Enhanced quantum coherence in exchange coupled spins via singlet-triplet transitions

Manipulation of spin states at the single-atom scale underlies spin-based quantum information processing and spintronic devices. These applications require protection of the spin states against quantum decoherence due to interactions with the environment. While a single spin is easily disrupted, a coupled-spin system can resist decoherence by using a subspace of states that is immune to magnetic field fluctuations. Here, we engineered the magnetic interactions between the electron spins of two spin-1/2 atoms to create a "clock transition" and thus enhance their spin coherence. To construct and electrically access the desired spin structures, we use atom manipulation combined with electron spin resonance (ESR) in a scanning tunneling microscope. We show that a two-level system composed of a singlet state and a triplet state is insensitive to local and global magnetic field noise, resulting in much longer spin coherence times compared with individual atoms. Moreover, the spin decoherence resulting from the interaction with tunneling electrons is markedly reduced by a homodyne readout of ESR. These results demonstrate that atomically precise spin structures can be designed and assembled to yield enhanced quantum coherence.

[Screening for hotspot mutations associated with genetic hearing impairment in pregnant women and subsequent prenatal diagnosis in high risk pregnancies]

Objective: To screen for hotspot gene mutations associated with genetic deafness in Chinese pregnant women, and to perform risk assessment and prenatal diagnosis in high-risk families. Methods: Between November 2012 and October 2017, 26 117 pregnant women were screened by molecular hybridization microarray for 9 hot-spot mutations in 4 hereditary deafness related genes (GJB2 c. 35 del G, c. 176_191 del 16 bp, c. 235 del G, c. 299_300 del AT, GJB3 c. 538 C>T, SLC26A4 c. 2168 A>G, IVS 7-2 A>G, mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA m. 1494 C>T, m. 1555 A>G). Genotype analysis was carried out in husbands of women carrying mutations, and prenatal diagnosis was carried out in the fetuses with high risk of deafness. Results: Among all women tested, 1 208(4.63%) were carriers of genetic deafness mutations, 7 with hearing impairment were affected by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations, 51 were mitochondrial gene mutation carriers, 103 were carriers of GJB3 c. 538 C>T heterozygous mutation, 1 026 were carriers of GJB2 or SLC26A4 heterozygous mutations, and 21 carried heterozygous mutations in two genes simultaneously. In 394 families, the husbands accepted gene sequence testing, and 27 in which were determined as carriers of mutations in identical genes as their wives. Among which, 18 families received prenatal diagnosis, and 5 fetuses were diagnosed as hereditary deafness. In 9 families who did not receive prenatal diagnosis, 1 neonate was diagnosed as compound heterozygote after delivery. Conclusion: In order to prevent birth defects with congenital hearing problems, it is effective to provide screening for hotspot mutations in pregnant women and to perform prenatal diagnosis on high risk pregnancies.

TMEM45B is a novel predictive biomarker for prostate cancer progression and metastasis

It is urgently needed to explore the clinical relevance of TMEM45B expression and Prostate cancer(PCa), and determine the predictive significance of TMEM45B as a biomarker for PCa patients.Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of PCa with different metastatic potential (LTL-418, LTL-313B, LTL-313H and LTL-331) were developed. The gene expression microarray of LTL-313H and LTL-313B, which derived from a single PCa patient, was performed to identify the candidate biomarker gene, TMRM45B. MSKCC and TCGA PCa patient cohorts were introduced to analyzed the clinical significance of TMEM45B expression. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that there was a significant increase of TMEM45B expression in high metastatic potential tumor lines LTL-313H and LTL-331 compared with the other two low metastatic potential tumor lines(LTL-418, LTL-313B). In MSKCC PCa cohort, the mRNA level of TMEM45B in patients with metastasis was significantly higher than that in primary PCa (P=0.001) and begin prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients (P<0.001). In addition, the increased TMEM45B expression was positively related with a higher possibility of biochemical recurrence (P=0.016), distant metastasis occurrence(P<0.001) and overall patient survival (P=0.07). Moreover, TMEM45B expression was considered as an independent risk factor for metastasis of PCa based on multivariate logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with elevated TMEM45B had a shorter biochemical recurrence free survival (RFS). For primary PCa patients, subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant association between TMEM45B expression and clinical features in primary PCa cohort. Meanwhile, cases with elevated TMEM45B were more likely to develop metastasis compared to the normal group among N0 primary PCa patients (P=0.010). Primary PCa patient cohort TCGA was used to validate the results, and an obvious relationship was found between TMEM45B and clinical characteristic of PCa (T/N stage, Gleason score, Recurrence / Progress). Furthermore, a significant poor disease free survival (DFS) was investigated in high-level of TMEM45B patients compared with the other remaining cases (P=0.007). Taken together, the increased expression of TMEM45B appears to be significantly associated with prostate carcinoma progression and metastasis which provide a new prognostic biomarker for predicting metastatic potential of PCa patients, especially for primary PCa.

