Association Between Complement Factor C2/C3/CFB/CFH Polymorphisms and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Several previous studies have assessed the contribution of polymorphisms in genes encoding the complement factors C2/C3/CFB/CFH with the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), however the results have been inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis to systematically review the potential association between complement factor polymorphisms and AMD.

METHODS

Studies that investigated associations between C2 (rs547154 and rs9332739), C3 (rs1047286), CFB (rs4151667 and rs641153), and CFH (rs551397 and rs2274700) polymorphisms and AMD were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published prior to January 1, 2018. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association between these polymorphisms and AMD using Stata 12.0 software. Q and I² statistics were used to evaluate between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias analyses were conducted using Begg's test. We also conducted an ethnic subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 53 studies that included data for 53,774 patients and 56,973 healthy controls were evaluated. The pooled ORs for rs551397, rs2274700, rs4151667, rs641153, rs1047286, rs9332739, and rs547154 in the heterozygote model were 0.53 (95% CI: 0.45-0.61), 0.53 (95% CI: 0.40-0.70), 0.54 (95% CI: 0.46-0.63), 0.48 (95% CI: 0.4-0.57), 1.42 (95% CI: 1.22-1.66), 0.5 (95% CI: 0.45-0.56), and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.43-0.62), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our findings from this analysis confirmed the protective role of C2/CFB/CFH polymorphisms in the development of AMD, but showed that the single nucleotide polymorphism in C3 was a high-risk factor for AMD. The racial analysis results suggested that the effect of variant alleles was stronger in Caucasians than Asians.

Sorption of norfloxacin, sulfamerazine and oxytetracycline by KOH-modified biochar under single and ternary systems

Pollution of water by single antibiotics has been investigated in depth. However, in reality, a wide range of different contaminants is often mixed in the aquatic environment (contaminant cocktail). Here, single and competitive sorption dynamics of ionizable norfloxacin (NOR), sulfamerazine (SMR) and oxytetracycline (OTC) by both pristine and modified biochars were investigated. Sorption kinetics of the three antibiotics was faster in ternary-solute than single-solute system. Sorption efficiency was enhanced in the competitive system for NOR by the pristine biochar, and for OTC by both the pristine biochar and the modified biochar, while SMR sorption by the pristine biochar and the KOH-modified biochar was inhibited. Sorption was governed by electrostatic interactions, π-π EDA and H-bonds for antibiotics sorption by biochar. SMR and OTC sorption by biochar was influenced by cation bridging and surface complexation, respectively. This research finding will guide the development of treatment procedures for water polluted by multiple antibiotics.

Treating acute fatty liver of pregnancy with artificial liver support therapy: Systematic review

BACKGROUND

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a serious disease with high mortality. Recent data suggest that postpartum application of artificial liver support therapy (ALST) in AFLP management improves disease outcome. In current study, we tend to further evaluate whether the type, the timing, and the number of postpartum ALST sessions and other clinical factors including complications and liver and renal function will influence disease outcome in ALST era.

METHODS

Medical records of 15 AFLP patients having postpartum ALST in our hospital from 2010 to 2016 were first retrospectively reviewed. A systematic review and statistical analysis was then conducted with our cases and those having postpartum ALST reported in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov till the end of June 2016.

RESULTS

Nine relevant studies were identified in the public databases. A total of 104 cases were enrolled for analysis including 15 cases from our hospital and 89 cases from the identified 9 studies. Univariate analysis revealed that 2 complications, postpartum hemorrhage and multiple organ dysfunctions (MODS), were associated with the outcome of AFLP patients undergoing postpartum ALST. Binary logistic regression analysis further indicated that MODS was the only independent factor affecting disease outcome. Surprisingly, factors including pre-ALST serum levels of total bilirubin and creatinine, the type and number of postpartum ALST sessions, time interval between delivery and ALST were unrelated to disease outcome.

CONCLUSION

Current data suggest that postpartum ALST improves the outcome of AFLP patients but more properly designed experiments are needed to confirm this point. Our study further indicates that occurrence of MODS carries a bad prognosis even in ALST era. Our study provides valuable information on guiding the clinical application of postpartum ALST in AFLP management.

Endoscopic observation of different repair patterns in human traumatic tympanic membrane perforations

Introduction

In the last decade, there has been an increasing use of biomaterial patches in the regeneration of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations. The major advantages of biomaterial patches are to provisionally restore the physiological function of the middle ear, thereby immediately improving ear symptoms, and act as a scaffold for epithelium migration. However, whether there are additional biological effects on eardrum regeneration is unclear for biological material patching in the clinic.

