[A childhood-onset rapid-onset dystonia parkinsonism family with ATP1A3 gene mutation and literatures review]

Objective: To explore clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of a family with childhood-onset rapid-onset dystonia parkinsonism (RDP) caused by ATP1A3 gene mutation and review literatures. Method: The clinical data of a RDP child, his brother and mother had been analyzed retrospectively. This family was admitted to Xiangya Hospital in January 2016. DNA samples were analyzed by the next-generation sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Related literature from PubMed, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), CNKI and Wanfang databases to date (up to October 2016) with"Rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism""RDP""DYT12" as key words was reviewed. Result: The proband boy was three years and four months old (April 2015) when he had the first attack of the disease. After a febricity, he suddenly acquired acute aphasia and limb movement disorder. Rehabilitation therapy and supportive treatment made his speech gradually recovered but still slurred. However, his abnormal walking posture still existed. Nine months later (January 2016, 4 years and one months old), symptoms including aphasia, dysphagia, and weakness with rostrocaudal gradient reoccured after fever. The disease progressed to the critical condition within 24 hours. He"seizured" four times with tonic spasms of limbs but without loss of consciousness. Family history showed his grandparents were consanguineous marriage. His mother and brother also developed abnormal gait and dysarthria after an infection before primary school age. Their symptoms improved gradually without relapsing. However, they did not recover entirely with mild intellectual disability. His mother had a healthy brother and sister. This proband had no other siblings but the brother. Heterozygous missense mutation p. R756H in ATP1A3 gene was detected in this proband, his mother and his brother. This mutation had been reported pathogenically related to RDP, and it located in highly conserved gene region. Benzodiazepine was used for the proband and his brother, with the proband being improved better although not completely. Meanwhile, benzodiazepine had no significant effect on his mother because of poor compliance. This is the first case report of RDP in China. The mutations of ATP1A3 have been previously reported in 51 patients including 6 large families and 16 other unrelated patients. A total of 14 different mutations in ATP1A3 gene with RDP have been reported to date, including 12 missense mutations, a 3-bp in-frame deletion, and a 3-bp in-frame insertion. The sporadic cases all had the typical clinical phenotypes of RDP, such as the abrupt onset of dysarthria, dysphagia, limb dystonia with bradykinesia, and postural instability. The symptoms of bulbar and arms were much more obvious. It was hard to diagnose RDP in a family because some patients had typical symptoms of RDP, while the others might experience from mild symptoms to no symptoms, which might be related to incomplete penetrance of RDP. Two cases carrying the same mutation as our patients also presented some overlapping phenotypes. Conclusion: The p. R756H heterozygous mutation in ATP1A3 gene is the pathogenic mutation of RDP, analysis of genotype-phenotype correlations of RDP will be very important and meaningful.

Spodoptera litura autophagy-related protein 1 interacts with autophagy-related protein 5 and enhances its degradation

It is known that the autophagy-related protein 1 (ATG1) plays critical roles in the regulation of autophagy in mammals and yeast, whereas the function of ATG1 in lepidopteran insects is not well elucidated. Here Spodoptera litura ATG1 (SlATG1) and its interactions with other ATG proteins were characterized. Alternative splicing of SlAtg1 produced at least four transcript variants. Over-expression and RNA interference knockdown of SlAtg1 demonstrated that SlATG1 enhanced autophagy. SlATG1A-Green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged localized in the cytoplasm and formed some punctuate dots, which were colocalized with red fluorescent protein mCherry tagged Spodoptera exigua ATG5 (SeATG5). SlATG1A-GFP over-expression reduced the nuclear abundance of mCherry-SeATG5 but increased its cytoplasmic abundance. Pull-down, co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that SlATG1A bound to SeATG5 through the N-terminus of SlATG1A. The over-expression of FLAG epitope tagged SlATG1A significantly increased the accumulation of the cleaved GFP from GFP-SeATG5, suggesting the enhanced degradation of GFP-SeATG5. In addition, we confirmed that the interactions of SlATG1 with other autophagy-related proteins were conserved. These results provide the first evidence that ATG1 interacts with ATG5 and enhances its degradation in lepidopteran insect cells, which may have important physiological functions.

