[Optimization of the experimental condition on separating lipoproteins by self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze and characterize the separation effectiveness of self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation system on proteins and lipoproteins, to achieve the optimization of the experimental conditions when separating lipoproteins by orthogonal design test and to investigate the carrier viscosity's influence on separation effectiveness.

METHODS

The evaluation of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation separation capacity was conducted by using two standard proteins (carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin). Under the optimized separation conditions of carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin, the channel actual thickness (after assembling, the actual thickness of separation channel was less than initial thickness) was calculated by the analytes' elution time based on the hydrokinetic theory. With orthogonal design test the optimized experimental conditions were studied and statistical analysis was carried on to find out the factors with statistical significance which needed further exploration.

RESULTS

According to the hydrodynamics principle and Stoke's function, the channel actual thickness was measured to be 164 μm by separating the two standard proteins, carbonic anhydrase and thyroglobulin, under proper experimental conditions. By the optimization based on orthogonal design test, base-line separation (the resolution had to be higher than 1.50) was achieved. The resolutions of the two experiments were 1.61 and 1.58. According to previous study/ pre-study and supporting theory, in the orthogonal design test, the total 5 factors were integrated for comprehensive investigation: the total flow rate (3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50 mL/min), focus time (3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50 min), transition time (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 min), pH of the carrier fluid(6.8, 7.00, 7.20, 7.40) and viscosity of the carrier fluid hydroxypropylmethylcellulose concentration: 0.00%, 0.03%, 0.06%, 1.00%). Among the 5 factors, viscosity was found to have the statistical significance on separation effectiveness which was further investigated. The resolution of high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein was increased by the increasing viscosity which also caused more obvious negative spikes.

CONCLUSION

The separating capacities of self-constructed asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation system on lipoproteins were verified to be effective and an optimized experimental condition was found to achieve the base-line separation of high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein. Viscosity of the carrier fluid was proved to have the statistical significance on lipoprotein separation.

A novel mutation of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase-like protein-6 in a family with suspicious idiopathic ventricular fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurs in a broad spectrum of cardiac pathologies and is an important cause of mortality in the general population. Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is a rare but important factor resulting in SCD. It is diagnosed in a resuscitated cardiac arrest victim underlying unknown cause, with documented ventricular fibrillation. Previous studies have demonstrated that mutations in dipeptidyl aminopeptidase-like protein-6 (DPP6) and cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5 (SCN5A) are the most important genetic factors involve in IVF.

AIM

By using whole sequencing to identify the genetic lesion of a family with suspicious idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.

DESIGN

Prospective genetic study.

METHODS

In this study, we employed whole-exome sequencing in combination with arrhythmia-related gene filtering to identify the genetic lesion for a family suffering from suspicious IVF, syncope and SCD. We then generated the plasmids of DPP6-pcDNA3.1+ (WT and c.1578G>C/p.Q526H). Kv4.3-pcDNA3.1+ was co-transfected together with/without DPP6-pcDNA3.1+ (WT and/or c.1578G>C/p.Q526H) into HEK293 cells to perform the patch clamp experiments.

RESULTS

A novel missense mutation (c.1578G>C/p.Q526H) of DPP6 was identified and co-segregated with affected patients in this family. Patch clamp experiments suggested that this novel mutation might result in a gain of function and disturb the efflux of potassium ion.

CONCLUSION

Our study not only reported the second missense mutation of DPP6 in heart disease and expanded the spectrum of DPP6 mutations, but also contribute to the genetic diagnosis and counseling of families with suspicious IVF, syncope and SCD.

Dosimetry study of 18F-FMISO + PET/CT hypoxia imaging guidance on intensity-modulated radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

This study was to evaluate the feasibility of simultaneous integrated boost on tumor hypoxia area by studying the dosimetric change of hypoxia imaging guidance on intensity-modulated radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

Five NSCLC patients with large hypoxic volume participated in this study. FDG PET/CT images were fused with CT localization images to delineate gross tumor volume. FMISO PET/CT images were fused with CT localization images to delineate hypoxic biological target volume (BTV) (tissue maximum ratio ≥ 1.3) by threshold. BTV was irradiated with 72, 78 and 84 Gy, respectively, 30 times. The dosimetry differences were compared in target volume and organ at risk between simultaneous integrated boost plans and conventional radiotherapy plans.

