Amorphous Cobalt Polyselenides with Hyperbranched Polymer Additive as High-Capacity Magnesium Storage Cathode Materials Through Cationic and Anionic Co-Redox Mechanism

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are a promising energy-storage technology with low cost and high reliability, while the lack of high-performance cathodes is impeding the development. Herein, a series of amorphous cobalt polyselenides (CoSex, x>2) is synthesized with the assistance of organic amino-terminal hyperbranched polymer (AHP) additive and investigated as cathodes for RMBs. The coordination of cobalt cations with the amino groups of AHP leads to the formation of amorphous CoSex rather than crystalline CoSe2. The amorphous structure is favorable for magnesium-storage reaction kinetics, and the polyselenide anions provide extra capacities besides the redox of cobalt cations. Moreover, the organic AHP molecules retained in CoSex-AHP provide an elastic matrix to accommodate the volume change of conversion reaction. With a moderate x value (2.73) and appropriate AHP content (11.58%), CoSe2.7-AHP achieves a balance between capacity and cycling stability. Amorphous CoSe2.7-AHP provides high capacities of 246.6 and 94 mAh g‒1, respectively, at 50 and 2000 A g‒1, as well as a capacity retention rate of 68.5% after 300 cycles. The mechanism study demonstrates CoSex-AHP undergoes reversible redox of Co2+/3+↔Co0 and Sen 2‒↔Se2‒. The present study demonstrates amorphous polyselenides with cationic-anionic redox activities is as a feasible strategy to construct high-capacity cathode materials for RMBs.

Silva Classification System for HPV-Related EAC of Stage I ∼ IIIc1p Cervical Adenocarcinoma and Its Effect on Prognosis and Survival

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The proportion of adenocarcinoma in cervical cancer gradually increased and presented a younger trend. The previous pathological classification of cervical adenocarcinoma is difficult to provide reference for clinical treatment. In recent years, Silva classification, a new pathologic system for cervical adenocarcinoma, has been confirmed to be suitable for HPV-associated adenocarcinoma (HPVA), and has shown certain clinical application value in subsequent studies. Therefore, this study will retrospectively analyze the distribution of Silva typing system in patients with HPVA under standard treatment mode and its relationship with prognosis and survival.

MATERIALS/METHODS

From January 2010 to September 2021, 124 cervical adenocarcinoma patients with HPVA were retrospectively included, who underwent radical resection of cervical cancer. The HE staining sections of the patients were divided into SilvaA, SilvaB, and SilvaC types according to the Silva typing system. Kaplan-Meier calculation was used for single-factor analysis, and COX stepwise regression model was used for multi-factor analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 124 patients with HPVA who could be graded according to the Silva system, 16 (12.9%, 16/124) were SilvaA, 27 (21.7%, 27/124) SilvaB, and 81 (65.4%, 81/124) SilvaC. In Silva classification, FIGO staging of Silva A and B was stage I. And FIGO staging of Silva C was more significantly later than the staging of Silva A and B. All lymph node metastases and paruterine infiltrates were found only in Silva C. In addition, the patients with Silva C large mass accounted for a higher proportion (41.7%). SilvaA type cervical adenocarcinoma patients were in a survival state by the end of follow-up. Among Silva B, 3 patients died due to tumor, and the 5-year OS rate were 91.3%. Among SilvaC, 15 patients died due to tumor, and the 5-year OS rate were 76.5%. FIGO stage and lymph node invasion were the influencing factors for survival and prognosis of Silva classification (P <0.05). FIGO stage, tumor size, lymph node invasion, and paralegal invasion were the influencing factors for survival and prognosis of SilvaC patients (P <0.05).

CONCLUSION

Silva model classification system combined with clinicopathological features has certain clinical value for the prognostic guidance of HPVA patients. Among Silva classification, SilvaC had the worst prognosis. Late FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, and paralegal infiltration are the influencing factors for survival and prognosis of SilvaC type.

[Epidemiological characteristics of norovirus acute gastroenteritis outbreaks and influencing factors in China, 2007-2021]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of norovirus-caused acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in China, identify the factors influencing the scale of outbreaks, and provide scientific evidences for early control of norovirus infection outbreaks. Methods: The descriptive epidemiological analysis approach was applied to analyze the incidence of national norovirus infection outbreaks by using the data from the Public Health Emergency Event Surveillance System in China from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2021. The unconditional logistic regression model was applied to analyze the risk factors that affected the outbreaks' scale. Results: A total of 1 725 norovirus infection outbreaks were recorded in China from 2007 to 2021, with an upward trend in the number of the reported outbreaks. The southern provinces had their annual outbreak peaks from October to March; the northern provinces had two outbreak peaks from October to December and from March to June annually. The outbreaks occurred mainly in southeastern coastal provinces with a trend of gradual spread to central, northeastern and western provinces. The outbreaks mainly occurred in schools and childcare setting (1 539 cases, 89.22%), followed by enterprises and institutions (67 cases, 3.88%) and community households (55 cases, 3.19%). Human to human transmission was the main infection route (73.16%), and norovirus GⅡ genotype was the predominate pathogen causing the outbreaks (899 cases, 81.58%). The time interval between the onset of the primary case and the outbreak reporting M (Q₁, Q₃) was 3 (2, 6) days and the case number of the outbreak M (Q₁, Q₃) was 38 (28, 62). The timeliness of outbreak reporting was improved in recent years and the scale of the outbreaks showed a decreasing trend over the years, the differences in reporting timeliness and outbreak scale among different settings were significant (P<0.001). The factors that affected outbreaks' scale included the outbreak setting, transmission route, outbreak reporting timeliness and type of living areas (P<0.05). Conclusions: From 2007 to 2021, the number of the norovirus-caused acute gastroenteritis outbreaks increased in China and the more areas were affected. However, the outbreak scale showed a decreasing trend and the outbreak reporting timeliness was improved. It is important to further improve the surveillance sensitivity and reporting timeliness for the effective control of the outbreak scale.

