Characterization and application of a self-aspirating electrospray source with pneumatic-assisted ionization

A single gas-assisted electrospray ion source developed for ambient mass spectrometry is introduced in this paper. Simultaneous self-aspiration and electrospray could be achieved by using a constant sheath gas flow supplied from a mini air pump. A gas dynamic study of the spray module is carried out for structural optimization. The entire device exhibits a simplified design and has been systematically characterized through both simulated and experimental investigations. According to the results, the ion source exhibited satisfactory stability and the ability for quantitative operation in routine electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the ion source can be operated as a desorption electrospray ionization source to perform direct desorption/ionization of the solid samples. The versatile source described here appears to provide a practical approach to perform ambient mass spectrometry analysis with unrestricted sampling operation, and the extensive gas dynamic studies together with the experimental characterization are believed to be helpful in building self-aspirating spray devices. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identifying the location of epidermal growth factor-responsive element involved in the regulation of type IIb sodium-phosphate cotransporter expression in porcine intestinal epithelial cells

Phosphate is an important mineral nutrient for both human and animals in growth and physiological functions; thus, much effort in the past has been made to clarify the mechanisms governing its absorption. Previous studies have found that epidermal growth factor (EGF) inhibits phosphate absorption in human intestinal cells via modulating the interaction of transcriptional factor c-myb with sodium-phosphate cotransporter (NaPi-IIb) gene promoter. This finding provoked our interest in determining the effect of EGF on NaPi-IIb gene expression in intestinal cells of pigs and the location of EGF-responsive element in the gene promoter. Using quantitative PCR, it was observed that EGF significantly reduced NaPi-IIb gene expression in porcine intestinal epithelial IPEC-J2 cells. Transfection with a series of constructs that contain different lengths of the 5'-flanking promoter region of the NaPi-IIb gene manifested that EGF-responsive element is located in the -1200 to -800 region. Further, c-myb was extracted from the cell nucleus of IPEC cells that were exposed to EGF or not via immunoprecipitation. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed a specific binding of transcription factor c-myb to labelled probes encompassing DNA sequence from -1092 to -1085 (-TCCAGTTG-). This protein-DNA complex was decreased with cells exposed to EGF and abrogated when c-myb was pre-incubated with excessive unlabelled competitive probes. Results from mutagenesis studies demonstrated that the c-myb-binding site is the EGF-responsive element involved in the regulation of NaPi-IIb expression. Identifying the location of EGF-responsive element contributes to understanding mechanisms underlying EGF down-regulated NaPi-IIb gene expression and provides a foundation for further investigating EGF-regulatory functions in phosphate absorption in pig intestine.

The prevalence of and risk factors for prostatitis-like symptoms and its relation to erectile dysfunction in Chinese men

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of and risk factors for prostatitis-like symptoms and its relation to erectile dysfunction (ED) among southern Chinese men. Data were collected from 2790 men attending the Fangchenggang Area Male Healthy and Examination Survey from September 2009 to December 2009. The prostatitis-like symptoms were assessed by the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index and ED was assessed using the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function. Lifestyle and demographic characteristics were obtained through a questionnaire. Prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms was 12.4% among 2790 Chinese men aged 20-84 years. In smokers who smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day (age-adjusted OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.00-1.66; p = 0.04), physical inactivity (age-adjusted OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.03-1.66; p = 0.02) was a significant risk factor for prostatitis-like symptoms. Alcohol consumption (daily drinking) also was a risk factor for prostatitis-like symptoms, although the differences were not statistically significant (age-adjusted OR = 1.36; 95% CI = 0.96-1.92; p = 0.07). Those with diabetes may also be at higher risk for prostatitis-like symptoms (age-adjusted OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 0.85-2.21; p = 0.19). In addition, men with ED were more likely to have had prostatitis-like symptoms (age-adjusted OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 0.47-2.36; p < 0.0001), and the ORs increased with increasing severity of ED status (mild ED, mild to moderate ED, and moderate to severe ED were 1.57, 2.62, and 3.24, respectively. Test for trend, p = 0.0001). Our results show that prostatitis-like symptoms are prevalent in Southern China affecting men of all ages. Smoking, drinking, lack of physical activity, and elevated plasma glucose level were associated with an increased risk of prostatitis-like symptoms. In addition, our results reveal that ED accounted for a large proportion (61.5%) among men with prostatitis-like symptoms; we also confirm the magnitude of ED associated with prostatitis-like symptoms. Thus, interventions to evaluate and improve ED might help ameliorate prostatitis-like symptoms and vice versa.

Decreased maternal behavior and anxiety in ephrin-A5-/- mice

During development of the nervous system, molecular signals mediating cell-cell interactions play critical roles in the guidance of axonal growth and establishment of synaptic functions. The Eph family of tyrosine kinase receptors and their ephrin ligands has been shown to mediate neuronal interactions in the development of topographic axon projection maps in several brain regions, and the loss of Eph activities result in defects in select axonal pathways. However, effects of deficiencies of the Eph signals on animal behavior have not been well documented. In this study, we showed that inactivation of a ligand of the Eph receptors, ephrin-A5, resulted in defects in maternal behavior and alterations in anxiety. Female ephrin-A5 ^-/- mice show significant defects in nest building and pup retrieval. In addition, lower levels of anxiety were observed in both male and female null mice. These changes were not due to deficiencies in estradiol, progesterone or corticosterone levels. Our observations suggest that ephrin-A5 plays a key role in the development and/or function of neural pathways mediating mouse maternal care and anxiety.

