Inhibition of translation initiation factor eIF4A is required for apoptosis mediated by Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus

Apoptotic hemocytes induced by Microplitis bicoloratus parasitism have been reported, and M. bicoloratus bracovirus (MbBV) is known to be the apoptosis inducer. However, the mechanism how MbBV regulates apoptosis remains unclear. eIF4A, one of translation initiation factors, was found from a Spodoptera litura transcriptome, the expression of which in the parasitized hemocytes of S. litura was inhibited in RT-qPCR analysis. The western blot also illustrated eIF4A at 6-day post-parasitization was inhibited in hemocytes. For testing interaction of MbBV-eIF4A-apoptosis, a cDNA clone encoding 1,266 bp of eIF4A was obtained from S. litura hemocytes and sequenced. Then, a 48 kDa V5-fusion protein of the eIF4A was detected by using the anti-V5 antibody at 72-h post-transfection in the High Five cells, which is located in the cell cytoplasm. In vitro, overexpression of eIF4A rescued the apoptotic High Five cells induced by MbBV. Conversely, in vivo, loss of eIF4A proteins by dsRNA feeding increased apoptosis of hemocytes. Furthermore, RNAi and parasitism significantly increased apoptosis of hemocytes in S. litura. These findings suggested that MbBV inhibited the expression of eIF4A, which was required for apoptosis mediated by MbBV. This study will contribute to biological pest control and enhance our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying polydnavirus-parasitoid-host interaction.

[Dye-tattooing under ultrasound guidance in preoperative localization of neck recurrences from thyroid cancer]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the application of dye-tattooing under ultrasound guidance in preoperative localization of neck recurrences from thyroid cancer. Methods: Between October 2014 to September 2016, 25 patients with 34 lesions were enrolled. There were 22 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma and three cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma, all of which could not be detected by computed tomography. Surgeons located the recurrent lesions using dye-tattooing under ultrasound guidance along with radiologist three days before the operation. Results: All lesions were successfully located (100%), 32 of which were located directly and two of which were located indirectly. Postoperative pathological examination confirmed 25 metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma, two metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma, and seven cases of false positives. The accuracy of ultrasound diagnosis was 79.4%. After 15 months of follow-up, neither tumor residual nor recurrences was detected according to imaging tests. Conclusions: Dye-tattooing under ultrasound guidance represents a reliable and safe method for localization of neck recurrences from thyroid cancer. The cooperation between experienced surgeons and radiologists will be crucial to successful location.

Tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after lung resection is a prognostic factor for survival

Background

In recent years, the tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) has been considered to a new and independent predictive variable for the prognosis of some kinds of neoplasms. The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of the TSR in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A cohort of 261 NSCLC patients who underwent radical surgery of lung cancer were included in the present study. Two independent observers visually estimated the TSR on hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) stained tissue pathological slices. According to the proportion of stroma ≥50% or <50%, We separate the patients into two groups: those with stroma-poor and those with stroma-rich tumors.

Results

Both univariate and multivariate analyses disclosed that the TSR was associated with overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR), 1.741; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.040-2.913 and HR, 1.904; 95% CI, 1.132-3.202, respectively]. The HR values for disease-free survival (DFS) were 1.795 (95% CI, 1.073-3.005) and 2.034 (95% CI, 1.210-3.420). The OS and DFS of patients with stroma-poor tumors were better than those with stroma-rich tumors.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that the TSR is a new prognostic factor for NSCLC. Stroma-poor tumors were associated with longer disease-free period and better prognosis than were stroma-rich tumors in NSCLC patients. The TSR may contribute to the development of individualized treatment for NSCLC in the future.

[Application of flurbiprofen axetil in pain management associated during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy]

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effects of perioperative intravenous administration of flurbiprofen axetil (FA) on pain associated with transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy.

METHODS

This was a randomized,controlled study. Eighty-one patients who underwent 12 core prostate biopsy were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n=27 in each) by type of procedure during prostate biopsy. Group intrarectal local anesthesia (IRLA) received intrarectal 5% (0.05 g/L) lidocaine gel 60 mg, 5 minutes before the procedure alone; Group FA received intravenous flurbiprofen axetil (1 mg/kg) 1 hour before the procedure; Group IRLA+FA received intrarectal 5% lidocaine gel 60 mg, 5 minutes before the procedure and intravenous flurbiprofen axetil (1 mg/kg) 1 hour before the procedure. The patients were asked to score the pain by using visual analogue scale (VAS) in 4 situations,including when the probe was inserted (VASI),during anesthesia (VAS II),during biopsy (VAS III) and 20 minutes after biopsy (VAS IV). The findings were evaluated with analysis of variance,and the Tukey post hoc test was followed with an overall 2-tailed significance level at α =0.05. P1, P value between Group IRLA and Group FA; P2, P value between Group FA and Group IRLA +FA, P3, P value between Group IRLA and Group IRLA +FA. The bonferroni method was used to adjust the test level, α=0.017,a P value of less than 0.017 was accepted as the threshold for statistical significance.

RESULTS

No major complications,including sepsis and severe rectal bleeding,were noted in any patient. There were no differences in general condition of the patients before procedure among the 3 groups. There were statistically significant differences in VAS scores among the 3 groups in VAS II (5.7±2.2, 3.0±1.5,3.3±1.9,respectively,P=0.012) and VAS III (6.7±2.3,3.0±2.1,2.9±1.6,respectively,P=0.001). There were no differences in the pain scores among the 3 groups during probe insertion (VAS I, 3.2±1.0,4.1±2.1,4.2±1.7, respectively,P=5.752) and 20 minutes after biopsy (VAS IV, 1.4±2.1,1.0±0.9,1.1±0.7,respectively,P=3.772). Between-column differences among the 3 groups were VAS II (P1=0.007,P2=5.655,P3=0.001,respectively) and VAS III(P1=0.008,P2=7.517,P3=0.001,respectively),the differences between Group IRLA and Group FA,Group IRLA and Group IRLA +FA in VAS II and VAS III were statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The intravenous flurbiprofen axetil was found to be more effective than intrarectal lidocaine gel alone.

[Expression and localization of transmembrane protein CMTM2 in human testis and sperm]

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of transmembrane protein CMTM2 in the testis and sperm of adult males and to approach the potential function of the protein in the male reproductive system.

METHODS

The expression of CMTM2 in human testis and sperm was confirmed by Western blot. Immunohistochemical staining was used for detecting CMTM2 localization in the testis tissue, TRITC-CMTM2 and FITC-Hoechst double immunofluorescence staining was performed to examine the subcellular localization of CMTM2 in the human sperm before and after acrosome reaction, that is, immunofluorescent staining was used for detecting CMTM2 localization in both the testis and sperm before and after the acrosome reaction.

RESULTS

CMTM2 was presented in both human testis and sperm. In the testis, CMTM2 immunoreactive particles were observed mainly in the membrane of the different stages of spermatogenic cells. In the human sperm, its immunoreactivity was restrictively localized to the posterior head where sperm-egg fusion occurred, and the CMTM2 localization was not affected by sperm acrosome reaction. CMTM2 was widely expressed in seminiferous tubules of the human testis, mainly in the cell membranes of spermatogenic cells, which was consistent with the previous reports. The immunofluorescence performed on frozen human testis slides showed similar findings with immunohistochemistry, which gave weight to the localization of CMTM2 in the cell membranes of spermatogenic cells at different stages. TRITC-CMTM2 and FITC-Hoechst double immunofluorescence staining was performed to examine the subcellular localization of CMTM2 in the human sperm before and after acrosome reaction. CMTM2 was localized at the posterior head of sperm before and after acrosome reaction. The localization and expression of CMTM2 were not affected by sperm acrosome reaction.