Objective

This study evaluated the healing response for different repair patterns in human traumatic tympanic membrane perforations by endoscopic observation.

Methods

In total, 114 patients with traumatic tympanic membrane perforations were allocated sequentially to two groups: the spontaneous healing group (n = 57) and Gelfoam patch-treated group (n = 57). The closure rate, closure time, and rate of otorrhea were compared between the groups at 3 months.

Results

Ultimately, 107 patients were analyzed in the two groups (52 patients in the spontaneous healing group vs. 55 patients in the Gelfoam patch-treated group). The overall closure rate at the end of the 3 month follow-up period was 90.4% in the spontaneous healing group and 94.5% in the Gelfoam patch-treated group; the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). However, the total average closure time was significantly different between the two groups (26.8 ± 9.1 days in the spontaneous healing group vs. 14.7 ± 9.1 days in the Gelfoam patch-treated group, p < 0.01). In addition, the closure rate was not significantly different between the spontaneous healing group and Gelfoam patch-treated group regardless of the perforation size. The closure time in the Gelfoam patch-treated group was significantly shorter than that in the spontaneous healing group regardless of the perforation size (small perforations: 7.1 ± 1.6 days vs. 12.6 ± 3.9, medium-sized perforations: 13.3 ± 2.2 days vs. 21.8 ± 4.2 days, and large perforations: 21.2 ± 4.7 days vs. 38.4 ± 5.7 days; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In the regeneration of traumatic tympanic membrane perforations, Gelfoam patching not only plays a scaffolding role for epithelial migration, it also promotes edema and hyperplasia of granulation tissue at the edges of the perforation and accelerates eardrum healing.

Lost but can't be neglected: Huge quantities of small microplastics hide in the South China Sea

Large quantities of microplastics with small particle sizes were found in the South China Sea (SCS). The abundances of microplastics in seawater were 0.045±0.093and 2569±1770particles/m³ according to the bongo net and pumping sampling methods, respectively. Smaller-size fractions (size<0.3mm) contributed 92% of the number of microplastics to the total load. Continental slope is the largest reservoir of microplastics with an inventory of 295tons. 21 polymer types were found in the samples using the micro Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), among which alkyds (22.5%) and polycaprolactone (PCL) (20.9%) accounted for almost half of the total polymer content. Lighter plastics would not only concentrate upon the coastal area, being more likely to drift further into open seas with ocean currents. The distribution characteristics showed that it was mainly controlled by terrestrial input of the Pearl River. This study, as the first report from SCS on microplastics in water for its distribution and influence factors, provided impetus for further research on the transportation fate and the behavior of this emerging pollutant from coastal zone to the open oceans.

Effects of flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on nutritional quality of banana (Zingiberales: Musaceae) buds

The abundance of banana flower thrips (Thrips hawaiiensis Morgan) in a banana (Musa acuminata Colla “Williams” cultivar) plantation was investigated using yellow sticky traps (29.70 cm × 21.00 cm) in 2015. Banana flower thrips occurred throughout the year with monthly variation, and the maximum occurrence was observed in October and November during the bud burst (73.80 ± 6.32 adults/trap) and young fruit (70.06 ± 5.69 adults/trap) periods. The damage rates were as follows: interior flowers >3^rd-layer flowers > 2^nd-layer flowers > 1^st-layer flowers > young fruits. This result indicates that thrips migrated to lower bracts, young fruits, and other flower buds as bracts gradually opened. Results also showed that the reducing sugar, vitamin C, protein and ash contents in thrips-damaged flowers were all significantly lower than those in undamaged flowers, while there was no significant difference between damaged and undamaged young banana fruit. Our results indicated that the abundances of banana flower thrips were closely associated with the growing stage of banana. Thrips mainly infested flower buds and caused a reduction in nutrients for the host plant, especially the reducing sugar and vitamin C contents, which reduced the nutritional quality of banana fruits and the quality of flower bud by-products of banana.

Hairy root induction and benzylisoquinoline alkaloid production in Macleaya cordata

Sanguinarine is currently widely used to replace antibiotic growth promoters in animal feeding and has demonstrated useful anticancer activity. Currently, the main source of sanguinarine is from an important medicinal plant, Macleaya cordata. To obtain a new source of sanguinarine production, we established hairy root cultures of M. cordata by co-cultivating leaf and stem explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Except the co-cultivation medium, all growth media contained 200 mg/L timentin to eliminate A. rhizogenes. Through comparing the metabolic profiles and gene expression of hairy roots and wild-type roots sampled at five time points, we found that the sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine contents of hairy roots were far higher than those of wild-type roots, and we revealed the molecular mechanism that causes these metabolites to increase. Consequently, this study demonstrated that the hairy root system has further potential for bioengineering and sustainable production of sanguinarine on a commercial scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first efficient protocol reported for the establishment of hairy root cultures in M. cordata using A. rhizogenes.