[The distribution characteristics of etiology of chronic cough in Lanzhou]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the distribution characteristics of etiology and clinical feature of chronic cough in Lanzhou.

METHODS

Based on the guidelines of the diagnostic process of chronic cough in China, data of medical history and physical examinations were collected, and chest X-ray, pulmonary function plus airway hyperresponsiveness, induced sputum eosinophils, sinus X-ray or CT, 24 h esophageal pH monitoring, chest high-resolution CT and bronchoscopy were performed accordingly for outpatients with chronic cough. The cause of chronic cough was identified by the test results and treatment response. The results were compared with those reported previously in other areas of China.

RESULTS

A total of 173 patients with completed data were collected, including 90 males and 83 females.The causes were as follows: 45 cases (26.01%) of cough variant asthma, 35 (20.23%) upper airway cough syndrome, 20 (11.56%) allergic cough, 17 (9.83%) chronic pharyngitis, 14 (8.09%) gastroesophageal reflux, 14 (8.09%)postinfectious, 13 (7.51%) eosinophilic bronchitis, 8 (4.62%) chronic bronchitis, 4 (2.31%) cough associated with ACEI, 3 (1.73%) bronchial tuberculosis, 2 (1.16%) pulmonary fibrosis and bronchiectasis repectively. The causes of the remaining 14 patients (8.09%)were unknown. The causes of chronic cough were identified in 159 patients (91.91%), of which 141 (88.68%) with a single cause and 18(11.32%)with more than 2 etiological factors.The percentage of cough variant asthma in our series was significantly higher than that reported in Guangzhou (13.6%, χ(2)=5.60, P=0.018, P<0.05), but lower than that reported in Shenyang (39.4%, χ(2)=7.91, P=0, 004, P<0.01). The percentage of allergic cough was higher than that reported in Beijing (3.3%, χ(2)=6.66, P=0.010, P<0.05), and that of eosinophilic bronchitis was lower than those reported in Guangzhou(22.4%, χ(2)=22.38, P=0.000, P<0.01) and Shenyang (12.5%, χ(2)=8.09, P=0.005, P<0.01). The percentage of esophageal reflux cough was lower than that reported in Beijing (20.3%, χ(2)=9.40, P=0.002, P<0.01) but higher than that reported in Shenyang (1.9%, χ(2)=3.98, P=0.036, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

In Lanzhou, cough variant asthma, upper airway cough syndrome, allergic cough, chronic pharyngitis and gastroesophageal reflux were the main causes of chronic cough, and the etiological distribution was different from Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenyang and other areas.

Design and structure-activity relationships of novel inhibitors of human rhinovirus 3C protease

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is a primary cause of common cold and is linked to exacerbation of underlying respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. HRV 3C protease, which is responsible for cleavage of viral polyprotein in to proteins essential for viral life-cycle, represents an important target. We have designed proline- and azetidine-based analogues of Rupintrivir that target the P2 pocket of the binding site. Potency optimization, aided with X-ray crystallography and quantum mechanical calculations, led to compounds with activity against a broad spectrum of HRV serotypes. Altogether, these compounds represent alternative starting points to identify promising leads in our continual efforts to treat HRV infections.

Potential confounding factors in measurement of specific cell-free seminal mRNAs and microRNAs derived from human reproductive organs

Cell-free seminal RNA (cfs-RNA) is mixed transcripts derived from male reproductive organs, and is potential biomarker for the research and diagnosis of male reproductive-related diseases. However, some clinical factors, including age, asymptomatic Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection, scrotal heat stress, abstinence period, and the storage condition of semen samples, may interfere with sperm parameters and the measurement of seminal biomarkers. Accordingly, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of above clinical factors on the measurement of cfs-RNA, aiming to lay a foundation for its research use and potential clinical application. Semen samples were collected according to the selected clinical factors. Cell-free seminal plasma was obtained by centrifugation and total RNA was extracted with TRIzol LS. Selective male reproductive organ-specific cfs-mRNAs and cfs-miRNAs were quantified by quantitative real-time PCR. The concentration and total amount of cfs-mRNAs and cfs-miRNAs in one ejaculate were calculated and compared. ACTB, DDX4 (testis-specific), WFDC9 (epididymis-specific), and miR-514a-3p (testis-specific) significantly increased after scrotal heat stress. SEMG1 (seminal vesicle-specific) showed declining tendency with the prolonged abstinence period. Age, asymptomatic UU infection, and the storage condition showed no significant impact on the measurement of cfs-RNA. These results indicate that scrotal heat stress significantly interfere with the selected cfs-RNA derived from the testis and epididymis, and abstinence period may affect the yield of cfs-mRNA from seminal vesicle, while other clinical factors has no significant impact on the measurement. Thus, heat exposure and abstinence period should be considered for the cfs-RNA measurement in its research or clinical application.

