Oxidation Behavior of Tyranno ZMI-SiC Fiber/SiC-SiBC Matrix Composite from 800 to 1200 °C

In this work, the self-healing Si-B-C matrix-modified ZMI-SiC fiber/SiC (SiC/SiC-SiBC) composite was prepared by a combined process of chemical vapor infiltration, slurry infiltration, and liquid silicon infiltration. The weight changes of the as-fabricate composite after oxidation at 800, 1000, and 1200 °C for 100 h were −0.41%, −0.06%, +0.05%, respectively. The corresponding strength retention ratios were 75%, 99%, 100%, respectively. With the increase of oxidation temperature, coating cracks would be closed. A dense oxidation film was formed with the oxidation of the SiBC matrix, preventing the oxidation of interphase and fiber and leading to excellent oxidation resistance at 1000 and 1200 °C.

Small airway segmentation in thoracic computed tomography scans: a machine learning approach

Small airway obstruction is a main cause for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We propose a novel method based on machine learning to extract the airway system from a thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan. The emphasis of the proposed method is on including the smallest airways that are still visible on CT. We used an optimized sampling procedure to extract airway and non-airway voxel samples from a large set of scans for which a semi-automatically constructed reference standard was available. We created a set of features which represent tubular and texture properties that are characteristic for small airway voxels. A random forest classifier was used to determine for each voxel if it belongs to the airway class. Our method was validated on a set of 20 clinical thoracic CT scans from the COPDGene study. Experiments show that our method is effective in extracting the full airway system and in detecting a large number of small airways that were missed by the semi-automatically constructed reference standard.

[Study on the characteristics and clinical significance of relief of nystagmus during the restoration of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with posterior semicircular canal]

Objective:The features and parameters of the relief of nystagmus during the restoration of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(PC-BPPV) in the posterior semicircular canal were observed to explore its clinical significance and mechanism.Method: Sixty-eight patients with PC-BPPV were treated with the Epley method. According to the subject' nystagmus relief was present or not, they were divided into two groups: group A showed relief of nystagmus during the restoration process, and group B showed no relief of nystagmus during the restoration. The effect of restoration between group A and group B was compared, and the parameters of nystagmus between the detached nystagmus and the Hallpike position in group A patients with detachable nystagmus were compared. Result: Of the 68 patients with PC-BPPV, 33(48.5%) experienced detachment of nystagmus in the same direction as the initial nystagmus(Group A) during the restoration; 35(51.5%) patients had no nystagmus during the restoration(Group B). After the instrument was reset for 2 h, Dix-Hallpike test was performed again. The success rate of reset was 100% in group A,and that was 57% in group B(20 cases were successfully repositioned, and 15 cases showed typical nystagmus). The success rate of reset was statistically different between groups A and B(P<0.01). After one week of resetting, the telephone follow-up was carried out. The recovery rate of group A and group B were 93% and 74% separately.The recovery rates between group A and B were statistically different(P<0.05). In group A, the nystagmus latency at Hallpike was(2.63±2.17) s, and the duration was(17.27±5.94) s. The rate of nystagmus in the upper leaping eye was(16.19±9.54)°/s. The latency of liberation was(2.30±1.41) s and the duration was(11.84±5.98) s. In seconds, the slow phase phasic velocity of the nystagmus was(7.80±4.57)°/s; there was no statistical difference in latency between the detached nystagmus and the Hallpike nystagmus(P>0.05), while there was a statistically significant difference between the duration and the nystagmus intensity(P<0.01).Conclusion:For PC-BPPV restoration, the presence or absence of nystagmus can be used as a reference to judge whether the restoration succeed or not.The latency of nystagmus at the Hallpike position may be related to the stalactite precipitation rate. The duration and the slow phase angle velocity of the upper hop eye may be related to the otolith quantity.

Performance of biochar derived from rice straw for removal of Ni(II) in batch experiments

Biochar, as a cost-efficient adsorbent, is of major interest in the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Herein, batch experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of biochar derived from rice straw for the removal of Ni(II) as a function of various environmental conditions. The results showed that Ni(II) sorption was strongly dependent on pH but independent of ionic strength and the effects of electrolyte ions could be negligible over the whole pH range. Ionic exchange and inner-sphere surface complexation dominated the sorption of Ni(II). Humic/fulvic acids clearly enhanced the Ni(II) sorption at pH <7.2 but inhibited the sorption at pH >7.2. The sorption reached equilibrium within 10 hours, and the kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order rate model. Any of the Langmuir, Freundlich, or Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models could describe the sorption well, but the Langmuir model described it best. The maximum sorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir model was 0.257 m·mol/g. The thermodynamic parameters suggested that Ni(II) sorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process and was enhanced at high temperature. The results of this work indicate that biochar derived from rice straw may be a valuable bio-sorbent for Ni(II) in aqueous solutions, but it still requires further modification.

Novel compound heterozygous mutations in SERPINH1 cause rare autosomal recessive osteogenesis imperfecta type X

We identified novel compound heterozygous mutations in SERPINH1 in a Chinese boy suffering from recurrent fractures, femoral deformities, and growth retardation, which resulted in extremely rare autosomal recessive OI type X. Long-term treatment of BPs was effective in increasing BMD Z-score, reducing fracture incidence and reshaping vertebrae compression.

INTRODUCTION

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heritable bone disorder characterized by low bone mineral density, recurrent fractures, and progressive bone deformities. Mutation in serpin peptidase inhibitor clade H, member 1 (SERPINH1), which encodes heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), leads to rare autosomal recessive OI type X. We aimed to detect the phenotype and the pathogenic mutation of OI type X in a boy from a non-consanguineous Chinese family.

