖生物种类组成、数量分布、季节变化及其与环境因子的关系等生态特点。结果表明,九龙江口底栖生物种类丰富(计440种)。其分布具有三种生态类型:河口种、海水种和近岸广盐种。平均总生物量为56.17克/米~2,平均栖息密度为358个/米~2。底栖生物与环境因子的关系密切:河口区底栖生物种群和数量的分布趋势是随着盐度的增高而增多;局部区域的水动力特点以及不同的沉积物类型也影响底栖生物种类和数量的分布。     

弱氧化醋杆菌阿拉伯糖醇脱氢酶基因克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

The partial genomic library of Acetobacter suboxydans was constructed using Yeast\| E.coli shuttle plasmid YEp352 as vector.Two positive transformants,designated as DH5α(pAD91) and DH5α(pAD98),were obtained by screening the growth of transformants on the agar plate in which D\|arabitol was used as the sole carbon source.The results of Southern blot and restriction endonuclease analysis showed that the two recombinants are identical.The insert is about 2.3kb.Arabitol dehydrogenase activity assay indic…     

Dynamics of fertilizer-derived organic nitrogen fractions in an arable soil during a growing season

Background

Inorganic fertilizer is one of the most important anthropogenic inputs which influences soil nutrient turnover in agricultural ecosystems. However, as the key process involved in the maintenance, transformation and stability of soil nitrogen (N), the incorporation and allocation of fertilizer N between different soil organic N (SON) fractions in a growing season remains largely unknown.

Methods

In this study, a field experiment was conducted in triplicate of micro-plots and a total of 200 kg N ha^?1 (¹⁵?N-labeled (NH₄)₂SO₄, 98 atom %) was applied as a basal dressing and two top dressings, at jointing and filling stages, respectively, to a maize crop during one growing season. The distribution and seasonal dynamics of fertilizer N in different SON fractions (i.e., amino acids, amino sugars, hydrolyzable ammonium N and acid insoluble-N) were measured by liquid/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/GC-MS) and element analysis-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-C-IRMS) techniques. Path analysis was used to evaluate the transformation processes between organic N fractions derived from fertilizer and N supply strategy in soil-plant system.

Results

The accumulation of fertilizer-derived N in different organic fractions was season-specific. At jointing stage, preferential enrichment of ¹⁵?N was found in soil amino acids plus amino sugars, indicating the active biological immobilization of basal dressing fertilizer N. Nevertheless, there is still a small proportion of fertilizer N stabilized in the acid insoluble fraction. The accumulation of the residual fertilizer N in hydrolyzable ammonium N reached a maximum at filling stage and then declined significantly, implying the rapid release of the fertilizer N remained in mineral forms. The contents of amino acids changed slightly, but they played a very important role in mediating SON transformation.

Conclusion

The hydrolyzable ammonium N was a temporary pool for rapid fertilizer N retention and simultaneously was apt to release N for crop uptake in the current season. In contrast, the amino acids could serve as a transitional pool of available N in the soil-crop system, while the acid insoluble fraction was as a stable pool of fertilizer N. Importantly, there is an interim shift among different pools to maintain soil N turnover; hence N in the amino acid fraction mediates N supply and the depolymerization of SON constituents controls the proceeding of fertilizer N cycling in the soil-plant system.     

Cloning,expression, and characterization of a novel diketoreductase from Acinetobacter baylyi

Reductions of carbonyl groups catalyzed by oxidoreductases are involved in all biological processes and are often a class of important biocatalyst. In this article, we report a novel enzyme designated as diketoreductase （DKR） that was able to reduce two carbonyl groups in a diketo ester to corresponding dihydroxy ester with excellent stereoselectivity. The DKR was cloned from Acinetobacter baylyi by reverse genetic method, heterogeneously expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified to homogeneity by two chromatographic steps. This novel enzyme exhibited dual cofactor specificity, with a preference of NADH over NADPH. The dihydroxy ester product catalyzed by the DKR was only 3R,5S-stereoisomer with both diastereomeric excess and enantiomeric excess values more than 99.5%. In addition, some biochemical properties of the enzyme, such as the optimal pH and temperature, were also characterized. Furthermore, sequence analysis indicated that this new enzyme was homologous to bacterial 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase. More importantly, based on the unique catalytic activity and excellent stereoselectivity, the DKR could be utilized in the synthesis of valuable chiral drug intermediates, such as Lipitor.     

上海部分地区戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)基因型的分析

为了解戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)在上海部分地区流行的基因型,采用RT-nPCR的方法检验35例急性散发性戊型肝炎患者中HEV RNA,并对阳性产物进行克隆测序,然后对其基因型进行分析.结果显示在35例急性散发性戊型肝炎患者中PCR阳性为9例,测序证实8例为HEV的基因序列;其中1例为HEV 1型,7例为HEV 4型.提示在上海部分地区的急性散发性戊型肝炎中以HEV 4型感染为主.     

