Subclinical endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation play roles in the development of erectile dysfunction in young men with low risk of coronary heart disease

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible underlying pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction(ED) in young men with low risk of coronary heart disease and no well-known aetiology. To conduct this study, 122 patients with ED under the age of 40 were enrolled, along with 33 age-matched normal control subjects. The patients with ED had significantly higher levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol and triglyceride, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), greater carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and Framingham risk score (FRS) than the control group, though all of these values were within the respective normal range. Further, the brachial artery flow- mediated vasodilation (FMD) values were significantly lower in ED patients and correlated positively with the severity of ED (r = 0.714, p < 0.001). When these significant factors were studied in the multivariate logistic regression model, FMD, SBP, hs-CRP and FRS remained the statistical significance. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that FMD had a high ability to predict ED in young male with low FRS [area under the curve (AUC) 0.921, p < 0.001]. The cutoff value of FMD <10.25% had sensitivity of 82.8% and specificity of 100% for diagnosis of ED. FRS and hs- CRP were also proven to be predictors of ED (AUC 0.812, p < 0.001; AUC 0.645, p = 0.011, respectively). The results of this study validated that subclinical endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation may be the underlying pathogenesis of ED with no well-known aetiology. Young patients complaining of ED should be screened for cardiovascular risk factors and possible subclinical atherosclerosis. Measurement of FMD, hs-CRP and FRS can improve our ability to predict and treat ED, as well as subclinical cardiovascular disease early for young male.

Radiological and clinical findings of 25 patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: retrospective analysis of 2150 liver transplantation cases

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiological and clinical findings of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) after liver transplantation.

METHODS

This study included 25 consecutive liver transplant recipients with histologically confirmed IPA after liver transplantation. Radiological examinations performed for diagnosis were available in all patients. Clinical findings and changes in clinical response and radiological findings after treatment were also evaluated.

RESULTS

3 main radiological findings were identified: nodules, 64% (16/25); masses, 36% (9/25); and consolidations in a patchy pattern, 20% (5/25). A tree-in-bud pattern was found in 12% (3/25) of patients. In 8 (32%) of 25 patients, we found a combination of 2 or more of these signs: 5 (20%) patients presented with concurrent nodules accompanied by patchy consolidations and/or tree-in-bud, and 3 (12%) patients showed masses accompanied by large consolidations. A halo sign was observed in 20 (80%) of 25 patients. Hypodense sign and cavitary lesions were encountered in 17 (68%) of 25 patients. Follow-up radiological findings after treatment showed improvement in 18 patients, no change in 4 patients and progression in 3 patients. There were three aspergillosis-associated deaths during the follow-up period. The onset time of IPA was a median of 31 days after transplantation. The most common symptom at diagnosis was fever (n=15). None of the 25 patients had leukopaenia at the time of the diagnosis of IPA.

CONCLUSIONS

The most common radiological findings of IPA after liver transplantation are multiple nodules with or without halo sign, masses and consolidations, which usually appear about 1 month after transplantation.

ROS-mediated lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis in INS-1 cells by modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or exhaustion of antioxidants may cause oxidative stress which is a major factor of defective insulin secretion and increases apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells in diabetes. So there comes a consideration of whether antioxidant strategies can be used to protect deterioration of the β-cells. In this study, we explored the mechanism of oxidative stress mediated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced apoptosis in insulin secreting (INS-1) cells from a rat pancreatic β-cell line. ROS was monitored by using intracellular ROS capture dihydroethidium (DHE) and dihydrorhodamine123 (DHR123). Apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). The pro-apoptotic gene Bax and anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 were analysed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The results demonstrate that LPS-stimulated INS-1 cells manifest intensified intracellular fluorescence in both dose- and time- dependent manners. Apoptosis rate of LPS stimulated INS-1 cells is significantly increased by FCM, with a significant increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio revealed by Western blot and RT-PCR. Furthermore, α-lipoic acid (α-LA) inhibits LPS-induced apoptosis, but can not restore the function of glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in INS-1 cells.

