Dorsal open reduction with pedicle screw rod internal fixation for lower cervical spine dislocation: A retrospective analysis of 12 cases

BACKGROUND

Lower cervical spine dislocation remains a surgical challenge.

METHODS

Twelve patients with lower cervical dislocation due to articular process injury underwent dorsal open reduction and manual pedicle screw rod fixation. Patients with cervical spinal cord injury received simultaneous open door expansive laminoplasty. Neurological function was evaluated using ASIA Impairment Scale 12.

RESULTS

Median time from injury to operation was 10 days (range, 5 to 52 days). Anatomic reduction was achieved in all patients. In nine patients with cervical spinal cord injury, 55.5% (5/9) showed improvement in ASIA grade following surgery. Unilateral numbness of the superior radicular area in one patient resolved 2 weeks post-surgery and two cases (11.1%, 2/9) had postoperative leakage of the cerebrospinal fluid, which resolved in 11 days and 13 days, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Dorsal open reduction and manual pedicle screw rod fixation is safe and effective for lower cervical spine dislocation due to articular process injury.

Morphology and deflection properties of bat wing sensory hairs: scanning electron microscopy, laser scanning vibrometry, and mechanics model

Bat wings are highly adaptive airfoils that enable demanding flight maneuvers, which are performed with astonishing robustness under turbulent conditions, and stability at slow flight velocities. The bat wing is sparsely covered with microscopically small, sensory hairs that are associated with tactile receptors. In a previous study we demonstrated that bat wing hairs are involved in sensing airflow for improved flight maneuverability. Here, we report physical measurements of these hairs and their distribution on the wing surface of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, based on scanning electron microscopy analyses. The wing hairs are strongly tapered, and are found on both the dorsal and ventral wing surfaces. Laser scanning vibrometry tests of 43 hairs from twelve locations across the wing of the big brown bat revealed that their natural frequencies inversely correlate with length and range from 3.7 to 84.5 kHz. Young's modulus of the average wing hair was calculated at 4.4 GPa, which is comparable with rat whiskers or arthropod airflow-sensing hairs.

Amino acid composition of royal jelly harvested at different times after larval transfer

The amino acids in royal jelly (RJ) have a wide range of pharmacological and health-promoting functions in humans. Multiple studies on the amino acid quality and composition in RJ have investigated RJ harvested at 72 h after larval transfer. In contrast, the concentration of amino acids in RJ harvested before 72 h remains unknown. In this study, the concentration of free amino acids (FAAs) and total amino acids (TAAs) in RJ harvested at 13 time points between 24 and 72 h after transfer of ten Apis mellifera colonies were measured. Our results indicated that the most abundant FAAs were Pro, Phe, Lys, Glu, and Tyr, whereas the most abundant TAAs were Asp, Glu, Leu, Lys, and Val. The total FAA concentration in RJ increased with increasing harvest time, from 4.30 mg/g at 24 h to 9.48 mg/g at 72 h. In contrast, the variation in concentration of TAAs observed was a decrease-increase-decrease trend with 40 h (149.53 mg/g) and 52 h (169.62 mg/g) as inflection points. The highest and lowest concentrations of TAA were 197.96 and 121.32 mg/g at 24 and 72 h, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the concentration changes of FAAs and TAAs prior to 72 h after transfer. Our results will provide theoretical support to guide production practices of beekeeping, as well as elucidate the relationship between the harvest time point and RJ content.

Improved survival with dose-escalated radiotherapy in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: analysis of the National Cancer Database

BACKGROUND

Concurrent chemoradiation is the standard of care in non-operable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data have suggested a benefit of dose escalation; however, results from the randomized dose-escalation trial RTOG 0617 revealed a lower survival rate with high-dose radiation. To evaluate the impact of dose escalation on overall survival (OS) in stage III NSCLC treated with chemoradiotherapy outside the controlled setting of a randomized trial, we carried out an observational, population-based investigation of the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 33 566 patients with stage III NSCLC treated with chemoradiation from 2004 to 2012 and radiation doses between 59.4 and 85 Gy were included. The primary end point was OS, with median survival calculated via Kaplan-Meier. Univariate, multivariable and propensity-score matching analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Patients were stratified by dose with median OS of: 18.8, 19.8 and 21.6 months for cohorts receiving 59.4-60, 61-69 and ≥70 Gy, respectively (P < 0.001). Granular dose analyses were carried out demonstrating increased OS with increasing radiation dose: median survival of 18.8, 21.1, 22.0 and 21.0 months for 59.4-60, 66, 70 and ≥71 Gy, respectively. While 66, 70 and ≥71 Gy resulted in increased OS in comparison with 59.4-60 Gy, no significant difference in OS was observed when comparing 66 with ≥71 Gy (P = 0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