METHODS

We investigated the pathogenic mutations and analyzed their relationship with the phenotype in the patient using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Sanger sequencing. Moreover, the efficacy of long-term bisphosphonate treatment in this patient was evaluated.

RESULTS

The patient suffered from multiple fractures, low bone mass, and bone deformities in the femur, without dentinogenesis imperfecta or hearing loss. Compound heterozygous variants were found in SERPINH1 as follows: c.149 T>G in exon 2 and c.1214G>A in exon 5. His parents were heterozygous carriers of each of these mutations, respectively. Bisphosphonates could be helpful in increasing BMD Z-score, reducing bone fracture risk and reshaping the compressed vertebral bodies of this patient.

CONCLUSION

We reported novel compound heterozygous mutations in SERPINH1 in a Chinese OI patient for the first time, which expanded the spectrum of phenotype and genotype of extremely rare OI type X.

The directional and non-directional associations of periodontitis with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

This systematic review aimed to assess the current evidence on the directional and non-directional associations of periodontitis with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Electronic search for observational studies on the association of periodontitis with CKD was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Open GREY and Cochrane library up to June 5, 2017. Two reviewers conducted study selection, data collection and assessment of methodological quality using the original and modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were included, which clearly defined periodontitis and CKD or reported acceptable clinical parameters of these 2 diseases in adults. Meta-analysis was employed to estimate the pooled odds ratio on the non-directional association and the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for the directional association. Among 2530 potential eligible articles, 47 were finally included. Most of them investigated a non-directional association of periodontitis with CKD, including 7 case-control studies and 38 cross-sectional studies; 24 studies had statistical analysis on the non-directional association and 75% of them reported significant results, which were supported further by the meta-analysis (random: odds ratio = 2.12, P < .001; χ²  = 25.74, I²  = 88.3%). None of the studies focused on the directional association of CKD (as the exposure) with periodontitis (as the outcome), whereas 2 retrospective cohort studies explored a directional association of periodontitis (as the exposure) with CKD (as the outcome) (random: IRR=2.10, P > .05; fixed: IRR=1.76, P < .05; χ²  = 4.65, I²  = 78.3%). Overall, the high heterogeneity of studies limits the significance of these results. There is substantial evidence on the non-directional association of periodontitis with CKD, while there are limited studies on the directional association. Well-designed prospective studies with longer follow-ups in representative communities are needed to clarify the directional association and enhance the quality of the evidence on this topic.

Enhancement in Open-Circuit Voltage in Organic Solar Cells by Using Ladder-Type Nonfullerene Acceptors

The open-circuit voltage ( V_oc) loss has always been a major factor in lowering power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). A method to improve the V_oc is indispensable to achieve high PCEs. In this paper, we investigated a series of perylene diimide-based ladder-type molecules as electron acceptors in nonfullerene OPVs. The D-A ladder-type structures described here lock our π-systems into a planar structure and eliminate bond twisting associated with linear conjugated systems. This enlarges the interface energy gap (Δ E_DA), extends electronic delocalization, and hence improves the V_oc. More importantly, these devices showed an increase in V_oc without compromising either the J_sc or the FF. C5r exhibited a strong intermolecular interaction and a PCE value of 6.1%. Moreover, grazing-incident wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis and atomic force microscopy images suggested that our fused-ring acceptors showed a suitable domain size and uniform blend films, which were not affected by their rigid molecular structures.

[Observation on effect of retraining therapy in patients with chronic tinnitus]

Objective:To analyze the curative effect of tinnitus retraining therapy on patients with chronic decompensated tinnitus and to explore an effective method to treat patients with chronic decompensated tinnitus.Method:Thirty patients were treated for tinnitus retraining therapy for 12 months. The content of retraining therapy includes: tinnitus counseling,low intensity natural sound therapy, shift attention, and relaxation training.Result:The severity of tinnitus was compared in grading before treatment and after 12 months treatment: 56.7%(17/30) of grade Ⅲ before treatment, 36.7%(11/30) of grade Ⅳ and 6.7% (2/30) of grade Ⅴ;16.7%(5/30) of grade Ⅰ after treatment, 60.0% (18/30) of grade Ⅱ,16.7%(5/30) of grade Ⅲ,6.7% (2/30) of grade Ⅳ, where compensatory tinnitu was 76.7%(23/30), and decompensated tinnitus was 23.3%(7/30). The composition ratio of 30 subjects compensated tinnitus and decompensated tinnitus before and after treatment has significant changes, with statistical differences(P<0.01). The mean score of tinnitus severity before treatment was 14.40±2.60 in 30 subjects and 9.00±2.82 after treatment in assessment scale. There was a significant difference between the both groups(P<0.01).Conclusion:Tinnitus retraining therapy is an effective treatment of chronic decompensated tinnitus.

