[Comparison of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and open distal pancreatectomy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To compare and evaluate the curative effect of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy(LDP) and traditional open distal pancreatectomy(ODP) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Methods: The clinical data of 15 patients treated by LDP and 87 contemporaneous cases treated by ODP from January 2010 to November 2015 was collected, and the curative effect and prognosis of these patients were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The operation time of LDP group was (286.5±48.1) min, significantly longer than that of OPD group(226.6±56.8) min (P<0.05). The operative hemorrhage, postoperative exhaust time, recovery eating time, the whole and postoperative hospitalization time of LDP group were (188.7±108.9) ml, (2.2±1.3) d, (2.9±1.1) d, (13.2±10.4) d and (9.3±8.1) d, respectively, dramatically shorter than those of ODP group (625.2±982.1) ml, (4.3±1.7) d, (5.2±1.8) d, (20.7±8.7) d and (14.9±7.8) d, respectively (all of P<0.05). There were no intraoperative blood transfusion case in LDP group, however, 13 patients in ODP group received intraoperative blood transfusion, without significant difference (P=0.207). Alternatively, 6 cases occurred pancreatic fistula in LDP group, among them, 5 cases were grade A and 1 case was grade B; In ODP group, 17 cases occurred pancreatic fistula, among them 13 cases were grade A, 1 case was grade B and 3 cases were grade C, without significant differences (P=0.130). There were 2 cases of delayed gastric empty, 1 case of pulmonary infection in LDP group. In ODP group, there were 5 cases of postoperative delayed gastric empty, 3 cases of pulmonary infection and 6 cases of intra-abdominal infection, without significant differences (P>0.05). In both LDP group and ODP group, none occurred percutaneous drainage, re-admissions, second operation or perioperative death. Conclusions: Compared to ODP, LDP is much safer and more steady in perioperative periodand operation. Patients of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma received LDP can acquire more benefit and recovery sooner, and LDP is a safe and effective operative method.

Neurogenic and myogenic patterns of electrical activity in isolated intact mouse colon

BACKGROUND

Relatively little is known about the electrical rhythmicity of the whole colon, where long neural pathways are preserved.

METHODS

Smooth muscle electrical activity was recorded extracellularly from the serosa of isolated flat-sheet preparations consisting of the whole mouse colon (n=31).

KEY RESULTS

Two distinct electrical patterns were observed. The first, long intense spike bursts, occurred every 349±256 seconds (0.2±0.2 cpm), firing action potentials for 31±11 seconds at 2.1±0.5 Hz. They were hexamethonium- and tetrodotoxin-sensitive, but persisted in nicardipine as 2 Hz electrical oscillations lacking action potentials. This pattern is called here neurogenic spike bursts. The second pattern, short spike bursts, occurred about every 30 seconds (2.0±0.6 cpm), with action potentials firing at about 1 Hz for 9 seconds (1.0±0.2 Hz, 9±4 seconds). Short spike bursts were hexamethonium- and tetrodotoxin-resistant but nicardipine-sensitive and thus called here myogenic spike bursts. Neurogenic spike bursts transiently delayed myogenic spike bursts, while blocking neurogenic activity enhanced myogenic spike burst durations. External stimuli significantly affected neurogenic but not myogenic spike bursts. Aboral electrical or mechanical stimuli evoked premature neurogenic spike bursts. Circumferential stretch significantly decreased intervals between neurogenic spike bursts. Lesioning the colon down to 10 mm segments significantly increased intervals or abolished neurogenic spike bursts, while myogenic spike bursts persisted.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Distinct neurogenic and myogenic electrical patterns were recorded from mouse colonic muscularis externa. Neurogenic spike bursts likely correlate with neurogenic colonic migrating motor complexes (CMMC) and are highly sensitive to mechanical stimuli. Myogenic spike bursts may correspond to slow myogenic contractions, whose duration can be modulated by enteric neural activity.

Staple line oversewing during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Introduction This meta-analysis was performed to assess the possible benefits of staple line oversewing during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Methods A comprehensive search up to February 2017 was conducted on PubMed, the Web of Science™ and Embase™. All eligible studies were included, and the outcomes of staple line bleeding and leak, overall complications and operative time were pooled. Results A total of 7 randomised controlled trials involving 845 patients (428 cases and 417 controls) were analysed. There was no significant difference in staple line bleeding (relative risk [RR]: 0.858, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.343-2.143, p=0.742), leak (RR: 0.650, 95% CI: 0.257-1.644, p=0.363) or overall complications (RR: 0.913, 95% CI: 0.621-1.342, p=0.644) between the oversewing group and the patients who did not have oversewing. Oversewing of the staple line was associated with a longer operative time (weighted mean difference: 14.400, 95% CI: 7.198-21.602, p=0.000). Conclusions Oversewing the staple line during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy does not decrease the risk of staple line bleeding, leakage or overall complications but it does prolong the operative time.