Dose escalation above 60 Gy was associated with improved OS in this cohort of stage III NSCLC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. A plateau of benefit was observed, with no additional improvement in OS with increased dose (≥71 Gy) compared with 66-70 Gy. With evidence suggesting worse OS and quality of life with increased dose, these data support investigation of the role of intermediate-dose radiation, and in the absence of randomized evidence, may be leveraged to justify utilization of intermediate-dose radiation.

Similar efficacy and safety of once-weekly dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥65 and <65 years

AIMS

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dulaglutide 1.5 and 0.75 mg in elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in six phase III clinical trials.

METHODS

Patients were grouped into two age groups: ≥65 and <65 years. Pooled analysis for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) change from baseline, percentage of patients achieving HbA1c targets, and gastrointestinal tolerability were evaluated at 26 weeks for each dulaglutide dose. Change in weight from baseline and rates of hypoglycaemia were evaluated for each individual study.

RESULTS

A total of 958 of 5171 (18.5%) patients were aged ≥65 years. The reductions in HbA1c were similar between age groups for dulaglutide 1.5 mg-treated patients {least squares [LS] mean for patients aged ≥65 years: -1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.36, -1.12] and for patients aged <65 years: -1.29 [95% CI -1.38, -1.20]} and for dulaglutide 0.75 mg-treated patients [LS mean for patients aged ≥65 years: -1.16 (95% CI -1.29, -1.03) and for patients aged <65 years: -1.10 (95% CI -1.19, -1.01)] at 26 weeks. The percentages of patients who achieved HbA1c targets of <7, <8 or <9% were also similar in the two groups with both dulaglutide doses. Patients aged ≥65 years had similar weight change to patients aged <65 years. Severe hypoglycaemic events were infrequent. A similar incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events was observed in each age group with both dulaglutide doses.

CONCLUSION

Both dulaglutide doses were well tolerated, with similar efficacy in patients with T2D aged ≥65 years to those aged <65 years. Dulaglutide can be considered a safe and effective treatment option for use in older adults.

Improvement of gemcitabine sensitivity of p53-mutated pancreatic cancer MiaPaCa-2 cells by RUNX2 depletion-mediated augmentation of TAp73-dependent cell death

Pancreatic cancer exhibits the worst prognostic outcome among human cancers. Recently, we have described that depletion of RUNX2 enhances gemcitabine (GEM) sensitivity of p53-deficient pancreatic cancer AsPC-1 cells through the activation of TAp63-mediated cell death pathway. These findings raised a question whether RUNX2 silencing could also improve GEM efficacy on pancreatic cancer cells bearing p53 mutation. In the present study, we have extended our study to p53-mutated pancreatic cancer MiaPaCa-2 cells. Based on our current results, MiaPaCa-2 cells were much more resistant to GEM as compared with p53-proficient pancreatic cancer SW1990 cells, and there existed a clear inverse relationship between the expression levels of TAp73 and RUNX2 in response to GEM. Forced expression of TAp73α in MiaPaCa-2 cells significantly promoted cell cycle arrest and/or cell death, indicating that a large amount of TAp73 might induce cell death even in the presence of mutant p53. Consistent with this notion, overexpression of TAp73α stimulated luciferase activity driven by p53/TAp73-target gene promoters in MiaPaCa-2 cells. Similar to AsPC-1 cells, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of RUNX2 remarkably enhanced GEM sensitivity of MiPaCa-2 cells. Under our experimental conditions, TAp73 further accumulated in RUNX2-depleted MiaPaCa-2 cells exposed to GEM relative to GEM-treated non-silencing control cells. As expected, silencing of p73 reduced GEM sensitivity of MiPaCa-2 cells. Moreover, GEM-mediated Tyr phosphorylation level of TAp73 was much more elevated in RUNX2-depleted MiaPaCa-2 cells. Collectively, our present findings strongly suggest that knockdown of RUNX2 contributes to a prominent enhancement of GEM sensitivity of p53-mutated pancreatic cancer cells through the activation of TAp73-mediated cell death pathway, and also provides a promising strategy for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer bearing p53 mutation.