Estimation of the optimum digestible lysine level for Cherry Valley ducks

The aim of the current study was to determine the digestible lysine (DLys) requirement of Cherry Valley ducks from 1 to 14 d and from 15 to 35 d of age. One-day-old male Cherry Valley ducks (n = 320) were divided randomly and evenly into five treatments with 8 replicates of 8 birds. Ducks were fed adequate levels of digestible amino acid but with graded levels of DLys: 0.80, 0.88, 0.96, 1.04, and 1.12% from 1 to 14 d; 0.60, 0.68, 0.76, 0.84, and 0.92% from 15 to 35 d. At 35 d of age, 8 ducks per treatment were slaughtered for evaluating the yields of abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat, breast meat, and leg meat. Additionally, a 7-d metabolizable experiment was conducted with ducks of the same hatch beginning on d 35 (8 ducks per treatment). The results showed that the DLys level in diet had a quadratic relationship both with the average daily gain (ADG) and feed:gain ratio (F/G). According to the quadratic model, an optimum digestible lysine level was 0.948% from 0 to 14 d and 0.758% from 15 to 35 d based on ADG. The digestible lysine level for obtaining minimum F/G were 0.986% (0 ∼ 14 d) and 0.792% (15 ∼ 35 d), respectively. Breast meat yield (P = 0.110) and subcutaneous fat percentage (P = 0.021) showed a quadratic or linear response to the increasing dietary DLys level. To achieve maximum breast meat yield, the digestible lysine level of 0.961% and 0.761% were needed for the starter period (1 ∼ 14 d) and the growth period (14 ∼ 35 d), respectively. N excretion showed a quadratic response to the increasing dietary DLys level (P = 0.103). The results of the current study suggested that the optimum digestible lysine level was very different with the response criterion. The dietary digestible lysine levels were 0.948, 0.961% in the starter period (1 ∼ 14 d) and 0.758, 0.761% in the growth period (15 ∼ 35 d) for ADG, F/G, respectively.

The pre-rRNA processing factor DEF is rate limiting for the pathogenesis of MYCN-driven neuroblastoma

The nucleolar factor, digestive organ expansion factor (DEF), has a key role in ribosome biogenesis, functioning in pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) processing as a component of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU) processome. Here we show that the peripheral sympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is very underdeveloped in def-deficient zebrafish, and that def haploinsufficiency significantly decreases disease penetrance and tumor growth rate in a MYCN-driven transgenic zebrafish model of neuroblastoma that arises in the PSNS. Consistent with these findings, DEF is highly expressed in human neuroblastoma, and its depletion in human neuroblastoma cell lines induces apoptosis. Interestingly, overexpression of MYCN in zebrafish and in human neuroblastoma cells results in the appearance of intermediate pre-rRNAs species that reflect the processing of pre-rRNAs through Pathway 2, a pathway that processes pre-rRNAs in a different temporal order than the more often used Pathway 1. Our results indicate that DEF and possibly other components of the SSU processome provide a novel site of vulnerability in neuroblastoma cells that could be exploited for targeted therapy.

Fabrication of nanopore and nanoparticle arrays with high aspect ratio AAO masks

How to use high aspect ratio anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as an etching and evaporation mask is one of the unsolved problems in the application of nanostructured arrays. Here we describe the versatile utilizations of the highly ordered AAO membranes with a high aspect ratio of more than 20 used as universal masks for the formation of various nanostructure arrays on various substrates. The result shows that the fabricated nanopore and nanoparticle arrays of substrates inherit the regularity of the AAO membranes completely. The flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages were attached to the Si substrates respectively as an etching mask, which demonstrates that the two kinds of replication, positive and negative, represent the replication of the mirroring of Si substrates relative to the flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages. Our work is a breakthrough for the broad research field of surface nano-masking.

Mediating effect of coping styles on the association between psychological capital and psychological distress among Chinese nurses: a cross-sectional study

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Studies show that psychological capital (PsyCap) is a protective factor against psychological distress, such as depressive symptoms. However, few have attempted to address the role of coping styles in the relationship between PsyCap and psychological distress. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Our study found moderate levels of PsyCap among nurses in China. Among the subcategories of PsyCap, optimism and hope were most highly correlated with psychological distress. Psychological distress was positively associated with negative coping and negatively associated with positive coping. This study confirmed the partial mediating effect of coping styles in PsyCap and psychological distress among Chinese nurses. In other words, this study found direct and indirect effects of PsyCap on psychological distress mediated via coping styles. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The significant mediating effect of negative and positive coping styles between PsyCap and psychological distress has implications for hospital administrators, especially nurse leaders. Effective strategies should be implemented to improve PsyCap and coping styles among Chinese nurses, and alleviate psychological distress. Optimism and hope should be emphasized in PsyCap investment. Different styles of coping are influenced and modified by teaching and experience. Therefore, it is essential that nurse managers organize educational and training programmes to provide nurses with relative coping knowledge and techniques, and improve their coping ability. Several studies suggest that coping styles are affected by social support. Thus, nurse managers should assist nurses with social support and enhance coping strategies to reduce psychological distress.

