Antagonistic interaction between male-killing and cytoplasmic incompatibility induced by Cardinium and Wolbachia in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

Cardinium and Wolbachia are maternally inherited bacterial symbionts of arthropods that can manipulate host reproduction by increasing the fitness of infected females. Here, we report that Cardinium and Wolbachia coinfection induced male-killing and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) when they coexisted in a cryptic species of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Asia II7. Cardinium and Wolbachia symbionts were either singly or simultaneously localized in the bacteriocytes placed in the abdomen of B. tabaci nymphs and adults. Cardinium-Wolbachia coinfection induced male-killing and resulted in a higher female sex ratio in the intraspecific amphigenetic progeny of Asia II7 I_CWH and I_CWL lines; interestingly, male-killing induction was enhanced with increased Cardinium titer. Moreover, single infection of Wolbachia induced partial CI in the Asia II7 I_W line and resulted in reduced fecundity, higher embryonic mortality, and lower female sex ratio. The uninfected Asia II7 I_U line had significantly higher fecundity, lower embryonic and nymphal mortalities, and a lower level of CI than both the Wolbachia-infected Asia II7 I_W line and the Cardinium-Wolbachia-coinfected Asia II7 I_CWH line. Our findings indicate that Cardinium-Wolbachia coinfection induced male-killing, which may have had antagonistic effects on Wolbachia-induced CI in the Asia II7 whiteflies. For the first time, our study revealed that B. tabaci Asia II7 reproduction is co-manipulated by Cardinium and Wolbachia endosymbionts.

Design and Implementation of Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer

ABSTRACT

Aiming at portability and mobility, the design and implementation of a portable neutron spectrometer, namely the Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer, was completed while considering the idea of a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer. The Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer used a spherical 3He proportional counter as a thermal neutron detector. A number of cylindrical acrylic cups with diameters from 4 cm to 40 cm were made as containers for water as a moderator. The Monte Carlo method was adopted in order to obtain the energy response matrix of the Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer. During the measurement, each acrylic cup contained water as a moderator, and the 3He proportional counter was set to the geometric center to perform neutron counting. With the energy response matrix obtained above, the neutron spectrum was resolved by a classical inversion algorithm. After the measurement, water was drained and the acrylic cups were placed one inside the other, like a Matryoshka doll. The design of a Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer has reduced the mass and volume of the Bonner Sphere Spectrometer and was not difficult to carry around. Comparison tests acquiring background and Am-Be source neutron spectra between the Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer and Bonner Sphere Spectrometer proved the effectiveness of the Matryoshka-type Neutron Spectrometer.

Activation of ventrolateral orbital cortex improves mouse neuropathic pain-induced anxiodepression

Depression and anxiety are frequently observed in patients suffering from neuropathic pain. The underlying mechanisms remained unclear. The ventrolateral orbital cortex (VLO) has attracted considerable interest in its role in antidepressive effect in rodents. In the present study, we further investigated the role of the VLO in the anxiodepressive consequences of neuropathic pain in a chronic constriction injury of infraorbital nerve-induced trigeminal neuralgia (TN) mouse model. Elevated plus maze, open field, forced swimming, tail suspension, and sucrose preference tests were used to evaluate anxiodepressive-like behaviors. The results show that chemogenetic activation of bilateral VLO neurons, especially CaMK2A+ pyramidal neurons, blocked the TN-induced anxiodepressive-like behaviors. Chemogenetic and optogenetic activation of VGLUT2+ or inhibition of VGAT+ VLO neurons was sufficient to produce an antianxiodepressive effect in TN mice. Pharmacological activation of D1-like receptors (D1Rs) but not D2Rs in the VLO significantly alleviated TN-induced depressive-like behaviors. Electrophysiological recordings revealed a decreased excitability of VLO excitatory neurons following neuropathic pain. Furthermore, activation of submedius thalamic nucleus-VLO (Sm-VLO) projection mimicked the antianxiodepressive effect of VLO excitation. Conversely, activation of VLO-periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) projection had no effect on TN-induced anxiodepressive behaviors. This study provides a potentially novel mechanism-based therapeutic strategy for the anxiodepressive consequences of neuropathic pain.

Safety, Antitumor Activity, and Pharmacokinetics of Toripalimab, a Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitor, in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 1 Trial

IMPORTANCE

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibodies have shown substantial survival benefit in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Toripalimab is a promising and practicable PD-1 antibody; however, its performance in NSCLC has not been established.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the safety, antitumor activity, and pharmacokinetics of toripalimab in patients with advanced NSCLC and to evaluate the utility of JS311, a novel PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This single-arm open-label phase 1 trial enrolled 41 patients with advanced NSCLC that had progressed after at least 3 lines of therapy between September 21, 2017, and June 5, 2018, with a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 14.9 (3.2-22.5) months and included a cohort study comparing JS311 with other PD-L1 IHC assays that included 280 NSCLC specimens collected from January 1, 2016, to May 21, 2018. Data collection was conducted from September 21, 2017, to September 27, 2019, and analysis was conducted from September 27, 2019, to December 30, 2019.

EXPOSURE

Enrolled patients were administered a single dose of toripalimab, under 2 manufacturing processes and scales (200 L and 500 L), for safety and pharmacokinetic analysis within 28 days, followed by subsequent multidose infusions every 2 weeks. PD-L1 expression was determined by IHC with JS311, comparing its results with results from 22C3, 28-8, and SP263 simultaneously.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), estimated by Kaplan-Meier curves, and continuous variables compared by t test or Mann-Whitney test. Correlations between PD-L1 IHC antibodies were evaluated by Spearman correlation test.