A bone-targeting drug-delivery system based on Semaphorin 3A gene therapy ameliorates bone loss in osteoporotic ovariectomized mice

Osteoporosis is a serious health problem worldwide. Semaphorins (Sema) have been described as key molecules involved in the cross-talk between bone cells (osteoblasts/osteoclasts). In this study, we investigated whether plasmid containing Sema3a could ameliorate bone loss in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model via (AspSerSer)₆, a selectively bone-targeting moiety. Plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP was fabricated and transfected cells with the plasmid demonstrated statistically higher levels of Sema3A in vitro (p < 0.001). Mice were ovariectomized and injected twice weekly with (AspSerSer)₆-(STR-R8)+pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP for four weeks. The aim of the study was twofold: firstly to design an effective bone-targeting drug-delivery system (AspSerSer)₆. Secondly, the effects of Sem3A gene therapy on bone loss was investigated. Here, the targeting selectivity of pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP via (AspSerSer)₆ to the trabecular bone surface was firstly verified by histological observation of frozen sections and immunofluorescence staining. Then, bone microstructure analysis by Micro-CT indicated significantly less bone loss in mice treated with (AspSerSer)₆-(STR-R8)+pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore,H&E staining and Safranin O staining of the decalcified sections demonstrated statistically significantly higher bone area/total area in the mice that were injected with (AspSerSer)₆-(STR-R8)+pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP (p < 0.001, p < 0.01,respectively). TRAP staining and immunohistochemistry staining of COL I demonstrated lower numbers of osteoclasts and significantly increased numbers of osteoblasts in the bone-targeting moiety delivering pcDNA3.1(+)-Sema3a-GFP group, when compared to the control group (p < 0.01, p < 0.001,respectively). Together, our findings have identified that, (AspSerSer)₆, a bone-targeting drug-delivery system based on semaphorin3A gene therapy, ameliorated bone loss in osteoporotic ovariectomized mice, by suppressing osteoclastic bone resorption and simultaneously increasing osteoblastic bone formation. Gene therapy by local site-specific Sema3A overexpression might be a potential new strategy for treating osteoporosis and bone defects.

A new quinoline-based chemical probe inhibits the autophagy-related cysteine protease ATG4B

The cysteine protease ATG4B is a key component of the autophagy machinery, acting to proteolytically prime and recycle its substrate MAP1LC3B. The roles of ATG4B in cancer and other diseases appear to be context dependent but are still not well understood. To help further explore ATG4B functions and potential therapeutic applications, we employed a chemical biology approach to identify ATG4B inhibitors. Here, we describe the discovery of 4-28, a styrylquinoline identified by a combined computational modeling, in silico screening, high content cell-based screening and biochemical assay approach. A structure-activity relationship study led to the development of a more stable and potent compound LV-320. We demonstrated that LV-320 inhibits ATG4B enzymatic activity, blocks autophagic flux in cells, and is stable, non-toxic and active in vivo. These findings suggest that LV-320 will serve as a relevant chemical tool to study the various roles of ATG4B in cancer and other contexts.

Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma: clinical features, complications and risk factors for Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon

BACKGROUND

Few studies have reported the clinical features, complications and predictors of Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP) associated with Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma (KHE).

OBJECTIVES

To determine the clinical characteristics present at diagnosis and to identify features that may aid clinicians in managing KHE.

METHODS

We conducted a cohort study of 146 patients diagnosed with KHE.

RESULTS

KHE precursors or lesions were present at birth in 52·1% of patients. In 91·8% of patients, lesions developed within the first year of life. The median age at diagnosis of KHE was 2·3 months (interquartile range 1·0-6·0). The extremities were the dominant location, representing 50·7% of all KHEs. Among KHEs in the cohort, 63·0% were mixed lesions (cutaneous lesions with deep infiltration). Approximately 70% of patients showed KMP. A KHE diagnosis was delayed by ≥ 1 month in 65·7% of patients with KMP. Patients with KMP were more likely to have major complications than patients without KMP (P = 0·023). Young age (< 6 months), trunk location, large lesion size (> 5·0 cm) and mixed lesion type were associated with KMP in a univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, only age [odds ratio (OR) 11·9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4·07-34·8; P < 0·001], large lesion size (OR 5·08, 95% CI 2·24-11·5; P < 0·001) and mixed lesion type (OR 2·96, 95% CI 1·23-7·13; P = 0·016) were associated with KMP.