Measurement of Muon Antineutrino Oscillations with an Accelerator-Produced Off-Axis Beam

T2K reports its first measurements of the parameters governing the disappearance of ν[over ¯]_{μ} in an off-axis beam due to flavor change induced by neutrino oscillations. The quasimonochromatic ν[over ¯]_{μ} beam, produced with a peak energy of 0.6 GeV at J-PARC, is observed at the far detector Super-Kamiokande, 295 km away, where the ν[over ¯]_{μ} survival probability is expected to be minimal. Using a data set corresponding to 4.01×10^{20} protons on target, 34 fully contained μ-like events were observed. The best-fit oscillation parameters are sin^{2}(θ[over ¯]_{23})=0.45 and |Δm[over ¯]_{32}^{2}|=2.51×10^{-3}  eV^{2} with 68% confidence intervals of 0.38-0.64 and 2.26-2.80×10^{-3}  eV^{2}, respectively. These results are in agreement with existing antineutrino parameter measurements and also with the ν_{μ} disappearance parameters measured by T2K.

Apoptosis is related to imbalance of Th1/Th2-type cytokine in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic hepatitis B

KEYWORDS

peripheral blood mononuclear cells; apoptosis; cytokine; hepatitis B virus.

Patient-reported outcome results in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with once-weekly dulaglutide: data from the AWARD phase III clinical trial programme

We evaluated patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures from the Assessment of Weekly AdministRation of LY2189265 (dulaglutide) in Diabetes (AWARD) clinical trial programme for dulaglutide (1.5 mg and 0.75 mg) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Impact of Weight on Self-Perception (IW-SP), Impact of Weight on Ability to Perform Physical Activities of Daily Living (APPADL), Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite, EQ-5D, Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ), Diabetes Symptom Checklist-Revised and Adult Low Blood Sugar Survey were administered and analysed for changes from baseline in one or more AWARD studies. Significant within-group changes from baseline to the primary time point were observed for several PRO measures across all studies. Compared with insulin glargine, significantly greater improvements in the IW-SP score were observed with dulaglutide 1.5 mg and with both dulaglutide doses in the APPADL score. Both dulaglutide doses resulted in significantly greater improvement in DTSQ scores (all subscales) compared with exenatide. Dulaglutide 1.5 mg also resulted in significantly greater improvement on the DTSQ hyperglycaemia subscale compared with metformin. Overall, these PRO results suggest that dulaglutide is beneficial in the treatment of T2D.

[Observation on the efficacy of modified Appleby operation for carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the security, feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of modified Appleby operation for carcinoma of the body and tail of pancreas.

METHODS

From March 2010 to February 2015 modified Appleby operation was performed in 17 patients with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. The biochemical indices of fasting plasma blood (FPB), body weight (BW), visual analogue pain intensity scale (VAS score) and the quality of life index were evaluated before and 1 day , 1, 2, 6weeks after surgery. Survival time, tumor recurrence time, hospitalization time and treatment-related complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

There was no hospital mortality in this study. Pancreatic fistula and diarrhea were the major complications. The overall complication rate was 47.1%. The liver function index of ALT and AST were increased on postoperative day 1, and they were restored to normal after one week. Blood glucose has no obvious abnormal increase and abdominal pain was completely relieved. The VAS score decreased after surgery comparing with before (1.9±3.6 vs 83.2±8.5, P<0.05). Life quality assessment was significantly higher. The body weight of patients after surgery has a mean increment of (4.1±1.3)kg than that before surgery (68.1±4.3 vs 64.0±6.7, P<0.05). A significant rise of the overall quality of life index was observed after surgery (93.8±9.7 vs 68.6±6.7, P<0.05). The recurrence rates of 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were 22.9%, 58.9%, 72.6% and 72.6%, respectively. Median recurrence time was (20.0±3.8 m) (95%CI: 12.6-27.4 m). The survival rates of 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were 80.4%, 54.2%, 32.5% and 16.3%, respectively. The median survival time was (26.0±6.0)m (95%CI: 14.2-37.8 m).

CONCLUSIONS

Modified Appleby operation for pancreatic cancer is safe and feasible. It can relieve abdominal pain, improve the quality of life, improve the survival rate and prolong the survival time.