RESULTS

A total of 41 patients (29 [70.7%] men) with a median (interquartile range) age of 59 (53 to 63) years who experienced disease progression following chemotherapy were included. The most common treatment-related adverse events were rash (6 [14.6%]), increased amylase level (5 [12.2%]), and increased aspartate aminotransferase level (5 [12.2%]). In 35 patients included in the pharmacokinetic analysis, drug exposure and area under curve after 1 dose was similar under both manufacturing processes and scales (mean [SD] for 200-L group: 12 465.28 [4128.17] hour × μg/mL; for 500-L group: 12 331.42 [2472.58] hour × μg/ml). In 28 patients included in the response and survival analysis, the median PFS and OS were 2.8 (95% CI, 2.7 to 4.6) months and 13.8 months (95% CI, 10.0 months to not reached), respectively. Stratified by PD-L1 tumor proportion score of at least 50%, 1% to 49%, and less 1%, median PFS rates were 11.2 months (95% CI, 2.3 months to not evaluable), 2.3 (95% CI, 1.7 to 2.7) months, and 2.8 (95% CI, 2.7 to 4.6) months, respectively. A total of 4 anti-PD-L1 IHC antibodies were compared during PD-L1 staining, using 280 NSCLC specimens. The consistency rates between the 4 antibodies were 80.8% to 89.5% (ρ, 0.619 to 0.790) and 93.3% to 95.5% (ρ, 0.691 to 0.773), with PD-L1 tumor proportion scores of 1% and 50% as cut points, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, toripalimab exhibited encouraging antitumor activity and manageable safety profiles among patients with heavily treated NSCLC. The novel PD-L1 IHC antibody JS311 was highly consistent with previously verified PD-L1 IHC assays.

Interleukin-17 Regulates Neuron-Glial Communications, Synaptic Transmission, and Neuropathic Pain after Chemotherapy

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17) is implicated in pain regulation. However, the synaptic mechanisms by which IL-17 regulates pain transmission are unknown. Here, we report that glia-produced IL-17 suppresses inhibitory synaptic transmission in the spinal cord pain circuit and drives chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain. We find that IL-17 not only enhances excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) but also suppresses inhibitory postsynaptic synaptic currents (IPSCs) and GABA-induced currents in lamina II_o somatostatin-expressing neurons in mouse spinal cord slices. IL-17 mainly expresses in spinal cord astrocytes, and its receptor IL-17R is detected in somatostatin-expressing neurons. Selective knockdown of IL-17R in spinal somatostatin-expressing interneurons reduces paclitaxel-induced hypersensitivity. Overexpression of IL-17 in spinal astrocytes is sufficient to induce mechanical allodynia in naive animals. In dorsal root ganglia, IL-17R expression in nociceptive sensory neurons is sufficient and required for inducing neuronal hyperexcitability after paclitaxel. Together, our data show that IL-17/IL-17R mediate neuron-glial interactions and neuronal hyperexcitability in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Automatic deep learning-based colorectal adenoma detection system and its similarities with pathologists

OBJECTIVES

The microscopic evaluation of slides has been gradually moving towards all digital in recent years, leading to the possibility for computer-aided diagnosis. It is worthwhile to know the similarities between deep learning models and pathologists before we put them into practical scenarios. The simple criteria of colorectal adenoma diagnosis make it to be a perfect testbed for this study.

DESIGN

The deep learning model was trained by 177 accurately labelled training slides (156 with adenoma). The detailed labelling was performed on a self-developed annotation system based on iPad. We built the model based on DeepLab v2 with ResNet-34. The model performance was tested on 194 test slides and compared with five pathologists. Furthermore, the generalisation ability of the learning model was tested by extra 168 slides (111 with adenoma) collected from two other hospitals.

RESULTS

The deep learning model achieved an area under the curve of 0.92 and obtained a slide-level accuracy of over 90% on slides from two other hospitals. The performance was on par with the performance of experienced pathologists, exceeding the average pathologist. By investigating the feature maps and cases misdiagnosed by the model, we found the concordance of thinking process in diagnosis between the deep learning model and pathologists.

CONCLUSIONS

The deep learning model for colorectal adenoma diagnosis is quite similar to pathologists. It is on-par with pathologists' performance, makes similar mistakes and learns rational reasoning logics. Meanwhile, it obtains high accuracy on slides collected from different hospitals with significant staining configuration variations.

Isoflurane suppresses lung ischemia-reperfusion injury by inactivating NF-κB and inhibiting cell apoptosis

Patients with lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI), involving cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, display poor clinical outcomes. Isoflurane displays protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury in numerous organs. In the present study, the effects of isoflurane on LIRI were investigated in vitro using a hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) cell model. The mRNA expression levels of specific genes were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and protein expression levels were measured by ELISA and western blotting. Cell apoptosis and proliferation were assessed by flow cytometry and the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, respectively. Isoflurane pretreatment decreased HR-induced IL-6 and IL-8 expression levels in A549 cells. Isoflurane pretreatment also inhibited HR-induced cell apoptosis and Bax expression, and reversed HR-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, isoflurane pretreatment decreased HR-induced NF-κB phosphorylated-p65 protein expression and NF-κB activation. Furthermore, HR-induced increases in malondialdehyde concentration and decreases in superoxide dismutase activity were reversed by isoflurane pretreatment. In conclusion, the results indicated that isoflurane suppressed LIRI by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and the induction of cell apoptosis.

DLBCL with amplification of JAK2/PD-L2 exhibits PMBCL-like CNA pattern and worse clinical outcome resembling those with MYD88 L265P mutation

Background

Recently, copy number alteration (CNA) of 9p24.1 were demonstrated in 10% of diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), with gene expression and mutation profiles that were similar to those of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). However, their CNA-based profile and clinical impact still remain unclear.

Methods

Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification were employed to investigate the prevalence of JAK2/PD-L2 amplification in DLBCL and their CNA-based pattern of driver genes. The clinical outcome and characteristics were also analyzed.

Results

Using unsupervised hierarchical clustering, a small group of DLBCL (10.5%, 8/76) was clustered together with PMBCL as Cluster_2, demonstrating amplification of JAK2 (100%,8/8) and PD-L2 (75.0%,6/8). This subgroups of DLBCL demonstrated significant higher expression of PD-L1 than those with MYD88 L265P mutation(p = 0.024). And they exhibited dismal OS and PFS as compared with DLBCL_others(p = 0.003 and 0.001, respectively), which is similar to DLBCL with MYD88 L265P mutation.

Conclusions

DLBCL with amplification of JAK2/PD-L2 exhibits CNA pattern that is similar to PMBCL, and demonstrates unfavorable clinical outcome that resembles those with MYD88 L265P mutation. It is essential to identify this subgroup of DLBCL who may acquire more benefits from the JAK2 and PD-L1 signaling inhibition.

