Overexpression of LncRNA FER1L4 in endometrial carcinoma is associated with favorable survival outcome

OBJECTIVE

Long noncoding RNA Fer-1-like protein 4 (FER1L4) is a novel cancer-related lncRNA and functions as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. However, the clinical significance of FER1L4 has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the increased expression of FER1L4 can be used as a prognostic biomarker in endometrial carcinoma (EC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression levels of FER1L4 in 191 pairs of EC and adjacent normal tissues were detected by TaqMan Real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay. The association between FER1L4 expression and clinicopathological parameters was subsequently determined. The clinical and prognostic significance of FER1L4 expression was analyzed statistically by Kaplan-Meier estimate and Cox regression model.

RESULTS

We observed that FER1L4 in EC tissues was significantly down-regulated compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (p<0.01). Low expression of FER1L4 was significantly correlated with distant metastasis (p=0.002), lymph node metastasis (p=0.010) and FIGO stages (p=0.006). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that overall survival rate in patients with high FER1L4 expression level was markedly higher than those with low FER1L4 expression level (p=0.0071). Finally, multivariate analysis of the prognosis factors confirmed that low FER1L4 expression was a significant independent predictor of poor survival in EC (HR=2.782, 95% CI: 1.144-5.123, p=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

We provided the significant clinical relevance of FER1L4 in EC and suggested that FER1L4 may act as an independent prognostic indicator for EC patients.

Ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the submandibular region: a case report

Ectopic parathyroid adenomas that affect the submandibular region have not been widely reported. We describe a 34-year-old man who presented with a painless swelling of the submandibular region. The identification of hypercalcaemia encouraged us to engage a multidisciplinary team to evaluate further serum changes. Parathyroid hormone analysis, ^99mTc-methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (^99mTc-MIBI) scintigraphy, and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT) were done to rule out hyperparathyroidism. Raised parathyroid hormone together with ^99mTc-MIBI and SPECT-CT examination were consistent with a tumour caused by the hyperparathyroidism. Removal of the lesion resulted in rapid improvement in serum calcium and parathyroid hormone, and the normalisation of the serum creatinine, concentrations. Histopathological analysis confirmed a parathyroid adenoma. We conclude that ectopic parathyroid adenomas should be considered as part of a differential diagnosis for tumours of the submandibular region.

Apoptosis-promoting and migration-suppressing effect of alantolactone on gastric cancer cell lines BGC-823 and SGC-7901 via regulating p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with high incidence rate and mortality rate.

PURPOSE

In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of alantolactone, a sesquiterpene lactone, on gastric cancer cell lines BGC-823 and SGC-7901.

METHODS

BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cells were treated with different concentrations of alantolactone, Hoechst 33258 staining, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, invasion assay, colony forming assay, quantative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the anticancer activity of alantolactone to gastric cancer.

RESULTS

Alantolactone induced apoptosis of gastric cancer cells by regulating the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53, which related to intrinsic apoptotic pathway, and suppressed colony formation, migration, and invasion by mediating the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9. Cell signaling pathway analysis showed that alantolactone enhanced the phosphorylation of p38 and decreased the translocation of nucleus p65, suggesting that the apoptosis-promoting and migration-suppressing effect of alantolactone might at least partially rely on regulating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) pathway and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Alantolactone can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for treating gastric cancer.

[Preliminary observation on the changes of T(1) weighted signal of globus pallidus after multiple intravenous injection of linear gadolinium contrast agent]

Objective: To explore the changes in signal intensity (SI) ratios of globus pallidus (GP) on unenhanced T(1)-weighted(T(1)WI)magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans between the first and last MRI using the linear gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCAs) intravenously. Methods: Clinical and imaging data of 114 patients who underwent at least 4 consecutive enhanced MRI examinations at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between January 2016 and April 2018 were analyzed. The SI ratio of GP, thalamus and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured on unenhanced T(1)WI. The GP to thalamus SI ratio was calculated by dividing the SI in the GP by that in the thalamus, and so was the GP to CSF SI ratio. The difference of SI ratio in the same patient was analyzed by nonparametric tests, linear regression analysis was used to analyze clinical factors. Results: The SI ratio of GP-to-thalamus and GP-to-CSF after multiple enhancement were higher than before, and the difference was statistically significant. The SI ratio of GP-to-thalamus and GP-to-CSF before and after repeated contrast-enhanced were 1.036(1.010, 1.075), 1.104(1.074, 1.168); 4.215(3.590, 5.614), 5.409(4.213, 6.502), all P<0.01. The SI ratio differences showed a significant positive correlation with the number of enhanced examination(pons:b=0.023, P<0.01,CSF:b=0.279,P=0.034), and a significant negative correlation with the interval (pons: b=-0.002,P< 0.01, CSF: b=-0.023, P=0.039). There was no correlation with other clinical factors (all P>0.05). Conclusions: There is an increase in SI in the GP after serial injections of linear GBCAs, and there is a positive correlation with the times of enhanced examination, and a negative correlation with time interval.

BRAF inhibitors: efficacious and tolerable in BRAF-mutant acral and mucosal melanoma

BRAF inhibitors substantially have impressive clinical efficacy in cutaneous melanoma. However, their role in acral and mucosal melanoma remains unclear. Records were reviewed of patients with metastatic or unresectable BRAF-mutant acral and mucosal melanoma hospitalized and administrated BRAF inhibitors during January 2011 and March 2016. Clinical data were collected to determine PFS, ORR, DCR, OS, and safety. Among 28 acral and 12 mucosal melanoma patients treated with BRAF inhibitors, median PFS were 3.6 (95%CI 3.0-6.4) and 4.4 (95%CI 0.8-12.7) months, median OS were 6.2 (95%CI 6.1-12.1) and 8.2 (95%CI 6.6-19.9) months; ORRs were 38.1% and 20.0%, DCRs were 81.0% and 70.0% in acral and mucosal melanoma, respectively. BRAF inhibitors were well tolerated. The most common adverse effects (AEs) were cutaneous and hematological. Grade 3/4 AEs were relatively rare. In conclusion, BRAF inhibitors have acceptable efficacy and good tolerance in BRAF mutant acral and mucosal melanoma.