Survival after laparoscopy versus laparotomy for apparent early-stage uterine clear cell carcinoma: Results of a large multicenter cohort study

Objective

To compare the long-term survival between laparoscopic surgery and open surgery in patients with apparent early-stage uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC).

Patients and methods

254 patients with apparent early-stage UCCC were reviewed. Comparisons were made between patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery versus those who underwent open surgery. Baseline data, clinicopathological data, and oncological outcomes were analyzed. 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate were estimated and compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was employed to control the confounding factors.

Results

147 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery, and 107 patients were managed by open surgery. No differences in terms of recurrence rate (laparoscopy versus laparotomy: 10.9% versus 12.9%, P=0.842) and recurrence pattern were observed. For patients who underwent open surgery and patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery, the 5-year DFS rates and 5-year OS rate were 75.8% (95% CI: 65.8%-83.2%) and 69.1% (95% CI: 58.8%-77.4%), 66.0% (95% CI: 57.1%-73.5%) and 60.8% (95% CI: 52.0%-68.5%), respectively. The Cox proportional hazards regression model shown that for apparent early-stage UCCC, the approach of surgical staging was not an independent predictor for survival (laparoscopy versus laparotomy: for DFS, aHR=1.06, 95% CI=0.64-1.75, P=0.826; for OS, aHR=1.10, 95% CI=0.72-1.68, P=0.671).

Conclusion

For apparent early-stage UCCC, in terms of oncological survival, laparoscopic surgery was as safe as open surgery.

Does completion of radical hysterectomy improve oncological outcomes of women with clinical early-stage cervical cancer and intraoperative detection of nodal involvement?: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The management of women with clinical early-stage cervical cancer and lymph node involvement detected intraoperatively is heterogeneous and controversial. This paper presents the protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the management of this specific population of patients. This proposed study aims to answer the question: does completion of radical hysterectomy improve the oncological outcomes of women with clinical early-stage cervical cancer and intraoperatively detected nodal involvement?

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This protocol is drafted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidelines, and the proposed study will be conducted in accordance with the standard guidelines of 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses' and 'Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology reporting guideline'. Comprehensive literature searches will be performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. The screening of the eligible studies, the extraction of data of interest, and the quality assessment of the included studies will all be independently performed by different members of our team. The primary outcome of this proposed study will be comparing the risk of recurrence or death from cervical cancer and the risk of all-cause death in patients with two different treatments (completion of radical hysterectomy or abandonment of radical hysterectomy); the secondary outcome of this proposed study will be comparing the risk of the grade 3/4 toxicities associated with the two types of management. Given the clinical heterogeneity among the included studies, data on outcomes will be pooled by random-effects models. Heterogeneity will be evaluated using the I² statistic. The risk of bias for the included studies will be evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale or the Cochrane collaboration's tool. The grade of evidence will be evaluated by two independent members of our team using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required because there will no primary data collected. The findings of this proposed study will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021273527.

Incidence of omental metastasis in uterine serous carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies examining the incidence of omental metastasis in uterine serous carcinoma generally suffered from the small sample size, retrospective observational design, and single-center setting. So far, there was no systematic review and meta-analysis available on this topic, we conducted this study to quantitatively synthesize the data relating to this topic.

DESIGN

systematic review and meta-analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up until August 15, 2020. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. I² was employed to assess the heterogeneity among included studies. Effect sizes along with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to analyze outcomes of interest. Funnel plots and the Egger test were used to detect the possibility of publication bias.

OUTCOME MEASURES

incidence of omental metastasis in uterine serous carcinoma.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies involving 1012 women with uterine serous carcinoma were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. All the included studies were at low risk of bias, and the heterogeneity among them was low. The pooled incidence of overall omental metastasis, occult omental metastasis, and gross omental metastasis in uterine serous carcinoma were 18% (95% CI, 0.15-0.20), 6% (95% CI, 0.04-0.08), and 10% (95% CI, 0.08-0.13), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Uterine serous carcinoma has a high tendency of omental metastasis. The main form of omentum involvement is gross metastasis. However, occult metastasis in the normal-looking omentum is also worthy of note.

Systematic Lymphadenectomy and Oncological Outcomes of Women With Apparent Early-Stage Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Endometrium: A Multi-Institutional Cohort Study

Objective

The survival value of systematic lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer is ambiguous and controversial. The current study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival role of combined pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in patients with presumed early-stage clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium.

Methods

Patients in three Chinese teaching hospitals who presented between 2012 and 2017 with apparent early-stage clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium and underwent surgical staging were selected. Patients who did and did not undergo systematic lymphadenectomy were identified and clinicopathological characteristics were compared. Disease-free survival and overall survival were evaluated following the generation of the Kaplan-Meier curves and the comparison using the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazards model was employed to control for confounders.