Intra-molecular Charge Transfer and Electron Delocalization in Non-fullerene Organic Solar Cells

Two types of electron acceptors were synthesized by coupling two kinds of electron-rich cores with four equivalent perylene diimides (PDIs) at the α-position. With fully aromatic cores, TPB and TPSe have π-orbitals spread continuously over the whole aromatic conjugated backbone, unlike TPC and TPSi, which contain isolated PDI units due to the use of a tetrahedron carbon or silicon linker. Density functional theory calculations of the projected density of states showed that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) for TPB are localized in separate regions of space. Further, the LUMO of TPB shows a greater contribution from the orbitals belonging to the connective core of the molecules than that of TPC. Overall, the properties of the HOMO and LUMO point at increased intra-molecular delocalization of negative charge carriers for TPB and TPSe than for TPC and TPSi and hence at a more facile intra-molecular charge transfer for the former. The film absorption and emission spectra showed evidences for the inter-molecular electron delocalization in TPB and TPSe, which is consistent with the network structure revealed by X-ray diffraction studies on single crystals of TPB. These features benefit the formation of charge transfer states and/or facilitate charge transport. Thus, higher electron mobility and higher charge dissociation probabilities under J_sc condition were observed in blend films of TPB:PTB7-Th and TPSe:PTB7-Th than those in TPC:PTB7-Th and TPSi:PTB7-Th blend films. As a result, the J_sc and fill factor values of 15.02 mA/cm², 0.58 and 14.36 mA/cm², 0.55 for TPB- and TPSe-based solar cell are observed, whereas those for TPC and TPSi are 11.55 mA/cm², 0.47 and 10.35 mA/cm², 0.42, respectively.

[Trends in 30-day case fatality rate in patients hospitalized due to acute myocardial infarction in Beijing, 2007-2012]

Objective: To understand the distribution and trends in 30-day coronary heart disease (CHD) case fatality rate in patients hospitalized due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Beijing during 2007-2012. Methods: The clinical data of patients hospitalized due to AMI in Beijing from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2012 were collected from "The Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance System in Beijing" . A total of 77 943 local patients aged ≥25 years were hospitalized due to AMI in Beijing during the this period. After excluding duplicate records and validation for the completeness and accuracy of the records, the clinical characteristics of the patients and 30-day CHD case fatality rate in the patients were analyzed. Trends in 30-day CHD case fatality rate in the patients were analyzed with Poisson regression models. Results: The age-standardized average 30-day CHD case fatality rate was 9.7% in the 77 943 patients. During this period, a decreasing trend was observed in 30-day CHD case fatality rate after adjusting for age and gender (P<0.001). The age-standardized 30-day CHD case fatality rate decreased by 16.0%, from 10.8% in 2007 to 9.0% in 2012. The decreases of 30-day CHD case fatality rates were noted in both men and women, whereas 30-day CHD case fatality rate was higher in women (14.1%) than in men (7.6%) after adjusting for age. During this period, the proportion of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) decreased, while the proportion of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) increased with year. A significant decline (20.1%) in 30-day case fatality rate of STEMI was found, but no decline was found for 30-day mortality rate of NSTEMI. Conclusion: A decreasing trend in 30-day CHD case fatality rate was observed in the patients aged ≥25 years and hospitalized due to AMI in Beijing during 2007-2012, indicating the improvement in short-term prognosis of patients hospitalized due to AMI. Our findings highlight the urgent need to improve the treatment for woman and NSTEMI patients.

[Impact of different intervention models on adherence to secondary prevention therapies in patients with acute coronary syndrome]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of different intervention models on adherence to secondary prevention therapies in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This multi-center cross-sectional study collected data from 34 hospitals covering 22 provinces in China. Hospitals were randomly divided into four groups: control group(routine treatment and care), promotional calendar group (routine treatment and care plus giving propaganda desk calendar to patients), education group (routine treatment and care add patients education by nurses) and combined intervention group (promotional calendar and education).At least 90 patients with ACS were consecutively enrolled from each involved hospital from April 15, 2012 to June 30, 2013. To reduce the impact of uneven distribution of inter-group variables on the results, 1∶1∶1∶1 propensity score matching method was used. The drug usage for secondary prevention and prognosis wasobtainedat 6 months after hospital discharge. Results: (1) A total of 3 391 patients were selected and 2 244 patients were included for the final analysisafter propensity score analysis. (2) At 6 months after discharge, the adherence rates of antiplatelet, statins, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker(ARB), β-blocker and the combination of 4 medications were similar between control group and promotional calendar group (all P>0.016).The adherence rates of antiplatelet and statins were 97.0% (526/542) and 91.0% (493/542) in the education group, 3.7% and 5.5% higher than in the control group (both P<0.016). The adherence rates of statins,ACEI/ARB and combined medication were 91.0% (496/545), 68.3% (372/545) and 53.2% (290/545) in the combined intervention group,significantly higher than in the control group (5.5%,8.3% and 9.6%, all P<0.016). (3) Poisson regression analysis showed that the adherence of antiplatelet drugs in the education group was 3.4%(OR=1.034, 95%CI 1.007-1.060,P<0.05) and 3.5%(OR=1.035, 95%CI 1.007-1.063, P<0.05) higher than in the control group and the promotional calendar group, and the statins adherence rate was 5.5%(OR=1.055, 95%CI 1.012-1.101,P<0.05) higher than in the control group. The antiplatelet drug adherence rates in the combined intervention group were 3.0% (OR=1.030, 95%CI 1.002-1.058,P<0.05) and 3.1% (OR=1.031, 95%CI 1.003-1.060,P<0.05) higher than in the control group and the promotional calendar group, respectively, and statin adherence was 6.1% (OR=1.061, 95%CI 1.017-1.107,P<0.01) higher than in the control group. The adherence rates of ACEI/ARB in combined intervention group were respectively 15.4%(OR=1.154, 95%CI 1.057-1.259, P<0.01),20.0%(OR=1.200, 95%CI 1.096-1.314, P<0.01) and 25.5%(OR=1.255, 95%CI 1.142-1.380, P<0.01) higher than in the control group, promotional calendar group and education group. The adherence rates of combined medication in combined intervention group were respectively 21.6%(OR=1.216, 95%CI 1.079-1.371, P<0.01),21.5%(OR=1.215, 95%CI 1.077-1.371, P<0.01) and 27.8%(OR=1.278, 95%CI 1.126-1.450, P<0.01) higher than in the control group, promotional calendar group and education group. (4) At 6 months after discharge, the control rates of blood pressure (<140/90 mmHg,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) in the education group were significantly higher than in the control group and promotional calendar group (78.7% (398/506) vs. 70.2%(373/531) and 71.1% (354/498) , all P<0.016),and the control rates of blood pressure in combined intervention group were higher than in the control group and promotional calendar group (78.2% (376/481) vs. 70.2%(373/531) and 71.1% (354/498) , all P<0.016).The rehospitalization rates were 7.0% (39/561) in the promotional calendar group, and 7.6% (42/561) in the education group, both significantly higher than in the control group (3.8% (21/561), all P<0.016).The rate of the low density lipoprotein cholesterol<2.07 mmol/L and the rate for all-cause mortality were similar among groups (all P>0.016) . Conclusion: Post-discharge medication adherence in ACS patients can be enhanced by either promotional calendaror nurses education strategy, and the efficacy is better by nurse education as compared with promotional calendar, the combination of both methods can further increase the post-discharge medication adherence rates in ACS patients.

