[Implications, spiritual characteristics and practical significance of Chinese schistosomiasis control culture]

The culture of schistosomiasis control is specific in the history of Chinese culture. Broadly speaking, the culture of schistosomiasis control is a summary of specific social mood, social consciousness and material culture created by Chinese populations during the progress of schistosomiasis control since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Narrowly speaking, the culture of schistosomiasis control is the spiritual culture that is jointly created and nurtured by schistosomiasis control workers since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The spiritual features of Chinese schistosomiasis control culture are characterized by the patriotism and care about the people, the matter-to-fact attitude, the pioneering and enterprising spirit, and the spirit of sacrifice and dedication. The ultimate goal of the research on the culture of schistosomiasis control is to facilitate the achievement of the strategic goal of Healthy China 2030 as scheduled, accelerate the progress towards elimination of schistosomiasis, and to promote the sustainable development of schistosomiasis control in China.

[Efficacy of minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration in preterm infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: a multicenter clinical trial]

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Methods: In this multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial, 92 preterm infants with gestation age ≤30 weeks and diagnosed with NRDS were enrolled in 8 level Ⅲ neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region from 1(st) July 2017 to 31(st) December 2018. They were randomly assigned to minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) group or endotracheal intubation surfactant administration (EISA) group according to random number generated by computer. Infants in both groups received calf pulmonary surfactant preparation at a dose of 70-100 mg/kg. The data of demography, perinatal situation, medication administration, complications, clinical outcomes in the two groups were compared with Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test. Results: Among the 92 preterm infants, 53 were males, 39 were females; 47 were in the MISA group (25 males), and 45 were in the EISA group (28 males). The gestational age and birth weight were (29.5±1.2) weeks and (1 271±242) g in all patients, (29.5±1.4) weeks and (1 285±256) g in the MISA group, and (29.6±0.9) weeks and (1 255±227) g in the EISA group. The duration of surfactant infusion and the length of whole procedure in the MISA group were significantly longer than that in the EISA group (60 (18, 270) s vs. 50 (30, 60) s, Z=3.009, P=0.003; 90 (60, 300) s vs. 60 (44, 270) s, Z=3.365, P=0.001). For the outcomes, the incidence of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were lower in the MISA group than in the EISA group (36% (17/47) vs. 67% (30/45), χ(2)=8.556, P=0.003; 26% (12/47) vs. 47% (21/45), χ(2)=4.464, P=0.035). Conclusions: Minimally invasive surfactant administration is applicable in preterm infants ≤30 weeks gestational age with NRDS. Although the length of whole procedure is longer than route endotracheal administration, the benefit of decreasing the incidences of hsPDA and BPD outweighs this demerit.

The role of Sigma-1 receptor agonist in hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury

Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is a ligand-operated protein that modulates activity of various proteins. It is expressed within the endoplasmic reticulum membranes of multiple organs. We examined the role of Sig-1R in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). We studied IRI indicators in Sig-1R-/- mice and compared them with wild-type controls. In addition, we assessed the influence of Sig-1R agonist, fluvoxamine, on IRI in both types of animals. We found that Sig-1R-/- mice exhibited significantly decreased liver damage after hepatic IRI as compared to wild-type mice. This effect was manifested by decreased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (AST), aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and supernatant level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), decreased endothelial glycocalyx shedding indexed by decreased serum levels of heparan sulfate and syndecan-1, slightly improved liver histology and reduced metalloproteinase-9 expression. Furthermore, in comparison to Sig-1R-/- mice, fluvoxamine significantly increased serum levels of AST, ALT, MPO, and LDH in wildtype animals in a dose-dependent manner at 6 h after IRI. Our findings demonstrate that the absence of Sig-1R provides a protective effect during hepatic IRI. Sig-1R-mediated signaling pathways may play distinct roles in IRI in different organs. The dynamic interaction between Sig-1R and other signaling molecules in different organs needs to be examined further.