RESULTS

Dosages on BTV of NSCLC hypoxic area were increased to 72, 78 and 84 Gy, respectively, by simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiation therapy. There was no obvious difference in dosage distributions on original target volume compared with those in conventional radiotherapy. Dosages on main organ at risk in chest met the dosimetric constraint, and there was no significant difference compared with those in conventional radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible in dosiology that the dosages in NSCLC hypoxic area were added to 72, 78 and 84 Gy by simultaneous integrated boost with the guidance of ¹⁸F-FMISO PET/CT.

Aerodynamic efficiency of a bioinspired flapping wing rotor at low Reynolds number

This study investigates the aerodynamic efficiency of a bioinspired flapping wing rotor kinematics which combines an active vertical flapping motion and a passive horizontal rotation induced by aerodynamic thrust. The aerodynamic efficiencies for producing both vertical lift and horizontal thrust of the wing are obtained using a quasi-steady aerodynamic model and two-dimensional (2D) CFD analysis at Reynolds number of 2500. The calculated efficiency data show that both efficiencies (propulsive efficiency-η_p, and efficiency for producing lift-P_f ) of the wing are optimized at Strouhal number (St) between 0.1 and 0.5 for a range of wing pitch angles (upstroke angle of attack α_u less than 45°); the St for high P_f (St = 0.1 ∼ 0.3) is generally lower than for high η_p (St = 0.2 ∼ 0.5), while the St for equilibrium rotation states lies between the two. Further systematic calculations show that the natural equilibrium of the passive rotating wing automatically converges to high-efficiency states: above 85% of maximum P_f can be obtained for a wide range of prescribed wing kinematics. This study provides insight into the aerodynamic efficiency of biological flyers in cruising flight, as well as practical applications for micro air vehicle design.

Polymerization-Induced Phase Separation Formation of Structured Hydrogel Particles via Microfluidics for Scar Therapeutics

Excessive scar formation can form disabling contractures that result in a debilitating psychological outcome. Sustainable hydrophobic corticosteroid release in vivo is essential to regulate the wound healing process. Functional hydrogel particles are widely applied for sustainable release. However, due to the limited aqueous solubility of hydrophobic compounds, most of the corticosteroid is released from the hydrogels within seconds, causing undesirable scar formation and recurrence. In this study, a novel polymerization-induced phase separation is investigated to form well-defined polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) core/alginate shell structured hydrogel particles using microfluidics without toxic organic solvents. Based on their wettability preference, hydrophobic corticosteroid-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles are compartmentalized in the PEGDA core during polymerization to control the corticosteroid release. The distribution of the PLGA nanoparticles is precisely regulated by the phase separation boundary and characterized using a fluorescent dye. The thickness of the shell and partition coefficients are determined using the UV intensity and irradiation period. Upon encapsulation of the PLGA nanoparticles within the poly(PEGDA) core, a long-term corticosteroid treatment is developed and effective scar therapeutic outcomes are evaluated using both in vitro and in vivo models.

Lower 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Is Associated with Higher Relapse Risk in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between serum circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] concentrations and exacerbation risk in Chinese patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS).

METHODS

From January 2014 to December 2014, consecutive RR-MS patients admitted to the Department of Neurology of our hospital were identified. Blood samples for 25(OH) D measurements were taken at admission. All included patients visited the outpatient clinic of our hospital 1 year after admission. The influence of serum 25[OH] D levels on exacerbation was performed by binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In this study, 109 patients finished the follow-up. Median follow-up time was 1 year (range 1.0-1.1). Twenty-one out of the 109 was at risk period for infection. A total of 32 patients experienced a total of 76 exacerbations during the study. In the follow-up, a total of 32 patients experienced exacerbations. Thus, the exacerbation rate was 29.4% (95%CI: 20.8%-37.9%). Exacerbation rates were found to decrease with increasing levels of serum 25-OH-D concentrations. For the quartiles category, the risk of an exacerbation was significantly increased in the group with first quartile compared to the group with fourth. Rate ratios for the first, second and third group were 4.2, 3.3 and 2.0, respectively (p for trend =0.011) when compared with the fourth group. Simultaneous evaluation of quartile categories of levels of serum 25(OH) D and infections showed that both factors were related to the exacerbation rate.