Construction of Zeolite-Like Cluster Organic Frameworks from 3 d-4 d/3 d-3 d Heterometallic Supertetrahedral Secondary Building Units: Syntheses, Structures, and Properties

Two zeolite-like cluster organic frameworks based on Cd-Cu/Mn-Cu heterometallic supertetrahedral secondary building units have been successfully constructed under solvothermal conditions, namely, Cu[Cd₄ Cu₆ (L)₄ (H₂ O)₁₈ ](Ac)₉ ⋅DMA⋅3 H₂ O (1), and Cu[Mn₄ Cu₆ (L)₄ (Ac)₃ (H₂ O)₁₂ ](Ac)₆ ⋅CH₃ CN⋅13 H₂ O (2), where H₃ L=2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3-propanediol, Ac=CH₃ COO^- , DMA=N,N'-dimethylacetamide. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis reveals that both 1 and 2 exhibit 3-dimensional zeolite-like architectures with similar 4-connected components, but possess definitely different topologies of diamondoid (dia) and uncommon lonsdaleite (lon), respectively. 1 and 2 represent the first cases of zeolite-like cluster organic frameworks containing Cd-Cu/Mn-Cu heterometallic supertetrahedral secondary building units. Furthermore, the magnetic properties and porous nature of 1 and 2 were also studied.

Overcoming drug-resistant lung cancer by paclitaxel loaded tetrahedral DNA nanostructures

Drug-loaded tetrahedron DNA nanostructures and their cytotoxic effect on drug-resistant cells have been studied.

Bacterial diversity and community structure during fermentation of Chinese sauerkraut with Lactobacillus casei 11MZ-5-1 by Illumina Miseq sequencing

The bacterial diversity and community structure involved in Chinese sauerkraut is one of the most important factors shaping the final characteristics of traditional foods. In this research, Lactobacillus casei 11MZ-5-1 was applied in Chinese sauerkraut fermentation as a starter culture. Illumina Miseq sequencing analysis was used to reveal the bacterial diversity and community structure during Chinese sauerkraut fermentation. A total of 177 283 high-quality reads of 16S rRNA V4 regions were obtained. The inoculation of L. casei 11MZ-5-1 decreased considerably the bacterial richness and bacterial diversity. This inoculum led to the replacement of Lactococcus by Lactobacillus. The levels of Pseudomonas and Enterobacter bacteria decreased. These findings reveal the evolution of important bacterial groups that are involved in fermentation and will facilitate improvements in the Chinese sauerkraut fermentation process.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This research thoroughly revealed the effects of Lactobacillus casei 11MZ-5-1 starter cultures on bacterial communities during Chinese sauerkraut fermentation. Illumina Miseq sequencing was effective technique to monitor the bacterial diversity and community structure. The inoculation of L. casei 11MZ-5-1 led to the decline of bacterial richness and diversity together with a consistent predominance of Lactobacillus during spontaneous fermentation. The result collectively suggested L. casei 11MZ-5-1 is a promising starter in Chinese sauerkraut manufacturing.

[Clinical analysis on hysteroscopic surgery for the treatment of type Ⅱ cesarean scar pregnancy in the first trimester]