[Effects of down-regulation of IGF2 gene on the biological characteristics of HCT116 colon cancer stem cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect of down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene on the biological characteristics of HCT116 colon cancer stem cells (CSCs). Methods: Flow cytometry sorting technology was used to isolate CSCs from colon cancer cell line HCT116 by a monoclonal antibody against CD133; serum free floating culture assay was used for the enrichment of CSCs. The proportion of CD133(+) cells was analyzed by flow cytometry; CSCs were identified by sphere culturing, immunofluorescence analysis and soft agar clone formation. RT-qPCR method was used to examine transcriptional level of IGF2 gene in CSCs. Western blotting was used to examine IGF2 protein expression in CSCs. siRNA was used to establish IGF2 transient knock down model in CSCs. Cell proliferation array, cell cycle and apoptosis analysis, cell invasion array and colony forming assay were used to further examine the role of IGF2 on the biological characteristics of colon CSCs. Results: CSCs were successfully isolated from HCT116 cell lines, which were cultured to form cell spheres in serum-free stem cell culture medium. We found that the morphology of sphere-forming-like cells after several passages maintained the same characteristics as that of the first passage. The results of immunofluorescence showed that CSC markers including CD133 and ALDH continued positively expressing on the cell surface of CSCs, and flow cytometry analysis showed that more than 90% of the spheroid cells remained CD133 positive. The clone formation rate of non-CSCs group and CSCs group were (28.10±2.66)% and (43.73±2.30)% respectively, with significant difference (P<0.01). The RT-qPCR results showed that the transcriptional level IGF2 gene in non-CSCs group and CSCs group were (1.06±0.24) and (2.17±0.51) respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). The western blot results showed that the protein expression of IGF2 in CSCs group and non-CSCs group were (1.10±0.55) and (2.14±0.23) respectively, with significant difference (P<0.05). Knockdown of IGF2 significantly decreased the percentage of CD133(+) cells in CSCs and cell proliferation (P<0.01). Knockdown of IGF2 increased the percentage of G(2)/M phase (23.46% of siNC group vs 60.14% of siIGF2 group) and cell apoptosis (2.80% of siNC group vs 40.70% of siIGF2 group), while decreased the percentage of G(0)/G(1) phase (40.77% of siNC group vs 17.73% of siIGF2 group). The invasion results showed that the number of cells penetrating into the basement surface in siNC group and siIGF2 group was (109.00±16.37) and (54.00±8.19) respectively, with significant difference (P<0.01). The rate of sphere-forming of colon CSCs in siNC group and siIGF2 group were (51.70±7.42)% and (21.27±2.35)% respectively, with significant difference (P<0.01). The clone formation rate of siNC group and siIGF2 group were (37.20±3.87)% and (18.23±2.25)% respectively, with significant difference (P<0.01). Conclusion: IGF2 gene plays an important role in maintaining the biological characteristics of colon cancer stem cells and promoting self-renewal and stemness of colon CSCs.

Lactobacillus paracasei Jlus66 extenuate oxidative stress and inflammation via regulation of intestinal flora in rats with non alcoholic fatty liver disease

The nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive liver disease that affects the health of people in an increasing rate. In the current research, we investigated the beneficial effect of a novel probiotic strain L. paracasei Jlus66 (Jlus66) on rats with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. The intestinal flora of rats was analyzed based on V3-V4 region 16S rDNA sequencing. Moreover, we measured the oxidative stress and inflammation factors in the liver using commercial ELISA kit, and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in serum with chromogenic end-point tachypheus amebocyte lysate. Compared with the HFD-induced group, Jlus66 treatment significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the serum (p < 0.05). Additionally, Jlus66 significantly enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver and serum (p < 0.05). Jlus66 administration also reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and inversely increased the interleukin-10 (IL-10) level in serum (p < 0.05). Intestinal flora analysis results showed that Jlus66 can improve intestinal flora structure by increasing the abundance of gram-positive flora such as Firmicutes, and decreasing gram-negative flora such as Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria, and then reduced LPS concentration in the serum. So we concluded that Jlus66 can improve NAFLD by modulating the intestinal flora and followed reduction of oxidative stress (OxS) and inflammation.

