Radiotherapy for Primary Tracheal Carcinoma: Experience at a Single Institution

Background:

There is limited understanding of tracheal carcinoma (TC) because of its rarity. We examined the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) for patients with primary TC.

Methods:

We analyzed the records of 32 patients with primary TC who received RT at our center between November 1996 and December 2016.

Results:

Thirteen patients received adjuvant RT and 18 received definitive RT. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR) after definitive RT. Among all patients, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 46.9% and the locoregional progression free survival (LRPFS) rate was 68.1%. Univariate analysis indicated the 5-year OS was better in those with adenoid cystic adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.001); the 5-year LRPFS was better in patients who received surgical resection than those who did not (92.9% vs 46.4%, P = 0.013) and in patients who received postoperative RT than in those who received definitive RT (91.7% vs 50.1%, P = 0.038). A sub-group univariate analysis indicated the 5-year PFS was better for those who received at least 68 Gy of radiation (44.4% vs 13.0%, P = 0.044). Patients who achieved CR had a better 5-year PFS than those who did not (57.1% vs 10%, P = 0.006). No patients had a toxicity of grade 3 or more.

Conclusions:

Adjuvant and definitive RT are safe and effective treatments for TC. Patients who received dosages of 68 Gy or more and who had complete tumor regression following definitive RT seemed to have better long-term survival.

A novel C-type lectin from Crassostrea gigas involved in the innate defense against Vibrio alginolyticus

C-type lectins (CTLs) are important immune molecules that participate in invertebrate defense response. In the present work, a novel structural CTL (CgLec-4E) was identified from Crassostrea gigas, which encodes 237 amino acids (aa) with an extra long chain of aa and in the C-type CRD domain with EPA, QPG and WHD mutated motifs respectively. rCgLec-4E could agglutinate and inhibit the growth of Vibrio alginolyticus, except Chlorella, which might be relevant to three mutated motifs. CgLec-4E was mainly expressed in digestive gland, and its expression level was significantly up-regulated post V. alginolyticus challenge, indicating that the high expression of CgLec-4E could provide necessary mucosal immune protections and might involve in food particle recognition for C. gigas. Moreover, the subcellular locations indicated that CgLec-4E might play different roles in the immune response. Taken together, our results enrich our understanding of the structures and function of CTLs in invertebrates.

Combination of Gemcitabine and Thymosin alpha 1 exhibit a better anti-tumor effect on nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NNKTL) is an aggressive and poor prognostic malignant tumor along with high-level infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Gemcitabine (Gem) and Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) exert an anti-tumor effect in various cancers. However, the effect of the combination of Gem and Tα1 in NNKTL remains unknown.

METHODS

SNK6 cells were treated with Gem, Tα1 and Gem plus Tα1 for 48 h. The expression levels of EBV and inflammatory factors were measured by qRT-PCR assay. The effect of Gem and Tα1 on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy was detected by CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, autophagic flux measurement, respectively. Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis and autophagy. In vivo xenograft models were used to further verify the roles of Gem and Tα1. Tumors were removed for weight measurement, H&E and IHC staining.

RESULTS

We identified that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Gem and Tα1 was 116.5 μmol/ml and 1.334 μmol/ml. Alone or combined administration of Gem and Tα1 dramatically attenuated the EBV viral load and promoted inflammatory factors expression in SNK6 cells, among which the combination of Gem and Tα1 treatment showed the most significant effect. Besides, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 markedly inhibited cell growth and EMT progress, and enhanced apoptosis and autophagy. Similarly, Gem combined with Tα1 suppressed tumor growth, promoted apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Additionally, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

CONCLUSION

In summary, combination administration of Gem and Tα1 suppressed the progression of NNKTL in vivo and in vitro. Our study provided an effective therapeutic strategy potentially for the clinical treatment of NNKTL.

Myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm with CEP110-FGFR1 fusion: An analysis of 16 cases show common features and poor prognosis

Objectives: The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is an extremely rare, generally aggressive haematologic malignancies. This study provided the clinical outcomes and therapeutic strategies for EMS patients confirmed with CEP110-FGFR1 fusion. Methods: We report here a case of translocation (8;9) (p12;q33)/CEP110-FGFR1 who received allo-HSCT and achieved molecular remission. We searched the PubMed database for relevant medical literatures published between 1992 and 2018. We generalized the laboratory results, clinical features, therapeutic outcomes for EMS with confirmed CEP110-FGFR1 fusion. Results: We identified 16 EMS cases with CEP110-FGFR1 fusions including our patient. The observed common syndrome features were characterized as follows: a male predominance, fatigue (35.7%), tonsil hypertrophy (41.7%), lymphadenopathy (53.8%), hepatosplenomegaly (54.5%). leukocytosis (greater than 20.0 × 10⁹/L, 71.4%), coexisting of eosinophilia and monocytosis (93.3%), and frequent progression to acute leukaemia. High incidence of tonsil hypertrophy and monocytosis may be a feature of EMS with CEP110/FGFR1 fusions. The CR rate for EMS was 23.1%. One patient treated with highly selective FGFR kinase inhibitor, INCB054828, achieved complete molecular remission rapidly. Allo-HSCT was performed in 8 patients. The median survival time for those patients was 9.0 (95%CI 5.599-12.601) months, with a range between 5 and 27 months. Allogeneic HSCT could improve survival in selected patients. Conclusion: FGFR1 and RUNX1 may be potential therapeutic targets for clinical trials. More accumulation of cases is also needed to determine whether allo-HSCT could be an optimal approach.

Preparation, characterization, and pharmacodynamic study on deep second degree burns of total flavonoids composite phospholipids liposome gel of Oxytropis falcata Bunge

Wound healing is the treatment problem after deep second degree (II°) burns. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB/inhibitory factor-κB (NF-κB/IκB) signal pathways play significant role in angiogenesis and wound repair after burns.This study aimed to investigate the preparation, characterization and pharmacodynamics of the total flavonoids composite phospholipids liposome of Oxytropis falcata Bunge (TFOFB-CPL) on deep II° burns to research its biological activity and underlying mechanism. The TFOFB-CPL was prepared by thin-film dispersion method and the preparation process was optimized via central composite design. The TFOFB-CPL was then characterized by using particle size, polydispersity indexes (PDIs), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and morphology. Moerover, in vitro transdermal test and in vivo pharmacodynamic study included wound healing rate, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, masson staning, western blotting and RT-PCR. The results showed that the therapeutic effects of TFOFB-CPL gel on deep II° burns, especially during wound healing were significant. TFOFB-CPL gel has a sustained-release effect during the treatment of deep II° burns with forming drug depot in the dermis layer. The wound healing rate of TFOFB-CPL gel group was near positive group and better than the other groups. TFOFB-CPL gel could promote the growth of epidermis, skin appendages, fibrovascular and collagen fibers, and had obvious anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, TFOFB-CPL gel inhibited the activation of p38MAPK and the degradation of IκBα, and promoted the neonatal wounds during the early stage. Therefore, TFOFB-CPL gel could be considered as a novel preparation for treating deep II° burns.

[Analysis of ASXL1 gene variant in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To detect ASXL1 gene variants among patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and explore their correlation with variants of other genes and clinical features of patients.

METHODS

For 149 patients with MDS, genomic DNA was amplified by PCR and subject to direct sequencing to identify variants of ASXL1, U2AF1, SF3B1, DNMT3A, TET2, IDH1/2, NPM1, FLT3-ITD and C-KIT genes.

RESULTS

ASXL1 variants were found among 37 patients (24.8%). Other commonly mutated genes included U2AF1 (22.8%), TET2 (11.4%), DNMT3A (9.4%), NPM1 (8.1%) and SF3B1 (6.0%). The frequency of concurrent U2AF1 and TET2 variants among patients with ASXL1 variants was slightly higher than that of wild-type patients. No significant difference was found in median age, MDS subtype, karyotype, peripheral leukocytes, hemoglobin, platelet levels, and bone marrow blast counts between the ASXL1-variant and the wild-type groups (P> 0.05). Twenty-nine patients harboring ASXL1 variants were followed up, 37.9% progressed to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The rate of transformation in ASXL1-variant group was significantly higher than the wild-type group (37.9% vs. 14.1%, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSION

ASXL1 showed a high frequency of variant among MDS patients, which was frequently accompanied with U2AF1 and TET2 variants. Compared with the wild type group, patients with ASXL1 variants were more likely to progress to AML.

