Micromagnetic simulation of microstructure effect for binary-main-phase Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnets

We investigate the magnetic properties of a chemically heterogeneous binary-main-phase (BMP) Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnet with a core-shell structure via micromagnetic simulation. It is found that the coercivity strongly depends on the shell thickness. The BMP magnet's coercivity initially increases and then decreases with increasing Nd-rich shell thickness, and so there is the optimal shell thickness which shows the maximum coercivity for any given Ce concentration. The simulation shows the significant difference in coercivity and maximum energy product between the BMP and single-main-phase magnets. Notably, the magnetization reversal mechanism of the BMP magnet is revealed in the simulation. Local reversals in the BMP magnet first occur in the Ce-rich shells, followed by the Nd-rich cores. Then, the magnetization in Ce-rich core/Nd-rich shell typed grains is switched after reversed magnetization of all the Nd-rich core/Ce-rich shell typed grains. The BMP magnet represents a further increased coercivity for a larger GB thickness, which can be well explained by a maximum stray field.

Integration of full divertor detachment with improved core confinement for tokamak fusion plasmas

Divertor detachment offers a promising solution to the challenge of plasma-wall interactions for steady-state operation of fusion reactors. Here, we demonstrate the excellent compatibility of actively controlled full divertor detachment with a high-performance (βN ~ 3, H98 ~ 1.5) core plasma, using high-βp (poloidal beta, βp > 2) scenario characterized by a sustained core internal transport barrier (ITB) and a modest edge transport barrier (ETB) in DIII-D tokamak. The high-βp high-confinement scenario facilitates divertor detachment which, in turn, promotes the development of an even stronger ITB at large radius with a weaker ETB. This self-organized synergy between ITB and ETB, leads to a net gain in energy confinement, in contrast to the net confinement loss caused by divertor detachment in standard H-modes. These results show the potential of integrating excellent core plasma performance with an efficient divertor solution, an essential step towards steady-state operation of reactor-grade plasmas.

[Safety analysis of 12 241 infants inoculated in three sites of diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and haemophilus influenzae type b combined vaccine in Chaoyang District of Beijing]

Objective: To observe the adverse reactions of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis and Haemophilus Influenzae Type b Combined Vaccine conjugate vaccine at the anterolateral thigh muscle, upper arm deltoid muscle and upper gluteal region. Methods: A total of 12 241 infants who were voluntarily vaccinated DTaP-Hib from April 2015 to April 2019 in Beijing were selected for the study. DTaP-Hib vaccine is recommended for 3, 4, 5 months of age for basic immunization and 18 to 24 months of age to strengthen immunization. Subjects were divided into the groups of lateral thigh muscle, the upper arm deltoid and upper gluteal region according to the actual inoculation sites. Adverse reactions were collected within 30 minutes and 7 days after each does of vaccination at different sites and compared between three groups. The incidence of adverse reactions at the three different inoculation sites was compared by Chi-square test. Results: A total of 12 241 infants and toddlers received combined DTaP-Hib and 35 027 doses of DTaP-Hib were investigated. The number and of lateral thigh muscles, upper arm deltoids and gluteal muscles were 3 461 infants and 11 129 doses, 2 659 infants and 7 957 doses, 6 121 infants and 15 941 doses respectively. A total of 2 489 adverse reactions occurred. The incidence of adverse reactions was 7.11%. The incidence of adverse reactions in deltoid muscle of upper arm was 9.69%（771 doses）, which was higher than that in gluteal muscle (7.58%, 1 211 doses) and anterolateral muscle of thigh (4.56%, 507 doses). The incidence of mild, moderate and severe adverse reactions in the upper arm deltoid group were higher than those in the other two groups. The incidence rates were 4.85% (386 doses), 3.77% (300 doses) and 1.07% (85 doses) respectively. The differences between groups were statistically significant（P<0.001）. The total adverse reactions of the three doses of basic immunization and the fourth dose of enhanced immunization had the same trend in different parts. The incidence of adverse reactions was in the order of the upper arm deltoid injection, upper gluteal injection and lateral thigh muscle injection from high to low. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of adverse reactions of DTaP-Hib vaccination in three different sites was low, which confirmed that the DTaP-Hib vaccination got expected safety regardless of the sites of inoculation. The lateral femoral muscle group had the lowest incidence of adverse reactions, hence it should be preferred as the inoculation site of DTaP-Hib vaccination.

