Gene sequencing and variable site analyzing of coding region of two enterovirus A71 isolates with different clinical phenotypes

Currently, it is still controversial that if the pathogenicity of EV-A71 causing severe or mild hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is associated with viral nucleotide or amino acid sequence(s). In this study, 19 clinical strains were detected in samples from diagnosed patients of EV-A71-caused HFMD with mild or severe symptoms. Then, VP1-2A fragment sequences of 19 EV-A71 isolates were determined, the phylogenetic analysis, based on VP1 sequences of 19 EV-A71 stains in this study and which of 62 EV-A71 strains with different clinical phenotypes reported before, were carried out. Our results showed that no difference in the genotype and evolution distribution was observed among the EV-A71 strains mentioned above. Furthermore, two EV-A71 isolates, which with much close evolutionary relationship but different clinical manifestations, were purified by plaque assay, the complete genome sequencing was done, and deduced amino acid sequence analysis of 11 proteins coded by EV-A71 was carried out. Eight variable amino acid sites were found and further verified with those of 62 strains reported before. Our study provides further evidence that the potential pathogenicity of EV-A71 causing severe or mild HFMD seems not to be associated with viral genotype and even the amino acid substitution.

[Technical advancement improves survival in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) receiving definitive radiotherapy]

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of technical advancement of radiation therapy in patients with LA-NSCLC receiving definitive radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS

Patients treated with definitive RT (≥50 Gy) between 2000 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival (OS), cancer specific survival (CSS), locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated and compared among patients irradiated with different techniques. Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) and esophageal injury (RIEI) were assessed according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 3.0 (NCI-CTCAE 3.0).

RESULTS

A total of 946 patients were eligible for analysis, including 288 treated with two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT), 209 with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) and 449 with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) respectively. The median follow-up time for the whole population was 84.1 months. The median OS of 2D-RT, 3D-CRT and IMRT groups were 15.8, 19.7 and 23.3 months, respectively, with the corresponding 5-year survival rate of 8.7%, 13.0% and 18.8%, respectively (P<0.001). The univariate analysis demonstrated significantly inferior OS, LRPFS, DMFS and PFS of 2D-RT than those provided by 3D-CRT or IMRT. The univariate analysis also revealed that the IMRT group had significantly loger LRPFS and a trend toward better OS and DMFS compared with 3D-CRT. Multivariate analysis showed that TNM stage, RT technique and KPS were independent factors correlated with all survival indexes. Compared with 2D-RT, the utilization of IMRT was associated with significantly improved OS, LRPFS, DMFS as well as PFS. Compared with 3D-CRT, IMRT provided superior DMFS (P=0.035), a trend approaching significance with regard to LRPFS (P=0.073) but no statistically significant improvement on OS, CSS and PFS in multivariate analysis. The incidence rates of RILI were significantly decreased in the IMRT group (29.3% vs. 26.6% vs.14.0%, P<0.001) whereas that of RIET rates were similar (34.7% vs. 29.7% vs. 35.3%, P=0.342) among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation therapy technique is a factor affecting prognosis of LA-NSCLC patients. Advanced radiation therapy technique is associated with improved tumor control and survival, and decreased radiation-induced lung toxicity.

[Association between genetic variants in microRNA biosynthesis genes and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between genetic variants in microRNA biosynthesis genes and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted with 576 HNSCC patients and 1 552 healthy controls matched by factors as age-(±5 years) and sex. Eight potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphism loci in microRNA biosynthesis genes (DICER1, GEMIN3, and PIWIL1) were genotyped using the Illumina Infinium BeadChip platform. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the association between genotypes and HNSCC risk.

RESULTS

The allele frequencies of rs1106042 (G> A) in PIWIL1 were significantly different between the cases and controls (P=0.011). After controlling for factors as age, sex, smoking and alcohol intake, the A allele of rs1106042 showed a decreased risk of HNSCC (additive model: adjusted OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.93, P=0.011). RESULTS from the stratification analysis by age, sex, smoking, alcohol intake and tumor sites showed that the effect of rs1106042 A allele on HNSCC risk was significant in older age groups (≥60), females, nonsmokers, non-alcohol drinkers, and subjects with oral cavity cancer (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Potentially, functional single nucleotide polymorphism in PIWIL1 might modify the risk of HNSCC in China.

