[Relief effect of CT-guided (125)I seed implantation on patients with spinal and paraspinal osteolytic metastatic tumors]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of computed tomography (CT)-guided (125)I seed implantation in the treatment of patients with spinal and/or paraspinal osteolytic metastatic tumors. Methods: The radiation dose distribution was planned for 27 patients with 35 spinal and paraspinal osteolytic metastatic tumors by a treatment planning system (TPS). CT-guided (125)I seed implantation was carried out in the patients, and the quality of treatment was evaluated based on CT-imaging follow-up. Results: All the 27 patients underwent CT-guided (125)I seed implantation successfully. 12 to 50 (125)I seeds were injected into each spinal or paraspinal metastatic tumor, 39.15 on average, and the specific radioactive activity of the particles ranged from 0.60 to 0.80 mCi, 0.73 mCi on average. The minimal percentage of the dose received by 90% of the target volume (D(90)) of the spinal and paraspinal metastatic tumors ranged from 90 to 165 Gy, 115.03 Gy on average. Among the 27 patients, 21 (77.8%) had partial remission (PR) and 6(22.2%)had stable disease (SD). The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores before implantation and at postoperative 3 and 6 months were 7.81±0.74, 2.04±1.10 and 1.81±0.79, respectively, (P<0.05). The assessment of pain intensity before (125)I seed implantation and at 3 postoperative months showed obvious improvements in the patients evaluated according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale: 12 (44.4%) patients with ASIA grade C were changed to grade D, 3 (11.1%) from grade C to grade E, 8 (29.6%) from grade D to grade E, 3 (11.1%) with a stable grade D, and 1 (3.7%)with a stablegrade C. The Karnovsky performance scale (KPS) scores before treatment and at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively were 66.30±6.88, 85.93±9.31 and 87.91±8.56, respectively (P<0.05). Their local control rate (LCR) at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively were 100%, 92.6% and 51.9%, respectively, and the overall survival rates(OSR) were 100%, 92.6% and 55.6%, respectively. Conclusions: CT-guided (125)I seed implantation can significantly relieve local pain, has advantages of less complications and higher local control rate. Therefore, it is a safe, effective and feasible treatment option for patients with spinal and paraspinal osteolytic metastatic tumors.

Facile design of ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide membranes for the fabrication of plasmonic nanoarrays

Ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are efficient templates for the fabrication of patterned nanostructures. Herein, a three-step etching method to control the morphology of AAO is described. The morphological evolution of the AAO during phosphoric acid etching is systematically investigated and a nonlinear growth mechanism during unsteady-state anodization is revealed. The thickness of the AAO can be quantitatively controlled from ∼100 nm to several micrometers while maintaining the tunablity of the pore diameter. The AAO membranes are robust and readily transferable to different types of substrates to prepare patterned plasmonic nanoarrays such as nanoislands, nanoclusters, ultra-small nanodots, and core-satellite superstructures. The localized surface plasmon resonance from these nanostructures can be easily tuned by adjusting the morphology of the AAO template. The custom AAO template provides a platform for the fabrication of low-cost and large-scale functional nanoarrays suitable for fundamental studies as well as applications including biochemical sensing, imaging, photocatalysis, and photovoltaics.

Fabrication of Hierarchical Layer-by-Layer Assembled Diamond-based Core-Shell Nanocomposites as Highly Efficient Dye Absorbents for Wastewater Treatment

The effective chemical modification and self-assembly of diamond-based hierarchical composite materials are of key importance for a broad range of diamond applications. Herein, we report the preparation of novel core-shell diamond-based nanocomposites for dye adsorption toward wastewater treatment through a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled strategy. The synthesis of the reported composites began with the carboxyl functionalization of microdiamond by the chemical modification of diamond@graphene oxide composite through the oxidation of diamond@graphite. The carboxyl-terminated microdiamond was then alternatively immersed in the aqueous solution of amine-containing polyethylenimine and carboxyl-containing poly acrylic acid, which led to the formation of adsorption layer on diamond surface. Alternating (self-limiting) immersions in the solutions of the amine-containing and carboxyl-containing polymers were continued until the desired number of shell layers were formed around the microdiamond. The obtained core-shell nanocomposites were successfully synthesized and characterized by morphological and spectral techniques, demonstrating higher surface areas and mesoporous structures for good dye adsorption capacities than nonporous solid diamond particles. The LbL-assembled core-shell nanocomposites thus obtained demonstrated great adsorption capacity by using two model dyes as pollutants for wastewater treatment. Therefore, the present work on LbL-assembled diamond-based composites provides new alternatives for developing diamond hybrids as well as nanomaterials towards wastewater treatment applications.