Amino acid and phosphorus digestibility of fermented corn-soybean meal mixed feed with Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium fed to pigs

In the present study, a 2-stage solid-state fermentation process using followed by was performed with the purpose of improving the nutritional quality of corn and soybean meal (SBM) mixed feed (MF). The matrix of native MF and fermented MF (FMF) was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to determine external structures after solid-state fermentation. Results of the present study indicated that the FMF had a greater concentration of CP and total P compared with the unfermented feed, whereas the contents of β-conglycinin, glycinin, phytate P, raffinose, stachyose, and NDF in FMF declined by 77.6, 86.7, 41.2, 47.2, 36.6, and 38.9%, respectively. The content of trichloroacetic acid-soluble protein, particularly those of small peptides and free AA, increased more than 3 times after fermentation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that irregular shapes and a lot of porous structures were observed in the SBM of FMF, the cell wall of corn in FMF was destroyed, and the number of starch granules was decreased after 2-stage fermentation. Two animal experiments were conducted to evaluate the digestibility of CP and P in FMF when fed to pigs. In Exp. 1, 6 barrows (15.20 ± 1.27 kg initial BW) fitted with a T-cannula in the distal ileum were allotted to a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 3 diets and 3 periods per square. Two diets containing unfermented MF or FMF as the only source of protein and a N-free diet were formulated. Results indicated that the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of total AA and Lys in FMF (74.98 and 75.34%) were greater ( < 0.05) than in untreated MF (69.66 and 68.56%). The standard ileal digestibility (SID) of Lys in FMF (82.17%) was also greater ( < 0.05) than in MF (75.91%). In Exp. 2, 16 barrows (17.57 ± 1.08 kg initial BW) were allotted to 2 diets formulated to contain MF or FMF as the sole source of P to determine the digestibility of P. The apparent total tract digestibility and standardized total tract digestibility of P in FMF were 58.14 and 64.72%, respectively. These values were greater ( < 0.01) than in untreated MF (37.11 and 44.89%, respectively). Our results indicate that a solid-state fermentation process using followed by offers an effective approach to improving the quality of corn and SBM MF.

Magneto-Optical Detection of the Spin Hall Effect in Pt and W Thin Films

The conversion of charge currents into spin currents in nonmagnetic conductors is a hallmark manifestation of spin-orbit coupling that has important implications for spintronic devices. Here we report the measurement of the interfacial spin accumulation induced by the spin Hall effect in Pt and W thin films using magneto-optical Kerr microscopy. We show that the Kerr rotation has opposite sign in Pt and W and scales linearly with current density. By comparing the experimental results with ab initio calculations of the spin Hall and magneto-optical Kerr effects, we quantitatively determine the current-induced spin accumulation at the Pt interface as 5×10^{-12}  μ_{B} A^{-1} cm^{2} per atom. From thickness-dependent measurements, we determine the spin diffusion length in a single Pt film to be 11±3  nm, which is significantly larger compared to that of Pt adjacent to a magnetic layer.

Is endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration with a stylet necessary for lymph node screening in lung cancer patients?

During endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), a needle is commonly used with a stylet, although recently the stylet has been omitted. This prospective study aimed to compare the quality of specimens obtained by EBUS-TBNA performed with and without a stylet. Between November 2013 and November 2014, 131 patients with lung cancer underwent EBUS-TBNA, with a total of 148 mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes sampled both with and without an inner-stylet, yielding 296 cytological specimens. Specimens were scored cytologically using five parameters: background blood or clot, amount of cellular material, degree of cellular degeneration, degree of cellular trauma, and retention of appropriate architecture. The procedure with a stylet required significantly longer operation time than without a stylet (14.5±0.8 vs 12.7±1.1 min, P<0.001). Excellent specimens were obtained in 261/296 and 260/296 samples in the procedures with and without a stylet, respectively (P=0.9), while the remaining 35 and 36 samples, respectively, were adequate. The diagnosing and staging of lung cancer using EBUS-TBNA did not differ significantly between the groups. In conclusion, specimen collection by EBUS-TBNA without a stylet is easier and faster than the procedure using a stylet and absence of a stylet did not alter specimen quality or diagnostic accuracy.