[Characteristics on molecular epidemiology of Brucella melitensis in Jiangxi province]

Objective: To understand the molecular characteristics and correlation among isolated strains of Brucella melitensis (BM) so as to improve the strategies on prevention and control of the disease in Jiangxi province. Methods: A total of 25 strains of BM isolated from human in 17 counties of Jiangxi province were analyzed by multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) method. Results: A total of 25 strains of BM were classified into 24 independent genotypes with similarities between 67.00% and 100.00% and Simpson index between 0.000 and 0.773. There were 3 genotypes in MLVA8, including 60.00% (15/25) as 42 genotype, 32.00% (8/25) as 43 genotype, and 8.00% (2/25) as 63 genotype, respectively. There were 7 genotypes in MLVA11 identified, with 116 genotype and 125 genotype the main genotypes, accounting for 56.00% (14/25) of all the identified strains. Conclusions: Genes from all the 25 strains of BM that isolated from human being were with high genetic diversities, and various, genotypes. However, no obvious epidemiological correlation was noticed among these strains, indicating the complexity of the source of infection on Brucella in Jiangxi province.

Recombinant HIV-1 vaccine candidates based on replication-defective flavivirus vector

Multiple approaches utilizing viral and DNA vectors have shown promise in the development of an effective vaccine against HIV. In this study, an alternative replication-defective flavivirus vector, RepliVax (RV), was evaluated for the delivery of HIV-1 immunogens. Recombinant RV-HIV viruses were engineered to stably express clade C virus Gag and Env (gp120TM) proteins and propagated in Vero helper cells. RV-based vectors enabled efficient expression and correct maturation of Gag and gp120TM proteins, were apathogenic in a sensitive suckling mouse neurovirulence test, and were similar in immunogenicity to recombinant poxvirus NYVAC-HIV vectors in homologous or heterologous prime-boost combinations in mice. In a pilot NHP study, immunogenicity of RV-HIV viruses used as a prime or boost for DNA or NYVAC candidates was compared to a DNA prime/NYVAC boost benchmark scheme when administered together with adjuvanted gp120 protein. Similar neutralizing antibody titers, binding IgG titers measured against a broad panel of Env and Gag antigens, and ADCC responses were observed in the groups throughout the course of the study, and T cell responses were elicited. The entire data demonstrate that RV vectors have the potential as novel HIV-1 vaccine components for use in combination with other promising candidates to develop new effective vaccination strategies.

Role of Microtearing Turbulence in DIII-D High Bootstrap Current Fraction Plasmas

We report on the first direct comparisons of microtearing turbulence simulations to experimental measurements in a representative high bootstrap current fraction (f_{BS}) plasma. Previous studies of high f_{BS} plasmas carried out in DIII-D with large radius internal transport barriers (ITBs) have found that, while the ion energy transport is accurately reproduced by neoclassical theory, the electron transport remains anomalous and not well described by existing quasilinear transport models. A key feature of these plasmas is the large value of the normalized pressure gradient, which is shown to completely stabilize conventional drift-wave and kinetic ballooning mode instabilities in the ITB, but destabilizes the microtearing mode. Nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of the ITB region performed with the cgyro code demonstrate that the microtearing modes are robustly unstable and capable of driving electron energy transport levels comparable to experimental levels for input parameters consistent with the experimental measurements. These simulations uniformly predict that the microtearing mode fluctuation and flux spectra extend to significantly shorter wavelengths than the range of linear instability, representing significantly different nonlinear dynamics and saturation mechanisms than conventional drift-wave turbulence, which is also consistent with the fundamental tearing nature of the instability. The predicted transport levels are found to be most sensitive to the magnetic shear, rather than the temperature gradients more typically identified as driving turbulent plasma transport.

[Expression and mechanism of mast cell activating molecules and their antibodies in allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps]