Genetic analysis of HOXA11 gene in Chinese patients with cryptorchidism

Cryptorchidism is the most common congenital anomaly in male children. Its aetiology remains unknown in the majority of cases. Because HOXA11 plays a vital role in regulating testicular descent, genetic variants in HOXA11 genes may contribute to the risk of cryptorchidism. In this study, mutation analysis was performed on the HOXA11 gene in a cohort of 89 patients with cryptorchidism. Furthermore, an association analysis of the HOXA11 tag single nucleotide polymorphism rs6461992 was performed in 168 patients with unilateral cryptorchidism and 193 controls. No pathogenic mutations were found. A significant difference in genotype and allele distribution was detected between cases and controls (p = .029 and .022 respectively). These results suggest that mutations in the coding sequence of HOXA11 might not be a common cause of cryptorchidism, while common polymorphisms in the HOXA11 gene might contribute to the risk of developing unilateral cryptorchidism.

Efficient Enrichment and Self-Assembly of Hybrid Nanoparticles into Removable and Magnetic SERS Substrates for Sensitive Detection of Environmental Pollutants

A structure consisting of a low surface energy substrate and low surface tension liquid is designed and prepared by taking advantage of perfluorinated fluid infusion into the porous Teflon membrane. This slippery platform allows efficient enrichment and self-assembly of hybrid nanoparticles and the assembled structure can be detached from the membrane. A macroscale superlattice array of Au nanorods doped with magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles is obtained by suppressing the outward capillary flow and coffee-ring effect during evaporative self-assembly. In SERS (surface enhanced Raman scattering) detection of environmental pollutants including thiram, diquat and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the removable plasmonic superlattice array with magnetic properties enables rapid separation of analytes from the solution resulting in excellent sensitivity and detection limits down to the nanomolar level. The self-assembly strategy shows great potential in the fabrication of removable 3D plasmonic superlattice arrays for SERS detections.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in African Americans with Localized Aggressive Periodontitis

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of the highly leukotoxic JP2 sequence versus the minimally leukotoxic non-JP2 sequence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans within a cohort of 180 young African Americans, with and without localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP), in north Florida. The study included patients aged 5 to 25 y: 60 LAP patients, 60 healthy siblings (HS), and 60 unrelated healthy controls (HC). Subgingival plaque was collected from LAP sites-diseased (PD ≥5 mm with bleeding on probing) and healthy (PD ≤3 mm with no bleeding on probing)-and from healthy sites of HS and HC. Plaque DNA was extracted and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for the detection of the JP2 and non-JP2 sequences of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Overall, 90 (50%) subjects tested positive for the JP2 sequence. Fifty (83.33%) LAP subjects were carriers of the highly leukotoxic JP2 sequence, detected in 45 (75%) diseased sites and 34 (56.67%) healthy sites. Additionally, JP2 carriage was found in 16 HS (26.67%) and 24 HC (40%; P < 0.0001, among groups). The non-JP2 sequence was detected in 26 (14.44%) total subjects: 17 (28.33%) LAP patients detected in equal amounts of diseased and healthy sites (n = 11, 18.33%), 6 (10%) HS sites, and 3 (5%) HC sites (P < 0.05, among groups). The JP2 sequence was strongly associated with LAP-diseased sites in young African Americans, significantly more so than the non-JP2 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01330719). Knowledge Transfer Statement: Clinicians may use the results of this study to identify susceptible individuals to aggressive periodontitis, potentially leading to more appropriate selection of therapeutic choices.

Risk factors for posttraumatic epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to identify risk factors for posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE).