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of hysterosopic management of type Ⅱ cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) and the value of prophylactic uterine artery embolization (UAE). Methods: Totally 104 patients with type Ⅱ CSP treated with hysteroscopic surgery at the Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, during Jan. 2009 to Jun. 2016 were analyzed retrospectively, 67 patients combined with UAE (UAE group) and 37 patients without combined with UAE (non-UAE group). Laparoscopy or sonography guidance was conducted simultaneously. The following clinical parameters were compared, including: primary cure rate, uterine packing rate, uterine perforation rate, hemoglobin level change, the time for the mass absorption and the return of β-hCG to normal, complications, hospital days and hospital stay cost. Results: Median gestational age, size of mass, thickness of the anterior myometrium and β-hCG level in UAE group versus non-UAE group were 47 versus 47 days, 30 versus 30 mm,2 versus 2 mm, 36 524 versus 32 226 U/L (all P>0.05). Out of 104, 100 patients were managed successfully with hysteroscopic surgery, and 4 patients transformed to laparoscopic or laparotomy surgery. Hysteroscopic surgery was effective in 63 out of 67 patients (94%) in UAE group and 34 out of 37 patients (92%) in non-UAE group (P>0.05). There was no significant differences regarding uterine perforation rate, uterine packing rate, hemoglobin change and recovery time between UAE group and non-UAE group (all P>0.05). The median hospital day was 7 days in UAE group versus 5 days in non-UAE group (P<0.01). The median hospital stay cost was 13 654 yuan in UAE group versus 9 108 yuan in non-UAE group (P<0.01). Serious complication occurred in 4 patients (6%, 4/67) in UAE group and 2 patients (5%, 2/67) in non-UAE group (P=0.906). Conclusions: Hysteroscopic surgery is effective and safe for patients with type Ⅱ CSP in the first trimester with size ≤30 mm in diameter and gestation age<7 weeks. The value of prophylactic UAE is uncertain.

The application of thermophilic DNA primase TtDnaG2 to DNA amplification

For DNA replication in vivo, DNA primase uses a complementary single-stranded DNA template to synthesize RNA primers ranging from 4 to 20 nucleotides in length, which are then elongated by DNA polymerase. Here, we report that, in the presence of double-stranded DNA, the thermophilic DNA primase TtDnaG2 synthesizes RNA primers of around 100 nucleotides with low initiation specificity at 70 °C. Analysing the structure of TtDnaG2, we identified that it adopts a compact conformation. The conserved sites in its zinc binding domain are sequestered away from its RNA polymerase domain, which might give rise to the low initiation specificity and synthesis of long RNA segments by TtDnaG2. Based on these unique features of TtDnaG2, a DNA amplification method has been developed. We utilized TtDnaG2 to synthesize RNA primers at 70 °C after 95 °C denaturation, followed by isothermal amplification with the DNA polymerase Bst3.0 or phi29. Using this method, we successfully amplified genomic DNA of a virus with 100% coverage and low copy number variation. Our data also demonstrate that this method can efficiently amplify circular DNA from a mixture of circular DNA and linear DNA, thus providing a tool to amplify low-copy-number circular DNA such as plasmids.

Hepatic Artery Reconstruction Using 3-in-1 Segmental Resection in Pediatric Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a transplant of the left lateral liver segments with 3 arteries for a pediatric recipient from a living donor. A 6-month-old female infant was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis secondary to biliary atresia and scheduled for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT; mother as donor). Left lateral hepatectomy was performed at the donor site. The dissection of the left hepatic artery (HA), which was divided immediately after its origin, showed 3 branches for segments II, III, and IV. The arteries for segment II, segment III, and segment IV were anastomosed to the recipient HA. No postoperative complications were observed. The outcome of this case demonstrates that left lateral segments with 3 arteries can be successfully used if proper surgical techniques are applied. From this experience we can recommend "3-in-1 segmental resection" in the donor can be safely done by skilled microvascular surgeons and this technique should be considered for selected cases where multiple tiny arteries supply the graft.

Inhibitory effect and mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells on melanoma cells

PURPOSE

To explore the inhibitory effect and mechanism of MSCs on melanoma proliferation.

METHODS

The inhibitory effect of MSCs on melanoma A375 cells was detected by co-culture and conditioned medium (CM) experiments using MTT method. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Then, Western Blot experiment detected the expression of proteins related to NF-κB signaling in A375 cells. The expression of IL-1Ra in MSCs was proved by RT-PCR. The over-expression and silencing vector pcDNA3.1-EGFP-IL-1Ra and pGPH1-IL-1R were constructed and transfected into MSCs cells. After that, the changes of inhibitory effect and cell cycle from MSCs-S and MSCs-O CM on A375 cells were explored. The expression of proteins related to NF-κB signaling in A375 cells after MSCs-S or MSCs-O CM treatment was detected by Western Blot. MSCs, MSCs-S, or MSCs-O and A375 cells were co-injected into nude mice under the arms, the growth of tumor was observed, the frozen sections were made, and H&E staining of tumor tissue was performed.

RESULTS

The proliferation of A375 cells was inhibited and the cell cycle of A375 was arrested by MSCs. The expressions of cytokines related to NF-κB signaling were down-regulated. Over-expression and silence of Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), specifically blocking activation of NF-κB signaling, indicated that inhibitory effect from MSCs was enhanced or weakened respectively, which suggested that IL-1Ra was involved in the inhibitory effect. In vivo, tumor initiation and growth were significantly inhibited when A375 cells were co-injected with MSCs into nude mice, which were related to the expression level of IL-1Ra.

CONCLUSION

MSCs could inhibit the proliferation and tumor initiation of melanoma A375 cells through NF-κB signaling. MSCs could secret IL-1Ra and inhibit expressions of NF-κB signaling-related factors of tumor cells, and cause cell cycle arrest in G1 phase.

Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in Chinese patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the efficacy and safety of duloxetine (60 mg, once daily), compared with placebo, during a 13-week treatment period in Chinese patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis (OA).

DESIGN

Patients were at least 40 years old (male or female) who met American College of Rheumatology clinical and radiographic criteria for the diagnosis of OA of the knee or hip. The primary efficacy measure in this phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was assessment of pain severity by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) 24-h Average Pain rating. The clinical trial was conducted at 17 study centers. Statistical approaches included mixed-effects model repeated measures and analysis of covariance. A Fisher exact test was applied to categorical variables.