Objective:To analyze the relationship and mechanism of mast cell with allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps. Method:From January 2018 to June 2018, all the inpatients in Otolaryngology Department were examined by nasal endoscopy and CT before operation. They were divided into three groups: 30 patients with allergic rhinitis（AR group） and 30 patients with nasal polyps（NP group） as the experimental group; 30 patients with nasal septum correction after partial inferior turbinectomy alone as the control group（N group）. Clinical data, peripheral blood and nasal mucosa were collected. The percentage of eosinophils in peripheral blood was detected by automatic hematology analyzer. The levels of anti-IgE antibody, FcεRIα and anti-FcεRIα antibody in serum were detected by ELISA. The levels of serum IgE were detected by velocity scattering turbidimetry. HE was used to observe the histopathological changes in the three groups. Immunohistochemical method was used to analyze the expression of tryptase and FcεRIα in the experimental group and the control group. Result:The percentage of eosinophils, IgE, anti-IgE antibody, FcεRIα and anti-FcεRIα antibodies in AR group were significantly higher than those in control group（P<0.05）; the percentage of eosinophils, FcεRIα and anti-FcεRIα antibodies in NP group were significantly higher than those in healthy control group（P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in IgE and anti-IgE antibodies among three groups（P>0.05）. The eosinophil percentage, IgE and anti-IgE antibody levels in AR group were significantly higher than that in NP group（P<0.05）; there were no differences in FcεRIα and anti-FcεRIα antibody levels between AR group and NP group（P>0.05）; There was no significant difference in eosinophil infiltration between the two groups; The brown tryptase-positive mast cells and FcεRIα-positive mast cells were found in the submucosa and interstitium of nasal mucosa. Conclusion:The high expression of FcεRIα and its antibody in the serum of patients with allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps indicated that this antibody system was involved in the occurrence and development of allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps. Local allergy with mast cells as the core might play an important role in the occurrence and development of nasal polyps. The possible role of mast cells in the formation of nasal polyps and the specific mechanism deserve further study.

P711Histamine promotes atherosclerotic plaque instability via STAT6-dependent macrophage pyroptosis

Background

Atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture is the primary cause for cardiovascular diseases. It's known that cell death and inflammation are crucial processes leading to atherosclerosis, which involves an important role of histamine. The aim of the present study is to determine the function of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) in histamine-induced macrophage pyroptosis and plaque instability.

Methods

We constructed APOE/STAT6 double knock out (DKO) mice via hybridization of ApoE−/− and STAT6−/− mice. 20 ApoE−/− mice (control) and 20 DKO mice were challenged with high-fat diet for 12 weeks while 10 in each group were intraperitoneally infused with histamine (400ug/kg) every other day. The extent and instability of atherosclerotic plaque were determined by oil-red staining, HE staining, immunofluorescence staining and electron microscopy. Changes in subsets of immune cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Plasma cytokines were assessed by ELISA. Microarray analysis was applied to detect gene expressions while Western blot and real-time PCR was used to assess gene expression levels.

Results

Morphology studies revealed that histamine could promote plaque formation and vulnerability in ApoE−/− mice, whereas this effect was inhibited in DKO mice. FACS data showed that histamine injection could increase CD11b+Ly6Chigh M1 macrophages differentiation and pyroptosis and facilitate foam cells formation in ApoE−/− mice, which was also inhibited in DKO mice. Microarray analysis and in vitro studies exhibited that histamine could induce the up-regulation of pyrotosis-related proteins such as NLRP3, caspase-1 and MMPs via a STAT6-dependent pathway to promote macrophage pyroptosis and foam cell formation.

Conclusions

We have characterized a novel role for histamine in modulating atherosclerotic lesion development and progression. Moreover, our work have figured out the detailed mechanisms by which histamine modulates the pyroptosis of macrophages and the progress of unstable atherosclerotic plaques. We envision that this study may provide several potential therapeutic targets benefit for atherosclerosis treatment.

A new reliable test for crossmatching: microplate hydrogel immunoassay technology

OBJECTIVES

To provide a novel assay to detect incomplete antibodies in the crossmatching test.

BACKGROUND

There is a requirement in China that both major and minor crossmatch tests are required. Among all methods of crossmatching, the tube anti-human globulin test requires tedious washing steps and is time-consuming, whereas the microcolumn gel immunoassay anti-human globulin test is susceptible to sample quality.

METHODS

The process of the microplate hydrogel immunoassay anti-human globulin test involves the use of our patented hydrogel chromatography medium and U-bottom microplates pre-coated with goat anti-human globulin (AHG). A mixture of red blood cells (RBCs) and serum is centrifuged through the hydrogel under precise conditions. In incompatible reactions, the sensitised RBCs are captured by the pre-coated AHG and form a layer over the bottom of the well, whereas in compatible reactions, the unbound RBCs form a button at the bottom of the well. The sensitivity of this new approach and the performance when testing old specimens were evaluated.

RESULTS

This approach was more convenient and slightly more sensitive than the tube anti-human globulin test and was superior to the microcolumn gel immunoassay when testing old specimens.

CONCLUSION

In general, this assay is suitable for the routine clinical use of crossmatching to detect incomplete antibodies.