CONCLUSION

The data demonstrates that lower vitamin D status is a sign of more active disease in patients with RR-MS and suggests a beneficial effect of vitamin D on disease course in MS.

One-step synthesis of ultra-long silver nanowires of over 100 μm and their application in flexible transparent conductive films

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) >100 μm and even 160 μm in length have been synthesized using a facile and rationally designed solvothermal method by heating preservation at 150 °C. The length of the as-synthesized AgNWs is over 4–5 times longer than those previously reported, while the diameter range is from 40 nm to 85 nm. A transparent conducting film (TCF) was fabricated using hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) as the adhesive polymer, and it achieved exceptional and stable optoelectronic properties. Its low sheet resistance of ∼19 Ω sq⁻¹ (on polyethylene terephthalate, PET) and high optical transmittance of ∼88% are superior to that of expensive indium tin oxide (ITO) films. More significantly, the AgNW network demonstrates excellent adhesion to PET substrates. This study indicates that ultra-long silver nanowires can serve as an alternative to ITO, which also demonstrates its potential application in flexible electronic devices.

Ultra-long silver nanowires (100–160 μm) were applied in flexible transparent conductive films showing low sheet resistance and high optical transmittance.

[Clinical analysis of intestinal lymphangiectasia in 47 children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) in children in order to improve the skills of diagnosis and treatment of IL. Method: Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, gastroscopic findings, histopathological examinations and lymphatic radionuclide imaging assessments were analyzed retrospectively among 47 IL patients who were hospitalized in the Gastroenterology Department of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from June 2007 to December 2015. All patients were followed up by telephone. According to the various causes, the patients were divided into the primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) group and secondary IL group, and their clinical manifestations were compared by t test, Rank sum test or Chi-square test. Result: In 47 IL patients, there were 38 children (81%) younger than 3 years old. There were 43 PIL patients (91%) and 4 secondary IL patients (9%). Between PIL and secondary IL, there were statistical differences in serum albumin (t=-3.950, P<0.005) , globulin(t=-2.850, P=0.007), age of onset(U=27.000, P=0.024), age at diagnosis(U=29.000, P=0.030) and course of disease(U=26.500, P=0.023), whereas there were no statistical differences in lymphocyte count, IgG, lymphatic radionuclide imaging, histopathology and gender(all P>0.05). Edema (44 cases, 94%), diarrhea (42 cases, 89%), accompanied with infection (35 cases, 74%) and ascites (30 cases, 64%) were the main clinical manifestations. In 47 IL patients, 45 patients were done gastroscopy and histopathological examinations, and there were 31 patients' histopathological examinations(69%) were positive. Forty patients were done lymphatic radionuclide imaging, and there was evidence of protein losing from gut via lymphatic radionuclide imaging in 39 patients(98%). Among 47 patients, 35 patients (74%) were followed up, 32 patients had good prognosis, 2 patient failed to show evidence of improvement, 1 patient died and no patient experienced a relapse till the end of the follow-up. In 35 patients, 28 patients were treated with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) dietary therapy, 26 patients showed improvement in symptoms, and 2 patients had no improvement. Among 35 patients with follow-up, there were 6 patients received surgical treatment, and their symptoms were improved. Conclusion: PIL are the majority of IL in children younger than 3 years old. The main clinical manifestations are edema, diarrhea, accompanied with infection and ascites. For the patients without the evidence of lymphangiectasia from duodenum histopathological examination, further consideration of lymphatic radionuclide imaging, clinical manifestations, and laboratory studies are needed to make a final diagnosis. MCT dietary therapy is the cornerstone of IL medical management.