Hairy root induction and benzylisoquinoline alkaloid production in Macleaya cordata

Sanguinarine is currently widely used to replace antibiotic growth promoters in animal feeding and has demonstrated useful anticancer activity. Currently, the main source of sanguinarine is from an important medicinal plant, Macleaya cordata. To obtain a new source of sanguinarine production, we established hairy root cultures of M. cordata by co-cultivating leaf and stem explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Except the co-cultivation medium, all growth media contained 200 mg/L timentin to eliminate A. rhizogenes. Through comparing the metabolic profiles and gene expression of hairy roots and wild-type roots sampled at five time points, we found that the sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine contents of hairy roots were far higher than those of wild-type roots, and we revealed the molecular mechanism that causes these metabolites to increase. Consequently, this study demonstrated that the hairy root system has further potential for bioengineering and sustainable production of sanguinarine on a commercial scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first efficient protocol reported for the establishment of hairy root cultures in M. cordata using A. rhizogenes.

Dihydroartemisinin Increases the Sensitivity of Photodynamic Therapy Via NF-κB/HIF-1α/VEGF Pathway in Esophageal Cancer Cell in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) can relieve esophageal obstruction and prolong survival time of patients with esophageal cancer, it can induce nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in many cancers, which plays a negative role in PDT. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the most potent artemisinin derivative, can enhance the effect of PDT on esophageal cancer cells. However, the mechanism is still unclear.

METHODS

We generated stable cell lines expressing the super-repressor form of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα and cell lines with lentivirus vector-mediated silencing of the HIF-1α gene. Esophageal xenograft tumors were created by subcutaneous injection of Eca109 cells into BALB/c nude mice. Four treatment groups were analyzed: a control group, photosensitizer alone group, light alone group, and PDT group. NF-κB expression was detected by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, hypoxia-inducible factor α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by real-time PCR, NF-κB, HIF-1α, and VEGF protein by western blot, and Ki-67, HIF-1α, VEGF, and NF-κB protein by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

PDT increased NF-κB activity and the gene expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, the DHA groups, particularly the combined DHA and PDT treatment group, abolished the effect. The combined treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. NF-κB activity and HIF-1α expression were also reduced in the stable IκBα expression group, whereas the former showed no change in HIF-1α-silenced cells.

CONCLUSION

DHA might increase the sensitivity of esophageal cancer cells to PDT by inhibiting the NF-κB/HIF-1α/VEGF pathway.

Three-dimensional printing models in congenital heart disease education for medical students: a controlled comparative study

BACKGROUND

This study sought to assess, using subjective (self-assessment) and objective (MCQ) methods, the efficacy of using heart models with ventricular septal defect lesions produced with three-dimensional printing technology in a congenital heart disease curriculum for medical students.

METHODS

Three computed tomography datasets of three subtypes of ventricular septal defects (perimembranous, subarterial and muscular, one for each) were obtained and processed for building into and printing out 3D models. Then a total of 63 medical students in one class were randomly allocated to two groups (32 students in the experimental, and 31 the control). The two groups participated in a seminar with or without a 3D heart model, respectively. Assessment of this curriculum was carried out using Likert-type questionnaires as well as an objective multiple choice question test assessing both knowledge acquisition, and structural conceptualization. Open-ended questions were also provided for getting advice and suggestion on 3D model utilization in CHD education.

RESULTS

With these 3D models, feedback shown in the questionnaires from students in experimental group was significantly more positive than their classmates in the control. And the test results also showed a significant difference in structural conceptualization in favor of the experimental group.

CONCLUSION

It is effective to use heart models created using current 3D printing technology for congenital heart disease education. It stimulates students' interest in congenital heart disease and improves the outcomes of medical education.

Induction of cells with prostate cancer stem-like properties from mouse induced pluripotent stem cells via conditioned medium

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) that closely correlated with tumor growth, metastasis, provide a plausible explanation for chemoresistance and cancer relapse. CSCs are usually isolated and enriched from carcinoma cells, which is inconvenient, low-efficient, and even unreliable. Here, we converted mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) into prostate cancer stem-like cells with carcinoma microenvironment following exposure to conditioned medium (CM) derived from RM9, a mouse prostate cancer cell line. These transformed cells, termed as miPS-RM9CM, displayed CSCs properties, including spheroids morphology and expression of both stemness genes and cancer stem cells surface markers, such as Oct3/4, Sox2, Nanog, Klf-4, c-Myc, CD44, and CD133. In addition, in vivo transplantation experiment was performed to confirm the tumorigenicity. Furthermore, we used the model to assess conventional chemotherapeutic agent, docetaxel. The results showed that miPS-RM9CM cells exhibited increased resistance to docetaxel, however, high susceptibility to the cancer cell stemness inhibitor I (BBI-608). Our current study demonstrates that CM from cultured RM9 cells play a crucial role in the determination of cell fate from miPSCs to cancer stem-like cells and provide a potentially valuable system for the study of CSCs.