Involvement of oxidative stress in tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate-induced liver injury in male mice

Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) has been widely used as plasticizers, plastic softeners, and flame retardants in industry and reported to have delayed neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicology in animals. However, it remains to be elusive whether TOCP induces liver injury. In this study, male mice were orally administered different concentrations of TOCP (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. Histological examination showed that TOCP led to serious hepatocellular injury. In addition, administration of TOCP induced a marked elevation in the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in mice. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased significantly in the liver after the mice were treated with TOCP; while there was a dramatic decrease in the content of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX). TOCP inhibited viability of mouse liver cancer Hepa 1-6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, TOCP significantly increased MDA content and inhibited GSH content and the activities of SOD and GSH-PX in the cells, respectively. Oxidative stress dramatically inhibited viability of Hepa 1-6 cells; while inhibition of oxidative stress by N-acetyl-l-cysteine could rescue the cell viability inhibited by TOCP to a certain extent. In summary, oxidative stress might be involved in TOCP-induced hepatocellular injury in male mice.

In situ precision electrospinning as an effective delivery technique for cyanoacrylate medical glue with high efficiency and low toxicity

The side effects or toxicity of cyanoacrylate used in vivo have been argued since its first application in wound closure. We propose an airflow-assisted in situ precision electrospinning apparatus as an applicator and make a detailed comparison with traditional spraying via in vitro and in vivo experiments. This novel method can not only improve operational performance and safety by precisely depositing cyanoacrylate fibers onto a wound, but significantly reduce the dosage of cyanoacrylate by almost 80%. A white blood cell count, liver function test and histological analysis prove that the in situ precision electrospinning applicator produces a better postoperative outcome, e.g., minor hepatocyte injury, moderate inflammation and the significant ability for liver regeneration. This in situ precision electrospinning method may thus dramatically broaden both civilian and military applications of cyanoacrylates.

Low-dimensional boron structures based on icosahedron B₁₂

One-dimensional icosahedral boron chains and two-dimensional icosahedral boron sheets (icosahedral α, δ6, and δ4 sheets) that contain icosahedra B12 as their building units have been predicted in a computer simulation study using a state-of-the-art semi-empirical Hamiltonian. These novel low-dimensional icosahedral structures exhibit interesting bonding and electronic properties. Specifically, the three-center, two-electron bonding between icosahedra B12 of the boron bulk (rhombohedral boron) transforms into a two-center bonding in these new allotropes of boron sheets. In contrast to the previously reported stable buckled α and triangular boron monolayer sheets, these new allotropes of boron sheets form a planar network. Calculations of electronic density of states (DOS) reveal a semiconducting nature for both the icosahedral chain and the icosahedral δ6 and δ4 sheets, as well as a nearly gapless (or metallic-like) feature in the DOS for the icosahedral α sheet. The results for the energy barrier per atom between the icosahedral δ6 and α sheets (0.17 eV), the icosahedral δ6 and δ4 sheets (0.38 eV), and the icosahedral α and δ4 sheets (0.27 eV), as indicated in the respective parentheses, suggest that these new allotropes of boron sheets are relatively stable.

Treatment satisfaction in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with once-weekly dulaglutide: data from the AWARD-1 and AWARD-3 clinical trials

AIMS

To compare treatment satisfaction among people with type 2 diabetes receiving dulaglutide 1.5 mg and dulaglutide 0.75 mg (a once-weekly, long-acting, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist) with those receiving either exenatide or placebo (AWARD-1 study) or metformin (AWARD-3 study) over 52 weeks.

METHODS

The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire status version (DTSQs) and change version (DTSQc) were used to evaluate total treatment satisfaction and perceived frequency of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia.

RESULTS

In the AWARD-1 study, significant improvements from baseline were observed in total DTSQs score for both dulaglutide doses (26 and 52 weeks) and exenatide (26 weeks). The improvement was significantly greater with both dulaglutide doses compared with placebo (26 weeks) and exenatide (26 and 52 weeks). The perceived frequency of hyperglycaemia was lower for all groups at 26 and 52 weeks compared with baseline. The improvement was greater with both dulaglutide doses and exenatide compared with placebo at 26 weeks, and was also greater with both dulaglutide doses compared with exenatide at 26 and 52 weeks. The exenatide group had an increase in perceived frequency of hypoglycaemia at 26 and 52 weeks. In the AWARD-3 study, significant improvements from baseline were observed for total DTSQs scores in all groups at 26 and 52 weeks. Perceived frequency of hyperglycaemia was lower for all groups at 26 and 52 weeks compared with baseline, and this improvement was greater with both dulaglutide doses compared with metformin at 52 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Dulaglutide was associated with improvements in treatment satisfaction and a decrease in perceived frequency of hyperglycaemia.