The NEDD4-1 E3 ubiquitin ligase: A potential molecular target for bortezomib sensitivity in multiple myeloma

E3 ubiquitin ligases primarily determine the substrate specificity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and play an essential role in the resistance to bortezomib in multiple myeloma (MM). Neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4-1 (NEDD4-1, also known as NEDD4) is a founding member of the NEDD4 family of E3 ligases and is involved in the proliferation, migration, invasion and drug sensitivity of cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the role of NEDD4-1 in MM cells and explored its underlying mechanism. Clinically, low NEDD4-1 expression has been linked to poor prognosis in patients with MM. Functionally, NEDD4-1 knockdown (KD) resulted in bortezomib resistance in MM cells in vitro and in vivo. The overexpression (OE) of NEDD4-1, but not an enzyme-dead NEDD4-1-C867S mutant, had the opposite effect. Furthermore, the overexpression of NEDD4-1 in NEDD4-1 KD cells resensitized the cells to bortezomib in an add-back rescue experiment. Mechanistically, pAkt-Ser473 levels and Akt signaling were elevated and decreased by NEDD4-1 KD and OE, respectively. NEDD4-1 ubiquitinated Akt and targeted pAkt-Ser473 for proteasomal degradation. More importantly, the NEDD4-1 KD-induced upregulation of Akt expression sensitized MM cells to growth inhibition after treatment with an Akt inhibitor. Collectively, our results suggest that high NEDD4-1 levels may be a potential new therapeutic target in MM.

Metabolite identification of gut microflora-cassia seed interactions using UPLC-QTOF/MS

Cassia seed is the dried ripe seed of Cassia obtusifolia L. or Cassia tora L., which is widely used as a food or traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the present study was to detect the components and metabolites in the culture of human or rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed in vitro, using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry system equipped with a negative ion scan mode. Initially, ellagic acid was identified in the cassia seed decoction. Subsequently, six different metabolites, including urolithin (uro)-A, uro-B, uro-D, uro-M6, uro-M7 and uro-B-glucuronide (glur), were detected after co-culture of the cassia seed decoction with intestinal microflora, but not in the cassia seed decoction alone. Uro-M6, uro-M7, uro-A and uro-B were common metabolites in the culture of human or rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed. However, uro-D was only detected in the culture of rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed, and uro-B-glur was only detected in the culture of human intestinal microflora with the water decoction of cassia seed. The uro and intermediate metabolites were produced by ellagic acid in the cassia seed decoction under the action of the intestinal microflora. The production of metabolites might be related to the abundance and diversity of the intestinal microflora in humans and rats. The present study provided rationale for further pharmacological and clinical studies on the mechanisms of action of cassia seeds.

Integrative Analysis of HNF1B mRNA in Human Cancers Based on Data Mining

Cancer incidence is rapidly growing, and cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide in the 21st century. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1B (HNF1B) is a transcription factor that involves the growth and development of multiple organs. The aim of this study was to explore the significance of HNF1B in human cancer by an integrative analysis of online databases. The UALCAN database, cBio cancer genomics portal, Cancer Regulome tools, Kaplan-Meier plotter and Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) website were used to perform the corresponding analysis. The results showed that HNF1B is dysregulated in various cancers and associated with the differential overall survival of cancer patients. HNF1B showed many mutation forms and high mutation levels in different cancer types. In addition, we found that HNF1B interacted with different genes in multiple aspects. Moreover, HNF1B expression is associated with many immune cell infiltration levels and influences the prognostic prediction of immune cells in some kinds of cancers. In conclusion, HNF1B plays a significant role in cancer and may be a potential target for cancer immunotherapy.

A Design of Microfluidic Chip with Quasi-Bessel Beam Waveguide for Scattering Detection of Label-Free Cancer Cells

Light scattering detection in microfluidic chips provides an important tool to identify cancer cells without any label processes. However, forward small-angle scattering signals of cells, which are related to their sizes and morphologies, are hard to be detected accurately when scattering angle is less than 11° in microfluidic chips by traditional lighting design due to the influence of incident beam. Therefore, cell's size and morphology being the golden standard for clinical detection may lose their efficacy in recognizing cancer cells from healthy ones. In this article, a novel lighting design in microfluidic chips is put forward in which traditional incident Gaussian beam can be modulated into quasi-Bessel beam by a microprism and waveguide. The quasi-Bessel beam's advantages of nondiffraction theoretically make forward scattering (FS) detection less than 11° possibly. Our experimental results for peripheral blood lymphocytes of human beings and cultured HeLa cells show that the detection rates increase by 47.87% and 46.79%, respectively, by the novel designed microfluidic chip compared to traditional Gaussian lighting method in microfluidic chips. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Raman spectroscopy as a potential diagnostic tool to analyse biochemical alterations in lung cancer

Patient survival remains poor even after diagnosis in lung cancer cases, and the molecular events resulting from lung cancer progression remain unclear. Raman spectroscopy could be used to noninvasively and accurately reveal the biochemical properties of biological tissues on the basis of their pathological status. This study aimed at probing biomolecular changes in lung cancer, using Raman spectroscopy as a potential diagnostic tool. Herein, biochemical alterations were evident in the Raman spectra (region of 600-1800 cm^-1) in normal and cancerous lung tissues. The levels of saturated and unsaturated lipids and the protein-to-lipid, nucleic acid-to-lipid, and protein-to-nucleic acid ratios were significantly altered among malignant tissues compared to normal lung tissues. These biochemical alterations in tissues during neoplastic transformation have profound implications in not only the biochemical landscape of lung cancer progression but also cytopathological classification. Based on this spectroscopic approach, classification methods including k-nearest neighbour (kNN) and support vector machine (SVM) were successfully applied to cytopathologically diagnose lung cancer with an accuracy approaching 99%. The present results indicate that Raman spectroscopy is an excellent tool to biochemically interrogate and diagnose lung cancer.

Copy number variation is highly correlated with differential gene expression: a pan-cancer study

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease with many genetic variations. Lines of evidence have shown copy number variations (CNVs) of certain genes are involved in development and progression of many cancers through the alterations of their gene expression levels on individual or several cancer types. However, it is not quite clear whether the correlation will be a general phenomenon across multiple cancer types.

METHODS

In this study we applied a bioinformatics approach integrating CNV and differential gene expression mathematically across 1025 cell lines and 9159 patient samples to detect their potential relationship.