Development of endogenous enzyme-responsive nanomaterials for theranostics

The development of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials provides great potential for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and precision theranostics. Among the sources of endogenous stimuli (e.g. enzymes, pH, redox, hypoxia, etc.) and exogenous stimuli (e.g. temperature, light, magnetic field, ultrasound, light, etc.), enzymes with intrinsic merits such as high relevance for numerous diseases, specific substrate selectivity and high catalytic efficiency have been widely employed for the design of responsive materials. The catalytic mechanisms mainly include the reduction/oxidation of substrates and the formation/cleavage of chemical bonds. So far, many enzymes such as proteases, phosphatases, kinases and oxidoreductases have been used in stimuli-responsive nanomaterials for theranostics. This tutorial review summarizes the recent progress in endogenous enzyme-responsive nanomaterials based on different building blocks such as polymers, liposomes, small organic molecules, or inorganic/organic hybrid materials; their design principles are also elaborated. In the end, the challenges and prospects of enzyme-responsive biomaterials-based theranostics are also discussed.

[Effects of Temperature on FTIR Spectral Characteristics of Renal Tissue in Rats after Death]

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectral data of renal tissue at different temperatures in rats after death, and to explore the effects of temperature on the FTIR spectral characteristics of renal tissue.

METHODS

The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and placed at 4 ℃, 20 ℃ and 30 ℃. The FTIR spectral data of renal tissue were collected at different time points and analysed by data mining method.

RESULTS

The principal component analysis （PCA） results showed that there were significant trends of clustering in the samples of partial time point at 4 ℃, 20 ℃ and 30 ℃. Partial least square （PLS） regression models were established with the spectral data at three temperature groups. The performance of PLS regression models in 20 ℃ and 30 ℃ groups were more superior than that in 4 ℃ group, and the stability of the model in 20 ℃ group was better than that in 30 ℃ group.

CONCLUSIONS

There are differences in the FTIR spectral characteristics of renal tissue of rats after death at different temperatures. Temperature has a major impact on the performance of FTIR spectral PLS regression model. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of postmortem interval estimation, the effects of temperature on the model should be considered in the related study by spectral method.

Genetic variation on the NFKB1 genes associates with the outcomes of HCV infection among Chinese Han population

AIM

To investigate whether nuclear factor-kappa B1 (NFKB1) gene polymorphisms are associated with the outcomes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a Chinese high-risk population.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 984 HCV-uninfected controls, 221 infected individuals with spontaneous HCV clearance, and 456 with persistent HCV infection were enrolled. Rs28362491 and rs72696119 were genotyped using the ABI TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The functional annotation of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were further evaluated by bioinformatics analysis.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed among the three groups (P < 0.001) in terms of the frequency of rs28362491 SNP. In logistic regression analysis, rs28362491-ATTG deleted (D) was associated with a significantly increased risk of HCV infection compared to the major-type rs28362491-ATTG inserted (I) (dominant model: adjusted OR = 1.332, 95% CI = 1.059-1.674, P = 0.014; additive model: adjusted OR = 1.181, 95% CI = 1.021-1.367, P = 0.025), after adjusting for age, gender, and route of infection. Based on the in silico prediction, the RegulomeDB score for SNP rs28362491 was 3a, indicating that it can potentially regulate the transcription and expression of NFKB1 gene.

CONCLUSION

NFKB1 rs28362491-D allele was functionally associated with the increased risk of susceptibility to HCV infection in the Chinese Han population.

Spinal Cord Stimulation Combined with Anterior Cingulotomy to Manage Refractory Phantom Limb Pain

BACKGROUND

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is an intractable and debilitating disease without satisfactory treatment options presently available. Central reorganization, peripheral changes, and psychiatric factors contribute to its development; thus, a neuropsychiatry-orientated combined therapy could be promising.

OBJECTIVES

We used a combined strategy with the aims of demonstrating its therapeutic outcomes on PLP.