[Colonization rate of Clostridium Difficile in healthy children]

Objective: To learn the colonization of Clostridium difficile in local healthy children and to investigate the colonization rate and toxin types of Clostridium difficile at different ages. Method: From September 2014 to January 2015 in a case observational study, healthy children's fecal specimens from the health care department of Beijing Children's Hospital were collected. The children were divided into four groups according to age: <1 year old(n=53), 1-<3 years old(n=50), 3-<6 years old(n=50) and 6-<14 years old(n=50) respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Clostridium difficile toxin genes including tcdA, tcdB, binary toxin CDT (cdtA and cdtB), and toxin regulatory genes including tcdC, tcdD and tcdE. And then the positive samples were sequenced. Measurement data were compared by using t test and rank sum test, while, enumeration data were compared using chi-square test. Result: Fifteen (7.4%) specimens were positive for Clostridium difficile toxin genes in 203 stool specimens. Of the 15 positive specimens, eight(53.3%) were tcdA(+) tcdB(-)(A(+) B(-)), four were A(+) B(+) , 3(20.0%) were A(-)B(+) , the binary toxin-positive specimens were not detected. TcdC, tcdD, tcdE positive specimens were 8, 6 and 11, respectively. Gene mutations were not found in positive samples by DNA sequencing. In the 15 positive samples, four (7.5%) specimens were in <1 year old group; four (8.0%) specimens were in 1-<3 years old group; one(2.0%) specimen was in 3-<6 years old group; and 6(12.0%) specimens were in 6-<14 years old group. The colonization rate had no significance in different age groups. Conclusion: The colonization rate of Clostridium difficile in healthy children was 7.4%. And toxigenic Clostridium difficile can be detected in all age groups.

Role of miR-29 as marker of risk of acute rejection after heart transplant

BACKGROUND

Circulating miRNAs are potential biomarkers of the pathogenesis of certain diseases and in monitoring therapeutic responses. We hypothesized that serum miR-29 can determine risk of acute cardiac allograft rejection.

METHODS

Peripheral vein blood was collected from 50 healthy volunteers and 506 patients during post-transplant surveillance. Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and miR-29 was detected by ELISA and qRT-PCR assay respectively. Rejection risk was defined as International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant score from leukocyte infiltration of an endomyocardial biopsy. No evidence of rejection was defined as grade R0, mild as R1, moderate as 2R and severe as 3R. Specificity and sensitivity of miR-29 to discriminate rejection was determined by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Correlations between miR29 and rejection grade were compared.

RESULTS

Serum miR-29 was 100.8 ± 42.4 copies/μl in R0 groups (P = 0.164 versus controls), 537.5 ± 84.3 copies/μl in R1 groups (P = 0.024) and 1478.4 ± 198.7 copies/μl in the joint R2/R3 groups (P = 0.001). MiR-29 was 1963.5 ± 214.7 six months after transplantation, 1242.5 ± 103.8 after a year, 825.6 ± 58.2 after 2 years, 413.8 ± 61.9 after 3 years and 270.6 ± 34.6 ng/mL after 4 years (P < 0.001). The level of miR-29 correlated positively with cTnI, NT-proBNP, white blood cell counts, and negatively with lymphocyte counts (all P < 0.001). The AUC values (95% CI) for discriminating R0 and R1 was 0.81 (0.75-0.89), and was 0.79 (0.72-0.86) for R0 and R2/R3 (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

miR-29 is a promising predictor of the risk of heart transplant rejection.

[Role and clinical significance of Th17/Treg balance in patients with severe exacerbation of hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of Th17/Treg balance in immune mechanism in severe exacerbation of hepatitis B.

METHODS

The clinical data of 41 patients with chronic hepatitis B were collected, and according to the conditions during hospitalization, these patients were divided into exacerbation group (19 patients) and improvement group (22 patients). On admission, at weeks 1 and 2 of treatment, and at the end of treatment, flow cytometry was used to measure the frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the serum levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The dynamic changes in the frequencies of Th17 and Treg cells were compared between the two groups, and the correlation between clinical indices for hepatitis and cytokines was analyzed. The t-test was used for comparison between groups, a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison within one group across different time points, and Pearson correlation analysis was performed.