[Resting-state functional magnetic resonance study of the brain's network of the temporal lobe epilepsy patients with depression]

OBJECTIVE

To study brain networks of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to investigate whether TLE brain dysfunction have an impact on depression, using resting state functional magnetic resonance (RS-fMRI) detection technology.

METHODS

A total of 18 patients with TLE were included in this study. According to Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton's Depression Scale (HAMD)-17 score, we divided them into two groups: depression group 9 cases, non-depression group 9 cases. All patients underwent 3.0T MRI , RS-fMRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) examinations and then the results were analyzed.

RESULTS

Disease course of depression group was longer than non-depression group and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). RS-fMRI examination showed that depression group had more active brain areas and more extral temporal active areas than non-depression group (P<0.05). By compared with the non-depression group, we found more strong active brain areas including thalamus, and the default-mode network which involved in prefrontal cortex, precuneus, ventral anterior cingulate and hippocampus. We found the NAA and NAA/Cho+ Cr of the hippocampus which were ipsilateral to the advantage discharge side were decreased in 5/9 cases with depression in MRS and 3/5 cases had hippocampal atrophy, while the non-depression group had no obvious abnormalities.

CONCLUSION

The brain default-mode network activity in TLE patients with depression is increased and there is more extral temporal activation than the non-depression group; furthermore abnormal hippocampus structure is more common in depression group, which suggests that epileptic brain dysfunction may affect the development of depression.

[Expression of renal PLA2R in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy and its relationship with the curative effect of immunotherapy]

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expression of renal M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), and to explore the relationship between renal PLA2R and the curative effect of immunotherapy.

METHODS

A total of 56 patients who were diagnosed as IMN from January 2012 to June 2014 in the department of nephrology in First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, were included in this study. The expression of renal PLA2R was detected by immumofluorescence assay. The IMN patients were treated with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, and the relationship between renal PLA2R and the curative effect of immunotherapy was observed.

RESULTS

The ratio of PLA2R related IMN (renal PLA2R-positive) patients was 71.4%(40/56). The recovery conditions in proteinuria and serum albumin were better in the non-PLA2R related IMN group since 6 months after the treatment (P<0.05). The overall response rate in PLA2R related IMN group was 58.3%, 62.5% and 62.5% after 6, 9, 12 months, respectively. However, the overall response rate in non-PLA2R related IMN group almost reached 100% after treatment for 6 months. Compared with PLA2R related IMN group, the time which patients reached complete remission was significantly shorter in the non-PLA2R related IMN group [(5.4±3.5) vs (10.5±1.6) months, P<0.05].

CONCLUSIONS

Detection of renal PLA2R can be helpful to diagnose IMN. Non-PLA2R related IMN patients usually have a better curative effect of immunotherapy and a shorter time to onset of efficacy.

[Digital oral-maxillofacial imaging: present and future]

Digital imaging has been widely used in the field of oral and maxillofacial radiology. The present work summarizes the use of digital imaging from the following aspects: ①The origin of digital oral and maxillofacial imaging; ②The influence of digital imaging on the work mode and work flow of oral and maxillofacial radiology; ③ Application of picture archiving and communication system(PACS)in oral and maxillofacial radiology; ④The influence of three dimensional medical data sets on diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan; ⑤Digital imaging facilitates the development of telemedicine and internet-medicine; ⑥The significance of establishing a medical database or data center; ⑦Problems and challenges.

China-Africa and China-Asia Collaboration on Schistosomiasis Control: A SWOT Analysis

Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by a trematode, parasitic worm, is a worldwide public health problem. In spite of great progress with regard to morbidity control, even elimination of this infection in recent decades, there are still challenges to overcome in sub-Saharan Africa and endemic areas in Southeast Asia. Regarded as one of the most successful countries with respect to schistosomiasis control, The People's Republic of China has accumulated considerable experience and learnt important lessons in various local settings that could benefit schistosomiasis control in other endemic countries. Based on an analysis of conceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of potential collaborative activities with regard to schistosomiasis in Africa and Asia, this article addresses the importance of collaborative efforts and explores the priorities that would be expected to facilitate the transfer of Chinese experience to low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.

Suppression of Type I Interferon Signaling Overcomes Oncogene-Induced Senescence and Mediates Melanoma Development and Progression

Oncogene activation induces DNA damage responses and cell senescence. We report a key role of type I interferons (IFNs) in oncogene-induced senescence. IFN signaling-deficient melanocytes expressing activated Braf do not exhibit senescence and develop aggressive melanomas. Restoration of IFN signaling in IFN-deficient melanoma cells induces senescence and suppresses melanoma progression. Additional data from human melanoma patients and mouse transplanted tumor models suggest the importance of non-cell-autonomous IFN signaling. Inactivation of the IFN pathway is mediated by the IFN receptor IFNAR1 downregulation that invariably occurs during melanoma development. Mice harboring an IFNAR1 mutant, which is partially resistant to downregulation, delay melanoma development, suppress metastatic disease, and better respond to BRAF or PD-1 inhibitors. These results suggest that IFN signaling is an important tumor-suppressive pathway that inhibits melanoma development and progression and argue for targeting IFNAR1 downregulation to prevent metastatic disease and improve the efficacy of molecularly target and immune-targeted melanoma therapies.