Investigation on the regulatory effect of PGE2 on ESCC cells through the trans-activation of EGFR by EP2 and the relevant mechanism

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the combination of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and EP2, the subtype receptor of PGE2, could trans-activate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this experiment, we selected epithelial cells from normal esophageal mucosa as the negative control group, and the ESCC EC109 and TE-1 cell strain as the observation group. Real-time PCR and Western-blotting were used to detect the expression of EP2, EGFR and phosphorylated EGFR (p-EGFR). The pre-treatment of ESCC cell strains was carried out using Butaprost (special agonist of PGE2 and EP2) and RNAi of EP2, and we observed the expression of EP2, EGFR, and p-EGFR. WST-8 (CCK-8) was applied for the detection of the cell proliferation rate. The transwell invasion experiment was conducted for the detection of the invasion capability of cells. The expression of MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α) in the cell supernatant were detected using ELISA.

RESULTS

The high mRNA and protein expression of EP2, EGFR, and p-EGFR were found in the EC109 and TE-1 cell strains in the observation group, which were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After the intervention of PGE2, EP2 expression was decreased and the p-EGFR expression was increased (p < 0.05). There was no variation found in the expression of EGFR (p > 0.05). After cells were intervened using Butaprost, the expressions of EP2 and p-EGFR were increased (p < 0.05), and there were no changes identified in the expression of EGFR (p > 0.05). After the intervention of RNAi, the expression of EP2 and p-EGFR was decreased (p < .05), and no changes were identified in the expression of EGFR (p > 0.05). After the intervention of PGE2 and Butaprost, great increases were seen in the cell proliferation rate, invasion capability, and the expression of MMP-9, VEGF, IL-6, and TNF-α in EC109 and TE-1 cell strains (p < 0.05), however, the intervention of RNAi could reduce above indexes (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Through cell experiments, we verified that the combination of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and EP2, the subtype receptor of PGE2, could trans-activate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to regulate the proliferation and invasion capability of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells, and secrete and express multiple cytokines, thus discovering the pathological mechanism of inflammation to carcinoma transition in the occurrence of ESCC, and providing the experimental evidence for the search of new target in the treatment of ESCC. ESCC cells can highly express the receptor subtype EP2 of PGE2 that can transactivate the EGFR, through which PGE2 is involved in the transition mechanism from inflammation to cancer.

Self-management and Related Psychosocial Variables Among Renal Transplant Patients

OBJECTIVE

To explore the influential factors of kidney transplant patients' self-management, especially psychosocial variables.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Questionnaires were administered to patients with the assistance of our team members to gather sociodemographic information, medical characteristics, self-management, social support, depression, and flourishing.

RESULTS

The study included 483 patients, 64.4% of whom were male. The score index of the total self-management scale was 81.95% and the "social psychology" dimension had the lowest index, at 75.63%. Higher scores for flourishing, shorter length of post-renal transplantation, more social support, lower body mass index, being female, and being employed were proved to be determinants of better self-management, and flourishing was identified as having the greatest influence. Some other indicators were also related to patients' self-management, particularly age, residence, income, hypertension, renal function, and depression.

CONCLUSION

The overall self-management of KT patients was middling, and the status of psychology management was not optimistic. This emphasized the importance of psychological intervention. For further exploration, flourishing was identified as contributing to better self-management, which implied that strengthening this factor could be another method of improving self-management, except that involves enhancing of social support and reducing depression. Age was also found to have differing degrees of influence on KT patients' self-management, which implies that younger patients should receive more support in self-management.

Clinical, neuroimaging and prognostic study of 127 cases with infarction of the corpus callosum

Background and purpose

The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate clinical and neuroimaging characteristics in the largest sample size of patients with corpus callosum infarction to date and then to follow up these patients for 1 year to clarify the prognosis of this rare stroke entity.

Methods

A total of 127 patients with acute callosal infarction out of 5584 acute ischaemic stroke patients were included in this study. The recruited patients were divided into a pure callosal infarction group and a complex callosal infarction group (coupled with other infarct locations simultaneously), and clinical and neuroimaging features were analyzed. Some of the patients were followed up for 1 year to evaluate recurrence rate and mortality.

Results

The incidence of acute callosal infarction was 2.3%. Most patients presented with advanced neurological dysfunction with or without mild to moderate motor or sensory disorders on admission. The negative rate of computed tomography scan was still 76.4% even at >24 h after onset. Large‐artery atherosclerosis was the most common etiological type. Compared with complex callosal infarction, the pure callosal infarction group had more mental disorders (P = 0.030). Compared with common basal ganglia infarction, the pure callosal infarction group had better short‐term recovery (P = 0.016) but higher 1‐year mortality (P = 0.037). Age and mental disorders were independent risk factors for death in callosal infarction.