Abstract 3624: Improved intratumor drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy in pancreatic cancer by albumin-Cisplatin complex

Background: The tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer is widely known for its abundant stroma and lacking of tumor blood vessels. Many effective therapeutic agents evaluated in vitro failed to show any benefits in vivo due to the inefficient drug delivery into the tumors. Albumin was reported to naturally accumulate in several types of solid tumors including sarcomas, lung cancer, etc. In this study, we systematically investigated the tumor accumulation and penetration of albumin in pancreatic cancer, and evaluated whether albumin could improve the intratumor drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy by albumin-drug complex.

Methods: We prepared a red fluorescence dye (6-TMR)-labeled albumin and studied the tumor accumulation and penetration of albumin in both orthotopic xenograft and the genetically engineered KPC mouse model by in vivo fluorescence imaging and confocal microscope. To further investigate the drug delivery capacity of albumin in pancreatic cancer, we used Cisplatin as a model drug and prepared albumin-Cisplatin complex. Organ and intratumor drug distribution of Cisplatin were measured by ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS imaging, respectively.

Results: Albumin-6-TMR showed tumor-selective accumulation in both orthotopic xenograft and KPC tumors, with about 50-fold higher radiant efficiency than that of free 6-TMR in KPC tumors at 12 h. Intriguingly, the confocal results indicated that albumin-6-TMR could penetrate into the interior of tumor tissues and stay for at least 72 h while no obvious fluorescence was seen in free 6-TMR group. The mechanism of albumin accumulation and penetration in pancreatic tumors is still under investigation. Moreover, administration of albumin-Cisplatin complex significantly reduced Vd by nearly 25 times and increased AUC of Cisplatin in plasma by 33 times, and improved the MRT and AUC of Cisplatin in orthotopic xenograft tumors by 10 and 29 times, respectively. The LA-ICP-MS imaging was being used to confirm intratumor penetration and distribution of Cisplatin in KPC tumors. Finally, albumin-Cisplatin complex exhibited reduced systemic toxicity (the maximum tolerated dose was more than 60 mg/kg of Cisplatin, i.v.) and enhanced inhibition of tumor growth in subcutaneous PANC-1 xenograft mouse models. Importantly, albumin-Cisplatin complex prolonged the survival of orthotopic MIA PaCa-2 xenograft mouse models compared with free Cisplatin.

Conclusion: In summary, we have shown for the first time that albumin as a drug carrier could improve intratumor drug delivery in both orthotopic xenograft and KPC tumors. And albumin-Cisplatin complex could significantly reduce systemic toxicity and improve therapeutic efficacy of Cisplatin in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. Together, albumin can be a promising drug carrier and provides a new insight into anti-cancer drug delivery in pancreatic cancer.

Citation Format: Chao Kong, Junxiao Ye, Zhengsheng Liu, Weijian Kong, Mengnan Sun, Huiqin Liu, Fang Yuan, Feng Qian. Improved intratumor drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy in pancreatic cancer by albumin-Cisplatin complex [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3624.

Error correction associated with stray light for Faraday-effect polarimetry system on EAST

The polarimeter-interferometer system with 11 double-pass radial-view measurement chords has the ability to provide electron density and plasma current profiles, making it exceptionally useful in daily operation on the Experiment Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. However, due to limited optical access and intrinsic feedback, the stray lights arising from spurious reflections along the optical path (unwanted reflections from various optical components/mounts and transmissive optical elements such as windows, waveplates, and lenses as well as the detectors) distort the Faraday rotation measurements. Furthermore, the feedback light from the retro-reflector which is used to realize the double-pass configuration makes it even worse. A data processing approach to decrease the stray light influence is reported in this paper. Based on the theoretical model developed, the Faraday rotation angle is extracted by subtracting the deviation term which can be calculated with a simplified model. With this approach, the Faraday rotation oscillation during density ramp-up can be reduced from 2°-5° to 0.5°-1.5°, which reduces the Faraday rotation measurement errors significantly.