RESULTS

Our results showed there is a close correlation between CNV and differential gene expression and the copy number displayed a positive linear influence on gene expression for the majority of genes, indicating that genetic variation generated a direct effect on gene transcriptional level. Another independent dataset is utilized to revalidate the relationship between copy number and expression level. Further analysis show genes with general positive linear influence on gene expression are clustered in certain disease-related pathways, which suggests the involvement of CNV in pathophysiology of diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows the close correlation between CNV and differential gene expression revealing the qualitative relationship between genetic variation and its downstream effect, especially for oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. It is of a critical importance to elucidate the relationship between copy number variation and gene expression for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The value of drug-induced sleep computed tomography in diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a pilot study

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a public health problem that affects a large amount of people. Surgery sometimes is considered a better treatment modality that does not require the use of a device such as CPAP. Objectives: To explore the value of anesthetic-induced sleep computed tomography (DI-SCT) in the diagnosis of OSAS. Materials and methods: A total of 124 patients with OSAS aged between 18 and 65 years old were enrolled in this study. The upper airway was scanned by computed tomography (CT) while they were wake and went sleep. Sleep was induced by dexmedetomidine under electrocardiograph and oxyhemoglobin saturation monitoring. Parameters relevant to OSAS were then collected and counted. Results: CT scanning revealed that 119 occurred stenosis in oropharynx, in which 5 cases were accompanied with stenosis or occlusion at retroglossal area. About 38 (30.67%) cases existed deviation of nasal septum with retropalatal problems. About 61.33% of patients had multi-level obstructions and the most common obstructive site was oropharynx (90.67%). Conclusions and significance: DI-SCT is a safe and non-invasive modality for diagnosing the obstructive sites in OSAS patients.

nm23, TOP2A and VEGF expression: Potential prognostic biologic factors in peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is an aggressive lymphoma associated with a poor outcome. To date, the factor consistently associated with prognosis is the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score; however, it is considered that the IPI score cannot be beneficial for guiding potential targeted therapies. New scoring systems have recently been developed. The aim of the present study was to observe the expression of NME/NM23 nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1 (nm23), nuclear DNA topoisomerase 2-α (TOP2A), multiple myeloma oncogene-1 (MUM-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and evaluate their prognostic value in PTCL-NOS. A retrospective analysis of 124 cases of PTCL-NOS showed that 70/122 (57.4%) cases were positive for nm23, 71/122 (58.2%) for TOP2A, 30/119 (25.2%) for MUM-1 and 64/122 (52.5%) for VEGF. Of note, 50/122 cases concurrently expressed nm23, TOP2A and VEGF. The univariate analysis results revealed that the nm23 (P=0.012), TOP2A (P=0.002) and VEGF (P=0.008) expression had a negative prognostic effect in patients with PTCL-NOS, while the MUM-1 expression did not have a significant prognostic value (P=0.918). In addition, the concurrent expression of nm23, TOP2A and VEGF was significantly associated with a worse prognosis (P=0.002). However, in multivariate Cox regression analysis, the concurrent expression of nm23, TOP2A and VEGF tended to predict a worse prognosis, however the P-value was borderline (hazard ratio, 1.495; 95% confidence interval, 0.993-2.250; P=0.054). It is speculated that there may be an association among the expression of nm23, TOP2A and VEGF, and that their expression may serve as a promising prognostic factor for PTCL-NOS.

Prospective study of endoscopic focal cryoballoon ablation for esophageal squamous cell neoplasia in China

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) has a significant risk for progression to cancer. Current treatment options, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or submucosal dissection (ESD), have their limitations. The cryoballoon focal ablation system (CbFAS) is a novel endoscopic ablation therapy device. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of CbFAS for eradication of ESCN.

METHODS

In this single-center prospective trial in China, patients with 1 flat unstained lesion (USL) on Lugol chromoendoscopy that contained moderate- or high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (MGIN or HGIN, respectively) were enrolled. CbFAS was performed using side-by-side applications of 10 seconds, treatment was repeated at 3-month intervals until a complete response (CR) was established. The response at 12 months was the primary trial endpoint. Safety phone calls were performed at 2, 7, and 30 days after the initial CbFAS.

RESULTS

We enrolled 80 patients (59 MGIN, 21 HGIN) with a median USL length of 3 cm (interquartile range [IQR], 3-4). Seventy-nine received treatment, with a median of 5 side-by-side applications (IQR, 4-7) per patient over a median of 8 minutes (IQR, 5-10). After a single treatment, 70 of 78 patients (90%) exhibited CR, and 1 was lost to follow-up. The other 8 with persisting USLs were retreated, and all achieved CR after this second treatment. At 12 months after the initial CbFAS, 76 of 78 patients (97%) exhibited CR and 2 (3%) had recurrent MGIN. No strictures or serious adverse events occurred. Four patients developed self-limiting mucosal lacerations on balloon inflation. The postprocedure median pain score was 1 of 10 (IQR, 0-2) at day 2 and 0 (0-0) at days 7 and 30.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the CbFAS is safe, well tolerated, and effective in inducing endoscopic and histologic remission in patients with ESCN of limited size. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02605759.).

Erratum: Spread through air spaces predicts a worse survival in patients with stage I adenocarcinomas >2 cm after radical lobectomy

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2018.09.22.].

New Insights into Dose- and Time-Dependent Response of Five Typical PPCPs on Soil Microbial Respiration

The widespread use of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) has attracted much attention and the impact of PPCPs on indigenous microbial communities has become increasingly important in recent days. Five common PPCPs, including doxycycline (DOX), ciprofloxacin (CIP), triclocarban (TCC), carbamazepine (CBZ), and sulfadimidine (SMZ), were selected and their effects on soil microbial respiration were studied at concentrations of 0, 0.2, 1, 5, 25 and 50 mg/kg. The results of this study indicate that the effect of five common PPCPs on soil microbial respiration was dose- and time- dependent. At low concentrations (0.2 and 1 mg/kg), CBZ and SMZ exhibited an activation effect on microbial soil respiration at 1 day (58.02%, 26.39% and 1.54%, 1.76% at 0.2 and 1 mg/kg respectively), while DOX showed inhibition for all tested concentrations at 1 day of incubation. At high concentrations (25 and 50 mg/kg) CIP and SMZ showed an inhibitory effect (- 69.13%, - 80.86% for 25 and 50 mg/kg, respectively), while TCC and CBZ exhibited stimulatory effect (38.07%, 9.64% and 4.06%, 12.18% at 25 and 50 mg/kg, respectively) at 1 day of incubation. Our findings indicate that the effect of tested PPCPs on soil microbial respiration had an inhibitory or stimulatory effect based on the dose and extent of time.