Results

A total of 244 patients underwent systematic lymphadenectomy and 89 did not receive lymph node dissection. The demographic and baseline data were comparable between the two groups. The rate of disease-free survival at 5 years was 64.10% in patients who underwent systematic lymphadenectomy and 45.05% in patients who did not undergo lymphadenectomy. Patients who underwent systematic lymphadenectomy had better disease-free survival than those who did not receive lymphadenectomy (HR, 0.54. 95% CI, 0.38-0.76. P=0.000). The rate of 5-year overall survival was 68.87% in the lymphadenectomy group and 53.33% in patients who did not undergo systematic lymphadenectomy. Systematic lymphadenectomy was also associated with improved 5-year overall survival for women with presumed early-stage clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium (HR, 0.58. 95% CI, 0.39-0.85. P=0.005). After adjusting for confounders, systematic lymphadenectomy was still independently associated with improved disease-free survival and overall survival.

Conclusion

Patients with apparent early-stage clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium who underwent systematic lymphadenectomy had better long-term survival than those who did not undergo systematic lymphadenectomy.

BNIP1 inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promotes apoptosis by mTOR in cervical cancer cells

OBJECTIVE

BNIP1, a member of the BH3-only protein family, plays essential roles in a variety of biological processes. However, the mechanism and function of BNIP1 are still unknown in cervical cancer. We aim to explore the roles of BNIP1 on cervical cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion abilities by mTOR signaling pathway.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

qRT-PCR and Western blot assays were performed to assess BNIP, mTOR, and p70S6K1 expressions. CCK-8, transwell and flow cytometry assays were used to measure the representative proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis abilities.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated that BNIP1 is down-expressed in cervical cancer tissues and cells, and was negatively associated with lymphatic metastasis. Overexpression of BNIP1 suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. Silence of BNIP1 by siRNAs accelerated proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. In addition, we found that BNIP1 significantly inhibited mTOR, p70S6K1, and p-p70S6K1 expressions; BNIP1 affected the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion abilities of cervical cancer cells by regulating mTOR expression.

CONCLUSIONS

BNIP1 can be considered a marker for cervical carcinoma therapy.

[Analysis of epidemiological characteristics of report cases of rotavirus diarrhea in children under 5 years old in China, 2005-2018]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus in children under 5 years old in China (excluding China Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan data, the same below) from 2005 to 2018. Method: Data on other infectious diarrhea in the country from 2005 to 2018 were downloaded from the National Notifiable Disease Report System was to build a database for report cases of rotavirus diarrhea in children under 5 years of age, and descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the data. Result: In 2005-2018, a total of 820 588 cases of rotavirus infection in children under 5 years old were reported nationwide, with male 500 944 cases, and with an average annual incidence of 63.7/100 000. The reported incidence showed a fluctuating upward trend increased from 8.4/100 000 to 178.1/100 000. The number of reporting provinces increased from 17 to 30. The reported incidence showed a peak of season from November to following February. The reported cases of rotavirus diarrhea in children under 5 months of age was 13.1%(107 845 cases), and the high-incidence age ranged from 6 months to 2 years old, accounting for 70.3% (576 874 cases), with a peak of 11-13 months (163 947 cases). The top three provinces (cities) reporting the incidence rate were Zhejiang (535.2/100 000), Guangdong (334.3/100 000) and Beijing (317.3/100 000), the provinces with the low reported case rates were Shanxi (0.9/100 000), Heilongjiang (1.6/100 000) and Liaoning (2.5/100 000), but there was no case reported in Tibet; The report cases of south region (745 526 cases) were 9.9 times north region (74 935 cases).The cases of rotavirus infection and other diarrhea pathogens were detected simultaneously accounted for 1.8% (15 030 cases) and mainly were positive for rotavirus and adenovirus (90.1%, 13 544 cases). Conclusion: The rate of rotavirus infection in children has increased rapidly since the age of 6 months, and 84.4% of the reported cases were infants before the age of 2 years.

An Integrated Agriculture, Atmosphere, and Hydrology Modeling System for Ecosystem Assessments

We present a regional-scale integrated modeling system (IMS) that includes Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC), Weather Research and Forecast (WRF), Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ), and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models. The centerpiece of the IMS is the Fertilizer Emission Scenario Tool for CMAQ (FEST-C), which includes a Java-based interface and EPIC adapted to regional applications along with built-in database and tools. The SWAT integration capability is a key enhanced feature in the current release of FEST-C v1.4. For integrated modeling demonstration and evaluation, FEST-C EPIC is simulated over three individual years with WRF/CMAQ weather and N deposition. Simulated yearly changes in water and N budgets along with yields for two major crops (corn grain and soybean) match those inferred from intuitive physical reasoning and survey data given different-year weather conditions. Yearlong air quality simulations with an improved bidirectional ammonia flux modeling approach directly using EPIC-simulated soil properties including NH₃ content helps reduce biases of simulated gas-phase NH₃ and NH₄ ⁺ wet deposition over the growing season. Integrated hydrology and water quality simulations applied to the Mississippi River Basin show that estimated monthly streamflow and dissolved N near the outlet to the Gulf of Mexico display similar seasonal patterns as observed. Limitations and issues in different parts of the integrated multimedia simulations are identified and discussed to target areas for future improvements.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Computer modeling tools with land-water-air processes are important for understanding nutrient cycling and its negative impacts on air and water quality. We have developed an integrated modeling system that includes agriculture, atmosphere, and hydrology components. The centerpiece of the system is a computer system that includes an agricultural ecosystem model and tools used to connect different modeling components. The agricultural system can conduct simulations for 42 types of grassland and cropland with the influence of site, soil, and management information along with weather and nitrogen deposition from the atmosphere component. An air quality computer model then uses information from the agricultural model, such as how much ammonia is in the soil, to predict how much ammonia gets in the air. Then, the watershed hydrology and water quality model uses the information from the agricultural and atmospheric models to understand the influence of agriculture and atmosphere on water quality. The paper demonstrates and evaluates the integrated modeling system on issues mainly related to N cycling. The system performs reasonably well in comparison with survey and observation data given the configured modeling constraints. The paper also identifies and discusses the advantages and limitations in each part of the system for future applications and improvements.