Preparation and anti-Raji lymphoma efficacy of a novel pH sensitive and magnetic targeting nanoparticles drug delivery system

BACKGROUND

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogeneous class of cancers that arises in lymph nodes or other lymphatic tissues, which causes many deaths worldwide and its incidence is increasing.

METHODS

In this study, a pH-responsive DMSA-Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) covalently connect with ADM and As₂O₃ as a drug delivery system was invented to discuss the anticancer efficacy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cell line--Raji.

RESULTS

Detailedly, according to the chelation of ADM and Fe²⁺, the release rate of ADM was accelerated in acidic environment, and slowed down/blocked in neutral environment. The inhibitory effect to induce apoptosis of Fe₃O₄/As₂O₃+Doxil on Raji cells was obvious compared with that of single-drug group. Furthermore, the expression of Bcl-2 gene in Raji cells was suppressed under the action of MNPs.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the novel pH-responsive MNPs was proven to be a promising synergistic form of magnetic targeted drugs for clinical treatment of human Raji lymphoma.

[Coexisting mutations in NPM1-mutated elderly adults with acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To explore the coexisting mutations in NPM1 mutated elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML). Methods: The clinical data of 152 elderly adults(aged≥60 years) and 49 young adults(aged 18-45 years) with AML between June 2013 and December 2018 in outpatient and hospitalized patients of Changzhou Second People's Hospital and Wuxi Second People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 51 gene mutations were detected using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and sanger sequencing. The general clinical characteristics, the occurrence of coexistence gene mutations, the correlation between coexistence gene mutations and some clinical parameters, and the initial induction remission rate between elderly and young adult AML patients with NPM1 mutations were analyzed and compared. Results: NPM1 mutations were detected in 46 of 152 elderly AML patients. Thirty eight patients (82.6%) with NPM1 mutations carried other gene mutations at the same time, among whom 8 patients (17.4%) carried NPM1 mutations alone, while 14(30.4%) carried 2, 16 (34.8%) carried 3, and 8 (17.4%) carried ≥ 4 mutations. NPM1 mutations frequently co-occurred with FLT3-ITD15 cases (32.6%) , DNMT3A10 (21.7%) , TET26 (13.4%) and FLT3-TKD5 (10.9%) . Compared with young adults with NPM1 mutations, elderly patients had higher TP53, FLT3-TKD rates, lower incidence of DNMT3A, RAS mutation (all P<0.05) and lower coexistence rate of 4 gene mutations (P=0.002).The presence of ≥ 4 mutations was found to be significantly associated with higher white blood level than those in patients with single, double and 3 mutations coexisted in elderly adults AML patients(all P<0.05). With the increase of the amount of mutations, the complete remission(CR) rate decreased gradually after the initial induction. Patients who carried 3 or more mutations showed a lower CR rate than those with single gene mutations (all P<0.05) . Patients who carried>4 genes also showed a significantly lower CR rate than those with double gene mutations (P=0.031). Patients with FLT3-ITD mutations exhibited higher white blood level and lower CR rate than that in nonmutant type group (all P<0.05). The CR rate of patients with DNMT3A mutation was also significantly lower than that with nonmutant type (P=0.033). However, patients with FLT3-TKD mutations showed a higher platelet level than that with nonmutant type (P=0.019). There was no significant difference in CR rate and peripheral blood cell level between TET2 mutated and nonmutant type. Conclusion: NPM1 mutated elderly patients with AML commonly show additional mutations, and the amount and type of coexisting mutations have an influence on the clinical features and CR rate of elderly patients with AML.

[Mutation analysis of 77 patients with normal-karyotype myelodysplastic syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To carry out mutation analysis for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and a normal karyotype.

METHODS

Targeted capture and next-generation sequencing (NGS) was carried out using a customized 49-gene panel. FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), CALR, NPM1 and CEBPA mutations were detected by PCR and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients (80.5%) were found to harbor at least one mutation. Each patient has carried 2.21 mutations in average. Coexistence of ≥ 3 mutations was common (43.7%). The most commonly mutated genes were RUNX1 (23.4%, 18/77), ASXL1 (18.2%, 14/77), NPM1 (15.6%, 12/77), U2AF1 (15.6%, 12/77), DNMT3A (11.7%, 9/77). Patients with SF3B1 mutations were significantly older than those with ASXL1 mutations (P=0.023). Mutations of the DNMT3A gene were significantly associated with the blood platelet level compared with BCOR mutations (P=0.02). No significant difference was found in the number and rate of mutations between those under or above 60-year-old. Among 67 patients with clinical follow-up, 20 (29.8%) has transformed to acute myeloid leukemia, and the time of transformation has ranged from 1 to 44 months, with a average of 5.3 months. RUNX1, U2AF1 and FLT3 mutations are associated with leukemic transformation.