METHODS

The patient initially received spinal cord stimulation (SCS) implantation and then anterior cingulotomy (ACING) 2 years later. We administered the Hamilton Depression Scale-24, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Pain Rating Index, Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and the Short Form (36) Health Survey to assess its outcomes at 5 time points, namely the time before performing SCS implantation, 1 year and 2 years after SCS implantation, and 1 year and 2 years after SCS combined with ACING.

RESULTS

Excellent pain relief and significant improvement in depression symptoms were observed in this patient with PLP who underwent SCS combined with ACING.

CONCLUSIONS

This report suggests that SCS combined with ACING is efficacious for PLP. However, further studies are warranted.

Electromechanical failure of MoS2 nanosheets

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted particular attention as a promising electronics and optoelectronics material due to its significant physical properties. In this research, the electromechanical properties of MoS2 nanosheets are systematically investigated with the conductive AFM nanoindentation method. The suspended MoS2 nanosheets with the thickness of tens of nanometers can sustain external applied load (∼4.3 μN) until the bias increases to a critical value (+4 V). Small external load (∼400 nN) may also lead to a failure when the bias (+7 V) overcomes the contact Schottky barrier and generates high electric current. The extent of destruction of MoS2 nanosheets is related to the external applied load and the bias. Besides, the MoS2 nanosheets suspended on the holes are more likely to be damaged than those supported on the substrate under the same conditions. The volcanic volume expansion profiles of the damaged area after the electromechanical failure are caused by electric current-induced local heating anodic oxidation and buckling-induced structural instability. The emergence of gas bubbles in the damaged area proves the strong oxidation process. These experiments have proved that the electric current can promote the mechanical failure of MoS2 nanosheets. The findings can also provide beneficial guidance for the electromechanical applications of MoS2 nano-devices.

Preparation and Properties of 5-Fluorouracil-Loaded Chitosan Microspheres for the Intranasal Administration

OBJECTIVE

To study the preparation technique of 5-fluorouracil and the release characteristic of 5-fluorouracil-loaded chitosan microspheres for the intranasal administration.

METHODS

5-fluorouracil-loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared by emulsion chemical cross-link technique. The orthogonal experimental design was used to optimize the preparation procedure. Dynamic dialysis method was applied to determine the release characteristic of microspheres in vitro and its influencing factors. Swelling behavior was expressed by swelling ratio. The degree of mucoadhesion was investigated by determining the mucociliary transport rate(MTR) of the microparticle across a frog palate.

RESULTS

Microspheres with a good shape and narrow size distribution were prepared. The average diameter was 43±4 μm. The drug loading was (38.5±1.0) %. The entrapment efficiency was (79.0±1.8) %. The drug release profile in vitro could be described by Higuichi eqution as Q=0.1035t^1/2+0.0284 (r=0.9965). Chitosan had good mucoadhesive property and caused a significant reduction in MTR(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The optimized technique has a good reproducibility and a high entrapment efficiency, so it could be used to prepare 5-fluorouracil-loaded chitosan microspheres for the intranasal administration.Chitosan is a good material for nasal preparation and has prospective development in the pharmaceutical field.

PDSS2 Deficiency Induces Hepatocarcinogenesis by Decreasing Mitochondrial Respiration and Reprogramming Glucose Metabolism

Glucose metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis is one of the hallmarks of cancer development. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential for electron transport in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and for antioxidant defense. Here, we investigated the role of a key factor in CoQ10 synthesis, prenyldiphosphate synthase subunit 2 (PDSS2), in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis. PDSS2 was frequently downregulated in HCC tissues and was significantly associated with poorer HCC prognosis (P = 0.027). PDSS2 downregulation was a prognostic factor independent of T status and stage (P = 0.028). Downregulation of CoQ10 was significantly correlated with downregulation of PDSS2 in HCC tumor tissues (R = 0.414; P < 0.001). Of the six different splicing isoforms of PDSS2, the five variants other than full-length PDSS2 showed loss of function in HCC. Reintroduction of full-length PDSS2 into HCC cells increased CoQ10 and mitochondrial electron transport complex I activity and subsequently induced a metabolic shift from aerobic glycolysis to mitochondrial respiration in cells. Reintroduction of PDSS2 also inhibited foci formation, colony formation in soft agar, and tumor formation in nude mice. Knockdown of PDSS2 induced chromosomal instability in the MIHA immortalized human liver cell line. Furthermore, knockdown of PDSS2 in MIHA induced malignant transformation. Overall, our findings indicate that PDSS2 deficiency might be a novel driving factor in HCC development.Significance: Downregulation of PDSS2 is a driving factor in hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis. Cancer Res; 78(16); 4471-81. ©2018 AACR.