Dysfunction of the WT1-MEG3 signaling promotes AML leukemogenesis via p53-dependent and -independent pathways

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, exemplified by the recent finding that lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) inhibits tumor growth in a p53-dependent manner. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common malignant myeloid disorder in adults, and TP53 mutations or loss are frequently detected in patients with therapy-related AML or AML with complex karyotype. Here, we reveal that MEG3 is significantly downregulated in AML and suppresses leukemogenesis not only in a p53-dependent, but also a p53-independent manner. In addition, MEG3 is proven to be transcriptionally activated by Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1), dysregulation of which by epigenetic silencing or mutations is causally involved in AML. Therefore MEG3 is identified as a novel target of the WT1 molecule. Ten–eleven translocation-2 (TET2) mutations frequently occur in AML and significantly promote leukemogenesis of this disorder. In our study, TET2, acting as a cofactor of WT1, increases MEG3 expression. Taken together, our work demonstrates that TET2 dysregulated WT1-MEG3 axis significantly promotes AML leukemogenesis, paving a new avenue for diagnosis and treatment of AML patients.

Mesenchymal circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and OCT4 mRNA expression in CTCs for prognosis prediction in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotypes might be related to tumor progression while OCT4 expression is involved in tumor metastasis and poor prognosis. But the possible clinical significance of EMT phenotypes of CTCs from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has still to be demonstrated. Furthermore, none has been investigated the expression of OCT4 in CTCs. We therefore identified the EMT phenotype-based subsets of CTCs and determined the OCT4 expression status of CTCs in NSCLC patients, to explore their possible clinical relevance.

METHODS

37 NSCLC patients and ten healthy volunteers were enrolled, respectively. The Canpatrol™ CTC enrichment technique was used to isolate and identify the EMT phenotype-based subsets of CTCs. OCT4 expression in each CTC was also determined. Results were correlated with patients' clinico-pathological features.

RESULTS

CTCs were detected in 33 of 37 (89.2%) NSCLC patients, and no CTCs were identified in ten healthy volunteers. Three CTCs phenotypes, including epithelial, biophenotypic, and mesenchymal CTCs were identified based on the expression of EMT markers. Mesenchymal CTCs were more commonly found in patients with distant metastasis. Patients with distant metastasis tended to have a higher median CTCs number. OCT4-positive was observed in 21 of 28 (75.0%) patients. High expression of OCT4 tended to occur in advanced patients as well as in distant metastatic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that identification of CTCs by EMT markers as well as evaluation of OCT4 expression status by assessment of OCT4 expression in CTCs could serve as potential adjuncts for evaluating metastasis and prognosis in NSCLC patients.

Pathological changes of adipose tissue in secondary lymphoedema

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiology of lymphoedema is poorly understood. Current treatment options include compression therapy, resection, liposuction and lymphatic microsurgery, but determining the optimal treatment approach for each patient remains challenging.

OBJECTIVES

We characterized skin and adipose tissue alterations in the setting of secondary lymphoedema.

METHODS

Morphological and histopathological evaluations were conducted for 70 specimens collected from 26 female patients with lower-extremity secondary lymphoedema following surgical intervention for gynaecological cancers. Indocyanine green lymphography was performed for each patient to assess lymphoedema severity.

RESULTS

Macroscopic and ultrasound findings revealed that lymphoedema adipose tissue had larger lobules of adipose tissue, with these lobules surrounded by thick collagen fibres and interstitial lymphatic fluid. In lymphoedema specimens, adipocytes displayed hypertrophic changes and more collagen fibre deposits when examined using electron microscopy, whole-mount staining and immunohistochemistry. The number of capillary lymphatic channels was also found to be increased in the dermis of lymphoedema limbs. Crown-like structures (dead adipocytes surrounded by M1 macrophages) were less frequently seen in lymphoedema samples. Flow cytometry revealed that, among the cellular components of adipose tissue, adipose-derived stem/stromal cells and M2 macrophages were decreased in number in lymphoedema adipose tissue compared with normal controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that long-term lymphatic volume overload can induce chronic tissue inflammation, progressive fibrosis, impaired homeostasis, altered remodelling of adipose tissue, impaired regenerative capacity and immunological dysfunction. Further elucidation of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying lymphoedema will lead to more reliable therapeutic strategies.