IRF4-induced upregulation of lncRNA SOX2-OT promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in cholangiocarcinoma by regulating SOX2 and PI3K/AKT signaling

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lncRNA SOX2-OT in the proliferation and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and its underlying mechanisms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 82 patients with CCA underwent surgery in our hospital were enrolled in this study. Five CCA cell lines (HuH-28, QBC939, HuCCT1, CCLP1, RBE) were used. The ability of proliferation and metastasis of CCA cells were detected by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay, colony formation assay, and transwell assay, respectively. Additionally, in vivo tumor metastasis assay was done. Furthermore, the Kaplan Meier method was used to validate the prognostic importance of SOX2-OT for patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Besides, the protein and mRNA expression of CCA cells were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS

The expression level of lncRNA SOX2-OT was significantly upregulated in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. Functional assays were further conducted to prove the oncogenic role of SOX2-OT on the proliferation and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, mechanism investigations manifested that transcription factor IRF4 upregulates SOX2-OT by promoting the transcriptional activity of SOX2-OT. SOX2-OT could positively regulate the nearby gene SOX2. SOX2-OT suppressed the nuclear transcription of PTEN, thereby activating PI3K/AKT signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

lncRNA SOX2-OT upregulated by IRF4 promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in cholangiocarcinoma via upregulating SOX2 and activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

[Interpretation for diagnosis of Yersiniosis]

Yersiniosis is one of the "other infectious diarrhea" of the notifiable infectious diseases and also an important food-borne disease. However, it lacked the basis or standard for diagnosis. The Chinese Preventive Medicine Association coordinated experienced researchers from National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC and other institutes to produce the group standard entitled "Diagnosis of Yersiniosis" (T/CPMA 005-2019). Based on the principle of "legality, scientificity, advancement, and feasibility" , the standard gives a clear definition for Yerisiniosis, stipulates diagnosis basis, principles and main differential diagnosis and provides two informative appendixes for epidemiological and clinical characteristics and a normative appendix for laboratory detection. The standard provides accurate basis and methods of Yersiniosis diagnosis for hospitals and CDCs at all levels in China. It will solve the problems that Yersiniosis cannot be clearly diagnosed for clinical cases and in the outbreaks.

Construction of a recombinant baculovirus expressing swine hepatitis E Virus ORF2 and preliminary research on its immune effect

In the swine hepatitis E virus (HEV), open reading frame 2 (ORF2) is rich in antigenic determinants and neutralizing epitopes that could induce immune protection. We chose the Bac-to-Bac® Baculovirus Expression System to express fragments containing the critical neutralizing antigenic sites within the HEV ORF2 protein of pigs to obtain a recombinant baculovirus. The fragment of swine HEV ORF2 region (1198-1881bp) was cloned into vector pFastBacTM. A recombinant baculovirus, rBacmid-ORF2, was obtained after transposition and transfection. The molecular mass of the recombinant protein was 26 kDa. Mice were immunized by the intraperitoneal and oral routes with cell lysates of recombinant baculovirus rBacmid-ORF2. Serum and feces of the mice were collected separately at 0, 14, 28, and 42 d after immunization and the antibody levels of IgG and secretory IgA against swine HEV were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results suggested that rBacmid-ORF2 induced antibodies of the humoral and mucosal immune responses in mice and that the oral route was significantly superior to the intraperitoneal route. This is the first study to demonstrate that that recombinant baculovirus swine HEV ORF2 could induce humoral and mucosal immune responses in mice.

UBXN1 interacts with the S1 protein of transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus and plays a role in viral replication

Transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) is an enteropathogenic coronavirus that causes diarrhea in pigs and is associated with high morbidity and mortality in sucking piglets. S1 is one of two protein domains in the spike (S) glycoprotein and is responsible for enteric tropism, sialic acid recognition, and host receptor binding. Although there has been extensive research on the S1 protein of TGEV, little is known about the intracellular role of TGEV-S1. In the present study, we used yeast two-hybrid screening of a cDNA library from porcine intestinal cells to identify proteins that interact with TGEV-S1. Among 120 positive clones from the library, 12 intracellular proteins were identified after sequencing and a BLAST search. These intracellular proteins are involved in protein synthesis and degradation, biological signal transduction, and negative control of signaling pathways. Using a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pulldown assay and Co-IP, we found that UBXN1 interacts with the S1 protein. Here, we observed that TGEV infection led to increased UBXN1 expression levels during the late phase of infection in IPEC-J2 cells. Inhibition of UBXN1 in IPEC-J2 cells via siRNA interference significantly decreased the viral titer and downregulated the expression of S1. UBXN1 overexpression significantly increased the viral copy number. Additionally, we provided data suggesting that UBXN1 negatively regulates IFN-β expression after TGEV infection. Finally, our research indicated that UBXN1 plays a vital role in the process of TGEV infection, making it a candidate target for the development of a novel antiviral method.