The in vitro effects of caffeine on viability, cycle cycle profiles, proliferation, and apoptosis of glioblastomas

OBJECTIVE

We studied the effects of caffeine on cell viability, cell cycle profiles, proliferation, and apoptosis in rat C6 and human U87MG glioblastoma cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cell viability was quantified by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the relative number of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, while cell proliferation was quantified using the Cell Counting Kit-8. The proportion of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry, and expression of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, Cyt-C, Bax and Bcl-2 by Western blot.

RESULTS

Caffeine at doses of up to 0.5 mM did not affect cell viability in both rat C6 and human U87MG glioblastoma cells. Further studies were done using the dose of 0.5 mM. Percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase was markedly increased, while percentage of cells in the S phase decreased, after cell treatment with caffeine. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by caffeine. Furthermore, caffeine induced cell apoptosis, decreased expression of Bcl-2, and increased expression of Cyt-C and Caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONS

Caffeine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in glioblastoma cells. Our results provide the experimental basis for further studies of potential role of caffeine in the treatment of glioblastomas.

A low-phase-noise 18 GHz Kerr frequency microcomb phase-locked over 65 THz

Laser frequency combs are coherent light sources that simultaneously provide pristine frequency spacings for precision metrology and the fundamental basis for ultrafast and attosecond sciences. Recently, nonlinear parametric conversion in high-Q microresonators has been suggested as an alternative platform for optical frequency combs, though almost all in 100 GHz frequencies or more. Here we report a low-phase-noise on-chip Kerr frequency comb with mode spacing compatible with high-speed silicon optoelectronics. The waveguide cross-section of the silicon nitride spiral resonator is designed to possess small and flattened group velocity dispersion, so that the Kerr frequency comb contains a record-high number of 3,600 phase-locked comb lines. We study the single-sideband phase noise as well as the long-term frequency stability and report the lowest phase noise floor achieved to date with -130 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset for the 18 GHz Kerr comb oscillator, along with feedback stabilization to achieve frequency Allan deviations of 7 × 10(-11) in 1 s. The reported system is a promising compact platform for achieving self-referenced Kerr frequency combs and also for high-capacity coherent communication architectures.

Implementation of a pharmacogenetic management service for postmyocardial infarction care in a community pharmacy

AIM

The purpose of this study was to pilot a multisite, proof-of-concept model where community pharmacists could engage patients and physicians to provide pharmacogenetic (PGt) testing and clinical decision support.

PATIENTS & METHODS

Patients with history of acute myocardial infarction and percutaneous coronary intervention with no prior history of CYP2C19 testing.

RESULTS

Four community pharmacies provided pharmacogenetic testing and medication therapy management services to 30 patients, resulting in eight recommendations for antiplatelet therapy adjustment.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists involved in the study were able to facilitate antiplatelet therapy adjustments based on PGt data regardless of baseline antiplatelet drug selection. Whereas prior literature largely revolved around PGt management in the inpatient setting, this project supports the involvement of the community pharmacist in making PGt-based recommendations.

No influence of CYP2D6*10 genotype and phenotype on the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol in healthy Chinese subjects

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Nebivolol, a clinically important antihypertensive drug, mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6, shows wide interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics. The CYP2D6*10 allele (100C>T; rs1065852), present at a high frequency in the Chinese population, is associated with alteration in the pharmacokinetics of many drugs, but its effect on the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol is unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the CYP2D6*10 genotype and phenotype are associated with changes in the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol in Chinese subjects.

METHODS

Twenty-four healthy subjects were divided into three groups according to CYP2D6*1/*1 (n = 7), CYP2D6*1/*10 (n = 5) and CYP2D6*10/*10 (n = 12) genotypes. The *1/*1 homozygotes and *1/*10 heterozygotes were C allele carriers. All subjects received oral single dose of nebivolol and dextromethorphan. Blood and urine samples were gathered at various times.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol between the three CYP2D6*10 genotypes, and no gene-dose effect was seen. The pharmacokinetic parameters of CYP2D6*10/*10 subjects were also similar to those of CYP2D6*1 carriers. A weak relationship between CYP2D6 phenotype and nebivolol clearance was found.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

The CYP2D6*10 genotype and phenotype were not associated with significant alterations in the pharmacokinetics of nebivolol. CYP2D6*10 alone does not account for the large interindividual differences observed in the disposition of nebivolol among Chinese healthy subjects.