RESULTS

With disease progression, the exacerbation group showed an increase in the frequency of Th17 cells and a relatively low frequency of Treg cells; compared with the improvement group, the exacerbation group had a higher frequency of Th17 cells and a lower frequency of Treg cells. Th17/Treg ratio gradually increased with exacerbation and decreased with improvement in conditions; in the exacerbation group and the improvement group, Th17/Treg ratio was positively correlated with total bilirubin and negatively correlated with prothrombin activity. In the exacerbation group and the improvement group, Th17 cells were positively correlated with IL-17, and Treg cells were positively correlated with IL-10 and TGF-β.

CONCLUSION

Th17 and Treg cells play important roles in severe exacerbation of hepatitis B, and Th17/Treg ratio may be used as an immunobiological marker for the judgment of severity during severe exacerbation of hepatitis B.

Evaluating genetic susceptibility to Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in African Americans using admixture mapping

The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is significantly higher in African American (AA) than in European-descended populations. We used admixture mapping (AM) to test the hypothesis that genomic variations with different frequencies in European and African ancestral genomes influence susceptibility to SAB in AAs. A total of 565 adult AAs (390 cases with SAB; 175 age-matched controls) were genotyped for AM analysis. A case-only admixture score and a mixed χ²(1df) score (MIX) to jointly evaluate both single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and admixture association (P<5.00e-08) were computed using MIXSCORE. In addition, a permutation scheme was implemented to derive multiplicity adjusted P-values (genome-wide 0.05 significance threshold: P<9.46e-05). After empirical multiplicity adjustment, one region on chromosome 6 (52 SNPs, P=4.56e-05) in the HLA class II region was found to exhibit a genome-wide statistically significant increase in European ancestry. This region encodes genes involved in HLA-mediated immune response and these results provide additional evidence for genetic variation influencing HLA-mediated immunity, modulating susceptibility to SAB.

Abstract P2-08-11: An orally bioavailable selective estrogen receptor downregulator

Orally bioavailable selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) may offer greater systemic drug exposure, improved clinical efficacy, and more durable treatment outcome for breast cancer patients with disease progression following antiestrogen or aromatase inhibitor therapy. We report the design and synthesis of ZB716, a C-3 position boronic acid modified fulvestrant, which behaves as a steroidal SERD suitable for oral administration. ZB716 binds to ERa competitively at an IC50 of 4.1 nM as compared to 3.9 nM for fulvestrant, and it effectively downregulates ERa (IC50=12.7 nM) in both tamoxifen-sensitive (T47D) and tamoxifen-resistant (T47D/PKCa) breast cancer cells. It acts as an antiestrogen that exerts potent antiproliferative effects on tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/TamR, T47D/PKCa, and T47D/Y537S). When orally administered to mice, rats, and Beagle dogs, ZB716 demonstrates superior oral bioavailability in all animal-based pharmacokinetic studies when compared to fulvestrant administered by subcutaneous injection. More importantly, orally administered ZB716 was found to potently inhibit xenograft tumor growth in mice. These pre-clinical data strongly suggest that ZB716 is a promising SERD drug that could offer significant improvement over existing SERD regimen of Faslodex. ZB716 is being prepared in an IND application for phase 1 clinical trial in ER+, HER2- advanced breast cancer patients.

Citation Format: Wang G, Liu J, Zheng S, Miele L, Wiese T, Zhong Q, Guo S. An orally bioavailable selective estrogen receptor downregulator [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-11.

Screening of female family members of von Willebrand disease patients: utility of a modified screening tool in a high-risk population

INTRODUCTION

Family members of Von Willebrand disease (VWD) patients may have low levels of VWF without major bleeding episodes and often remain undiagnosed.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of a modified Screening Tool in identifying previously untested reproductive age female family members of VWD patients for haemostatic evaluation.

METHODS

Ninety-four reproductive age women including 41 previously untested family members of VWD patients, 26 previously diagnosed VWD patients and 27 healthy controls were administered a modified Screening Tool and had blood drawn for CBC, ferritin, and VWF testing. Participants completed a pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) with menses.