METHODS

Two electronic databases (Medline and Embase) were searched to identify studies with a cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional design reporting on epidemiologic evidence regarding risk factors for PTE.

RESULTS

Men had a higher risk of developing PTE than women [relative ratio (RR), 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-1.59]. A history of alcohol abuse (RR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.26-3.79), posttraumatic amnesia (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.12-1.53), focal neurologic signs (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.16-1.74), and loss of consciousness at initial traumatic brain injury (TBI) (RR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.13-2.32) were associated with a greater risk of PTE. TBI-related abnormal neuroimaging findings, including skull fracture (RR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.49-3.44), midline shift (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.14-1.87), brain contusion (RR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.69-3.28), subdural hemorrhage (RR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.33-3.01), and intracranial hemorrhage (RR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.83-3.82) were strong risk factors for PTE. The risk of developing PTE after skull fracture, mild brain injury, and severe brain injury peaked within the first year after TBI, and then gradually decreased. However, a high risk of PTE was sustained for >10years.

CONCLUSION

The current meta-analysis identified potential risk factors for PTE. The results may contribute to better prevention strategies and treatments for PTE.

Comparison of Insulin Resistance and β-Cell Dysfunction Between the Young and the Elderly in Normal Glucose Tolerance and Prediabetes Population: A Prospective Study

Insulin resistance and β-cell function are different between the young and elderly diabetes individuals, which are not well elaborated in the nondiabetic persons. The aims of this study were to compare insulin resistance and β-cell function between young and old adults from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) to prediabetes [which was subdivided into isolated impaired fasting glucose (i-IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (i-IGT), and a combination of both (IFG/IGT)], and compare the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the above prediabetes subgroups between different age groups after 3 years. A total of 1 374 subjects aged below 40 or above 60 years old with NGT or prediabetes were finally included in this study. Insulin resistance and β-cell function from homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and interactive, 24-variable homeostatic model of assessment (iHOMA2) were compared between different age groups. The rate of transition to diabetes between different age groups in all pre-diabetes subgroups was also compared. Compared with the old groups, young i-IFG and IFG/IGT groups exhibit higher log HOMA-IR and log HOMA2-S, whereas the young i-IGT groups experienced comparable log HOMA-IR and log HOMA2-S when compared with old i-IFG and IFG/IGT groups. Three prediabetes subgroups all had similar log HOMA-B and log HOMA2-B between different age groups. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes in young i-IFG was statistically higher than that in old i-IFG after 3 years. Age is negatively related to log HOMA2-B in both age groups. Considering an age-related deterioration of β-cell function, young i-IFG, young i-IGT, and young IFG/IGT all suffered a greater impairment in insulin secretion than the old groups. Young i-IFG and IFG/IGT have more severe insulin resistance than the old groups. In addition, young i-IFG characterized with a higher incidence of DM than the old i-IFG. These disparities highlight that the prevention to slow progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes should be additionally focused in young prediabetes individuals, especially young i-IFG.

[Epidemiology of febrile neutropenia in patients with hematological disease-a prospective multicentre survey in China]