Fabrication and photoelectric properties of La-doped p-type ZnO nanofibers and crossed p-n homojunctions by electrospinning

La-doped p-type ZnO nanofibers were successfully synthesized by electrospinning, followed by calcination. The microstructure and morphology of the La-doped ZnO nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The field effect curve of individual nanofibers confirms that the resulting La-doped ZnO fibers are p-type semiconductors. The doping mechanism is discussed. Furthermore, crossed p-n homojunction nanofibers were also prepared based on electrospun La-doped p-type ZnO and n-type pure ZnO fibers. The current-voltage curve shows the typical rectifying characteristic of a p-n homojunction device. The turn-on voltage appears at about 2.5 V under the forward bias and the reverse current is impassable.

Impact of caffeine on β cell proliferation and apoptosis under the influence of palmitic acid

We examined the influence of caffeine on the proliferation and apoptosis of β cells cultured in vitro in the presence of the free fatty acid palmitic acid (PA). Different concentrations of caffeine (1-100 mM) and free fatty PA were added to cultured β cells. The MTT assay was used to analyze cell proliferative activity; flow cytometry was used to measure apoptosis and calculate the apoptosis rate. Compared with the blank control group, cells cultured with 500 mM PA for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h showed inhibition of pancreatic β cell proliferative activity. In the 10 and 25 mM caffeine groups cultured for 48, 72, and 96 h, β cell proliferative activity was much higher than that in the 500 mM PA group. The apoptosis rate in the 500 mM PA group was 40.55 ± 20.33%, which was higher than that in the blank control group. The apoptosis rates in the 10 and 25 mM caffeine group and the PA group were 19.12 ± 10.56 and 20.97 ± 9.75%, respectively, which was lower than that in the 500 mM PA group. At some concentrations, caffeine can improve free fatty PA levels and guide pancreatic β cell proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis.

Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the endopolygalacturonase gene in peach and its potential use in crossbreeding programs

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant sequence variations found in plant genomes and are widely used as molecular genetic markers in genetic diversity studies and crossbreeding programs. In this study, we examined 113 DNA sequences of the endopolygalacturonase (endo-PG) gene from 67 peach accessions and found a total of 56 SNPs and 6 insertion/deletions (indels), with a frequency of 3, 1, and 3% for the transitions, transversions, and indels, respectively. Meanwhile, the majority of the observed SNPs were found in the intron regions, while only 2 variable sites and a single indel were detected in the exon regions. A dendrogram was obtained using neighbor-joining cluster analysis and divided into 2 main groups, providing evidence that most of the accessions of the clingstone nonmelting flesh phenotypes generally clustered together and were comparatively nonrelated to the "stony hard" peach cultivars, which were in a different branch altogether. Furthermore, 4 major haplotypes were formed and 3 cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence primer sets were mined according to fruit texture and stone adhesion, displaying their potential as candidate molecular markers for discriminating genotypes. This research will assist peach genetic enhancement by introducing a novel crossbreeding strategy.

[Correlation analysis between the sagittal and coronal parameters of spino-pelvic in Lenke type 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between spino-pelvic sagittal and coronal parameters in Lenke 1 group of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

METHODS

The subjects were retrospectively collected from 2005 to 2013. On the posteroanterior and lateral radiographs, apical vertebra (AV), Cobb angle of main thoracic curve (MT), pelvic incidence (PI), C7 translation ratio (C7TR) and other sagittal parameters were measured and recorded. Comparison and correlation studies were conducted between these parameters using specific softwares.

RESULTS

In the study, 51 subjects, including 18 males and 33 females, were recruited, aged (14.9±2.0) years averagely. The apical vertebra ranged from T7 to T11,with mean MT being 49.6°±16.7°, and mean PI 44.7°±6.7°. Significant correlation existed between PI and PT, SS, LL, as well as between LL and SS, TK (P <0.05). Significant differences were found in TK, LL and SS among the different LM groups, but no difference in the other sagittal parameters. AV had no significant correlation with any sagittal parameter. MT was significantly correlated with TK, LL and SS, but its correlation with PI was not significant.

