O2-Generation-Enhanced Responsive Starvation/Photothermal Synergistic Tumor Therapy Based on the AuNRs@MnO2@SiO2 Nanocarrier and Thermosensitive Biomimetic Camouflaging

Cancer starvation/photothermal combined tumor therapy (CST/PTT) has attracted great interest attributed to their mutual compensation and synergistically enhanced effect. However, the very low O2 supply in the tumor microenvironment (TME) greatly limits the CST efficiency of glucose oxidase (GOx). Additionally, the easy degradation in blood circulation and significant off-target effects are big challenges for clinical applications of the GOx-based CST. In this study, a drug delivery system (DDS) with specific tumor-targeted GOx delivery, near-infrared (NIR) light and TME responsive O2 generation, NIR-responsive glucose consumption, high GOx loading, and efficient NIR photothermia was developed. Positively charged AuNRs@MnO2@SiO2 nanoparticles (named AMS+ NPs) were synthesized. GOx was covalently loaded with a high loading ratio of 36.0%. Finally, a thermosensitive biomimetic hybrid membrane composed of a thermosensitive lipid (TSL) membrane, red blood cell membrane (RBCM), and 4T1 cancer cell membrane (CCM) was coated on the NPs through a double-layer strategy. The AMS+-G@TSL@[RBC-CC-TSL]M NPs consumed 32.7 times glucose at 50 °C as that at 37 °C and generated 4.9 times O2 upon NIR laser irradiation. The thermosensitive biomimetic NPs showed an efficient targeting capability to the homotypic 4T1 cancer cells/tumors accompanied by good biocompatibility, macrophage evading capability, high cancer cell cytotoxicity, and excellent antitumor efficacy. The tumor growth inhibition ratio with NIR laser irradiation reached 92.8%. The AMS+-GOx@TSL@[RBC-CC-TSL]M NPs provide a smart, efficient, safe, PTT/CST combined DDS for highly efficient tumor therapy.

[Development of parenting behavior scale for caregivers of children aged 2 to 6 years and analysis for its reliability and validity]

To develop a caregiver parenting behavior scale for children aged 2 to 6 years, and to verify its reliability and validity. This study recruited 1 350 caregivers of children aged 2 to 6 years. The item discrimination analysis and exploratory factor analysis were used to analyze the structure, dimensions and items of the scale. Homogeneity reliability, split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were used to analyze the reliability of the scale. Content validity and construct validity were used to analyze the validity of the scale. The results showed that the final scale contained 7 dimensions and 45 items. Cronbach's α coefficient of the total scale was 0.945; the coefficient of split half was 0.899; the test-retest reliability analysis showed that the correlation coefficients between the two tests were 0.893 (total score), 0.854 (social), 0.832 (language), 0.871 (gross motor), 0.893 (fine motor), 0.862 (cognitive), 0.832 (self-care), and 0.872 (sensory). The content validity analysis was carried out by two rounds of expert argumentation using Delphi expert consultation method. The Kendall coefficient of the items score in two rounds of Delphi expert consultation was 0.813 (P<0.01). The structure validity analysis showed that there were significant correlations between each dimension and the total scale, also between each dimension of the scale, and the extracted average variance values of each dimension was greater than the correlation coefficients between this dimension and other dimensions. In conclusion, the reliability and validity of the scale are qualified. It can be used as a tool to evaluate and guide the parenting behavior of caregivers of children aged 2 to 6 years.

Thermosensitive Biomimetic Hybrid Membrane Camouflaged Hollow Gold Nanoparticles for NIR-Responsive Mild-Hyperthermia Chemo-/Photothermal Combined Tumor Therapy

As an appealing biomimetic strategy for various medical applications, cell membrane coating lacks sensitive on-demand breaking capability. Herein, we incorporated thermosensitive lipid (TSL) membrane into red blood cell (RBC) and MCF-7 cancer cell (MC) hybrid membrane ([RBC-MC]M) vesicles. The [RBC-MC-TSL]M was coated onto doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded hollow gold nanoparticles to enhance chemo-/photothermal combined tumor therapy at a mild hyperthermia temperature (≤49 °C). Double-layer coating with TSL and [RBC-MC-TSL]M as the inner and outer layer, respectively, presented better antileakage and higher NIR-responsivity than single-layer coating. The Dox release ratio upon NIR laser irradiation (≤49 °C) was 74.6%, much higher than that (33.5%) without NIR laser. The nanodrug can be efficiently and specifically taken up by MCF-7 cells. In addition, the nanodrug exhibited excellent tumor-targeting property, with 4.08- and 1.12-times Dox accumulation in MCF-7 tumors compared to free Dox and [RBC-MC]M-coated counterpart, respectively. Most importantly, TSL incorporation significantly enhanced NIR-responsive antitumor efficiency, with tumor growth inhibition ratio increased from 35.1% to 48.6% after a single dose administration. Besides, the nanodrug exhibited very good biocompatibility. Camouflaging nanoparticles with the thermosensitive biomimetic hybrid membrane provides a painless and promisingly clinical-applicable approach for effective chemo-/photothermal combined mild-hyperthermia tumor therapy.