Three Main Inducers of Alphacoronavirus Infection of Enterocytes: Sialic Acid, Proteases, and Low pH

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) are similar coronaviruses, causing diseases characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and death from severe dehydration in piglets. Thus, they have caused huge losses to the swine-breeding industry worldwide. Nowadays, they are easily transmitted among the continents via vehicles, equipment, and cargo. Both viruses establish an infection in porcine enterocytes in the small intestine, and their spike (S) proteins play a key role in the virus-cell binding process under unfavorable conditions when the intestine with a low pH is filled with a thick layer of mucus and proteases. Sialic acid, proteases, and low pH are three main inducers of coronavirus infection. However, the details of how sialic acid and low pH affect virus binding to the host cell are not determined, and the functions of the proteases are unknown. This review emphasizes the role of three factors in the invasion of TGEV and PEDV into porcine enterocytes and offers more insights into Alphacoronavirus infection in the intestinal environment.

Non-invasive diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a NMR-based metabolomics approach

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is a subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Because its diameter is less than 10 mm, diagnosing it accurately is difficult with traditional methods such as image examinations and FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration). Investigating the metabolic changes induced by PTMC may enhance the understanding of its pathogenesis and provide important information for a new diagnosis method and treatment plan. In this study, high resolution magic angle spin (HRMAS) spectroscopy and ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy were used to screen metabolic changes in thyroid tissues and plasma from PTMC patients respectively. The results revealed reduced levels of fatty acids and elevated levels of several amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine, lactate, serine, cystine, lysine, glutamine/glutamate, taurine, leucine, alanine, isoleucine and valine) in thyroid tissues, as well as reduced levels of amino acids such as valine, tyrosine, proline, lysine, leucine and elevated levels of glucose, mannose, pyruvate and 3-hydroxybutyrate in plasma, are involved in the metabolic alterations in PTMC. In addition, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve model for PTMC prediction was able to classify cases with good sensitivity and specificity using 9 significant changed metabolites in plasma. This work illustrates that the NMR-based metabolomics approach is capable of providing more sensitive diagnostic results and more systematic therapeutic information for PTMC.

[Surveillance data on typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever in 2015, China]

Objective: Through analyzing the surveillance data on typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever in 2015 to understand the related epidemiological features and most possible clustering areas of high incidence. Methods: Individual data was collected from the passive surveillance program and analyzed by descriptive statistic method. Characteristics on seasonal, regional and distribution of the diseases were described. Spatial-temporal clustering characteristics were estimated, under the retrospective space-time method. Results: A total of 8 850 typhoid fever cases were reported from the surveillance system, with incidence rate as 0.65/100 000. The number of paratyphoid fever cases was 2 794, with incidence rate as 0.21/100 000. Both cases of typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever occurred all year round, with high epidemic season from May to October. Most cases involved farmers (39.68%), children (15.89%) and students (12.01%). Children under 5 years showed the highest incidence rate. Retrospective space-time analysis for provinces with high incidence rates would include Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangdong, indicating the first and second class clusters were mainly distributed near the bordering adjacent districts and counties among the provinces. Conclusion: In 2015, the prevalence rates of typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever were low, however with regional high prevalence areas. Cross regional transmission existed among provinces with high incidence rates which might be responsible for the clusters to appear in these areas.

Development and evaluation of a physics-based windblown dust emission scheme implemented in the CMAQ modeling system

A new windblown dust emission treatment was incorporated in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system. This new model treatment has been built upon previously developed physics-based parameterization schemes from the literature. A distinct and novel feature of this scheme, however, is the incorporation of a newly developed dynamic relation for the surface roughness length relevant to small-scale dust generation processes. Through this implementation, the effect of nonerodible elements on the local flow acceleration, drag partitioning, and surface coverage protection is modeled in a physically based and consistent manner. Careful attention is paid in integrating the new windblown dust treatment in the CMAQ model to ensure that the required input parameters are correctly configured. To test the performance of the new dust module in CMAQ, the entire year 2011 is simulated for the continental United States, with particular emphasis on the southwestern United States (SWUS) where windblown dust concentrations are relatively large. Overall, the model shows good performance with the daily mean bias of soil concentrations fluctuating in the range of ±1 μg m-3 for the entire year. Springtime soil concentrations are in quite good agreement (normalized mean bias of 8.3%) with observations, while moderate to high underestimation of soil concentration is seen in the summertime. The latter is attributed to the issue of representing the convective dust storms in summertime. Evaluations against observations for seven elevated dust events in the SWUS indicate that the new windblown dust treatment is capable of capturing spatial and temporal characteristics of dust outbreaks.

Exploring a United States Maize Cellulose Biofuel Scenario Using an Integrated Energy and Agricultural Markets Solution Approach

Biofuel feedstock production in the United States (US) is an emergent environmental nutrient management issue, whose exploration can benefit from a multi-scale and multimedia systems modeling approach that explicitly addresses diverging stakeholder interests. In the present analysis, energy and agricultural markets models and a hybrid process-based agricultural production model are integrated to explore the potential environmental consequences of increased biofuel production from maize grain and stover feedstocks. Yield and cropland reallocation projections are simulated for 20 agricultural crops at a 12km grid resolution across the continental United States. Our results are presented across multiple, spatially expanding domains, and our results for the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) are compared to previous studies. Our analysis highlights the critical continuing role of agricultural and crop science to provide physically plausible estimates and physical process drivers of yield increases, and suggests that while the UMRB is the target of the greatest agricultural changes under our scenarios, its response does not necessarily reflect the interests of a broad stakeholder community.