CONCLUSIONS

Most KHEs appeared before 12 months of age. KHEs are associated with various major complications, which can occur in combination and develop early in the disease process. Young age, large lesion size and mixed lesion type are important predictors of KMP.

Establishing a model for childhood obesity in adolescent pigs

OBJECTIVE

Rising worldwide prevalence of obesity and metabolic diseases in children has accentuated the importance of developing prevention and management strategies. The objective of this study was to establish a model for childhood obesity using high-fat feeding of adolescent pigs, as pigs have a longer developmental period and are physiologically more similar to humans than rodents.

METHODS

Crossbred pigs were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or low-fat diet (n = 6/treatment) from postnatal day 49 to 84. On postnatal day 84, an oral glucose tolerance test was performed, jugular blood sampled to determine lipopolysaccharide levels and plasma lipids, intestinal digesta collected to characterize microbial and metabolite composition and back fat and intestinal tissue assayed for gene expression.

RESULTS

Five-week HFD increased weight gain and back fat thickness, caused dyslipidaemia and impaired glucose tolerance and increased expression of genes in back fat suggesting inflammation. HFD pigs had distinct proximal colon microbiota with 48% reduction (P < 0.05) in Bacteroidetes and increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes interleukin-18 and tumour necrosis factor in ileum (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that adolescent pigs should be considered a suitable model for childhood obesity, because short-term HFD feeding is sufficient to induce obesity and glucose intolerance, recapitulating disease characteristics in adolescent pigs.

Partner-facilitating transmembrane penetration of nanoparticles: a biological test in silico

Transmembrane penetration of nanoparticles (NPs) promises an effective pathway for cargo delivery into cells, and offers the possibility of organelle-specific targeting for biomedical applications. However, a full understanding of the underlying NP-membrane interaction mechanism is still lacking. In this work, the membrane penetration behavior of NPs is statistically analyzed based on the simulations of over 2.2 ms, which are performed with dissipative particle dynamics (DPD). Influences from multiple factors including the NP concentration, shape and surface chemistry are taken into account. It is interesting to find that, the introduction of a partner NP would greatly facilitate the transmembrane penetration of a host spherical NP. This is probably due to the membrane-mediated cooperation between the NPs. Moreover, the proper selection of a partner NP with specific surface chemistry is of great significance. For example, the best partner for a hydrophilic NP to achieve transmembrane penetration is a Janus-like one, in comparison with the hydrophilic, hydrophobic or randomly surface-decorated NPs. Furthermore, such a partner-facilitating effect in NP translocation also works for a shaped NP although less pronounced. Our results are helpful for a better understanding of the complicated nano-bio interactions, and offer a practical guide to the NP-based drug delivery strategy with high efficiency.

Diagnosis and management of pulmonary infection due to Rhodococcus equi

BACKGROUND

Rhodococcus equi is a recognized cause of disease in humans, especially in individuals who are immunocompromised. Because diphtheroids are regarded as part of normal respiratory flora, the importance of R. equi as a pulmonary pathogen may not be fully appreciated and its prevalence may be underestimated. Most treatment recommendations for R. equi infection were established before antiretroviral drugs became available for human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS therapy, and therapeutic strategies may need to be updated.

OBJECTIVES

To review the role of R. equi as a cause of pulmonary infection; to highlight its importance for clinicians and microbiologists; and to challenge current approaches to treatment, whether in immunodeficient or immunocompetent individuals.

SOURCES

A PubMed search using combinations of the following terms: 'Rhodococcus (automatically including Corynebacterium) equi' AND 'pneumonia' OR 'pulmonary' infection, then cross-checking references in the resulting cases, case series and reviews.

CONTENT

We provide a review that details the challenges in the diagnosis, microbiology and pathogenesis of pulmonary infection caused by R. equi and the options for treatment.

IMPLICATIONS

Ten to 14 days of treatment may be effective for pneumonia due to R. equi. Our review suggests that longer courses of therapy are needed for cavitary lesions and lung masses. However, recommendations for excessively prolonged treatment of all pulmonary infections arose during a time when many cases occurred in individuals with AIDS and before effective antiretroviral therapy was available. We suggest that the rationale for prolonged therapy with multiple antibiotics needs to be re-evaluated.

