[Clinical and bacteriological analysis of lymphoid tissue neoplasms patients with bacteria bloodstream infections]

Objective: To investigate the clinical status of lymphoid tissue neoplasms patients with bacteria bloodstream infections, bacteriology and drug susceptibility results, and provide the basis for rational clinical anti-infection option. Methods: A retrospectively analysis of clinical data and bacterial susceptibility test results of patients with bacteria bloodstream infections from September 2010 to December 2014 was conducted. Results: A total of 134 cases including 107 patients with bloodstream infections were enrolled. 84 cases were male, 50 cases were female, the median age was 31 (12-71) years old. 112 cases were agranulocytosis, and 106 cases were severe agranulocytosis (ANC<0.1×10(9)/L) . 27 cases underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 100 cases received chemotherapy[33 cases with VD (I) CP±L (vincristine+daunorubicin/idarubicin + cyclophosphamide + prednison±asparaginasum) induction chemotherapy, 41 cases with intensive chemotherapy of Hyper-CVAD/MA or MA (mitoxantrone+cytarabine) , 26 cases with other chemotherapy regimens], and 7 cases were infected without chemotherapy. 10 patients discharged from hospital owing to treatment abandoning, 120 cases were cured through anti-infective therapy, 2 patients died of bacteria bloodstream infections, 1 patient died of sudden cardiac, and 1 patient died of GVHD after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A total of 144 strains were isolated, including 108 strains (75.0%) of Gram-negative bacteria and 36 strains (25.0%) of Gram-positive cocci. The susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to the carbapenems was 98.00%, and the adjustment treatment rate of carbapenems was 3.0%. The susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to the other antibiotics was 60.30%, and the adjustment treatment rate was 90.5%. The susceptibility of Grampositive cocci to the carbapenems was 49.3%, and to glycopeptides and linezolid was 100.0%. Comparing all patients'empirical use of antimicrobial agents with the drugs susceptibility results of blood cultures, 80.1% of the patients'initial drug selection was sensitive. Conclusion: The lymphoid neoplasms patients experienced bacteria bloodstream infections most often after receiving the chemotherapy regimens of treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The majority type of bacteria was Gram-negative bacteria. Drug susceptibility test showed that susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria to the carbapenems was the highest, and the treatment adjustment rate was obviously lower. The susceptibility of Gram-positive cocci to glycopeptides and linezolid was high, and which could be applied to the patients with Gram-positive cocci sepsis on basis of susceptibility results in general.

[Mode of median nerve irritation under different wrist forcing postures observed by ultrasonography and foot pressure measurement system]

Objective: To analyze the influence of simulation mouse use motion under different wrist forcing postures on median nerve, tendons and ligaments in the carpal tunnel. Methods: From June to November in 2017, a total of 49 healthy volunteers [aged from 18 to 27 years, 24 males (48 cases of hands) and 25 females (50 cases of hands)] were selected in the Institute of Digitized Medicine and First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.Three hand postures of the volunteers were simultaneously and continuously measured by using LOGIQ E9 ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and Zebris foot pressure distribution measurement system.Seventeen parameters of nerves, tendons and ligaments in carpal tunnel were observed under natural (0 N), and two forced (25 and 50 N) states.Double factor variance analysis was performed with generalized estimating equation (GEE). Results: With increasing pressure (0, 25 and 50 N) of hand postures, the distance between median nerve and transverse carpal ligament were all less than 0.2 cm.The differences in both the distance between median nerve and flexor pollicis longus under the hand pressure changes or under the hand posture changes and the top angle of a triangle composed of median nerve, flexor pollicis longus and flexor digitorum superficialis group under the hand pressure changes or under the hand posture changes were all significant under the GEE analysis (all P<0.01). There were no significant changes in all other structural parameters in the carpal tunnel with the increasing of hand pressure (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The influence of the transverse carpal ligament to the median nerve belongs to the mechanism of pressure-induced irritation damage.The influence of flexor pollicis longus to median nerve belongs to the mechanism of tension-induced irritation damage.The influence of flexor digitorum superficialis to median nerve belongs to the mechanism of mixed shear irritation damage.