[Stereotactic brain biopsy guided by iMRI co-registration combined with PET/CT]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical value of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) coregistration combined with position emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in stereotactic brain biopsy.

METHODS

Forty nine patients with intracranial lesions were operated by stereotactic biopsy from June 2010 to June 2015 in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Seventeen patient's operation was guided by iMRI only (group A), thirty two patients' operation was guided by iMRI and PET/CT (group B). The diagnosis success rate and operation related complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

PET/CT and iMRI were integrated successfully in all cases of group B. Fourteen patients (82.4%) of group A and all 32 patients (100%) of group B had final diagnosis confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical observation. The diagnosis success rate of group B was higher than group A (P<0.05). There were 5 patients in total who had postoperative complication, 2 (11.8%) in group A and 3 (9.3%) in group B, but the difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

PET/CT based metabolic imaging can be automatically integrated with standard MRI guided stereotactic biopsy. Compared with iMRI only, the combined treatment improves diagnosis success rate without increasing complications; it's safe, and has high clinical efficacy.

Activation and dynamic expression of Notch signalling in dental pulp cells after injury in vitro and in vivo

AIM

To investigate the expression pattern of Notch signalling in odontoblast-like cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro, and in injured rat dental pulp in vivo.

METHODOLOGY

Mouse odontoblast-like cells (MDPC-23) were exposed to LPS. Expression of Notch-related genes was detected by real-time PCR. A rat pulpitis model was established by mechanical injury and LPS plus mechanical injury was followed by the analysis of expression of Notch2 by immunohistochemical staining. One-way analysis of variance (anova) was performed to examine the effect of differing concentrations of LPS on cell proliferation, and least significant difference test was used for paired comparisons. For independent sample, t-test was performed to compare the expression of Notch signalling genes between LPS group and control group in vitro.

RESULTS

The in vitro study revealed the proliferation of MDPC-23 cells on exposure to 10 ng mL^-1 to 1 μg mL^-1 LPS. Expression of Notch1 and Notch2 was significantly higher in the LPS group than that in the control group on day 1 and day 3 (P ˂ 0.05). The levels of both Delta1 and Jagged1 were higher in the study group than in the control group on day 3 (P = 0.019 and P = 0.034) and day 5 (P ˂ 0.001 and P = 0.046), respectively. In addition, Hes1 levels were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group on day 5 (P = 0.005). The in vivo study demonstrated positive staining for Notch2, both in the mechanical injury (MI) group and in the LPS plus mechanical injury (LMI) group from day 3 to day 7, which showed very weak or absent staining on day 14, thereby demonstrating the dynamic nature of the change.

CONCLUSIONS

Both in vitro and in vivo activation and dynamic expression of Notch signalling in dental pulp cells after injury were found. Notch signalling activation by LPS stimulation or mechanical injury showed a similar pattern in vivo.

Genetic Diversity and Protective Efficacy of the RTS,S/AS01 Malaria Vaccine

BACKGROUND

The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine targets the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum and has partial protective efficacy against clinical and severe malaria disease in infants and children. We investigated whether the vaccine efficacy was specific to certain parasite genotypes at the circumsporozoite protein locus.

METHODS

We used polymerase chain reaction-based next-generation sequencing of DNA extracted from samples from 4985 participants to survey circumsporozoite protein polymorphisms. We evaluated the effect that polymorphic positions and haplotypic regions within the circumsporozoite protein had on vaccine efficacy against first episodes of clinical malaria within 1 year after vaccination.

RESULTS

In the per-protocol group of 4577 RTS,S/AS01-vaccinated participants and 2335 control-vaccinated participants who were 5 to 17 months of age, the 1-year cumulative vaccine efficacy was 50.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34.6 to 62.3) against clinical malaria in which parasites matched the vaccine in the entire circumsporozoite protein C-terminal (139 infections), as compared with 33.4% (95% CI, 29.3 to 37.2) against mismatched malaria (1951 infections) (P=0.04 for differential vaccine efficacy). The vaccine efficacy based on the hazard ratio was 62.7% (95% CI, 51.6 to 71.3) against matched infections versus 54.2% (95% CI, 49.9 to 58.1) against mismatched infections (P=0.06). In the group of infants 6 to 12 weeks of age, there was no evidence of differential allele-specific vaccine efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that among children 5 to 17 months of age, the RTS,S vaccine has greater activity against malaria parasites with the matched circumsporozoite protein allele than against mismatched malaria. The overall vaccine efficacy in this age category will depend on the proportion of matched alleles in the local parasite population; in this trial, less than 10% of parasites had matched alleles. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others.).