MiR-146a regulates osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells in traumatic femoral head necrosis

OBJECTIVE

  To investigate the regulatory mechanism of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-146a in osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in traumatic femoral head necrosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Femoral neck fracture patients undergoing surgery were divided into necrosis group and non-necrosis group. The expression level of miR-146a in BMSCs isolated from these patients was detected via quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The clinical correlation of miR-146a with BMSCs in traumatic femoral head necrosis was explored. The regulatory effects of miR-146a on osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of BMSCs in traumatic femoral head necrosis were detected. Moreover, the cell proliferation was analyzed via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The deposition of calcium on the cell surface was detected via alizarin red staining to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of osteogenesis-specific genes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (Ocn) in BMSCs undergoing osteogenic differentiation were detected via qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

Expression level of miR-146a in BMSCs of necrosis group was significantly lower than that in non-necrosis group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). CCK-8 assay revealed that the proliferation of BMSCs was significantly enhanced in miR-146a-mimic group compared with that in miR-NC group, while it significantly declined in miR-146a-inhibitor group compared with that in miR-NC group. The results of alizarin red staining showed that the deposition of calcium obviously increased in miR-146a-mimic group compared with that in miR-NC group, indicating that the osteogenic differentiation ability is significantly enhanced, while it markedly decreased in miR-146a-inhibitor group compared with that in miR-NC group. The detection of osteogenesis-specific genes via qRT-PCR manifested that the mRNA expressions of ALP and Ocn remarkably increased in miR-146a-mimic group compared with those in miR-NC group, and there were statistically significant differences (p<0.05). The mRNA expressions of ALP and Ocn remarkably decreased in miR-146a-inhibitor group compared with those in miR-NC group, and there were statistically significant differences (p<0.05), suggesting the inhibited osteogenic differentiation ability.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that miR-146a regulates the osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of BMSCs in traumatic femoral head necrosis.

[Efficacy and mechanism of loading dose clopidogrel in patients with transient ischemic attack and minor stroke]

Objective: To assess outcome, safety and possible mechanism of loading dose clopidogrel in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke. Methods: We reviewed patients with confirmed TIA and minor stroke admitted between July 2016 and December 2017 into the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. Loss-of-function allele carriers of CYP2C19 were included and randomly divided into loading dose group (first dose of 300 mg clopidogrel) and standard dose group (first dose of 75 mg clopidogrel), 100 mg aspirin was gave at the same time, followed by aspirin 100 mg/d plus clopidogrel 75 mg/d maintaining for 20 days. Platelet aggregation (maximum aggregation ratio, MAR) induced by Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was examined before and 3 days after administration. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score method was employed to assess the NIHSS scores before and after treatment in each group of patients; the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to assess the 3-month functional outcome. Results: There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05).The proportion of early neurological function improvement in the two groups was 75.0% and 54.8%, and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=4.498, P=0.034). The 3-month prognosis was 79.5% and 61.3%, and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=4.000, P=0.045). Adverse events: 1 case in the loading dose group, 1 case in the standard dose group, the difference was not statistically significant (2.3% vs 1.6%, χ(2)=0.061, P=0.806). After 3 days of antiplatelet therapy, the MAR of the loading dose group decreased (11%±8%), and the MAR of the standard dose group decreased (9%±4%), the difference was statistically significant (P=0.013).In the loading dose group, there were 32 (72.7%)CYP2C19*2 carriers and 42 (95.5%)CYP2C19*2+*3 carriers; early neurological function improvement in 33 cases, accounting for 93.8% and 76.2%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=4.122, P=0.042). There were 35 patients with good prognosis in 3 months, accounting for 96.9% and 81.0%, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=4.310, P=0.038); MAR of CYP2C19*2 carrier was decreased (15%±5%), and MAR of CYP2C19*2+*3 carrier was decreased (12%±8%). The difference was statistically significant (P=0.039). Conclusions: Loading dose clopidogrel can improve the clinical prognosis of minor stroke/TIA without increasing the risk of bleeding. Loading dose clopidogrel may improve the prognosis of minor stroke/TIA by decreasing MAR of CYP2C19*2 carriers.

[Impact of first-line chemotherapy on renal function in patients with advanced upper tract urothelial carcinoma]

Objective: To observe the impact of first-line chemotherapy on renal function in patients with unresectable/metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC). Methods: A total of 222 (130 males and 92 females) unresectable/metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients were included in the study between January 2005 and May 2017, with age of 29 to 87 (62.4±10.1) years old. The serum creatinine level and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were compared before and after first-line chemotherapy. And predictive factors for decreased renal function were analyzed in logistic regression model. Results: After the first-line chemotherapy, the average serum creatinine level increased, with a median changing value of 1.5 μmol/L. Howerver, the eGFR improved, with a median changing value of 0.5 ml·min^-1· (1.73 m²)^-1, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). In 149 patients who were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, the average serum creatinine level increased by 1.31 μmol/L and eGFR improved by 0.14 ml·min^-1·(1.73 m²)^-1, but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). In multivariate logistic regression model, age more than and equal to 60 years old (OR=0.88, P=0.745) and cisplatin-based chemotherapy (OR=0.95, P=0.893) did not increase the risk of renal dysfunction after first-line chemotherapy. If the time interval between surgery and first-line chemotherapy was more than 1 year, the risk of renal dysfunction due to chemotherapy decreased (OR=0.54, P=0.196). Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) Scale≥1 (OR=1.81, P=0.131), anemia before treatment (OR=1.14, P=0.764), the cycles of first-line chemotherapy (OR=1.41, P=0.398) may lead to increase the risk of renal dysfunction, but the differences were not statistically significant. However in the patients who accepted nephrectomy, the risk of renal dysfunction after chemotherapy increased, but the difference was still not statistically significant (OR=3.06, P=0.089). Conclusions: First-line chemotherapy, especially the cisplatin-based regimen, had no significant impact on renal function in the patients with UTUC. Nephrectomy maybe a predictive risk factor for decreased renal function after chemotherapy. Adequate assessment of renal function before treatment, hydration and close monitoring during chemotherapy can effectively protect renal function of the patients.