CONCLUSION

Expression of CMTM2 in the male reproductive system of the adult human exhibits cell- and region-specific patterns, which suggests that they may play an important role in spermatogenesis and sperm-egg fusion. The expression of CMTM2 in the male reproductive system of the adult human exhibits cell- and region-specific patterns, which suggests that they may play an important role in spermatogenesis and sperm-egg fusion. However, it still remains to be further elucidated about the definite role of CMTM2 in male reproductive system and the process of spermatogenesis. And in vitro fertilization experiments are needed to confirm the role of CMTM2 in fertilization in future.

[Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome associated with vesical fistula: a case report and literature review]

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a very uncommon genetic disorder that results from the resistance of androgen receptor (AR) to androgen, which influences the formation of the male genitalia and in turn presents with female phenotype. Surgical resection of undesceaded testicle and different kinds of genitoplasty are crucial methods to correct the deformity of reproductive system, as well as hormone replacement therapy, which is an essential therapy for postoperational rehabilitation in AIS patients. A 43-year-old patient, who was socially female, was first admitted to gastroenterology department due to recurrent ascites and occasional abdominal pain with unknown origin. Taking physical examination, ultrasonography, karyotype analysis and sex hormone levels into consideration, the overall manifestations revealed the typical clinical features of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. After that she was transferred to urology department for laparoscopic gonadectomy. During the surgery, doctors found that there was a vesical fistula on the upper wall near the conjunction between the bladder and ligamenta umbilicale medium, which explained the recurrent ascites for more than 4 years. After resecting the testicles and the tissues around the vesical fistula for histopathology, the result suggested Sertoli cell adenoma, hyperplastic Leydig cells and urothelium atypical hyperplasia. Hormone replacement therapy was given right after discharge. The hormone levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol and progesterone were modulated by the dysfunction of androgen production after gonadectomy and hormone replacement therapy together with psychotherapy could stabilize her hormone levels and improve the quality of her life. The patient was suspicious of AIS family history and the pedigree was made to analyze her family which was possibly X-linked recessive pattern. We propose three possible hypotheses of the fistula, which are direct surgical injury, recurrence of bladder cancer and congenital urachal anomalies. But whether it is relevant between urachal anomalies and AIS is yet to be discovered.

[Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 propagates estrogen and fluid shear stress driven proliferation and differentiation response in MC3T3-E1 cells]

Fluid shear stress (FSS) and estrogen exposure positively regulate bone metabolism. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) plays a vital role in FSS-induced osteogenesis. An in vitro experiment with MC3T3-E1 cells combined with microarray analysis aided us in identification of the genes differentially expressed in response to FSS and highlighted the role of FGFR1 in this process. Both estrogen exposure and FSS increase methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) values and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, as well as the levels of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteocalcin (OCN). The effects of estrogen exposure and FSS were cumulative. Treatment with PD166866 inhibitor of the FGFR1 reduced the MTT values, increased ALP activity, and increased the levels of Runx2 and OCN. To investigate the regulation of FGFR1 signaling in stressed cells, a number of key components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade were quantitatively examined. Neither estrogen nor FSS change the protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK) or p38, but positively influence their phosphorylation levels. Treatment with the FGFR1 inhibitor induced an increase in ERK phosphorylation levels only. In summary, estrogen exposure and FSS have a synergistic effect in osteogenesis. FGFR1 promotes osteoblast proliferation and inhibits the differentiation of osteoblasts. In MC3T3-E1 cells, FGFR1 signaling responds to independent and combined effects of estrogen and FSS. MAPK cascades participate in osteogenesis, but only the ERK signaling pathway responds to FGFR1.

[Analysis of risk factors for postsurgical gastroparesis syndrome (PGS) after operation for gastric cancer]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for postsurgical gastroparesis syndrome (PGS) after surgery for stomach cancer. Methods: A total of 684 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery for stomach cancer from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2014 in Tai'an Tumor Prevention and Treatment Hospital, including 475 males and 209 females, with an average age of 59.9 years were identified and included in this study. There were 206 cases of gastric cardia and gastric fundus cancers and 478 cases of gastric antrum cancer. 206 cases underwent proximal radical subtotal gastrectomy and D2 lymph node dissection, 478 distal radical subtotal gastrectomy, 206 residual esophagogastric anastomosis, 311 Billroth-Ⅰ anastomosis, 99 Billroth-Ⅱ anastomosis, and 68 Billroth-Ⅱ plus Roux-en-y anastomosis. The incidence and risk factors of PGS were analyzed. Results: All of the 684 patients were successfully operated.Among them, 48 (7.0%)encountered PGS. The univariate analysis showed that age, smoking index, alcohol consumption index, HP infection, scores of anxiety, preoperative albumin level, preoperative pyloric obstruction, site of resection, mode of anastomosis, whether to preserve the vagus nerve trunk, perioperative blood glucose level, abdominal cavity infection, and usage of postoperative analgesia pump were related to the occurrence of PGS (P<0.05 for all), while sex, hypertension, diabetes, perioperative hemoglobin level, perioperative electrolyte imbalance, operation duration, intraoperative blood loss, size of gastric remnant and number of dissected lymph nodes were not significantly related to the occurrence of PGS(P>0.05 for all). The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that age, HP infection, scores of anxiety, perioperative albumin level, preoperative pyloric obstruction, site of resection, mode of anastomosis, whether to preserve the vagus nerve trunk, perioperative blood glucose level and abdominal cavity infection were risk factors for PGS (P<0.05 for all); while the age (<67 years old), perioperative albumin level (>35 g/L) and preservation of the vagus nerve trunk were protective factors of PGS (P<0.05 for all). Conclusions: The occurrence of PGS is affected by many factors. Detailed evaluation of patients'symptoms and physical signs before operation and rectifying and eliminating risk factors are important to prevent and reduce the occurrence of PGS in patients with gastric cancer.

[A meta-analysis of low tidal volume on the outcome of adult patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of tidal volume on the survival in adult patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (non-ARDS). Methods: We searched relevant clinical randomized controlled trials (RCT) from January 2000 to December 2015. Meta analyses related to the effects of tidal volume on mortality in non-ARDS adults were conducted using the methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Results: A total of nineteen RCTs (n=1 679) were finally included. There were 838 patients ventilated with low tidal volume, and the other 841 patients ventilated with normal tidal volume. The mortality rates were not significantly different between low tidal volume group and control group (5.87% vs 6.52%; RR=0.9, P=0.58). But respiratory complications were significantly lower in low tidal volume group, such as development of acute respiratory distress syndrome(RR=0.32, 95% CI 0.16-0.63, P=0.001), pneumonia (RR=0.48, 95%CI 0.29-0.78, P=0.003), while the incidence of atelectasis was quite comparable between two groups (RR=0.78, 95%CI 0.391-1.356, P=0.48). Conclusion: Non-ARDS patients ventilated with low tidal volume is associated with a lower risk of pulmonary complications, yet clinical outcome, mainly mortality is similar to that of patients with regular tidal volume.

Identification of β-chain of Fo F1 -ATPase in apoptotic cell population induced by Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus and its role in the development of Spodoptera litura

Two physiological changes of Spodoptera litura parasitized by Microplitis bicoloratus are hemocyte-apoptosis and retarded immature development. β-Chain of F_o F₁ -ATPase was found from a S. litura transcriptome. It belongs to a conserved P-loop NTPase superfamily, descending from a common ancestor of Lepidopteran clade. However, the characterization of β-chain of ATPase in apoptotic cells and its involvement in development remain unknown. Here, the ectopic expression and endogenous F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain occurred on S. litura cell membrane: in vivo, at the late stage of apoptotic hemocyte, endogenous F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain was stably expressed during M. bicoloratus larva development from 4 to 7 days post-parasitization; in vitro, at an early stage of pre-apoptotic Spli221 cells by infecting with M. bicoloratus bracovirus particles, the proteins were speedily recover expression. Furthermore, endogenous F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain was localized on the apoptotic cell membrane. RNA interference (RNAi) of F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain led to significantly decreased head capsule width. This suggested that F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain positively regulated the development of S. litura. The RNAi effect on the head capsule width was enhanced with parasitism. Our research found that F_o F₁ -ATPase β-chain was expressed and localized on the cell membrane in the apoptotic cells, and involved in the development of S. litura.