Microwave ablation versus hepatic resection for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and oesophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare the results of microwave ablation (MWA) and hepatic resection (HR) when combined with pericardial devascularisation plus splenectomy (PCDV) for the treatment of patients with cirrhosis complicated by small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and oesophageal variceal bleeding (EVB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 2001 and 2013, 73 patients (median age 53.2 years, 67% male) with small HCC and concomitant EVB who underwent MWA or HR for HCC and PCDV for cirrhotic portal hypertension were selected retrospectively for inclusion in this study. The overall survival curves and recurrence-free survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-rank tests. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox regression model.

RESULTS

The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 95.2%, 71.4% and 38.1% and 96.7%, 53.3% and 43.3% for the HR and MWA groups, respectively; these did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, patients in the HR group had more post-operative complications (52.3% vs. 13.7%; p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified albumin and bilirubin levels and tumour size to be statistically significant and independent prognostic factors for overall survival, while BCLC stage was associated with poor recurrence-free survival. Furthermore, albumin levels were shown to be an independent predictive factor for post-operative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with small HCC and concomitant EVB, MWA plus PCDV may reduce the incidence of post-operative complications relative to and provide similar therapeutic benefits as HR plus PCDV, especially for patients with low albumin levels.

Mice with sclerostin gene deletion are resistant to the severe sublesional bone loss induced by spinal cord injury

Bone loss after spinal cord injury (SCI) is rapid, severe, and refractory to interventions studied to date. Mice with sclerostin gene deletion are resistant to the severe sublesional bone loss induced by SCI, further indicating pharmacological inhibition of sclerostin may represent a promising novel approach to this challenging medical problem.

INTRODUCTION

The bone loss secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with several unique pathological features, including the permanent immobilization, neurological dysfunction, and systemic hormonal alternations. It remains unclear how these complex pathophysiological changes are linked to molecular alterations that influence bone metabolism in SCI. Sclerostin is a key negative regulator of bone formation and bone mass. We hypothesized that sclerostin could function as a major mediator of bone loss following SCI.

METHODS

To test this hypothesis, 10-week-old female sclerostin knockout (SOST KO) and wild type (WT) mice underwent complete spinal cord transection or laminectomy (Sham).

RESULTS

At 8 weeks after SCI, substantial loss of bone mineral density was observed at the distal femur and proximal tibia in WT mice but not in SOST KO mice. By μCT, trabecular bone volume of the distal femur was markedly decreased by 64 % in WT mice after SCI. In striking contrast, there was no significant reduction of bone volume in SOST KO/SCI mice compared with SOST KO/sham. Histomorphometric analysis of trabecular bone revealed that the significant reduction in bone formation rate following SCI was observed in WT mice but not in SOST KO mice. Moreover, SCI did not alter osteoblastogenesis of marrow stromal cells in SOST KO mice.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that SOST KO mice were protected from the major sublesional bone loss that invariably follows SCI. The evidence indicates that sclerostin is an important mediator of the marked sublesional bone loss after SCI, and that pharmacological inhibition of sclerostin may represent a promising novel approach to this challenging clinical problem.

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

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

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

Cx3cr1 deficiency in mice attenuates hepatic granuloma formation during acute schistosomiasis by enhancing the M2-type polarization of macrophages

Acute schistosomiasis is characterized by pro-inflammatory responses against tissue- or organ-trapped parasite eggs along with granuloma formation. Here, we describe studies in Cx3cr1^−/− mice and demonstrate the role of Cx3cr1 in the pathoetiology of granuloma formation during acute schistosomiasis. Mice deficient in Cx3cr1 were protected from granuloma formation and hepatic injury induced by Schistosoma japonicum eggs, as manifested by reduced body weight loss and attenuated hepatomegaly along with preserved liver function. Notably, S. japonicum infection induced high levels of hepatic Cx3cr1 expression, which was predominantly expressed by infiltrating macrophages. Loss of Cx3cr1 rendered macrophages preferentially towards M2 polarization, which then led to a characteristic switch of the host immune defense from a conventional Th1 to a typical Th2 response during acute schistosomiasis. This immune switch caused by Cx3cr1 deficiency was probably associated with enhanced STAT6/PPAR-γ signaling and increased expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme that promotes M2 polarization of macrophages. Taken together, our data provide evidence suggesting that CX3CR1 could be a viable therapeutic target for treatment of acute schistosomiasis.

Highlighted Article: A reduction in CX3CR1 signaling provides protection for mice against pro-inflammatory responses and hepatic granuloma formation during acute schistosomiasis.

Assessment of DNA methylation changes in tissue culture of Brassica napus

Plant tissue culture, as a fundamental technique for genetic engineering, has great potential of epigenetic variation, of which DNA methylation is well known of importance to genome activity. We assessed DNA methylation level of explants during tissue culture of Brassica napus (cv. Yangyou 9), using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assisted quantification. By detecting methylation levels in hypocotyls cultured in mediums with different concentrations of hormones, we found dissected tissue:cultured with 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D and 1.0 mg/L 6-BA, presented the lowest methylation level and highest induction rate of callus (91.0%). Different time point of cultured explants also showed obvious methylation variations, explants cultured after 6 and 21 days exhibited methylation ratios of 4.33 and 8.07%, respectively. Whereas, the methylation ratio raised to 38.7% after 30 days cultivation, indicating that methylation level of hypocotyls ranged during tissue culture. Moreover, we observed that the methylation level in callus is the highest during regeneration of rape-seed, following the regenerated plantlets and hypocotyls. This paper indicated the function of hormones and differentiation of callus is relevant to the methylation levels during tissue culture.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation: an effective and safe treatment for secondary hypersplenism

OBJECTIVE

Hypersplenism is a common disease. The conventional treatment is splenectomy and partial splenic embolization; however, both of them have high complication rates and technical defects. Therefore, safer and more effective techniques should be considered for the treatment of hypersplenism. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) may provide an effective and safe way for treatment of hypersplenism. Therefore, we conducted this study to assess the safety and efficacy of HIFU in treatment of secondary hypersplenism.