U-Shaped Relationship Between Left Atrium Size on Echocardiography and 1-Year Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation - Prognostic Value Study

BACKGROUND

The larger the left atrium anteroposterior dimension (LAD) and left atrium volume (LAV), the stronger the association with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Patients with a smaller left atrium (LA) size, however, also have increased AF recurrence.Methods and Results:In 521 patients, routine 48-h Holter electrocardiogram and echocardiography were obtained at each outpatient visit every 3 months for 12 months. On multivariate analysis, AF type, LAD, and LAV calculated using the ellipsoid model/body surface area (LAVe/BSA) were independent predictors of AF recurrence. Patients were divided into 7 groups at 0.4-cm increments of LAD: ≤3 cm, LAD≤3 cm, 3.0<LAD≤3.4 cm, 3.4<LAD≤3.8 cm, 3.8<LAD≤4.2 cm, 4.2<LAD≤4.6 cm, 4.6<LAD≤5.0 cm; and LAD>5.0 cm. Compared with the 3.4-3.8-cm group, the adjusted HR were 3.88 (95% CI: 2.02-7.46, P<0.001), 1.03 (95% CI: 0.50-2.12, P=0.939), 0.96 (95% CI: 0.52-1.77, P=0.901), 1.36 (95% CI: 0.72-2.57, P=0.347), 3.04 (95% CI: 1.67-5.53, P<0.001), and 4.07 (95% CI: 1.93-8.60, P<0.001), respectively. Similarly, we divided LAVe/BSA into 8 groups and also observed a U-shaped curve for AF recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Both larger and smaller LAD and LAVe/BSA were associated with a higher risk of AF recurrence 1 year after RFCA. The association of LA size and AF recurrence after RFCA is represented by a U-shaped curve.

Molecular predictors of brain metastasis-related microRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma

Brain metastasis (BM) is a major complication of lung adenocarcinoma (LAD). An investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of BM, as well as the identification of appropriate molecular markers, is necessary. The aim of this study was to determine the expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) in LAD with BM, and to investigate the biological role of these miRNAs during tumorigenesis. miRNA array profiles were used to identify BM-associated miRNAs. These miRNAs were independently validated in 155 LAD patients. Several in vivo and in vitro assays were performed to verify the effects of miRNAs on BM. We identified six miRNAs differentially expressed in patients with BM as compared to patients with BM. Of these, miR-4270 and miR-423-3p were further investigated. miR-4270 and miR-423-3p directly targeted MMP19 and P21, respectively, to influence cell viability, migration, and colony formation in vitro. miR-4270 downregulation and miR-423-3p upregulation was associated with an increased risk of BM in LAD patients. Thus, our results suggested that miR-4270 and miR-423-3p might play an important role in BM pathogenesis in LAD patients, and that these miRNAs might be useful prognostic and clinical treatment targets.

Brain metastasis (BM) is a major complication of lung carcinoma. Here, we aimed to identify the key miRNAs involved in BM lung cancer. We first profiled miRNA expression in 32 tissues from NSCLC patients with BM and 55 tissues from NSCLC patients without BM. We independently validated our results in 68 additional tissues from NSCLC patients. Based on our results, we identified a panel of miRNAs that distinguish BM lung adenocarcinomas from non-BM We report here for the first time that either miR-4270 downregulation or miR-423-3p upregulation significantly increased cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration in vitro. miR-4270 and miR-423-3p increased the risk of BM in mouse models by targeting MMP19 and P21, respectively. Our results suggested that miR-4270 and miR-423-3p might be useful markers of BM in lung adenocarcinoma.

One-Pot Sequential Multistep Transformation of α,β-Unsaturated Trifluoromethyl Ketones: Facile Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated 2-Pyridones

A one-pot transformation of α,β-unsaturated trifluoromethyl ketones with 2-(phenylsulfinyl)acetamide to give trifluoromethylated 2-pyridones is realized. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions and involves multiple steps in an expeditious and controlled sequence to provide efficient access to a broad range of trifluoromethylated 2-pyridones in moderate to high yields. Moreover, further synthetic manipulations permit the routine synthesis of a diverse array of trifluoromethylated pyridines with good efficiency.

Biosorption of lead (Pb2+) by the vegetative and decay cells and spores of Bacillus coagulans R11 isolated from lead mine soil

The lead (Pb²⁺) bioaccumulation capacities and mechanisms of three different physiological structures (vegetative cells, decay cells and spores) of B. coagulans R11 isolated from a lead mine were examined in this study. The results showed that the total Pb²⁺ removal capacity of vegetative cells (17.53 mg/g) was at its optimal and higher than those of the spores and decay cells at the initial lead concentration of 50 mg/L. However, when the initial lead concentration surpassed 50 mg/L, Pb²⁺ removal capacity of decay cells was more efficient. Zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and functional group modification analyses demonstrated that the electrostatic attraction and chelating activity of the functional groups were the primary pathways involved in the extracellular accumulation of Pb²⁺ by the vegetative cells and spores. However, the primary Pb²⁺ binding pathway in the decay cells was hypothesized to be due to physical adsorption, which easily led to Pb²⁺ desorption. Based on these results, we conclude that the vegetative cell is the ideal lead sorbent. Therefore, it is important to inhibit the transformation of the vegetative cells into decay cells and spores, which can be achieved by culturing the bacteria under anaerobic conditions to prevent spore formation. Heat stimulation can effectively enhance spore germination to generate vegetative cells.

Histological type distribution and expression of nm23, VEGF, TOP2A and MUM-1 in peripheral T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas in Chinese: analysis of 313 cases

Peripheral T cell and natural killer cell lymphomas (PT/NKCLs) are rare malignant tumors of lymphoid tissue. The incidence varies by geographical region and race. We reclassified 313 cases of PT/NKCLs based on the 4th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification to demonstrate the distribution of each histologic type of PT/NKCLs in Chinese populations. In our series, extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKT) was the most common (37.1%) type, followed by peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) (31.3%) and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (12.8%). Also, we investigated the expression level of nm23, VEGF, TOP2A, and MUM-1 in all 313 cases. The positive rate of nm23, VEGF, TOP2A, and MUM-1 expression was more than 50% in most histologic types. Among the five common types, the expression rate of nm23 (34.5%) and TOP2A (27.6%) in ENKT were the lowest (P<0.05). VEGF expression was also lowest in ENKT (26.7%), but it was much higher in PTCL-NOS (54.1%), AITL (70.0%), and ALCL-ALK- (56.5%) and ALCL-ALK+ (42.9%). The difference of VEGF expression between ENKT and PTCL-NOS and AITL was significant (P<0.05). Fourteen of 23 (60.9%) cases of ALCL-ALK- and 9 of 14 (64.3%) cases of ALCL-ALK+ were positive for MUM-1, which was much higher than in ENKT (19.8%), PTCL-NOS (26.5%) and AITL (35.0%) (P<0.05). Although the significance of their expression in PT/NKCLs is not clear, we suggested that they may be novel tumor markers for developing targeted therapy in the future.

