Publications by authors named "Zhishan Sun"

There is no vaccine for severe malaria. STEVOR antigens on the surface of -infected red blood cells are implicated in severe malaria and are targeted by neutralizing antibodies, but their epitopes remain unknown. Using computational immunology, we identified highly immunogenic overlapping B- and T-cell epitopes (referred to as multiepitopes, 7-27 amino acids) in the semiconserved domain of four STEVORs linked with severe malaria and clinical immunity.

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Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a substantial threat to global public health, including China. This article systematically reviews the epidemiology of TBDs in Chinese mainland between 2003 and 2023. We retrieved and analyzed the incidence and distribution of notable bacterial, viral, and parasitic TBDs in China, and discussed their clinical characteristics, diagnostic approaches, and vectors.

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Background: Vector-borne parasitic infectious diseases associated with poverty (referred to as vb-pIDP), such as malaria, leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis, African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and onchocerciasis, are highly prevalent in many regions around the world. This study aims to characterize the recent burdens of and changes in these vb-pIDP globally and provide a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of geographical and temporal trends.

Methods: Data on the prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of the vb-pIDP were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 for 21 geographical regions and 204 countries worldwide, from 1990-2021.

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  • The One Health approach integrates human, animal, and environmental health, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle global health challenges and requiring new assessment tools for effective implementation.
  • The enhanced Global One Health Index (GOHI) 2022 employs a comprehensive system of indices and sub-indicators, using a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to analyze data across 160 countries/territories and provide insights into global health performance.
  • GOHI 2022 reveals significant disparities in health scores across regions, with a global average of 54.82, indicating that North America and Europe score higher, while antimicrobial resistance ranks as a notable weakness within the One Health framework.
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  • The study focused on mapping tick distribution and habitat suitability on Chongming Island in China, aiming to assess the potential invasion risks posed by ticks to human and animal health.
  • Researchers used GIS technology and species distribution models, based on 19 environmental variables, to predict habitat suitability for ticks in 2050 and 2070 under different climate change scenarios.
  • The findings highlighted significant impacts of climate on tick habitats, forecasting a decrease in suitable areas under certain scenarios, which can inform future tick control strategies to reduce the risk of tick-borne infections.
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  • The One Health (OH) approach aims to control zoonotic events but lacks systematic assessment tools; this study applied the Global OH Index (GOHI) specifically for zoonoses.
  • By using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comparison matrix, the study evaluated 160 countries based on five key indicators to determine their OH performance regarding zoonoses.
  • Results showed significant variations in GOHI-Zoonoses scores linked to factors like economics and environmental conditions, indicating areas for improvement in global strategies to enhance health across humans, animals, and the environment.
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What Is Already Known About This Topic?: Although ticks and tick-borne diseases are prevalent throughout China, there remains a knowledge gap regarding their biology and potential risk of distribution to human and animal populations on Chongming Island. The island, being China's third largest and a crucial component in the ecological preservation of the Yangtze Delta region, has yet to be comprehensively studied in this context.

What Is Added By This Report?: In this study, employing molecular methodologies, a significant prevalence of (.

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  • * A thematic analysis of interviews with 14 stakeholders identified essential barriers and facilitators to the project's success, focusing on tailored strategies for varying socioeconomic contexts.
  • * Key enablers included effective intervention techniques and financial support, while barriers involved talent shortages, communication issues, and logistical challenges in the health system.
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  • The study investigates the potential link between interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and long COVID-19, amidst previous evidence suggesting IL-6's role in COVID-19.
  • A systematic review and meta-analysis included 22 studies, which revealed that long COVID-19 patients had significantly higher IL-6 levels compared to healthy controls and those with non-postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2.
  • The findings highlight the consistent elevation of IL-6 in long COVID-19, suggesting that IL-6 may be a critical biomarker for understanding and managing this condition.
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  • Atrial fibrillation is common in patients with heart valve disease, and this study compares the effectiveness of aortic valve replacement combined with the Cox-maze IV procedure to replacement alone in patients with both calcific aortic valvular disease and atrial fibrillation.
  • The study involved 108 patients, with those undergoing Cox-maze surgery showing significantly better outcomes in both survival rates (100% vs. 89%) and lower recurrence rates of atrial fibrillation compared to those who did not have the procedure.
  • Results suggest that combining Cox-maze surgery with aortic valve replacement enhances mid-term survival and reduces atrial fibrillation recurrence, while factors like higher pre-operative blood pressure and increased right atrial size post-surgery
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Knowledge of the proportion of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) use among men who have sex with men (MSM) and the specific gaps in PrEP use can stimulate enhanced focus on HIV prevention policies and programs. To summarize the proportion of PrEP use and explore the temporal trend in the proportion of PrEP use and factors associated with PrEP use among MSM on a global scale, we searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, and APA PsycINFO for studies reporting on the use of HIV PrEP among MSM before April 2022. Freeman-Tukey double arc-sine transformation and random-effects models were used to pool estimates.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to observe the safety and efficacy of electrophysiological mapping following the Cox-Maze IV procedure and to investigate whether a correlation exists between recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) with the completeness of bidirectional electrical isolation and the inducibility of AF immediately after the Cox-Maze IV procedure.