[Application of imatinib in BCR- ABL positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment in the real world]

目的

探讨真实世界中伊马替尼(IM)联合化疗治疗BCR-ABL阳性急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)的疗效及相关预后因素。

方法

2003年4月至2015年8月收治的209例治疗中包含IM的BCR-ABL阳性ALL患者纳入研究，106例患者接受造血干细胞移植(HSCT)。对患者的疗效和预后影响因素进行分析。

结果

初诊患者诱导完全缓解(CR)率为97.9%。初诊时WBC≥100×10⁹/L是总生存(OS)的不良预后因素(P=0.043)。未接受HSCT、诱导治疗4周内未达CR和治疗过程中未达到分子生物学完全缓解(CMR)是OS(P值分别为<0.001、0.009和<0.001)和无复发生存(RFS)(P值均<0.001)的不良预后因素。接受异基因HSCT和自体HSCT的患者，其OS和RFS的差异均无统计学意义(P值均>0.05)。首次诱导治疗时联用IM的患者较未联用者显示出更高的5年RFS率(37.0％对24.0%，P= 0.005)。在治疗过程中持续规律服用酪氨酸激酶抑制剂(TKI，40例患者由于复发、转录本水平下降不理想或出现突变换用其他TKI)的患者生存情况最佳，其次为骨髓抑制期间断停用TKI的患者，不规律服用TKI的患者生存情况最差，三组5年OS率分别为46.0%、28.0%、17.0%(P=0.004)，5年RFS率分别为38.0%、28.0%、17.0%(P<0.001)。

结论

TKI联合化疗获得CMR，序贯以HSCT可改善BCR-ABL阳性ALL患者预后，持续规律地联用TKI有助于BCR-ABL阳性ALL患者疗效的提高。

[A long-term follow-up report of pediatric relapsed Wilms tumor after retreatment]

Objective: To investigate the long-term efficacy and prognostic factors of pediatric relapsed Wilms tumor (WT) after retreatment. Method: Sixteen children in Shanghai Children's Medical Center with relapsed Wilms tumor were enrolled consecutively in this study between April 2006 and June 2016. All patients were diagnosed according to pathology, imaging and medical and surgical oncologist's assistance. Relapse treatment included surgical excision, chemotherapy and selective radiation therapy. The clinical features, long-term outcomes and prognostic factors of patients were analyzed retrospectively.Survival data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier.Log-Rank analysis was used for univariate analysis. Result: One case was excluded because of giving up the therapy even though no disease progress was identified. A total of 15 cases (5 males and 10 females) were included in this study. The median age at diagnosis was 3.8 years (range 0.5-9.1 years). The tumor staging at diagnosis included one case of stageⅠ, 7 cases of stageⅡand 7 cases of stage Ⅲ. Among cases of stage Ⅲ, 6 cases had radiation therapy history. The pathology of all patients' recurrent tumor was favorable histology (FH). The median follow-up time was 34.6 months (range 12.5-132.7 months) until March 21, 2017. The time from initial diagnosis to relapse was 7.9 months (range 3.1-17.9 months). Four cases experienced local recurrence, 9 cases relapsed with metastases (6 cases in lungs, 2 in livers, 1 in mediastinum) and 2 cases relapsed in both local site and with metastases. Except to 2 cases received irregular retreatment, 13 cases received regimen I (doxorubicin, vincristine, epoposide and cyclophosphamide for 25 weeks) as relapsed chemotherapy. Five cases received autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). Until the last follow-up, 8 cases achieved continuous complete remission (range 6.7-104.3 months), 3 cases had relapse again or progressing and 4 cases died. The estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and event free survival (EFS) rate were (70±15)% and (52±15)%. According to whether received ABMT or not, the 5-year EFS rate were 51% and 53%. According to whether relapsed within 6 months after diagnosis or not, the 5-year EFS rate were 38% and 56% respectively. Conclusion: The 5-year EFS rate of pediatric relapsed FH WT have reached above 50% by multi-disciplinary treatment in our experience and we encourage patients and doctors to receive retreatment.