[Effects and mechanism of apolipoprotein A5 on adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect and related mechanism of apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) on adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSC). Methods: Subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained from 40 patients undergoing abdominal surgery at our hospital from February to July 2015. After induction of human AMSC by collagenase digestion, the adipose tissue was induced to differentiate into mature adipocytes and treated with ApoA5 at 600 and 1 200 ng/ml, respectively (ApoA5 intervention groups). Cells treated without ApoA5 protein were used as control group. The cells were harvested on the 7th and 14th day of differentiation, and the following assays were performed: (1) the effect of ApoA5 on TG content was measured by a TG assay kit; (2) RT-qPCR assay was used to detect the effect of ApoA5 on aP2 and FAS mRNA expression; (3) the effect of ApoA5 on the expression of CIDEC mRNA and protein was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot; (4) the effect of ApoA5 on the expression of C/EBPβ mRNA and protein was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot; (5) using lentiviral transfection technique, we overexpressed the gene of CIDEC in AMSC and cells were divided into lentiviral negative control group, lentiviral over-expressed CIDEC group and lentiviral over-expressed CIDEC+ApoA5 intervention group (the ApoA5 intervention concentration was 1 200 ng/ml). Thereby, we examined the effect of ApoA5 on the above indicators in adipogenic differentiation of AMSC in the case of CIDEC overexpression. Results: (1) Effect of ApoA5 on TG content in AMSC: on the 7th and 14th day after the intervention, the TG levels were lower in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group AMSC than those in the control group (all P<0.05). (2) The effect of ApoA5 on the expression of aP2 and FAS mRNA in AMSC: on the 7th day after intervention, the expression levels of aP2 and FAS mRNA were significantly lower in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group than those in the control group (all P<0.05). On the 14th day after intervention, the expression levels of aP2 and FAS mRNA were lower in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group than those in the control group (all P<0.05). (3) The effect of ApoA5 on the mRNA and protein expression of CIDEC in AMSC: on the 7th day after intervention, the mRNA and relative protein expression levels of CIDEC were significantly lower in AMSC of ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group than those of the control group (all P<0.05). On the 14th day after intervention, the mRNA and relative protein levels of CIDEC were further reduced in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml AMSC groups than those in the control group (all P<0.05). (4) The effect of ApoA5 on C/EBPβ mRNA and protein expression in AMSC: on the 7th day after intervention, C/EBPβ mRNA and relative protein expression levels were significantly lower in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group than those in the control group (all P<0.05). On the 14th day after intervention, the levels of C/EBPβ mRNA and relative protein were lower in ApoA5 600 and 1 200 ng/ml group than those in the control group (all P<0.05). (5) The effect of ApoA5 on the content of TG in AMSC after CIDEC overexpression: on the 7th and 14th day after intervention, the TG contents in AMSC were higher in the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group than in the lentivirus negative control group (both P<0.05). However, TG contents in AMSC were similar between the over-expressed CIDEC group and the CIDEC+ApoA5 over-expression group (both P>0.05). (6) The effect of ApoA5 on the expression of aP2 and FAS mRNA in AMSC after CIDEC overexpression: on the 7th day after intervention, the expression levels of aP2 and FAS mRNA in AMSC were higher in the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group than in the lentivirus negative control group (both P<0.05). On the 14th day after intervention, the expression level of aP2 mRNA in the AMSC was higher in the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group than in the lentivirus negative control group (P<0.05). On the 7th and 14th day after intervention, the expression levels of aP2 and FAS mRNA in AMSC were similar between the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group and the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC+ApoA5 group (all P>0.05). (7) The effect of ApoA5 on the expression of C/EBPβ mRNA and protein in AMSC after CIDEC overexpression: on the 7th day after intervention, the mRNA and relative protein expressions of C/EBPβ in AMSC were higher in lentivirus-overexpressed CIDEC group than in lentivirus negative control group (both P <0.05). On the 14th day after intervention, C/EBPβ mRNA and protein expression levels in AMSC were higher in the lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group than in the lentivirus negative control group (both P<0.05). On the 7th and 14th day after intervention, the expressions of C/EBPβ mRNA and protein in AMSC were similar between lentivirus over-expressed CIDEC group and lentivirus over-expression CIDEC+ApoA5 intervention group (all P>0.05). Conclusions: ApoA5 can inhibit the adipogenic differentiation of AMSC,and this effect may be mediated by down-regulating the expression of CIDEC. Furthermore, our results indicate that CIDEC could be considered as a key factor in adipogenic differentiation.

[Changes in renal function after catheter ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation]

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes and outcome of kidney function after catheter ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PAF). Methods: A total of 146 patients with PAF underwent primary atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation were enrolled from January 2013 to December 2014 and followed up. The subjects were divided into the AF recurrence and AF non recurrence groups. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated and serum creatinine levels were detected before ablation and during follow-up. Renal failure was defined as ≥ 25% decline in eGFR. Kaplan-Meier survival curves was applied for the incidence of renal failure. Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to assess the relationship between recurrence of AF and renal failure. Results: After (16.3±11.8) months of follow-up, the eGFR in patients with no recurrence of AF was higher than that in patients with recurrence. eGFR and ΔeGFR in patients with no AF recurrence differed significantly from those in patients with recurrence [(114.15±18.24) ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2) vs. (98.64±24.09) ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), and (7.42±6.36) ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2) vs. (-11.40±10.19) ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), all P<0.001]. The incidence of the renal failure was significantly lower (4.41% vs. 16.67%, P<0.05) and the survival prognosis was significantly better in patients with no recurrence than those in patients with recurrence (χ(2)=5.965, log-rank P=0.05). The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, baseline eGFR, recurrences of AF and diabetes were independent predictors of the renal failure, with the HR 1.152, 1.086, 13.442 and 6.076, respectively. Conclusions: PAF patients with no recurrence after ablation had a better renal function than those with recurrence, and the recurrence of AF is associated with the deterioration of kidney function in patients with PAF.

[The similarities and differences of mandarin open-set word recognition between cochlear implant children and normal hearing children]

Objective:To evaluate the ability of open-set word recognition in cochlear implant (CI) children,and compare the similarities and difference of open-set word recognition between CI children and normal hearing(NH) children.Method:This study included 485 children with CI and 162 children with NH, who completed the Mandarin lexical neighborhood test. The results for children at 1-8 years after receiving their CI were compared to those from the children with NH using analysis of variance.Result:There were significant differences in open-set word recognition between the CI and NH groups(P<0.05).For implantation before 2 years, there was no significant difference in recognition at the ages of 6-7 years,compared to 3-year-old children with NH, or at the age of 10 years, compared to 6-year-old children with NH(P>0.05).For implantation before 3 years, there was no significant difference in recognition at the ages of 8-9 years, compared to 3-year-old children with NH,or at the age of 10 years, compared to 6-year-old children with NH(P>0.05).For implantation after 3 years, there was a significant difference in recognition at the age of 13 years,compared to 3-year-old children with NH(P<0.05).Conclusion:Mandarin open-set word recognition increased with time after CI.Chinese children with CI had delayed but similar development of recognition, compared to normal children. Early CI can shorten the gap between children with CI and normal children.

Geniposide prevents H2 O2 -induced oxidative damage in melanocytes by activating the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress is one possible pathogenic event in vitiligo that induces melanocyte destruction. Geniposide exerts certain antioxidant effects on various cells by activating the phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signalling pathway. However, researchers have not clearly determined whether geniposide protects human melanocytes from oxidative stress or identified the underlying mechanism of such protection.

AIM

To determine whether geniposide protects melanocytes from H₂ O₂ -induced oxidative damage and to explore the role of the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway in this protective effect.

METHODS

The antioxidant effects of geniposide on human melanocytes were examined by measuring cell viability, apoptosis rates, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). We examined expression of Akt, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 9 proteins to determine the involvement of the PI3K-Akt pathway.