[Disease burden of leukemia in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the disease burden of leukemia in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013.

METHODS

Data related to province-specific disease burden in China was used to analyze and compare related parameters as incidence, mortality, the disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) on leukemia in China in 1990 and 2013. Standardized mortality rates of leukemia in each province in 2013 and the changes since 1990, were described.

RESULTS

In 2013, the standardized incidence and mortality rates of leukemia in China were 6.70/100 000 and 4.05/100 000, with reduction of 8.84% and 36.22% when compared with those in 1990, respectively. The standardized DALY rate and YLL rate appeared as 174.58/100 000 and 170.42/100 000 in 2013, with 44.68% and 45.32% reduction, respectively, when compared with the figures in 1990. The standardized YLD rate of leukemia in 2013 was 4.16/100 000, with an 6.94% increase, comparing with that in 1990. Age-specific data showed that the proportion of people who died from leukemia among those who died from all the cancers was more than 10% in people under 35 years old. DALY rate of leukemia was highest among children aged 5 years old and under, which appeared as 317.61/100 000. Compared with those in 1990, the standardized mortality of leukemia appeared decreasing in all the provinces in 2013. The top three provinces with the highest standardized mortality of leukemia in 2013 were Xinjiang (4.72/100 000), Ningxia (4.56/100 000) and Fujian (4.50/100 000).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the standardized incidence rate, mortality rate, DALY rate and YLL rate due to leukemia decreased, YLD rate due to leukemia increased. Proportions of children and adolescents who died from leukemia remained high. Although the standardized mortalities of leukemia decreased in all the provinces, the differences among them still remained.

Analysis of the spatiotemporal expression of major genes in the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and correlation analysis using Hu sheep muscle tissue

The mRNA expression levels of key genes (Smads, MSTN, and MyoG) in the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in Hu sheep at different growth stages (2 days, 2 months, and 6 months of age) and in different skeletal muscles (longissimus dorsi muscle and soleus muscle) and different genders were detected; and correlation of the Smad family (Smad2, Smad3, Smad4, and Smad7), MSTN, MyoG expressions was analyzed in Hu sheep. The results showed that the expression of Smads was higher in the soleus muscle than in the longissimus dorsi muscle; the expressions of Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 were significantly higher in 2-day-old sheep than in sheep belonging to the other age groups (P < 0.05); the expressions of Smad2, Smad4, and Smad7 were higher in rams than in 2-day-old ewes, but lower in rams than in 2-month-old and 6-month-old ewes; and the expression of Smad3 was higher in rams than in 2-day-old and 2-month-old ewes, but lower in rams than in 6-month-old ewes. In the 2 different muscle tissues, expression of Smad2 was significantly positively correlated (P < 0.01) with that of Smad3. The expression of Smad3 was significantly positively correlated (P < 0.01) with that of Smad4, which showed that the Smad family genes could have an inhibitory effect on the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Ultrafast magnetization and structural dynamics in the intercalated transition metal dichalcogenides Fe0.25TaS2 and Mn0.25TaS2

We measure magnetization and structural dynamics in two intercalant-ordered transition metal dichalcogenides: Fe0.25TaS2 and Mn0.25TaS2. The structurally equivalent materials allow us to probe the effect of orbital angular momentum which is active in Fe0.25TaS2 and absent in Mn0.25TaS2. Interestingly, we find that the magnetooptics dynamics are nearly indistinguishable in these two materials, in contradiction to conventional explanations of a spin-lattice mechanism. We compare our results to other materials where spin-lattice demagnetization has been put forth as a demagnetization channel.

Effect of OPCML gene on the biological behavior of gastric cancer cell line AGS

The objective of this investigation was to explore the association of OPCML with gastric cancer and its clinical significance. The expression of OPCML was detected by immunohistochemistry in 118 cases of gastric carcinoma. The OPCML expression in the normal tissues and 7 kinds of gastric cells was assessed by RT-PCR. The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1-OPCML was constructed and transfected into AGS cells. CCK8 and colony formation assay were employed to analyze the effect of OPCML on AGS. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of OPCML in gastric cancer was 68.6% and the expression of OPCML was negatively correlated with the depth of tumor invasion and tumor differentiation degree (P < 005); OPCML expression, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were important factors affecting the prognosis of the survival of the patients (P <0.05). OPCML m-RNA expression in the gastric cancer cells was significantly lower than that in the normal gastric mucosa. RT-PCR showed that the expression of OPCML was aberrantly increased in the cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-OPCML. CCK8 and colony formation assay showed that OPCML significantly inhibited the growth, proliferation, and colony formation of the AGS cells. OPCML plays an important role in gastric cancer, and may be a new prognostic indicator of gastric cancer.