Intake of polyunsaturated fat in relation to mortality among statin users and non-users in the Southern Community Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially the n3-series, may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD), but recent randomized studies have failed to demonstrate these benefits. One of the prevailing hypotheses is that PUFA intake may not confer benefits beyond those provided by statins, but studies comparing statin users to non-users with regard to effects of PUFA are lacking.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Black and white men and women (n = 69,559) in the Southern Community Cohort Study were studied. Cox regression models adjusting for age, sex, race, BMI, recruitment site, education, income, smoking, diabetes, and dietary variables were used.

RESULTS

At baseline the mean ± SD age was 52 ± 9 years, 60% of participants were women, 54% had hypertension and 16% used statins. We observed modest inverse associations between n3-PUFA and n6-PUFA intake with mortality among non-statin users but not among statin users. In adjusted analyses, the HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality (6,396 deaths over a median of 6.4 years) comparing the highest to the lowest quintile were 0.90 (0.82-1.00) for n3-PUFA and 0.80 (0.70-0.92) for n6-PUFA among non-statin users, whereas they were 1.06 (0.87-1.28) and 0.96 (0.78-1.19) for n3-PUFA and n6-PUFA, respectively, among statin users.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest potential benefits of PUFA consumption on mortality which are only apparent in the absence of statin therapy. It seems prudent to consider the potential benefit of PUFA consumption in the primary prevention of CVD among patients who are not candidates for statin therapy but are at increased risk for CVD and mortality.

Allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 in a southern Chinese population

KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL3 segregate as alleles of the same killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene locus. They have been associated with viral infectious diseases and certain cancers and their allelic information may help to better comprehend mechanisms. The allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 has been shown to influence their binding specificity and affinity to the HLA-C1 ligands. The present study aims to investigate the distribution of the allelic polymorphism of KIR2DL2/2DL3 in a southern Chinese population using sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) and PCR-sequence-based typing (SBT) at the entire coding sequence. Of the 306 tested individuals, 1.96% were positive for KIR2DL2 only, 78.10% for KIR2DL3 only, and 19.93% for both KIR2DL2 and 2DL3. KIR2DL3 showed a high degree of diversity in the study population with 15 alleles detected including 8 novel ones. The predominant 2DL3 allele in the study population is 2DL3*00101 (92.81%) followed by 2DL3*00201 (24.18%), 2DL3*023 (4.25%), and 2DL3*00109 (1.31%). The remaining 11 2DL3 alleles all had a frequency below 1%. Three detected 2DL2 alleles were 2DL2*00301 (18.95%), 2DL2*00101 (3.59%), and the novel 2DL2*013 (0.33%). These results provide further insight into the KIR gene diversity in Southern Chinese and may help to better understand the role played by KIR genes in associated diseases.

Inhalation of recombinant adenovirus expressing granulysin protects mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Granulysin is a cytolytic molecule with perforin and granzymes that is expressed by activated human CTLs, NK and γδ T cells, and it has broad antimicrobial activity, including to drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We hypothesized that approaches facilitating the expression of granulysin in M. tuberculosis-infected host cells in the lung may provide a novel treatment strategy for pulmonary TB. In this study, a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus serotype 5-based rAdhGLi was constructed that expressed human granulysin in the cytosol of the U937 and RAW264.7 macrophage-like cell lines as confirmed by western blotting and co-localization technology using indirect immunofluorescence staining. Ninety-six hours after both cell lines were infected with M. tuberculosis, acid-fast staining and enumeration demonstrated that rAdhGLi-treated cells had a lower colony-forming units (CFU) of intracellular bacteria than culture medium or AdNull controls. Granulysin was only expressed in the lung and not in other organs following inhalation of rAdhGLi. In particular, immunocompetent BALB/c mice or SCID mice intranasally infected with ~200 CFU of virulent M. tuberculosis H37Rv intranasally were treated with rAdhGLi, and they showed decreased bacterial loads in the lung when compared with phosphate-buffered saline or AdNull controls. Importantly, a clear dose-dependent rAdhGLi treatment efficacy was found in infected BALB/c mice, with the most significant reduction in lung bacteria obtained in BALB/c mice treated with 10(9) plaque-forming units of rAdhGLi without any pathological changes. Our study indicates that rAdhGLi may be used as a novel and efficient treatment strategy with the capability to directly kill intracellular M. tuberculosis.

The diversification of Heliconius butterflies: what have we learned in 150 years?

Research into Heliconius butterflies has made a significant contribution to evolutionary biology. Here, we review our understanding of the diversification of these butterflies, covering recent advances and a vast foundation of earlier work. Whereas no single group of organisms can be sufficient for understanding life's diversity, after years of intensive study, research into Heliconius has addressed a wide variety of evolutionary questions. We first discuss evidence for widespread gene flow between Heliconius species and what this reveals about the nature of species. We then address the evolution and diversity of warning patterns, both as the target of selection and with respect to their underlying genetic basis. The identification of major genes involved in mimetic shifts, and homology at these loci between distantly related taxa, has revealed a surprising predictability in the genetic basis of evolution. In the final sections, we consider the evolution of warning patterns, and Heliconius diversity more generally, within a broader context of ecological and sexual selection. We consider how different traits and modes of selection can interact and influence the evolution of reproductive isolation.