[Evaluation of Consistency in detection of epidermal growth factor receptor gene T790M mutation in plasma and tumor specimens of patients with lung adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To evaluate the consistency in detection of T790M mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) in plasma and tumor samples of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: The tumor tissues or cytological specimens of 12 patients with operable lung adenocarcinoma(stage Ⅰ-ⅢA) and 100 patients with advanced stage ⅢB-Ⅳ lung adenocarcinoma were collected, among which 11 patients showed acquired resistance for gefitinib (11/100). In the same period, peripheral blood samples were collected from all patients and 50 healthy volunteers. Amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) was used to detect EGFR mutations in tumor specimens. Next Generation Sequencing(NGS) based circulating single-molecule amplification and resequencing technology (cSMART)was performed to quantitatively detect the EGFR mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from plasma specimens. Results: The sensitivity, specificity and concordance rate of EGFR T790M mutation between plasma and tissue specimens from 100 advanced stage patients were 50.0%, 72.9% and 72.0%, respectively. For L858R mutation and exon 19 deletion mutations, the above mentioned sensitivity, specificity and concordance rate were 91.7%, 100.0%, and 98.0%, as well as 79.2%, 100.0% and 95.0%, respectively. The L858R mutation and exon 19 deletion mutations were not detected in plasma of 50 healthy volunteers, whereasT790M mutation(1.0±0.0 copies) was found in 7 individuals(7/50, 14.0%). Similarly, in 12 resectable patients, 4 (4/12, 33.3%) T790M mutations were found in plasma (1.2±0.2 copies), but no L858R mutation and 19 exon deletion mutations. In comparison, 28.0% of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma (28/100)had detectable T790M mutation in plasma with copy numbers (34.0±22.7 copies). Furthermore, the copy numbers of T790M were 268.2±119.9 in plasma of 5 cases with acquired gefitinib-resistance. Conclusions: In patients with advanced stages of lung adenocarcinoma, the detection of T790M mutation in plasma and tumor specimens is low. The T790M mutation also exists in the plasma of some healthy controls, suggesting that T790M mutation participates in EGFR signaling pathway and it might function in healthy population.

Solvent-free nanofluid with three structure models based on the composition of a MWCNT/SiO2 core and its adsorption capacity of CO2

A series of core/shell nanoparticle organic/inorganic hybrid materials (NOHMs) with different weight ratios of two components, consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) as the core were synthesized. The NOHMs display a liquid-like state in the absence of solvent at room temperature. Five NOHMs were categorized into three kinds of structure states based on different weight ratio of two components in the core, named the power strip model, the critical model and the collapse model. The capture capacities of these NOHMs for CO₂ were investigated at 298 K and CO₂ pressures ranging from 0 to 5 MPa. Compared with NOHMs having a neat MWCNT core, it was revealed that NOHMs with the power strip model show better adsorption capacity toward CO₂ due to its lower viscosity and more reactive groups that can react with CO₂. In addition, the capture capacities of NOHMs with the critical model were relatively worse than the neat MWCNT-based NOHM. The result is attributed to the aggregation of SiO₂ in these samples, which may cause the consumption and hindrance of reactive groups. However, the capture capacity of NOHMs with the collapse model was the worst of all the NOHMs, owing to its lowest content of reactive groups and hollow structure in MWCNTs. In addition, they presented non-interference of MWCNTs and SiO₂ without aggregation state.

