[Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell tumor treated with DVT regimen: a case report and literature review]

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and highly aggressive hematological malignancy, there is no standard treatment and the prognosis is very poor. Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University report a case of 85-year-old BPDCN male patient treated with DVT regimen (decitabine combined with Venetoclax and thalidomide) and achieved complete remission. The patient with skin nodules and the pathology diagnosed BPDCN, the next generation sequencing of skin nodules showed mutations of IDH2 and ASXL1. DVT (decitabine combined with Venetoclax and thalidomide) has significant efficacy with rapid and deep remission for BPDCN, and the adverse effects is less, especially suitable for elderly patients who cannot tolerate intense chemotherapy.

Co-inhibition of Aurora A and Haspin kinases enhances survivin blockage and p53 induction for mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause and mortality worldwide. Aurora A and haspin kinases act pivotal roles in mitotic progression. However, the blockage of Aurora A and Haspin for CRC therapy is still unclear. Here we show that the Haspin and p-H3T3 protein levels were highly expressed in CRC tumor tissues of clinical patients. Overexpression of Haspin increased the protein levels of p-H3T3 and survivin in human CRC cells; conversely, the protein levels of p-H3T3 and survivin were decreased by the Haspin gene knockdown. Moreover, the gene knockdown of Aurora A induced abnormal chromosome segregation, mitotic catastrophe, and cell growth inhibition. Combined targeted by co-treatment of CHR6494, a Haspin inhibitor, and MLN8237, an Aurora A inhibitor, enhanced apoptosis and CRC tumor inhibition. MLN8237 and CHR6494 induced abnormal chromosome segregation and mitotic catastrophe. Meanwhile, MLN8237 and CHR6494 inhibited survivin protein levels but conversely induced p53 protein expression. Ectopic survivin expression by transfection with a survivin-expressed vector resisted the cell death in the MLN8237- and CHR6494-treated cells. In contrast, the existence of functional p53 increased the apoptotic levels by treatment with MLN8237 and CHR6494. Co-treatment of CHR6494 and MLN8237 enhanced the blockage of human CRC xenograft tumors in nude mice. Taken together, co-inhibition of Aurora A and Haspin enhances survivin inhibition, p53 pathway induction, mitotic catastrophe, apoptosis and tumor inhibition that may provide a potential strategy for CRC therapy.

[Study of the effects of long-term outcomes of autologous peripheral blood stem cell reinfusion in patients with decompensated cirrhosis]

Objective: Autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) derived from bone marrow can promote liver regeneration and improve the liver function of patients, but there are few studies on its effect on the long-term outcomes in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Based on previous work, this study observed the clinical outcomes of PBSC treatment in patients with decompensated cirrhosis for 10 years, in order to provide more data support for the safety and efficacy of stem cells in clinical applications. Methods: Data of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis who completed PBSC treatment in the Department of Gastroenterology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from August 2005 to February 2012 were included. The follow-up endpoint was death or liver transplantation, and patients who did not reach the follow-up endpoint were followed-up for at least 10 years. The patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis who met the conditions for PBSC treatment but did not receive PBSC treatment in our hospital during the same period were used as controls. Results: A total of 287 cases with decompensated liver cirrhosis had completed PBSC treatment, and 90 cases were lost to follow-up within 10 years after surgery. A total of 151 cases with complete survival follow-up data were included in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline information such as gender, age, etiological composition and liver function score between the two groups. The 10-year survival rate was higher in PBSC than control group (37.56% vs. 26.49%, P<0.05). Cholinesterase, albumin, international normalized ratio, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease score, and other indicators were gradually recovered within 3 months to 1 year after PBSC treatment, and stabilized at a more desirable level in the long-term after follow-up for up to 10 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver cancer between the two groups (25.22% vs.31.85%, P=0.267). The age of onset of hepatocellular carcinoma was later in PBSC than control group [(56.66±7.21) years vs. (52.69±8.42) years, P<0.05]. Conclusions: This long-term observational follow-up study of more than ten years confirms that PBSC treatment can bring long-term benefits to patients with decompensated cirrhosis, with good long-term safety, thus providing more data support on the safety and efficacy of stem cells for clinical applications.

A novel EGFR inhibitor suppresses survivin expression and tumor growth in human gefitinib-resistant EGFR-wild type and -T790M non-small cell lung cancer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-TKIs) are currently used therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients; however, drug resistance during cancer treatment is a critical problem. Survivin is an anti-apoptosis protein, which promotes cell proliferation and tumor growth that highly expressed in various human cancers. Here, we show a novel synthetic compound derived from gefitinib, do-decyl-4-(4-(3-(4-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenylamino)-7-methoxyquinazolin-6-yloxy)propyl) piper-azin-1-yl)-4-oxobutanoate, which is named as SP101 that inhibits survivin expression and tumor growth in both the EGFR-wild type and -T790M of NSCLC. SP101 blocked EGFR kinase activity and induced apoptosis in the A549 (EGFR-wild type) and H1975 (EGFR-T790M) lung cancer cells. SP101 reduced survivin proteins and increased active caspase 3 for inducing apoptosis. Ectopic expression of survivin by a survivin-expressed vector attenuated the SP101-induced cell death in lung cancer cells. Moreover, SP101 inhibited the gefitinib-resistant tumor growth in the xenograft human H1975 lung tumors of nude mice. SP101 substantially reduced survivin proteins but conversely elicited active caspase 3 proteins in tumor tissues. Besides, SP101 exerted anticancer abilities in the gefitinib resistant cancer cells separated from pleural effusion of a clinical lung cancer patient. Consistently, SP101 decreased the survivin proteins and the patient-derived xenografted lung tumor growth in nude mice. Anti-tumor ability of SP101 was also confirmed in the murine lung cancer model harboring EGFR T790M-L858R. Together, SP101 is a new EGFR inhibitor with inhibiting survivin that can be developed for treating EGFR wild-type and EGFR-mutational gefitinib-resistance in human lung cancers.

Autofluorescence Detection Method for Dental Plaque Bacteria Detection and Classification: Example of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Streptococcus mutans

The use of fluorescence spectroscopy for plaque detection is a fast and effective way to monitor oral health. At present, there is no uniform specification for the design of the excitation light source of related products for generating fluorescence. To carry out experiments on dental plaque, the fluorescence spectra of three different bacterial species (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Streptococcus mutans) were measured by hyperspectral imaging microscopy (HIM). Three critical issues were found in the experiments. One issue was the unwanted spectrum generated from a mercury line source; two four-order low-pass filters were evaluated for eliminating the unwanted spectrum and meet the experimental requirements. The second issue was the red fluorescence generated from the microscope slide made of borosilicate glass; this could affect the observation of the red fluorescence from the bacteria; quartz microscope slides were found to reduce the fluorescence intensity by about 2 dB compared with the borosilicate slide. The third issue of photobleaching in the fluorescence of the Porphyromonas gingivalis was studied. This study proposes a method of classifying three bacteria based on the spectral intensity ratios (510/635 and 500/635 nm) under the 405 nm excitation light was proposed in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of the classification were approximately 99% and 99%, respectively.