No increased risk of coronary heart disease for patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer in Chinese/Taiwanese men

The relationship between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and coronary heart disease (CHD) remains controversial. Furthermore, the majority of such studies focused on Caucasian populations, and there is still a paucity of studies among Asian populations. This population-based study aimed to investigate the relationship between ADT and CHD in an ethnic Chinese (i.e., Taiwanese) population. We used data sourced from the Taiwan 'Longitudinal Health Insurance Database'. This study included 1278 patients with prostate cancer in the study group and 1278 subjects without prostate cancer in the comparison group. Each patient was individually tracked for a 3-year period to identify those who had subsequently received a diagnosis of CHD. The results showed that the incidence rate of CHD during the 3-year follow-up period was 4.69 (95% CI: 2.99-5.48) per 100 person-years and 2.67 (95% CI: 2.15-3.27) per 100 person-years for the study and comparison cohort, respectively. The Cox proportional hazard regression showed that the hazard ratio for CHD during the 3-year follow-up period for prostate cancer patients was 1.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.25-2.16) compared with comparison subjects after adjusting for patients' geographic location, monthly income, urbanization level, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and stroke. However, we failed to find a significant difference in the adjusted hazard of CHD during the 3-year follow-up period between prostate cancer patients who did and those who did not receive ADT (hazard ratio = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.79-1.59). We concluded that prostate cancer but not ADT was significantly associated with CHD. In addition, a common cause of prostate cancer and coronary heart disease could exist.

Facile synthesis of hydrangea flower-like hierarchical gold nanostructures with tunable surface topographies for single-particle surface-enhanced Raman scattering

The physicochemical properties of noble metal nanocrystals depend strongly on their size and shape, and it is becoming clear that the design and facile synthesis of particular nanostructures with tailored shape and size is especially important. Herein a novel class of hydrangea flower-like hierarchical gold nanostructures with tunable surface topographies and optical properties are prepared for the first time by a facile, one-pot, seedless synthesis using ascorbic acid (AA) to reduce hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl4) in the presence of (1-hexadecyl)trimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The morphologies of the synthesized gold nanoflowers are controlled and fine-tuned by varying the synthetic conditions such as the concentration of reagents and the growth temperature. Due to their unique hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) structures with rich hot spots, these gold nanoflowers exhibit an efficient performance in single-particle surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The work stands out as an interesting approach for anisotropic particle synthesis and morphological control, and the proposed novel, hierarchical gold nanoflowers have a number of exciting potential applications in SERS-based sensors.

Mapping quantitative trait loci for five forage quality traits in a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid

The identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting forage quality traits enables an understanding of the genetic mechanism of these loci. The aim of the present study was to detect QTLs for the whole-plant protein content (WP), whole-plant fat content (WF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and whole-plant ash content (WA) using a population of 184 F2 individuals from a cross between sorghum Tx623A and sudangrass Sa. Correlation analysis was performed between the five forage quality traits. WP was found to be positively correlated with WF, NDF, and ADF. Furthermore, NDF was positively correlated with ADF but negatively correlated with WA. A genetic map with 124 SSR markers was constructed for QTL mapping. A total of 12 QTLs associated with the five forage quality traits were detected. Of these QTLs, qNDF3, qNDF8, and qADF8 explained more than 10% of the phenotypic variation. Additionally, although all of the QTLs exhibited additive and dominant effects, they mainly exhibited dominant effects. Our results provide important information for marker-assisted selection breeding of sorghum-sudangrass hybrids.

Statin Use Is Associated with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

INTRODUCTION

Statin may induce epithelial dysfunction of the bladder urothelium. Epithelial dysfunction was proposed as one of the major potential etiologies for bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). In this study, we examined the association between statin use and BPS/IC using a population-based study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This case-control study used the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. In total, 815 female subjects with BPS/IC and 4075 randomly selected female controls were included. We used a conditional logistic regression to compute the odds ratio (OR) for having previously used statins between cases and controls.