[Lower airway abnormalities in patients with allergic rhinitis]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of lower airway abnormalities in allergic rhinitis(AR) patients without asthma. Methods: Between June 2008 and December 2012, 377 consecutive AR patients and 264 healthy subjects were recruited. All subjects underwent meticulous history taking, nasal examination, allergen skin prick test, blood routine test, serum total immunoglobin E assay, induced sputum cell count and differentials, measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and bronchial challenge test. Results: The positive rates in AR patients was 12.2%(46/377) for bronchial provocation test, 49.2%(185/377) for FeNO, 39.0%(147/377) for sputum eosinophilia, 15.6%(40/377) for peripheral blood eosinophilia and 55.4%(209/377) for increased serum total IgE levels, which were consistently and statistically higher than those of healthy controls(P<0.01). The levels of FeNO [35.0 (21.8, 65.9)ppb], induced sputum eosinophil percentage [2.0 (0.0, 7.5)%], peripheral blood eosinophil percentage [2.9 (1.8, 4.5)%] and serum total IgE [178.4 (63.1, 384.0)kU/L] in AR patients were also higher(P<0.01). Compared with healthy controls, patients with AR demonstrated lower levels of FEV₁/FVC%, MMEFpred%, MEF₇₅ pred%, MEF₂₅pred% (all P<0.05). Statistical analysis showed that FeNO, ratio of induced sputum eosinophil percentage and peripheral blood eosinophil percentage had significant correlations with each other(P<0.01), the r value being 0.247, 0.235, 0.355 respectively. Conclusion: AR without asthma is characterized by lower airway inflammation, small airway impairment and bronchial hyperreactivity, features similar to those of asthma.

[Long-term follow-up of multiple myeloma after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a single center results]

目的

评价诱导治疗联合自体周血造血干细胞移植（ASCT）治疗、移植后巩固维持治疗的整体方案治疗多发性骨髓瘤（MM）患者的有效性和长期随访结果。

方法

回顾性分析2005年1月1日至2016年2月1日接受整体方案治疗的144例MM患者资料，总结其长期随访结果，分析移植前疗效、移植后缓解深度，以及早期移植、晚期移植、不同预后分期系统等因素对患者生存的影响。

结果

144例患者中获得部分缓解（PR）以上治疗反应率为89.4%[完全缓解（CR）率64.1%]。中位随访47（6~121）个月，患者中位总体生存（OS）和无进展生存（PFS）时间分别为120.9和56.9个月；早期和晚期移植组患者的中位OS分别为120.9和50.1个月，中位PFS时间分别为60.2和16.7个月（P值均<0.001）。127例可进行修订的国际分期系统（R-ISS）分期患者中，Ⅰ期（43例）、Ⅱ期（64例）、Ⅲ期（20例）患者的中位OS时间分别为120.9、88.4、35.6个月，组间差异有统计学意义（P=0.000）。对早期和晚期移植组患者进行亚组生存分析，R-ISS Ⅲ期患者中位OS时间差异有统计学意义（35.6个月对15.8个月，P=0.031）；两组患者各期中位PFS时间差异均有统计学意义（Ⅰ期：72.1个月对18.9个月；Ⅱ期：53.4个月对16.7个月；Ⅲ期：28.5对5.9个月，P值分别为0.000、0.012、0.001）。多因素分析结果显示R-ISS Ⅲ期是影响患者OS的危险因素（HR=8.486，95%CI 2.549~28.255，P=0.003），移植后未获得CR是影响患者PFS的危险因素（HR=2.412，95%CI 1.364~4.266，P=0.002）。

结论

以新药为基础的化疗联合ASCT的整体治疗方案对适合移植的MM患者是有效的，可进一步提高缓解率和缓解深度，延长患者的PFS和OS时间。早期较晚期移植可明显延长患者的OS和PFS时间。R-ISS分期和移植前疗效是影响患者生存的预后因素。