ABSTRACT

Introduction PsyCap includes four categories namely self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience. Research has demonstrated that PsyCap and coping styles affect current psychological distress. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the role of coping styles in PsyCap and psychological distress. Aim This study investigated the role of coping styles as a mediator in PsyCap and psychological distress among Chinese nurses. Methods Participants included 538 nurses who completed self-report questionnaires assessing PsyCap, coping styles and psychological distress. Linear regression analyses were used to explore the role of coping styles. Results PsyCap, coping styles and psychological distress were significantly correlated. Among the subcategories of PsyCap, optimism and hope were most highly correlated with psychological distress. Coping styles is a partial mediator of PsyCap and psychological distress. Implications for mental health nursing The significant role of negative and positive coping styles in PsyCap and psychological distress has implications for hospital administrators, especially nurse leaders. Effective strategies should be implemented to improve PsyCap and coping styles among Chinese nurses, to alleviate psychological distress. Optimism and hope should be the focus of the improvement. Different styles of coping are developed from education and experience. Therefore, it is necessary for nurse managers to organize educational and training programmes to improve coping skills among nurses. Studies suggest that coping styles are affected by social support. Thus, nurse managers should also assist nurses with social support and enhance coping strategies to reduce psychological distress.

Investigation of underlying comorbidities as risk factors for symptomatic human hepatitis E virus infection

BACKGROUND

Symptomatic Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection occurs in few infected subjects, and the risk factors are not completely known.

AIM

To explore the risk factors for adverse clinical outcomes in acute HEV infections.

METHODS

A large retrospective study was conducted. The baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and laboratory data of 512 acute HEV infection cases were analysed using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

All patients exhibited autochthonous sporadic HEV infections, and most were elderly. Their symptoms varied from asymptomatic to severe liver diseases. In all, 215 patients (42.0%) had liver failure and/or decompensation, and 45 (8.2%) patients died within 3 months. Nearly 60% of patients had underlying chronic liver diseases (CLDs), 20% were cirrhotic, and various extrahepatic underlying comorbidities were common. The logistic regression analysis revealed that underlying CLDs, especially cirrhosis, were closely associated with disease severity (OR = 8.78, P < 0.001) but not with mortality in patients with severe liver diseases. In addition to the known factors, including an old age, the male gender and CLDs, we identified pre-existing extrahepatic tumours, diabetes, and chronic respiratory and renal diseases as novel independent predictors for adverse clinical outcomes. Importantly, patients without these four extrahepatic comorbidities showed a much lower mortality rate (4.2%, P < 0.001) than patients with one (18.5%) or more comorbidities (34.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Previous comorbidities, including tumours, diabetes, and chronic liver, lung and kidney diseases, were independent risk factors for adverse outcomes, especially mortality, in acute HEV infections. This study provides valuable data for improving the prevention and control of HEV infection.

Supplementing oregano essential oil to boar diet with strengthened fish oil: Effects on semen antioxidant status and semen quality parameters

Previous research has shown benefits of dietary fish oil supplementation on semen quality of boars. However, little is known about how antioxidant protects lipid peroxidation on spermatozoa from n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) addition. This study evaluated the effect of oregano essential oil (OEO) supplementation on semen antioxidant status and semen quality in boars fed a diet enriched with fish oil. Thirty-four mature boars of proven fertility, received daily 2.5 kg basal diet top-dressed with 45 g soybean oil and 15 g fish oil to meet the n-3 PUFA requirement of spermatozoa, randomly allocated to one of four groups supplemented with 100 mg α-tocopheryl acetate kg^-1 (control), or 250 or 500 or 750 mg OEO kg^-1 for 16 weeks. Semen was collected at weeks 0, 8, 12 and 16 for measurements of sperm production, motion characteristics, sperm α-tocopherol content, antioxidant enzyme activities, reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG), lipoperoxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA) and seminal total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Sperm production and motion characteristics were similar (p > .05) among groups throughout the experimental week 16, but increased (p < .01) with experimental week. Although higher α-tocopherol content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were in OEO group spermatozoa, feeding diet with 500 mg/kg OEO resulted in elevation in seminal TAC, decrease in sperm ROS, MDA and 8-OHdG than control group (p < .05). Overall, these results support the view that oregano essential oil has a positive effect on antioxidant capacity in boar when used fish oil.