[Central compartment reoperation for recurrent/persistent differentiated thyroid cancer]

Objective: To analyze the incidences of complications after central compartment reoperation for recurrent/persistent differentiated thyroid cancer, and to investigate the safety and feasiblity of central compartment reoperation. Methord: A total of 109 patients who underwent central compartment reoperation for recurrent/persistent differentiated thyroid cancer from January 1, 2011 to March 31, 2016 in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was analysed retrospectively, and the incidences of reoperation-related complications were evaluated. Results: Among 109 patients, only 10 (9.2%) patients were treated initially in our hospital and remaining patients (90.8%) treated initially in the other hospitals. Surgical approaches for thyroid beds: 61 patients (56.0%) underwent supplemented total thyroidectomy, 3 patients (2.8%) for removal of recurrent thyroid cancer, 2 patients (1.8%) with supplemented total thyroidectomy and removal of recurrent thyroid cancer, and 12 cases (11.0%) had bilateral thyroid lobectomy. Central compartment lymph node dissection: 66 patients (60.6%) underwent bilateral central neck dissection, 40 patients (36.7%) with unilateral central neck dissection. A total of 16 patients (14.7%) had complications. Transient and permanent vocal fold paralysis developed in 9(8.3%) and 2(1.8 %) patients, respectively. Transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 2(1.8%) patients and 11 patients (10.1%), respectively. Postoperative bleeding happened in 1 patient (0.9%). with follow-up from 7 to 61 month, median follow-up was 17.2 months. All patients survived, with recurrence in 3 (2.8%) patients. Conclusions: It seems the incidences of complications for thyroid carcinoma reoperation in central compartment is low for the experienced surgeon. The reoperation was safe and feasible.

Distribution patterns of the contents of five biologically activate ingredients in the root of Scutellaria baicalensis

As an important herbaceous plant, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Chinese skullcap) is geographically widespread and commonly used throughout the world. In the Chinese medicine market, S. baicalensis has been divided into two primary types, "Ku Qin" (WXR) and "Tiao Qin" (TST). Moreover, TST is also divided into different grades according to the diameter of roots. To explore the distribution patterns of the contents of five biologically activate ingredients (FBAI), we used six-year-old cultivated S. baicalensis and analyzed its growth characteristics as well as the quality difference among different types and diameters in roots. Throughout the entire root, we discovered that contents of the FBAI all initially increased and subsequently decreased from the top to the bottom of the roots. The baicalin content of WXR was less than that of TST. On the contrary, the contents of baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A in WXR were up to about two times higher than that in TST. We also found that the 0 to 40 cm part of the S. baicalensis root possessed about 87% of the root biomass and about 92% of the contents of the active ingredients.

[Insulin regimes and impact on glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes]

Objective: To describe the insulin regimens and their associations with glycemic control and to explore factors associated with intensive insulin therapy. Methods: Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) were recruited from Guangdong Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Translational Medicine Study which was conducted in 16 centers in Guangdong province. The demographic and clinical data were collected. Patients were grouped according to different insulin regimens: insulin pump (R1), basal insulin plus regular insulin or short-acting insulin (R2), insulin injection 1-3 times per day (R3). Distribution of insulin regimens and the relationships between insulin regimens and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were described. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with intensive insulin therapy. Results: A total of 1 421 patients with the age of 27.8 (19.4, 38.3) years and a duration of T1DM of 3.3 (0.5, 7.1) years were recruited. There was 12.3% of patients in R1 (n=175), 35.5% in R2 (n=504), and 52.2% in R3 (n=742), respectively. HbA1c was 8.0 (6.8, 9.3)%, 8.9 (7.1, 11.8)%, and 9.2 (7.5, 11.4)% in R1, R2, R3, respectively, and it was associated with insulin regimens (P<0.001). HbA1c target rate was 32.3%, 21.1%, 17.8% in R1, R2, R3, respectively (P=0.002). Older age (OR=1.01, P=0.027), higher education level (college or above) (OR=1.56, P=0.003), and higher household income (>30 000 yuan per year per person)(OR=1.45, P=0.009) were associated with intensive insulin therapy in adult patients. Conclusions: The study suggested that insulin therapy need to be optimized in patients with T1DM. The optimization of insulin regimens and diabetes education may be helpful for improvement of glycemic control.

[The relationship between oxygen saturation and related respiratory events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome]

Objective:To explore the relationship between variation of hemoglobin saturation and related respiratory events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).Method:According to the SaO₂, the respiratory events were divided into two groups, followed or not followed the second events (SRE and N-SRE). Four features were extracted from SaO₂ and compared within groups under SRE versus N-SRE, and comparisons were also developed between moderate patients and severe patients.Result:ΔSaO₂, max, the duration and Dvmax was significantly higher in SRE than N-SRE (P< 0.01), while Nadir was significantly lower in SRE than N-SRE (P< 0.01). There was also significant difference in the blood oxygen index between moderate and severe patients. The change of SaO₂ is correlated with the ventilation restoration. The results also suggest that the severity of the patient's condition will affect the change of SaO₂ related indicators. Conclusion:This study provides information on the further study of ventilation restoration. Moreover, this study may provide a possible solution for the treatment of OSAHS.

[Significance of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase assay in early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the titer of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) for early diagnosis of the outpatient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in real life, and to analyze its relationship with disease activity.

METHODS

In the study, 1 051 patients with arthritis were collected in the group who had joints tender and swelling, and 90 cases of healthy people as a control group. ELISA method was used to detect the serum level of GPI, and according to clinical features and laboratory test, all the patients including 525 RA patients, the other patients including osteoarthritis (OA), 134 cases of seronegative spine joint disease (SpA), 104 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 31 cases of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS), 24 cases of gout arthritis (GA), 22 cases of other connective tissue diseases (including polymyalgia rheumatica, dermatomyositis, systemic sclerosis, adult Still disease) and 46 cases of other diseases (including 165 cases of osteoporosis, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, traumatic osteomyelitis, bone and joint disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, tumor). The diagnostic values of GPI were assessed, and the differences between the GPI positive and negative groups of the RA patients in clinical characteristics, disease activity, severity and inflammatory index analyzed.

RESULTS

The positive rate of serum GPI in the patients with RA was 55.4%, contrasting to other autoimmune diseases (14.3%) and healthy controls (7.78%)(P<0.001). Compared with the OA and SpA patients, the RA group was increased more significantly, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The diagnostic value of GPI alone for RA was 0.39 mg/L, the sensitivity was 54.2%, and specificity was 87.3%. The positive rate of GPI in RF negative patients was 36.1%; the positive rate of GPI in anti-CCP antibody negative patients was 34.2%; the positive rate of GPI in RF and anti-CCP antibody negative patients was 24.1%. The level of GPI had positive correlation (P<0.05) with ESR, RF, anti-CCP antibody and HRF-IgG.

CONCLUSION

GPI is sensitive in the patients with RA; GPI positive is important in the diagnosis of RA with anti-CCP antibody and/or RF negative patients. The titer of GPI is related with disease activity of RA.