The detection and phylogenetic analysis of porcine deltacoronavirus from Guangdong Province in Southern China

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly discovered coronavirus that causes diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration in sucking and nursing piglets. It was first reported in Hong Kong in 2012 and has since been discovered in the United States, Canada, South Korea, mainland China, Thailand and Laos. PDCoV has been experimentally proved to lead to diarrhoea in swine and it was detected positive in pigs in Guangdong, southern China. In our study, 252 faecal and intestinal samples from sucking piglets and sows with diarrhoea were surveyed for common enteric viruses. We found a prevalence of PDCoV (21.8%), porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (65.5%), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (0%), rotavirus group A (25.0%) and porcine kobuvirus (68.7%). We isolated 13 PDCoV strains and discovered that PDCoV infections were often co‐infections with kobuvirus rather than the commonly linked porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus. Phylogenetic analysis of S gene and N gene revealed that 11 of 13 PDCoV strains belonged to Chinese lineage. As for the left two strains, one single strain (CHN‐GD16‐05) belonged to American and Korean lineages while another strain (CHN‐GD16‐03) was similar to a Thai strain, but only in the S gene. This suggested a possible recombination event between the Thai and the newly described Chinese strain.

Moderate intensity sports and exercise is associated with glycaemic control in women with gestational diabetes

AIM

To assess the association of regular, unsupervised sports and exercise during pregnancy, by intensity level, with glycaemic control in women with gestational diabetes (GDM).

METHODS

Prospective cohort study of 971 women who, shortly after being diagnosed with GDM, completed a Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire assessing moderate and vigorous intensity sports and exercise in the past 3 months. Self-monitored capillary glucose values were obtained for the 6-week period following the questionnaire, with optimal glycaemic control defined≥80% values meeting the targets<5.3mmol/L for fasting and <7.8mmol/L 1-hour after meals. Logistic regression estimated the odds of achieving optimal control; linear regression estimated activity level-specific least square mean glucose, as well as between-level mean glucose differences.

RESULTS

For volume of moderate intensity sports and exercise ([MET×hours]/week), the highest quartile, compared to the lowest, had significantly increased odds of optimal control (OR=1.82 [95% CI: 1.06-3.14] P=0.03). There were significant trends for decreasing mean 1-hour post breakfast, lunch and dinner glycaemia with increasing quartile of moderate activity (all P<0.05). Any participation in vigorous intensity sports and exercise was associated with decreased mean 1-hour post breakfast and lunch glycaemia (both P<0.05). No associations were observed for fasting.

CONCLUSION

Higher volumes of moderate intensity sports and exercise, reported shortly after GDM diagnosis, were significantly associated with increased odds of achieving glycaemic control. Clinicians should be aware that unsupervised moderate intensity sports and exercise performed in mid-pregnancy aids in subsequent glycaemic control among women with GDM.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with very high risk primary immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis]

目的

探讨极高危原发性轻链型淀粉样变（pAL）患者的临床特征及其预后。

方法

回顾性分析2009年1月至2016年2月在北京协和医院确诊的205例pAL患者的临床资料，将梅奥2004分期Ⅲb期或梅奥2012分期4期的患者定义为极高危患者。

结果

34例（16.6%）为极高危pAL患者，中位年龄57（20~84）岁，男性22例（64.7%）。所有患者均有心脏受累，15例（44.1%）患者的受累脏器≥ 3个。27例（81.8%）患者的心功能分级为3~4级，中位血清肌钙蛋白I为0.25（0.08~1.23）µg/L，中位血清N末端B型利钠肽前体为11 733（1 892~103 277）ng/L，中位血清游离轻链差值为403.0（18.1~1 911.6）mg/L，8例（24.2%）患者的骨髓浆细胞比例≥0.100。16例（47.1%）患者采用硼替佐米为主的化疗方案，总体血液学缓解率为58.3%。中位随诊27（1~40）个月，14例（41.2%）患者在诊断后3个月内死亡，中位生存时间仅为4个月。3、6、12和24个月的预期生存率分别为51.3%、44.0%、35.2%和29.6%。一线化疗后获得血液学缓解、未获得血液学缓解以及姑息治疗的患者1年预计存活率分别为90.9%、11.1%及0（P<0.001）。

结论

极高危pAL患者的预后极差，早期病死率高，获得血液学缓解的pAL患者有着明显更好的预后。

Outbreak of enteric microsporidiosis of hatchery-bred juvenile groupers, Epinephelus spp., associated with a new intranuclear microporidian in China