RESULTS

A conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the OR of prior statin users for cases was 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19-1.94) compared to controls after adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, obesity, chronic pelvic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, panic disorder, migraines, sicca syndrome, allergies, endometriosis, and asthma. Furthermore, adjusted ORs of regular and irregular statin use for cases were 1.58 (95% CI: 1.20-2.08) and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.02-2.31), respectively, compared to controls.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that there was an association between statin use and BPS/IC.

A saxitoxin-binding aptamer with higher affinity and inhibitory activity optimized by rational site-directed mutagenesis and truncation

Saxitoxin (STX), a member of the family of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins, poses toxicological and ecotoxicological risks. To develop an analytical recognition element for STX, a DNA aptamer (APT(STX1)) was previously discovered via an iterative process known as Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) by Handy et al. Our study focused on generating an improved aptamer based on APT(STX1) through rational site-directed mutation and truncation. In this study, we generated the aptamer, M-30f, with a 30-fold higher affinity for STX compared with APT(STX1). The Kd value for M-30f was 133 nM, which was calculated by Bio-Layer Interferometry. After optimization, we detected and compared the interaction of STX with aptamers (APT(STX1) or M-30f) through several techniques (ELISA, cell bioassay, and mouse bioassay). Both aptamers' STX-binding ability was demonstrated in all three methods. Moreover, M-30f performs better than its parent sequence with higher suppressive activity against STX. As a molecular recognition element, M-30f has good prospects for practical application.

QTL mapping of forage yield and forage yield component traits in Sorghum bicolor x S. sudanense

The sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor x S. sudanense) is an important forage crop. However, little is known about the genetic mechanisms related to forage yield and the 4 forage yield component traits in this forage crop. In this study, a linkage map was constructed with 124 assigned SSR markers using an F2 mapping population derived from the crossing of sorghum Tx623A and sudangrass Sa. Nine quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected for forage yield and the 4 forage yield component traits using inclusive composite interval mapping. Five fresh weight QTLs were identified and contributed >50% of the total phenotypic variance. Of these QTLs, all showed additive and dominant effects, but most exhibited mainly dominant effects. These results will provide useful information for improvements in sorghum-sudangrass hybrid breeding.

Effects of the consumption of rice from non-KBD areas and selenium supplementation on the prevention and treatment of paediatric Kaschin-Beck disease: an epidemiological intervention trial in the Qinghai Province

OBJECTIVE

Based on the aetiological hypothesis of Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD), different interventions were adopted, and the preventive and therapeutic effects of interventions was observed and evaluated in this trial.

DESIGN

A total of 358 children from seven villages of Qinghai Province in China were examined, and 280 children aged 6-11 years old were eligible for the trial. The children were divided into three groups that received either no intervention (n = 64), 150 kg/person of rice from non-KBD areas (n = 103) or 7 kg/family of selenium-iodine salt (n = 113) for 12 months. Data were collected and used to calculate the proportion of patients with X-ray lesions, the proportion of new patients and the metaphyseal repair rate. All indicators were analysed with Pearson chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. The registration number of this trial is ChiCTR-PNRC-12002309 (http://www.chictr.org).

RESULTS

After interventions, the proportion of patients with X-ray lesions increased dramatically in the control group and decreased significantly in two intervention groups; significant differences were seen between the control group and two intervention groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, significant differences were observed in the proportions of new patients and the metaphyseal repair rates between the control group and two intervention groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, the proportion of new patients was lowest and the metaphyseal repair rate was highest in group B.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of eating rice from non-KBD areas and selenium supplementation on the prevention and treatment of paediatric KBD were notable, the consumption of rice might be the most effective and safest intervention and should be encouraged.