On the needle clogging of staked-in-needle pre-filled syringes: Mechanism of liquid entering the needle and solidification process

Staked-in-needle prefilled syringes (SIN-PFS) are widely used for the parenteral administration of drug product solutions. During stability studies, clogging of the injection needle was observed in syringes filled with concentrated antibody solution. A prerequisite for this phenomenon is that liquid has entered the needle. In this study, we characterized the mechanism causing the entry and movement of liquid in the needle using neutron imaging without manipulating the container closure integrity of the syringe. The gas pressure difference between inside and outside of the syringe was identified as the major cause of liquid movement. The influence of external factors, such as temperature fluctuation and physical pressure on the stopper, were tested and were confirmed to have a relevant impact on the processes of liquid entering and moving inside the injection needle. In a second step, the solidification process of the liquid segments inside the needle via solvent evaporation was further investigated, and the process was found to be dependent on storage time, environmental climate and interaction between the drug product solution and the needle surface. The presence of air/liquid segments was identified as a further factor for the stochastic behavior of needle clogging. For the first time, this fundamental mechanism behind the needle clogging issue was investigated in depth and the results will help to reduce the defect rate for clogged SIN-PFS products.

Randomized clinical trial of elective resection versus observation in diverticulitis with extraluminal air or abscess initially managed conservatively

Background

The aim of this RCT was to determine whether elective resection following successful non-operative management of a first episode of acute sigmoid diverticulitis complicated by extraluminal air with or without abscess is superior to observation in terms of recurrence rates.

Methods

This was a single-centre, sequential design RCT. Patients were randomized to elective surgery or observation following non-operative management and colonoscopy. Non-operative management included nil by mouth, intravenous fluids, intravenous antibiotics, CT with intravenous contrast on arrival at hospital, and repeat CT with intravenous and rectal contrast on day 3 in hospital. The primary endpoint was recurrent diverticulitis at 24 months. Patients with a history of sigmoid diverticulitis, immunosuppression or peritonitis were not included.

Results

Of 137 screened patients, 107 were assigned randomly to elective surgery (26) or observation (81), and underwent the allocated intervention after successful non-operative management. Conservative management failed in 15 patients. Groups were similar in age, sex, BMI, co-morbidities and colorectal POSSUM. Rates of recurrent diverticulitis differed significantly in the elective surgery and observation groups (8 versus 32 per cent; P = 0·019) at a mean(s.d.) follow-up of 37·8(8·6) and 35·2(9·2) months respectively. There was also a significant difference in time to recurrence (median 11 versus 7 months; P = 0·015). A total of 28 patients presented with recurrent diverticulitis complicated by extraluminal air and/or abscess (2 elective surgery, 26 observation), all of whom recovered with repeat non-operative management.

Conclusion

The majority of patients observed following conservative management of diverticulitis with local extraluminal air do not require elective surgery. Registration number: NCT01986686 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Comparison between the prechopping method with a reverse chopper and the routine stop-and-chop method in treating cataract with grade IV hard nucleus

The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy between the prechopping method using a Reverse Chopper (iHPC) and the routine stop-and-chop (RSC) method in phacoemulsification of cataracts with grade IV hard nuclei (HNC (≥IV)). A total of 32 patients (32 eyes) scheduled for Phaco combined with intraocular lens (Phaco-IOL) for HNC (≥IV) from March 2015 to January 2016 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups (the iHPC group, n=16 and the RSC group, n=16) so as to compare the effective intraoperative Phaco time, corneal edema 1-3 days after surgery, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and rate of loss of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) 1 month after surgery. The effective intraoperative Phaco time in the iHPC group was shorter (42.56s vs. 78.63s, P=0.000), the degree of corneal edema 1-3 days after surgery was less (P<0.01), the ratio of cases with BCVA>0.6 was higher, and the CEC loss rate was lower (13.36±2.85% vs. 25.77±3.81%, P=0.000). Compared with RSC, iHPC can reduce CEC injury in Phaco surgery, and the patients can recover their vision faster.

Relationship between spicy flavor, spicy food intake frequency, and general obesity in a rural adult Chinese population: The RuralDiab study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The purpose of this study was to explore the association between spicy flavor, spicy food frequency, and general obesity in Chinese rural adults.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 15,683 subjects (5907 males, 9776 females) aged 35-74 years from the RuralDiab Study were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the differences of participant characteristics across body mass index (BMI) categories. Logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for obesity associated with the level of spicy flavor and frequency of spicy food intake. A meta-analysis was conducted to validate the result of the cross-sectional study. The crude and standardized prevalence of obesity were 16.78% and 17.57%, respectively. Compared with No spicy flavor, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of Mild, Middle, and Heavy spicy flavor for obesity were 1.232 (1.117-1.359), 1.463 (1.290-1.659), and 1.591 (1.293-1.958), respectively (P_trend < 0.001). Similarly, compared with no spicy food consumption, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of 1 or 2 days/week, 3-5 days/week, and 6 or 7 days/week were 1.097 (0.735-1.639), 1.294 (0.932-1.796), and 1.250 (1.025-1.525), respectively (P_trend = 0.026). The point estimate and 95% CI of mean BMI difference between the spicy food consuming group and spicy food non-consuming group was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.30-0.44) in the meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION

The data indicated that spicy flavor and spicy food frequency were positively associated with general obesity in Chinese rural populations.