RESULTS

Of 407 patients randomized (duloxetine: N = 205; placebo: N = 202), 166 (81.0%) patients from the duloxetine group and 176 (87.1%) patients from the placebo group completed the 13-week treatment phase. The majority (76.4%) of patients was female; mean age was 60.5 years. Duloxetine-treated patients reported significant pain reduction, compared with placebo treatment, on the BPI 24-h Average Pain rating (least-squares mean (LS Mean) change from baseline to endpoint [95% confidence interval (CI)], duloxetine: -2.23; placebo: -1.73; difference = -0.50 [-0.80, -0.20]; P = 0.001). The incidence of discontinuations due to adverse events was 9.0% in duloxetine-treated patients and 4.5% in placebo-treated patients (P = 0.109).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the efficacy of duloxetine in Chinese patients with chronic pain due to OA. The safety profile of duloxetine observed in this study was consistent with that in previous duloxetine trials. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01931475).

Effect of 1,25(OH2D3 on the proliferation of human mesangial cells and their expression of Ki67

Previous studies have found that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [1,25(OH)₂D₃ or VD₃] exerts many biological effects, including the inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. The goal of our investigation was to explore the effects of 1,25(OH)₂D₃ on the proliferation of cultured human mesangial cells and their expression of Ki67 in vitro, and to establish its mechanism of action. Cultured human mesangial cells were randomly divided into the following four groups: normal control (N group; administered Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 5% fetal bovine serum), proliferation [epidermal growth factor (EGF) group; administered 10 μg/L EGF], VD₃ intervention [administered 10^-8 M 1,25(OH)₂D₃], and proliferation and intervention [EGF+VD₃ group; administered 10 μg/L EGF and 10^-8 M 1,25(OH)₂D₃]. Cells were incubated for 48 h with the corresponding treatment, and fluorescence immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect expression of Ki67 protein and mRNA, respectively. Compared to the N group, Ki67 levels were found to be higher in the EGF group but significantly lower in the VD₃ intervention group. Moreover, expression of Ki67 by cells in the EGF+VD₃ group was significantly lower than that of those in the EGF group. All of these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 1,25(OH)₂D₃ inhibited Ki67 expression and the proliferation of human mesangial cells; therefore, Ki67 may be regarded as a potent therapeutic target in mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis.

Generation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody against duck Tembusu virus envelope protein

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a newly emerging pathogenic flavivirus that has caused massive economic losses to the duck industry in China. Envelope (E) protein of DTMUV is an important structural protein, which is able to induce protective immune response in target animals and can be used as specific serological diagnosis tool. In this study, a novel monoclonal antibody, designated mAb 3E9, was generated against DTMUV E protein. It is positive in indirect ELISA against both His-E protein and the purified whole viral antigen. Also, this mAb showed positive reaction with DTMUV in Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assay, and the isotype was IgG1. End-point neutralizing assay performed in BHK-21 cells revealed that the neutralization titer of 3E9 against DTMUV JS804 strain reached 1:50. Furthermore, functional studies revealed that 3E9 blocks infection of DTMUV at a step on viral attachment. The anti-E mAbs produced in the present work may be valuable in developing an antigen-capture ELISA test for antigen detection or a competitive ELISA test for antibody detection or therapeutic medicine for DTMUV in poultry.

Abstract PD2-04: FOXA1 induces a pro-metastatic secretome through ER-dependent and independent transcriptional reprogramming in endocrine-resistant breast cancer

Background: Metastasis in ER-positive (+) breast cancer (BC) occurring years to decades after initial diagnosis presents a daunting challenge for clinical care and preclinical research due to limited known key players and experimental models. FOXA1 is a pioneer factor for ER-chromatin binding and function, and is highly expressed in ER+ BC metastases, yet the underlying mechanism is unclear. Tumor-secreted proteins play a crucial role in the reciprocal interplay between cancer cells and host microenvironmental factors at both primary and secondary sites. We hypothesized that high FOXA1 provokes an ER-dependent transcriptional program that includes a unique pro-tumorigenic secretome essential for promoting ER+ BC metastasis. Methods: A lentiviral doxycycline (Dox)-inducible FOXA1 overexpression vector and a dual luciferase/GFP (LG) tracking vector were integrated to construct a stable MCF7-LG/FOXA1 cell model. Ovariectomized nude mice bearing MCF7-LG/FOXA1 xenografts in the presence of exogenous estrogen (E2) were randomized to ± Dox, each with continued E2, E2 deprivation (ED), or tamoxifen (Tam). Survival surgery removing the therapy-naïve (E2 arm) and relapsed (ED/Tam arms) tumors was performed when tumors reached ∼1000 mm3. All mice then received ED/Tam 'adjuvant' therapy, with longitudinal luminescence imaging to monitor local/distant recurrences. Mice were or will be euthanized at the ethical end-point. Integrative bioinformatics was performed using RNA-seq and FOXA1/ER ChIP-seq data from our preclinical models to identify secretome targets for functional intervention. Times to tumor regression (TTR) and progression (TTP) were defined by when the tumor reached half or twice the volume at randomization. Results: Median (m) TTR was achieved in ED (31/34 days, -/+Dox, P = 0.184) but not in Tam groups — Tam delayed tumor growth but failed to prevent progression in all mice with mTTP of 94/93 days (-/+Dox, P = 0.517). Despite no difference in mTTP at Tam-/+Dox, a quarter of +Dox tumors (3/12) had volume doubled by day 11. No metastases were observed by imaging in any of the mice before surgery ('neoadjuvant' setting). Local relapse and lymph-node/lung metastases were detected after surgery ('adjuvant' setting). At day 90 in the adjuvant Tam group with previously relapsed tumors, +Dox mice succumbed to metastasis more often than -Dox mice (7/8 vs. 3/10, P = 0.023). Compared to the adjuvant Tam+Dox mice with previous therapy-naïve tumors, the Tam+Dox with previously relapsed tumors showed higher distant metastasis rate (7/8 vs. 5/14, P = 0.026). Analysis of the ED setting is pending due to late recurrence. Data integration and functional study revealed a set of cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular matrix components (including IL-8, CTGF, and LOX), regulated by FOXA1 often in conjunction with ER, that are highly involved in FOXA1-induced metastasis. Global secretome profiling by mass spectrometry and target validation are ongoing. Conclusions: FOXA1 overexpression increases metastatic potential in ER+ BC. We established a pertinent metastatic xenograft mouse model to characterize a pro-metastatic secretome with diagnostic and therapeutic potential for treating metastatic ER+ BC.