CONCLUSION

Coexistence of ≥ 3 mutations are frequent among patients with normal-karyotype MDS. Certain mutations are associated with age and leukemic transformation.

In Situ Growth of Metal-Organic Frameworks in Three-Dimensional Aligned Lumen Arrays of Wood for Rapid and Highly Efficient Organic Pollutant Removal

Organic contaminants in water have become one of the most serious environmental problems worldwide. Adsorption is one of the most promising approaches to remove organic pollutants from water. However, the existing adsorbents have relatively low removal efficiency, complex preparation processes, and high cost, which limit their practical applications. Here, we developed three-dimensional (3D) zirconium metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) encapsulated in a natural wood membrane (UiO-66/wood membrane) for highly efficient organic pollutant removal from water. UiO-66 MOFs were in situ grown in the 3D low-tortuosity wood lumens by a facile solvothermal strategy. The resulting UiO-66/wood membrane contains the highly mesoporous UiO-66 MOF structure as well as many elongated and open lumens along the direction of the wood growth. Such a unique structural feature improves the mass transfer of organic pollutants and increases the contact probability of organic contaminants with UiO-66 MOFs as the water flows through the membrane, thereby improving the removal efficiency. Furthermore, the integrated multilayer filter consisting of three pieces of UiO-66/wood membranes exhibits a high removal efficiency (96.0%) for organic pollutants such as rhodamine 6G, propranolol, and bisphenol A at the flux of 1.0 × 10³ L·m^-2·h^-1. The adsorbed capacity of UiO-66/wood for Rh6G (based on the content of UiO-66 MOFs) is calculated to be 690 mg·g^-1. We believe that such low-cost and scalable production of the UiO-66/wood membrane has broad applications for wastewater treatment and other related pollutant removal.

Psychological Capital and Perceived Professional Benefits: Testing the Mediating Role of Perceived Nursing Work Environment Among Chinese Nurses

The current descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to explore the mediating role of perceived nursing work environment (PNWE) in the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived professional benefits among Chinese nurses. Participants (N = 351) working in two large general hospitals in Guangdong, China completed self-report questionnaires from March to May 2017. Linear regression analyses and structural equation modeling were performed to explore the mediating effect. PsyCap (particularly for hope and optimism) had a positive effect on perceived professional benefits, and PNWE was a mediator in this relationship among Chinese nurses. A good working environment can be regarded as a mediator variable, increasing staff's competence and sense of belonging to a team. For successful implementation, nurse managers should use effective strategies to increase nurses' confidence and hope while providing a comfortable work environment. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(4), 38-47.].

Molecular characterization and expression of interleukin-10 and interleukin-22 in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) in response to Streptococcus agalactiae stimulus

In the present study, members of the interleukin (IL)-10 family of cytokines, including IL-10 (TOIL-10) and IL-22 (TOIL-22) of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), were cloned for the first time, and their expression patterns and 3D structures analyzed. The full-length cDNA sequences of TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 contained open reading frames of 564 and 567 bp, respectively. TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 shared higher homology (78%-89%) with the corresponding genes from various fish relative to other species (25%-34%) and contained the IL-10 family signature and four cysteine residues that are well conserved in other vertebrate IL-10 members. Phylogenetic tree analysis of our sequences alongside other IL-10 family proteins revealed that TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 cluster together with other teleost IL-10 and IL-22 molecules. Expression of TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 genes was ubiquitous in all tissues examined. The TOIL-10 gene was also highly expressed in skin, heart, gill, spleen, kidney, brain and liver, and lower levels were detected in intestine and muscle. High expression of the TOIL-22 gene was observed in gill, intestine, kidney, spleen, with the lowest levels in liver. TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 were rapidly activated after SAΔphoB immunization and significantly increased to peak levels at 12 h and 4 d in golden pompano kidney and spleen respectively following challenge. Expression in the brain reached peak levels at 4 d and 3 d respectively after post-immunization. Our results collectively indicate that TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 participate in the host immune response to bacterial infection. Moreover, TOIL-22 plays a potentially important role in mucosal immunity.