Methods: Totally, 80 consecutive patients who suffered from aortic valve or mitral valve disease and persistent AF were randomly enrolled into the control group and electrophysiological mapping following the Cox-Maze IV group (Electrophysio-Maze group). In the Electrophysio-Maze group, patients underwent concomitant Cox-Maze procedure and following electrophysiological mapping of ablation lines in mitral isthmus, left atrial "box," and tricuspid annulus.

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Introduction: Integrated knowledge regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness and willingness to use PrEP can be useful for HIV prevention in high incidence groups. This review summarizes the awareness of PrEP and willingness to use PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: Online electronic databases were searched before 31 August 2021.

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  • * Thirty patients participated in long-term RIC, showing a significant reduction in stroke recurrence rates and improvements in patient-reported outcomes after treatment, with no serious adverse events reported.
  • * The results indicated RIC may help control iMMD symptoms and improve cerebral blood flow, as demonstrated by favorable changes in both clinical measures and imaging studies.
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BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the use of the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with the SAN-Atrial-AVN-His (SAAH) ECG (Model PHS-A10), a new automated and integrated signals recognition system that detects micro-waveforms within the P, QRS, and T-wave, in a pig model of acute myocardial infarction (MI). MATERIAL AND METHODS Six medium-sized domestic Chinese pigs underwent general anesthesia, and an angioplasty balloon was placed and dilated for 120 minutes in the first diagonal coronary artery arising from the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. A standard ECG and a SAAH ECG (Model PHS-A10) were used to evaluate: 1) the number of wavelets in ST-T segment in lead V5; 2) the duration of the repolarization initial (Ri), or duration of the wavelets starting from the J-point to the endpoint of the wavelets in the ST interval; 3) the duration of the repolarization terminal (Rt), of the wavelets, starting from the endpoint of the wavelets in the ST interval to the cross-point of the T-wave and baseline; 4) the ratio Ri: Rt.

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Objective: To determine whether tirofiban can prevent microcirculation dysfunction during delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of spontaneously recanalized and severe narrowing coronary artery in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: 62 patients who have a single angiographically confirmed narrowing culprit coronary artery for more than 75% between 7 and 14 days after the onset of acute myocardial infarction were randomly divided into the tirofiban group (32 cases) and the placebo group (30 cases). All the patients received measurement of the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) before tirofiban/placebo administration and PCI.

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OBJECTIVE To explore the genetic mechanism for a family affected with cardiac conduction block. METHODS Affected family members were screened for potential mutations of known candidate genes. As no pathogenic mutation was found, two patients and one healthy member from the family were further analyzed by exomic sequencing followed by Sanger sequencing.

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  • Symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis (SIAS) is a common condition in older adults, particularly in the Chinese population, and is a leading cause of recurrent strokes.
  • Traditional endovascular treatments may not be suitable for octogenarians, prompting the need for less invasive options, such as bilateral arm ischemic preconditioning (BAIPC), which has shown promise in younger patients.
  • A study involving 58 patients aged 80 and older found that BAIPC was safe and did not negatively impact vital signs or blood markers, suggesting it may help reduce stroke recurrence without significant risks in this age group.
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Hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) elicits resistance to more drastic subsequent insults, which potentially provide neuroprotective therapeutic strategy, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of HPC on synaptic ultrastructure in olfactory bulb of mice. Mice underwent up to five cycles of repeated HPC treatments, and hypoxic tolerance was assessed with a standard gasp reflex assay.

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Around the world, stroke is the second most common cause of death and a major cause of disability. The main direct cause of stroke is the occlusion of intracranial artery, which leads to cell death in the core suffered region, or cell functional impairment surrounding the dead core (termed ischemic penumbra). Opening the occluded artery to save the ischemic penumbra is the aim of thrombolysis therapy.

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  • The study investigates the role of blood circulation on reendothelialization and restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), alongside the effects of atorvastatin on these processes.
  • 70 SD rats were used for experiments, with various groups established to assess outcomes like reendothelialization ratio and restenosis ratio following treatments such as deendothelialization and atorvastatin administration.
  • Results indicate that blood circulation enhances reendothelialization and reduces restenosis, while atorvastatin significantly boosts these effects; however, both processes are compromised when blood circulation is halted.
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