目的

了解中国血液病患者中性粒细胞缺乏（粒缺）伴发热的发生率、临床和微生物学特征及危险因素。

方法

前瞻性研究2014年10月20日至2015年3月20日来自全国11家血液病中心发生粒缺伴发热的连续血液病患者发热情况及危险性因素。

结果

1 139例患者共发生784例次粒缺伴发热，粒缺持续21 d时发热的累积发生率为81.9%。多因素分析显示中心静脉置管（P<0.001，HR= 3.407，95% CI 2.276~4.496）、胃肠道黏膜炎（P<0.001，HR=10.548, 95% CI 3.245~28.576）、既往90 d内暴露于广谱抗生素（P<0.001，HR=3.582，95% CI 2.387~5.770）和粒缺持续时间>7 d（P<0.001，HR= 4.194，95% CI 2.572~5.618）是粒缺伴发热的危险因素。无任何危险因素、具备1项、2项、3~4项危险因素患者发热的累计发生率依次增加（35.4%、69.2%、86.1%及95.6%，P<0.001）。784例次粒缺伴发热中，不明原因发热253例次（32.3%），临床证实的感染429例次（54.7%），微生物学证实的感染102例次（13.0%）。最常见的感染部位依次为肺（388例次，49.5%）、上呼吸道（159例次，16.0%）、肛周组织（77例次，9.8%）、血流（60例次，7.7%）。最常见的病原菌为革兰阴性菌（44.54%），其次为革兰阳性菌（37.99%）和真菌（17.47%）。发热与未发热患者相比，两组之间总体病死率差异无统计学意义（9.2%对4.8%，P=0.099）。多因素分析显示年龄>40岁（P=0.047，HR=5.000，95% CI 0.853~28.013）、血流动力学不稳（P=0.001，HR=13.185, 95% CI 2.983~54.915）、既往耐药菌的定植或感染（P=0.005，HR=28.734，95% CI 2.921~313.744）、血流感染（P=0.038，HR=9.715, 95% CI 1.110~81.969）和肺部感染（P=0.031，HR=25.905, 95% CI 1.381~507.006）是与总体死亡相关的危险因素。

结论

发热是血液病患者粒缺期常见的合并症，不同部位的感染有不同的致病菌谱。粒缺持续时间>7 d、中心静脉置管、胃肠道黏膜炎和既往90 d内暴露于广谱抗生素是粒缺伴发热发生的危险因素。

A comparison between allogeneic stem cell transplantation from unmanipulated haploidentical and unrelated donors in acute leukemia

BACKGROUND

In the absence of a HLA-matched related or matched unrelated donor, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) from mismatched unrelated donors or haploidentical donors are potential alternatives for patients with acute leukemia with an indication to allo-SCT. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of allo-SCT from T cell-replete haploidentical (Haplo) versus matched (MUD 10/10) or mismatched unrelated donor at a single HLA-locus (MMUD 9/10) for patients with acute leukemia in remission.

METHODS

Two hundred sixty-five adult patients with de novo acute leukemia in first or second remission that received a Haplo-SCT between January 2007 and December 2013 were compared with 2490 patients receiving a MUD 10/10 and 813 receiving a MMUD 9/10. Propensity score weighted analysis was conducted in order to control for disease risk imbalances between the groups.

RESULTS

The weighted 3-year non-relapse mortality and relapse incidence were 29 and 30% for Haplo, 21 and 29% for MUD 10/10, and 29 and 25% for MMUD 9/10, respectively. The weighted 3-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS) were 41 and 46% for Haplo, 50 and 56% for MUD 10/10, and 46 and 48% for MMUD 9/10, respectively. Using weighted Cox model, both LFS and OS were significantly higher in transplants from MUD 10/10 compared from those in Haplo but not different between transplants from MMUD 9/10 and Haplo. The type of donor was not significantly associated with neither acute nor chronic graft-versus-host disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with acute leukemia in remission have better outcomes if transplanted from a MUD 10/10. We did not find any significant difference in outcome between transplants from MMUD 9/10 and Haplo, suggesting that both can be equally used in the absence of a 10/10 MUD. KEY POINT 1: Better outcomes using fully (10/10) matched unrelated donor for allo-SCT in acute leukemia in remission. KEY POINT 2: Similar outcomes after allo-SCT from unmanipulated haploidentical graft or mismatched (9/10) unrelated donor in acute leukemia in remission.

FTO Plays an Oncogenic Role in Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a N6-Methyladenosine RNA Demethylase

N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) represents the most prevalent internal modification in mammalian mRNAs. Despite its functional importance in various fundamental bioprocesses, the studies of m⁶A in cancer have been limited. Here we show that FTO, as an m⁶A demethylase, plays a critical oncogenic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FTO is highly expressed in AMLs with t(11q23)/MLL rearrangements, t(15;17)/PML-RARA, FLT3-ITD, and/or NPM1 mutations. FTO enhances leukemic oncogene-mediated cell transformation and leukemogenesis, and inhibits all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced AML cell differentiation, through regulating expression of targets such as ASB2 and RARA by reducing m⁶A levels in these mRNA transcripts. Collectively, our study demonstrates the functional importance of the m⁶A methylation and the corresponding proteins in cancer, and provides profound insights into leukemogenesis and drug response.