[A follow-up report of childhood hepatoblastoma from 74 cases in a single center]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and the prognostic factors in pediatric hepatoblastoma according to the standard diagnostic and therapeutic regimen. Method: Eighty-four consecutive patients were enrolled in this study between June 2000 and June 2015. Diagnosis and staging was decided by the multi-disciplinary team including oncologists, surgeons, pathologists and sub-specialized radiologists refering to protocol of Children's Oncology Group(COG) and International Society of Pediatric Oncology Liver Tumor Study Group (SIOPEL) in a case observational study. Univariate analysis was tested by the log-rank and multivariate analysis by COX regression. All consecutive cases were divided into low risk group and high risk group according to grouping criteria. Complete remission was defined as both imaging negative and α fetoprotein (AFP) normalization. Retrospective analysis was performed in clinical features, long-term outcomes and prognostic factors. Result: Ten patients were excluded because of giving up after less than or equal to three cycles of treatment. A total of 74 cases were included in this study; 45 males and 29 females. The median age at diagnosis was 1.7 years(range 0.2-14.8 years). Untill August 30, 2016, the median follow-up time was 24.2 months (range 4.1-135.3 months); 59 cases achieved complete remission.The estimated five years overall survival (OS) and event free survival(EFS) were 90%(68/74)and 72%(58/74). AFP could be normalized after 5 circles of treatment or 2 circles of postoperation.In univariate analysis , the five years OS and EFS in low risk group were both 100%(18/18), and those in high risk group were 88%(50/56)and 68%(40/56), respectively. The five years OS rates were 75%(15/19) and 95%(53/55) in patients with or without distant metastasis (P=0.016). After 3 cycles of chemotherapy post tumor resection, we divided these patients into 2 groups according to AFP recover or not, the five years OS were 100%(43/43)and 81%(22/26), respectively (P=0.011). Conclusion: The result of this protocol is reasonable when comparing with other worldwide research. Except for staging, metastasis, pathological subtypes, postoperative AFP recover or not is a prognostic factor after 3 cycles of chemotherapy.

[Primary penoscrotal extra-mammary Paget's disease: analysis of 22 cases]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of primary penoscrotal extra-mammary Paget's disease (PSPD).

METHODS

The clinical and pathological data of 22 cases of primary PSPD were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rate of the overall patients, the invasive patients, and the patients with positive surgical margin or negative surgical margin were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival curve method.

RESULTS

Among all the patients with primary PSPD, the median age of onset was 64.5 (39-84) years, the median time of disease duration was 40 (2-300) months, and the median long diameter of lesion was 4.75 (1-10) cm. In the study, 12 patients (54.5%) were in pathological stage A1, 6 patients (27.3%) were in pathological stage A2, and 4 patients (18.2%) were in pathological stage B. Scrotum and penile of most patients (n=12, 54.5%) were involved, 5 patients (22.7%) were scrotum only, and 5 patients (22.7%) were penile only. Erythema (n=18, 81.8%), itchiness (n=16, 72.7%), ulcerate (n=12, 54.5%), exudation (n=11, 50.0%), and pain (n=4, 18.2%) were the major manifestations. All the patients with primary PSPD were treated with wide surgical excision. The rate of invasive patients was 77.3% (n=17). Of them, 6 patients had positive surgical margin. The surgical margins of non-invasive patients were all negative. Twelve patients exhibited local recurrence or/and metastases, and the status of surgical margins (P=0.015) and the depth of invasion (P=0.010) were important risk factors. Inguinal lymph nodes were generally involved. The difference of the delay of diagnosis between metastasis and non-metastasis was significant (P=0.040). The 5-year survival rates of the overall and invasive patients were 33.7% and 27.9%, respectively. The patients with positive surgical margin had poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Primary PSPD, with the characteristics of long duration, high invasive tendency and high incidence of local recurrence or metastases, generally occurs in the elderly. Surgery should be performed at first. The delay of diagnosis, positive surgical margins and the involvement of inguinal lymph node are important risk factors. Biopsy, frozen section and inguinal lymph node biopsy (ILNB) can standardize diagnosis and treatment.