Citation Format: Fu X, Pereira R, Zhao D, Jung SY, Jeselsohn R, Creighton CJ, Shea M, Nardone A, Angelis CD, Tsimelzon A, Wang T, Gutierrez C, Huang S, Edwards DP, Rimawi MF, Hilsenbeck SG, Brown M, Chen K, Osborne CK, Schiff R. FOXA1 induces a pro-metastatic secretome through ER-dependent and independent transcriptional reprogramming in endocrine-resistant breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD2-04.

Abstract P3-07-07: Inhibition of death-associated protein kinase 1 enhances chemotherapy action against triple-negative breast cancer

Background: Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are the most aggressive ER negative breast cancers with limited therapy strategies and poor prognosis. P53 gene is frequently mutated in approximately 80% of TNBCs. To identify novel molecular targets for ER negative breast cancer, particularly the more aggressive TNBC, we conducted a human kinome screen and identified death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) as one of the kinases that are highly expressed in ER negative breast cancer. Deletion or inhibition of DAPK1 suppresses growth of p53-mutant but not p53-wildtype breast cancer cells. Here we investigate whether DAPK1 inhibition will enhance chemotherapy action against p53-mutant TNBCs.

Experimental design and methods: We performed experiments to test cell growth of p53-mutant TNBCs that were treated with DAPK1 siRNA or DAPK1 inhibitors in combination with different doses of chemotherapy drugs including 5-FU (5-Fluorouracil), doxorubicin, cisplatin, PARP inhibitor (BMN673), paclitaxel, gemcitabine and vinorelbine.

Results: Our results show that DAPK1 inhibitors enhance the growth inhibitory effects of cisplatin and PARP inhibitor in p53-mutant TNBCs. Furthermore, combined DAPK1 inhibition (via siRNA knockdown) with cisplatin synergistically inhibits cell growth of p53-mutant TNBCs.

Conclusion: DAPK1 is a novel, promising target for the treatment of triple-negative p53-mutant breast cancer. Our studies demonstrate that DAPK1 inhibition sensitizes TNBCs to the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin or the PARP inhibitor. We are now conducting studies to determine whether DAPK1 inhibition will sensitize TNBC tumors and patient-derived TNBC xenografts to the effects of cisplatin and PARP inhibition. These studies suggest that the combination of DAPK1 inhibition with drugs that interfere with DNA repair will be useful for the treatment of the most aggressive form of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer.

Funding: This study was funded by a Susan G. Komen Promise grant (SAB12-00006 to P.H. Brown), a MD Anderson Knowledge Gap Moonshot grant (to P.H. Brown) and a Breast Cancer Research Foundation grant (BCRF 15101807, 2015–2016 to P.H. Brown).

Citation Format: Zhao D, Zhao J, Mazumadar A, Bollu L, Shepherd J, Ma Y, Zhang Y, Hill JL, Savage MI, Brown PH. Inhibition of death-associated protein kinase 1 enhances chemotherapy action against triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-07.

Abstract P1-08-04: SOX9 is a critical regulator of triple-negative breast cancer cell growth and invasion

Background: SRY (Sex Determining Region Y)-related HMG-box (SOX) genes belong to a super-family of genes, which is characterized by a homologous sequence called the HMG-box residing on the Y-chromosome. There are 20 SOX genes present in humans and mice. We performed a siRNA screen of SOX transcription factors, and found that SOX9 was essential for breast cancer cell growth. The SOX9 protein recognizes the sequence CCTTGAG along with other members of the HMG-box class DNA-binding proteins and has been shown to be required for development, differentiation and lineage commitment. Moreover, SOX9 is expressed in adenocarcinomas, and is highly expressed in the most aggressive cancers. Our previous data shows SOX9 is highly expressed in “triple negative breast cancer” (TNBC) than in non-TNBC. Thus, we hypothesized that the SOX9 transcription factor acts as an essential molecule regulating TNBC growth and invasion. To test the hypothesis, we used SOX9-overexpressed, or SOX9-knockdown/knockout breast cancer cell models to determine whether SOX9 is necessary and/or sufficient to regulate TNBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Methods: We measured the cell growth using an automated cell counting assay. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell migration & invasion assays in ER-positive (MCF7 and ZR75-1) and ER-negative (MDA231 and MDA468) breast cancer cells. DOX-inducible SOX9-knockout cell lines were established in MDA231, MDA468, and LM2 cell lines using an inducible Cas9-CRISPR system. A SOX9 expressing lentivirus was used to overexpress SOX9, and siRNAs was used to knockdown SOXs in the different breast cancer cells. Protein and mRNA levels of SOX9 in TNBC, non-TNBC, immortalized human breast epithelial cell lines were examined by western blotting and qRT-PCR assay.