Targeting the Oncogene KRAS Mutant Pancreatic Cancer by Synergistic Blocking of Lysosomal Acidification and Rapid Drug Release

Survival of KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer is critically dependent on reprogrammed metabolism including elevated macropinocytosis, autophagy, and lysosomal degradation of proteins. Lysosomal acidification is indispensable to protein catabolism, which makes it an exploitable metabolic target for KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer. Herein we investigated ultra-pH-sensitive micelles (UPSM) with pH-specific buffering of organelle pH and rapid drug release as a promising therapy against pancreatic cancer. UPSM undergo micelle-unimer phase transition at their apparent p K_a, with dramatically increased buffer capacity in a narrow pH range (<0.3 pH). Cell studies including amino acid profiling showed that UPSM inhibited lysosomal catabolism more efficiently than conventional lysosomotropic agents ( e. g., chloroquine) and induced cell apoptosis under starved condition. Moreover, pH-triggered rapid drug release from triptolide prodrug-loaded UPSM (T-UPSM) significantly enhanced cytotoxicity over non-pH-sensitive micelles (T-NPSM). Importantly, T-UPSM demonstrated superior safety and antitumor efficacy over triptolide and T-NPSM in KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer mouse models. Our findings suggest that the ultra-pH-sensitive nanoparticles are a promising therapeutic platform to treat KRAS mutant pancreatic cancer through simultaneous lysosomal pH buffering and rapid drug release.

[Expression of CD117, MITF and NAT10 and their prognostic values in sinonasal mucosal melanoma]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the expression of CD117, MITF, NAT10 and clinical parameters in sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM). Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens of 80 cases of SNMM at the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, from December 1999 to November 2013 were analyzed for CD117, MITF and NAT10 expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: There were 40 men and 40 women. The median age was 61 years, age 26 to 85 years. There was no correlation of the expression of CD117, MITF and NAT10 with the patients' age, gender, tumor site, stage, therapy method and brain metastases (P>0.05). The expression of MITF and NAT10 was associated with lymph node metastasis and the tumors were more likely to metastasize when MITF and NAT10 were positive. However, expression of CD117 had no correlation with lymph node metastasis. Log-rank test revealed that the expression of CD117 was correlated with both three-year and five survival rate (P=0.012, P=0.023; respectively) and patients with tumor having low expression of CD117 had the worse outcome. COX test revealed that low CD117 expression, advanced age and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors (P<0.05). No significant association was found between the expression of CD117, MITF and NAT10 with disease free survival (P>0.05). Conclusions: Patients with SNMM expressing low level of CD117 have decreased survival rate. Tumors with high level of MITF and NAT10 expression are more likely to metastasize. The expression level of CD117 can be used as an important indicator for the patient survival, and the expression of MITF and NAT10 can be used as a predictor of tumor metastasis.

Bench test of phase measurement on dispersion interferometer for EAST

In recent years, different traditional interferometers have been the necessary diagnostic of electronic density measurement on fusion devices. Until now, two main problems always influence the density measurement: the mechanical vibration and fringe jump in the calculation. The dispersion interferometer (DI) with a long-wavelength infrared wavelength is a good choice because mechanical vibrations can be canceled and the fringe jump can be inhibited. This paper describes the bench test of phase measurement using a wedge instead of plasma on the DI. The results show good agreement with the theoretical calculations. In the background measurement, this DI without a vibration isolation system has good performance, and the drift of the baseline is less than 2 × 10¹⁷ m^-2 in 3 s and less than 5 × 10¹⁷ m^-2 in 400 s. Plasma data will be obtained during the next campaign on EAST (Experimental and Advanced Superconducting Tokamak).

KRAS-enhanced macropinocytosis and reduced FcRn-mediated recycling sensitize pancreatic cancer to albumin-conjugated drugs

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dominantly (~95%) KRAS-mutant cancer that has extremely poor prognosis, in part this is due to its strong intrinsic resistance towards almost all therapeutic agents. PDAC relies heavily on KRAS-transformed metabolism, including enhanced macropinocytosis and catabolism of extracellular albumin, to maintain its proliferation and progression. However, it has yet to be validated that whether such transformed metabolism could be exploited for the drug delivery to open therapeutic windows of cytotoxic agents in KRAS-mutant PDAC. In this study, we attempt to answer this question by focusing on the impact of two critical regulators of albumin catabolism, KRAS and the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), on the sensitivity of PDAC to doxorubicin (DOX, a model cytotoxic agent) and albumin-conjugated doxorubicin (DOX-ALB). Using cell lines and cell-derived xenografts with different KRAS genotypes and FcRn levels, we demonstrated that KRAS-enhanced macropinocytosis and reduced FcRn expression sensitize PDAC to DOX-ALB but not free DOX. In both in vitro and in vivo comparsion, the DOX-ALB demonstrated ~10 times enlarged therapeutic window compared with free DOX, in PDAC with KRAS mutation and reduced FcRn level, two events appear to occur simultaneously in the investigated PDAC. In summary, we conclude that albumin conjugation is an exploitable drug delivery strategy that significantly opens the therapeutic windows of otherwise undevelopable anti-cancer agents for KRAS-mutant PDAC therapy, and creates a new landscape for clinical evaluation and future translation of such compounds.