Three Heat Shock Protein Genes from Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax Enderlein: Gene Cloning, Characterization, and Association with Diapause

Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax Enderlein is a major pest to wild and cultivated species of citrus. Bactrocera minax produces one generation per year with a long pupal diapause period of over 6 months, which hinders efforts to obtain vast numbers of insects under standard room conditions. Determining the mechanisms of diapause is significantly important for obtaining large quantities of these insects. To characterize the heat shock protein (Hsp) genes of B. minax and to unravel their potential contribution to diapause, we performed 3' and 5' RACE to isolate the complementary DNA (cDNA) sequences, bioinformatics to examine the phylogenetic relationships, and real-time quantitative PCR to detect the expression patterns of three Hsp genes during various developmental stages. These results represent the first characterization of the three Hsp genes of B. minax; the open reading frames of Bmhsp23, Bmhsp70, and Bmhsp90 were 510, 1,911, and 1,089 bp, encoding 170, 636, and 363 amino acids, respectively. BmHsp70 and BmHsp90 displayed high identity to previously identified Hsp70 and Hsp90 genes, respectively. BmHsp23 displayed varying similarity, from 28 to 83%, to previously identified small Hsps. Bmhsp23 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was found to be upregulated during diapause initiation, maintenance, and termination. Bmhsp70 mRNA expression peaked during diapause initiation. Bmhsp90 mRNA expression remained at a relatively low level during deep diapause. Our present results suggest that Bmhsp70 might play an important role in diapause initiation, while Bmhsp23 in diapause initiation and maintenance and Bmhsp90 in diapause regulation. These results improve our understanding of the mechanism of diapause in B. minax at the molecular level.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Alternaria alternata on Chinese Dwarf Banana in China

The Chinese dwarf banana (Ensete lasiocarpum) is one of the ornamental bananas that belongs to Musaceae family. The plant is native to the southwestern China, where it grows semi-wild in the mountains between 1,500 and 2,500 m above sea level. During July 2011, a leaf spot disease on this plant was observed in the campus and parks in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The incidence level was about 22%, mainly on the old leaves. The leaf symptoms were irregular spots with gray to off-white centers surrounded by dark brown margins, and usually also surrounded by chlorotic halos. Leaf tissues (3 × 5 mm), cut from the margins of lesions, were surface-disinfected (95% ethanol for 3 min, 0.1% HgCl₂ for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile water), plated on potato sucrose agar (PSA), and incubated at 26°C under natural lights. The same fungus was consistently isolated from the diseased leaves. Colonies of white-to-dark gray mycelia formed on PSA that were black on the underside. The colonies were further identified as Alternaria sp. based on the dark brown, obclavate to obpyriform catenulate conidia with longitudinal and transverse septa tapering to a prominent beak attached in chains on a simple and short conidiophore (2). Conidia were 5.26 to 30.26 μm long and 3.95 to 15.79 μm wide, averaging 10.21 (±3.17) × 20.02 (±5.75) μm (n = 50), with a beak length of 0 to 7.89 μm, and had 3 to 8 transverse and 0 to 3 longitudinal septa. PCR amplification was carried out by utilizing universal rDNA-ITS primer pair ITS4/ITS5 (1). The ITS region of isolate DY1 (GenBank Accession No. KF516556) was 572 bp in length. BLAST search revealed 99% identity with two Alternaria alternata isolates (JF440581.1 and GQ121322.2). Phylogenetic analysis (MEGA 5.1) using the neighbor-joining algorithm placed the isolate in a well-supported cluster with other A. alternata isolates. The pathogen was identified as A. alternate (Fr.:Fr.) Keissler based on the morphological characteristics and rDNA-ITS sequence analysis. To confirm pathogenicity, Koch's postulates were performed on detached leaves of E. lasiocarpum inoculated with mycelial plugs with ddH₂O and agar plugs as a control. Leaf spots identical to those observed in the field developed in 9 days on the inoculated leaves but not on the control. The inoculation assay used three leaves, totaling 72 spots for control and 36 spots for inoculation. The experiments were repeated once. A. alternata was consistently re-isolated from the inoculated leaves. The symptom developed easier with wounds. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. lasiocarpum leaf spot disease caused by A. alternata in China and the world. References: (1) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990. (2) T. Y. Zhang. Flora Fungorum Sinicorum, Vol. 16: Alternaria. Science Press, Beijing, China, 2003.