Conclusions

Callosal infarction is a white matter stroke that occurs with low incidence. Elderly patients with vascular risk factors showed sudden mental or cognitive disorders and callosal infarction could not be excluded. More attention should be paid to the early diagnosis and secondary prevention of callosal infarction because of its poor long‐term outcome.

Impact of strain and dose of live yeast and yeast derivatives on in vitro ruminal fermentation of a high-grain diet at two pH levels

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of live yeast (LY) or yeast derivatives (YD) on gas production (GP), dry matter (DM) disappearance (DMD), fermentation characteristics, and microbial profiles in batch culture. The study was a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement: 2 media pH × 5 yeasts × 4 dosages. An additional treatment of monensin (Mon) was added as a positive control for each pH level. Media pH was low (5.8) and high (6.5); the yeasts were three LY (LY1-3) and two YD (YD4-5); and doses were 0, 4 × 106, 8 × 106, and 1.6 × 107 cfu mL−1 for LY and 0, 15, 30, and 60 mg bottle−1 for YD. Substrate consisted of 10% silage and 90% concentrate (DM basis) and samples were incubated for 24 h. Media pH of 6.5 vs. 5.8, increased (P < 0.01) GP, DMD, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations but decreased (P < 0.01) NH3-N concentration and copy numbers of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Selenomonas ruminantium. Increasing dose of LY2 linearly (P < 0.05) increased DMD. Total VFA concentration was greater with LY2 (P < 0.01) than LY3 and YD5 at pH 6.5. Overall, adding yeast products improved (P < 0.05) DMD at pH 5.8, and increased VFA concentration compared with Mon. These results indicate that in vitro GP and DMD of a high-grain diet varied with source and dose of yeast supplementation. Some yeast products have the potential to improve fermentation of feedlot diets when supplemented at appropriate doses.

Impact of upper respiratory tract infections on perioperative outcomes of children undergoing therapeutic cardiac catheterisation

BACKGROUND

Recent upper respiratory tract infection (URI) is associated with increased incidence of perioperative complications in children undergoing open heart surgery. As a result, surgery is often postponed. However, the effect of recent URI on the incidence of perioperative complications in children undergoing therapeutic cardiac catheterisation is unknown. We investigated the perioperative outcomes of congenital heart disease (CHD) children with recent URI who underwent elective therapeutic catheterisation.

METHODS

We prospectively included children treated for CHD. Before surgery, parents or legal guardians were interviewed to complete a questionnaire on the child's demographics, history of asthma and passive smoking, and URI symptoms. Recorded perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs) included laryngospasm, bronchospasm, breath holding, oxygen desaturation, and severe cough. Information on postoperative dysphoria, fever, copious sputum, and vomiting was obtained by telephone 24 h after surgery.

RESULTS

Of 363 included children, 169 had recently (within 2 weeks) had a URI. The URI did not affect the incidence of laryngospasm, bronchospasm, breath holding, fever, or vomiting. The incidence of desaturation, severe cough, dysphoria, and copious sputum were significantly increased. Independent risk factors for PRAEs in children with a recent URI included age, passive smoking, and presence of rhinorrhoea or moist cough. The lengths of stay in the hospital and intensive care unit were not significantly different between groups.

CONCLUSION

Although recent URI increased the incidence of PRAEs in children undergoing therapeutic cardiac catheterisation, most CHD patients with recent URI can undergo elective therapeutic cardiac catheterisation without serious adverse events or prolonged hospitalisation.

Sleep Quality and Related Psychosocial Variables Among Renal Transplant Patients

BACKGROUND

Several studies have examined sleep quality in the post renal transplant population of China, but few studies have actually confirmed the related psychosocial variables of sleep quality in renal transplant recipients with home care.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates sleep quality and its related psychosocial variables among renal transplant patients.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study using a convenient sampling approach. Self-report questionnaires were applied to 485 renal transplant patients. All participants completed the General Data Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Self-Rating Depression Scale, the Three-Dimensional Inventory of Character Strengths, and the Flourishing Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 438 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis. The global PSQI score was 5.86 (SD, 3.20), significantly lower than the norm; 128 (29.2%) recipients were classified as having poor sleep quality (global PSQI > 7). In the component score of PSQI, sleep onset latency was the highest; the others from high to low are sleep disturbance, daytime dysfunction, subjective sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep duration, and use of hypnotic medication. A total of 19.6% reported sleeping fewer than 6 hours a night, 64.8% reported that they had to get up to use the bathroom, and 50.0% woke up in the middle of the night or early morning at least 1 night per week in the past month. Significant differences in the PSQI scores were observed in renal transplant patients of different sex, age, residence, career, length of post-renal transplant period, comorbidity, kidney function, and depressive symptoms (P < .05). The PSQI scores were positively correlated with depression (Self-Rating Depression Scale) (P < .01) but negatively correlated with inquisitiveness (Three-Dimensional Inventory of Character Strengths-inquisitiveness) and psychological well-being (Flourishing Scale) (P < .01).

