The prevalence of liver abnormalities in humans due to Schistosoma japonicum by ultrasonography in China: a meta-analysis.

Background: Schistosoma japonicum was once one of the most severe parasitic diseases in China. After 70 years of national schistosomiasis control programmes, the prevalence and associated morbidity of the infection have been reduced to a much lower level. However, due to the low sensitivity of the current detection approaches, many minor infections in humans could not be identified and ultimately develop chronic injuries with liver abnormalities, a specific 'network' echogenic pattern under ultrasonography.

Meta-analysis of variable-temperature PCR technique performance for diagnosising Schistosoma japonicum infections in humans in endemic areas.

Background: As China is moving onto schistosomiasis elimination/eradication, diagnostic methods with both high sensitivity and specificity for Schistosoma japonicum infections in humans are urgently needed. Microscopic identification of eggs in stool is proven to have poor sensitivity in low endemic regions, and antibody tests are unable to distinguish between current and previous infections. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technologies for the detection of parasite DNA have been theoretically assumed to show high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Genetic diversity and structure of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis in two eco-epidemiological settings as revealed by the mitochondrial COX1 gene sequences.

Background: Oncomelania hupensis hupensis is the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum, the causative agent of schistosomiasis in China and is therefore of significant medical and veterinary health importance. Although tremendous progress has been achieved, there remains an understudied area of approximately 2.06 billion m of potential snail habitats.

In vivo praziquantel efficacy of Schistosoma japonicum over time: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Praziquantel (PZQ), the only choice of chemotherapy for schistosomiasis recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), has been widely used over 40 years. The long-term, and rapid expansion of, PZQ use for disease control across a large populations continues to raise concern regarding the potential for emergence and establishment of drug resistance. Recent research has also proposed that the long survival and low sensitivity of unpaired worms, derived from either incomplete treatment cure rates or single-sex schistosome infections within final hosts, could exacerbate the risk of PZQ resistance (PZQ-R) emerging.

Extended survival and reproductive potential of single-sex male and female Schistosoma japonicum within definitive hosts.

Schistosomiasis is caused by dioecious helminths of the genus Schistosoma. Recent work indicated that unpaired female and male schistosomes can survive within their definitive host for at least 1 year, although the viability or fertility of these worms after subsequent pairing remained untested. We performed two experiments on laboratory mice, one with female Schistosoma japonicum exposure first and male schistosomes second and another vice versa.

Meta-analyses of Schistosoma japonicum infections in wild rodents across China over time indicates a potential challenge to the 2030 elimination targets.

China once suffered greatly from schistosomiasis japonica, a major zoonotic disease. Nearly 70 years of multidisciplinary efforts have achieved great progress in disease control, with infections in both humans and bovines significantly reduced to very low levels. However, reaching for the target of complete interruption of transmission at the country level by 2030 still faces great challenges, with areas of ongoing endemicity and/or re-emergence within previously 'eliminated' regions.

Senescent endothelial progenitor cells from dogs with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a before-after self-controlled study.

Previous studies have underlined the importance of endothelial dysfunction and microvascular occlusion in the pathogenesis of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). Since the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in maintaining endothelial homeostasis, we observed the change of peripheral EPCs in canines before and after PAH onset. PAH was induced by intra-pulmonary artery injection of dehydromonocrotaline (DHMC) in nine beagles.

Thymosin beta4 induces endothelial progenitor cell migration via PI3K/Akt/eNOS signal transduction pathway.

Thymosin beta4, a G-actin-sequestering peptide, has been shown to play an important role in cell migration. However, little is known about the effect of thymosin beta4 on circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) directional migration, which is essential for EPC-mediated reendothelialization and neovascularization. In our study, using a transwell migration assay, we showed that thymosin beta4 induced EPC migration in a concentration-dependent manner.

[Endothelium-independent vasorelaxation of plant-derived estrogen biochanin A and its mechanism in rat aortic rings].

Aim: To investigate the mechanisms of vasodilatation of plant-derived estrogen biochanin A.

Methods: Isolated aortic ring preparations from Sprague-Dawley rats were suspended in individual organ baths. The tension was measured isometrically.