[Personalized therapy for Helicobacter pylori on initial treatment: the initial treatment is the decisive battle]

As widespread eradication treatment continues, the rate of (Helicobacter pylori, H. pylori) antibiotic resistance is increasing. Together with host CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms, H. pylori coccoid transformation, patient compliance, irregular treatment regimens or empirical repeated eradication therapy by physician, H. pylori eradication rates have gradually decreased. Personalized treatment is an effective measure to achieve successful eradication of H. pylori in the initial treatment. With the first approval of molecular diagnostic kit for H. pylori clarithromycin resistance in China and the updated definition of refractory H. pylori infection by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the personalized treatment of H. pylori guided by antibiotic resistance genotype detection in initial treatment, that follows the latest international consensus and guidelines, conforms to the national situation and surpasses the international standards, has come to the forefront.

Moiré graphene nanoribbons: nearly perfect absorptions and highly efficient reflections with wide angles

The strong absorption and reflection from atomically thin graphene nanoribbons has been demonstrated over the past decade. However, due to the significant band dispersion of graphene nanoribbons, the angle of incident wave has remained limited to a very narrow range. Obtaining strong absorption and reflection with a wide range of incident angles from atomically thin graphene layers has remained an unsolvable problem. Here, we construct a tunable moiré superlattice composed of a pair of graphene nanoribbon arrays to achieve this goal. By designing the interlayer coupling between two graphene nanoribbon arrays with mismatched periods, the moiré flat bands and the localization of their eigen-fields was realized. Based on the moiré flat bands of graphene nanoribbons, highly efficient reflection and nearly perfect absorption was achieved with a wide range of incident angles. Even more interesting, is how these novel phenomena can be tuned through the adjustment of the graphene's Fermi energy, either electrostatically or chemically. Our designed moiré graphene nanoribbons suggest a promising platform to engineer moiré physics with tunable behaviors, and may have potential applications in the field of wide-angle absorbers and reflectors in the mid-infrared region.

P Doping Promotes the Spontaneous Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Water Splitting in Isomorphic Type II GaSe/InS Heterostructure

The development and design of clean and efficient water splitting photocatalysts is important for the current situation of energy shortage and environmental pollution. A new type of isomorphic GaSe/InS heterostructure is constructed, and the optoelectronic properties were studied through first-principles calculations. The results show that GaSe/InS vdW heterostructure is a type II semiconductor with a band gap of 2.09 eV. However, through the analysis of the energy band edge position and Gibbs free energy change of water splitting, it is found that the GaSe/InS heterostructure is difficult to undergo overall water splitting. Therefore, nonmetallic element P doping is considered, the established P-doped GaSe/InS (P-GaSe/InS) heterostructure could maintain the type II band arrangement, and under acidic conditions, P-GaSe/InS heterostructure could spontaneously undergo overall water splitting thermodynamically. Furthermore, the low exciton binding energy of P-GaSe/InS heterostructure highlights better light absorption performance. Therefore, these findings indicate that P-GaSe/InS heterostructure is a promising photocatalyst in overall water splitting.

Spontaneous Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Water Splitting on Novel Type-II GaSe/CN and Ga2SSe/CN vdW Heterostructures

With the aggravation of environmental pollution and the energy crisis, it is particularly important to develop and design environment-friendly and efficient spontaneous enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysts for water splitting. Herein novel type-II van der Waals (vdW) GaSe/CN and Ga₂SSe/CN heterostructures are proposed through first-principles calculations. Their electronic properties and photocatalytic performance are theoretically analyzed. In particular, their appropriate band gap and band-edge position meet the requirements of the oxygen evolution reaction, and the reaction is thermodynamically feasible in most pH ranges. The unique band alignment of these heterostructured photocatalysts leads to high solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiencies up to 15.11%, which has a good commercial application prospect. More excitingly, with the application of 2% biaxial strain, the smooth progress of the water-splitting reaction of the GaSe/CN and Ga₂SSe/CN heterostructures can still be maintained, and the carrier mobility and optical absorption characteristics can be effectively improved. Consequently, these findings suggest that the GaSe/CN and Ga₂SSe/CN vdW heterostructures have promising potentials as photocatalysts for water splitting. This work may provide a promising clue for the design of efficient and stable photocatalytic water-splitting catalysts under visible spectroscopy.