CONCLUSION

The sleep quality of renal transplant patients was lower than that of the general population. Character strengths and well-being can increase the level of sleep quality in renal transplant patients. Psychosocial intervention is necessary for improving the sleep quality of renal transplant recipients in China.

Accurate prediction of Gram-negative bacterial secreted protein types by fusing multiple statistical features from PSI-BLAST profile

Gram-negative bacterial secreted proteins play different roles in invaded eukaryotic cells and cause various diseases. Prediction of Gram-negative bacterial secreted protein types is a meaningful and challenging task. In this paper, we develop a multiple statistical features extraction model based on the dipeptide composition (DPC) descriptor and the detrended moving-average auto-cross-correlation analysis (DMACA) descriptor by PSI-BLAST profile. A 610-dimensional feature vector was constructed on the training set, and the feature extraction model was denoted DPC-DMACA-PSSM. A support vector machine was then selected as a classifier, and the bias-free jackknife test method was used for evaluating the accuracy. Our predictor achieves favourable performance for overall accuracy on the test set and also outperforms the other published approaches. The results show that our approach offers a reliable tool for the identification of Gram-negative bacterial secreted protein types.

Chronic sun exposure is associated with distinct histone acetylation changes in human skin

BACKGROUND

Photoageing is attributed to continuous sunlight or artificial ultraviolet exposure and manifests as clinical and histological changes in skin. Epigenetic changes have been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of photoageing. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To analyse histone modification patterns in sun-exposed and nonexposed skin, and to identify the abnormally histone-modified genes related to photoageing.

METHODS

Skin biopsies were collected from both the outer forearm (sun-exposed area) and the buttock (sun-protected area) in 20 healthy middle-aged female volunteers. Global histone H3/H4 acetylation and H3K4/H3K9 methylation statuses were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression levels of histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases were measured by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot. Chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with DNA microarray (ChIP-chip) assay with anti-acetyl-histone H3 antibody in a sun-exposed pool (combining six sun-exposed skin samples) and a nonexposed pool (combining six nonexposed skin samples) was conducted to explore the abnormally acetylated histone H3 genes related to photoageing; ChIP-qPCR was then used to verify the results of ChIP-chip.

RESULTS

We observed higher global histone H3 acetylation levels increased EP300 and decreased HDAC1 and SIRT1 expression in sun-exposed skin compared with matched nonexposed skin. Furthermore, the ChIP-chip assay showed that 227 genes displayed significant hyperacetylation of histone H3, and 81 genes displayed significant hypoacetylation of histone H3 between the two groups. Histone H3 acetylation levels on the promoters of PDCD5, ITIH5, MMP1 and AHR were positively correlated with the mRNA expression of the corresponding gene.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic sun exposure-induced histone H3 hyperacetylation may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of skin photoageing.

Role of Functional IFNL4, IFNLR1, IFNA, IFNAR2 Polymorphisms in Hepatitis B virus-related liver disease in Han Chinese population

Recent studies show that variants in some interferon genes together with interferon receptor genes are associated with the outcome of infectious diseases. We examined the association between the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease and the functional polymorphisms within IFNL4, IFNLR1, IFNA1, IFNA2, IFNA5 and IFNAR2 genes (14 loci in all) in a Han Chinese population. A total of 3128 people participated and were divided into 5 groups: healthy controls, natural clearance, chronic hepatitis B(CHB), liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Significant associations were observed for 4 variants in IFNAR2, IFNLR1 with HBV infection, and IFNLR1-rs4649203 was associated with HBV recovery. Moreover, we demonstrated the clear relevance of 5 polymorphisms in IFNA1, IFNA2, IFNL4 with HCC. Three SNPs in IFNL4 gene may be important susceptible factors for the progression of HBV-related liver disease by trend chi-square test. The IFNL4 haplotype conformed by rs12971396_G, rs8113007_T and rs7248668A was more frequent in HCC than CHB and LC group. Three polymorphisms in the 5' region of the IFNL4 gene are associated with the progression of HBV-related liver disease. IFNA1- rs1831583 and IFNA2- rs649053 are associated with the development of HCC. IFNLR1- rs4649203, rs7525481 are predictors for HBV infection, and rs4649203 is a predictor of spontaneous clearance. IFNAR2 -rs1051393, rs12233338 may be predictive markers of HBV infection in the Chinese population.