Bacillus licheniformis, a potential probiotic, inhibits obesity by modulating colonic microflora in C57BL/6J mice model

AIMS

This study evaluated the effects of a potential probiotic, Bacillus sp., on the growth, serum and hepatic triglyceride, histological features of liver tissues and colonic microflora in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Sixty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups: mice fed a low-fat diet (Cont), mice fed a high-fat diet (Hf), Hf and orally challenged with Bacillus subtilis (Bs), B. licheniformis (Bl) and a mixture of B. subtilis and B. licheniformis (Bls). Gavage feeding was provided at week 9 and the experiment was continued for 8 weeks. Treatment with B. licheniformis and a mixture of Bacillus sp. attenuated body weight gain at the end of study and enhanced glucose tolerance by sensitizing insulin action in the Hf-fed mice. Lower serum and hepatic triglyceride and epididymal fat weight were observed in Bl and Bls groups than that of Hf group. Lesser hepatic fat deposition was observed in the Bl and Bls groups than in the Hf group. High-throughput sequencing showed that Bacillus sp. supplementation dramatically changed the colonic bacterial community in obese mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Bacillus licheniformis reduced body weight and improved glucose tolerance, obesity and insulin resistance in Hf-fed mice by changing colonic microbiota composition.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Orally administration of Bacillus licheniformis may reduce body weight and decrease fat deposition by modulating colonic bacterial community in Hf model.

Modulation of broilers' caecal microflora and metabolites in response to a potential probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Studies have found that a dietary supplement of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens improved the growth performance, increased the nutrient digestibility of hosts and modulated the intestinal microflora. A total of 360 1-day-old Ross broilers were randomly divided into three treatments: a control group with a basal diet, an antibiotic group with a basal diet and added colistin sulphate, and a probiotics group with a basal diet and added Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The HiSeq high-throughput sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA was used to investigate the differences in birds' caecal microflora, and metabolomics was used to analyse changes in caecal metabolites. Results showed that the supplementation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly improved the BW and ADG compared with the control birds. Results of sequencing indicated that (i) 645, 670, 596 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found in birds supplemented with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on day 7, 21 and 42, separately, (ii) due to the diversity and relative abundance of the birds' caecal microflora, the OTUs of the caecal microflora clustered according to age and treatment, except on day 42, (iii) among the six predominate families (Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Lactobacillaceae and Rikenellaceae), the supplementation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens significantly increased Enterobacteriaceae on day 42, (iv) Bacillus amyloliquefaciens increased the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Ruminococcus on day 21, increased the Faecalibacterium and Blautia and decreased the Ruminococcus on day 42. The metabolomics of caecal metabolites showed that the dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens changed the caecal metabolites involved of amino acid metabolism and glyceride metabolism, and the antibiotics changed the caecal metabolites that were related to carbohydrates and amino acid metabolism on day 21.

Clinical research on dendritic cell vaccines to prevent postoperative recurrence and metastasis of liver cancer

We aimed to evaluate dendritic cell (DC) tumor vaccines for preventing liver cancer recurrence and metastasis. DCs were induced from mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood with recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and recombinant human interleukin 4 (rhIL-4), followed by sensitization with lysis of autologous liver cancer cells. One hundred and sixty patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were randomly divided into two groups of 80. One group was treated postoperatively with six cycles of the DC tumor vaccine. The other group was treated postoperatively with six cycles of FOLFOX 6, beginning 1 week after surgery. After treatment with DC tumor vaccines, the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+, the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ DC, and the serum levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ were significantly increased both in comparison to the pre-treatment levels (P < 0.001) and to the chemotherapy group (P < 0.001). After a postoperative follow-up of 18 months, the metastatic recurrence rate in the DC tumor vaccine group was significantly lower than that in the chemotherapy group (17.50 vs 48.75%, P < 0.005), and the survival rate of the patients in the DC tumor vaccine group was higher than that of the chemotherapy treatment group (86.25 vs 52.50%, P < 0.005). Treatment with DC tumor vaccines was safe and feasible. It can enhance the immunity of the patients, reduce the rates of metastasis and recurrence, and improve survival rates. This is a promising treatment for the prevention of postoperative recurrence in patients with liver cancer.

Malondialdehyde and SOD-induced changes of gastric tissues in acute gastric mucosal injury under positive acceleration

The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of positive acceleration (+Gz) on the gastric mucosal tissues in cases of acute gastric mucosal injury and to explore the role of oxygen free radicals. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the absolute ethanol control group (A group), absolute ethanol +5Gz group (B group), absolute ethanol +10Gz group (C group). Following centrifugation, the gastric tissues of each group were studied for the presence of gastric mucosal injuries and morphological changes. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were simultaneously investigated. Degree of gastric mucosal injuries were as follows: C group (visually 49.080 ± 10.254, under light microscopy 9.400 ± 2.011) > B group (visually 23.654 ± 9.678, under light microscopy 5.000 ± 1.054) > A group (visually 11.410 ± 3.742, under light microscopy 3.800 ± 1.399). The gastric mucosal MDA content (0.376 ± 0.084 vs 0.235 ± 0.044) was significantly higher in the C group than in the A group, whereas the SOD content (8.852 ± 1.001 vs 10.694 ± 0.965) was lower than that in the A group. However, the MDA and SOD contents did not change much in the B group. Our results suggest that the +Gz exposure might aggravate the acute gastric mucosal injury, and changes in MDA and SOD contents in the gastric tissues indicated that the oxygen free radicals play an important role in this regard.

Inflammation-induced drug release by using a pH-responsive gas-generating hollow-microsphere system for the treatment of osteomyelitis

In the conventional treatment of osteomyelitis, the penetration of antibiotics into the infected bone is commonly poor. To ensure that the local antibiotic concentration is adequate, this work develops an injectable calcium phosphate (CP) cement in which is embedded pH-responsive hollow microspheres (HMs) that can control the release of a drug according to the local pH. The HMs are fabricated using a microfluidic device, with a shell of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and an aqueous core that contains vancomycin (Van) and NaHCO3. At neutral pH, the CP/HM cement elutes a negligible concentration of the drug. In an acidic environment, the NaHCO3 that is encapsulated in the HMs reacts with the acid rapidly to generate CO2 bubbles, disrupting the PLGA shells and thereby releasing Van locally in excess of a therapeutic threshold. The feasibility of using this CP/HM cement to treat osteomyelitis is studied using a rabbit model. Analytical results reveal that the CP/HM cement provides highly effective local antibacterial activity. Histological examination further verifies the efficacy of the treatment by the CP/HM cement. The above findings suggest that the CP/HM cement is a highly efficient system for the local delivery of antibiotics in the treatment of osteomyelitis.

Injectable microbeads with a thermo-responsive shell and a pH-responsive core as a dual-switch-controlled release system

Treating inflammation with a dual-switch-controlled release system: The release of a drug from the developed microbead system occurs only in response to both an increase in local temperature and an acidic environmental pH. This dual-switch-controlled release system has the advantages of distinguishing between inflamed and healthy tissues to improve treatment efficacy.