Spread through air spaces predicts a worse survival in patients with stage I adenocarcinomas >2 cm after radical lobectomy

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of spread through air spaces (STAS) in early lung adenocarcinomas after radical lobectomy and lymphadenectomy.

Methods

A total of 242 patients with lung adenocarcinomas less than 4 cm (8th pStage I) were selected from the lung cancer patients surgically treated from January, 2009 to September, 2011. Pathological review focused on STAS as well as histological subtypes, blood vessel & neural invasion, pathological tumor size etc. Recurrence or disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients as stratified by STAS and tumor size.

Results

STAS was observed in 33.47% (81/242) patients, which was significantly correlated with histological predominant subtype (χ²=25.903, P=0.093×10^-3) and differentiation grade (χ²=23.986, P=0.025×10^-3). Patients with STAS (+) showed a comparable PFS (P=0.268) and OS rates (P=0.100) in all stage I cases, but a significant lower PFS (P=0.029) and OS (P=0.013) in tumors within 2< tumors ≤4 cm. Multivariate analysis revealed STAS to be an independent worse prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinomas within 2< tumors ≤4 cm, both for PFS (P=0.004) and OS (P=0.002), while no significant difference was found in patients with tumors ≤2 cm (PFS, P=0.537; OS, P=0.448), after adjusting by other clinicopathological parameters as age, gender, smoking etc.

Conclusions

Presence of STAS was a significant worse predictor for pStage I patients with lung adenocarcinoma >2 cm who underwent radical lobectomy, while it is not significant in patients with tumor ≤2 cm. These findings may be helpful in assessing postoperative therapy stratified by tumor size and STAS status.

Metformin and FTY720 Synergistically Induce Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) invariably relapse with chemotherapy-resistant disease, underscoring the need for new therapeutic options that bypass these resistance mechanisms. Metformin is a widely prescribed antidiabetic drug with direct antitumor activity against various tumor cell lines. FTY720, also known as fingolimod, is an immune-modulating agent approved by the FDA as oral medication to treat the relapsing form of multiple sclerosis (MS). In recent years, FTY720 has attracted attention due to its anti-tumor activity. To explore an optimized combinational therapy, interactions between metformin and FTY720 were examined in MM cells.

METHODS

MTT assays were employed to assess the viability of MM cells. An apoptotic nucleosome assay was employed to measure apoptosis. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ΔΨm) and cellular levels of ROS were measured by flow cytometry. qRT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of mRNAs. Western blotting assays were applied to measure the levels of proteins involved in different signaling pathways.

RESULTS

Coadministration of metformin and FTY720 synergistically inhibited the proliferation of MM cells. Increased levels of apoptosis, activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP were detected after cotreatment with metformin and FTY720. These events were associated with modulation of Bcl-2 proteins, loss of MMP, ER stress induction, and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The metformin/FTY720 regimen markedly induced ROS generation; moreover, apoptosis, ER stress and inhibition of PI3K/AKT/ mTOR were attenuated by the ROS scavenger NAC.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to metformin in combination with FTY720 potently induces apoptosis in MM cells in a ROS-dependent manner, suggesting that a strategy combining these agents warrants further investigation in MM.

Clonality assessment of multifocal lung adenocarcinoma by pathology evaluation and molecular analysis

The aim of this study was to explore morphologic and molecular features distinguishing between multifocal lung adenocarcinoma (MLA) and intrapulmonary metastases (IMs). Sixteen patients with MLAs, a total of 34 tumors, were reviewed. Four approaches were used: (1) array-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) as a standard clonality assessment; (2) EGFR and KRAS mutational profiles as a supplementary method; (3) comprehensive histologic assessment (CHA) was method I in pathology evaluation; and (4) CHA combined with lepidic component analysis was method II. The lepidic component was divided into low grade and high grade according to extent of atypia; tumors with low-grade lepidic component were defined as primary. Eight patients were found to have IMs and 8 to have multiple primaries (MPs) by array-CGH; 7 had MPs and 9 had IMs by method I; 5 had MPs and 11 had IMs by method II. Compared with array-CGH, method I had a lower coincidence rate (65%) than method II (85%). Univariate analysis revealed that patients with MP had a better clinical outcome than those with IM only if the MPs were diagnosed by array-CGH (P = .034) or method II (P = .027) but not EGFR/KRAS mutation (P = .843) or method I (P = .493). Our results suggest that a low-grade lepidic component is a sign of a primary tumor. CHA combined with a low-grade lepidic component (method II) is more accurate clinically and more cost-effective in distinguishing MLAs from IMs. Also, EGFR mutation is not an appropriate molecular marker for clonality assessment.

Lactation Stage-Dependency of the Sow Milk Microbiota

Breast milk is essential for the initial development of neonatal animals, as it provides not only essential nutrients and a broad range of bioactive compounds but also commensal bacteria. The milk microbiota contributes to the "initial" intestinal microbiota of infants and also plays a crucial role in modulating and influencing neonatal health. However, the milk microbiota of sows has yet to be systematically investigated. The goal of the present study was to characterize variations in bacterial diversity and composition in sow milk over the duration of lactation using a high-throughput sequencing approach. Milk samples (n = 160) were collected from 20 healthy sows at eight different time points, and microbial profiles were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The composition and diversity of the milk microbiota changed significantly in colostrum but was relatively stable in transitional and mature milk. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla in sow milk. The relative abundances of the two most dominant bacterial genera, Corynebacterium and Streptococcus, were significantly higher in colostrum than in transitional milk and mature milk samples, and the other four most dominant bacterial taxa (Lactobacillus, two unclassified genera in the families Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and an unclassified genus in the order Clostridiales) demonstrated higher relative abundances in transitional and mature milk than in colostrum. Membrane transport, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were the most abundant functional categories in sow milk communities. Microbial network analysis based on the predominant genera revealed that the abundance of Helcococcus was negatively correlated with the abundances of most other genera in sow milk. Our results are the first to systematically indicate that the sow milk microbiota is a dynamic ecosystem in which changes mainly occur in the colostrum and remain generally stable throughout lactation.