CpG DNA assists the whole inactivated H9N2 influenza virus in crossing the intestinal epithelial barriers via transepithelial uptake of dendritic cell dendrites

Intestinal mucosa remains a pivotal barrier for the oral vaccine absorption of H9N2 whole inactivated influenza virus (WIV). However, CpG DNA, as an adjuvant, can effectively improve relevant mucosal and systemic immunity. The downstream mechanism is well confirmed, yet the evidence of CpG DNA assisting H9N2 WIV in transepithelial delivery is lacking. Here, we reported both in vitro and in vivo that CpG DNA combined with H9N2 WIV was capable of recruiting additional dendritic cells (DCs) to the intestinal epithelial cells (ECs) to form transepithelial dendrites (TEDs) for luminal viral uptake. Both CD103(+) and CD103(-) DCs participated in this process. The engagement of the chemokine CCL20 from the apical ECs and the DCs drove DC recruitment and TED formation. Virus-loaded CD103(+) but not CD103(-) DCs also quickly migrated into mesenteric lymph nodes within 2 h. Moreover, the mechanism of CpG DNA was independent of epithelial transcytosis and disruption of the epithelial barriers. Finally, the subsequent phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs was also enhanced. Our findings indicated that CpG DNA improved the delivery of H9N2 WIV via TEDs of intestinal DCs, and this may be an important mechanism for downstream effective antigen-specific immune responses.

Associative memory realized by a reconfigurable memristive Hopfield neural network

Although synaptic behaviours of memristors have been widely demonstrated, implementation of an even simple artificial neural network is still a great challenge. In this work, we demonstrate the associative memory on the basis of a memristive Hopfield network. Different patterns can be stored into the memristive Hopfield network by tuning the resistance of the memristors, and the pre-stored patterns can be successfully retrieved directly or through some associative intermediate states, being analogous to the associative memory behaviour. Both single-associative memory and multi-associative memories can be realized with the memristive Hopfield network.

Type 1 interferons contribute to the clearance of senescent cell

The major known function of cytokines that belong to type I interferons (IFN, including IFNα and IFNβ) is to mount the defense against viruses. This function also protects the genetic information of host cells from alterations in the genome elicited by some of these viruses. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrated that IFN also restrict proliferation of damaged cells by inducing cell senescence. Here we investigated the subsequent role of IFN in elimination of the senescent cells. Our studies demonstrate that endogenous IFN produced by already senescent cells contribute to increased expression of the natural killer (NK) receptor ligands, including MIC-A and ULBP2. Furthermore, neutralization of endogenous IFN or genetic ablation of its receptor chain IFNAR1 compromises the recognition of senescent cells and their clearance in vitro and in vivo. We discuss the role of IFN in protecting the multi-cellular host from accumulation of damaged senescent cells and potential significance of this mechanism in human cancers.

DNA-damage-induced type I interferon promotes senescence and inhibits stem cell function

Expression of type I interferons (IFNs) can be induced by DNA-damaging agents, but the mechanisms and significance of this regulation are not completely understood. We found that the transcription factor IRF3, activated in an ATM-IKKα/β-dependent manner, stimulates cell-autonomous IFN-β expression in response to double-stranded DNA breaks. Cells and tissues with accumulating DNA damage produce endogenous IFN-β and stimulate IFN signaling in vitro and in vivo. In turn, IFN acts to amplify DNA-damage responses, activate the p53 pathway, promote senescence, and inhibit stem cell function in response to telomere shortening. Inactivation of the IFN pathway abrogates the development of diverse progeric phenotypes and extends the lifespan of Terc knockout mice. These data identify DNA-damage-response-induced IFN signaling as a critical mechanism that links accumulating DNA damage with senescence and premature aging.

Meta-analysis of differentially expressed genes in autism based on gene expression data

The purpose of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) genes and biological processes associated with changes in gene expression in autism. We performed a meta-analysis using new publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets of autism. We performed Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses and pathway analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Ten GEO datasets, including 364 cases and 248 controls, were available for the meta-analysis. We identified 3105 genes that were consistently DE in autism (1425 upregulated and 1680 downregulated genes). We also found that 7 genes were associated with phospholipase A2 (PLA2), including LYPLA2P1, PLA2G4D, PNPLA2, LYPLA2, PLA2G6, PLA2G7, and PLA2G5. We found GO terms for molecular functions significantly enriched in structural constituent of ribosome (GO: 0003735, P = 1.87-E06) and transcription regulator activity (GO: 0030528, P = 8.86E-04), while for biological processes, the enriched GO terms were involved in translational elongation (GO: 0006414, P = 1.74E-12) and the response to cytokine stimuli (GO: 0034097, P = 2.76E-05). The most significant pathway in our KEGG analysis was the ribosome pathway (P = 7.90E-12). Our meta-analysis identified genes that were consistently DE and biological pathways associated with gene expression changes in autism.