Construction of a Streptococcus agalactiae phoB mutant and evaluation of its potential as an attenuated modified live vaccine in golden pompano, Trachinotus ovatus

Streptococcus agalactiae is a Gram-positive pathogen that can survive inside professional phagocytes and nonphagocytic cells to cause septicemia and meningoencephalitis in freshwater and marine fish. However, vaccines based on extracellular products (ECP) and formalin-killed whole S. agalactiae cells, as well as subunit vaccine are unable to protect fish from infection by variant serotypes S. agalactiae. The search for live attenuated vaccine with highly conserved and virulent-related genes is essential for producing a vaccine to help understand and control streptococcosis In this study, the phoB gene was cloned from pathogenic S. agalactiae TOS01 strain and the mutant strain SAΔphoB was constructed via allelic exchange mutagenesis. The results showed that the deduced amino acid of S. agalactiae TOS01 shares high similarities with other Streptococcus spp. and has high conserved response regulator receiver domain (REC) and DNA-binding effector domain of two-component system response regulators (Trans_reg_C). Cell adherence and invasion assays, challenge experiments and histopathological changes post-vaccination were performed and observed, the results showed that the mutant strain SAΔphoB has a lower adherence and invasion rate and less virulent than the wild type strain in golden pompano, and it doesn't induce clinical symptoms and obvious pathological changes in golden pompano, thereby indicating that the deletion of phoB affects the virulence and infectious capacity of S. agalactiae. Golden pompano vaccinated via intraperitoneal injection SAΔphoB had the relative percent survival value of 93.1% after challenge with TOS01, demonstrating its high potential as an effective attenuated live vaccine candidate. Real-time PCR assays showed that the SAΔphoB was able to enhance the expression of immune-related genes, including MHC-I, MyD88, IL-22 and IL-10 after vaccination, indicating that the SAΔphoB is able to induce humoral and cell-mediated immune response in golden pompano over a long period of time.

[Efficacy of semicircular canal occlusion in the treatment of stage 3 or 4 Ménière's disease]

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of semicircular canal occlusion in the treatment of intractable Ménière's disease in stage 3 or 4.Method:Retrospective analysis of clincal date of twenty-nine patients who were referred to our institute and diagonsed with Ménière's disease. According to the preoperative staging of hearing, there were 12 cases in stage 3 and 17 cases in stage 4, and all patients underwent semicircular canal occlusion. The preoperative and postoperative frequency of vertigo, hearing, caloric test, functional level and tinnitus level were compared. Postoperative following-up period was 6-23 months, with an average of 13 months.Result:Postoperatively, vertigo was controlled effectively in all 29 cases, of which 26 cases(89.7%) were completely controlled and 3 cases(10.3%) were basic controlled. The hearing stabilized in 25 cases(86.2%), worse in 2 cases(6.9%) and improved in 2 cases(6.9%). The semicircular canal function of all patients were in low status by caloric test. The rate of tinnitus relief and functional improvement was 41.4%(12/29) and 96.6%(28/29).Conclusion:Semicircular canal occlusion is an effective measure for treatment of Ménière's disease in stage 3 or stage 4, especially in controlling vertigo and improving functional level, but the long-term follow-up is necessary.

Osteoblast differentiation of rabbit adipose-derived stem cells by polyethylenimine-mediated BMP-2 gene transfection in vitro

The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of polyethylenimine-mediated transfection of the human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene into rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), and its effect on osteoblast differentiation. Adipose tissue was isolated from the necks of adult Japanese white rabbits and cultured in vitro to obtain ADSCs. Gene delivery of BMP-2 was mediated by polyethylenimine and stable transformants were selected by G-418. The expression of BMP-2 mRNA was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and of the BMP-2 protein by ELISA. Osteocalcin and collagen type I were detected by western blot and by an alkaline phosphatase kit. Alizarin red S stain was also utilized to examine osteogenesis. The non-transfected group was considered as a control. In this study, we successfully derived ADSCs from rabbit adipose tissue. Through passages 3-6, the expression of CD29 and CD44 gradually increased, whereas the expression of CD34 and CD45 gradually decreased. Both mRNA and protein expression of BMP-2 were confirmed following polyethylenimine-mediated BMP-2 gene delivery. In addition, the expression of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and collagen type I was found to be upregulated and alizarin red S staining was positive in transfected ADSCs, indicating BMP-2-induced osteogenesis. Therefore, this study determined that polyethylenimine was able to mediate BMP-2 gene delivery and induce osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs.