RESULTS

Pretreatment with geniposide 5, 25, 125 or 625 μmol/L increased cell viability and decreased the apoptosis rate of H₂ O₂ -treated melanocytes. In addition, geniposide enhanced the antioxidant activity of SOD and CAT, and decreased intracellular ROS accumulation. Furthermore, geniposide increased the levels of p-Akt and regulated the expression of downstream proteins in the PI3K-Akt pathway, such as Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase 3 and 9, in H₂ O₂ -treated melanocytes. Notably, these effects were largely blocked by treatment with LY294002 prior to H₂ O₂ treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, geniposide protects human melanocytes from H₂ O₂ -induced oxidative damage, and the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway is involved in its antioxidant effect.

Rapid in-focus corrections on quantitative amplitude and phase imaging using transport of intensity equation method

Transport of intensity equation (TIE) method can acquire sample phase distributions with high speed and accuracy, offering another perspective for cellular observations and measurements. However, caused by incorrect focal plane determination, blurs and halos are induced, decreasing resolution and accuracy in both retrieved amplitude and phase information. In order to obtain high-accurate sample details, we propose TIE based in-focus correction technique for quantitative amplitude and phase imaging, which can locate focal plane and then retrieve both in-focus intensity and phase distributions combining with numerical wavefront extraction and propagation as well as physical image recorder translation. Certified by both numerical simulations and practical measurements, it is believed the proposed method not only captures high-accurate in-focus sample information, but also provides a potential way for fast autofocusing in microscopic system.

Comparative studies on the fermentation performance of autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in Chinese light-fragrant liquor during solid-state or submerged fermentation

AIM

To explore the metabolic characteristic of autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in Chinese light-fragrant liquor fermentation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Inter-delta amplification analysis was used to differentiate the S. cerevisiae strains at strain level. Twelve biotypes (I-XII) were identified among the 72 S. cerevisiae strains preselected. A comparison was conducted between solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF) with S. cerevisiae strains had different genotype, with a focus on the production of ethanol and the volatile compounds. The degree of ethanol ranged from 28·0 to 45·2 g l^-1 in SmF and from 14·8 to 25·6 g kg^-1 in SSF, and SSF was found to be more suitable for the production of ethanol with higher yield coefficient of all the S. cerevisiae strains. The metabolite profiles of each yeast strain showed obvious distinction in the two fermentations. The highest amounts of ethyl acetate in SmF and SSF were found in genotype VII (328·2 μg l^-1 ) and genotype V (672 μg kg^-1 ), respectively. In addition, the generation of some volatile compounds could be strictly related to the strain used. Compound β-damascenone was only detected in genotypes I, II, X and XII in the two fermentation processes. Furthermore, laboratory scale fermentations were clearly divided into SSF and SmF in hierarchical cluster analysis regardless of the inoculated yeast strains, indicating that the mode of fermentation was more important than the yeast strains inoculated.

CONCLUSION

The autochthonous S. cerevisiae strains in Chinese light-fragrant liquor vary considerably in terms of their volatiles profiles during SSF and SmF.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This work facilitates a better understanding of the fermentative mechanism in the SSF process for light-fragrant liquor production.

Tumour-activated liver stromal cells regulate myeloid-derived suppressor cells accumulation in the liver

Regulating mechanisms underlying hepatic myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) accumulation remain to be described. Here, we provide evidence for the involvement of tumour-activated liver stromal cells in the process of hepatic MDSCs migration and accumulation. Our data showed an elevated frequency of MDSCs in the liver of tumour-bearing mice. Moreover, tumour-activated liver stromal cells promote MDSC migration into the liver site. Further investigation indicated higher levels of cytokine and chemokine expression in liver stromal cells after exposure to the tumour-conditioned supernatant. Notably, the expression levels of proinflammatory factors, mainly including macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), increased after treatment with tumour-conditioned supernatant, and blockade of MCP-1 or SDF-1 decreased the proportion of tumour infiltrated MDSCs in mice co-transplanted with liver stromal cells and tumour cells, but not in mice with only tumour cells injection. These findings demonstrate that tumour-activated liver stromal cells produce higher levels of chemokines and cytokines, which may contribute to MDSC accumulation into the liver site in patients with liver cancer.

[The application of mandarin acceptable noise level and COS in hearing aid fitting for presbyacusis]

Objective:The purpose of this study was to inquiry into the application of mandarin acceptable noise level(M-ANL) and client oriented scale of improvement in evaluation of hearing aid fitting for presbyacusis. Method:Thirty-two adults with presbycusis who used the hearing aid for the first time were selected for the study. M-ANL tests were done prior to the hearing aid fitting. Six weeks later, these patients were asked to fill in questionnaire of client oriented scale of improvement (COSI).The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the time of hearing aid using in their daily lives: less than one hour per day, 1 to 4 hours per day and more than 4 hours per day. The relativity of M-ANL and the score of COSI were compared. Result:①There were significant differences of the M-ANL among 3 groups(P<0.05); ②The scores of COSI of group 1(less than one hour per day) was lower than group 2(1 to 4 hours per day), while there were no significant differences between the scores of group 2(1 to 4 hours per day) and group 3(more than 4 hours per day); ③There was good correlation between the score of M-ANL and COSI. Conclusion:M-ANL can forecast the satisfaction of hearing aids fitting. And COSI can play an effective role in outcome measurement.

The Role of miR-124 in Drosophila Alzheimer's Disease Model by Targeting Delta in Notch Signaling Pathway

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder which mainly affects elderly population. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small RNA molecules that fine-tune gene expression at posttranscriptional level and exert important functions in AD. MicroRNA-124 (miR-124) is a kind of miRNA abundantly expressed in the central nervous system. It is highly conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to humans. However, its function in AD is still elusive. In this study, we found miR-124 was significantly down-regulated in AD flies. miR-124 mutant flies showed impaired climbing ability and shortened lifespan. In contrast, miR-124 expression rescued locomotive defects of AD flies. Using microarray analysis to test gene expression profiles of miR-124 mutant flies, we found that Notch signaling pathway was potentially targeted by miR-124. Further experiments showed that miR-124 regulated Notch ligand Delta expression by acting on specific site of Delta 3`UTR. In addition, reduced Delta expression by RNA interference extended lifespan and ameliorated learning defects of AD Drosophila. Notch inhibitor DAPT could also alleviate AD phenotypes, which confirmed our findings. In conclusion, our study indicates that miR-124 plays neuroprotective roles in AD Drosophila by targeting Delta in Notch signaling pathway, which helps further our understanding of miRNAs in the molecular pathology of AD.

Effects of LeY glycan expression on embryo implantation

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation between LeY glycan expression and embryo implantation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Uterine epithelial cells before implantation were transfected with FUT1siRNA to inhibit FUT1 (the gene encoding the key enzyme of LeY synthesis) expression and treated with 10 ng/ml leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Murine embryo implantation model in vitro was prepared by late blastocysts with identical morphology and treated uterine epithelial cells co-culture. Using RT-PCR, dot blot and observation of embryo attachment to analyze FUT1 gene expression and LeY synthesis of uterine epithelial cells and studied further the correlation of LeY expression level and embryo implantation.