Effects of Clostridium butyricum on growth performance, immune function, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Clostridium butyricumon growth performance, immune function, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88. Three hundred sixty 1-d-old broiler chickens were randomly divided into 4 treatments: negative control (NC) birds were fed a basal diet and not challenged with E. coli K88; positive control (PC) birds were fed a basal diet and challenged with E. coli K88; C. butyricum treatment (CB) birds were fed a diet containing 2 × 10(7) cfu C. butyricum/kg of diet and challenged with E. coli K88; and colistin sulfate treatment (CS) birds were fed a diet containing 20 mg of colistin sulfate/kg of diet and challenged with E. coli K88. Birds fed CB had greater (P < 0.05) BW than the PC birds from 3 to 21 d postchallenge. Birds fed CB had greater (P < 0.05) serum IgA and IgY at 14 d postchallenge, greater (P < 0.05) serum IgM at 21 d postchallenge, and greater (P < 0.05) mucosal secreted IgA at 3 and 7 d postchallenge than the PC birds. Birds fed CB had greater concentrations of serum complement component 3 at 14 d postchallenge, and greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of serum complement component 4 at 3, 7, and 14 d postchallenge than the PC birds. Birds in the CS or CB treatments had less cecal E. coli population at 3, 7, and 21 d postchallenge, and less cecal Clostridium perfringens counts at 21 d postchallenge compared with the PC birds. The CB treatment increased (P < 0.05) the population of cecal Lactobacillus at 3 d postchallenge and the number of cecal Bifidobacterium at 3, 14, and 21 d postchallenge in comparison with the PC treatment. The results indicate that dietary supplementation of CB promotes growth performance, improves immune function, and benefits the cecal microflora in Escherichia coli K88-challenged chickens.

Effects of a probiotic, Enterococcus faecium, on growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune response, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88

The effects of feeding dehydrated Enterococcus faecium on growth performance, immune response, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens challenged with Escherichia coli K88 were investigated. Two hundred eighty-eight 1-d-old birds were randomly assigned to 4 treatments: negative control birds (N-con) fed a basal diet and not challenged with E. coli K88; positive control birds (P-con) fed a basal diet and challenged with E. coli K88; birds fed a basal diet including dehydrated E. faecium (Ef) at 1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of feed and challenged with E. coli K88; and birds fed a basal diet including the antibiotic colistine sulfate (Anti) at 10 mg/kg of feed and challenged with E. coli K88. Birds fed E. faecium had greater (P < 0.05) BW on d 14, 21, and 28 and greater (P < 0.05) jejunal villus height on d 21 and 28 compared with birds on the other treatments. Jejunal crypt depth was decreased (P < 0.05) in birds fed either E. faecium or antibiotic compared with P-con treatment birds on d 10, 21, and 28. Birds fed E. faecium had a greater (P < 0.05) concentration of IL-4 in their jejunal mucosa than did those in the N-con treatment group on d 10, 14, and 21. Infected birds, with or without E. faecium feeding, had a higher (P < 0.05) tumor necrosis factor-α and secreted IgA in their jejunal mucosa than did those in the N-con treatment group on d 10 and 14. Birds fed E. faecium had lower (P < 0.05) concentrations of E. coli on d 14 and 28, less (P < 0.05) Clostridium perfringens on d 28, greater Lactobacillus counts on d 14 and 21, and greater (P < 0.05) Bifidobacterium in their cecal contents on d 21 than did the P-con birds. These results suggest that E. faecium can promote growth performance, improve intestinal morphology, and beneficially manipulate the cecal microflora in broilers challenged with E. coli K88.

Response to dietary L-glutamine supplementation in weaned piglets: a serum metabolomic comparison and hepatic metabolic regulation analysis

A novel metabolomic method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to investigate serum metabolites in response to dietary Gln supplementation in piglets. Sixteen, 21-d-old pigs were weaned and assigned randomly to 2 isonitrogenous diets: 1) Gln diet, which contained 1% L-Gln (as-fed basis), and 2) control diet, which contained L-Ala to make this diet isonitrogenous with the Gln diet. Serum samples were collected to characterize metabolites after a 30-d treatment. in addition, 4 liver samples per treatment were collected to examine enzyme activity and gene expression involved in metabolic regulation. Results indicated that 12 metabolites were altered (P < 0.05) by Gln treatment, including carbohydrates, AA, and fatty acids. A leave-one-out cross validation of random forest analysis indicated that Pro was most important among the 12 metabolites. Thus, these data demonstrate that the control and Gln-supplemented pigs differed (P < 0.05) in terms of metabolism of carbohydrates, Pro, Tyr, and glycerophospholipids. Principal component analysis yielded separate clusters of profiles between the Gln and control groups. Metabolic enzyme activities of Ala aminotransferase and hexokinase increased by 26.8% (P = 0.026) and 26.2% (P = 0.004) in the liver of Gln-supplemented pigs vs. control, respectively, whereas pyruvate kinase (PK) activity decreased by 29.1% (P = 0.001). The gene expression of PK in the liver decreased by 66.1% (P = 0.034) by Gln treatment for 30 d. No differences were observed for the mRNA abundance of mammalian target of rapamycin and PPARγ. On the basis of these data, Gln treatment affected carbohydrate, lipid, and AA metabolism in the whole body of the early weaned piglets. These findings provide insight into specific metabolic pathways and lay the groundwork for the complex metabolic alteration in response to dietary Gln supplementation of pigs.

Effects of probiotic, Clostridium butyricum, on growth performance, immune function, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens

Four hundred and fifty 1-d-old male Lingnan Yellow broiler chickens were used to investigate the effects of Clostridium butyricum on growth performance, immune function, and cecal microflora. The birds were randomly assigned to 5 treatments and offered the same antibiotic-free basal diets for 42 d. The treatments were as follows: no addition (control), 1 × 10(7) cfu C. butyricum/kg of diet (CB1), 2 × 10(7) cfu C. butyricum/kg of diet (CB2), 3 × 10(7) cfu C. butyricum/kg of diet (CB3), and 10 mg of colistine sulfate/kg of diet (antibiotic). Birds fed either CB2 or antibiotic had greater overall BW than those in the control group. During d 1 to 7, d 21 to 42, and d 1 to 42, birds fed either CB2 or CB3 or the antibiotic diet had greater ADG compared with those in the control group. No significant differences were observed in BW or ADG among the CB2, CB3, and antibiotic groups. Birds fed the CB2 or CB3 diet had greater concentrations of IgA and IgG in the serum from d 14 to 42 and greater IgM in the serum from d 21 to 42 than those in the control group. Birds fed the CB3 diet had a greater concentration of complement component 3 in the serum than those in the control group from d 7 to 42. Dietary C. butyricum decreased (P < 0.05) Escherichia coli in cecal contents on d 14 and 42, and both CB2 and CB3 decreased (P < 0.05) cecal Salmonella and Clostridium perfringen from d 14 to 42 compared with the control. Broilers fed either CB2 or CB3 had greater cecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts from d 21 to 42, and birds fed C. butyricum had greater cecal C. butyricum counts during the whole period compared with those in the control group. The results indicate that C. butyricum promotes growth performance and immune function and benefits the balance of the intestinal microflora in broiler chickens.