Separating and trapping of chiral nanoparticles with dielectric photonic crystal slabs

Chiral separation is a crucial step in many chemical synthesis processes, particularly for pharmaceuticals. Here we present a novel method for the realization of both separating and trapping of enantiomers using the dielectric photonic crystal (PhC) slabs, which possess quasi-fourfold degenerate Bloch modes (overlapping double degenerate transverse-electric-like and transverse-magnetic-like modes). Based on the designed structure, a large gradient of optical chirality appears near the PhC slab, leading to the extreme enhancement of chiral optical forces about 3 orders of magnitude larger than those obtained with circularly polarized lights. In this case, our method provides a reference for realizing all-optical enantiopure syntheses.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106 protects mice against enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7-induced intestinal disease through improving immune response, intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota

AIMS

This study evaluated the effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106, isolated from Tibetan pigs' faeces, on the growth performance, immune response, intestinal barrier function, morphology of jejunum, caecum and colon, and gut microbiota in the mice with enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)-induced intestinal diseases.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In all, 40 female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: mice fed a normal diet (Control), mice oral administration of TL106 daily (Ba), mice challenged with EHEC O157:H7 on day 15 (O157) and mice oral administration of TL106 daily and challenged with EHEC O157:H7 on day 15 (Ba+O157). The TL106 was administrated to mice for 14 days, and mice were infected with O157:H7 at day 15. We found that TL106 could prevent the weight loss caused by O157:H7 infection and alleviated the associated increase in pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8) and decrease in anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) in serum and intestinal tissues of mice caused by O157:H7 infection (P < 0·05). Additionally, TL106 could prevent disruption of gut morphology caused by O157:H7 infection, and alleviate the associated decrease in expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1) in jejunum and colon (P < 0·05). In caecum and colon, the alpha diversity for bacterial community analysis of Chao and ACE index in Ba+O157 group were higher than O157 group. The TL106 stabilized gut microbiota disturbed by O157:H7, including increasing Lachnospiraceae, Prevotellaceae, Muribaculaceae and Akkermansiaceae, and reducing Lactobacillaceae.

CONCLUSIONS

We indicated the B. amyloliquefaciens TL106 can effectively protect mice against EHEC O157:H7 infection by relieving inflammation, improving intestinal barrier function, mitigating permeability disruption and stabilizing the gut microbiota.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TL106 can prevent and treat intestinal disease induced by EHEC O157:H7 in mice, which may be a promising probiotic for disease prevention in animals.

[Oncologic outcomes of early stage cervical cancer performed operation by different laparoscopic surgical procedures: analysis of clinical data from mutiple centers]

Objective: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes of different laparoscopic radical hysterectomy. Methods: From January 2011 to December 2014, the laparoscopic operation cases of cervical cancer at stage Ⅰb1, Ⅰb2, Ⅱa1 and Ⅱa2, including the histologic subtypes of squamous-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma, were collected in five clinical centers. The data were divided into two groups according to the surgical procedures, that is, modified laparoscopic-vaginal radical hysterectomy (mLVRH) and total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH). The overall survival rate (OS), disease-free survival rate (DFS) at 5 years were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Results: There were 674 cases in total, including 377 cases of mLVRH, 297 cases of TLRH. (1) The OS at 5 years: the mLVRH was 96.1% and the TLRH was 92.0%, and the mLVRH was higher than that of TLRH （P=0.010）. Stratify analysis， including stage of disease （Ⅰb1 and Ⅱa1）， histologic subtypes （squamous-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma）， lymph node metastasis， revealed that, ① Stage of disease: in stage Ⅰb1, the OS at five years of mLVRH was higher than that in TLRH group （98.6% vs 93.6%, P=0.012）. In stage Ⅱa1, there was significant difference between the two groups, the OS at five years of mLVRH and TLRH were 93.6% and 77.6% （P=0.007）. ② Histologic subtypes: for the OS at five years of squamous-cell carcinoma, mLVRH and TLRH were 96.1% and 92.3%, and there was significant difference （P=0.046）； for adenocarcinoma, the OS at five years were 91.0% and 88.6%， and there was no difference between two groups （P=0.230）. ③ Lymph node metastasis： the mLVRH and TLRH with lymph node metastasis, the OS at five years were 98.6% and 96.4%; the mLVRH and TLRH without lymph node metastasis, the OS at five years were 89.3% and 80.8%. There were no significant differences between the two groups,respectively (P=0.156， P=0.093）. (2) The DFS at 5 years: there was no significant difference between mLVRH and TLRH (94.1% vs 90.9%, P=0.220). Stratify analysis for stage of disease, the mLVRH group was higher than that in the TLRH group in stage Ⅰb1 (97.0% vs 92.8%, P=0.039). However, for stage Ⅱa1, there was no significant difference between mLVRH and TLRH group （88.2% vs 75.8%, P=0.074）. Conclusions: The results of this retrospective study indicated that different laparoscopy surgical procedures had diverse oncologic outcomes. The OS at 5 years of the mLVRH is superior to the TLRH. The DFS at 5 years in Ⅰb1 stage, the mLVRH is higher than the TLRH. Therefore, the modified laparoscopy is still an alternative surgery for early cervical cancer patients when following the principle of no-tumor-exposure.