Siliceous spicules in a vauxiid sponge (Demospongia) from the Kaili Biota(Cambrian Stage 5), Guizhou, South China

Fossils of the sponge Angulosuspongia sinensis from calcareous mudstones of the middle and upper part of the Kaili Formation (Cambrian Stage 5) in the Jianhe area of Guizhou province, South China, exhibit an apparently reticulate pattern, characteristic of the Vauxiidae. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy analysis indicate the presence of silica in the skeletal elements of these fossils, suggesting that this taxon possessed a skeleton comprised of spicules. This is the first confirmation of siliceous skeletal elements in fossils of the family Vauxiidae, and it lends support to the hypothesis that some early demosponges possessed biomineralized siliceous skeletons, which were subsequently lost and replaced by spongin later in the evolutionary history of this lineage. The new materials provide critical insight into the phylogeny and evolution of biomineralization in the Demosopongiae.

[A novel mutation in KCNB1 gene in a child with neuropsychiatric comorbidities with both intellectual disability and epilepsy and review of literature]

Objective: To explore the association between the phenotype and KCNB1 gene mutation. Method: Clinical information including physical features, laboratory and genetic data of one patient of mental retardation with refractory epilepsy from Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital in January 2016 was analyzed. This patient was discovered to have KCNB1 gene mutations through whole exome sequencing. Relevant information about KCNB1 gene mutation was searched and collected from Pubmed, CNKI, Human Gene Mutation Database(HGMD) and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM). Searching was done using "KCNB1" as a keyword. Result: A 3.5 years old boy who visited our hospital firstly at the age of 2 years because of development delay came for follow up as he developed seizures.The forms included tonic, clonic seizures and spasm. The condition became more severe 10 months later. Electroencephalogram(EEG) showed high frequency discharge (>85%). He had poor response to multiple anti-epileptic drugs, methylprednisolone and ketogenic diet. At the age of 3, he started to have mental regression. Whole exome-sequencing study (trios) identified a novel heterozygous mutation c. G1136T (p.G379V) in KCNB1, which is not available in the databases mentioned above. This is the first case report of KCNB1 gene mutation in China. Eight cases have been reported so far worldwide and all of them were diagnosed with refractory epilepsy. Those 8 reported cases of encephalopathy were all due to de novo mutation. Conclusion: The main clinical features of patients with KCNB1 mutations include severe to profound intellectual disability, intractable seizures, hypotonia and regression of cognition and motor activity which lead to poor prognosis.

Expression of prion protein in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Parkinson's disease complicated with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases and mainly manifests with decreasing numbers of dopaminergic neurons. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has an incidence of 15-47% in all PD patients. Prion proteins (PrPs), which are expressed in both neurons and glial cells of the brain, are believed to be correlated with abnormal neurological functions, although their role in PD-related sleeping disorders remains unclear. We therefore investigated the expressional profiles of PrP in PD patients with RBD. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein levels of PrP, respectively, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of PD patients with RBD, PD patients without sleeping disorder, and healthy people (N = 23 each). We investigated the correlation between the CSF PrP level and sleeping behavior in PD patients. Patients with PD complicated with RBD had significantly elevated CSF PrP expression levels (both mRNA and protein) compared with either PD patients without sleeping disorder or healthy individuals (P < 0.05 in both cases). There is elevated expression of PrP in the CSF of PD patients with RBD. This may benefit the diagnosis of PD-related RBD.

Deep Profiling of Proteome and Phosphoproteome by Isobaric Labeling, Extensive Liquid Chromatography, and Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has experienced an unprecedented advance in comprehensive analysis of proteins and posttranslational modifications, with particular technical progress in liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and isobaric labeling multiplexing capacity. Here, we introduce a deep proteomics profiling protocol that combines 10-plex tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling with an optimized LC-MS/MS platform to quantitate whole proteome and phosphoproteome. The major steps include protein extraction and digestion, TMT labeling, two-dimensional liquid chromatography, TiO₂-mediated phosphopeptide enrichment, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and computational data processing. This protocol routinely leads to confident quantification of more than 10,000 proteins and approximately 30,000 phosphosites in mammalian samples. Quality control steps are implemented for troubleshooting and evaluating experimental variation. Such a multiplexed robust method provides a powerful tool for dissecting proteomic signatures at the systems level in a variety of complex samples, ranging from cell culture, animal tissues to human clinical specimens.

[Prognostic analysis of acute-on-chronic liver failure after withdrawal of nucleos(t)ide analogues for antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prognostic factors for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) after the withdrawal of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) for the antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS

The clinical data of 67 hospitalized patients with ACLF after withdrawal of NAs for the antiviral treatment of CHB were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The HBeAg status before initial treatment and after recurrence, course of the antiviral treatment, duration from the withdrawal of NAs to recurrence, and type of NAs before and after withdrawal were not associated with the prognosis of ACLF. The Cox univariate regression analysis showed that serum bilirubin, international normalization ratio, serum creatinine, model of end-stage of liver disease (MELD) score, hepatic encephalopathy, and concurrent infection were associated with the 12-week death. The Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that MELD score and hepatic encephalopathy were independent predictors for 12-week death. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the MELD score to predict 12-week death was 0.906, with an optimal cutoff value of 32, a sensitivity of 82.9%, a specificity of 88.5%, a positive predictive value of 91.9%, and a negative predictive value of 76.7%.