Effect of chito-oligosaccharide on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, intestinal morphology and cecal microflora in weaned pigs

A total of 180 weanling pigs (21 ± 3 d of age; 5.98 ± 0.04 kg) were used to investigate the effect of chito-oligosaccharide (COS) on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, intestinal morphology, and cecal microflora. Based on initial BW, gender and litter, the pigs were given 5 treatments during a 14-d feeding experiment, including a basal diet (control), 3 diets with COS supplementation (200, 400, or 600 mg/kg), and a diet with colistin sulfate (CSE) supplementation (20 mg/kg). Six randomly selected pigs from each treatment were used to collect serum, duodenal, jejunal, ileal, and cecal samples on d 7 and 14 postweaning. From d 1 to 7 postweaning, pigs fed COS or CSE had greater ADG and ADFI compared with the control pigs. From d 1 to 14, diets with either 400 or 600 mg/kg COS, or 20 mg/kg CSE increased (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F compared with the control diet. No significant differences were observed in ADG, ADFI, and G:F between the pigs fed COS and CSE. Pigs fed either 400 or 600 mg/kg COS, or 20 mg/kg CSE had less (P < 0.05) diamine oxidase (DAO) in the serum, but greater concentration of (P < 0.05) DAO in jejunal mucosa, than the control pigs on d 7 postweaning. Treatments did not affect villous height and crypt depth of the duodenum, jejunum, or ileum. Pigs fed COS at 400 mg/kg had greater (P < 0.05) concentration of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the cecum than pigs fed the control diet and CSE diet on d 7 postweaning. Supplementation of COS or CSE decreased (P < 0.05) the population of cecal Staphylococcus aureus compared with the control diet on d 7 postweaning. The number of cecal Bifidobacteria in pigs fed 600 mg/kg COS was greater (P < 0.05) than that of pigs fed the control diet or CSE diet on d 14 postweaning. No significant differences were observed in Escherichia coli counts in the cecum among treatments. The present results indicate that dietary supplementation of COS at 400 or 600 mg/kg promotes growth performance and improves gut barrier function, increases the population of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, and decreases S. aureus in the cecum of weanling pigs.

Semicarbazide-sensitive Amine Oxidase from the Smooth Muscles of Dog Aorta and Trachea: Activation by the MAO-A Inhibitor Clorgyline

Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) has been identified in the dog trachea and aorta smooth muscles. The dog SSAO is blocked by hydrazine inhibitors. SSAOs from several different vascular smooth muscle sources, such as the rat and bovine aorta, and human umbilical artery, as well as the bovine plasma, are insensitive to the MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline; the dog SSAO on the other hand is significantly activated by clorgyline. Two methods, i.e. radioenzymatic and fluoroemetric methods, have been applied to substantiate this clorgyline-induced activation. The activation was detected with respect to the deamination of different substrates, such as benzylamine, β-phenylethylamine and longer carbon chain aliphatic amines, but not with respect to methylamine. The clorgyline effect is reversible, non-competitive and time-independent; it depends on electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between clorgyline and hydrophobic regions of the dog SSAO enzyme.

Emergence and dissemination of blaOXA-23-carrying imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter sp in a regional hospital in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The distribution and characterization of OXA-type carbapenemases in Acinetobacter sp in Taiwan has less been reported. The aim of the study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology and OXA-type carbapenemase genes in a regional hospital in Taiwan.

METHODS

Imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter sp were collected between 2005 and 2007 in a regional hospital. Genotyping was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. OXA-type carbapenemase genes were determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing.

RESULTS

A total of 136 isolates were collected. Fifty-six pulsotypes were identified. None of the pulsotypes established predominance throughout the 3-year period. Multiplex PCR of blaOXA genes showed that 99% (135/136) of the Acinetobacter sp possessed blaOXA51-like genes. The coexistences of blaOXA51-like/blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA51-like/blaOXA-24-like were detected in 19% (26/136) and 1% (2/136) of the isolates, respectively. Among blaOXA-23-like gene-carrying isolates, two isolates (Pulsotypes 18 and 20) were found in 2006 and the remainder (n=24), including Pulsotypes 27 (n=18), 29 (n=1), 52 (n=3), and 53 (n=2), were found in 2007. Sequencing performed on the 26 representative isolates confirmed the presence of the blaOXA-23 carbapenemase gene. Analysis of the genetic content of blaOXA-23 showed that these genes were presumably chromosomal and associated with the upstream-located insertion sequence ISAba1.

CONCLUSIONS

The emergence and imminent widespread of blaOXA-23-carrying imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter sp appeared in Taiwan during the period from 2006 to 2007.

Role of integrons in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii

The relationship between the presence and types of integrons and the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii was investigated. A total of 134 non-duplicated A. baumannii isolates, 54.5% (n=73) of which were subsequently found to carry class 1 integrons, were collected from a regional hospital in Taiwan between March and September 2007. Only two types of gene cassette array, aacA4-catB8-aadA1 and aacC1-orfP-orfP-orfQ-aadA1, were identified. Susceptibility data showed that those strains carrying integrons were significantly more resistant to all antibiotics tested except ampicillin/sulbactam and imipenem. An epidemiological study revealed that the same integron could be found in different unrelated strains. These findings suggest that the presence of integrons in A. baumannii is responsible for both the horizontal transfer of antibiotic-resistance genes related to aminoglycosides and chloramphenicol and also represents a marker of multidrug resistance and epidemic potential.

First Report of Alternaria Leaf Blight on Bupleurum chinense Caused by Alternaria alternata in China

Bupleurum chinense DC. (family Umbelliferae) is an important medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine and is cultivated as an economically important plant in China (2). From 2006 to 2009, severe foliar disease was observed on B. chinense in Haidian, Changping, and Shunyi districts, Beijing, China. Approximately 75 to 85% of fields were affected with disease incidence ranging from 65 to 90%. Distribution of the disease in affected B. chinense fields was generally associated with high soil moisture, often corresponding to poor drainage. Initial symptoms first appeared on older leaves as irregularly shaped, minute, dark brown-to-black spots, with yellow borders on the edge of the affected leaflet blade. As the disease progressed, the lesions expanded, causing the leaflets to turn brown, shrivel, and die. Isolations performed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) initially resulted in white colonies. After 7 days of incubation at 25°C, the colonies turned gray or brown. Conidia varied in size from 10 × 6 to 40 × 12 μm, appeared brown to dark brown or olive-brown, were short beaked and borne in long chains, oval and bean-shaped with one to six transverse septa and zero to three longitudinal septa. Sequences of the rDNA from the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 and the 5.8S gene were amplified using primers ITS1 and ITS4, were obtained from three isolates, and comparisons with GenBank showed 100% similarity with A. alternata (Genbank Accession No. AB470912.1). For pathogenicity tests, three isolates were grown on PDA for 14 days. Inoculations were performed on detached, surface-sterilized, and healthy B. chinense leaflets following the method of Belisario (1). A 5-μl drop of conidial suspension containing 1 × 10⁵ CFU/ml was placed on each leaflet and 12 leaves per isolate were used. Leaves were incubated in a growth chamber (80 to 90% relative humidity; 50 to 60 klx/m² light intensity with a 12-h photoperiod). After 5 days, leaf spots similar to the original symptoms developed on all inoculated leaves and A. alternata was consistently reisolated from symptomatic leaf tissues on PDA. Control leaflets inoculated with sterile water remained asymptomatic. The experiment was performed three times. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata on B. chinense from China. References: (1) A. Belisario et al. Plant Dis. 83:696, 1999. (2) C. Sui et al. Plant Dis. 93:844, 2009.