CONCLUSION

Most of sagittal parameters were significantly correlated in Lenke 1 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, forming a regulation chain of spine-pelvic sagittal balance on the basis of PI. Significant correlation exists between some sagittal and coronal parameters.

Effect of pantoprazole to enhance activity of docetaxel against human tumour xenografts by inhibiting autophagy

BACKGROUND

Autophagy allows recycling of cellular components and may facilitate cell survival after chemotherapy. Pantoprazole inhibits proton pumps and is reported to inhibit autophagy. Here we evaluate the effects of pantoprazole to modify cytotoxicity of the anticancer drug docetaxel, and underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Effects of docetaxel±pantoprazole were studied against wild-type and autophagy-deficient PC3 cells and against four human xenografts. Effects of pantoprazole on autophagy were evaluated by quantifying LC3-I, LC3-II and p62 proteins in western blots, and by fluorescent microscopy of cells transfected with RFP-GFP-LC3. The distribution of drug effects and of autophagy was quantified in tumour sections in relation to blood vessels and hypoxia by immunohistochemistry using γH2AX, cleaved caspase-3, Ki67 and LC3/ p62.

RESULTS

Pantoprazole increased the toxicity of docetaxel in vitro, increased docetaxel-induced expression of γH2AX and cleaved caspase-3, and decreased Ki67 in tumour sections. Pantoprazole increased growth delay of four human xenografts of low, moderate and high sensitivity to docetaxel, with minimal increase in toxicity. Docetaxel led to increased autophagy throughout tumour sections. Pantoprazole inhibited autophagy, and effects of pantoprazole were reduced against genetically modified cells with decreased ability to undergo autophagy.

CONCLUSIONS

Autophagy is a mechanism of resistance to docetaxel chemotherapy that may be modified by pantoprazole to improve therapeutic index.

A landscape of hairy and twisted: hunting for new trichome mutants in the Saskatoon Arabidopsis T-DNA population

A total of 88 new Arabidopsis lines with trichome variation were recovered by screening 49,200 single-seed descent T3 lines from the SK activation-tagged population and from a new 20,000-line T-DNA insertion population (called pAG). Trichome variant lines were classified into 12 distinct phenotype categories. Single or multiple T-DNA insertion sites were identified for 89% of these mutant lines. Alleles of the well-known trichome genes TRY, GL2 and TTG1 were recovered with atypical phenotype variation not reported previously. Moreover, atypical gene expression profiles were documented for two additional mutants specifying TRY and GL2 disruptions. In remaining mutants, ten lines were disrupted in genes coding for proteins not implicated in trichome development, five were disrupted in hypothetical proteins and 11 were disrupted in proteins with unknown function. The collection represents new opportunities for the plant biology community to define trichome development more precisely and to refine the function of individual trichome genes.

Mode-locked ultrashort pulse generation from on-chip normal dispersion microresonators

We describe generation of stable mode-locked pulse trains from on-chip normal dispersion microresonators. The excitation of hyperparametric oscillation is facilitated by the local dispersion disruptions induced by mode interactions. The system is then driven from hyperparametric oscillation to the mode-locked state with over 200 nm spectral width by controlled pump power and detuning. With the continuous-wave-driven nonlinearity, the pulses sit on a pedestal, akin to a cavity soliton. We identify the importance of pump detuning and wavelength-dependent quality factors in stabilizing and shaping the pulse structure, to achieve a single pulse inside the cavity. We examine the mode-locking dynamics by numerically solving the master equation and provide analytic solutions under appropriate approximations.

Alcohol consumption and hip fracture risk

SUMMARY

The present meta-analysis shows that a nonlinear association between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fracture was observed. Light alcohol consumption was inversely significantly associated with hip fracture risk, whereas heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an elevated hip fracture risk.

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies examining the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fracture have reported conflicting findings. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to assess the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fracture.

METHODS

PubMed and EMBASE were searched for prospective cohort studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fractures. Relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived using random-effects models throughout the whole analysis.

RESULTS

Eighteen prospective cohort studies were included with 3,730,424 participants and 26,168 hip fracture cases. Compared with non-drinkers, the pooled RR of hip fractures for alcohol consumption was 1.03 (95% CI, 0.91-1.15), with high heterogeneity between studies (P<0.001, I2=72.6%). A nonlinear relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fracture was identified (P nonlinearity=0.003). Compared with non-drinkers, the pooled RRs of hip fractures were 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83-0.89) for light alcohol consumption (0.01-12.5 g/day), 1.00 (95% CI, 0.85-1.14) for moderate alcohol consumption (12.6-49.9 g/day), and 1.71 (95% CI, 1.41-2.01) for heavy alcohol consumption (≥50 g/day).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no evidence of publication bias. In conclusion, a nonlinear association between alcohol consumption and the risk of hip fracture was observed in this meta-analysis. Further, light alcohol consumption was inversely significantly associated with hip fracture risk, whereas heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an elevated hip fracture risk.