Dose effect of thiazolidinedione on cancer risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a six-year population-based cohort study

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Prior studies found that thiazolidinediones (TZDs) might have tumour-suppressor activity mediated through cell-cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell invasion. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of TZDs on the risk of cancer among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with DM between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2002 were identified from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) within the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) programme. Using Cox regression models, we assessed the association between prescribed TZDs and cancer risk, TZDs' dose effect and the association between TZDs and specific cancer types. Hazard ratios (HR) were adjusted for potential confounders (age, gender, income, Charlson score index, metformin and insulin use).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The adjusted HRs for those prescribed TZD were 0·74 (95% CI 0·43-1·26, P = 0·27), 0·39 (95% CI 0·33-0·45, P < 0·001) and 0·49 (95% CI 0·27-0·89, P = 0·02), respectively, relative to non-DM patients, DM patients prescribed other anti-DM drugs besides TZDs and DM patients not prescribed any anti-DM drugs. In addition, the effects of TZDs were shown to be significantly dose dependent (P for trend < 0·001). The risk of breast, brain, colorectal, ear-nose-throat, kidney, liver, lung, lymphatic, prostate, stomach, and uterus cancer was significantly lower in those prescribed TZDs.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS

The results showed a decrease in cancer risk in diabetic patients using TZD, and the association was dose dependent.

Module function and two-way clustering analysis of Epstein-Barr virus-related nasopharyngeal cancer

This study sought to identify and characterize the function of genes as diagnostic markers for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). The gene expression profile of GSE13597 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which included 28 EBV-related NPC gene expression profile data sets, 25 disease samples, and 3 control samples. Data were pre-processed, and differentially expressed genes were screened using the R language. The co-expression coefficient was calculated to construct a co-expression network using Cytoscape. ClusterONE was used to perform module analysis to find enriched gene families. The BiCAT software was used to perform a two-way clustering analysis of differentially expressed gene expression profiles based on the co-expression networks and to verify the enriched gene families, followed by functional enrichment analysis of these gene families. The MCM gene family was found to be enriched in EBV-related NPC. This gene family is essential for eukaryotic DNA replication. Functional analysis of differentially expressed genes in the co-expression network revealed that the enriched biological processes and pathways were mainly involved in the cell cycle. EBV-related NPC is likely associated mainly with the process of cell reproduction, providing a strong basis for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of EBV-related NPC and a direction for targeted chemotherapy.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and purification of schisandrin B from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill seeds: optimization by response surface methodology

The objective of this study is to develop a process consisting of ultrasonic-assisted extraction, silica-gel column chromatography and crystallization to optimize pilot scale recovery of schisandrin B (SAB) from Schisandra chinensis seeds. The effects of five independent variables including liquid-solid ratio, ethanol concentration, ultrasonic power, extraction time, and temperature on the SAB yield were evaluated with fractional factorial design (FFD). The FFD results showed that the ethanol concentration was the only significant factor for the yield of SAB. Then, with the liquid-solid ratio 5 (mL/g) and ultrasonic power 600 W, the other three parameters were further optimized by means of response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM results revealed that the optimal conditions consisted of 95% ethanol, 60 °C and 70 min. The average experimental SAB yield under the optimum conditions was found to be 5.80 mg/g, which was consistent with the predicted value of 5.83 mg/g. Subsequently, a silica gel chromatographic process was used to prepare the SAB-enriched extract with petroleum ether/acetone (95:5, v/v) as eluents. After final crystallization, 1.46 g of SAB with the purity of 99.4% and the overall recovery of 57.1% was obtained from 400 g seeds powder. This method provides an efficient and low-cost way for SAB purification for pharmaceutical industrial applications.

Roles of pyrolysis on availability, species and distribution of Cu and Zn in the swine manure: chemical extractions and high-energy synchrotron analyses

Animal manures generally contain high levels of heavy metals that may pose a significant threat to soil and groundwater qualities. Pyrolysis as means of reducing metal availability in such feed stocks is recently encouraged, but systematic studies are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pyrolysis temperature on the availability of Cu and Zn by chemical extraction, to determine the speciation of Cu and Zn by synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy, and finally to investigate the phase distribution of metal species in the carbonaceous materials by combining acid-base extractions and absorption spectroscopy data. The results showed that both Cu and Zn in the swine manure were mainly bound to organic functional groups. Cu (II) reduction and Cu (I)-S complexes were observed during the pyrolysis process. Zn species resembling ZnAc2 was still dominant, being 60.8-69.2%, and ZnS increased by 6.6-21.8% in the carbonaceous materials. The distribution of Cu and Zn in the mineral, carbonized and non-carbonized organic phases varied greatly with the pyrolysis temperature. The higher the temperature, the more the metals existed in the mineral phase and carbonized organic phase. The decrease of EDTA extractable Cu and Zn with pyrolysis temperature was due to the increase of metals in the carbonized organic phase and mineral phase. It is suggested that pyrolysis at the relatively higher temperature is a better choice for metal-containing manure according to the metal speciation, solubility and availability.