Distribution of blaOXA-carrying imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in 3 hospitals in Taiwan

We investigated the molecular epidemiology and OXA-type carbapenemase genes of 83 imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. collected from 2 university hospitals (hospitals A and B) and a regional hospital (hospital C) during 2007 in Taiwan. Genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified 51 pulsotypes. None of the pulsotypes established predominance throughout the 3 hospitals. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction of blaOXA genes showed that 100% (18/18), 91%(31/34), and 100% (31/31) of the Acinetobacter spp. collected from hospital A, B, and C, respectively, possessed blaOXA-51-like genes. None of the strains carrying blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA-24-like genes were found in hospital A. The coexistences of blaOXA-51-like/blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA-51-like/blaOXA-24-like genes detected in hospitals B and C were 26% (9/34) and 12% (4/34) and 58% (18/31) and 3% (1/31), respectively. Among blaOXA-23-like gene-carrying isolates collected from hospitals, clonal spread of strains carrying the blaOXA-23 gene was detected in the regional hospital but not the other 2 university hospitals. The results suggest that interhospital dissemination of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. was not found in these hospitals. The increasing percentage of OXA-23 in OXA-type carbapenemases in Acinetobacter spp. from the regional hospitals to medical centers deserves further attention in Taiwan.

Clinical features and molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A baumannii complex in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan

We conducted a case-controlled study in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan to investigate the clinical features and molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A baumannii (MDR Acb) complex. Case patients had higher mortality than controls did. MDR Acb complex acquisition risk factors include longer hospital stays, higher ratio of nasogastric tube and Foley catheter use, and more carbapenem use. All available isolates were divided into 36 subtypes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The proportion of the same subtypes with their appearance within 1 and 2 months was 62.5% and 87.5%, respectively. We concluded that many different MDR Acb complex clones could be found in a hospital and that the same clones often spread on a small scale within a short period of time if no outbreaks noted.

Characterization of antimicrobial resistance patterns and integrons in human fecal Escherichia coli in Taiwan

Two hundred and twenty-five fecal strains of Escherichia coli isolated from 109 non-hospitalized adults in 2006 were investigated for susceptibility to antibiotics and for the presence of integrons. High resistance rates in fecal strains of E. coli were observed for streptomycin (52.0%), ampicillin (50.2%), piperacillin (50.2%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (47.6%) and chloramphenicol (33.8%). Integrons were found in 31.5% (71/225) of the strains using an integrase gene PCR assay. Among 71 integrase-positive strains, 65 strains belonged to class 1 integrons, while the remainder belonged to class 2. Gene cassette patterns of class 1 integrons were further characterized by PCR and direct sequencing. Among those class 1 integrase-containing isolates, the integron cassette region was amplified by PCR in 40.0% (26 of 65) of isolates. Five different antimicrobial resistance gene cassette arrays were found in those isolates. These gene cassettes included those encoding resistance to trimethoprim (dfrV, dfrA7, dfrA12, dfrA17) and streptomycin (aadA1, aadA2, aadA5). Among those gene cassette arrays, dfrA12-orfF-aadA2 was found in 53.8% (14/26) of the isolates. These findings indicate that multidrug resistance of fecal flora is common in Taiwan and that integrons play an important role in resistance to trimethoprim and streptomycin in humans.

Comparison of antimicrobial resistance patterns between clinical and sewage isolates in a regional hospital in Taiwan

AIMS

To compare bacterial populations and antimicrobial resistance patterns between clinical and sewage isolates from a regional hospital in northern Taiwan. The dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from hospital compartments to the hospital sewage treatment plant was examined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 1020 clinical isolates and 435 sewage isolates were collected between July and September 2005. The percentages of Gram-negative bacteria from the clinical and sewage isolates were 87.2% and 91.0%, respectively (P = 0.033). Escherichia coli were the leading bacterial isolates in both groups. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed a significant difference (P < 0.001) in resistance to ampicillin (85.6% vs 94.1%), ampicillin/sulbactam (31.7% vs 55.4%), cefazolin (29.2% vs 71.5%) and cefuroxime (20.7% vs 61.9%) between clinical and sewage coliform isolates, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The sewage isolates had higher antimicrobial resistance rates than the clinical isolates from the same hospital.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The low efficacy of the hospital sewage treatment may contribute to the dissemination of multidrug resistant bacteria from this hospital compartments to the environment. Practices which limit the disposal of antimicrobial agents into the wastewater system may be the possible measure to prevent the selection of multidrug-resistant bacteria from sewage treatment plants.

Effects of Cysteamine on Growth Performance, Digestive Enzyme Activities, and Metabolic Hormones in Broilers

A total of 600 avian male broilers at the age of 1 d were used to investigate the effects of cysteamine (CSH) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, and concentrations of serum hormones. The broilers received the same basal diets, with CSH added at 0 (control), 60, 90, 120, or 150 mg/kg. The feeding program consisted of a starter diet until 21 d and a grower diet until 42 d. The broilers with addition of CSH at 60 or 90 mg/kg had significantly higher growth rates during d 1 to 21 or d 21 to 42 compared with the control, respectively. However, adding 150 mg of CSH/kg significantly suppressed the growth of broilers. Adding 60 mg of CSH/kg significantly increased the activities of protease, amylase, and lipase in the pancreas and small intestinal contents during d 1 to 21, and the activities of protease and amylase in the small intestinal contents during d 21 to 42. Adding 90 mg of CSH/kg significantly increased the activities of lipase during d 1 to 21 and protease, amylase, and lipase during d 21 to 42 in small intestines. The activities of digestive enzymes during the whole period were suppressed by adding 150 mg of CSH/kg. The concentration of serum thyroxine was higher in the CSH-added birds during the whole period, whereas serum triiodothyronine was higher only during d 1 to 21 compared with the control. These findings indicate that low doses of dietary CSH may improve the growth performance and the activities of the digestive enzyme, but high doses of CSH appear to be detrimental to growth and digestion.

Intravitreal triamcinolone staining observation of residual undetached cortical vitreous after posterior vitreous detachment

AIMS

To study the pattern of residual undetached cortical vitreous (RCV) after posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and to examine the relationship between RCV and the development of epiretinal membrane (ERM).

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in 33 consecutive patients with clinically evident PVD who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for RRD. During vitrectomy, triamcinolone acetonide (0.2 cm(3), 10 mg/cm(3)) was applied to stain the RCV. The pattern of the staining were recorded. The formation of postoperative ERM was correlated with the staining pattern of RCV. Each case was followed for at least 6 months.

RESULTS

In all, 23 of the 33 patients had RCV of variable size, with a single stain patch observed in 13 patients and multiple patches in seven patients. Large circumferential areas of staining at the mid-periphery were noted in three patients. A total of 10 cases had staining over the fovea and five patients had staining over the disc. ERM developed in seven patients during follow-up. None corresponded to RCV.

CONCLUSION

RCV is common in eyes with PVD and RRD. The macula and disc area are the most frequent locations for these vitreous islands. The relationship between RCV and ERM remains to be investigated.

Biodegradation of phthalate esters by two bacteria strains

In this study two aerobic phthalic acid ester (PAE) degrading bacteria strains, DK4 and O18, were isolated from river sediment and petrochemical sludge, respectively. The two strains were found to rapidly degrade PAE with shorter alkyl-chains such diethyl phthalate (DEP), dipropyl phthalate (DPrP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP) and diphenyl phthalate (DPP) are very easily biodegraded, while PAE with longer alkyl-chains such as dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCP) and dihexyl phthalate (DHP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are poorly degraded. The degradation rates of the eight PAEs were higher for strain DK4 than for strain O18. In the simultaneous presence of strains DK4 and O18, the degradation rates of the eight PAEs examined were enhanced. When the eight PAEs were present simultaneously, degradation rates were also enhanced. We also found that PAE degradation was delayed by the addition of nonylphenol or selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at a concentration of 1 microg/g in the sediment. The bacteria strains isolated, DK4 and O18, were identified as Sphigomonas sp. and Corynebacterium sp., respectively.