[Efficacy of minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration in preterm infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: a multicenter clinical trial]

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Methods: In this multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial, 92 preterm infants with gestation age ≤30 weeks and diagnosed with NRDS were enrolled in 8 level Ⅲ neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region from 1(st) July 2017 to 31(st) December 2018. They were randomly assigned to minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) group or endotracheal intubation surfactant administration (EISA) group according to random number generated by computer. Infants in both groups received calf pulmonary surfactant preparation at a dose of 70-100 mg/kg. The data of demography, perinatal situation, medication administration, complications, clinical outcomes in the two groups were compared with Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test. Results: Among the 92 preterm infants, 53 were males, 39 were females; 47 were in the MISA group (25 males), and 45 were in the EISA group (28 males). The gestational age and birth weight were (29.5±1.2) weeks and (1 271±242) g in all patients, (29.5±1.4) weeks and (1 285±256) g in the MISA group, and (29.6±0.9) weeks and (1 255±227) g in the EISA group. The duration of surfactant infusion and the length of whole procedure in the MISA group were significantly longer than that in the EISA group (60 (18, 270) s vs. 50 (30, 60) s, Z=3.009, P=0.003; 90 (60, 300) s vs. 60 (44, 270) s, Z=3.365, P=0.001). For the outcomes, the incidence of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were lower in the MISA group than in the EISA group (36% (17/47) vs. 67% (30/45), χ(2)=8.556, P=0.003; 26% (12/47) vs. 47% (21/45), χ(2)=4.464, P=0.035). Conclusions: Minimally invasive surfactant administration is applicable in preterm infants ≤30 weeks gestational age with NRDS. Although the length of whole procedure is longer than route endotracheal administration, the benefit of decreasing the incidences of hsPDA and BPD outweighs this demerit.

[Endemic situation of schistosomiasis in surveillance sites of Tianmen City from 2015 to 2018]

OBJECTIVE

To monitor the change patterns of the endemic situation of schistosomiasis in Tianmen City from 2015 to 2018, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the schistosomiasis control strategy in the city.

METHODS

A total of 8 schistosomiasis surveillance sites were assigned in Tianmen City from 2015 to 2018, and the endemic situation of schistosomiasis and the related epidemiological factors were monitored.

RESULTS

During the period from 2015 to 2018, a total of 15 983 local person-times and 3 629 mobile populations were detected for schistosomiasis using an indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) in Tianmen City, and the sero-prevalence was 0.88% to 1.44% and 0.96% to 2.39%, respectively; however, no egg-positives were identified. A total of 1 245 herd-times were detected, and no egg-positives were found in bovines. In addition, the areas of snail habitats were 116.69 to 117.23 hm² and the mean densities of living snails were 0.07 to 0.17 snails/0.1 m² during the study period; however, no infections were identified in snails.

CONCLUSIONS

The endemic situation of schistosomiasis appears low in Tianmen City; however, the factors related to schistosomiasis transmission remain in the city. The integrated strategy with emphasis on the control of infectious sources should be still intensified to consolidate the schistosomiasis control achievements.

Topological all-optical logic gates based on two-dimensional photonic crystals

In this work, we report the design of topological filter and all-optical logic gates based on two-dimensional photonic crystals with robust edge states. All major logic gates, including OR, AND, NOT, NOR, XOR, XNOR, and NAND, are suitably designed by using the linear interference approach. Moreover, numerical simulations show that our designed all-optical logic devices can always work well even if significant disorders exist. It is expected that such robust and compact logic devices have potential applications in future photonic integrated circuits.

Strong terahertz magneto-optical phenomena based on quasi-bound states in the continuum and Fano resonances

We propose new ways to produce strong terahertz (THz) magneto-optical phenomena from monolayer graphene based on bound states in the continuum (BICs) and Fano resonances. The BICs and Fano resonances of radiation modes in the monolayer graphene are realized by designing the photonic crystal slab-graphene-slab structure. Based on them, the magnetic circular dichroism near 100% has been achieved. Importantly, such magneto-optical phenomena can be modulated in intensity and frequency using only electrostatic doping at a fixed magnetic field. Comparing two ways to produce magneto-optical phenomena, it is found that the way based on BICs exhibits some advantages such as good electrical tenability due to narrower resonance width, higher conversion efficiency and more stability with the change of incident angle. These phenomena can appear in a broad THz range by designing the nanostructures, which are very beneficial to polarization conversion and optoelectronic devices.