Plant-mediated horizontal transmission of Rickettsia endosymbiont between different whitefly species

A growing number of studies have revealed the presence of closely related endosymbionts in phylogenetically distant arthropods, indicating horizontal transmission of these bacteria. Here we investigated the interspecific horizontal transmission of Rickettsia between two globally invasive whitefly species, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and B. tabaci MED, via cotton plants. We found both scattered and confined distribution patterns of Rickettsia in these whiteflies. After entering cotton leaves, Rickettsia was restricted to the leaf phloem vessels and could be taken up by both species of the Rickettsia-free whitefly adults, but only the scattered pattern was observed in the recipient whiteflies. Both the relative quantity of Rickettsia and the efficiency of transmitting Rickettsia into cotton leaves were significantly higher in MEAM1 females than in MED females. The retention time of Rickettsia transmitted from MEAM1 into cotton leaves was at least 5 days longer than that of MED. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and gltA genes confirmed that the Rickettsia extracted from the donor MEAM1, the cotton leaves, the recipient MEAM1 and the recipient MED were all identical. We conclude that cotton plants can mediate horizontal transmission of Rickettsia between different insect species, and that the transmission dynamics of Rickettsia vary with different host whitefly species.

Overexpression of KLF4 promotes cell senescence through microRNA-203-survivin-p21 pathway

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor and functions as a tumor suppressor or tumor promoter in different cancer types. KLF4 regulates many gene expression, thus affects the process of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recently, KLF4 was reported to induce senescence during the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we constructed two doxycycline-inducing KLF4 cell models, and demonstrated overexpression of KLF4 could promote cell senescence, detected by senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity assay. Then we confirmed that p21, a key effector of senescence, was directly induced by KLF4. KLF4 could also inhibit survivin, which could indirectly induce p21. By miRNA microarray, we found a series of miRNAs regulated by KLF4 and involved in senescence. We demonstrated that KLF4 could upregulate miR-203, and miR-203 contributed to senescence through miR-203-survivin-p21 pathway. Our results suggest that KLF4 could promote cell senescence through a complex network: miR-203, survivin, and p21, which were all regulated by overexpression of KLF4 and contributed to cell senescence.

The changes of nutrient composition of piled laying hen manure and anaerobic fermentation for recycling as a dietary ingredient for ruminants

This study investigated the changes of nutrient compositions of piled laying hen manure, detected the physical and chemical components of laying hen manure fermented by mixed strains, and analysed its application effects on feeding ruminants. The results showed that with increasing of piling time, the contents of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) in laying hen manure were reduced, while the contents of crude ash (CA), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) were increased. Fermentation could effectively decrease pH value, reduce Ca/P ratio, lessen the total bacterial counts, and maintain the organisms contents in laying hen manure. The results of ruminants feeding test indicated that replacing 20% diet with laying hen manure fermentation products (MFP), the weight gain and reproductive rate were respectively decreased by 9.99% and 2% compared with the control group, and the differences were not statistically significant. This technology could recycle laying hen manures as ruminant feeds, for the purpose of reducing environmental pollution and improving economic efficiency.

Hemodynamic Changes Caused by Multiple Stenting in Vertebral Artery Fusiform Aneurysms: A Patient-Specific Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The multiple stent placement technique has largely improved the long-term outcomes of intracranial fusiform aneurysms, but the hemodynamic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the hemodynamic changes caused by different stent-placement strategies in patient-specific models using the computational fluid dynamics technique, aiming to provide evidence for clinical decision-making.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten vertebral artery fusiform aneurysms were included, and their patient-specific computational fluid dynamics models were reconstructed. A fast virtual stent placement technique was used to simulate sequential multiple stent placements (from a single stent to triple stents) in the vertebral artery fusiform aneurysm models. Hemodynamic parameters, including wall shear stress, pressure, oscillatory shear index, relative residence time, and flow pattern, were calculated and compared among groups with different numbers of stents.

RESULTS

Virtual stents were deployed in all 10 cases successfully, consistent with the real stent configuration. Wall shear stress decreased progressively by 7.2%, 20.6%, and 25.8% as the number of stents increased. Meanwhile, relative residence time and pressure increased on average by 11.3%, 15.4%, and 45.0% and by 15.7%, 21.5%, and 28.2%. The oscillatory shear index showed no stable variation trend. Flow patterns improved by weakening the intensity of the vortices and displacing the vortex center from the aneurysmal wall.

CONCLUSIONS

Stent placement modifies hemodynamic patterns in vertebral artery fusiform aneurysms, which might favor thrombosis formation in the aneurysmal sac. This effect is amplified with the number of stents deployed. However, a potential risk of rupture or recanalization exists and should be considered when planning to use the multiple stent placement technique in vertebral artery fusiform aneurysms.

Analysis on Enrichment and Mass of Uranium Materials With Time-Correlated Measurement

Effective determination for enrichment of the uranium materials in heavy shielding is technically difficult to solve. Various technical methods so far have been proposed to deal with this problem. With the time-correlated coincidence measurement method, 14 MeV neutrons and fission spectrum neutrons are chosen to interrogate the uranium samples with different masses and enrichments. The fission spectrum neutrons are obtained by slowing down the 14 MeV neutrons. Results have shown that a good linear relationship exists between masses of the uranium materials (≤10% enriched U) that possess the same enrichment. A linear relationship also exists between enrichments of the uranium materials that possess the same mass.

Involvement of NF-κB and the CX3CR1 Signaling Network in Mechanical Allodynia Induced by Tetanic Sciatic Stimulation

Tetanic stimulation of the sciatic nerve (TSS) triggers long-term potentiation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and long-lasting pain hypersensitivity. CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling is an important pathway in neuronal-microglial activation. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a key signal transduction molecule that regulates neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain. Here, we set out to determine whether and how NF-κB and CX3CR1 are involved in the mechanism underlying the pathological changes induced by TSS. After unilateral TSS, significant bilateral mechanical allodynia was induced, as assessed by the von Frey test. The expression of phosphorylated NF-κB (pNF-κB) and CX3CR1 was significantly up-regulated in the bilateral dorsal horn. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that pNF-κB and NeuN co-existed, implying that the NF-κB pathway is predominantly activated in neurons following TSS. Administration of either the NF-κB inhibitor ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or a CX3CR1-neutralizing antibody blocked the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. In addition, blockade of NF-κB down-regulated the expression of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling, and conversely the CX3CR1-neutralizing antibody also down-regulated pNF-κB. These findings suggest an involvement of NF-κB and the CX3CR1 signaling network in the development and maintenance of TSS-induced mechanical allodynia. Our work suggests the potential clinical application of NF-κB inhibitors or CX3CR1-neutralizing antibodies in treating pathological pain.