Impact of radiation therapy and extent of resection for ependymoma in young children: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Young children with posterior fossa ependymoma (PF-EPN) have a worse prognosis than older children, and they have a unique molecular profile (PF-EPN-A subtype). Alternative treatment strategies are often used in these young patients, and their prognostic factors are less clear.

METHODS

We characterized the prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of 482 patients between ages 0 and 3 years with the diagnosis of ependymoma identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (1973-2013).

RESULTS

Radiation therapy (RT) was delivered to 52.3% of patients, and gross total resection (GTR) was performed in 51.0% of patients. Overall survival (OS) at 10 years was 48.4% with median follow-up of 3.3 years. WHO grade was not predictive of OS. Extent of resection was significant for survival; the 10-year OS with GTR was 61.0%, and with subtotal resection (STR) and biopsy was 38.2% and 35.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). RT significantly benefitted OS for both grades II and III. The 10-year OS for grade II was 50.5% with RT and 43.4% without (P = 0.030); 10-year OS for grade III was 66.0% with RT and 40.0% without (P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis showed significantly improved OS with RT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.601, 95% CI: 0.439-0.820, P = 0.001) and GTR (HR 0.471, 95% CI: 0.328-0.677, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ependymoma outcomes in patients within 0-3 years of age significantly improved with RT and GTR. Histopathologic grading of ependymoma demonstrated no prognostic significance. Given the poor OS for this population and unique genetic profile, future prospective studies with molecular-based stratification should be performed to evaluate additional prognostic factors.

Epstein-Barr virus infection and type I interferon signature in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Epstein-Barr (EB) virus infection has long been speculated to evoke systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Since a virus infection can induce interferon (IFN) system activation, we aimed to discover the relationship between the two in the progression of SLE in a Chinese inpatient cohort. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and sera were isolated from 116 SLE patients and 76 healthy controls. Antibodies against EBV-VCA (IgM and IgG) and EBNA (IgG) along with IFNα in patient sera were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The EB virus DNA load was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells both from patients and controls were isolated immediately. The mRNA from these samples was subjected to real-time PCR for the latent genes EBNA1, EBNA2 and LMP1 of EB virus, as well as four IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) ( OASL, MX1, ISG15 and LY6E). The antibody results were used to determine the stage of EBV infection (lytic, latent, or previous). Results SLE patients had a higher rate of lytic infection defined as positive EBV-VCA IgM antibody (39.66% vs 10.53%, p = 0.027), but not the EB virus DNA load. Patients with lytic EB virus infection had higher SLEDAI scores than patients with non-lytic infection (15.24 ± 2.63 vs 13.79 ± 3.24, p = 0.012). LMP1 was the only EBV gene that had a higher expression level in SLE patients than in healthy controls (3.26 ± 2.95 vs 1.00 ± 2.89, p = 0.000). It was also positively correlated with SLEDAI scores ( r = 0.462, p = 0.000). Levels of IFNα and the four ISGs were all significantly higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls ( p < 0.05). LMP1 was positively correlated with the four ISGs ( r = 0.403 ∼ 0.494, p < 0.05) in SLE patients but not in healthy controls ( r = -0.153 ∼ 0.129, p > 0.05). Neither EBNA1 nor EBNA2 was correlated with the ISGs in SLE patients or in healthy controls. Conclusions The SLE patients had higher rates of lytic EB virus infection and higher latent gene LMP1 expression, which might be associated with the development and/or the progression of SLE via the type I IFN pathway. The underlying mechanism needs more study.

Trends of Activities of Daily Living Disability Situation and Association with Chronic Conditions among Elderly Aged 80 Years and Over in China

OBJECTIVES

In China, few studies reported the disability situation and the association between disabilities with chronic conditions in aged people. This study investigates the cross-sectional trends of prevalence and severity of activities of daily living disability (ADL) in Chinese oldest-old people from 1998 to 2008, and identified the potential risk factors of disability.