Evaluation of clinical measurements and development of new diagnostic criteria for Takayasu arteritis in a Chinese population

OBJECTIVES

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic granulomatous large-vessel vasculitis. When diagnosing TA, the criteria designed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) are used commonly but they were just classification criteria. There is an urgent need for a new set of diagnostic criteria.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-one TA patients and 132 control patients with other types of vascular disease were enrolled and both groups were distributed into a "training set" and a "validation set". All general information as well as clinical, laboratory and imaging data were collected. After comparing all the medical records of two groups in the training set, logistic regression and clinical judgment were used to form the new criteria for TA. The new criteria were tested by the validation set.

RESULTS

New TA diagnostic criteria within total score 26 include age (<40 years), female, chest pain/chest distress, amaurosis, vascular bruits, a decreased/absent pulse, involvement of the aortic arch or its major branches, and involvement of the abdominal aorta or its branches. Patients with a score ≥ 8 were diagnosed as TA. The sensitivity and specificity of our new criteria were 91.92% and 93.94%, respectively, higher than those of the ACR criteria (75.76%, 85.86%) and the Ishikawa criteria (56.57%, 94.95%). The areas under the ROC curves of the new criteria and ACR criteria were 0.981 and 0.868, respectively (p<0.001). Sensitivity and specificity tested in the validation set were 90.63% and 96.97%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The new diagnostic criteria exhibited high sensitivity and specificity and have demonstrated to be feasible in the diagnosis of TA.

Type I interferon controls propagation of long interspersed element-1

Type I interferons (IFN) including IFNα and IFNβ are critical for the cellular defense against viruses. Here we report that increased levels of IFNβ were found in testes from mice deficient in MOV10L1, a germ cell-specific RNA helicase that plays a key role in limiting the propagation of retrotransposons including Long Interspersed Element-1 (LINE-1). Additional experiments revealed that activation of LINE-1 retrotransposons increases the expression of IFNβ and of IFN-stimulated genes. Conversely, pretreatment of cells with IFN suppressed the replication of LINE-1. Furthermore, the efficacy of LINE-1 replication was increased in isogenic cell lines harboring inactivating mutations in diverse elements of the IFN signaling pathway. Knockdown of the IFN receptor chain IFNAR1 also stimulated LINE-1 propagation in vitro. Finally, a greater accumulation of LINE-1 was found in mice that lack IFNAR1 compared with wild type mice. We propose that LINE-1-induced IFN plays an important role in restricting LINE-1 propagation and discuss the putative role of IFN in preserving the genome stability.

CpG oligonucleotides and Astragalus polysaccharides are effective adjuvants in cultures of avian bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells

1. The potential use of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides and/or Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) as adjuvants for the culture of chicken bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (chBM-DCs) was investigated. 2. Chicken dendritic cells (DCs) were isolated and cultured in the presence of recombinant chicken granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-4. The chBM-DC displayed typical DC morphology and expressed DC surface markers (MHC-II and CD11c). 3. Cultured chBM-DC showed effective T-cell activation in vitro, based on a mixed lymphocyte response (MLR). Flow cytometry analysis showed an increased proportion of cells expressing CD40 and CD80 in the APS-stimulated culture, compared to the control culture. In the MLR, the APS- and CpG-stimulated chBM-DC could activate T-cells more than control chBM-DC. Real-time PCR assays showed that CpG can activate the TLR21 and an inflammatory response, while APS just reduced the expression of IRF-3. 4. The results demonstrated that in vitro the adjuvant CpG can stimulate chBM-DC to mature by activation of the TLR-signalling pathway, whereas the adjuvant APS stimulates maturation of chBM-DC in vitro to a lesser degree and by another mechanism.

The abnormal expression level of microRNA in epithelial-mesenchymal transition of peritoneal mesothelial cells induced by high glucose

OBJECTIVE

To determine the expression level of the microRNA in the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) induced by high glucose.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PMCs were cultured using M199 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, and the EMT was induced by D-glucose stimulation. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition was determined by changes in cell morphology and the expression levels of the EMT marker genes. Changes in cell morphology were observed by inverted microscope, and the expression levels of the EMT marker genes were determined by real-time PCR. The expression levels of the microRNA were detected by real-time PCR with microRNA-specific stem-loop structure primer.

RESULTS

The PMCs changed to fusiformis following a high-glucose medium stimulated for 48 hours, and the EMT marker genes changed significantly, such as the decrease of E-cadherin and an increase of Vimentin (p < 0.01). These results proved the EMT had been induced by high-glucose. Applying real-time PCR with microRNA-specific stem-loop structure primer, miR-193a increased notably (p < 0.01), and miR-15a and let-7e decreased (p < 0.01), while miR-16 and miR-21 had no significant changes (p > 0.05). Most importantly, the increase of miR-193a was correlated with stimulus duration.

CONCLUSIONS

MicroRNA with abnormal expression levels have a primary role in regulating the EMT of PMCs induced by high glucose.

ERK and p38MAPK pathways regulate myosin light chain phosphatase and contribute to Ca2+ sensitization of intestinal smooth muscle contraction

BACKGROUND

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38MAPK, are known regulators of smooth muscle contractility. The contraction of smooth muscle is mainly regulated by the phosphorylation of regulatory light chains of myosin II (LC20), which is driven by the balance between myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). We hypothesized that one possible mechanism for MAPK-dependent modulation of intestinal smooth muscle contractility is via the regulation of MLCP activity.