Effects of heme oxygenase-1 recombinant Lactococcus lactis on the intestinal barrier of hemorrhagic shock rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of heme oxygenase-1 recombinant Lactococcus lactis (LL-HO-1) on the intestinal barrier of rats with hemorrhagic shock. One hundred Sprague-Dawley male rats (280-320 g) were randomly divided into healthy control group (N group) and hemorrhagic shock group (H group). Each group was subdivided into HO1t, HO2t, HO3t, PBS and LL groups in which rats were intragastrically injected with LL-HO-1 once, twice and three times, PBS and L. lactis (LL), respectively. The mortality, intestinal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, intestinal contents of TNF-α, IL-10 and HO-1, and intestinal Chiu's score were determined. Results showed that in N group, the HO-1 content increased after LL-HO-1 treatment, and significant difference was observed in HO1t group and HO2t group (P<0.05). In H groups, MPO activity and Chiu's score decreased, but IL-10 content increased in LL-HO-1-treated groups when compared with PBS and LL groups (P<0.05). When compared with N group, the MPO activity reduced dramatically in LL-HO-1-treated groups. Thus, in healthy rats (N group), intragastrical LL-HO-1 treatment may increase the intestinal HO-1 expression, but has no influence on the intestinal barrier. In hemorrhagic shock rats, LL-HO-1 may significantly protect the intestinal barrier, and repeating the intragastrical LL-HO-1 treatments twice has the most obvious protection.

Plantmediated horizontal transmission of Wolbachia between whiteflies

Maternal transmission is the main transmission pathway of facultative bacterial endosymbionts, but phylogenetically distant insect hosts harbor closely related endosymbionts, suggesting that horizontal transmission occurs in nature. Here we report the first case of plant-mediated horizontal transmission of Wolbachia between infected and uninfected Bemisia tabaci AsiaII7 whiteflies. After infected whiteflies fed on cotton leaves, Wolbachia was visualized, both in the phloem vessels and in some novel 'reservoir' spherules along the phloem by fluorescence in situ hybridization using Wolbachia-specific 16S rRNA probes and transmission electron microscopy. Wolbachia persisted in the plant leaves for at least 50 days. When the Wolbachia-free whiteflies fed on the infected plant leaves, the majority of them became infected with the symbiont and vertically transmitted it to their progeny. Multilocus sequence typing and sequencing of the wsp (Wolbachia surface protein) gene confirmed that the sequence type of Wolbachia in the donor whiteflies, cotton phloem and the recipient whiteflies are all identical (sequence type 388). These results were replicated using cowpea and cucumber plants, suggesting that horizontal transmission is also possible through other plant species. Our findings may help explain why Wolbachia bacteria are so abundant in arthropods, and suggest that in some species, Wolbachia may be maintained in populations by horizontal transmission.

Exploiting Kalman Filtering Non-linear Exponential Fitting to Promote the Energy Resolution of 137Cs and 60Co Gamma Ray Spectra

For Cs and Co gamma ray spectra, gamma ray energy is proportional to the amplitude of the pulse signal, and energy resolution can be improved by pulse signal processing with mathematical algorithms. Influenced by system measurement noise and baseline fluctuation, the pulse amplitude is difficult to calculate accurately. A method that combines the Kalman filter baseline estimation with the non-linear exponential fitting has been used. By this method, the pulse signal is divided into two parts: one is the raising edge before the pulse peak, and another is after the pulse peak. The pulse amplitude equals the difference between the pulse starting height and the pulse peak height. The pulse starting height is obtained by Kalman filter baseline estimation on the rising edge of the pulse starting point. The pulse peak height is calculated by nonlinear exponential fitting on the falling edge of the pulse highest point. When the sampling rate is 100 MHz, the pulse signals obtained from a Cd(Zn)Te detector are analyzed by this method. Results have shown that the processed pulses have a more distinguishable amplitude distribution; energy resolution for the Cs spectrum is approximately 2.97% at 662 keV (~19.66 keV FWHM), and for the Co spectrum it is 2.61% at 1,332 keV (~34.76 keV FWHM).

A minicircuitry comprised of microRNA-9 and SIRT1 contributes to leukemogenesis in t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia

OBJECTIVE

The AML1-ETO fusion protein (AE) resulting from the t(8;21) translocation is highly related to the pathogenesis and development of leukemia. microRNA-9 (miR-9) acts as a tumor suppressor gene in AE-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog-1 (SIRT1) is overexpressed in most cancer cells by increasing proliferation as a tumorigenic gene. The present study was performed to investigate the underlying interaction between miR-9 and SIRT1 in AE-positive AML.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression of miR-9 and SIRT1 in AE-positive AML patients, healthy donors and AML cell lines were detected by qPCR. Relevance between miR-9 and SIRT1 was assessed by plasmid transfection, Western blot and correlation analysis. Luciferase assay was used to confirm the target gene of miR-9. Knockdown of SIRT1 in different cell lines was achieved by shRNA transfection and CCK-8 assay was used to investigate the effects on cell proliferation.

RESULTS

The miR-9 expression was lower in AE-positive cell lines compared to that in other AE-negative AML cell lines, while expression of SIRT1 was higher in AE-positive cell lines. Expression of miR-9 was also downregulated in adult primary t(8;21) AML patients compared to healthy donors. The over-expression of miR-9 decreased luciferase activity of wild-type SIRT1, which was recovered after transfection with mutant SIRT1. The miR-9 directly targets SIRT1 by binding to its 3'-untranslated region and reducing its protein levels. Importantly, miR-9 and SIRT1 mRNA levels were inversely correlated in AE-positive AML cell lines and t(8;21) AML primary leukemia cells. Knockdown of SIRT1 levels using shSIRT1 inhibited cell proliferation in AE-positive AML cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

SIRT1 is the target gene of miR-9 and the signaling pathway connecting miR-9 and SIRT1 is a therapeutic target for t(8;21) AML.