DESIGN

A combination of population-based longitudinal prospective study and probabilistically sampling cross-sectional studies.

SETTING

The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) was based on a random sampling of aged people from twenty-two provinces in China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 52,667 participants aged from 80 years old to 105 years old sampled in the year of 1998 (n=8,768), 2000 (n=10,940), 2002 (n=10,905), 2005 (n=10,396) and 2008 (n=11,658) were analyzed respectively.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ADL disability decreased from the year of 1998 (18%) to 2008 (12%). The disability prevalence significantly increased in 2002 and decreased in 2008 (P<0.001) in total participants than the year of 1998. The prevalence trends of low ADL disability level were almost identical with that of the total ADL disability. Stroke/cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive impairment were the strongest risk factors of disability. Vision impairment became less associated with ADL disability (P=0.045), while the association between multimorbidity and ADL disability became stronger (P=0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of ADL disability declined among the oldest-old population in China from the year of 1998 to 2008 without obeying a linear pattern. Temporal trends of ADL disability mainly attributed to the change of low disability level prevalence. Stroke/CVD and cognitive impairment were the most common risk factors of disability. Vision impairment caused disability has become less common, while risks of multimorbidity related disability increased.

A circular white-light flare with impulsive and gradual white-light kernels

White-light flares are the flares with emissions visible in the optical continuum. They are thought to be rare and pose the most stringent requirements in energy transport and heating in the lower atmosphere. Here we present a nearly circular white-light flare on 10 March 2015 that was well observed by the Optical and Near-infrared Solar Eruption Tracer and Solar Dynamics Observatory. In this flare, there appear simultaneously both impulsive and gradual white-light kernels. The generally accepted thick-target model would be responsible for the impulsive kernels but not sufficient to interpret the gradual kernels. Some other mechanisms including soft X-ray backwarming or downward-propagating Alfvén waves, acting jointly with electron beam bombardment, provide a possible interpretation. However, the origin of this kind of white-light kernel is still an open question that induces more observations and researches in the future to decipher it.

DC-SIGN reacts with TLR-4 and regulates inflammatory cytokine expression via NF-κB activation in renal tubular epithelial cells during acute renal injury

In the pathological process of acute kidney injury (AKI), innate immune receptors are essential in inflammatory response modulation; however, the precise molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Our study sought to demonstrate the inflammatory response mechanisms in renal tubular epithelial cells via Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) and dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3-grabbing non-integrin 1 (DC-SIGN) signalling. We found that DC-SIGN exhibited strong expression in renal tubular epithelial cells of human acute renal injury tissues. DC-SIGN protein expression was increased significantly when renal tubular epithelial cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for a short period. Furthermore, DC-SIGN was involved in the activation of p65 by TLR-4, which excluded p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK). Interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression was decreased after DC-SIGN knock-down, and LPS induced endogenous interactions and plasma membrane co-expression between TLR-4 and DC-SIGN. These results show that DC-SIGN and TLR-4 interactions regulate inflammatory responses in renal tubular epithelial cells and participate in AKI pathogenesis.

Does thyroid dysfunction increase the risk of breast cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To investigate the relationship between hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid hormone replacement, and the risk of breast cancer.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Web of Science, and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases through June 2016 to identify researches that assessed the relationship between thyroid dysfunction and the risk of breast cancer together with the impact of thyroid hormone substitution treatment on incidence of breast cancer. Quality of evidence was assessed per outcome, using GRADE.

RESULTS

A total of 13 population-based studies including 24,808 participants were identified as eligible for this meta-analysis. A meta-analysis of 12 researches illustrated that hypothyroidism was not related to the risk for breast cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-1.08, P = 0.162]. 10 researches illustrated that hyperthyroidism was also not related to the risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.83-1.30, P = 0.767). The impact of therapy was evaluated in six researches; there was no proof of a relationship between thyroid hormone substitution treatment and breast cancer with an overall OR of 0.83 (95% CI 0.57-1.21, P = 0.965).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis illustrated that thyroid dysfunction may not be related to increased risk of breast cancer as well as the thyroid hormone substitution treatment did not reduce the incidence of breast cancer; while this study has some confounders that might weaken the results of this meta-analysis, we believe that the findings provide valuable information for stakeholders concerned with outcomes in patients with thyroid dysfunction.