CONCLUSION

MELD score and hepatic encephalopathy are closely associated with the prognosis of patients with ACLF after withdrawal of NAs for the antiviral treatment of CHB.

Anti-LG3 Antibodies Aggravate Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Long-Term Renal Allograft Dysfunction

Pretransplant autoantibodies to LG3 and angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R) are associated with acute rejection in kidney transplant recipients, whereas antivimentin autoantibodies participate in heart transplant rejection. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can modify self-antigenic targets. We hypothesized that ischemia-reperfusion creates permissive conditions for autoantibodies to interact with their antigenic targets and leads to enhanced renal damage and dysfunction. In 172 kidney transplant recipients, we found that pretransplant anti-LG3 antibodies were associated with an increased risk of delayed graft function (DGF). Pretransplant anti-LG3 antibodies are inversely associated with graft function at 1 year after transplantation in patients who experienced DGF, independent of rejection. Pretransplant anti-AT1R and antivimentin were not associated with DGF or its functional outcome. In a model of renal IRI in mice, passive transfer of anti-LG3 IgG led to enhanced dysfunction and microvascular injury compared with passive transfer with control IgG. Passive transfer of anti-LG3 antibodies also favored intrarenal microvascular complement activation, microvascular rarefaction and fibrosis after IRI. Our results suggest that anti-LG3 antibodies are novel aggravating factors for renal IRI. These results provide novel insights into the pathways that modulate the severity of renal injury at the time of transplantation and their impact on long-term outcomes.

EMR documentation of physician-patient communication following genomic counseling for actionable complex disease and pharmacogenomic results

Genomic risk information for potentially actionable complex diseases and pharmacogenomics communicated through genomic counseling (GC) may motivate physicians and patients to take preventive actions. The Ohio State University-Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative is a randomized trial to measure the effects of in-person GC on chronic disease patients provided with multiplex results. Nine personalized genomic risk reports were provided to patients through a web portal, and to physicians via electronic medical record (EMR). Active arm participants (98, 39% female) received GC within 1 month of report viewing; control arm subjects (101, 54% female) could access counseling 3-months post-report viewing. We examined whether GC affected documentation of physician-patient communication by reviewing the first clinical note following the patient's GC visit or report upload to the EMR. Multivariable logistic regression modeling estimated the independent effect of GC on physician-patient communication, as intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP), adjusted for physician educational intervention. Counselees in the active arm had more physician-patient communications than control subjects [ITT, odds ratio (OR): 3.76 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38-10.22, p < 0.0094); PP, OR: 5.53 (95% CI: 2.20-13.90, p = 0.0017). In conclusion, GC appreciably affected physician-patient communication following receipt of potentially actionable genomic risk information.

In vitro and in vivo digestibility of corn starch for weaned pigs: Effects of amylose:amylopectin ratio, extrusion, storage duration, and enzyme supplementation

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of amylose (AM):amylopectin (AP) ratio, extrusion, storage duration, and enzyme supplementation on starch digestibility of corn. Three corn varieties with high (0.60; HA), medium (0.44; MA), and low (0.39; LA) AM:AP ratios, respectively, were selected from 74 corn samples to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo digestibility of starch. In Exp. 1, during wk 4 after extrusion, resistant starch (RS) content of the 3 selected corn varieties (LA, MA, and HA) increased (P < 0.05) each week and starch digestibility in vitro decreased as storage time increased (P < 0.05). The AM:AP ratio affected the formation of RS (P < 0.01). The RS content of the 3 corn varieties was ranked as LA < MA < HA in each week (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that AM:AP ratio and storage duration were both positively correlated with RS content (P < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant quadratic relation was found between storage duration and RS content in each corn variety as well as storage duration and digestibility. Starch digestibility was negatively correlated with RS content (P < 0.001). In Exp. 2, digestion trials were performed on cannulated pigs with BW of 13.20 ± 0.94 kg. Extrusion increased ileal digestibility of GE and starch of either HA or LA compared with the enzyme-supplemented diets (P < 0.001). Enzyme supplementation did not improve ileal energy and starch digestibility. The ileal digestibility of starch and GE of LA varieties was greater than HA samples (P < 0.05). The results implied that AM:AP ratio and storage duration after extrusion may be important determinants of RS formation and digestibility of starch for corn. In addition, RS content could be an important indicator of digestibility of starch in extruded corn. Using a lower AM:AP ratio corn or reducing the storage duration of extruded corn would help to reduce the formation of RS and improve the starch bioavailability of corn for piglets.