An effect comparison between Furlow double opposing Z-plasty and two-flap palatoplasty on velopharyngeal closure

The aim of this study was to compare velopharyngeal closure between patients who underwent Furlow palatoplasty and two-flap palatoplasty. A retrospective review of 88 patients with incomplete palate cleft was performed. 48 patients (17 males; 31 females) aged 2-28 years received Furlow palatoplasty. 40 patients (17 males; 23 females) aged 2-21 years received two-flap palatoplasty. Velopharyngeal function was categorized as adequate, marginal or inadequate. Complications associated with the operation were documented. Statistically significant differences were not found amongst sex distribution, age at operation, follow-up time, and preoperative speech intelligibility. After primary repairs using Furlow and two-flap palatoplasty, the surgeon's incidence of postoperative palatal fistula was 0%. The complications were not significantly different between the two groups. The authors achieved the lowest reported incidence of postoperative palatal fistulas in primary Furlow palatoplasty. The outcomes of the velopharyngeal closure were better in patients who received Furlow palatoplasty (P<0.05). Furlow palatoplasty was more effective than two-flap palatoplasty in obtaining perfect velopharyngeal closure. A probable explanation may be that Furlow palatoplasty can reposition and overlap the divergent palatal muscle and lengthen the soft palate.

Spinning disk for compressive imaging

We report the first, to the best of our knowledge, experimental implementation of a spinning-disk configuration for high-speed compressive image acquisition. A single rotating mask (i.e., the spinning disk) with random binary patterns was utilized to spatially modulate a collimated terahertz (THz) or IR beam. After propagating through the sample, the THz or IR beam was measured using a single detector, and THz and IR images were subsequently reconstructed using compressive sensing. We demonstrate that a 32-by-32 pixel image could be obtained from 160 to 240 measurements in both the IR and THz ranges. This spinning-disk configuration allows the use of an electric motor to rotate the spinning disk, thus enabling the experiment to be performed automatically and continuously. This, together with its compact design and computational efficiency, makes it promising for real-time imaging applications.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate: action and mechanism in the brain

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) is synthesised from dehydroepiandrosterone by the enzyme sulphotransferase. DHEAS is one of the most important neurosteroids in the brain. The concentration of DHEAS in the brain is sometimes higher than peripheral system. At the cellular level, DHEAS has been shown to modulate a variety of synaptic transmission, including cholinergic, GABAergic dopaminergic and glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In addition to the effect on the release of a number of neurotransmitters, DHEAS could also modulate the activity of postsynaptic receptors. DHEAS has been found to have multiple important effects on brain functions, such as memory enhancing, antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, and may have relationships with many brain diseases.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of silibinin induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis on HeLa cells

Silibinin, an effective anti-cancer and chemopreventive agent in various epithelial cancer models, has been reported to inhibit cancer cell growth through mitogenic signalling pathways including cervical cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not well elucidated. Here, we assessed the effect of silibinin on human cervical carcinoma cell cycle modulation, apoptosis induction and associated molecular alterations by employing HeLa cell line. Silibinin treatment of HeLa cells resulted in a G2 arrest and induced a decrease in cyclin-dependent kinases involved in both G1 and G2 progression. In addition, silibinin showed a dose-dependent and a time-dependent apoptotic death in HeLa cells in both the mitochondrial pathway and the death receptor-mediated pathway, providing a strong rationale for future studies evaluating preventive and/or intervention strategies for silibinin in cervical cancer pre-clinical models.

Increased telomerase activity and vitamin D supplementation in overweight African Americans

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation modulates peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) telomerase activity in overweight African Americans.

DESIGN

A double blind, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial (#NCT01141192) was recently conducted.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

African-American adults were randomly assigned to either the placebo, or the vitamin D group (60,000 IU per month (equivalent to ~2000 IU per day) oral vitamin D3 supplementation). Fresh PBMCs were collected from 37 subjects (18 in the placebo group and 19 in the vitamin D group), both at baseline and 16 weeks. PBMC telomerase activity was measured by the telomeric repeat amplification protocol.

RESULTS

Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels increased from 40.7±15.7 at baseline to 48.1±17.5 nmol l(-1) at posttest (P=0.004) in the placebo group, and from 35.4±11.3 at baseline to 103.7±31.5 nmol l(-1) at posttests (P<0.0001) in the vitamin D group. In the vitamin D group, PBMC telomerase activity increased by 19.2% from baseline (1.56±0.29 absorbance reading unit (AU)) to posttest (1.86±0.42 AU, P<0.0001). The significance persisted after controlling for age, sex and body mass index (P=0.039). PBMC telomerase activity in the placebo group did not change from baseline (1.43±0.26 AU) to posttest (1.46±0.27 AU, P=0.157).

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D supplementation significantly increased PBMC telomerase activity in overweight African Americans. Our data suggest that vitamin D may improve telomere maintenance and prevent cell senescence and counteract obesity-induced acceleration of cellular aging.