Type-II InSe/ g-C3N4 Heterostructure as a High-Efficiency Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

We propose a conceptual design of InSe/ g-C₃N₄ van der Waals heterostructure to achieve highly efficient and spontaneous water splitting. InSe/ g-C₃N₄ possesses a direct band gap of 2.04 eV with type-II band alignment, which is beneficial to the separation of electrons and holes and exhibits proper valence and conduction-band positions for the redox reactions of H₂O. In addition, the adsorption of multiple water molecules and the changes of free energy on InSe/ g-C₃N₄ have been calculated to understand the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process of water splitting. The free energies of reaction on three sides are all downhill, and the values of Δ G reduce to about -0.406 eV, indicating that the OER of water splitting is a thermodynamically permissible reaction without the aid of any other substance. Therefore, the water-splitting reaction could be thermodynamically continued using InSe/ g-C₃N₄ as a photocatalyst, which indicates that InSe/ g-C₃N₄ is an excellent candidate for photocatalyst or photoelectronic applications.

Effect of hydroxyselenomethionine on lactation performance, blood profiles, and transfer efficiency in early-lactating dairy cows

The current study investigated the effects of hydroxyselenomethionine (HMBSe), a novel organic selenium (Se) additive, on lactation performance, blood profiles, antioxidative status, and transfer efficiency of Se in early-lactation dairy cows. Sixty multiparous early-lactating dairy cows with similar days in milk (57 d; standard deviation = 9.9) and milk yield (36.5 kg/d; standard deviation = 1.42) were fed a basal diet containing 0.04 mg of Se/kg (dry matter basis). These cows were assigned to 1 of 4 groups following a randomized complete block design as follows: control (basal diet) or HMBSe addition (0.1, 0.3, or 0.5 mg of Se/kg of dry matter). The experiment lasted for 13 wk, with the first week as adaptation. The results showed that milk yields (raw, protein, and lactose) and feed efficiency were improved in a quadratic manner following increased dietary HMBSe addition, whereas energy-corrected milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, and total solid yields tended to be enhanced quadratically. In terms of whole-blood variables, red blood cell and white blood cell levels were increased quadratically, whereas hemoglobin concentration increased linearly with increased HMBSe addition. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations tended to increase linearly along with HMBSe addition. Plasma superoxide dismutase activity increased quadratically with increased HMBSe addition. The total antioxidant capacity in plasma tended to improve quadratically when cows were fed more HMBSe. Moreover, plasma malondialdehyde concentrations of dairy cows tended to decrease in a quadratic manner when dietary HMBSe increased. The Se concentrations in milk, plasma, and milk/plasma ratio increased linearly following increased HMBSe addition. In conclusion, HMBSe improved lactation performance, health status, and milk Se concentrations in early-lactating dairy cows.

[Effects of intrathecal transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 blocker on cervical distension induced visceral pain response]

Objective: With the aid of an acute visceral pain model of uterine cervical distension (UCD), the present study aimed to observe the effects of intrathecal administration of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) antagonist SB-366791 on UCD induced-visceral nociception as well as its involved molecular mechanisms. Methods: A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley-derived adult virgin female rats were used. UCD model was established under isoflurane inhalation anesthesia. Briefly, a lower abdominal incision at midline was made to expose the uteral cervix, two metal rods were inserted through both sides of the cervix separately, one rod was fixed and the other one was connected to a pulley system with application of manual weighted traction (0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 g) for simulating 1 h of cervical distension. In addition, 12 Sprague-Dawley-derived adult virgin female rats were subjected to intrathecal catheter implantation, and UCD was established 7 days later. The rats were divided randomly into two groups; one group was administrated with intrathecal SB-366791 while the other was administrated with the same volume of saline as control. The 75 g distension force was then applied for an hour and the electromyographic (EMG) of musculus rectus abdominis, heart rate as well as respiratory frequency were measured continuously during the surgery. The spinal cord (T(12)-L(2)) was collected 30 minutes after UCD for the detection of changes of c-FOS and TRPV1 expression. Results: UCD increased EMG activity (P<0.05) and c-FOS expression (P<0.05) in the deep dorsal horn region and central canal of the spinal cord (T(12)-L(2)) in a stimuli-dependent manner, the expression of TRPV1 in the T(12)-L(2) spinal cord also increased in response to UCD stimulation (P<0.05). Compared with the saline group, intrathecal SB-366791 significantly decreased EMG activity (P<0.05) as well as spinal c-FOS (P<0.05) expression induced by UCD. Conclusions: UCD in rats increases EMG activity of musculus rectus abdominis as well as spinal c-FOS and TRPV1 expression. Intrathecal administration of TRPV1 antagonist SB-366791 significantly decreases the visceral nociception induced by UCD.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfate protects myocardium against paraquat-induced toxicity through activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in rats

Objective:

To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfate (STS) on paraquat (PQ)-induced myocardial injuries in a rat model.