A new enteric microsporidian was found to be associated with the mass mortality of hatchery-bred juvenile groupers, Epinephelus spp., in China. The outbreak usually occurred during the rainy season between May and November when water temperature ranged from 26 to 30 °C and salinity from 28 to 34 ppt, although this microsporidian can be detected year round. External clinical signs included severe emaciation, white faeces syndrome, anorexia, sinking to the bottom of culture ponds and mass mortality (up to 90%). Upon necropsy, severe intestinal oedema and thin and transparent intestinal wall could be observed. The mature spores are tiny, measuring 1.3-1.5 (1.35 ± 0.13) × 1.6-2.4 (2.16 ± 0.31) μm and can be found in the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm of most enteric epithelial cells of host. Epidemiological investigation showed that this species was distributed throughout most of the culture area of grouper fingerlings in Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi provinces in China, with maximum prevalence of 95%. Molecular analysis based on the partial small subunit rRNA sequence (1045 bp) placed this species within the Enterocytozoonidae, but sequence identities to other species were below 90%. The exact taxonomic position warrants study of the ultrastructural characteristics of the developmental stages.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of the combination of cladribine, cytarabine, granulocyte colonystimulating factor (CLAG) regime in patients with refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia]

目的

分析CLAG方案（克拉屈滨＋阿糖胞苷+ G-CSF）对难治复发急性髓系白血病（AML）的疗效及安全性。

方法

回顾性分析2014年4月1日至2015年12月9日采用1个疗程CLAG方案治疗的33例难治复发AML患者的临床资料。

结果

33例难治复发AML患者中，男16例，女17例，中位年龄49(14~68）岁。按照WHO分类（第4版）诊断：伴有重现性遗传学异常AML 7例（21.2%），伴有多系病态造血AML 5例（15.2%），治疗相关AML 2例（6.1%），其他类型19例（57.5%）。NCCN危险分层低危、中危、高危组分别为6、18、9例，其中FLT3-ITD基因突变5例。复发16例，难治17例，既往化疗疗程中位数为2(1~36）个。经CLAG方案1个疗程化疗后，26例（78.8%）获得完全缓解（CR），难治组CR率低于复发组[64.7%（11/17）对93.8%（15/16），P=0.041]。5例FLT3-ITD基因突变患者均获CR。所有患者均出现4级白细胞减少和血小板减少和不同部位感染，3例因感染而早期死亡。5例患者CR后接受异基因造血干细胞移植。中位随访142(9~525) d，复发10例，死亡13例，中位无事件生存期为230(9~525）d，中位总生存期为419(9~525) d。获CR患者（26例）中位总生存期长于未缓解患者（7例）[447(165~525) d对52(9~162) d，P <0.001]。

结论

CLAG方案对难治复发AML疗效肯定，复发患者CR率高于难治患者。控制感染是治疗成功的关键。

Aortic dissection is associated with reduced polycystin-1 expression, an abnormality that leads to increased ERK phosphorylation in vascular smooth muscle cells

The vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic switch is a key pathophysiological change in various cardiovascular diseases, such as aortic dissection (AD), with a high morbidity. Polycystin-1 (PC1) is significantly downregulated in the VSMCs of AD patients. PC1 is an integral membrane glycoprotein and kinase that regulates different biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell polarity. However, the role of PC1 in intracellular signaling pathways remains poorly understood. In this study, PC1 downregulation in VSMCs promoted the expression of SM22α, ACTA2 and calponin 1 (CNN1) proteins. Furthermore, PC1 downregulation in VSMCs upregulated phospho-MEK, phospho-ERK and myc, but did not change phospho-JNK and phospho-p38. These findings suggest that the MEK/ERK/myc signaling pathway is involved in PC1-mediated human VSMC phenotypic switch. Opposite results were observed when an ERK inhibitor was used in VSMCs downregulated by PC1. When the C-terminal domain of PC1 (PC1 C-tail) was overexpressed in VSMCs, the expression levels of phosphor-ERK, myc, SM22α, ACTA2 and CNN1 proteins were downregulated. The group with the overexpressed mutant protein (S4166A) in the PC1 C-tail showed similar results to the group with the downregulated PC1 in VSMCs. These results suggest that the Ser at the 4166 site in PC1 is crucial in the PC1 mediated MEK/ERK/myc signaling pathway, which might be the key pathophysiological cause of AD.