Non-inductive vertical position measurements by Faraday-effect polarimetry on EAST tokamak

Vertical instability control in an elongated plasma is highly desirable for a tokamak reactor. A multi-channel 694 GHz far-infrared laser-based polarimeter-interferometer system has been used to provide a non-inductive vertical position measurement in the long-pulse EAST tokamak. A detailed comparison of vertical position measurements by polarimetry and external inductive flux loops has been used to validate Faraday-effect polarimetry as an accurate high-time response vertical position sensor.

[Neuroimaging characteristics of cryptogenic stroke with and without patent foramen ovale]

Objective: To explore the neuroimaging characteristics associated with the presence of patent foramen ovale(PFO) for patients with cryptogenic stroke. Methods: We retrospectively collected the clinical and imaging data of cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO and without PFO from Henan Province People's Hospital from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017. Lesion patterns and pertinent vascular territory were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the independent predictors for the presence of PFO. Results: A total of 54 cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO and 50 cases without PFO were recruited. Compared with PFO(-) stroke group, more patients in PFO(+ ) stroke group had migraine(P=0.036), and patients in PFO(+ ) stroke group had higher Risk of Paradoxical Embolism(RoPE) score(P=0.030). The lesion pattern of PFO(+ ) stroke was more frequently observed as multiple lesions in multicirculatory (P=0.035), and infarcts were more likely to be distributed in the vertebrobasilar artery territory (P=0.041); the most frequently involved vessel was the posterior cerebral artery region (P=0.006). More patients with PFO(+ ) stroke had old silent stroke lesion(P=0.021). On multivariate analysis, infarction distributed in the posterior cerebral artery region(OR=4.292, 95% CI 1.469-12.543, P=0.008), silent stroke lesion (OR=6.688, 95% CI 1.277-35.029, P=0.024), and high RoPE score (OR=1.393, 95% CI 1.026-1.893, P=0.034) were independent parameters that could predict the presence of PFO. Conclusions: Multiple lesions in multicirculatory and the posterior predominance are neuroimaging characteristics of cryptogenic stroke with PFO. Infarction distributed in the posterior cerebral artery region, silent stroke lesion and high RoPE score are independent predictors of the presence of PFO.

Efficient Capture and High Activity Release of Circulating Tumor Cells by Using TiO2 Nanorod Arrays Coated with Soluble MnO2 Nanoparticles

Effective capture and release of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with high viability is still a challenge in medical research. We design a novel approach with efficient yield and high cell activity for the capture and release of CTCs. Our platform is based on TiO₂ nanorod arrays coated with transparent MnO₂ nanoparticles. We use hydrothermal synthesis to prepare TiO₂ nanorod arrays, the MnO₂ nanoparticles are fabricated through in situ self-assembly on the substrate to form a monolayer and etched by oxalic acid with low concentration at room temperature. Up to 92.9% of target cells are isolated from the samples using our capture system and the captured cells can be released from the platform, the saturated release efficiency is 89.9%. Employing lower than 2 × 10^-3 M concentration of oxalic acid to dissolve MnO₂, the viability of MCF-7 cancer cells exceed 90%. Such a combination of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional platforms provides a new approach isolate CTCs from patient blood samples.

Profiling the interactome of protein kinase C ζ by proteomics and bioinformatics

Background

Protein kinase C ζ (PKCζ), an isoform of the atypical protein kinase C, is a pivotal regulator in cancer. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby PKCζ regulates tumorigenesis and metastasis are still not fully understood. In this study, proteomics and bioinformatics analyses were performed to establish a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network associated with PKCζ, laying a stepping stone to further understand the diverse biological roles of PKCζ.