Methods:

Healthy adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control, PQ, and PQ + STS groups. PQ group was given a single intragastric administration of PQ (80 mg/kg). PQ + STS group was intraperitoneally injected with STS (1 ml/kg) at 30 min following PQ exposure. Rats in control and PQ groups were injected with equal amount of saline. After 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, rats were killed, and the apoptosis of myocardial cells was detected. Myocardial expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was measured. The activity of the nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway was assessed by Western blot.

Results:

The apoptotic cells in PQ group were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner compared with the control group ( p < 0.01). The rats in PQ group exhibited significantly lower Bcl-2 expression, but notably higher Bax expression at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after PQ exposure ( p < 0.05 or 0.01). STS intervention markedly reduced the proportion of apoptotic myocardial cells, increased Bcl-2 expression, and decreased Bax expression at 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment ( p < 0.05 or 0.01). The expression of phosphorylated Nrf2 and heme oxygenase 1 in PQ + STS group was significantly increased compared with PQ and control groups ( p < 0.05 or 0.01).

Conclusion:

STS effectively inhibits PQ-induced myocardial cell apoptosis in rats via modulating the Nrf2 pathway, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic agent for PQ-induced myocardium damage.

Isolation and biological characteristics of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells derived from chick embryo intestine

1. Over the past decade, rapid advancement in isolation methods for identifying markers of the once elusive intestinal stem cell (ISC) populations has laid the foundation for unravelling their complex interrelationships during homeostasis. Study on ISC in avian intestinal tissue might play a pivotal foundation for further studies on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastrointestinal disease and cell-based therapy as well as intestinal tissue engineering. 2. The following experiment isolated a population of fibroblast-like, plastic adhering cells derived from chick embryo intestine, showing a strong self-renewing and proliferative ability, which was maintained in vitro up to passage 25. The findings included growth characteristics, detected expression of cell surface markers and characterised the capability of these cells to differentiate towards the osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cell lineages. 3. RT-PCR analysis showed that these cells from chick embryos expressed mesenchymal stromal cell markers CD44, CD90 and VIMENTIN as well as ISC-specific genes LGR5, MI1, SMOC2, BMI1, and HOPX. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry confirmed this biology characterisation further. 4. In conclusion, cells were isolated from the intestine of 18-day-old chicken embryos that exhibited the biological characteristics of mesenchymal stromal cells as well as markers of intestinal stem cells. Our findings may provide a novel insight for in vitro cell culture and characteristics of ISCs in avian species, which may also indicate a benefit for obtaining cell source for intestinal tissue engineering as well as cell-based investigation for gastrointestinal disease and treatment.

[Detection of root cracks after root canal preparation using rotary NiTi systems by optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in detecting root cracks after root canal instrumentation using histological gold standard.

METHODS

Twenty complete extracted human mandibular incisors that were free of caries, calculus, and root treatment were chosen and accessed coronally with a diamond bur, then mounted in resin blocks with alginate impression material using simulated periodontal ligaments, and the apex was exposed 3 mm. The teeth were stored in water at room temperature. Then the teeth were then instrumented to the major apical foramen (AF) at #30/0.09 using ProTaper Universal rotary nickel titanium system (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), irrigation with 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) by using a 26-gauge needle followed after each instrument. The apical root was scanned with 360° of rotation by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) (wavelength: 1 310 nm, scan rate: 20 kHz, axial resolution: 16 μm) with driving device (stepper motor and lifting platform). The reconstruction images of axial planes 1, 2 and 3 mm from the apex were examined and the root cracks were blindly diagnosed by two observers. The horizontal section was performed at 1, 2 and 3 mm from the apex using low speed disc saw (Leica SP1600, Wetzlar, Germany). The presence of cracks was noted under an optical stereomicroscope (ZOOM-630E) with a cold light source using as gold standard to evaluate the accuracy of OCT in detecting root cracks after root canal instrumentation.

RESULTS

After canals instrumentation with ProTaper Universal rotary nickel titanium system to #30/0.09, root cracks were detected in 9 of 20 teeth by histological examination. Crack lines were observed on 13 of 60 horizontal sections and cracks on 12 of the 13 sections were detected by OCT. No cracks were observed in the other 47 of the 60 horizontal sections,none of which was misdiagnosed by OCT. The overall accuracy rate for detection of root cracks with OCT was 0.983, the sensitivity was 0.923, the specificity was 1.000, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 1.000 and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.979.