RESULTS

FUT1 gene expression and LeY synthesis declined after cells were transfected with FUT1siRNA, and LIF promoted FUT1 expression and LeY synthesis. After expression of FUT1 gene was inhibited, attachment rate of embryos lowered, but LIF up-regulated FUT1 expression and increased the attachment rate of embryos.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated regulating FUT1 expression affected LeY synthesis, and then LeY regulated the recognition and attachment of uterus-embryo and participates in embryo implantation further.

High preoperative and postoperative levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and CYFRA 21-1 indicate poor prognosis in patients with pathological Stage I nonsmall cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the soluble fragment of cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA 21-1) are supposed to have a prognostic role in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgery, but it has not been used as an adjunct to the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system to provide therapy options for patients with pathological Stage I NSCLC. This study was designed to investigate the effect of serum levels of CEA and CYFRA 21-1 before and after surgery on the prognosis of patients with Stage I NSCLC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review was performed regarding the medical records and follow-ups of 169 patients with Stage I NSCLC before and after surgery. The patients were divided into three groups based on levels of serum CEA and CYFRA 21-1 before and after surgery: (1) continuously normal-level groups (CEA [NN] and CYFRA 21-1 [NN] groups); (2) declined to normal-level groups (CEA [HN] and CYFRA 21-1 [HN] groups); and (3) continuously high-level groups (CEA [HH] and CYFRA 21-1 [HH] groups). Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method for each group. The Chi-square or Fisher exact test was employed to compare clinical and pathologic factors at the level of P < 0.05. The prognostic factor was evaluated by the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Compared with the continuously normal-level groups, the CEA [HN] group was significantly correlated to tumor size (P = 0.011), and the CYFRA 21-1 [HN] group was significantly correlated to tumor type and pathological TNM in addition to tumor size. Five-year survivals were significantly lower (P = 0.004) in the CEA [HH] group (67.3%) and the CEA [HN] group (86.5%) than in the CEA [NN] group (85.7%) and were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the CYFRA 21-1 [HH] group (47.2%) and the CYFRA 21-1 [HN] group (70.1%) than in the CYFRA 21-1 [NN] group (90.1%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumor size (21-50 mm), CEA [HH], and CYFRA 21-1 [HH] were independent unfavorable prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), whereas tumor size (21-50 mm), CEA [HH], CYFRA 21-1 [HN], and CYFRA 21-1 [HH] were independent significant prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS).

CONCLUSION

Patients with a persistently high serum CEA or CYFRA 21-1 before and after surgery had shortest OS and PFS. These patients had worst prognosis. Adjuvant chemotherapy was likely to improve survival for these patients.