A g-C3N4/rGO nanocomposite as a highly efficient metal-free photocatalyst for direct C–H arylation under visible light irradiation

A metal-free highly efficient sandwich structured g-C₃N₄/rGO photocatalyst for direct C–H arylation under visible light irradiation has been reported.

[To study the effect of intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on sudden deafness]

Objective:To observe the efficacy of intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on the treatment of sudden deafness.Method:One hundred and forty-nine patients diagnosed as sudden deafness were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group. The control group was treated with the conventional medication and methylprednisolone(0.5 ml)+0.9%NaCl(0.5 ml), once every three days for two weeks. The observation group was added with mouse nerve growth factor(0.5 ml) once every three days for two weeks.Result:The total effective rate in the observation group of hearing, tinnitus and vertigo were respective 93.4%, 77.8%,85.2%, which were higher than 80.8%, 63.0%, 67.2%.in the control group.And the differences between them had statistical significance(P< 0.05).Conclusion:Effect of the intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on the treatment of sudden deafness is obvious, which can effectively improve hearing level, and relieve tinnitus and vertigo.

Characterization and identification of streptococci from golden pompano in China

Streptococcal infections cause significant mortality and high economic losses in the fish farm industry worldwide, including in the culture of golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus L., a species gaining popularity in China. A total of 9 streptococcal strains were isolated from cage-cultured diseased golden pompano in Beihai, Zhanjing, and Shenzhen, China, between 2012 and 2014. Conventional and rapid identification systems were used to determine that the isolates were Streptococcus agalactiae, S. iniae, and S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae. All isolates were gram-positive cocci cells in pairs or short-chain, non-motile, catalase negative, α or β hemolytic cocci. The results of multiplex PCR assays and 16S rRNA BLAST analysis also showed that the β hemolytic strains were S. agalactiae and S. iniae and the α hemolytic strain was S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae, respectively. Pathogenicity assays revealed that S. agalactiae (lethal dose [LD50]: 6.38 × 10(4) CFU ml(-1)) was more virulent for golden pompano than S. iniae (LD50: 1.47 × 10(7) CFU ml(-1)) and S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae (LD50: 2.57 × 10(6) CFU ml(-1)) when they were challenged by intraperiotoneal (i.p.) injection. The results of antibiotic susceptibility showed that all strains were extremely susceptible to cefradine, erythromycin, and cefotaxime but resistant to gentamicin, penicillin G, novobiocin, neomycin, ciprofloxacin, roxithromycin, furazolidone, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, kanamycin, ampicillin, tetracycline, and vancomycin This is the first report of a phenomenon of golden pompano coinfection with S. agalactiae and S. iniae, which will contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of streptococcicosis.

Ratiometric electrochemical immunoassay based on internal reference value for reproducible and sensitive detection of tumor marker

A ratiometric assay in an electrochemical immunosensor for tumor marker, herein carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was chosen as a model analyte, was developed to improve simplicity and accuracy. The immunosensor was fabricated via the simple expedient way of using Polythionine-gold (PTh-Au) as electrode modified material to be an internal reference signal and K3[Fe(CN)6] in electrolyte as an indicator signal. When the CEA was fixed on the modified electrode via immunoreaction, only the indicator signal sensitively altered; by contrast, the internal reference signal of PTh-Au remained constant at a suitable pH of the electrolyte. The ratio between the alterations of the indicator signal of K3[Fe(CN)6] and the constant internal reference signal can be used to monitor the concentration of CEA reliably, reproducibly, and sensitively. The prepared ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor could detect CEA with good specificity within a wide linear range from 0.005ng/ml to 40ng/ml with a detection limit of 2.2pg/ml. Additionally, experimental results confirm that our proposed method is practical. Thus, this method can expand to recognize and test other protein markers.