METHODS

A total of 28 patients who suffered from secondary hypersplenism were treated with HIFU ablation. All patients who underwent HIFU were closely followed-up over a year. MRI scan was performed, and the spleens were observed. Blood counts and liver function tests were also carried out.

RESULTS

In the follow-up process, the levels of white blood cells and platelets in the blood after HIFU were significantly higher than those before HIFU, liver function also improved after HIFU treatment. In addition, the symptoms were ameliorated significantly or even disappeared. The MRI showed that the ablation area had turned into a non-perfused volume, and after 12 months of HIFU ablation, the ablated area shrank evidently; the sunken spleen formed a lobulated shape and the splenic volume decreased.

CONCLUSION

HIFU ablation is a safe, effective and non-invasive approach for secondary hypersplenism.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

For the first time we used HIFU ablation to treat secondary hypersplenism. It not only expands indications of HIFU but also provides better choice for the treatment of secondary hypersplenism.

Inhibition of human mitochondrial peptide deformylase causes apoptosis in c-myc-overexpressing hematopoietic cancers

Inhibition of human mitochondrial peptide deformylase (HsPDF) depolarizes the mitochondrial membrane, reduces mitochondrial protein translation and causes apoptosis in Burkitt's lymphoma. We showed that HsPDF mRNA and protein levels were overexpressed in cancer cells and primary acute myeloid leukemia samples. Myc regulates mitochondria and metabolism; we also demonstrated c-myc regulated the expression of HsPDF, likely indirectly. Inhibition of HsPDF by actinonin blocked mitochondrial protein translation and caused apoptotic death of myc-positive Burkitt's lymphoma, but not myc-negative B cells. Inhibition of mitochondrial translation by chloramphenicol or tetracycline, structurally different inhibitors of the mitochondrial ribosome, which is upstream of deformylase activity, followed by treatment with actinonin, resulted in reversal of the biochemical events and abrogation of the apoptosis induced by actinonin. This reversal was specific to inhibitors of HsPDF. Inhibition of HsPDF resulted in a mitochondrial unfolded protein response (increased transcription factors CHOP and CEB/P and the mitochondrial protease Lon), which may be a mechanism mediating cell death. Therefore, HsPDF may be a therapeutic target for these hematopoietic cancers, acting via a new mechanism.

Differential gene expression of activating Fcγ receptor classifies active tuberculosis regardless of human immunodeficiency virus status or ethnicity

New diagnostics and vaccines for tuberculosis (TB) are urgently needed, but require an understanding of the requirements for protection from/susceptibility to TB. Previous studies have used unbiased approaches to determine gene signatures in single-site populations. The present study utilized a targeted approach, reverse transcriptase multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (RT-MLPA), to validate these genes in a multisite study. We analysed ex vivo whole blood RNA from a total of 523 participants across four sub-Saharan countries (Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa, and The Gambia) with differences in TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status. We found a number of genes that were expressed at significantly lower levels in participants with active disease than in those with latent TB infection (LTBI), with restoration following successful TB treatment. The most consistent classifier of active disease was FCGR1A (high-affinity IgG Fc receptor 1 (CD64)), which was the only marker expressed at significantly higher levels in participants with active TB than in those with LTBI before treatment regardless of HIV status or genetic background. This is the first study to identify a biomarker for TB that is not affected by HIV status or geo-genetic differences. These data provide valuable clues for understanding TB pathogenesis, and also provide a proof-of-concept for the use of RT-MLPA in rapid and inexpensive validation of unbiased gene expression findings.

Sore throat or hoarse voice with bronchial blockers or double-lumen tubes for lung isolation: a randomised, prospective trial

Double-lumen endotracheal tubes and bronchial blockers allow lung isolation for one-lung ventilation. Few studies, however, directly compare these devices. Further, a new endobronchial blocker (Coopdech) is available in some countries. Our primary hypothesis was that bronchial blockers would be associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes. Secondary outcomes were successful one-lung ventilation and surgical access. In this prospective trial, 120 Chinese patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 30 patients: Coopdech blocker, Arndt blocker Univent tube or double-lumen tube. Postoperative sore throat and hoarse voice were assessed in the recovery room and 24 hours after surgery. The incidence and severity of sore throat or hoarse voice was less in the blocker groups than double-lumen tube group: Coopdech 13%, Arndt 20%, Univent 30% and double-lumen tube 60%, P < 0.001. The blocker groups did not significantly differ P = 0.28. Compared to the double-lumen tubes the bronchial blockers took about two minutes less to position but five minutes longer for lung deflation. Surgical exposure was uniformly good across the four groups. We conclude that clinical use of the Coopdech endobronchial blocker is similar to the Arndt and Univent blockers and that all three are associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes.