[Using (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics and gene ontology to establish pathological staging model for esophageal cancer patients]

OBJECTIVES

By combining the metabolomics and computational biology, to explore the relationship between metabolic phenotype and pathological stage in esophageal cancer patients, to find the mechanism of metabolic network disturbance and develop a new method for fast preoperative clinical staging.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study (from April 2013 to January 2016) was conducted. The preoperative patients from Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, who were diagnosed with esophageal cancer from May 2013 to April 2014 were included, and their serum samples were collected to detect (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics for the purpose of drawing the metabolic fingerprinting in different stages of patients with esophageal cancer. The data were processed with these methods-principal components analysis: partial least squares regression and support vector machine, for the exploration of the enzyme-gene network regulatory mechanism in abnormal esophageal cancer metabolic network regulation and to build the quantitative prediction model of esophageal cancer staging in the end. All data were processed on high-performance computing platforms Matalab. The comparison of data had used Wilcoxon test, variance analysis, χ(2) test and Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

Twenty patients with different stages of esophageal cancer were included; and their serum metabolic fingerprinting could differentiate different tumor stages. There were no difference among the five teams in the age (F=1.086, P>0.05), the body mass index (F=1.035, P>0.05), the distance from the incisors to tumor (F=1.078, P>0.05). Among the patients with different TNM stages, there was a significant difference in plasma metabolome. Compared to ⅡB, ⅢA, Ⅳstage patients, increased levels of butanone, ethanol amine, homocysteine, hydroxy acids and estriol, together with decreased levels of glycoprotein, creatine, choline, isobutyricacid, alanine, leucine, valine, were observed inⅠB, ⅡA stage patients. Four metabolic markers (ethanol amine, hydroxy-propionic acid, homocysteine and estriol) were eventually selected. gene ontology analysis showed that 54 enzymes and genes regulated the 4 key metabolic markers. The quantitative prediction model of esophageal cancer staging based on esophageal cancer NMR spectrum were established. Cross-validation results showed that the predicted effect was good (root mean square error=5.3, R(2)=0.47, P=0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

The systems biology approaches based on metabolomics and enzyme-gene regulatory network analysis can be used to quantify the metabolic network disturbance of patients with advanced esophageal cancer, and to predict preoperative clinical staging of esophageal cancer patients by plasma NMR metabolomics.

PAX7 is a required target for microRNA-206-induced differentiation of fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. RMS can be parsed based on clinical outcome into two subtypes, fusion-positive RMS (FP-RMS) or fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS) based on the presence or absence of either PAX3-FOXO1 or PAX7-FOXO1 gene fusions. In both RMS subtypes, tumor cells show histology and a gene expression pattern resembling that of developmentally arrested skeletal muscle. Differentiation therapy is an attractive approach to embryonal tumors of childhood including RMS; however, agents to drive RMS differentiation have not entered the clinic and their mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNA-206 (miR-206) expression increases through normal muscle development and has decreased levels in RMS compared with normal skeletal muscle. Increasing miR-206 expression drives differentiation of RMS, but the target genes responsible for the relief of the development arrest are largely unknown. Using a combinatorial approach with gene and proteomic profiling coupled with genetic rescue, we identified key miR-206 targets responsible for the FN-RMS differentiation blockade, PAX7, PAX3, NOTCH3, and CCND2. Specifically, we determined that PAX7 downregulation is necessary for miR-206-induced cell cycle exit and myogenic differentiation in FN-RMS but not in FP-RMS. Gene knockdown of targets necessary for miR-206-induced differentiation alone or in combination was not sufficient to phenocopy the differentiation phenotype from miR-206, thus illustrating that miR-206 replacement offers the ability to modulate a complex network of genes responsible for the developmental arrest in FN-RMS. Genetic deletion of miR-206 in a mouse model of FN-RMS accelerated and exacerbated tumor development, indicating that both in vitro and in vivo miR-206 acts as a tumor suppressor in FN-RMS at least partially through downregulation of PAX7. Collectively, our results illustrate that miR-206 relieves the differentiation arrest in FN-RMS and suggests that miR-206 replacement could be a potential therapeutic differentiation strategy.