METHODS

Contractile responses to carbachol (CCh) and effects of MAPK inhibitors on CCh-induced contractions were assessed with isolated rat ileal longitudinal smooth muscle strips. Biochemical assessments of MLCP activity and myosin phosphatse targeting subunit (MYPT1) and CPI-17 phosphorylations were completed.

KEY RESULTS

Treatment of ileal smooth muscle with PD98059 (10 μM; MEK inhibitor) or SB203580 (10 μM; p38MAPK inhibitor) significantly inhibited CCh-induced contractile force. Decreased MLCP activity was observed during sustained contractions induced by CCh; the MLCP activity was recovered by treatment with PD98059 and SB203580. However, MYPT1 (Thr697 and Thr855) and CPI-17 (Thr38) phosphorylations were not affected. Application of ML-7 (MLCK inhibitor) during CCh-induced sustained contraction elicited an MLCP-dependent relaxation, the rate of which was accelerated by application of PD98059 and SB203580 with proportional changes in LC20 phosphorylation levels but not MYPT1 phosphorylation (Thr697 or Thr855).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

ERK and p38MAPK contribute to CCh-induced sustained contraction in a LC20 phosphorylation dependent manner. Moreover, both kinases inhibit MLCP activity possibly by a novel mechanism.

Clinical study on gastric cancer susceptibility genes IL-10-1082 and TNF-α

TNF 308 gene polymorphism and IL-10 polymorphism provided evidence in diagnosing some types of cancer. We aimed to explore the relation of gene polymorphism with gastric cancer. A total of 360 cases of gastric cancer patients were included in the study. The genotypes GG, GA, and AA of the interleukin-10-1082 gene (IL-10-1082) and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene (TNF-α) 308 polymorphism were examined by chromogenic detection. Three hundred healthy individuals' gene as control group were also examined. The GA 308 genotype of TNF-α differed significantly between the control group and the gastric cancer group (X(2) = 9.32, P < 0.05). Genotype frequencies of A/A (17.2%), A/G (26.2%), and G/G (9.1%) of the IL-10-1082 gene polymorphism in the gastric cancer group differed significantly compared to those of the control group (X(2) = 20.32, P < 0.05). The IL-10-1082 gene and the GA 308 genotype of the TNF-α gene were found to be susceptibility genes for gastric cancer.

BST-2 expression in human hepatocytes is inducible by all three types of interferons and restricts production of hepatitis C virus

Bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2, also known as tetherin, CD317, or HM1.24) has recently been identified as a host restriction factor against diverse families of enveloped viruses. However, the effects of BST-2 on the life cycle of hepatitis C virus (HCV), an enveloped RNA virus, remain unclear and controversial. Here we demonstrated that human hepatocytes including Huh7.5.1 cells, primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), and HepG2 cells constitutively expressed low to moderate levels of endogenous BST-2 on the cell surface, which could be robustly up-regulated by all three types of interferons (IFNs) such as IFN-α, IFN-γ, and IFN-λ. IFN-α and IFN-γ showed a synergistic effect in induction of BST-2 expression on human hepatocytes. Over-expression of BST-2 by BST-2-expressing vector transfection or up-regulation of BST-2 by IFN stimulation markedly suppressed HCV production, whereas shRNA-mediated depletion of endogenous BST-2 significantly enhanced HCV production in infected Huh7.5.1 cells. IFN-mediated anti-HCV activity was partially but significantly diminished by shRNA-mediated knockdown of BST-2 expression, indicating that BST- 2 upregulation is directly involved in IFN-mediated inhibition of HCV production. We also found that both BST-2 and HCV core co-localized with intracellular lipid droplets (LDs), suggesting that BST-2-HCV interaction may take place around LDs as LDs constitute an important intracellular organelle for HCV assembly and replication. Taken together, our data suggest that BST-2 is a host restriction factor against HCV, and induction of BST-2 in hepatocytes could be one of the mechanisms by which current HCV standard therapy (IFN-α plus ribavirin) achieves a sustained virological response (SVR).

ABCB1 polymorphisms predict imatinib response in chronic myeloid leukemia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Imatinib mesylate, a competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is considered the first-line therapy drug for Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ATP-binding cassette, subfamily B (MDR/TAP), member 1 gene (ABCB1/MDR1), c.1236C>T, c.2677G>T/A and c.3435C>T, have been shown to affect cellular transport/metabolism of imatinib. The associations between these SNPs and imatinib response in CML patients have been widely evaluated, but the results were inconsistent. To derive a conclusive assessment of the associations, we performed a meta-analysis by combining data from a total of 12 reports including 1826 patients. The results showed that the 2677G allele or 3435T allele predicted a worse response to imatinib in CML patients, whereas 1236CC genotype was associated with better response in CML patients from Asian region. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that c.1236C>T, c.2677G>T/A and c.3435C>T can be served as predictive markers for the therapeutical use of imatinib in CML patients.