Linker design for the modular assembly of multifunctional and targeted platinum(ii)-containing anticancer agents

A versatile and efficient modular synthetic platform was developed for assembling multifunctional conjugates and targeted forms of platinum-(benz)acridines, a class of highly cytotoxic DNA-targeted hybrid agents. The synthetic strategy involved amide coupling between succinyl ester-modified platinum compounds (P1, P2) and a set of 11 biologically relevant primary and secondary amines (N1-N11). To demonstrate the feasibility and versatility of the approach, a structurally and functionally diverse range of amines was introduced. These include biologically active molecules, such as rucaparib (a PARP inhibitor), E/Z-endoxifen (an estrogen receptor antagonist), and a quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Micro-scale reactions in Eppendorf tubes or on 96-well plates were used to screen for optimal coupling conditions in DMF solution with carbodiimide-, uronium-, and phosphonium-based compounds, as well as other common coupling reagents. Reactions with the phosphonium-based coupling reagent PyBOP produced the highest yields and gave the cleanest conversions. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the chemistry can also be performed in aqueous media and is amenable to parallel synthesis based on multiple consecutive reactions in DMF in a "one-tube" format. In-line LC-MS was used to assess the stability of the conjugates in physiologically relevant buffers. Hydrolysis of the conjugates occurs at the ester moiety and is facilitated by the aquated metal moiety under low-chloride ion conditions. The rate of ester cleavage greatly depends on the nature of the amine component. Potential applications of the linker technology are discussed.

Thermotolerant hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzymes from Eupenicillium parvum 4-14 display high efficiency upon release of ferulic acid from wheat bran

AIMS

To characterize the hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzymes from novel fungi, and evaluate the potential of novel enzyme system in releasing ferulic acid (FA) from biomass resource.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzyme-producing fungus 4-14 was isolated from soil by Congo red staining method, and identified as Eupenicillium parvum based on the morphologic and molecular phylogenetic analysis. The optimum temperature of fungal growth was 37°C. Hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzymes were produced by this fungus in solid-state fermentation (SSF), and their maximum activities were 554, 385, 218, 2·62 and 5·25 U g(-1) for CMCase, xylanase, β-glucosidase, FPase and FAE respectively. These enzymes displayed the best catalytic ability at low pH values (pH 4·5-5·0). The optimum temperatures were 70°C, 70°C, 75°C and 55°C for CMCase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and FAE respectively. CMCase, xylanase and FAE were stable at different pHs or high temperature (60°C). Enzymatic hydrolysis experiment indicated that the maximum (76·8 ± 4)% of total alkali-extractable FA was released from de-starched wheat bran by the fungal enzyme system.

CONCLUSIONS

High activities of thermotolerant CMCase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and FAE were produced by the newly isolated fungus E. parvum 4-14 in SSF. The fungal enzyme system displayed high efficiency at releasing FA from wheat bran.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides a new fungal strain for researches of novel hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzymes and will improve the bioconversion and utilization of agricultural by-products.

Comprehensive Sclerotinia Stem Rot Screening of Soybean Germplasm Requires Multiple Isolates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum population variability directly affects Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) resistance breeding programs. In the north-central United States, however, soybean germplasm selection has often involved only a single isolate. Forty-four S. sclerotiorum isolates from Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Poland, and across 11 different host species were evaluated for variation in isolate in vitro growth, in vitro oxalate production, and in planta aggressiveness on the susceptible soybean 'Williams 82'. Significant differences (P < 0.0001) were detected in isolate in planta aggressiveness, in vitro growth, and in vitro oxalate production. Furthermore, diverse isolate characteristics were observed within all hosts and locations of collection. Aggressiveness was not correlated to colony growth and was only weakly correlated (r = 0.26, P < 0.0001) to isolate oxalate production. In addition, the host or location of collection did not explain isolate aggressiveness. Isolate oxalic acid production, however, may be partially explained by the host (P < 0.05) and location (P < 0.01) of collection. Using a representative subset of nine S. sclerotiorum isolates and soybean genotypes exhibiting susceptible or resistant responses (determined using a single isolate), a significant interaction (P = 0.04) was detected between isolates and genotypes when SSR severity was evaluated. Our findings suggest that screening of S. sclerotiorum-resistant soybean germplasm should be performed with multiple isolates to account for the overall diversity of S. sclerotiorum isolates found throughout the soybean-growing regions of the United States.