[Establishment and evaluation of noninvasive diagnostic models for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To establish the model of liver fibrosis based on noninvasive indices, and to investigate the diagnostic value of this model. Methods: A total of 838 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who underwent liver biopsy in our hospital from March 2003 to October 2013 were selected, and the results of blood tests and B-ultrasound were collected. The correlation between these indices and liver fibrosis stage was analyzed. A logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a predictive model, and the value of this model was examined in validation group. The t-test, Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test, and chi-square test were used for data analysis. A Spearman rank correlation analysis was used for bivariate correlation analysis, and a dichotomous logistic stepwise regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results: In the model group, a model (FV) consisting of age, platelet count (PLT), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), albumin/globulin ratio (A/G), and splenic square area (SSA) was established. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCs) of the model FV were 0.892, 0.910, and 0.915, respectively, in diagnosing significant liver fibrosis (S2-4), progressive liver fibrosis (S3-4), and early-stage liver cirrhosis (S4), with sensitivities of 77.6%, 83.7%, and 86.0%, respectively, specificities of 89.7%, 84.5%, and 83.7%, respectively, and accuracy of 82.1%, 84.2%, and 84.2%, respectively. There were no significant differences in AUROCs between the validation group and the model group (Z = 0.360, 0.885, and 0.046, all P > 0.05). In all patients, FV had significantly higher AUROCs in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis than FIB4 index and S index (Z = 4.569/3.423, 5.640/4.709, and 4.652/4.439, all P < 0.05). With < 0.374 and ≥ 0.577 as the cut-off values for the exclusion and diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis, 61.1% (512/838) of all patients could avoid liver biopsy, and the accuracy was 92.6% (474/512). Conclusion: The noninvasive model based on age, PLT, GGT, A/G, and SSA can accurately predict liver fibrosis degree in patients with CHB with good reproducibility; therefore, it can be used for dynamic monitoring of liver fibrosis degree in clinical practice.

Growth and lasing performance of a Tm,Y:CaF2 crystal

A Tm³⁺ ion and Y³⁺ ion co-doped CaF₂ crystal was grown and characterized, in which spectral and lasing performance was presented for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Under diode end-pumping, in a continuous-wave regime, maximum output power of 453 mW was delivered under an absorption pump power of 2.5 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 17.9% and a slope efficiency of 21%. With a birefringent quartz plate, wavelength-tunable operation with a tunable range of more than 190 nm was realized. The results show that Tm,Y:CaF₂ is a promising laser crystal operating in a spectral region ranging from 1850 nm to 2050 nm.

[Sirt1 inhibited oxidized low-density lipoprotein induced smooth muscle cells inflammatory response]

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of inflammation of smooth muscle cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein through Sirt1 in the atherosclerosis. Methods: The expression of Sirt1 had been measured in the plaque tissues of human and mice. The affection of overexpression of SIRT1 on the oxLDL induced-inflammatory response and ROS generation had been detected in this study. Results: Sirt1 decreased in smooth muscle cells region of human plaque. And in the smooth muscle cells region of mice plaque, Sirt1 was also significantly decreased about 5-fold (P<0.05). Although, oxLDL promoted inflammatory cytokines secretion and ROS generation, but this affection had been reversed by upregulating Sirt1. Conclusion: oxLDL regulated smooth muscle cells inflammatory response via Sirt1. Thus, Sirt1 is a signaling molecular regulating smooth muscles inflammatory response in the process of atherosclerosis.

CDK20 interacts with KEAP1 to activate NRF2 and promotes radiochemoresistance in lung cancer cells

Radiochemoresistance is considered the main cause of local recurrence and distant metastasis in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of radiochemoresistance remain to be uncovered. In this study, we determine the functions of cell cycle-related kinase (CDK20) in radiochemoresistance. CDK20 is a newly identified protein kinase, which plays critical roles in cell growth and proliferation in several types of cancer. Using tandem affinity purification technology, we provide evidences that CDK20 binds to the ubiquitin ligase Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), which targets transcriptional factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) for degradation. We show that this interaction is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved ETGE motif on CDK20. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CDK20 competes with NRF2 for KEAP1 binding, enhances the transcriptional activity of NRF2 and lowers the cellular reactive oxygen species level. Moreover, CDK20-depleted cells display impaired cell proliferation, defective G2/M arrest and increased radiochemosensitivity in lung cancer. These phenotypes induced by CDK20 knockdown are partially dependent on NRF2 inactivation. More importantly, CDK20 is overexpressed in human lung cancer tissues, as determined by immunostaining. Collectively, our results suggest that CDK20 positively modulate the KEAP1-NRF2 cytoprotective pathway to regulate tumor progression and radiochemoresistance, implying that CDK20 is a novel, promising therapeutic target for lung cancer.