Improvement of glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by Atlantic salmon skin gelatin hydrolysate as the dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitor

In our previous study, Atlantic salmon skin gelatin hydrolysed with flavourzyme possessed 42.5% dipeptidyl-peptidase (DPP)-IV inhibitory activity at a concentration of 5 mg mL(-1). The oral administration of the hydrolysate (FSGH) at a single dose of 300 mg per day in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 5 weeks was evaluated for its antidiabetic effect. During the 5-week experiment, body weight increased, and the food and water intake was reduced by FSGH in diabetic rats. The daily administration of FSGH for 5 weeks was effective for lowering the blood glucose levels of diabetic rats during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). After the 5-week treatment, plasma DPP-IV activity was inhibited; the plasma activity of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), insulin, and the insulin-to-glucagon ratio were increased by FSGH in diabetic rats. The results indicate that FSGH has the function of inhibiting GLP-1 degradation by DPP-IV, resulting in the enhancement of insulin secretion and improvement of glycemic control in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

[Primary penoscrotal extra-mammary Paget's disease: analysis of 22 cases]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of primary penoscrotal extra-mammary Paget's disease (PSPD).

METHODS

The clinical and pathological data of 22 cases of primary PSPD were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rate of the overall patients, the invasive patients, and the patients with positive surgical margin or negative surgical margin were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival curve method.

RESULTS

Among all the patients with primary PSPD, the median age of onset was 64.5 (39-84) years, the median time of disease duration was 40 (2-300) months, and the median long diameter of lesion was 4.75 (1-10) cm. In the study, 12 patients (54.5%) were in pathological stage A1, 6 patients (27.3%) were in pathological stage A2, and 4 patients (18.2%) were in pathological stage B. Scrotum and penile of most patients (n=12, 54.5%) were involved, 5 patients (22.7%) were scrotum only, and 5 patients (22.7%) were penile only. Erythema (n=18, 81.8%), itchiness (n=16, 72.7%), ulcerate (n=12, 54.5%), exudation (n=11, 50.0%), and pain (n=4, 18.2%) were the major manifestations. All the patients with primary PSPD were treated with wide surgical excision. The rate of invasive patients was 77.3% (n=17). Of them, 6 patients had positive surgical margin. The surgical margins of non-invasive patients were all negative. Twelve patients exhibited local recurrence or/and metastases, and the status of surgical margins (P=0.015) and the depth of invasion (P=0.010) were important risk factors. Inguinal lymph nodes were generally involved. The difference of the delay of diagnosis between metastasis and non-metastasis was significant (P=0.040). The 5-year survival rates of the overall and invasive patients were 33.7% and 27.9%, respectively. The patients with positive surgical margin had poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Primary PSPD, with the characteristics of long duration, high invasive tendency and high incidence of local recurrence or metastases, generally occurs in the elderly. Surgery should be performed at first. The delay of diagnosis, positive surgical margins and the involvement of inguinal lymph node are important risk factors. Biopsy, frozen section and inguinal lymph node biopsy (ILNB) can standardize diagnosis and treatment.

Cut-and-paste-based cloning strategy for large gene site-directed mutagenesis

Site-directed mutagenesis is an essential technique for investigating the mechanisms of gene regulation on a molecular level, as well as for exploring post-translational modifications and functional structure at the protein level. Polymerase chain reaction combining in vitro synthesis of oligonucleotide primers allows for site-directed mutation to be performed with ease. However, site-directed mutagenesis is difficult when larger plasmids are involved. Here, we present a novel method for generating large gene site-directed mutagenesis products based on a cut-and-paste-based cloning strategy. This method uses 4 primers, incorporating relevant mutations and restriction enzyme site sequences, to generate 2 DNA fragments by polymerase chain reaction. The fragments are then ligated into TA cloning vectors. Large genes containing mutations of interest were obtained by cutting and then pasting, and then inserting one fragment into another T-vector. We demonstrated the practicality of this method by creating a G59S mutation within the p150(Glued)-encoding gene.