In vitro subminimum inhibitory concentrations of macrolide antibiotics induce macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae

AIM

This study aims to investigate the inducing effect of subminimum inhibitory concentrations of macrolide antibiotics on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) resistance to drugs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One M. pneumoniae reference strain M129 (ATCC 29342) and 104 clinical isolates were incubated at 37C for 6-8 days. Genomic DNA of M. pneumoniae was extracted using TIANamp Bacteria DNA kit and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

Ten sensitive isolates obtained from 104 M. pneumoniae clinical isolates were induced by subminimum inhibitory concentrations of macrolide antibiotics. Among them, three were found to possess mutations in L4 and L22 ribosomal proteins. Two cases carried simultaneously the C162A and A430G mutations of L4 and the T279C mutation of L22. In addition, one case had only the A209T mutation of L4.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated in vitro exposure to subminimum inhibitory concentrations of macrolide antibiotics could induce selective mutations in ribosomal genes of M. pneumoniae clinical isolates that cause resistance to macrolide antibiotics. Hippokratia 2015, 19 (1): 57-62.

Reagent concentration dependent variations in the stability and photoluminescence of silica-coated ZnO nanorods

ZnO nanorods produced hydrothermally, using different precursor concentrations, show strikingly different morphologies and photoluminescence properties after encapsulation in silica. These differences are traced to differences in the nanorod growth chemistry.

Bifidobacterium infantis has a beneficial effect on 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in rats

Intestinal mucositis is a common toxic side effect in cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium infantis in a rat model of intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, 5-FU, and 5-FU + B. infantis. A single intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU (150 mg/kg) was used to induce intestinal mucositis. B. infantis (1×109 cfu) was administered for 11 days, starting from 7 days before 5-FU injection. Intestinal mucositis was evaluated based on body weight, villus height, immunohistological expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB), levels of the pro-inflammatory factors interleukin 1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration. The results showed that the 5-FU + B. infantis group demonstrated a higher body weight and villus height, increased expression of PCNA, reduced expression of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory factors, and lower MPO concentration compared to the 5-FU group. These data suggest that probiotic B. infantis is effective in reducing chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis in rats.

Measurement of the inclusive electron neutrino charged current cross section on carbon with the T2K near detector

The T2K off-axis near detector ND280 is used to make the first differential cross-section measurements of electron neutrino charged current interactions at energies ∼1  GeV as a function of electron momentum, electron scattering angle, and four-momentum transfer of the interaction. The total flux-averaged ν(e) charged current cross section on carbon is measured to be ⟨σ⟩(ϕ)=1.11±0.10(stat)±0.18(syst)×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon. The differential and total cross-section measurements agree with the predictions of two leading neutrino interaction generators, NEUT and GENIE. The NEUT prediction is 1.23×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon and the GENIE prediction is 1.08×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon. The total ν(e) charged current cross-section result is also in agreement with data from the Gargamelle experiment.

Expression profile of Nanos2 gene in dairy goat and its inhibitory effect on Stra8 during meiosis

OBJECTIVES

Nanos2, an RNA-binding protein, belongs to the Nanos gene-coding family and contains two CCHC zinc-finger motifs. In mouse, it plays a pivotal role in male germ cell development, and self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells. However, little is known of its expression pattern and functions in dairy goat testis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to generate the expression profile of Nanos2 in dairy goat testis. Furthermore, its overexpression effects on male germline stem cells (mGSCs) were studied using qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence, dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blotting.

RESULTS

Nanos2 is a conservative gene expressed widely in various tissues, especially in pancreas, and it displays higher expression in adult testes than in other age groups. Overexpression of Nanos2 significantly downregulated meiosis-related genes, including Stra8 and Scp3, which induced inhibition of meiosis. Results from dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blotting indicated that Nanos2 directly downregulated Stra8 in goat GmGSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these results suggest that Nanos2 plays an important role in spermatogonia and that its overexpression restrained meiosis in the dairy goat.