Measurements of the cross section for e(+)e(-) --> hadrons at center-of-mass energies from 2 to 5 GeV

We report values of R = sigma(e(+)e(-)-->hadrons)/sigma(e(+)e(-)-->mu(+)mu(-)) for 85 center-of-mass energies between 2 and 5 GeV measured with the upgraded Beijing Spectrometer at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider.

Estimation of leaf nitrogen content from spectral characteristics of rice canopy

Ground-based remotely sensed reflectance spectra of hyperspectral resolution were monitored during the growing period of rice under various nitrogen application rates. It was found that reflectance spectrum of rice canopy changed in both wavelength and reflectance as the plants developed. Fifteen characteristic wavebands were identified from the apparent peaks and valleys of spectral reflectance curves, in accordance with the results of the first-order differentiation, measured over the growing season of rice. The bandwidths and center wavelengths of these characteristic wavebands were different among nitrogen treatments. The simplified features by connecting these 15 characteristic wavelengths may be considered as spectral signatures of rice canopy, but spectral signatures varied with developmental age and nitrogen application rates. Among these characteristic wavebands, the changes of the wavelength in band 11 showed a positive linear relationship with application rates of nitrogen fertilizer, while it was a negative linear relationship in band 5. Mean reflectance of wavelengths in bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, and 15 was significantly correlated with application rates. Reflectance of these six wavelengths changed nonlinearly after transplanting and could be used in combination to distinguish rice plants subjected to different nitrogen application rates. From the correlation analyses, there are a variety of correlation coefficients for spectral reflectance to leaf nitrogen content in the range of 350-2400 nm. Reflectance of most wavelengths exhibited an inverse correlation with leaf nitrogen content, with the largest negative value (r = -0.581) located at about 1376 nm. Changes in reflectance at 1376 nm to leaf nitrogen content during the growing period were closely related and were best fitted to a nonlinear function. This relationship may be used to estimate and to monitor nitrogen content of rice leaves during rice growth. Reflectance of red light minimum and near-infrared peak and leaf nitrogen content were correlated nonlinearly.

Seasonal changes of chlorophyll content in field-grown rice crops and their relationships with growth

Field experiments were conducted on the experimental farm of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) to examine seasonal changes in the amounts of chlorophylls in leaves and whole plants of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Tainung 67) grown in the first and the second crop seasons in 1998. Chlorophyll (Chl) differences between two crops and their relationships with growth were also investigated. The differences in climate conditions between the two crop seasons were quite phenomenal and led to different rates of plant growth and amounts of chlorophyll produced during the growth periods. Seasonal changes in Chla, Chlb, and total Chl were curvilinear in style, with Chla making up the major portion of total chlorophyll. Young plants of rice began with lower levels of chlorophyll, which increased as the plants developed, and decreased as the plants aged. A significant increase in chlorophyll occurred in the early stage of the second crop compared to that of the first crop, and the difference was maintained throughout the growing season. When the unit time transformation technique was used to exclude the difference in growth rate, the curves of the chlorophylls (Chla, Chlb, and total ChI) were similar in the two crops, but plants grown in the second crop season had higher levels of chlorophylls at the same time unit scale. Generally, the ratio of Chla to Chlb (Chla/Chlb) decreased after transplanting, indicating a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in the green-to-yellow pigment relationship. Plants grown in the first crop had higher Chla/Chlb ratios than those grown in the second crop, especially in leaf blades. Good agreement was found between growth traits and the respective total Chl cotent from regression analyses, and these growth traits were highly correlated with total Chl (R2 > 0.8). However, rice plants grown in the first crop showed a higher levels of plant growth and leaf area at the same chlorophyll level than those grown in the second crop. These results suggest that rice plants grown in the first crop may exhibit better growth and production than those grown in the second crop under normal growing conditions.

Seroprevalence and demographic characteristics of HTLV-I among blood donors in Taiwan: 1996-1999

Screening for the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and-II in blood donors was implemented in Taiwan beginning in February 1996. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the changes in HTLV-I seroprevalence in all unpaid blood donors in Taiwan during the period from February 1996 to December 1999 and to determine the influence of age and sex on the HTLV-I seropositivity of donors. HTLV-I and HTLV-II screening was performed using combined HTLV-I/II immunoassay. Repeated reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Of a total of 3,701,087 donors in all 6 blood centers in Taiwan, 2,311 (0.058%) were seropositive for HTLV-I. The HTLV-I seropositivity was 0.130%, 0.063%, 0.044%, and 0.032% in the years 1996, 1997,1998, and 1999, respectively. There was a linear increase of HTLV-I seropositivity with advancing age. The HTLV-I carrier rate for female donors was twice that for the male donors. Ninty-seven percent of HTLV-I seropositive results came from first-time donors. Our findings suggest that Taiwan is a low-prevalence nonendemic area for HTLV-I infection. The large-scale HTLV-I screening program has decreased HTLV-I seropositivity among blood donors and is useful for preventing HTLV-I transmission via blood transfusion.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha enhances bradykinin-induced signal transduction via activation of Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK in canine tracheal smooth muscle cells

Inhalation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induced a bronchial hyperreactivity to contractile agonists. However, the mechanisms of TNF-alpha involved in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperreactivity were not completely understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of TNF-alpha on bradykinin (BK)-induced inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization, and up-regulation of BK receptor density in canine cultured tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMCs). Pretreatment of TSMCs with TNF-alpha potentiated BK-induced IP accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization. However, there was no effect on the IP response induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and carbachol. Pretreatment with PDGF B-chain homodimer (PDGF-BB) also enhanced BK-induced IP response. These enhancements induced by TNF-alpha and PDGF-BB might be due to an increase in BK B(2) receptor density (B(max)), since [3H]BK binding to TSMCs was inhibited by the B(2) selective agonist and antagonist, BK and Hoe 140, but not by the B(1) selective reagents. The enhancing effects of TNF-alpha and PDGF-BB were attenuated by PD98059 (an inhibitor of activation of MAPK kinase, MEK) and cycloheximide (an inhibitor of protein synthesis), suggesting that TNF-alpha may share a common signalling pathway with PDGF-BB via protein(s) synthesis in TSMCs. Furthermore, overexpression of dominant negative mutants, H-Ras-15A and Raf-N4, significantly suppressed p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation induced by TNF-alpha and PDGF-BB and attenuated the effect of TNF-alpha on BK-induced IP response, indicating that Ras and Raf may be required for activation of these kinases. These results suggest that the augmentation of BK-induced responses produced by TNF-alpha might be, at least in part, mediated through activation of Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway in TSMCs.