Diversification and the evolution of dispersal ability in the tribe Brassiceae (Brassicaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Dispersal and establishment ability can influence evolutionary processes such as geographic isolation, adaptive divergence and extinction probability. Through these population-level dynamics, dispersal ability may also influence macro-evolutionary processes such as species distributions and diversification. This study examined patterns of evolution of dispersal-related fruit traits, and how the evolution of these traits is correlated with shifts in geographic range size, habitat and diversification rates in the tribe Brassiceae (Brassicaceae).

METHODS

The phylogenetic analysis included 72 taxa sampled from across the Brassiceae and included both nuclear and chloroplast markers. Dispersal-related fruit characters were scored and climate information for each taxon was retrieved from a database. Correlations between fruit traits, seed characters, habitat, range and climate were determined, together with trait-dependent diversification rates.

KEY RESULTS

It was found that the evolution of traits associated with limited dispersal evolved only in association with compensatory traits that increase dispersal ability. The evolution of increased dispersal ability occurred in multiple ways through the correlated evolution of different combinations of fruit traits. The evolution of traits that increase dispersal ability was in turn associated with larger seed size, increased geographic range size and higher diversification rates.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that the evolution of increased dispersal ability and larger seed size, which may increase establishment ability, can also influence macro-evolutionary processes, possibly by increasing the propensity for long-distance dispersal. In particular, it may increase speciation and consequent diversification rates by increasing the likelihood of geographic and thereby reproductive isolation.

Overregulation of microRNA-212 in the poor prognosis of esophageal cancer patients

There have been few reports evaluating the expression and function of the microRNA miR-212 in esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological factors and prognoses of esophageal cancer. MicroRNA was extracted from 46 esophageal cancer patients using the Taqman MicroRNA assay. All patients were at the same tumor node metastasis stage, but with different prognoses, and had all undergone surgery. The correlation between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed and the significance of miR-212 as a prognostic factor as well as its relationship with survival was determined. miR-212 expression was higher in patients with poor prognoses than in those with good prognoses (P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that the miR-212 expression level was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.024). Patients with higher expression of miR-212 showed longer survival times. Cox multi-factor model analysis showed that miR-212 expression was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.026). mir-212 is related with prognostic factors and survival time and may be a biomarker for esophageal cancer.

Downregulation of a putative tumor suppressor BMP4 by SOX2 promotes growth of lung squamous cell carcinoma

SOX2 is a transcription factor essential for self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. Recently, SOX2 was found overexpressed in the majority of the lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQC), in which it acts as a lineage-survival oncogene. However, downstream targets/pathways of SOX2 in lung SQC cells remain to be identified. Here, we show that BMP4 is a downstream target of SOX2 in lung SQC. We found that SOX2-silencing-mediated inhibition of cell growth was accompanied by upregulation of BMP4 mRNA and its protein expression. Meta-analysis with 293 samples and qRT-PCR validation with 73 clinical samples revealed an inversely correlated relationship between levels of SOX2 and BMP4 mRNA, and significantly lower mRNA levels in tumor than in adjacent normal tissues. This was corroborated by immunohistochemistry analysis of 35 lung SQC samples showing lower BMP4 protein expression in tumor tissues. Cell-based experiments including siRNA transfection, growth assay and flow cytometry assay, further combined with a xenograft tumor model in mice, revealed that reactivation of BMP4 signaling could partially account for growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest in lung SQC cells upon silencing SOX2. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis and luciferase reporter assay revealed that SOX2 could negatively regulate BMP4 promoter activity, possibly through binding to the promoter located in the first intron region of BMP4. Collectively, our findings suggest that BMP4 could act as a tumor suppressor and its downregulation by elevated SOX2 resulting in enhanced growth of lung SQC cells.