Human genome meeting 2016 : Houston, TX, USA. 28 February - 2 March 2016

O1 The metabolomics approach to autism: identification of biomarkers for early detection of autism spectrum disorder A. K. Srivastava, Y. Wang, R. Huang, C. Skinner, T. Thompson, L. Pollard, T. Wood, F. Luo, R. Stevenson O2 Phenome-wide association study for smoking- and drinking-associated genes in 26,394 American women with African, Asian, European, and Hispanic descents R. Polimanti, J. Gelernter O3 Effects of prenatal environment, genotype and DNA methylation on birth weight and subsequent postnatal outcomes: findings from GUSTO, an Asian birth cohort X. Lin, I. Y. Lim, Y. Wu, A. L. Teh, L. Chen, I. M. Aris, S. E. Soh, M. T. Tint, J. L. MacIsaac, F. Yap, K. Kwek, S. M. Saw, M. S. Kobor, M. J. Meaney, K. M. Godfrey, Y. S. Chong, J. D. Holbrook, Y. S. Lee, P. D. Gluckman, N. Karnani, GUSTO study group O4 High-throughput identification of specific qt interval modulating enhancers at the SCN5A locus A. Kapoor, D. Lee, A. Chakravarti O5 Identification of extracellular matrix components inducing cancer cell migration in the supernatant of cultivated mesenchymal stem cells C. Maercker, F. Graf, M. Boutros O6 Single cell allele specific expression (ASE) IN T21 and common trisomies: a novel approach to understand DOWN syndrome and other aneuploidies G. Stamoulis, F. Santoni, P. Makrythanasis, A. Letourneau, M. Guipponi, N. Panousis, M. Garieri, P. Ribaux, E. Falconnet, C. Borel, S. E. Antonarakis O7 Role of microRNA in LCL to IPSC reprogramming S. Kumar, J. Curran, J. Blangero O8 Multiple enhancer variants disrupt gene regulatory network in Hirschsprung disease S. Chatterjee, A. Kapoor, J. Akiyama, D. Auer, C. Berrios, L. Pennacchio, A. Chakravarti O9 Metabolomic profiling for the diagnosis of neurometabolic disorders T. R. Donti, G. Cappuccio, M. Miller, P. Atwal, A. Kennedy, A. Cardon, C. Bacino, L. Emrick, J. Hertecant, F. Baumer, B. Porter, M. Bainbridge, P. Bonnen, B. Graham, R. Sutton, Q. Sun, S. Elsea O10 A novel causal methylation network approach to Alzheimer’s disease Z. Hu, P. Wang, Y. Zhu, J. Zhao, M. Xiong, David A Bennett O11 A microRNA signature identifies subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer and reveals MIR-342-3P as regulator of a lactate metabolic pathway A. Hidalgo-Miranda, S. Romero-Cordoba, S. Rodriguez-Cuevas, R. Rebollar-Vega, E. Tagliabue, M. Iorio, E. D’Ippolito, S. Baroni O12 Transcriptome analysis identifies genes, enhancer RNAs and repetitive elements that are recurrently deregulated across multiple cancer types B. Kaczkowski, Y. Tanaka, H. Kawaji, A. Sandelin, R. Andersson, M. Itoh, T. Lassmann, the FANTOM5 consortium, Y. Hayashizaki, P. Carninci, A. R. R. Forrest O13 Elevated mutation and widespread loss of constraint at regulatory and architectural binding sites across 11 tumour types C. A. Semple O14 Exome sequencing provides evidence of pathogenicity for genes implicated in colorectal cancer E. A. Rosenthal, B. Shirts, L. Amendola, C. Gallego, M. Horike-Pyne, A. Burt, P. Robertson, P. Beyers, C. Nefcy, D. Veenstra, F. Hisama, R. Bennett, M. Dorschner, D. Nickerson, J. Smith, K. Patterson, D. Crosslin, R. Nassir, N. Zubair, T. Harrison, U. Peters, G. Jarvik, NHLBI GO Exome Sequencing Project O15 The tandem duplicator phenotype as a distinct genomic configuration in cancer F. Menghi, K. Inaki, X. Woo, P. Kumar, K. Grzeda, A. Malhotra, H. Kim, D. Ucar, P. Shreckengast, K. Karuturi, J. Keck, J. Chuang, E. T. Liu O16 Modeling genetic interactions associated with molecular subtypes of breast cancer B. Ji, A. Tyler, G. Ananda, G. Carter O17 Recurrent somatic mutation in the MYC associated factor X in brain tumors H. Nikbakht, M. Montagne, M. Zeinieh, A. Harutyunyan, M. Mcconechy, N. Jabado, P. Lavigne, J. Majewski O18 Predictive biomarkers to metastatic pancreatic cancer treatment J. B. Goldstein, M. Overman, G. Varadhachary, R. Shroff, R. Wolff, M. Javle, A. Futreal, D. Fogelman O19 DDIT4 gene expression as a prognostic marker in several malignant tumors L. Bravo, W. Fajardo, H. Gomez, C. Castaneda, C. Rolfo, J. A. Pinto O20 Spatial organization of the genome and genomic alterations in human cancers K. C. Akdemir, L. Chin, A. Futreal, ICGC PCAWG Structural Alterations Group O21 Landscape of targeted therapies in solid tumors S. Patterson, C. Statz, S. Mockus O22 Genomic analysis reveals novel drivers and progression pathways in skin basal cell carcinoma S. N. Nikolaev, X. I. Bonilla, L. Parmentier, B. King, F. Bezrukov, G. Kaya, V. Zoete, V. Seplyarskiy, H. Sharpe, T. McKee, A. Letourneau, P. Ribaux, K. Popadin, N. Basset-Seguin, R. Ben Chaabene, F. Santoni, M. Andrianova, M. Guipponi, M. Garieri, C. Verdan, K. Grosdemange, O. Sumara, M. Eilers, I. Aifantis, O. Michielin, F. de Sauvage, S. Antonarakis O23 Identification of differential biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma via transcriptome microarray meta-analysis S. 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Leimgruber O43 Cpipe: a convergent clinical exome pipeline specialised for targeted sequencing S. Sadedin, A. Oshlack, Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance O44 A Bayesian classification of biomedical images using feature extraction from deep neural networks implemented on lung cancer data V. A. A. Antonio, N. Ono, Clark Kendrick C. Go O45 MAV-SEQ: an interactive platform for the Management, Analysis, and Visualization of sequence data Z. Ahmed, M. Bolisetty, S. Zeeshan, E. Anguiano, D. Ucar O47 Allele specific enhancer in EPAS1 intronic regions may contribute to high altitude adaptation of Tibetans C. Zeng, J. Shao O48 Nanochannel based next-generation mapping for structural variation detection and comparison in trios and populations H. Cao, A. Hastie, A. W. Pang, E. T. Lam, T. Liang, K. Pham, M. Saghbini, Z. Dzakula O49 Archaic introgression in indigenous populations of Malaysia revealed by whole genome sequencing Y. Chee-Wei, L. Dongsheng, W. Lai-Ping, D. Lian, R. O. Twee Hee, Y. Yunus, F. Aghakhanian, S. S. Mokhtar, C. V. Lok-Yung, J. Bhak, M. Phipps, X. Shuhua, T. Yik-Ying, V. Kumar, H. Boon-Peng O50 Breast and ovarian cancer prevention: is it time for population-based mutation screening of high risk genes? I. Campbell, M.-A. Young, P. James, Lifepool O53 Comprehensive coverage from low DNA input using novel NGS library preparation methods for WGS and WGBS C. Schumacher, S. Sandhu, T. Harkins, V. Makarov O54 Methods for large scale construction of robust PCR-free libraries for sequencing on Illumina HiSeqX platform H. DoddapaneniR. Glenn, Z. Momin, B. Dilrukshi, H. Chao, Q. Meng, B. Gudenkauf, R. Kshitij, J. Jayaseelan, C. Nessner, S. Lee, K. Blankenberg, L. Lewis, J. Hu, Y. Han, H. Dinh, S. Jireh, K. Walker, E. Boerwinkle, D. Muzny, R. Gibbs O55 Rapid capture methods for clinical sequencing J. Hu, K. Walker, C. Buhay, X. Liu, Q. Wang, R. Sanghvi, H. Doddapaneni, Y. Ding, N. Veeraraghavan, Y. Yang, E. Boerwinkle, A. L. Beaudet, C. M. Eng, D. M. Muzny, R. A. Gibbs O56 A diploid personal human genome model for better genomes from diverse sequence data K. C. C. Worley, Y. Liu, D. S. T. Hughes, S. C. Murali, R. A. Harris, A. C. English, X. Qin, O. A. Hampton, P. Larsen, C. Beck, Y. Han, M. Wang, H. Doddapaneni, C. L. Kovar, W. J. Salerno, A. Yoder, S. Richards, J. Rogers, J. R. Lupski, D. M. Muzny, R. A. Gibbs O57 Development of PacBio long range capture for detection of pathogenic structural variants Q. Meng, M. Bainbridge, M. Wang, H. Doddapaneni, Y. Han, D. Muzny, R. Gibbs O58 Rhesus macaques exhibit more non-synonymous variation but greater impact of purifying selection than humans R. A. Harris, M. Raveenedran, C. Xue, M. Dahdouli, L. Cox, G. Fan, B. Ferguson, J. Hovarth, Z. Johnson, S. Kanthaswamy, M. Kubisch, M. Platt, D. Smith, E. Vallender, R. Wiseman, X. Liu, J. Below, D. Muzny, R. Gibbs, F. Yu, J. Rogers O59 Assessing RNA structure disruption induced by single-nucleotide variation J. Lin, Y. Zhang, Z. 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Virtual classroom helps medical education for both Chinese and foreign students

AIMS

The rapid development of computer and internet technology has a strong influence over one's quality of education within different fields of study. To determine the potential benefits of introducing internet into medical school classes, a pilot study was conducted in three different Chinese medical schools.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seven hundred and eight medical school undergraduates, 385 dental school students and 366 foreign students were randomly recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The contents included personal information, current usage of computer and internet, and attitudes towards the computerised teaching methods. Two forum groups were created using instant message software and were randomly assigned to two classes, allowing students to freely ask or discuss questions with the help of their teachers in these two virtual classrooms.

RESULTS

All 1539 questionnaires were accepted and analysed. Although there were some differences between Chinese and foreign undergraduates, both group of students were highly proficient in internet usage and navigation. Overwhelmingly, 88.37% of the students owned a computer and frequently logged onto the internet. Most of them believed that the internet is a helpful adjunct to their studies and held positive attitudes towards computerised teaching. Compared to the classes that were not assigned internet forums, the two experimental classes performed significantly better on the examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that computerised teaching methods have significant potential to assist in learning for both Chinese and foreign medical undergraduates.