Modeling activity patterns of wildlife using time‐series analysis

The study of wildlife activity patterns is an effective approach to understanding fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. However, traditional statistical approaches used to conduct quantitative analysis have thus far had limited success in revealing underlying mechanisms driving activity patterns. Here, we combine wavelet analysis, a type of frequency‐based time‐series analysis, with high‐resolution activity data from accelerometers embedded in GPS collars to explore the effects of internal states (e.g., pregnancy) and external factors (e.g., seasonal dynamics of resources and weather) on activity patterns of the endangered giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Giant pandas exhibited higher frequency cycles during the winter when resources (e.g., water and forage) were relatively poor, as well as during spring, which includes the giant panda's mating season. During the summer and autumn when resources were abundant, pandas exhibited a regular activity pattern with activity peaks every 24 hr. A pregnant individual showed distinct differences in her activity pattern from other giant pandas for several months following parturition. These results indicate that animals adjust activity cycles to adapt to seasonal variation of the resources and unique physiological periods. Wavelet coherency analysis also verified the synchronization of giant panda activity level with air temperature and solar radiation at the 24‐hr band. Our study also shows that wavelet analysis is an effective tool for analyzing high‐resolution activity pattern data and its relationship to internal and external states, an approach that has the potential to inform wildlife conservation and management across species.     

CalR激活副溶血弧菌Ⅵ型分泌系统1相关基因的转录

[目的]研究副溶血弧菌群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)系统核心调控子AphA和OpaR对calR基因以及CalR对Ⅵ型分泌系统l(type VI secretion system 1,T6SS1;vp1386-1420)相关基因的转录调控关系.[方法]提取副溶血弧菌野生株(wild-type,WT)和调控...     

Toward a theory for diversity gradients: the abundance–adaptation hypothesis

The abundance–adaptation hypothesis argues that taxa with more individuals and faster generation times will have more evolutionary ‘experiments’ allowing expansion into, and diversification within, novel habitats. Thus, as older taxa have produced more individuals over time, and smaller taxa have higher population sizes and faster generation times, the Latitudinal Diversity Gradients (LDGs) of these clades should show shallower slopes. We describe the LDGs for archaea, bacteria, fungi, invertebrates and trees from six North American forests. For three focal groups – bacteria, ants, and trees – older taxa had shallower LDG slopes than the more recent, terminal taxa. Across 12 orders of magnitude of body mass, LDG slopes were steeper in larger taxa. The slopes of LDGs vary systematically with body size and clade age, underscoring the non‐canonical nature of LDGs. The steepest LDG slopes were found for the largest organisms while the smallest, from bacteria to small litter‐soil invertebrates, have shallower‐ to zero‐slope LDGs. If tropical niche conservatism is the failure of clades to adapt to, and diversify in temperate habitats, then the steep LDGs of chordates and plants likely arise from the decreased ability of clades with large individuals to adapt to the multiple challenges of extra‐tropical life.     

Protein kinase C delta null mice exhibit structural alterations in articular surface,intra-articular and subchondral compartments

IntroductionStructural alterations in intra-articular and subchondral compartments are hallmarks of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that causes pain and disability in the aging population. Protein kinase C delta (PKC-δ) plays versatile functions in cell growth and differentiation, but its role in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone is not known.MethodsHistological analysis including alcian blue, safranin O staining and fluorochrome labeling were used to reveal structural alterations at the articular cartilage surface and bone–cartilage interface in PKC-δ knockout (KO) mice. The morphology and organization of chondrocytes were studied using confocal microscopy. Glycosaminoglycan content was studied by micromass culture of chondrocytes of PKC-δ KO mice.ResultsWe uncovered atypical structural demarcation between articular cartilage and subchondral bone of PKC-δ KO mice. Histology analyses revealed a thickening of the articular cartilage and calcified bone–cartilage interface, and decreased safranin O staining accompanied by an increase in the number of hypertrophic chondrocytes in the articular cartilage of PKC-δ KO mice. Interestingly, loss of demarcation between articular cartilage and bone was concomitant with irregular chondrocyte morphology and arrangement. Consistently, in vivo calcein labeling assay showed an increased intensity of calcein labeling in the interface of the growth plate and metaphysis in PKC-δ KO mice. Furthermore, in vitro culture of chondrocyte micromass showed a decreased alcian blue staining of chondrocyte micromass in the PKC-δ KO mice, indicative of a reduced level of glycosaminoglycan production.ConclusionsOur data imply a role for PKC-δ in the osteochondral plasticity of the interface between articular cartilage and the osteochondral junction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0720-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.