Sore Throat or Hoarse Voice with Bronchial Blockers or Double-Lumen Tubes for Lung Isolation: A Randomised, Prospective Trial

Double-lumen endotracheal tubes and bronchial blockers allow lung isolation for one-lung ventilation. Few studies, however, directly compare these devices. Further, a new endobronchial blocker (Coopdech) is available in some countries. Our primary hypothesis was that bronchial blockers would be associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes. Secondary outcomes were successful one-lung ventilation and surgical access. In this prospective trial, 120 Chinese patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 30 patients: Coopdech blocker, Arndt blocker, Univent tube or double-lumen tube. Postoperative sore throat and hoarse voice were assessed in the recovery room and 24 hours after surgery. The incidence and severity of sore throat or hoarse voice was less in the blocker groups than double-lumen tube group: Coopdech 13%, Arndt 20%, Univent 30% and double-lumen tube 60%, P <0.001. The blocker groups did not significantly differ, P=0.28. Compared to the double-lumen tubes the bronchial blockers took about two minutes less to position but five minutes longer for lung deflation. Surgical exposure was uniformly good across the four groups. We conclude that clinical use of the Coopdech endobronchial blocker is similar to the Arndt and Univent blockers and that all three are associated with less sore throat or hoarse voice than double-lumen tubes.

Identification of a novel mechanism for endotoxin-mediated down-modulation of CC chemokine receptor expression

In the present study, we explored the molecular mechanisms by which bacterial endotoxin (LPS) mediates the down-regulation of CCR2 receptors on human monocytes. We found that LPS induced a marked reduction in CCR2 cell surface protein levels which was blocked by pretreatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A. The effector mechanism underlying LPS-induced CCR2 down-modulation appears to involve the enzymatic activity of proteinases since Western blot analysis of LPS-stimulated monocytes revealed the degradation of a 38-kDa species corresponding to the CCR2B monomer. In RBL cells expressing the CCR2B-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion chemokine receptor, LPS stimulated the internalization and degradation of CCR2. The serine proteinase inhibitor N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone blocked LPS-induced down-modulation of CCR2 in monocytes and CCR2B-GFP in RBL cells. This work describes a previously uncharacterized mechanism for CC chemokine receptor down-modulation that is dependent upon tyrosine kinase activation and serine proteinase-mediated receptor degradation and may provide further insight into the mechanisms of leukocyte regulation during immunological and inflammatory responses.

[Pathogenic gene analysis of Listeria isolated from foods]

In 1996-1997, Listeria in foods from 12 provinces of China were detected by using the national standard examination method GB 4789.30-94 (routine traditional methods). Twenty four strains Listeria monocytogenes and 141 strains Listeria were identified by biochemical procedures and animal toxicity experiment. Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) was used to amplify two specific DNA fragments(719 bp and 446 bp) of listeriolysin O and internalin genes with two pairs of primer--Hly1-2 and Inl1-2, respectively. The experiment results showed that 57 strains contained only internalin, 27 strains contained both internalin and listeriolysin O from the pathogenic genes of isolated strains.

On the edge: the physiological and pathophysiological role of chemokines during inflammatory and immunological responses

Most, if not all, chemokines bind to seven transmembrane spanning G protein-coupled receptors and activate cellular migration. Stimulated chemokine expression is essential for directing leukocyte emigration from the circulation into sites of inflammation and tissue damage. In contrast, constitutive chemokine expression plays a role in the development of lymphoid cells, organs, and tissues. The present review examines rheumatoid arthritis and transplantation rejection as two examples of pathological conditions where chemokine directed leukocyte infiltration aids in the pathogenesis of the disease. We further discuss insights into leukocyte trafficking gained by chemokine and chemokine receptor transgenic and null mutant mice.

[Investigation on the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in seven kinds of foods]

An examination on 3746 samples of 7 kinds of foods from 12 provinces of China for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) was carried out in 1996-1997. The detected rates of LM in commercial cold drinks, raw meat, sterilized milk products, cooked meat products, raw milk and aquatic products were 1.39%, 1.53%, 0.52%, 0.47%, 0.72% and 0.19% respectively. The result showed that LM present in the contaminated foods in a potential hazardous factor of foodborne disease.

Regulation of CCR2 chemokine receptor mRNA stability

During inflammatory and immunological responses, leukocytes respond to external stimuli by altering the stability of cytokine and cytokine receptor messages. Change in message stability is an effective mechanism for rapidly regulating steady state levels of mRNA. Cytokine messages containing A-U-rich elements located in the 3' untranslated region (ARE) are the best studied examples of this process. AREs have been shown to act as targeting motifs for degradation of cytokine and transcription factor messages. We have recently observed that the interleukin-8 (IL-8) receptor messages, IL-8RA and B (CXCR1 and CXCR2), also undergo changes in stability in response to the inflammatory stimulator lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To determine whether regulation of message stability is a common mechanism for modulation of chemokine receptor mRNA we explored whether the stability of the CC chemokine receptor message for CCR2 (monocyte chemotactic protein-1 receptor) is also regulated by LPS. We found that LPS induces a rapid loss of steady state levels of CCR2 message through message degradation. Furthermore, LPS stimulated the decay of Poly(A) CCR2 mRNA faster than total CCR2 RNA, indicating that deadenylation is the first step in LPS-induced CCR2 RNA degradation. We conclude from these experiments that LPS stimulates the rapid degradation of CCR2 messages through a two-step process, deadenylation followed by degradation of the message body. In contrast to the results obtained for CCR2 mRNA, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha messages, which contain an ARE motif, were stabilized by LPS stimulation, indicating that chemokine and chemokine receptor mRNA stability are regulated by different and opposing mechanisms.