Influence of standing positions and beam projections on effective dose and eye lens dose of anaesthetists in interventional procedures

More and more anaesthetists are getting involved in interventional radiology procedures and so it is important to know the radiation dose and to optimise protection for anaesthetists. In this study, based on Monte Carlo simulations and field measurements, both the whole-body doses and eye lens dose of anaesthetists were studied. The results showed that the radiation exposure to anaesthetists not only depends on their workload, but also largely varies with their standing positions and beam projections during interventional procedures. The simulation results showed that the effective dose to anaesthetists may vary with their standing positions and beam projections to more than a factor of 10, and the eye lens dose may vary with the standing positions and beam projections to more than a factor of 200. In general, a close position to the bed and the left lateral (LLAT) beam projection will bring a high exposure to anaesthetists. Good correlations between the eye lens dose and the doses at the neck, chest and waist over the apron were observed from the field measurements. The results indicate that adequate arrangements of anaesthesia device or other monitoring equipment in the fluoroscopy rooms are useful measures to reduce the radiation exposure to anaesthetists, and anaesthetists should be aware that they will receive the highest doses under left lateral beam projection.

Presence of CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-) leukemia-propagating cells at diagnosis identifies patients at high risk of relapse with Ph chromosome-positive ALL after allo-hematopoietic SCT

Relapse of Ph chromosome-positive ALL (Ph(+)ALL) results from the persistence of leukemia-propagating cells (LPCs). In Ph(+)ALL, a xenograft assay recently determined that LPCs are enriched in the CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-) fraction. Therefore, the prognostic significance of LPCs in Ph(+)ALL subjects after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-HSCT) was investigated. A total of 80 consecutive adults with Ph(+)ALL who underwent allo-HSCT were eligible. A multi-parameter flow cytometry analysis examining CD58-FITC/CD10-PE/ CD19-APC-Cy7/CD34-PerCP/CD45-Vioblue/ CD38-APC on gated leukemia BM blasts was performed at diagnosis. Based on the original blast phenotypes, subjects were stratified into the CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-)group (N=15) and other phenotype group (N=65). During minimal residual disease monitoring, significantly higher levels of BCR/ABL transcripts were detected in subjects in the CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-) group than in other phenotype group, especially at 3 months post HSCT. In addition, CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-)LPCs are directly correlated with a higher 3-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) and worse leukemia-free survival (LFS) and OS. Multivariate analyses indicated that presence of CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-) LPCs at diagnosis, and BCR-ABL reduction at 3 months post HSCT were independent risk factors for relapse, LFS and OS. Our data suggest that presence of CD34(+)CD38(-)CD58(-) LPCs at diagnosis allows rapid identification of high-risk patients for relapse after allo-HSCT.

Assessment of DNA methylation changes in tissue culture of Brassica napus

Plant tissue culture, as a fundamental technique for genetic engineering, has great potential of epigenetic variation, of which DNA methylation is well known of importance to genome activity. We assessed DNA methylation level of explants during tissue culture of Brassica napus (cv. Yangyou 9), using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assisted quantification. By detecting methylation levels in hypocotyls cultured in mediums with different concentrations of hormones, we found dissected tissue:cultured with 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D and 1.0 mg/L 6-BA, presented the lowest methylation level and highest induction rate of callus (91.0%). Different time point of cultured explants also showed obvious methylation variations, explants cultured after 6 and 21 days exhibited methylation ratios of 4.33 and 8.07%, respectively. Whereas, the methylation ratio raised to 38.7% after 30 days cultivation, indicating that methylation level of hypocotyls ranged during tissue culture. Moreover, we observed that the methylation level in callus is the highest during regeneration of rape-seed, following the regenerated plantlets and hypocotyls. This paper indicated the function of hormones and differentiation of callus is relevant to the methylation levels during tissue culture.

The P450 enzyme Shade mediates the hydroxylation of ecdysone to 20-hydroxyecdysone in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Ecdysone 20-monooxygenase (E20MO), a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP314A1), catalyses the conversion of ecdysone (E) to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). We report here the cloning and characterization of the Halloween gene Shade (Shd) encoding E20MO in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata. LdSHD has five conserved motifs typical of insect P450s, ie the Helix-C, Helix-I, Helix-K, PxxFxPE/DRF (PERF) and heme-binding motifs. LdShd was expressed in developing eggs, the first to fourth instars, wandering larvae, pupae and adults, with statistically significant fluctuations. Its mRNA was ubiquitously distributed in the head, thorax and abdomen. The recombinant LdSHD protein expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells catalysed the conversion of E to 20E. Dietary introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of LdShd into the second instar larvae successfully knocked down the LdShd expression level, decreased the mRNA level of the ecdysone receptor (LdEcR) gene, caused larval lethality, delayed development and affected pupation. Moreover, ingestion of LdShd-dsRNA by the fourth instars also down-regulated LdShd and LdEcR expression, reduced the 20E titre, and negatively influenced pupation. Introduction of 20E and a nonsteroidal ecdysteroid agonist halofenozide into the LdShd-dsRNA-ingested second instars, and of halofenozide into the LdShd-dsRNA-ingested fourth instars almost completely relieved the negative effects on larval performance. Thus, LdSHD functions to regulate metamorphotic processes by converting E to 20E in a coleopteran insect species Le. decemlineata.

Computational models on quantitative prediction of bioactivity of HIV-1 integrase 3' processing inhibitors

In this study, four computational quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were built to predict the bioactivity of 3' processing (3'P) inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase. Some 453 inhibitors whose bioactivity values were detected by the radiolabelling method were collected. The molecular structures were represented with MOE descriptors. In total, 21 descriptors were selected for modelling. All inhibitors were divided into a training set and a test set with two methods: (1) by a Kohonen's self-organizing map (SOM); (2) by a random selection. For every training set and test set, a multilinear regression (MLR) analysis and a support vector machine (SVM) were used to establish models, respectively. For the training/test set divided by SOM, the correlation coefficients (r) were over 0.84, and for the training/test set split randomly, the r values were over 0.86. Some molecular properties such as hydrogen bond donor capacity, atomic partial charge properties, molecular refractivity, the number of aromatic bonds and molecular surface area, volume and shape properties played important roles for inhibiting 3' processing step of HIV-1 integrase.

Variation in anisotropy and diffusivity along the medulla oblongata and the whole spinal cord in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a pilot study using diffusion tensor imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Disturbed somatosensory evoked potentials have been demonstrated in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (but this functional delay was found to originate above the C5-6 level, while the lower cord level was unaffected). Together with MR imaging observation of tonsillar ectopia and a relatively tethered cord, we hypothesized that there is disturbed mean diffusivity integrity along the spinal cord. In this study, advanced DTI was used to evaluate whether there was underlying decreased WM integrity within the brain stem and spinal cord in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and any relationship to cerebellar tonsillar ectopia. Clinical impact on balance testing was also correlated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirteen girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with right thoracic curves were compared with 13 age-matched healthy girls. DTI of the brain and whole spinal cord was performed. ROIs were manually defined for the medulla oblongata and along each intervertebral segment of the cord. Mean values of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were computed at the defined regions. Between-group comparisons were performed by 1-way ANOVA.