CONCLUSION

OCT may be a promising nondestructive imaging method for diagnosing root canal cracks after canal instrumentation.

Autism-associated Dyrk1a truncation mutants impair neuronal dendritic and spine growth and interfere with postnatal cortical development

Autism is a prevailing neurodevelopmental disorder with a large genetic/genomic component. Recently, the dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1 A (DYRK1A) gene was implicated as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We identified five DYRK1A variants in ASD patients and found that the dose of DYRK1A protein has a crucial role in various aspects of postnatal neural development. Dyrk1a loss of function and gain of function led to defects in dendritic growth, dendritic spine development and radial migration during cortical development. Importantly, two autism-associated truncations, R205X and E239X, were shown to be Dyrk1a loss-of-function mutants. Studies of the truncated Dyrk1a mutants may provide new insights into the role of Dyrk1a in brain development, as well as the role of Dyrk1a loss of function in the pathophysiology of autism.

Assessment of Crohn's disease activity by Doppler sonography

Objectives:

To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for evaluation of inflammatory activity in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD).

Methods:

Fifty-six patients with histologically proven CD (39 with active, 17 with inactive disease) and 30 healthy volunteers as a control group were enrolled in the study at WeiFang People’s Hospital, Weifang Province, China from October 2012 to December 2014. Bowel wall thickness, and vascularity pattern were measured by Doppler ultrasound.

Results:

There was a significant difference in flow volume of the superior mesenteric artery (585 ± 235 ml/min) in the patients with active disease, compared with those with inactive disease (401 ± 238 ml/min) and the control group (390 ± 189 ml/min, p<0.001). Wall thickness was 5.1 ± 1.5 mm in the active CD group, 3.3 ± 1.6 mm in the inactive disease group (p<0.001) and <3 mm in the control group. Resistance index in the thickened bowel wall showed some differences: 0.68 ± 0.05 in the active disease group, 0.78 ± 0.08 in the inactive disease group, and 0.85 ± 0.07 in the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

Doppler ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool in detecting CD and assessing inflammatory activity.

A tremendous expansion of copy number in crossbred bulls ( × )

Crossbreeding between cattle () and yak () exhibits significant hybrid advantages in milk yield and meat production. By contrast, cattle-yak F hybrid bulls are sterile. Copy number variations (CNV) of multicopy gene families in male-specific regions of the mammalian Y chromosome (MSY) affect human and animal fertility. The present study investigated CNV of (), (), (), and () in 5 yak breed bulls ( = 63), cattle-yak F ( = 22) and F ( = 2) hybrid bulls, and Chinese Yellow (CY) cattle bulls ( = 10) by quantitative real-time PCR. showed restricted amplification in yak bulls in that the average geometric mean copy number (CN) was estimated to be 4 copies. The most compelling finding is that there is a tremendous expansion of CN in F hybrids (385 copies; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 351-421) and F hybrids (356 copies) compared with the male parent breed CY cattle (142 copies; 95% CI = 95-211). Copy numbers of and were also extensively expanded on the Y chromosome in yak and CY cattle bulls. The geometric mean CN of and were estimated to be 123 (95% CI = 114-132) and 250 copies (95% CI = 233-268) in yak bulls and 71 (95% CI = 61-82) and 133 (95% CI = 107-164) copies in CY cattle, respectively. Yak and CY cattle have 2 copies of the gene on the Y chromosome. Similarly to gene, the F and F hybrid bulls have higher CN of , , and than CY cattle ( < 0.01). These results indicated that the MSY of yak and cattle-yak crossbred hybrids was fundamentally different from cattle MSY in the context of genomic organization. Based on the model of cattle-yak F and F hybrid bull sterility, the CNV of may serve as a potential risk factor for crossbred bull ( × ) infertility. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine differences in multicopy genes in MSY between yak and cattle-yak bulls.

Tuning the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene-like SiGe hybrid nanosheets by surface functionalization

In this paper, the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of fully and partially surface modified SiGe nanosheets (NSs) have been investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The results demonstrate that the electronic and magnetic properties of SiGe NSs can be tuned by decorating H, Cl and F atoms on Si sites in SiGe NSs. It is shown that by decorating their surface with H, F, and Cl atoms, H-SiGe, F-SiGe, and Cl-SiGe NSs in FM states are predicted to behave as a semiconductor, half-metal, and metal, respectively. The diverse electronic and magnetic properties define the potential applications of SiGe nanosheets in electronics and spintronics.

First principles studies on the thermoelectric properties of (SrO)m(SrTiO3)n superlattice

The electronic structures and thermoelectric properties of (SrO)_m(SrTiO₃)_n superlattices have been investigated using first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport theory.