Uncoupling of ATP-induced inositol phosphate formation and Ca(2+) mobilization by phorbol ester in canine cultured tracheal epithelial cells

The regulation of the increase in inositol phosphates (IPs) production and intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) by protein kinase C (PKC) was investigated in canine cultured tracheal epithelial cells (TECs). Pretreatment of TECs with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 1 microM) for 30 min attenuated the ATP- and UTP-induced IPs formation and Ca(2+) mobilization. The concentrations of PMA that gave half-maximal (EC(50)) inhibition of ATP- and UTP-induced IPs accumulation and an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) were 5-10 and 4-12 nM, respectively. Prior treatment of TECs with staurosporine (1 microM), a PKC inhibitor, partially inhibited the ability of PMA to attenuate ATP- and UTP-induced responses, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of PMA is mediated through the activation of PKC. Furthermore, analysis of cell extracts by Western blotting with antibodies against different PKC isozymes revealed that TECs expressed PKC-alpha, -betaI, -betaII, -gamma, -delta, -epsilon, -theta, and -zeta. With PMA treatment of the cells for various times, translocation of PKC-alpha, -betaI, -betaII, -gamma, -delta, -epsilon, and -theta from the cytosol to the membrane was seen after 5- and 30-min and 2- and 4-h treatment. However, 6-h treatment caused a partial down-regulation of these PKC isozymes. PKC-zeta was not significantly translocated and down-regulated at any of the times tested. In conclusion, these results suggest that activation of PKC may inhibit the phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and consequently attenuate the [Ca(2+)](i) increase or inhibit independently both responses to ATP and UTP. The translocation of PKC-alpha, -betaI, -betaII, -delta, -epsilon, -gamma, and -theta induced by PMA caused an attenuation of ATP- and UTP-induced IPs accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization in TECs.

Spectral characteristics of rice plants infested by brown planthoppers

Spectral characteristics of rice plants at various levels of infestation by the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), (Homoptera:Delphacidae), in the early grain-filling stage were measured and analyzed using a spectroradiometer. Plant damage was classified into six scales, i.e., 0 (CK), 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, based on the scale of infestation displayed on the surfaces of plant parts. Results showed that mean curves of reflectance spectra (350 - 1800 nm) from different scales of insect infestation were clearly differentiated, especially in the region of 737 - 925 nm, where reflectance was in the order of severity. There were significant differences in reflectance among infestations at wavelengths of 755 and 890 nm particularly. Spectral parameters such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and cumulative reflectance may also be used to discriminate levels of infestation. Twelve wavelengths from apparent peaks and valleys of individual spectra were selected as characteristic wavelengths making up the spectral signature of each infestation.

Acute lupus pneumonitis mimicking pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report

We report a case of systemic lupus erythematosus in a 15-year-old girl with initial presentation as acute lupus pneumonitis. A fulminant course with pancytopenia and respiratory distress were developed 3 weeks after symptom onset. Chest radiographs revealed an interstitial pattern with miliary nodules over bilateral lower lung fields that mimics miliary tuberculosis. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and antituberculosis drugs because the infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome and pulmonary tuberculosis could not be excluded from the clinical course. The response to antituberculosis treatment, however, was poor and her respiratory condition deteriorated rapidly to impending respiratory failure 1 week after admission. Systemic lupus erythematosus with acute lupus pneumonitis was then diagnosed based on the fulminant clinical course and accordant laboratory results. Corticosteroid (methylprednisolone) and cytotoxic agent (cyclophosphamide) pulse therapies were applied twice and once, respectively. She recovered gradually after receiving the immunotherapy.

A single dose of melatonin prevents the phase delay associated with a delayed weekend sleep pattern

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to test the hypotheses that a delayed weekend sleep pattern may lead to a phase delay of the endogenous circadian rhythm, and that melatonin administration can counteract the phase delay and prevent the sleep and functional impairments associated with this sleep pattern.

DESIGN

A within-subject, counterbalanced design was used in which each subject participated in both placebo and melatonin conditions. Subjects' sleep-wake schedules were delayed by two hours on Friday and Saturday to simulate the delayed weekend sleep pattern. Six mg of melatonin or a placebo pill was administered double blind on Sunday late afternoon.

SETTING

N/A.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten healthy volunteers (mean age = 22.1 years old).

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Salivary dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO) was measured on Friday and Monday nights. Subject's sleep was recorded with polysomnography on Sunday night and their levels of sleepiness, cognitive functioning and mood were assessed on Sunday night and Monday morning. Results show that the delayed weekend sleep pattern caused a 31.6 min delay of the endogenous melatonin rhythm. Melatonin administration counteracted the phase delay of endogenous melatonin onset. On Sunday, melatonin administration increased the sleepiness throughout the evening and reduced sleep onset latency at bedtime. On Monday morning, subjective sleepiness was decreased in the melatonin condition.

CONCLUSION

A delayed weekend sleep pattern did show a mild phase-delay effect on the endogenous circadian rhythm. A single dose of melatonin can acutely reverse the weekend drift.

Recurrence of intussusception in childhood

Intussusception is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction between 3 months and 6 years of age. Recurrence after reduction of intussusception in childhood is not rare. To assess the incidence and determinants of recurrence of intussusception in childhood, we conducted a prospective observation in an emergency service of a large referral center during a four-year period. We encountered 89 cases with intussusception of whom nine cases (10.1%) had episodes of recurrent intussusception. Five patients had a single recurrence, three had double recurrence and one had triple recurrence. Age of first intussusception, sex, or concurrent adenovirus infection was not related to the recurrence. None of the 27 patients who needed operative reduction had recurrence, while 9 of 62 patients who were reduced successfully by barium enema developed recurrence (P = 0.05). Compared with the first episode, significantly less vomiting, rectal bleeding and shorter duration of abdominal pain or irritable crying were noted during recurrent episodes. All the recurrent episodes were reduced successfully by barium enema. We conclude that recurrent intussusception in childhood tends to be diagnosed earlier than previous episodes and treated successfully by hydrostatic reduction without complication. Surgical reduction of recurrent intussusception may be reserved for cases of failure of hydrostatic reduction, positive peritoneal sign or existence of pathological lead point because of favorable response to barium reduction. Recurrent intussusception seldom occurs in patients who underwent surgical reduction.

Mechanisms of thrombin-induced MAPK activation associated with cell proliferation in human cultured tracheal smooth muscle cells

The elevated level of thrombin has been detected in the airway fluids of asthmatic patients. However, the implication of thrombin in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperreactivity was not completely understood. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effect of thrombin on cell proliferation and p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in human tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMCs). Thrombin stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in TSMCs. Pretreatment of TSMCs with pertussis toxin (PTX) significantly inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation and phosphorylation of MAPK induced by thrombin. These responses were attenuated by tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A, phosphatidyl inositide (PI)-phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X, removal of Ca(2+) by addition of BAPTA/AM plus EGTA, and PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002. In addition, thrombin-induced [3H]-thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation was completely inhibited by PD98059 (an inhibitor of MEK1/2), indicating that activation of MEK1/2 was required for these responses. Furthermore, overexpression of dominant negative mutants, RasN17 and Raf-301, significantly suppressed p42/p44 MAPK activation induced by thrombin and PDGF-BB, indicating that Ras and Raf may be required for activation of these kinases. These results conclude that the mitogenic effect of thrombin was mediated through the activation of Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway. Thrombin-mediated MAPK activation was modulated by PI-PLC, Ca(2+), PKC, tyrosine kinase, and PI 3-kinase associated with cell proliferation in cultured human TSMCs.