RESULTS

The modified Screening Tool was positive in 32% family members, 77% VWD patients, and 19% controls (P < 0.001). Combined with low ferritin, the modified Screening Tool was positive in 66% family members, 92% VWD patients, and 44% controls (P = 0.001). In family members, incorporating low ferritin with the modified Screening Tool resulted in a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI, 42-100) and negative predictive value of 93% (95% CI, 66-100). In the control group, NPV was between 92% and 95% for the modified Screening Tool and also for the modified Screening Tool combined with low ferritin or a positive PBAC.

CONCLUSION

These data in a racially diverse population suggest the usefulness of a simple, easy to administer modified Screening Tool. In conjunction with ferritin it could be used in a primary care setting to stratify reproductive age women with a family history of VWD for haemostatic evaluation.

Microstructural study of the lunate in stage III Kienböck's disease with micro-computed tomography imaging

Seventeen fresh lunates with stage III Kienböck's disease were scanned with micro-computed tomography. Four regions of interest were selected to measure trabecular parameters, which were compared with those from normal lunates. Within the three regions in the distal surface, there was more compact trabecular bone in the middle region when compared with the palmar and dorsal regions. In the central part, the trabeculae of the Kienböck's lunates were much thicker than those in normal lunates. The diameters of the palmar nutrient foramina of the Kienböck's lunates were significantly smaller than those in normal lunates. In affected lunates, the bony disruptions were mostly located in the palmar or dorsal areas, which were shown from trabecular bone structure analysis to be structurally weaker. This leads to separation of the distal part of the fractured bone, disruption of the blood supply, poor bone remodelling and proneness to secondary fracture and eventual collapse.

Resistance trends among clinical isolates in China reported from CHINET surveillance of bacterial resistance, 2005-2014

With the aim of gathering temporal trends on bacterial epidemiology and resistance from multiple laboratories in China, the CHINET surveillance system was organized in 2005. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using the Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems. Results were analyzed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2014 definitions. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of bacterial isolates ranged between 22,774 and 84,572 annually. Rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase production among Escherichia coli isolates were stable, between 51.7 and 55.8%. Resistance of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam decreased with time. Carbapenem resistance among K. pneumoniae isolates increased from 2.4 to 13.4%. Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against all of antimicrobial agents tested including imipenem and meropenem decreased with time. On the contrary, resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 31 to 66.7%. A marked decrease of methicillin resistance from 69% in 2005 to 44.6% in 2014 was observed for Staphylococcus aureus. Carbapenem resistance rates in K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii in China are high. Our results indicate the importance of bacterial surveillance studies.

Microstructural study of the lunate in stage III Kienböck's disease with micro-computed tomography imaging

Seventeen fresh lunates with stage III Kienböck's disease were scanned with micro-computed tomography. Four regions of interest were selected to measure trabecular parameters, which were compared with those from normal lunates. Within the three regions in the distal surface, there was more compact trabecular bone in the middle region when compared with the palmar and dorsal regions. In the central part, the trabeculae of the Kienböck's lunates were much thicker than those in normal lunates. The diameters of the palmar nutrient foramina of the Kienböck's lunates were significantly smaller than those in normal lunates. In affected lunates, the bony disruptions were mostly located in the palmar or dorsal areas, which were shown from trabecular bone structure analysis to be structurally weaker. This leads to separation of the distal part of the fractured bone, disruption of the blood supply, poor bone remodelling and proneness to secondary fracture and eventual collapse.

Reduction Levels and the Effects of High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin via AMPK/eNOS in Chinese Type 2 Diabetes