Dietary linseed oil in the maternal diet affects immunoglobulins, tissue fatty acid composition and expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in piglets

This experiment investigated the effects of supplementing the maternal diet with linseed oil (LSO) and soya bean oil (SBO) on immunoglobulins, the fatty acid composition and hepatic expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in piglets. Multiparous sows (twenty-four per diet) were fed on diets containing a supplement of either SBO or LSO during last week of gestation and lactation. The results indicated that supplementation of maternal diet with LSO could improve the weaning weight of piglets and average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.05). The concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was enhanced in sow plasma, colostrum and milk by the addition of LSO (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentration of 18: 3n-3 fatty acids was higher in the milk of LSO sows. Meanwhile, maternal supplementation with LSO increased the levels of plasma IgG, IgA and the tissues n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in piglets (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the mRNA expression levels of hepatic ∆5-desaturase (D5D) and ∆6-desaturase (D6D) were higher, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) was lower in piglets from LSO-fed sows when compared with that in the SBO group. In conclusion, LSO supplementation of the maternal diet increases immunoglobulins, modifies the fatty acid composition and affects the gene of D5D and D6D expression of piglets.

[Tetrahydrobiopterin improves left ventricular diastolic function possibly through upregulating phosphorylated protein kinase B expression in hypertensive mice induced by deoxycorticosterone acetate]

Objective: To investigate whether tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) could improve left ventricular diastolic function through phosphoinositide-3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in hypertensive mice. Methods: Ten-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive model, age matched Sham mice serve as the controls. Mice were divided into four groups: Sham(n=20), Sham+ BH4 (n=20), DOCA (n=22), and DOCA+ BH4 (n=22). On the 14 days after surgery, mice in Sham+ BH4 and DOCA+ BH4 groups received BH4 (0.1 ml/10 g) supplement for 7 days, while mice in Sham and DOCA groups were given equal volume of normal saline.The blood pressure measurements were performed 7 days later.Hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters were used to assess left ventricular functions.High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to measure cardiac biopterins BH4 and BH2.The phosphorylated phospholamban (p-PLB) was detected by immunohistochemical staining. PI3K, Akt and phosphorylated Akt were assayed with Western blot analysis. Results: (1) The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of DOCA group were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05). Compared with DOCA group, the systolic blood pressure was lower in DOCA+ BH4 mice (P=0.027). Diastolic blood pressure was similar between the groups. (2) Compared with Sham group, the left ventricular diastolic function indexes such as mitral annulus velocity (E') and E'/A'ratio were significantly lower, while the E/ E'ratio was significantly higher(P<0.05)in DOCA mice. The E/ E'ratio of DOCA+ BH4 group was significantly lower than that of DOCA group (P<0.05). Compared with Sham group, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure volumetric coefficient (EDPVR) and left ventricular relaxation time constant Tau index were significantly higher in DOCA mice (P=0.002, 0.011 and 0.016, respectively). The EDPVR and Tau index were significantly lower in DOCA+ BH4 group than in DOCA group (P<0.05). (3) Compared with Sham group, the myocardial contents of BH4 and BH2 were significantly lower in DOCA mice (P<0.05). The BH4 levels and BH4/BH2 ratio were significantly higher in Sham+ BH4 and DOCA+ BH4 groups than in the DOCA group (P<0.05), but the BH2 levels were similar between groups. (4) The cGMP content, SOD activity and NO content in the left ventricular myocardial tissue were significantly lower (P<0.05), while the MDA content was significantly higher in DOCA mice than in Sham mice.The NO content and SOD activity in DOCA+ BH4 groups were significantly higher than in the DOCA group (P<0.05). (5) Compared with DOCA group, the expression of p-PLB was significantly higher in Sham mice and lower in DOCA+ BH4 mice (P<0.05). (6) The expression of PI3K, Akt and p-Akt (Ser473 and Thr308) in DOCA mice were significantly lower than in Sham group (P<0.05). The expression of PI3K, Akt and p-Akt (Ser473) was significantly higher in DOCA+ BH4 group than in DOCA group (P<0.05). p-Akt (Thr308) expression was similar between DOCA + BH4 group and DOCA group (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that BH4 could improve left ventricular diastolic function in hypertensive mice, this effect might be mediated by reducing the oxidative stress in ventricular myocardium through modlating the expression of Akt and PLB phosphorylation.

[Expression of chemokine like factor-like myelin and lymphocyte and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link transmembrane domain-containing protein 2 in rats with varicocele]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether chemokine like factor (CKLF)-like myelin and lymphocyte and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link (MARVEL) transmembrane domain-containing protein 2 (CMTM2) is involved in spermatogenesis in varicocele induced subfertility rats and to discuss the possible mechanisms.

METHODS

Forty male SD rats (body weight: 220-330 g, age: 6-7 weeks) were randomly divided into 4 groups: varicocele for 4 weeks, varicocele for 12 weeks, sham operation for 4 weeks and sham operation for 12 weeks, with 10 rats in each group. These rats were introduced by partially ligating left kidney veins for the experimental groups, and the sham surgery groups as controls were executed with exactly the same surgery as in the experimental groups except for the ligation. The rats in control and experimental groups for 4 and 12 weeks were killed after laparotomy at the end of 4 and 12 weeks, respectively, the left testes and epididymis were taken out for counting the sperm, observing the seminiferous tubule change and immunochemistry for CMTM2. The changes included sperm density and motility, the outer diameter and inner diameter change and the changes of epithelium and the CMTM2 expression in immunochemistry.

RESULTS

Compared with the control groups, the sperm density [(63.9±7.1)×10⁶/mL vs.(74.3±5.0)×10⁶/mL] and motility [(58.7%±7.9%) vs.(66.1%±4.3%)] were reduced slightly in group of varicoele for 4 weeks, respectively (t=1.432, 1.563; P=0.076, 0.059, respectively). Varicocele significantly caused a decrease in sperm concentration [(40.5±7.2) ×10⁶/mL vs.(71.1±4.5)×10⁶/mL] and motility [(35.2%±8.5%)vs. (63.4%±4.1%)] at 12 weeks, compared with the related sham groups (t=3.754, 3.933; P=0.004, 0.002, respectively). Additionally, testis CMTM2 exhibited the same disparity, that is, the CMTM2 protein expression in varicocele group was significantly reduced, with the ratio of sham group to varicocele group at the end of 12 weeks 2.3±0.4 (t=1.978; P=0.039). In the evaluation of seminiferous tubules diameter, the external [(198.2±10.2) μm vs. (255.8±12.7) μm, t=2.125, P=0.003] and epithelium diameter [(54.1±1.5) μm vs. (75.5±4.1) μm, t=2.246, P=0.021] were decreased compared with the sham-related groups and previous varicocele groups. In all the varicocele groups, all types of sperm motility decreased compared with the related sham-operated group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests varicocele has a detrimental effect on CMTM2 levels and decreases spermatogonia cell number, seminiferous tubules diameter, and sperm indices. CMTM2 is associated with sperm changes in rats with varicocele, and further studies are needed to study the mechanism.

[Clinical analysis of lymphocytic thyroiditis coexistent with papillary thyroid carcinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the clinical features and treatment strategies of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) coexistent with lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT).

METHODS

A total of 292 patients including 25 males and 267 females with LT and thyroid nodules treated in the department of head and neck surgery between Sep 2011 and Sep 2014 was analysed retrospectively and divided into two groups according to pathological results, of them 262 patients, with a median age of 47 years old, were LT with PTC and 30 patients, with a median age of 54 years old, were LT with benign nodules. Among 262 patients having LT with PTC, 259 were diagnosed as having malignant or suspicious malignant nodules and 3 having benign nodules with ultrasound before surgery, 98 cases were considered multifocal malignant nodules by preoperative ultrasound, and 112 cases were positive in cervical lymph nodes, including bilateral positive in 37 cases. Of 30 patients having LT with benign nodules, 14 were diagnosed malignant or suspicious malignant nodules and 16 benign nodules.