Methods

Protein complexes associated with PKCζ were purified by co-immunoprecipitation from breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 and identified by LC-MS/MS. Two biological replicates and two technical replicates were analyzed. The observed proteins were filtered using the CRAPome database to eliminate the potential false positives. The proteomics identification results were combined with PPI database search to construct the interactome network. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis were performed by PANTHER database and DAVID. Next, the interaction between PKCζ and protein phosphatase 2 catalytic subunit alpha (PPP2CA) was validated by co-immunoprecipitation, Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Furthermore, the TCGA database and the COSMIC database were used to analyze the expressions of these two proteins in clinical samples.

Results

The PKCζ centered PPI network containing 178 nodes and 1225 connections was built. Network analysis showed that the identified proteins were significantly associated with several key signaling pathways regulating cancer related cellular processes.

Conclusions

Through combining the proteomics and bioinformatics analyses, a PKCζ centered PPI network was constructed, providing a more complete picture regarding the biological roles of PKCζ in both cancer regulation and other aspects of cellular biology.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12953-018-0134-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Multilocus sequence typing and variations in the oprD gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a hospital in China

Objectives

To provide information about the genetic relationships and mechanism underlying carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates of a hospital in China.

Materials and methods

One hundred and sixty P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from a hospital in China. Susceptibility to 14 antimicrobial agents was determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Multilocus sequence typing was used to characterize the genetic backgrounds of these clinical isolates. Forty-five strains were randomly selected for further evaluation of their carbapenem resistance mechanism. Their oprD gene was compared with the PAO1 sequence.

Results

Multilocus sequence typing analysis demonstrated that these isolates were highly diverse; 68 sequence types were identified, of which 28 were novel sequence types. Polygenic and eBURST analysis demonstrated genetically similar clones with dissimilar resistance profiles. Among the 45 randomly selected strains associated with carbapenem resistance, 2 were metallo β-lactamase producers; all the 45 strains were not AmpC overproducers. Sequence analysis revealed a high diversity in the oprD sequences among isolates. Strains susceptible to imipenem and meropenem with shortened L7 and L8 loops in oprD were the major strain types observed in this hospital.

Conclusion

This study indicated that oprD provided the main mechanism for carbapenem resistance. The shortened L7 and L8 loops are responsible for carbapenem susceptibility.

Effects of stray lights on Faraday rotation measurement for polarimeter-interferometer system on EAST

A double-pass radially view 11 chords polarimeter-interferometer system has been operated on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak and provides important current profile information for plasma control. Stray light originating from spurious reflections along the optical path (unwanted reflections from various optical components/mounts and transmissive optical elements such as windows, waveplates, and lens as well as the detectors) and also direct feedback from the retro-reflector used to realize the double-pass configuration can both contribute to contamination of the Faraday rotation measurement accuracy. Modulation of the Faraday rotation signal due to the interference from multiple reflections is observable when the interferometer phase (plasma density) varies with time. Direct reflection from the detector itself can be suppressed by employing an optical isolator consisting of a λ/4-waveplate and polarizer positioned in front of the mixer. A Faraday angle oscillation during the density ramping up (or down) can be reduced from 5°-10° to 1°-2° by eliminating reflections from the detector. Residual modulation arising from misalignment and stray light from other sources must be minimized to achieve accurate measurements of Faraday rotation.

Platelet-Facilitated Photothermal Therapy of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Here, we present a platelet-facilitated photothermal tumor therapy (PLT-PTT) strategy, in which PLTs act as carriers for targeted delivery of photothermal agents to tumor tissues and enhance the PTT effect. Gold nanorods (AuNRs) were first loaded into PLTs by electroporation and the resulting AuNR-loaded PLTs (PLT-AuNRs) inherited long blood circulation and cancer targeting characteristics from PLTs and good photothermal property from AuNRs. Using a gene-knockout mouse model, we demonstrate that the administration of PLT-AuNRs and localizing laser irradiation could effectively inhibit the growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In addition, we found that the PTT treatment augmented PLT-AuNRs targeting to the tumor sites and in turn, improved the PTT effects in a feedback manner, demonstrating the unique self-reinforcing characteristic of PLT-PTT in cancer therapy.