Results: Knockdown of SOXs by siRNA caused decreased cell proliferation of MDA231 by ≥50% and of MDA468 by 30%-50% in siSOX4, siSOX6, siSOX9, siSOX10 and siSOX11 treatment groups (but not in siSOX8 and siSOX17 treatment groups). However, in MCF7 and T47D cell lines, treatment with siRNA to these SOX factors did not cause significant cell growth reduction. We demonstrated that SOX9 is more highly expressed in TNBC cells at both the mRNA and protein levels. Knockdown of SOX9 decreased cell migration and invasion of MDA231 to 25% and 50% respectively. The same effect also was observed in MDA468 cells, with approximately a 50% decline in migration and invasion. In SOX9-knockout MDA231, MDA468, and LM2 cells, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were significantly reduced. In contrast, overexpression of SOX9 in MCF7 and ZR75-1 cells increased cell migration and invasion. We are now conducting in vivo studies to determine the effect of SOX9 on breast cancer cell metastasis.

Conclusion: SOX9 is a critical regulator of TNBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. These studies suggest that regulating SOX9 transcription factor and its signaling pathway will be a promising therapeutic strategy to treat TNBC and prevent metastasis.

This work was supported by a Susan G. Komen Scientific Advisory Board Grant, SAB1600006 (PB), and a grant from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation 2015-2016 BCRF grant(PB), and by the Charles Cain Endowment (PB).

Citation Format: Ma Y, Shepherd J, Mazumdar A, Zhao D, Bollu L, Hill J, Zhang Y, Brown P. SOX9 is a critical regulator of triple-negative breast cancer cell growth and invasion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-08-04.

MoS2 quantum dot-modified Ag/polyaniline composites with enhanced photogenerated carrier separation for highly efficient visible light photocatalytic H2 evolution performance

Uniform heterostructured MoS₂ QDs–Ag/PANI composites are fabricated, which exhibit significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for H₂ production under visible light irradiation.

Ag/polyaniline heterostructured nanosheets loaded with g-C3N4 nanoparticles for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light

Uniform heterostructured 2D g-C₃N₄–Ag/polyaniline nanosheets were fabricated, which exhibit significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for H₂ production under visible light irradiation.

Model Construction for Biological Age Based on a Cross-Sectional Study of a Healthy Chinese Han population

OBJECTIVES

Biological age (BA) has been proposed to evaluate the aging status in an objective way instead of chronological age (CA). The purpose of our study is to construct a more precise formula of BA in the cross-sectional study based on a largest-ever sample of our studies. This formula aims at better evaluation of body function and exploring the disciplines of aging in different genders and age stages.

METHODS

A total of 1,373 healthy Chinese Han (age range, 19-93 years) were recruited from five cities in China, including 581 males and 792 females. Physical examination, blood routine, blood chemistry, and other lab tests were performed to obtain a total of 74 clinical variables. Then, the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to select variables and estimate BA. The BA formula was further validated in a population with some diseases (n=266), including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, kidney diseases, pulmonary diseases, cancer and disorders in nervous system.

RESULTS

The BA formula was constructed as follows: BA = 0.358 (pulse pressure) + 0.258 (trail making test) - 11.552 (mitral valve E/A peak) + 26.383 (minimum intima-media thickness) + 31.965 (Cystatin C) + 0.163 (CA) - 3.902. In validation of the formula, BAs of patients were older than those of healthy persons. The BA accelerates faster in the middle-aged population than in the elderly population (>75 years old).

CONCLUSION

This BA formula can reflect health condition changes of aging better than CA in a Chinese Han population.

The stability, characteristics and magnetic properties of iron carbide from an oolitic hematite

Iron carbide (Fe₃C) is a magnetic material but it is not stable when it is prepared.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the positive role of treadmill training in locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the positive role of treadmill training (TMT) in locomotor recovery.

METHODS

GSE52763 microarray data were downloaded from GEO database, which was collected from the lumbar spinal cord samples of three groups of mice: mice subjected to contusive injury and killed 1 week after injury (I1), mice subjected to injury and killed 3 weeks after injury (I3), and mice subjected to injury and TMT beginning at week 1 and lasting until week 3 (T3). Differential expression analysis between I3 and I1, between T3 and I1 and between T3 and I3 were performed by T-test using R/LIMMA. Genes with |log₂FC (fold change)|>0.58 and P-value<0.05 were considered as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Specific I3 vs I1 DEGs and T3 vs I1 DEGs were screened. Then TMT-induced specific DEGs were subject to functional and pathway enrichment analysis using DAVID online tool. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was also carried out using the STRING database.

RESULTS

Finally, 82 upregulated DEGs and 297 downregulated DEGs were found specifically induced by TMT. Specific upregulated DEGs were mostly enriched in response to organic substance and morphogenesis-related events, and specific downregulated DEGs were related to positive regulation of transcription. ATP2A1, PRKACA, ITPR2 and so on had high connection degree in the PPI network of the specific upregulated DEGs; FOS, GSK3B and so on had high degrees in the PPI network of the specific downregulated DEGs.

CONCLUSION

ATP2A1, C-FOS and GSK3B may have critical roles in the positive role of TMT in locomotor recovery.