RESULTS

The mean age in 262 patients with PTC was less significantly than that in 30 patients with benign nodules (P<0.05). Ultrasound showed a high proportion of calcification and microcalcification in patients with PTC (34%) compared to patients with benign nodules(13%)(P<0.05). There were not significant differences in the mean levels of serum thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) (2.80 vs 2.99 mU/L, P=0.233), thyroglobulin(TG) (27.14 vs 18.60 μg/L, P=0.747), and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies(ATG)(417.3 vs 378.7 U/ml, P=0.834) between patients with PTC and those with benign nodules. In patients with PTC, multifocal tumor accounted for 42%. The central and lateral lymph node metastasis rates were respectively 50% and 24%, and the occult metastasis rate of lateral neck lymph node was 16%. Univariate analysis showed that age less than 45 years old, multifocal tumor, tumor diameter more than or equal to 2cm and extrathyroidal extension were associated with central lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but not with lateral neck metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed a closed correlation only between the lymph node metastases in central and lateral neck levels (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Calcification and microcalcification have the same importance in the ultrasonic diagnosis for PTC in patients with LT. Total thyroidectomy and prophylactic central lymph node should be a choice for LT with PTC. Lymph node metastasis in level Ⅵ indicates the possibility of lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in the patients having LT with PTC.

Regulatory effect of miRNA on multi-directional differentiation ability of mesenchymal stem cell in treatment of osteoporosis

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of miRNA acting in regulating multi-directional differentiation ability of mesenchymal stem cell in treatment of osteoporosis (OP), with the aim of finding a new idea and approach for clinical treatment of OP. Estrogen deficiency-induced OP mice model was established by means of ovariectomy (OVX). Additionally, a sham group was set up for control. Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMMSCs) of OVX group (O/BMMSCs) and BMMSCs of sham group (S/BMMSCs) were separately cultured. Then surface markers of BMMSCs were detected. Multi-directional differentiation ability was identified in the two groups by giving cells targeted induced stimulation. It was found that the bone trabecula, bone density and bone volume fraction of distal femoral metaphysis in the OVX group were much lower than those of the sham group. Moreover, trabecular bone space in the OVX group became larger; O/BMMSCs and S/BMMSCs both had normal expression of surface markers as well as potentials of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation; O/BMMSCs had a weaker osteogenic capability but a stronger adipogenic capability than S/BMMSCs. All the findings suggest that the regulatory effect of miRNA on multi-directional differentiation ability plays a vital role in the treatment of OP, and there is a close correlation between them; deficiency or functional defect of BMMSCs can result in the occurrence of OP.

[Expression of chemokine like factor-like myelin and lymphocyte and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link transmembrane domain-containing protein 2 in rats with varicocele]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether chemokine like factor (CKLF)-like myelin and lymphocyte and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link (MARVEL) transmembrane domain-containing protein 2 (CMTM2) is involved in spermatogenesis in varicocele induced subfertility rats and to discuss the possible mechanisms.

METHODS

Forty male SD rats (body weight: 220-330 g, age: 6-7 weeks) were randomly divided into 4 groups: varicocele for 4 weeks, varicocele for 12 weeks, sham operation for 4 weeks and sham operation for 12 weeks, with 10 rats in each group. These rats were introduced by partially ligating left kidney veins for the experimental groups, and the sham surgery groups as controls were executed with exactly the same surgery as in the experimental groups except for the ligation. The rats in control and experimental groups for 4 and 12 weeks were killed after laparotomy at the end of 4 and 12 weeks, respectively, the left testes and epididymis were taken out for counting the sperm, observing the seminiferous tubule change and immunochemistry for CMTM2. The changes included sperm density and motility, the outer diameter and inner diameter change and the changes of epithelium and the CMTM2 expression in immunochemistry.

RESULTS

Compared with the control groups, the sperm density [(63.9±7.1)×10(6)/mL vs.(74.3±5.0)×10(6)/mL] and motility [(58.7%±7.9%) vs.(66.1%±4.3%)] were reduced slightly in group of varicoele for 4 weeks, respectively (t=1.432, 1.563; P=0.076, 0.059, respectively). Varicocele significantly caused a decrease in sperm concentration [(40.5±7.2) ×10(6)/mL vs.(71.1±4.5)×10(6)/mL] and motility [(35.2%±8.5%)vs. (63.4%±4.1%)] at 12 weeks, compared with the related sham groups (t=3.754, 3.933; P=0.004, 0.002, respectively). Additionally, testis CMTM2 exhibited the same disparity, that is, the CMTM2 protein expression in varicocele group was significantly reduced, with the ratio of sham group to varicocele group at the end of 12 weeks 2.3±0.4 (t=1.978; P=0.039). In the evaluation of seminiferous tubules diameter, the external [(198.2±10.2) μm vs. (255.8±12.7) μm, t=2.125, P=0.003] and epithelium diameter [(54.1±1.5) μm vs. (75.5±4.1) μm, t=2.246, P=0.021] were decreased compared with the sham-related groups and previous varicocele groups. In all the varicocele groups, all types of sperm motility decreased compared with the related sham-operated group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests varicocele has a detrimental effect on CMTM2 levels and decreases spermatogonia cell number, seminiferous tubules diameter, and sperm indices. CMTM2 is associated with sperm changes in rats with varicocele, and further studies are needed to study the mechanism.

Low voltage polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystal reflective display by doping ferroelectric nanoparticles

Low driving voltage is achieved in full color reflective display based on polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystal (PS-PBLC), by doping a small amount of ferroelectric nanoparticles. Both reflectance spectra of PS-PBLC with and without BaTiO₃ ferroelectric nanoparticles are studied under different applied external voltages. Superior to PS-PBLC without ferroelectric nanoparticles, the vertical driving electric fields of PS-PBLC with 0.4 wt.% BaTiO₃ ferroelectric nanoparticles are dramatically reduced by more than 70% for red, green and blue cells. The proposed approach would accelerate the practical application of full color PS-BPLC reflective display.

MiR-27a promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through suppression of its target gene peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as essential posttranscriptional modulators of gene expression, and are involved in a wide range of physiologic and pathologic states, including cancer. Numerous miRNAs are deregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-27a in the development of HCC.

Methods:

The expression of MiR-27a was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide was used to examine changes in the viability of HepG2, Bel-7402, Bel-7404 hepatoma cell lines associated with up-regulation or down-regulation of miR-27a. A dual-luciferase activity assay was used to verify a target gene of miR-27a. Immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, Western blotting analysis, and cell cycle and apoptosis flow cytometric assays were used to elucidate the mechanism by which miR-27a modulates liver cancer cell proliferation.

Results:

The expression of miR-27a was significantly increased in HCC tissues and HepG2, Bel-7402, Bel-7404 hepatoma cell lines (P < 0.05). We also found that the down-regulation of miR-27a in HepG2 cells dramatically inhibited proliferation, blocked the G1 to S cell cycle transition and induced apoptosis (P < 0.05). In addition, miR-27a directly targeted the 3’-untranslated region of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), and ectopic miR-27a expression suppressed PPAR-γ expression on the mRNA and protein levels. The rosiglitazone-induced overexpression of PPAR-γ attenuated the effect of miR-27a in HCC cells.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggested that miRNA-27a promoted HCC cell proliferation by regulating PPAR-γ expression. MiR-27a may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment.

Time distribution of recurrence risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma with complete resection (R0) in a Chinese population

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to clarify the correlation between clinic-pathological characteristics and the distribution of recurrence probability during follow-up of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients with complete resection analysis by hazard function, and to try to provide evidence-based data for optimal timing for adjuvant therapy.

METHODS

A single-institution, retrospective study was conducted on 553 Chinese patients with OSCC who underwent R0 resection between January 2005 and October 2007. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and hazard function was used to analyse the annual recurrence hazard.