Systems pharmacology modeling of drug-induced hyperbilirubinemia: Differentiating hepatotoxicity and inhibition of enzymes/transporters

Elevations in serum bilirubin during drug treatment may indicate global liver dysfunction and a high risk of liver failure. However, drugs also can increase serum bilirubin in the absence of hepatic injury by inhibiting specific enzymes/transporters. We constructed a mechanistic model of bilirubin disposition based on known functional polymorphisms in bilirubin metabolism/transport. Using physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model-predicted drug exposure and enzyme/transporter inhibition constants determined in vitro, our model correctly predicted indinavir-mediated hyperbilirubinemia in humans and rats. Nelfinavir was predicted not to cause hyperbilirubinemia, consistent with clinical observations. We next examined a new drug candidate that caused both elevations in serum bilirubin and biochemical evidence of liver injury in rats. Simulations suggest that bilirubin elevation primarily resulted from inhibition of transporters rather than global liver dysfunction. We conclude that mechanistic modeling of bilirubin can help elucidate underlying mechanisms of drug-induced hyperbilirubinemia, and thereby distinguish benign from clinically important elevations in serum bilirubin.

Diode-pumped mode-locked Tm:LuAG laser at 2 μm based on GaSb-SESAM

Mode-locking of a directly diode-pumped Tm:LuAG laser is demonstrated using GaSb-based semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs). Stable and self-starting mode-locked operation was realized, generating pulses as short as 13.6 ps at 2024 nm with a maximum output power of 98 mW. Two GaInAs-based SESAMs were used for comparison with the operation based upon the use of the GaSb SESAM; in this case, longer pulses with durations of 27 ps and 34 ps were obtained under the same experimental conditions. Our work sets a new record in pulse duration for mode-locked Tm:LuAG lasers and confirms that lattice-matched GaSb-based SESAMs are beneficial for mode-locked solid-state lasers in the 2 μm range.

Wildlife Plague Surveillance Near the China-Kazakhstan Border: 2012-2015

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This pathogen can be transmitted by fleas and has an enzootic cycle, circulating among small mammals, and occasionally epizootic cycles, infecting other species. In China, infected wild rodents are primarily reservoirs of Y. Pestis and are related to human infection (Int. J. Infect. Dis., 33, 2015 and 67; BMC Microbiol., 9, 2009 and 205). Because shepherd dogs prey on and eat rodents (e.g. marmots and mice), they are valuable sentinel animals for plague serosurveillance in endemic disease foci, although their infections are usually asymptomatic (Vet. Microbiol., 172, 2014 and 339).

[Efficacy of antiretroviral therapy and influencing factors for people living with HIV/AIDS in designated hospitals in Harbin]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV/AIDS and influencing factors; and provide evidence to improve the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS for the better life of the patients.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was conducted in designated AIDS hospitals in Harbin. A questionnaire was used to collect the information of the patients receiving treatment in these hospitals. The statistical analysis was done with software SAS 9.2 and Excel 2010. Univariate analysis was performed with t test and multivariate analysis was performed with ordinal logistic regression model. Wilcoxon ranks sum test was conducted to compare the CD4(+) T lymphocyte counts.

RESULTS

The number of the patients receiving antiretroviral therapy was in increase in recent years. The HIV infection route was mainly homosexual contact. The CD4(+)T lymphocyte count of the patients increased at different levels after ≥6 months treatment(P<0.01). Household income(P<0.05), adherence to treatment plan or not(P<0.05), social relationship(P< 0.05), concern of economic cost(P<0.01)medication compliance(P<0.01)and initial level of CD4(+) T lymphocyte(P<0.01)were the influencing factors for antiretroviral therapy efficacy.

CONCLUSION

In designated hospitals in Harbin, the number of the patients receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy kept to increase and the efficacy of the treatment was obvious.

Cloacogenic adenocarcinoma of the vulva: one new case and literature review

Primary adenocarcinoma of the vulva is uncommon, and cloacogenic adenocarcinoma of the vulva is extremely rare. Here the authors report a vulvar neoplasm, arising in continuity with the epidermis, characterized by villoglandular architecture, and mucinous-type ep- ithelium with intestinal differentiation (goblet cells). Histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and gene mutation analysis revealed a colon-like pattern, except for CK7 expression. Extensive workup failed to reveal other primary cancers. In order to provide a much bet- ter experience for diagnosis, the authors compared the previously published cases with the present case regarding clinical presentation and histopathologic aspect. They believe that the notion of the tumor arising from cloacal remnants is a more acceptable viewpoint, and its behavior is mostly indolent. In the present case, a wide local excision was sufficient for radical cure.