Generating mechanism for higher-order rogue waves

We introduce a mechanism for generating higher-order rogue waves (HRWs) of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation: the progressive fusion and fission of n degenerate breathers associated with a critical eigenvalue λ(0) creates an order-n HRW. By adjusting the relative phase of the breathers in the interacting area, it is possible to obtain different types of HRWs. The value λ(0) is a zero point of an eigenfunction of the Lax pair of the NLS equation and it corresponds to the limit of the period of the breather tending to infinity. By employing this mechanism we prove two conjectures regarding the total number of peaks, as well as a decomposition rule in the circular pattern of an order-n HRW.

Breather and rogue wave solutions of a generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation

In this paper, using the Darboux transformation, we demonstrate the generation of first-order breather and higher-order rogue waves from a generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation with several higher-order nonlinear effects representing femtosecond pulse propagation through nonlinear silica fiber. The same nonlinear evolution equation can also describe the soliton-type nonlinear excitations in classical Heisenberg spin chain. Such solutions have a parameter γ(1), denoting the strength of the higher-order effects. From the numerical plots of the rational solutions, the compression effects of the breather and rogue waves produced by γ(1) are discussed in detail.

Aqueous two-phase system coupled with ultrasound for the extraction of lignans from seeds of Schisandra chinensis (turcz.) Baill

In this study the potential use of an aqueous two phase system (ATPS) coupled with ultrasound for the extraction of lignans from Schisandra chinensis seeds was evaluated and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The main bioactive components, schizandrin (SA), schisantherin A (SAA) and deoxyschizandrin (DSA) were selected as markers. The partitioning behavior of lignans in different salt-types of ATPS was compared. The optimization ATPS of 25% (w/w) (NH(4))(2)SO(4) and 19% (w/w) ethanol were selected based on their higher upper phase partitioning coefficient (>74) and the recovery (>93%) for three markers. Using the optimized ATPS solvent, the RMS results showed 20:1 of solvent:solid, 800 W and 61.1 min were the optimal ultrasound assisted extraction conditions, under which 13.10mg/g SA, 1.87 mg/g SAA and 1.84 mg/g DSA were recovered in the upper phase, whereas the wasted stigmas accumulated in the lower phase. Compared with 80% ethanol (v/v) ultrasonic extraction, similar yields were obtained, but the present method exhibited higher extraction purity for the selective extraction of lignans from S. chinensis seeds.

Expression of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) gene in ovine non-gonadal tissues during estrous cycle

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is an important glycoprotein hormone that regulates gonadal function in mammals and in turn regulates physiological status changes during the estrous cycle. The function of LH is mediated by luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). In order to examine the expression patterns of the LHR gene in non-gonadal tissues during the 4 phases of the ovine estrous cycle, tissues from healthy non-pregnant adult Hu sheep were examined according to the estrous cycle for normal ovaries using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and ELISA methods with GAPDH as the reference gene. LHR mRNA expression levels were significantly correlated with protein concentrations and the LHR gene was abundantly expressed in olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, rumen, small intestine, kidney, and uterine tissues. When comparing the expression levels of LHR during the 4 estrous phases in particular tissues, the results showed that LHR expression levels were significantly different and relatively lower at the estrous stage in a number of non-gonadal tissues. The trends of change in LHR expression levels were highly significantly correlated between hypothalamus and rectum, hypophysis and oviduct, ileum and uterus, and among jejunum, olfactory bulb, and kidney (P < 0.01), and there was also significant correlation between duodenum and oviduct, hypothalamus and medulla oblongata, jejunum and uterus, omasum and abomasum, and reticulum and colon (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the ovine LHR gene (or LH) might control important mechanisms in non-gonadal tissues and that the level of LH activity in some tissues may be influenced by hormonal status during the estrous cycle.