RESULTS

The median recurrence-free survival time of these patients was 3.4 years. In univariate analysis, the favourable prognostic factors were gender, smoking status, a tumour length of ≤4.0 cm, tumour invasion thickness, normal level of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen, pathological T category and pathological N category. In multivariate analysis, pathological T category and pathological N category were independent prognostic factors. Overall, the recurrence hazard curve for the entire cohort showed that the first major recurrence surge began to increase from the first year at 22.97% and peaked at 1.3 years at 27.4% during follow-up. The second recurrence surge peaked during the seventh year at 13.0%. A lower recurrence risk was observed in patients with the following clinic-pathological characteristics: gender, smoking status and N0.

CONCLUSIONS

We identify the presence of two peaks for recurrence risk in Chinese patients with resectable OSCC, which might contribute to choosing the optimal timing for adjuvant therapy after an operation to decrease or delay the recurrence hazard for patients with resectable OSCC.

DNMT3A -448A>G polymorphism and cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide that involves complex processes and factors. For instance, methylation is important in tumorigenesis. DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is the main de novo methyltransferase implicated in this process. In DNMT3A, the -448A>G polymorphism is associated with cancer; however, the results of various studies have been conflicting. To clarify the role of DNMT3A polymorphisms in cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis of 2014 cases and 3089 control subjects. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to evaluate the association between the DNMT3A -448A>G polymorphism and cancer risk. The results showed that DNMT3A may be a protective factor against all cancer types and colorectal cancer groups. Further studies should be conducted including different ethnicities and large population sizes to generate a comprehensive conclusion.

Effect of miR-146a polymorphism on biochemical recurrence risk after radical prostatectomy in southern Chinese population

Evidence has shown that miR-146a is involved in carcinogenesis and a common G/C variant (rs2910164) in the pre-miR-146a gene has been found to be associated with various cancers. We investigated the potential prognostic role of miR-146a polymorphism in prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. Seventy-two southern Chinese with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy were included in this study. miR-146a polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Its prognostic role in biochemical recurrence was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model. We did not find a significant association between miR-146a polymorphism and prostrate-specific antigen failure in the Chinese population [HR (95%CI): 0.83 (0.30-2.32) for CC vs GG/GC]. However, high Gleason score (over 8) was associated with increased biochemical recurrence and poorer PSA-free survival. This study was limited by the length of follow-up. Future studies with longer follow-up would allow evaluation of more direct metrics, such as disease-specific survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival.

Concurrent oncogene mutation profile in Chinese patients with stage Ib lung adenocarcinoma

Molecular characteristics in lung cancer are associated with carcinogenesis, response to targeted therapies, and prognosis. With concurrent oncogene mutations being reported more often, the adjustment of treatment based on the driver gene mutations would improve therapy. We proposed to investigate the distribution of concurrent oncogene mutations in stage Ib lung adenocarcinoma in a Chinese population and find out the correlation between survival outcome and the most frequently mutated genes in EGFR and KRAS in Chinese population. Simultaneously, we tried to validate the Sequenom method by real time fluoresce qualification reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in oncogene detection. One hundred fifty-six patients who underwent complete surgical resection in our hospital between 1999 and 2007 were retrospectively investigated. Using time-of-flight mass spectrometry, 238 mutation hotspots in 19 oncogenes were examined. Genetic mutations occurred in 86 of 156 patients (55.13%). EGFR was most frequently gene contained driver mutations, with a rate of 44.23%, followed by KRAS (8.33%), PIK3CA (3.84%), KIT (3.20%), BRAF (2.56%), AKT (1.28%), MET (0.64%), NRAS (0.64%), HRAS (0.64%), and ERBB2 (0.64%). No mutations were found in the RET, PDGFRA, FGFR1, FGFR3, FLT3, ABL, CDK, or JAK2 oncogenes. Thirteen patients (8.3%) were detected in multiple gene mutations. Six patients had PIK3CA mutations in addition to mutations in EGFR and KRAS. EGFR mutations can coexist with mutations in NRAS, KIT, ERBB2, and BRAF. Only one case was found to have a KRAS mutation coexisting with the EGFR T790M mutation. Otherwise, mutations in EGFR and KRAS seem to be mutually exclusive. There is no survival benefit in favor of EGFR/KRAS mutation. Several concomitant driver gene mutations were observed in our study. None of EFGR/KRAS mutation was demonstrated as a prognostic factor. Polygenic mutation testing by time-of-flight mass spectrometry was validated by RT-PCR, which can be an alternative option to test for multiple mutations and can be widely applied to clinical practice and help to guide treatment.

One-step synthesis of graphene-Au nanoparticle hybrid materials from metal salt-loaded micelles

In this study, we present a facile one-step method to synthesize graphene-Au nanoparticle (NP) hybrid materials by using HAuCl4-loaded poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-P2VP) micelles as solid carbon sources. N-doped graphene with controllable thickness can be grown from PS-P2VP micelles covered by a Ni capping layer by an annealing process; simultaneously, the HAuCl4 in the micelles were reduced into Au NPs under a reductive atmosphere to form Au NPs on graphene. The decoration of Au NPs leads to an obviously enhanced electrical conductivity and a slightly increased work function of graphene due to the electron transfer effect. The graphene-Au NP hybrid materials also exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance feature of Au NPs. This work provides a novel and accessible route for the one-step synthesis of graphene-Au NP hybrid materials with high quality, which might be useful for future applications in optoelectronic devices.

[The field radiometric calibration and validation of ZY-3 multispectral sensor]

A field calibration campaign of ZY-3 multispectral sensor (MUS) was performed by the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application at the Dunhuang site. The reflectance-based method with two-point sites was used to obtain MUS absolute calibration coefficients in 2013. Compared to the calibration results in 2012, the calibration coefficients in 2013 changed by about 1%-8.5% in different bands. The results were also validated by intercalibration method using the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) data. It shows largely good consistency between field calibration and intercalibration. It was concluded that the absolute calibration coefficients were highly reliable.

[Quantitative estimation of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin contents using in-situ canopy spectroscopy]

The present study is the first to attempt to apply the in situ hyperspectral data of G. uralensis canopy in visible-shortwave infrared region (Vis-SWIR) to estimate quantification of GA and LQ contents of glycyrrhiza uralensis. After first derivative preprocessing and feature bands selection by Wilks' lambda stepwise method, partial least squares (PLS) regression with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as reference was constructed to predict the value of GA and LQ contents, respectively. With the nine selected bands and PLS regression model, GA regression accuracy of R2 is 0.953, root mean square errors of calibration set (RMSEC) is 0.31, prediction accuracy R2 is 0.875 and root mean square errors of validation set (RMSEP) is 0.39; LQ regression accuracy of R2 is 0.932, RMSEC is 0.22, prediction accuracy R2 is 0.883 and RMSEP is 0.27; The results showed that our methods provided acceptable results and implied the ability of determining GA and LQ contents from remotely sensed data. It is recommended that an advanced study be conducted in field condition using airborne and/or spaceborne hyperspectral sensors.

Heteroepitaxy of tetragonal BiFeO(3) on hexagonal sapphire(0001)

Highly elongated BiFeO3 is epitaxially grown on hexagonal sapphire(0001) substrate within a rather narrow synthesis window. Both X-ray reciprocal space maps and Raman characterizations reveal that it is of true tetragonal symmetry but not the commonly observed MC type monoclinic structure. The tetragonal BiFeO3 film exhibits an island growth mode, with the island edges oriented parallel to the ⟨10-10⟩ and ⟨12-30⟩ directions of the sapphire substrate. With increasing deposition time, a transition from square island to elongated island and then to a continuous film is observed. The metastable tetragonal phase can remain on the substrate without relaxation to the thermally stable rhombohedral phase up to a critical thickness of 450 nm, providing an exciting opportunity for practicable lead-free ferroelectrics. These results facilitate a better understanding of the phase stability of BiFeO3 polymorphs and enrich the knowledge about the heteroepitaxial growth mechanism of functional oxides on symmetry-mismatched substrates.