Mitogenic effect of oxidized low-density lipoprotein on vascular smooth muscle cells mediated by activation of Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway

1. It has been demonstrated that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OX-LDL) is a risk factor in atherosclerosis by stimulating vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. However, the mechanisms of OX-LDL-induced cell proliferation are not completely understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of OX-LDL on cell proliferation associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in rat cultured VSMCs. 2. Both native-LDL (N-LDL) and OX-LDL induced a time- and concentration-dependent incorporation of [(3)H]-thymidine in VSMCs. 3. OX-LDL induced time- and concentration-dependent phosphorylation of p42/p44 MAPK. Pretreatment of these cells with pertussis toxin or U73122 attenuated the OX-LDL-induced responses. 4. Pretreatment with PMA for 24 h, preincubation with a PKC inhibitor staurosporine or the tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and herbimycin A for 1 h, substantially reduced [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation induced by OX-LDL. 5. Removal of Ca(2+) by BAPTA/AM or depletion of the internal Ca(2+) pool by thapsigargin significantly inhibited OX-LDL-induced [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation. 6. OX-LDL-induced [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation was inhibited by PD98059 (an inhibitor of MEK1/2) and SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38 MAPK) in a concentration-dependent manner. 7. Overexpression of dominant negative mutants of Ras (H-Ras-15A) and Raf (Raf-N4) significantly suppressed MEK1/2 and p42/p44 MAPK activation induced by OX-LDL and PDGF-BB, indicating that Ras and Raf may be required for activation of these kinases. 8. These results suggest that the mitogenic effect of OX-LDL is mediated through a PTX-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor that involves the activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway similar to that of PDGF-BB in rat cultured VSMCs.

Interleukin-1beta enhances bradykinin-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis and Ca2+ mobilization in canine tracheal smooth-muscle cells: involvement of the Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK)/MAPK pathway

Elevated levels of several cytokines including interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) have been detected in airway fluid of asthmatic patients. Inhalation of IL-1beta induced a bronchial hyper-reactivity to contractile agonists. However, the implication of IL-1beta in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyper-reactivity is not completely understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of IL-1beta on bradykinin (BK)-induced inositol phosphate [Ins(X)P] accumulation and Ca2+ mobilization, and up-regulation of BK receptor density in canine cultured tracheal smooth-muscle cells (TSMCs). Treatment of TSMCs with IL-1beta potentiated BK-induced Ins(X)P accumulation and Ca2+ mobilization. However, there was no effect on the Ins(X)P response induced by endothelin-1, 5-hydroxytryptamine or carbachol. Treatment with platelet-derived growth factor B-chain homodimer (PDGF-BB) also enhanced the BK-induced Ins(X)P response. These enhancements by IL-1beta and PDGF-BB might be due to an up-regulation of BK B(2) receptor density (B(max)), since [(3)H]BK binding to TSMCs was inhibited by the B(2)-selective agonist and antagonist, BK and Hoe 140, but not by B(1)-selective reagents. The enhancing effects of IL-1beta and PDGF-BB on Ins(X)P accumulation, Ca2+ mobilization and B(max) were attenuated by PD98059 [an inhibitor of activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase, MEK] and cycloheximide (an inhibitor of protein synthesis), suggesting that IL-1beta may share a common signalling pathway with PDGF-BB via protein synthesis. Furthermore, overexpression of dominant negative mutants, H-Ras-15A and Raf-N4, significantly suppressed the up-regulation of BK receptors induced by IL-1beta, indicating that Ras and Raf may be required for activation of these kinases. These results suggest that the augmentation of BK-induced responses produced by IL-1beta might be, at least in part, mediated through activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway in TSMCs.

Intrafamilial transmission and risk assessment of HTLV-I among blood donors in southern Taiwan

The human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is one of the important etiological agents of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and of HTLV-I associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis. There is still a lack of data concerning HTLV-I transmission by seropositive carriers in Taiwan. We investigated the patterns of HTLV-I intrafamilial transmission in HTLV-I seropositive blood donors and assessed the risk factors of HTLV-I transmission in relatives of HTLV-I carriers in Taiwan. A total of twenty HTLV-I seropositive donors and their 103 relatives were enrolled. Among those 103 relatives, 40 (38.8%) were seropositive for HTLV-I. Their ages ranged from one to 70 years old with a mean age of 31.0 +/- 1.65 year-old. Three of the ten wives of male carriers were HTLV-I seropositive. However, none of the six husbands of female carriers were HTLV-I seropositive. Mother-to-child vertical transmission was found in nine of 48 (18.8%) tested. Significant risk factors of HTLV-I transmission among relatives of HTLV-I carriers were hospital admission, previous transfusion, breast feeding, anti-HCV seropositivity and female relatives of age >/= 30 with odds ratio (OR) of 9.73, 8.64, 4.36, 8.86 and 4.91, respectively (all p < 0.05). Nonsignificant risk factors of HTLV-I transmission were sharing needles, operation history, HBsAg seropositivity and male relatives of age >/= 30. Our findings suggest that mother-to-child and husband-to-wife transmissions are the important forms of intrafamilial transmission of HTLV-I in Taiwan. Screening for HTLV-I in family members of HTLV-I seropositive blood donors may be warranted.

Scleral buckling for stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Both vitrectomy and scleral buckling have been used to treat patients with stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The standard procedure of scleral buckling for treatment of stage 4 ROP is encircling scleral buckling. The effectiveness of segmental scleral buckling is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to analyze the surgical results of patients with stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity treated with either encircling or segmental scleral buckling.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the anatomic outcomes of 23 eyes (18 infants) with stage 4 A or B ROP treated with scleral buckling. Segmental buckling was used to treat 15 eyes with detachment limited to the temporal side of the retina, while 9 eyes with detachment involving both the nasal and temporal sides were treated with encircling scleral buckling.

RESULTS

Macular reattachment during a mean follow-up period of 34 months (range: 2 weeks to 9 years) was accomplished in 11 (79%) of the 14 eyes treated with segmental scleral buckling and 4 (44%) of the 9 eyes that received encircling scleral buckling. There were no intraoperative complications recorded. None of the eyes that achieved macular reattachment developed recurrent macular detachment during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

Scleral buckling appears to be effective for treatment of stage 4 ROP. In patients with temporal side retinal detachment only, segmental scleral buckling provides adequate treatment for stage 4 ROP.

P2Y(2) receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and Ca(2+) mobilization in tracheal epithelial cells

Extracellular nucleotides have been implicated in the regulation of secretory function through the activation of P2 receptors in the epithelial tissues, including tracheal epithelial cells (TECs). In this study, experiments were conducted to characterize the P2 receptor subtype on canine TECs responsible for stimulating inositol phosphate (InsP(x)) accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization using a range of nucleotides. The nucleotides ATP and UTP caused a concentration-dependent increase in [(3)H]InsP(x) accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization with comparable kinetics and similar potency. The selective agonists for P1, P2X, and P2Y(1) receptors, N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine and AMP, alpha,beta-methylene-ATP and beta, gamma-methylene-ATP, and 2-methylthio-ATP, respectively, had little effect on these responses. Stimulation of TECs with maximally effective concentrations of ATP and UTP showed no additive effect on [(3)H]InsP(x) accumulation. The response of a maximally effective concentration of either ATP or UTP was additive to the response evoked by bradykinin. Furthermore, ATP and UTP induced a cross-desensitization in [(3)H]InsP(x) accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization. These results suggest that ATP and UTP directly stimulate phospholipase C-mediated [(3)H]InsP(x) accumulation and Ca(2+) mobilization in canine TECs. P2Y(2) receptors may be predominantly mediating [(3)H]InsP(x) accumulation, and, subsequently, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced Ca(2+) mobilization may function as the transducing mechanism for ATP-modulated secretory function of tracheal epithelium.