Colossal Magnetoresistance in a Mott Insulator via Magnetic Field-Driven Insulator-Metal Transition

We present a new type of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) arising from an anomalous collapse of the Mott insulating state via a modest magnetic field in a bilayer ruthenate, Ti-doped Ca_{3}Ru_{2}O_{7}. Such an insulator-metal transition is accompanied by changes in both lattice and magnetic structures. Our findings have important implications because a magnetic field usually stabilizes the insulating ground state in a Mott-Hubbard system, thus calling for a deeper theoretical study to reexamine the magnetic field tuning of Mott systems with magnetic and electronic instabilities and spin-lattice-charge coupling. This study further provides a model approach to search for CMR systems other than manganites, such as Mott insulators in the vicinity of the boundary between competing phases.

Early enteral nutrition compared with parenteral nutrition for esophageal cancer patients after esophagectomy: a meta-analysis

Early postoperative enteral nutrition (EN) after esophagectomy in esophageal cancer patient has been reported to be correlated with a better rehabilitation than parenteral nutrition (PN). However, a robust conclusion has not been achieved. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to compare the postoperative EN and PN in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy. Three electronic databases were searched for eligible studies to be included in the meta-analysis. The summary relative risk/weighted mean difference (RR/WMD) estimates and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using fixed- and random-effects models. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The analysis demonstrated that the early postoperative EN could significantly decrease the pulmonary complications (RR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.22-0.62, P = 0.00, test for heterogeneity: I(2) = 0.0%, P = 0.89) and anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.22-0.96, P = 0.04, test for heterogeneity: I(2) = 0.0%, P = 0.66) compared with PN. On the eighth postoperative day, the EN group had a higher levels of albumin (WMD = 1.84, 95% CI = 0.47-3.21, P = 0.01, test for heterogeneity: I(2) = 84.5%, P = 0.00) and prealbumin (WMD = 12.96, 95% CI = 3.63-22.29, P = 0.01, test for heterogeneity: I(2) = 0.0%, P = 0.63) compared with the PN group. However, there was no difference in digestive complications between these two approaches (RR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.79-2.13, P = 0.30, test for heterogeneity: I(2) = 0.0%, P = 0.97). For patients with esophageal cancer following esophagectomy, the early postoperative EN support could decrease the morbidity of severe complications, such as pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage, and maintain patients at a better nutritional status than parenteral nutrion support.

Inducible T-cell co-stimulator ligand (ICOSL) blockade leads to selective inhibition of anti-KLH IgG responses in subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objectives

To evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of single-dose and multiple-dose administration of AMG 557, a human anti-inducible T cell co-stimulator ligand (ICOSL) monoclonal antibody, in subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Patients with mild, stable SLE (n=112) were enrolled in two clinical trials to evaluate the effects of single (1.8–210 mg subcutaneous or 18 mg intravenous) and multiple (6 –210 mg subcutaneous every other week (Q2W)×7) doses of AMG 557. Subjects received two 1 mg intradermal injections 28 days apart of keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH), a neoantigen, to assess PD effects of AMG 557. Safety, PK, target occupancy, anti-KLH antibody responses, lymphocyte subset analyses and SLE-associated biomarkers and clinical outcomes were assessed.

Results

AMG 557 demonstrated an acceptable safety profile. The PK properties were consistent with an antibody directed against a cell surface target, with non-linear PK observed at lower concentrations and linear PK at higher concentrations. Target occupancy by AMG 557 was dose dependent and reversible, and maximal occupancy was achieved in the setting of this trial. Anti-AMG 557 antibodies were observed, but none were neutralising and without impact on drug levels. A significant reduction in the anti-KLH IgG response was observed with AMG 557 administration without discernible changes in the anti-KLH IgM response or on the overall IgG levels. No discernible changes were seen in lymphocyte subsets or in SLE-related biomarkers and clinical measures.

Conclusions

The selective reduction in anti-KLH IgG demonstrates a PD effect of AMG 557 in subjects with SLE consistent with the biology of the ICOS pathway and supports further studies of AMG 557 as a potential therapeutic for autoimmune diseases.

Trial registration numbers

NCT02391259 and NCT00774943.

Paravascular pathways contribute to vasculitis and neuroinflammation after subarachnoid hemorrhage independently of glymphatic control

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease with high mortality. The mechanisms underlying its pathological complications have not been fully identified. Here, we investigate the potential involvement of the glymphatic system in the neuropathology of SAH. We demonstrate that blood components rapidly enter the paravascular space following SAH and penetrate into the perivascular parenchyma throughout the brain, causing disastrous events such as cerebral vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia, microcirculation dysfunction and widespread perivascular neuroinflammation. Clearance of the paravascular pathway with tissue-type plasminogen activator ameliorates the behavioral deficits and alleviates histological injury of SAH. Interestingly, AQP4^−/− mice showed no improvements in neurological deficits and neuroinflammation at day 7 after SAH compared with WT control mice. In conclusion, our study proves that the paravascular pathway dynamically mediates the pathological complications following acute SAH independently of glymphatic control.