Effects of Different Treatment Options on the Prognosis of Wasp Stings

Introduction

Severe wasp sting injuries often threaten patient's life. We compared the effects of three different therapies on the prognosis of wasp stung patients.

Methods

We conducted a randomised single-blind controlled trial. Patients stung by wasp were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: group A received symptomatic treatment; those complicated with acute renal failure and haemolysis also received haemoperfusion combined with haemodialysis; for patients with severe haemolytic anaemia, plasmapheresis were applied; for patients with haemodynamic instability, continuous renal replacement therapy was used. Group B received intravenous methylprednisolone injection, 80 mg/d for continuous 3 days in addition to the symptomatic therapy; for patients with haemolysis, methylprednisolone 0.5 g/d was injected intravenously for 3-5 days. For group C, in addition to all treatments administrated to group B patients, subcutaneous injection of 0.5 ml 0.1% epinephrine was given immediately after admission. Primary endpoint was mortality. Major complications (gastrointestinal haemorrhage, toxic encephalopathy, haemolysis, and acute left ventricular failure) and serum enzyme spectrum elevate (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], creatine kinase [CK] isoenzyme and serum creatinine) were secondary endpoints.

Results

Of 134 patients recruited, 45, 44 and 45 patients were assigned to group A, B or C respectively. Therapy in group C reduced mortality compared with group A and B (respectively 24.4%, 9.09%, 0.00% for group A, B, C respectively; p<0.001); there was no significant effects on major complications among three groups (p >0.1). The incidence of elevated ALT was significantly lower in group B and group C than in group A (p<0.001). The incidence of elevated CK isoenzyme was significantly lower in group C than in group A and group B (p<0.001).

Conclusions

For patients with concurrent organ impairment by wasp sting, early combination of epinephrine and methylprednisolone with supportive treatment with renal replacement therapy can effectively reduce the incidence of organ damage and mortality. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2013;20:270-275)

High plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count unfavorably impact survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases

High expression of fibrinogen and platelets are often observed in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with local regional or distant metastasis. However, the role of these factors remains unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prognostic significance of plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count, as well as to determine the overall survival of NSCLC patients with brain metastases. A total of 275 NSCLC patients with brain metastasis were enrolled into this study. Univariate analysis showed that high plasma fibrinogen concentration was associated with age≥65 years (P = 0.011), smoking status (P = 0.009), intracranial symptoms (P = 0.022), clinical T category (P = 0.010), clinical N category (P = 0.003), increased partial thromboplastin time (P < 0.001), and platelet count (P < 0.001). Patients with low plasma fibrinogen concentration demonstrated longer overall survival compared with those with high plasma fibrinogen concentration (median, 17.3 months versus 11.1 months; P≤0.001). A similar result was observed for platelet counts (median, 16.3 months versus 11.4 months; P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that both plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count were independent prognostic factors for NSCLC with brain metastases (R² = 1.698, P < 0.001 and R² = 1.699, P < 0.001, respectively). Our results suggest that high plasma fibrinogen concentration and platelet count indicate poor prognosis for NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Thus, these two biomarkers might be independent prognostic predictors for this subgroup of NSCLC patients.

[Research on the atmospheric correction for ZY-3 MUX image]

The resolution of the ZY-3 MUX data is 5.8 meter, which is used to the subject classification. It is very difficult to use the dark target method for the atmosphere correction due to the lack of near infrared band in ZY-3 MUX data. The present paper uses the atmospheric correction coefficient look-up table (LUT) constructed by the radiation transmission model 6S based on the aerosol optical depth retrieved from the MODIS data for the atmospheric correction of ZY-3 image. To validate the results, the paper compares the surface spectral curves of the gypsum mine and Gobi and the NDVI values from the corrected and TOA reflectance, the relative error of the atmosphere corrected and the ground-based surface reflectance is less than 6%; the atmospheric correction increases the difference between vegetation NDVI and other features NDVI, highlights vegetation monitoring application ability.

Polystyrene-microsphere-assisted patterning of ZnO nanostructures: growth and characterization

In this work, periodic arrays of various ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on both Si and GaN substrates via a facile hydrothermal process. To realize the site-specific growth, two kinds of masks were introduced. The polystyrene (PS) microsphere self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was employed as the mask to create a patterned seed layer to guide the growth of ZnO nanostructures. However, the resulting ZnO nanostructures are non-equidistant, and the diameter of the ZnO nanostructures is uncontrollable. As an alternative, TiO2 sol was used to replicate the PS microsphere SAM, and the inverted SAM (ISAM) mask was obtained by extracting the PS microspheres with toluene. By using the ISAM mask, the hexagonal periodic array of ZnO nanostructures with high uniformity were readily produced. Furthermore, the effect of the underlying substrates on the morphology of ZnO nanostructures has been investigated. It is found that the highly ordered and vertically aligned ZnO nanorods epitaxially grow on the GaN substrate, while the ZnO nanoflowers on Si substrates are random oriented.

[Effects of plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride on content of active compounds in Scutellaria baicalensis]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride (DPC) on the growing development of plant and the content of active compounds in Scutellaria baicalensis.

METHOD

After spraying DPC during the seedling period, the length of taproot, fresh weight of root, diameter of taproot and the length of stem were measured. The contents of baicalin, baicalein and wogonin were determined by HPLC, respectively. Total flavonoids and scavenging DPPH were determined with ultraviolet spectrophotometry.

RESULT

After spraying DPC, fresh weight of S. baicalensis root was significant increased, and root diameter was also increased. The contents of baicalin and total flavonoids were significantly increased and baicalein and wogonin were decreased remarkably. Compared with controls, scavenging activity of ethanol extracts on DPPH free radical was no significant changed after spraying DPC.

CONCLUSION

Plant growth regulator DPC could regulate the growth on the ground and underground effectively, and could enhance the content of flavonoids compounds of S. baicalensis.

Identification of the forensically important beetles Nicrophorus japonicus, Ptomascopus plagiatus and Silpha carinata (Coleoptera: Silphidae) based on 16S rRNA gene in China

Sarcophagous beetles play an important role in estimating postmortem interval time (PMI) in the later stages decomposition of carcasses. However, the morphological similarity of beetles usually poses a challenge for forensic scientists within their routine work. As a supplementary to traditional morphological method, molecular genetics identification is simple and time-saving. A molecular identification method involving a 288-bp segment of the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene from 15 beetles of Silphidae (Coleoptera), collected from 5 locations in 4 Chinese provinces, was evaluated. Phenogram analysis of the sequenced segments by the unweighted pairgroup method analysis (UPGMA) method showed that all specimens were properly assigned into four species with strong similarity, which indicated the possibility of separation congeneric species with the short 16S rRNA fragment. These results will be instrumental for implementation of the Chinese database of forensically relevant beetles.

[Quantitative inversion of rock SiO2 content based on thermal infrared emissivity spectrum]

The present paper used the emissivity of non-processed rocks measured by M304, a hyperspectral Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroradiometer, and SiO2 content by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. After continuum removal and normalization, stepwise regress method was employed to select the feature bands of rocks emissivity. And then quantitative relationship between SiO2 content and continuum removal emissivity of feature bands was analysed. Based on that, by comparing twelve SiO2 indices models, the optimal model for predicting SiO2 content was built. The result showed that the SiO2 indices can predict SiO2 content efficiently, and especially the normalization silicon dioxide index (NSDI) about 11.18 and 12.36 microm is the best; compared with regression models, NSDI is simpler and has higher practicality; the result has an important application value in rock classification and SiO2 content extraction with high precision.