Aim: This study was to investigate the change of high-molecula-weight (HMW) adiponectin (APN) isoform, the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and HMW APN isoform, the variation of Disulfide-bond A oxidoreductase-like protein (DsbA-L), the effect of HMW APN isoform on AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in Chinese T2DM. Method: 169 patients aged at (48.7±9.4) years and 107 healthy control subjects aged at (42.6±7.8) years took part in this study. Anthropometric measures of the characters were assayed and different APN isoforms, DsbA-L, AMPK and eNOS levels were determined. Results: Ln(sRAGE) and Ln(Adiponectin) were significantly lower and significantly higher for the other characteristics in T2DM. Ln(Adiponectin) was negatively and significantly correlated with WHR, Ln(triglycerides), fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c (%) in control subjects and T2DM patients. Plasma and adipose tissue total APN and HMW APN were significantly reduced in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. DsbA-L was markedly down-regulated in diabetic adipose tissue. HMW APN caused significant decreases in AMPK and eNOS phosphorylation levels of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that total APN levels was closely related to the risk of T2DM and HMW APN reduction was involved in the diabetic vascular AMPK/eNOS signal pathway. The findings will provide insight into novel therapeutic approaches for reducing the elevated cardiovascular risk associated with T2DM.

Dynamic cerebral reorganization in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia: a MRI-derived cortical thickness study

BACKGROUND

A structural neuroanatomical change indicating a reduction in brain tissue is a notable feature of schizophrenia. Several pathophysiological processes such as aberrant cortical maturation, progressive tissue loss and compensatory tissue increase could contribute to the structural changes seen in schizophrenia.

METHOD

We studied cortical thickness using surface-based morphometry in 98 clinically stable patients with schizophrenia and 83 controls. Using a pattern classification approach, we studied whether the features that discriminate patients from controls vary across the different stages of the illness. Using a covariance analysis, we also investigated if concurrent increases accompany decreases in cortical thickness.

RESULTS

Very high levels of accuracy (96.3%), specificity (98.8%) and sensitivity (88%) were noted when classifying patients with <2 years of illness from controls. Within the patient group, reduced thickness was consistently accompanied by increased thickness in distributed brain regions. A pattern of cortical amelioration or normalization (i.e. reduced deviation from controls) was noted with increasing illness duration. While temporo-limbic and fronto-parietal regions showed reduced thickness, the occipital cortex showed increased thickness, especially in those with a long-standing illness.

CONCLUSION

A compensatory remodelling process might contribute to the cortical thickness variations in different stages of schizophrenia. Subtle cerebral reorganization reflecting the inherent plasticity of brain may occur concomitantly with processes contributing to tissue reduction in adult patients with schizophrenia.

Peginterferon add-on results in more HBsAg decline compared to monotherapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients

It is unknown whether peginterferon (PEG-IFN) add-on to entecavir (ETV) leads to more HBsAg decline compared to PEG-IFN monotherapy or combination therapy, and whether ETV therapy may prevent HBsAg increase after PEG-IFN cessation. We performed a post hoc analysis of 396 HBeAg-positive patients treated for 72 weeks with ETV + 24 weeks PEG-IFN add-on from week 24 to 48 (add-on, n = 85), 72 weeks with ETV monotherapy (n = 90), 52 weeks with PEG-IFN monotherapy (n = 111) and 52 weeks PEG-IFN + lamivudine (combination, n = 110) within 2 randomized trials. HBsAg decline was assessed at the end of PEG-IFN (EOP) and 6 months after PEG-IFN (EOF) discontinuation. Differences in baseline characteristics were accounted for using inversed probability of treatment weights. At EOP, a HBsAg reduction of ≥1log10 IU/mL was more frequently achieved for patients in the add-on or combination therapy arms (both 36%), compared to PEG-IFN mono (20%) or ETV (8%) (add-on vs PEG-IFN mono P = 0.050). At EOF, the HBsAg reduction ≥1log10 IU/mL was only sustained in patients treated with ETV consolidation (add-on vs combination and PEG-IFN mono: 40% vs 23% and 18%, P = 0.029 and P = 0.003, respectively). For add-on, combination, PEG-IFN mono and ETV, the mean HBsAg-level change at EOF was -0.84, -0.81, -0.68 and -0.33 log10 IU/mL, respectively (P > 0.05 for PEG-IFN arms). HBeAg loss at EOF was 36%, 31%, 33% and 20%, respectively (P > 0.05). PEG-IFN add-on for 24 weeks results in more on-treatment HBsAg decline than does 52 weeks of PEG-IFN monotherapy. ETV therapy may maintain the HBsAg reduction achieved with PEG-IFN.