Characterization of a novel biosurfactant produced by marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium Achromobacter sp. HZ01

AIMS

To purify and characterize the biosurfactants produced by Achromobacter sp. HZ01.

METHODS AND RESULTS

After fermentation, one biosurfactant was successfully purified from the fermentation broth of strain HZ01 by centrifugation, extraction using ethyl acetate, silica gel chromatography and reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the biosurfactant and the effects of temperatures, pH and salinities on its stability were determined. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, analysis of fatty acids and amino acids and mass spectrometry were used to characterize the biosurfactant. The maximum production yield of the crude biosurfactant reached to 6·84 g l(-1) after incubation for 96 h. Except the favourable adaptability to a wide range of temperatures, pH and salinities, the biosurfactant with a CMC value of 48 mg l(-1) could efficiently emulsify diverse hydrophobic compounds. The chemical formula of this biosurfactant was confirmed to be CH3 -(CH2 )17 -CHO-CH2 -CO-Gly-Gly-Leu-Met-Leu-Leu, in which the oxygen atom of group CHO linked to the last amino acid (Leu), a structure had never been reported before.

CONCLUSIONS

The purified biosurfactant is a novel cyclic lipopeptide.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

One novel lipopeptide was purified and characterized. The novel biosurfactant exhibited good potential applications, such as bioremediation.

Participation of B-cell-activating factor receptors in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia

ESSENTIALS: Dysfunctional B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) system is related to many autoimmune diseases. The regulatory functions of BAFF/BAFF receptors were investigated in an in vitro coculture system. Different regulatory roles of BAFF were investigated via different receptors in immune thrombocytopenia. The upregulated BAFF receptors on autoreactive lymphocytes lead to their hypersensitivity to BAFF.

SUMMARY

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) remains enigmatic. B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) and its receptors (BAFF receptor [BAFF-R], transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor [TACI], and B-cell maturation antigen) play central roles in the integrated homeostatic regulation of lymphocytes.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the pathologic roles of BAFF receptors in regulating the bioactivities of lymphocytes in ITP.

METHODS

An in vitro culture system was established by stimulating CD14(-) peripheral lymphocytes with platelet-preloaded dendritic cells in the presence of recombinant human BAFF (rhBAFF; 20 ng mL(-1)). The functions of BAFF receptors were specifically blocked with blocking antibodies.

RESULTS

BAFF-R, besides prolonging the survival of B cells in both patients and healthy controls, prominently promoted the survival of CD8(+) T cells and the proliferation of B cells in patients with ITP. TACI, as a positive regulator, not only promoted the proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, but also significantly enhanced the secretion of interleukin-4 in patients with ITP, but not in controls. Besides revealing the pathologic roles of BAFF receptors, these results also indicate that lymphocytes of patients with ITP have enhanced antiapoptotic or proliferative capacity as compared with those from healthy controls when exposed under similar stimulation of rhBAFF. Further study demonstrated that activated autoreactive B cells and CD4(+) T cells from patients with ITP showed significantly higher expression of BAFF-R or TACI than those from healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Both BAFF-R and TACI are pathogenic participants in ITP. Their dysregulated expression in patients with ITP may lead to hyperreactivity of activated autoreactive lymphocytes in response to rhBAFF, and thus is highly significant in the pathogenesis of ITP.

Effect of daily sildenafil on patients with absent nocturnal erections due to pelvic fracture urethral disruption: a single-centre experience

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common sequel of pelvic fracture urethral disruption. Those patients with nocturnal erections may respond favourably to sildenafil; however, little is known about the response to sildenafil in patients with absent nocturnal erections. The aim was to evaluate the response to the treatment of sildenafil 50 mg taken once daily in the patients with absent nocturnal erections. From January 2008 to December 2011, a total of 28 patients with absent nocturnal erections were evaluated. We recorded nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity with an erectometer. If nocturnal erections were absent for three nights, patients were administrated sildenafil 100 mg at bedtime and tested again at the fourth night. Penile duplex ultrasound with intracavernous injection was performed to define the cause of ED. All patients received a daily dose of sildenafil 50 mg for 12 weeks. Response to sildenafil treatment was defined as sustained erections allowing vaginal penetration and intercourse. Twenty-three (78%) patients completed the daily sildenafil treatment, and follow-up was available. The nocturnal erections at the fourth night in 13 patients (46.4%) were improved. About 61.5% (8/13) reported effective response to daily sildenafil. The improvement of nocturnal erections induced by sildenafil taken at bedtime might predict the response to sildenafil taken daily.