Precision Measurement of the Boron to Carbon Flux Ratio in Cosmic Rays from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

Knowledge of the rigidity dependence of the boron to carbon flux ratio (B/C) is important in understanding the propagation of cosmic rays. The precise measurement of the B/C ratio from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV, based on 2.3 million boron and 8.3 million carbon nuclei collected by AMS during the first 5 years of operation, is presented. The detailed variation with rigidity of the B/C spectral index is reported for the first time. The B/C ratio does not show any significant structures in contrast to many cosmic ray models that require such structures at high rigidities. Remarkably, above 65 GV, the B/C ratio is well described by a single power law R^{Δ} with index Δ=-0.333±0.014(fit)±0.005(syst), in good agreement with the Kolmogorov theory of turbulence which predicts Δ=-1/3 asymptotically.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase enhances beta cell expansion during pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

Many factors contribute to the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Among these factors, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) plays a critical role. Previous studies have demonstrated the effects of NAMPT on insulin resistance during GDM, while the effects of NAMPT on beta cells remain unknown. Here we addressed this question.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Mouse islets were isolated and transduced with adeno-associated vectors carrying NAMPT. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, beta cell proliferation, and beta cell apoptosis were analyzed in NAMPT-overexpressing islets, compared to controls.

RESULTS

Overexpression of NAMPT in primary mouse islets increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and increased beta cell expansion through augmentation of beta cell proliferation, without affecting beta cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

NAMPT enhances expansion of beta cell mass during pregnancy. Inadequate NAMPT may contribute to the development of GDM partially through reduced beta cell expansion in the gestational period.

Androgen and AR contribute to breast cancer development and metastasis: an insight of mechanisms

The role of androgen and androgen receptor (AR) in breast carcinogenesis has long been a disputed issue. This report provides a mechanistic insight into how androgen and AR contributes to invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. We find that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is able to induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells in an AR-dependent/estrogen receptor-independent manner. This process is dependent on the demethylation activity of lysine-specific demethylase 1A (LSD1) by epigenetically regulating the target genes E-cadherin and vimentin. In vivo, DHT promotes metastasis in a nude mouse model, and AR and LSD1 are indispensable in this process. We establish that higher expression of nucleus AR to cytoplasm AR associated with worse prognostic outcomes in breast cancer patient samples. This study maps an 'androgen-AR/LSD1-target genes' pathway in breast carcinogenesis, implicating the importance of hormonal balance in women, and the potential clinical significance of serum androgen and AR in prediction of breast cancer and selection of breast cancer therapy.

Crops are a main driver for species diversity and the toxigenic potential of Fusarium isolates in maize ears in China

In recent years increasing demands and the relatively low-care cultivation of the crop have resulted in an enormous expansion of the acreage of maize in China. However, particularly in China, Fusarium ear rot forms an important constraint to maize production. In this study, we showed that members of both the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) and the Fusarium graminearum species complex are the causal agents of Fusarium ear rot in the main maize producing areas in China. Fumonisin producing Fusarium verticillioides was the most prevalent species, followed by fumonisin producing Fusarium proliferatum and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol producing F. graminearum. Both Fusarium temperatum and Fusarium boothii were identified for the first time in the colder regions in China, extending their known habitats to colder environments. Mating type analysis of the different heterothallic FFSC species, showed that both types co-occur in each sampling site suggestive of the possibility of sexual recombination. Virulence tests with F. boothii (from maize) and F. graminearum from maize or wheat showed adaptation to the host. In addition, F. graminearum seems to outcompete F. boothii in wheat-maize rotations. Based on our findings and previous studies, we conclude that wheat/maize rotation selects for F. graminearum, while a wheat/rice rotation selects for F. asiaticum. In contrast, F. boothii is selected when maize is cultivated without rotation. A higher occurrence of F. temperatum is observed on maize in colder climatological regions in China, while Fusarium meridionale seems restricted to mountain areas. Each of these species has their characteristic mycotoxin profile and deoxynivalenol and fumonisin are the potential threats to maize production in Northern China.

Structured photocathodes for improved high-energy x-ray efficiency in streak cameras

We have designed and fabricated a structured streak camera photocathode to provide enhanced efficiency for high energy X-rays (1-12 keV). This gold coated photocathode was tested in a streak camera and compared side by side against a conventional flat thin film photocathode. Results show that the measured electron yield enhancement at energies ranging from 1 to 10 keV scales well with predictions, and that the total enhancement can be more than 3×. The spatial resolution of the streak camera does not show degradation in the structured region. We predict that the temporal resolution of the detector will also not be affected as it is currently dominated by the slit width. This demonstration with Au motivates exploration of comparable enhancements with CsI and may revolutionize X-ray streak camera photocathode design.