Effect of Propionibacterium freudenreichii in diets containing rapeseed or flaxseed oil on in vitro ruminal fermentation, methane production and fatty acid biohydrogenation

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of inoculating Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii ATCC 8262 (1 × 109 colony-forming units per vial) in a barley silage-based diet supplemented with flaxseed oil or rapeseed oil (60 g/kg DM), on in vitro proportions and yield of volatile fatty acids, methane production and fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation. Total volatile fatty acid production (mM) and proportions of individual FAs were not affected (P ≥ 0.10) by P. freudenreichii. Similarly, propionibacteria had little impact on FA biohydrogenation, resulting only in an increased accumulation (P < 0.01) of C18:1 cis-15 (g/kg total FA) at 6 h of incubation, compared with the control (CON). Compared with the CON, an increased (P < 0.01) accumulation of vaccenic acid was observed at 48 h in all oil-containing treatments, regardless of the oil type. Similarly, the apparent biohydrogenation of flaxseed oil resulted in an increased (P ≤ 0.04) accumulation of conjugated linoleic acid cis-9, trans-11, compared with all other treatments. Additionally, flaxseed oil produced a greater (P ≤ 0.01) accumulation of beneficial biohydrogenation intermediates (C18:2 trans-11, cis-15; C18:1 cis-15 and vaccenic acid), reflecting its ability to produce a more desirable FA profile than that of rapeseed oil or CON. The inability of P. freudenreichii subsp. shermanii ATCC 8262 to alter ruminal fermentation in a manner that lowered methane production, along with only minor effects on FA profiles through biohydrogenation, suggests that the biological activity of this strain was not realised under in vitro batch-culture conditions.

Evaluation of Magnetized-Erythrocyte Group Antigens to Detect ABO Antibodies

Screening for IgM titers of anti-A and anti-B is recommended when providing ABO incompatible platelet transfusion. The life-time of reagent cells depends upon the preservative diluents. We aimed to evaluate the IgM titers of anti-A and anti-B testing with magnetized-erythrocyte group antigens (MEGA) and fresh RBCs and study the relationship of ABO antibody titers between both techniques. Altogether, 100 serum samples from group O donors at the National Blood Centre, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand were included. EDTA blood from three different A and B blood group individuals was prepared as fresh reagent RBCs and MEGA. Each serum sample was tested simultaneously for IgM anti-A and anti-B titers using fresh RBCs and MEGA by standard tube technique. Antibody titers were compared between both techniques. Test for reproducibility and stability of MEGA were performed. The IgM anti-A and anti-B titers using fresh RBCs yielded higher agglutination scores than MEGA (P < 0.001). However, a good correlation was obtained in the agglutination titers (anti-A, r = 0.838 and anti-B, r = 0.877). The mean and standard deviation of anti-A and anti-B titers using MEGA from five sera in triplicate showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Moreover, the titer test results using MEGA after dilution remained stable up to 8 h. The MEGA can be used as a replacement for fresh RBCs to perform ABO serum grouping. It is simple to use, avoids centrifugation and provides good results in terms of stability and reproducibility.

Effects of temperature variation between neighbouring days on daily hospital visits for childhood asthma: a time-series analysis

OBJECTIVES

To identify the relationship between temperature variation between neighbouring days (TVN) and hospital visits for childhood asthma in age- and sex-specific groups.

STUDY DESIGN

An ecological design was used to explore the effect of TVN on hospital visits for childhood asthma.

METHODS

A Poisson generalised linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to analyse the association between TVN and hospital visits for childhood asthma. All hospital visits for childhood asthma from June 2010 to July 2013 were included (n = 17,022). Daily climate data were obtained from Hefei Meteorological Bureau.

RESULTS

A significant correlation was found between TVN and hospital visits for childhood asthma in age- and sex-specific groups. For different gender groups, the effect of TVN on childhood asthma was the greatest at 3 and 5 days lag for males and females. For different age groups, the effect of TVN on childhood asthma was the greatest at 1 and 5 days lag for 0-4 years and 5-14 years children, respectively. A 1 °C increase in TVN was associated with a 4.2% (95% confidence interval 0.9-7.6%) increase in hospital visits for childhood asthma.

CONCLUSIONS

TVN is associated with hospital visits for childhood asthma. Once the temperature change rapidly, guardians will be urged to pay more attention to their children's health, which may reduce the morbidity of childhood asthma.