Potential unfavorable impacts of BDNF Val66Met polymorphisms on metabolic risks in average population in a longevous area

Background

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in cognitive performance and the modulation of several metabolic parameters in some disease models, but its potential roles in successful aging remain unclear. We herein sought to define the putative correlation between BDNF Val66Met and several metabolic risk factors including BMI, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and lipid levels in a long-lived population inhabiting Hongshui River Basin in Guangxi.

Methods

BDNF Val66Met was typed by ARMS-PCR for 487 Zhuang long-lived individuals (age ≥ 90, long-lived group, LG), 593 of their offspring (age 60–77, offspring group, OG) and 582 ethnic-matched healthy controls (aged 60–75, control group, CG) from Hongshui River Basin. The correlations of genotypes with metabolic risks were then determined.

Results

As a result, no statistical difference was observed on the distribution of allelic and genotypic frequencies of BDNF Val66Met among the three groups (all P > 0.05) except that AA genotype was dramatically higher in females than in males of CG. The HDL-C level of A allele (GA/AA genotype) carriers was profoundly lower than was non-A (GG genotype) carriers in the total population and the CG (P = 0.009 and 0.006, respectively), which maintained in females, hyperglycemic and normolipidemic subgroup of CG after stratification by gender, BMI, glucose and lipid status. Furthermore, allele A carriers, with a higher systolic blood pressure, exhibited 1.63 folds higher risk than non-A carriers to be overweight in CG (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.05 - 2.55, P = 0.012). Multiple regression analysis displayed that the TC level of LG reversely associated with BDNF Val66Met genotype.

Conclusions

These data suggested that BDNF 66Met may play unfavorable roles in blood pressure and lipid profiles in the general population in Hongshui River area which might in part underscore their poorer survivorship versus the successful aging individuals and their offspring.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0393-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Transcriptome Analysis of Taxillusi chinensis (DC.) Danser Seeds in Response to Water Loss

BACKGROUND

Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser, the official species of parasitic loranthus that grows by parasitizing other plants, is used in various traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways are two major pathways in response to drought stress for plants and some genes have been reported to play a key role during the dehydration including dehydration-responsive protein RD22, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, and various transcription factors (TFs) like MYB and WRKY. However, genes responding to dehydration are still unknown in loranthus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Initially, loranthus seeds were characterized as recalcitrant seeds. Then, biological replicates of fresh loranthus seeds (CK), and seeds after being dehydrated for 16 hours (Tac-16) and 36 hours (Tac-36) were sequenced by RNA-Seq, generating 386,542,846 high quality reads. A total of 164,546 transcripts corresponding to 114,971 genes were assembled by Trinity and annotated by mapping them to NCBI non-redundant (NR), UniProt, GO, KEGG pathway and COG databases. Transcriptome profiling identified 60,695, 56,027 and 66,389 transcripts (>1 FPKM) in CK, Tac-16 and Tac-36, respectively. Compared to CK, we obtained 2,102 up-regulated and 1,344 down-regulated transcripts in Tac-16 and 1,649 up-regulated and 2,135 down-regulated transcripts in Tac-36 by using edgeR. Among them some have been reported to function in dehydration process, such as RD22, heat shock proteins (HSP) and various TFs (MYB, WRKY and ethylene-responsive transcription factors). Interestingly, transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins peaked in Tac-16. It is indicated that HSPs and ribosomal proteins may function in early response to drought stress. Raw sequencing data can be accessed in NCBI SRA platform under the accession number SRA309567.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first time to profile transcriptome globally in loranthus seeds. Our findings provide insights into the gene regulations of loranthus seeds in response to water loss and expand our current understanding of drought tolerance and germination of seeds.

Preparation of diamond-based AuNP-modified nanocomposites with elevated catalytic performances

Diamond@graphene oxide@gold nanoparticle (D@GO@AuNP) nanocomposite materials with excellent catalytic activity and high recyclability were prepared, demonstrating potential applications as a composite catalytic material.