Reduction of ordering temperature of self-assembled FePt nanoparticles by addition of Au and Ag

The [FePt]94Au6 and [FePt]90Ag10 nanoparticle arrays were synthesized on Si substrates by a reverse micellar method, combined with plasma treatment and in-situ deposition of a SiO2 overlayer, and the post annealing step was performed to drive the face-centered cubic to tetragonal phase transition. These FePt nanoparticles exhibit a quasi-hexagonal order with tailored inter-particle spacing and particle size. The effects of the Ag and Au on the structural and magnetic properties of FePt were investigated. The results indicate that both Au and Ag additives can remarkably enhance the coercivity and reduce the ordering temperature, however, the optimum composition is different for them. The optimum composition is determined to be [FePt]94Au6 and [FePt]90Ag10, respectively, for which the ordering temperature of FePt nanoparticles is reduced by -100 degrees C. After 600 degrees C annealing, the [FePt]94Au6 and [FePt]90Ag10 nanoparticles are totally ferromagnetic with apparent larger coercivities of -7.0 kOe, which is about 3.8 kOe larger than that of the pure FePt nanoparticles. The mechanism of the chemical ordering acceleration may be attributed to the defects and strains caused by the Au/Ag additives.

[Quantitative estimation of CaO content in surface rocks using hyperspectral thermal infrared emissivity]

The objective of the present paper is to study the quantitative relationship between the CaO content and the thermal infrared emissivity spectra. The surface spectral emissivity of 23 solid rocks samples were measured in the field and the first derivative of the spectral emissivity was also calculated. Multiple linear regression (MLR), principal component analysis (PCR) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were modeled and the regression results were compared. The results show that there is a good relationship between CaO content and thermal emissivity spectra features; emissivities become lower when CaO content increases in the 10.3-13 mm region; the first derivative spectra have a better predictive ability compared to the original emissivity spectra.

Controllable growth of highly ordered ZnO nanorod arrays via inverted self-assembled monolayer template

This article presents a facile and effective approach to the controllable growth of highly ordered and vertically aligned ZnO nanorod arrays on the GaN substrate via a hydrothermal route by using the TiO(2) ring template deriving from the polystyrene microsphere self-assembled monolayer. The size of TiO(2) ring template can be flexibly tuned from 50 to 400 nm for the 500 nm polystyrene microspheres by varying the time of reactive ion etching and the concentration of TiO(2) sol. As a result, the diameter of the individual ZnO nanorods can be potentially tuned over a wide range. The combination of several characterization techniques has demonstrated that the ordered ZnO nanorods are highly uniform in diameter and height with perfect alignment and are epitaxially grown along [0001] direction. This work provides a novel and accessible route to prepare oriented and aligned ZnO nanorod arrays with high crystalline quality.

[Fresh and frozen-thawed meat discrimination based on FISS imaging spectral data]

In the present paper, a self-developed Field imaging spectrometer system (FISS) was used to detect whether pork has been frozen and thawed. The preservation time of fresh pork has also been identified. Fresh and frozen-thawed pork was scanned and imaged and hyperspectral image cubes were acquired using FISS. To eliminate high-frequency random noise and baseline offset and improve the multi-collinearity, all samples were preprocessed by MNF (Minimum noise fraction) transform and first derivative. Multiple analysis models were built by using Wilks' lambda stepwise method to select proper wavelengths. Fisher LDA (linear discriminant analysis) was performed to discriminate fresh and frozen-thawed pork. Eight selected bands gave 99% correct results of fresh or frozen-thawed pork samples. For the freshness by the day, classification accuracy reached 98% with 6 selected bands, while for the freshness by the hour, classification accuracy reached 93.6% with all 28 selected bands. The results showed that FISS might be used as a screening method to identify the quality of meat.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the Rock pigeon, Columba livia (Columbiformes: Columbidae)

The rock pigeon (Columba livia), or Rock dove, is a member of the bird family Columbidae. We mapped the complete mitochondrial genome of the Rock pigeon. The mitochondrial genome of this species is a circular molecule of 17,229 bp in length, encoding a standard set of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes, plus a putative control region, demonstrating a structure very similar to that of other birds. As found in other vertebrates, most of these genes are coded on the H-strand, except for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (nad6) and eight tRNA genes (Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser(UCN), Pro, Glu). The AT skew and GC skew of the whole genome, protein-coding genes, tRNA, rRNA, and the control region were calculated for the complete mitochondrial genomes of 30 avian species, representing 29 orders. All protein-coding genes initiated with ATG, except for cox1 and nad5, which began with GTG. One extra nucleotide 'C' was present in NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (nad3). All tRNA gene sequences have the potential to fold into typical cloverleaf secondary structures. Within the control region, conserved sequences were identified in three domains. Although the conserved blocks, such as ETAS1, ETAS2, CSB1, CSB1-like, and boxes C, D, E, and F, are readily identifiable in the C. livia control region, the typical origin of H-strand replication (O(H)), CSB2 and CSB3 could not be detected. These results provide basic information for phylogenetic analyses of birds, especially Columbiformes species.

Measurement of w-InN/h-BN Heterojunction Band Offsets by X-Ray Photoemission Spectroscopy

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to measure the valence band offset (VBO) of the w-InN/h-BN heterojunction. We find that it is a type-II heterojunction with the VBO being -0.30 ± 0.09 eV and the corresponding conduction band offset (CBO) being 4.99 ± 0.09 eV. The accurate determination of VBO and CBO is important for designing the w-InN/h-BN-based electronic devices.

Effects of hydrogen plasma treatment on the electrical and optical properties of ZnO films: identification of hydrogen donors in ZnO

Wurtzite ZnO has many potential applications in optoelectronic devices, and the hydrogenated ZnO exhibits excellent photoelectronic properties compared to undoped ZnO; however, the structure of H-related defects is still unclear. In this article, the effects of hydrogen-plasma treatment and subsequent annealing on the electrical and optical properties of ZnO films were investigated by a combination of Hall measurement, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence. It is found that two types of hydrogen-related defects, namely, the interstitial hydrogen located at the bond-centered (H(BC)) and the hydrogen trapped at a O vacancy (H(O)), are responsible for the n-type background conductivity of ZnO films. Besides introducing two hydrogen-related donor states, the incorporated hydrogen passivates defects at grain boundaries. With increasing annealing temperatures, the unstable H(BC) atoms gradually diffuse out of the ZnO films and part of them are converted into H(O), which gives rise to two anomalous Raman peaks at 275 and 510 cm(-1). These results help to clarify the relationship between the hydrogen-related defects in ZnO described in various studies and the free carriers that are produced by the introduction of hydrogen.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is a direct target of HBP1-mediated transcriptional repression that is overexpressed in prostate cancer

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a well-described proinflammatory mediator. MIF overexpression has been observed in many tumors and is implicated in oncogenic transformation and tumor progression. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating MIF expression remain poorly understood. In this study, we showed that the transcriptional repressor HBP1 (HMG box-containing protein 1) negatively regulates MIF expression. We first identified a large high-affinity HBP1 DNA-binding element at positions -811 to -792 from the transcriptional start site within the MIF promoter by computer analysis. Reporter analyses showed that this element was required for HBP1-mediated transcriptional repression. Furthermore, HBP1 associated with the MIF promoter in vivo and repressed endogenous MIF gene expression. Consistent with HBP1-mediated repression of MIF, low levels of HBP1 expression were associated with high levels of MIF expression in prostate cancer samples. Importantly, HBP1-mediated repression of MIF inhibited tumorigenic growth and invasion, and the repressive effect of HBP1 on tumorigenic growth and invasion could be partially rescued by the addition of recombinant MIF to the culture medium. Finally, prostate tumor samples with low HBP1 and high MIF expression were associated with a significant decrease in relapse-free survival. Taken together, these results indicated that HBP1 directly inhibited MIF gene transcription, and suggested that the loss of HBP1 expression or activity may contribute to the upregulation of MIF expression in prostate tumor tissue.