Ureaplasma urealyticum in male infertility in Jilin Province, North-east China, and its relationship with sperm morphology

This study investigated the effects of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and raised seminal leucocyte levels on sperm morphology in 967 infertile males and 201 fertile healthy volunteers. U. urealyticum infection led to a significant decrease in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm in infertile males. There was a clear correlation between U. urealyticum infection, raised seminal leucocytes and abnormal sperm morphology. The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was significantly lower in U. urealyticum-positive than U. urealyticum-negative infertile males or fertile controls. The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was lowest in U. urealyticum-positive males with raised seminal leucocytes. Previous studies have found raised seminal leucocyte levels to be associated with reactive oxygen species. The authors suggest that oxidative stress contributes to the effects of U. urealyticum on sperm morphology. In conclusion, U. urealyticum infection can negatively affect sperm morphology and this study provided two possible mechanistic explanations.

Successful establishment of Wolbachia in Aedes populations to suppress dengue transmission

Genetic manipulations of insect populations for pest control have been advocated for some time, but there are few cases where manipulated individuals have been released in the field and no cases where they have successfully invaded target populations. Population transformation using the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is particularly attractive because this maternally-inherited agent provides a powerful mechanism to invade natural populations through cytoplasmic incompatibility. When Wolbachia are introduced into mosquitoes, they interfere with pathogen transmission and influence key life history traits such as lifespan. Here we describe how the wMel Wolbachia infection, introduced into the dengue vector Aedes aegypti from Drosophila melanogaster, successfully invaded two natural A. aegypti populations in Australia, reaching near-fixation in a few months following releases of wMel-infected A. aegypti adults. Models with plausible parameter values indicate that Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes suffered relatively small fitness costs, leading to an unstable equilibrium frequency <30% that must be exceeded for invasion. These findings demonstrate that Wolbachia-based strategies can be deployed as a practical approach to dengue suppression with potential for area-wide implementation.

Developments of combretastatin A-4 derivatives as anticancer agents

Tubulin protein is one of several members of a small family of globular proteins. It offers a potential target for anticancer drug design and development. Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is a potent anticancer and antiangiogenesis natural substance isolated from Combretum caffrum. Modifications on the CA-4 structure have led to a great number of novel CA-4 derivatives as potent tubulin inhibitors and high cytotoxic anticancer agents is becoming an interesting field, leading to a breakthrough in the treatment of cancer. In this review, the recent developments of novel CA-4 derivatives via the modifications on the A- and B-ring and the double bond as anticancer agents are discussed.

Feasibility of FT–Raman spectroscopy for rapid screening for DON toxin in ground wheat and barley

Rapid detection of deoxynivalenol (DON) in cereal-based food and feed has long been the goal of regulators and manufacturers. As non-destructive approaches, infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic techniques have been used for the prediction and classification of contaminated single-kernel and ground grain without any DON extraction steps. These methods, however, are hindered by the intense and broad spectral bands attributed to naturally occurring moisture. Raman spectroscopy could be an alternative to IR and NIR due to its insensitivity to water and fewer overlapped bands. This study explored the feasibility of the Raman technique for rapid and non-destructive screening of DON-contaminated wheat and barley meal. The advantages of this technique include the use of a 1064-nm NIR excitation laser that reduces interference from fluorescence of biological compounds in wheat and barley, the use of a simple intensity-intensity algorithm at two unique frequencies, plus the technique's ease of sample preparation. The results indicate that the simple algorithm, as well as principal component analysis applied to the Raman spectra, can be used to classify low from high DON grain.

Chemical characterization of the fine particle emissions from commercial aircraft engines during the Aircraft Particle Emissions eXperiment (APEX) 1 to 3

This paper addresses the need for detailed chemical information on the fine particulate matter (PM) generated by commercial aviation engines. The exhaust plumes of seven turbofan engine models were sampled as part of the three test campaigns of the Aircraft Particle Emissions eXperiment (APEX). In these experiments, continuous measurements of black carbon (BC) and particle surface-bound polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs) were conducted. In addition, time-integrated sampling was performed for bulk elemental composition, water-soluble ions, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and trace semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The continuous BC and PAH monitoring showed a characteristic U-shaped curve of the emission index (EI or mass of pollutant/mass of fuel burned) vs fuel flow for the turbofan engines tested. The time-integrated EIs for both elemental composition and water-soluble ions were heavily dominated by sulfur and SO(4)(2-), respectively, with a ∼2.4% median conversion of fuel S(IV) to particle S(VI). The corrected OC and EC emission indices obtained in this study ranged from 37 to 83 mg/kg and 21 to 275 mg/kg, respectively, with the EC/OC ratio ranging from ∼0.3 to 7 depending on engine type and test conditions. Finally, the particle SVOC EIs varied by as much as 2 orders of magnitude with distinct variations in chemical composition observed for different engine types and operating conditions.