Moxifloxacin modifies corneal fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation is associated with scarring, an important issue in corneal surgery. Moxifloxacin (MOX), commonly applied to prevent post-operative infection, would benefit more if it modifies fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation other than antimicrobial activity. Our purpose was to explore whether MOX has anti-fibrotic effect in human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

HCFs were incubated in MOX-containing medium concurrently with TGF-β1 (co-treatment), before (pretreatment) or after (post-treatment) adding TGF-β1. HCF contractility was evaluated with a type I collagen gel contraction assay. Expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Smad2, phospho-Smad2-Ser467, Smad4 and Smad7 was determined by immunoblotting. Formation of α-SMA-positive filaments and distribution of active Smad2 were observed under confocal microscopy. Expression of TGF-β receptor types I (TGFBR1) and II (TGFBR2) was assessed with flow cytometry.

KEY RESULTS

MOX did not affect gel contractility or α-SMA filament formation in HCFs without TGF-β1 stimulation. MOX did, however, retard HCF-containing gel contractility and α-SMA filament formation following TGF-β1 stimulation in the pretreatment and co-treatment groups but not in the post-treatment group. MOX blocked the expression of Smad2, phospho-Smad2-Ser467 and TGFBR1 under TGF-β1 incubation. Additionally, MOX enhanced Smad7 expression in TGF-β1-incubated HCFs, but did not interfere with TGF-β-triggered Smad2 nuclear translocation or Smad4 expression.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

MOX inhibited TGF-β-induced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation via blocking TGFBR1 and enhancing Smad7 expression. MOX should be used before or during surgery to achieve these effects. These results suggest a de novo mechanism by which MOX participates in corneal wound healing.

Retrieving quasi-phase-matching structure with discrete layer-peeling method

An approach to reconstruct a quasi-phase-matching grating by using a discrete layer-peeling algorithm is presented. Experimentally measured output spectra of Šolc-type filters, based on uniform and chirped QPM structures, are used in the discrete layer-peeling algorithm. The reconstructed QPM structures are in agreement with the exact structures used in the experiment and the method is verified to be accurate and efficient in quality inspection on quasi-phase-matching grating.

A comparative study of loratadine syrup and cyproheptadine HCL solution for treating perennial allergic rhinitis in Taiwanese children aged 2-12 years

We assessed the efficacy of loratadine syrup compared with cyproheptadine HCl solution for treating children aged from 2 to 12 years with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) in Taiwan. Sixty children with mite-induced PAR were enrolled and randomly placed into two treatment groups: loratadine syrup or cyproheptadine HCl solution. Treatment efficacy and symptom changes from baseline to post-treatment were evaluated by total symptom scores and visual analogue scales (VAS) during a 2-week period. There were no differences in age, gender, height, or weight between the two groups. After 2 weeks of treatment, there was a significantly greater reduction in symptom scores in the loratadine group than in the cyproheptadine group (p&#x003C;0.001). Clinical and subjective VAS showed significant differences in percentage changes from baseline between the loratadine and cyproheptadine groups at all time points (all p&#x003C;0.001, in favor of loratadine). Clinical VAS change at week 1: 95.1 vs 11.3; subjective VAS change at week 1: 88.6 vs 13.6; clinical VAS change at week 2: 125.5 vs 18.3; subjective VAS change at week 2: 101.4 vs 7.1. Thus, loratadine was superior to cyproheptadine for alleviating both nasal and non-nasal symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis in Taiwanese children aged 2-12 years.

Biofunctionalisation of polymeric scaffolds for neural tissue engineering

Patients who experience injury to the central or peripheral nervous systems invariably suffer from a range of dysfunctions due to the limited ability for repair and reconstruction of damaged neural tissue. Whilst some treatment strategies can provide symptomatic improvement of motor and cognitive function, they fail to repair the injured circuits and rarely offer long-term disease modification. To this end, the biological molecules, used in combination with neural tissue engineering scaffolds, may provide feasible means to repair damaged neural pathways. This review will focus on three promising classes of neural tissue engineering scaffolds, namely hydrogels, electrospun nanofibres and self-assembling peptides. Additionally, the importance and methods for presenting biologically relevant molecules such as, neurotrophins, extracellular matrix proteins and protein-derived sequences that promote neuronal survival, proliferation and neurite outgrowth into the lesion will be discussed.