[Expression and prognostic values of PD-1, PD-L1 and IDO-1 in sinonasal malignant mucosal melanoma]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the expression of programmed death-1(PD-1), PD ligand-1(PD-L1), indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1(IDO-1) and clinical parameters in sinonasal malignant mucosal melanoma (SNM). Methods: Samples from 86 SNM patients who did not receive immune-targeted therapy and radio-chemotherapy were analyzed for PD-1, PD-L1, and IDO-1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: High clinical/pathologic staging, brain metastases and advanced age were independent risk factors of poor prognosis. The overall survival rate of SNM without pigment was lower than that with pigment. PD-1, PD-L1 and IDO-1 expression was not correlated with tumor pigmentation, but correlated with different primary site.PD-1, PD-L1 and IDO-1 were expressed in 47.6% (41/86), 53.5% (46/86) and 58.1% (50/86)of SNM samples respectively. PD-1 was associated with brain metastasis. Negative expression of PD-1(P=0.031) and IDO-1(P=0.017 9) correlated with worse disease-free survival. No significant association was found between PD-L1 and prognosis. For stages Ⅲ, ⅣA and ⅣB patients, PD-1 expression was associated with better outcome (P=0.025), but PD-L1 negative and IDO-1 positive patients hadworse outcome (P>0.05). PD-1 positive and IDO-1 negative stage ⅣC patients had poorer overall survival. Conclusions: In SNM patients, clinical/pathologic staging, brain metastases, age and pigmentation were prognostic indicator. IDO-1 and PD-1 can also be used as reference to evaluate prognosis. Anti-IDO-1 targeted therapy may be suitable for middle to late stage patients, while advanced stage patients might benefit from anti-PD-1 targeted therapy. PD-1/PD-L1 and IDO-1 may be considered as joint targeted therapy.The predictive value of PD-L1 requires further study.

Susceptibility vessel sign predicts poor clinical outcome for acute stroke patients untreated by thrombolysis

The location and length of the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) predicts poor outcome for patients having received reperfusion therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess the predictive value of SVS regarding the clinical outcome for patients untreated with thrombolysis. A retrospective study on acute stroke patients who underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging within 3 days from the onset of symptoms was performed. None of the patients had received thrombolysis therapy. The presence, location and length of the SVS were assessed. Uni- and multivariate analyses were used to examine the association between SVS and clinical outcome. A total of 43 SVS+ and 73 SVS- patients were included in the study. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of ≤2 at 3 months was determined in 41.9% of patients in the SVS+ group and 79.4% in the SVS- group (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of SVS was an independent parameter to predict mRS >2 at 3 months (odds ratio, 3.390; 95% confidence interval, 1.122-10.240; P=0.030). For patients with SVS+ status, the location and length of the SVS were not independent predictors of the clinical outcome. In conclusion, the presence of SVS may predict poor clinical outcome for acute stroke patients untreated with thrombolysis.

Small incision releasing of transverse carpal ligament in diagnosis and treatment of mild carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a medical condition due to compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist at the carpal tunnel. Few studies have been carried out to examine the effectiveness of mini-open technique for carpal tunnel release using minor wrist skin crease incision in patients with mild CTS. Therefore, the present study was designed to improve the neurophysiological parameters for the diagnosis of mild CTS, and to examine the effectiveness of small incision surgery for the clinical treatment of mild CTS. To this end, we applied the electrophysiological diagnosis of difference between median and ulnar palmar latencies (PMPU) and the difference of median and ulnar latencies from D4 stimulation (D4MD4U) in 80 patients with mild CTS, whom were diagnosed by hand surgeon at the First Hospital of Jilin University. Those patients showed normal in median nerve electrophysiological examination, and received minor wrist skin crease incision surgery. All patients were followed up and received electromyography (EMG) examination. We showed that D4MD4U and PMPU methods are sensitive diagnosis methods for mild CTS, and mini-open wrist crease incision is beneficial for the treatment of mild CTS in clinical settings.