RESULTS

Significantly decreased fractional anisotropy values and increased mean diffusivity values were found at the medulla oblongata and C1-2, C2-3, C3-4, and C4-5 segments in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis compared with healthy subjects. No significant difference was found in the lower cord levels. Significant correlation was found between the tonsillar level and fractional anisotropy value at the C4-5 level in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis only.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study are in agreement with previous findings showing abnormal somatosensory evoked potential readings occurring only above the C5-6 level in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; these findings might partially explain the pathophysiology of the neural pathway involved.

Developmental changes in IGF-I and MyoG gene expression and their association with meat traits in sheep

In the present study, real time-polymerase chain reaction was applied to analyze the expression of IGF-I and MyoG genes in Hu sheep longissimus dorsi at different growth stages and their association with meat traits. Expression of the IGF-I gene in Hu sheep differed significantly between males and females at the two day-old (0.01 < P < 0.05), one-month old (0.01 < P < 0.05), and three month-old (P < 0.01) stages. IGF-I gene expression in male longissimus muscles was higher than that of females at all growth stages, except for the three month-old stage. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between males and females at any growth stage in expression of the MyoG gene. MyoG gene expression in male longissimus muscles tended to be higher than that of females at all growth stages, except for the six month-old stage. IGF-I gene expression was significantly and positively correlated with live weight (P < 0.01) and carcass weight (0.01< P < 0.05), and was non-significantly positively correlated with net meat weight (P > 0.05). In contrast, MyoG gene expression was non-significantly and positively correlated with live weight, carcass, and net meat weight (P > 0.05). Carcass traits showed highly significant positive correlations (P < 0.01). Furthermore, expressions of IGF-I and MyoG genes showed highly significant positive correlations (P < 0.01). We conclude that the expressions of IGF-I and MyoG genes are significantly and positively correlated with early muscle traits of Hu sheep.

RNA-Seq profiling reveals aberrant RNA splicing in patient with adult acute myeloid leukemia during treatment

BACKGROUND

Multiple genetic alterations that affect the process of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been discovered, and more evidence also indicates that aberrant splicing plays an important role in cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We present a RNA-Seq profiling of an AML patient with complete remission after treatment, to analyze the aberrant splicing of genes during treatment. We sequenced 3.97 and 3.32 Gbp clean data of the AML and remission sample, respectively. Firstly, by analyzing biomarkers associated with AML, to assist normal clinical tests, we confirmed that the patient was anormal karyo type, with NPM1 and IDH2 mutations and deregulation patterns of related genes, such as BAALC, ERG, MN1 and HOX family. Then, we performed alternative splicing detection of the AML and remission sample.

RESULTS

We detected 91 differentially splicing events in 68 differentially splicing genes (DSGs) by mixture of isoforms (MISO). Considering Psi values (Ψ) and confidence intervals, 25 differentially expressed isoforms were identified as more confident isoforms, which were associated with RNA processing, cellular macromolecule catabolic process and DNA binding according to GO enrichment analysis. An exon2-skipping event in oncogene FOS (FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog) were detected and validated in this study. FOS has a critical function in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation and transformation. The exon2-skipping isoform of FOS was increased significantly after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

All the data and information of RNA-Seq provides highly accurate and comprehensive supplements to conventional clinical tests of AML. Moreover, the splicing aberrations would be another source for biomarker and even therapeutic target discovery. More information of splicing may also assist the better understanding of leukemogenesis.

Assessment of cerebral iron content in patients with Parkinson's disease by the susceptibility-weighted MRI

OBJECTIVE

The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the usability of the susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in (1) assessment of iron deposition to enhance our ability to detect PD in the early phase and (2) in estimation of the degree of PD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

SWI scans were carried out in 54 patients with PD (18 patients with the Hoehn-Yahr scale < 1.5 and 36 patients with the Hoehn-Yahr stage > 1.5) and 40 control individuals. The phase values of the substantia nigra, red nucleus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus were measured on the corrected phase image.

RESULTS

Compared with control individuals, patients with both the early and intermediate/ advanced stages of PD had significantly different phase values in the substantia nigra, red nucleus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus (all p < 0.05). The phase values of the substantia nigra and globus pallidus inversely correlated with the Hoehn-Yahr scale (respectively, r = -0.845, p < 0.05, and r = -0.868, p < 0.05). Weaker correlations were found between the phase values of red nucleus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and Hoehn-Yahr scale (red nucleus r = -0.543, caudate nucleus r = -0.620, p < 0.05, putamen r = -0.537).

CONCLUSIONS

A semi-quantitative assessment of the iron content of the substantia nigra and globus pallidus with the help of SWI may be useful for early diagnosis of PD and evaluation of the degree of this disease.

Assessment of immunogenicity and safety following primary and booster immunisation with a CRM197 -conjugated Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine in healthy Chinese infants

BACKGROUND

Invasive meningitis and pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is an important cause of childhood mortality in countries where Hib vaccination is not routine. We evaluated the non-inferiority of a licensed Hib vaccine, PRP-CRM(197) compared with a second licensed Hib vaccine, PRP-T, following the recommended Chinese immunisation schedule for infants between 6 months and 1 year of age.

METHODS

In the first study phase, 6-12 month-old infants received two primary doses of either PRP-CRM(197) (n = 335) or PRP-T (n = 335) vaccine administered 1 month apart. In the second study phase 8 months later, the same children received a single booster dose of vaccine identical to that use for priming (PRP-CRM(197), n = 327; PRP-T, n = 333). Serum levels of anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Non-inferiority of primary and booster doses was assessed in terms of percentages of subjects with anti-PRP antibody levels associated with providing short-term (≥ 0.15 μg/ml) and long-term (≥ 1.0 μg/ml) protection; the non-inferiority margin was set at -5%.

RESULTS

PRP-CRM(197) was demonstrated to be non-inferior to PRP-T. Anti-PRP antibodies levels ≥ 0.15 μg/ml and ≥ 1.0 μg/ml were achieved by 97% of infants in the PRP-CRM(197) group and 98% of infants in the PRP-T group 1 month after primary immunisation, and by all subjects (100%) in both vaccine groups 1 month after booster administration. Safety profiles for both vaccines were similar; no serious adverse events, deaths or adverse events leading to withdrawal occurred during the study.

CONCLUSION

PRP-CRM(197) was well-tolerated and immunologically non-inferior to a licensed comparator Hib vaccine in Chinese infants (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01044316 & NCT01226953).