Facile synthesis and photocatalytic activity of bi-phase dispersible Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles

Bi-phase dispersible Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized by one-pot non-aqueous nanoemulsion with the use of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PPO-PEO) as the surfactant. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) show high crystallinity of the Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles and an average particle size of ~19.4 nm. The ultraviolet-visible light absorbance spectrometry (UV-vis) and photoluminescence spectrophotometry (PL) demonstrate well dispersibility and excellent optical performance of Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles both in organic and aqueous solvent. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms Cu(1+) and Cu(2+) in ZnO. The observation using Sudan red (III) as probe molecule reveals that the Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles possess enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability which are promising for potential applications in photocatalysis.

Decreased retinol-binding protein 4 in the sera of patients with end-stage renal disease after kidney transplantation

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a novel adipokine that has been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have very high serum RBP4 levels. However, whether successful kidney transplantation alleviates these elevated serum RBP4 levels is unclear. The serum RBP4 levels of 24 ESRD patients were determined before transplantation and at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after kidney transplantation. The control group included 22 healthy subjects. Serum RBP4 concentrations were measured using a commercial kit via the immunologic turbidimetric method, and were related to biomarkers for renal and liver function. The serum RBP4 level of ESRD patients before kidney transplantation (160.8 ± 29.1 mg/L) was approximately 7-fold higher than that of normal controls (22.6 ± 11.0 mg/L; P = 0.000). The serum RBP4 level before transplantation was significantly higher than that at 1 day (65.3 ± 28.4 mg/L), 1 week (48.3 ± 22.9 mg/L), and 1 month after transplantation (53.1 ± 25.5 mg/L; P = 0.000). However, these values were still higher than those of controls (P = 0.000). Univariate regression analysis showed that the percent changes in serum RBP4 concentration before and after kidney transplantation were positively correlated with serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, phosphate, and pre-albumin concentrations and negatively correlated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate. The serum RBP4 concentration of patients with ESRD decreased significantly after kidney transplantation; therefore, we found that serum RBP4 concentration was related to renal function.

Voltage-driven spintronic logic gates in graphene nanoribbons

Electronic devices lose efficacy due to quantum effect when the line-width of gate decreases to sub-10 nm. Spintronics overcome this bottleneck and logic gates are building blocks of integrated circuits. Thus, it is essential to control electronic transport of opposite spins for designing a spintronic logic gate, and spin-selective semiconductors are natural candidates such as zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNR) whose edges are ferromagnetically ordered and antiferromagnetically coupled with each other. Moreover, it is necessary to sandwich ZGNR between two ferromagnetic electrodes for making a spintronic logic gate and also necessary to apply magnetic field to change the spin orientation for modulating the spin transport. By first principle calculations, we propose a method to manipulate the spin transport in graphene nanoribbons with electric field only, instead of magnetic field. We find that metal gates with specific bias nearby edges of ZGNR build up an in-plane inhomogeneous electric field which modulates the spin transport by localizing the spin density in device. The specific manipulation of spin transport we have proposed doesn't need spin-charge conversion for output and suggests a possible base for designing spintronic integrated circuit in atomic scale.

Dectin-1 gene polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to nonspecific digestive disorders and cytokine expression in rabbits

Dectin-1 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation by recognizing the pathogenic agents and mediating cytokine responses. The objective of this study was to establish the association between dectin-1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to nonspecific digestive disorders (NSDD) and cytokine expression in rabbits. A total of 7 coding SNP were detected in dectin-1 gene. The genetic association between SNP (ss707197675A > G) and susceptibility to NSDD was evaluated using a case-control study (178 cases and 174 controls). The results revealed that the A allele was associated with an increased risk of developing NSDD in rabbits. The AA genotype significantly increased the genetic susceptibility to NSDD with odds ratio of 4.76 (95% confidence interval, 1.92-12.50, P = 0.0002) compared with GG and GA genotypes. We also experimentally induced NSDD in another independent growing rabbit population by feeding a low-fiber diet and subsequently investigated the cytokine mRNA expression. Among the 4 studied cytokines, the expression of interferon-γ, IL-17F, and IL-22 were increased 2.8 to 6.0-fold in AA genotype compared with GG genotype (P < 0.01). The greater IL-17F and IL-22 mRNA expressions indicated a positive correlation with severe intestinal inflammation (P < 0.05). The decreased expression of IL-10 was associated with severe intestinal inflammation (P = 0.006), but IL-10 expression was not influenced by dectin-1 genotype. In conclusion, polymorphism ss707197675 of dectin-1 is related with susceptibility to NSDD and increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and dectin-1 could be an important candidate gene associated with NSDD in rabbits.

Study on characteristics of in vitro culture and intracellular transduction of exogenous proteins in fibroblast cell line of Liaoning cashmere goat

Establishment of fibroblast cell lines of endangered goat breeds and research on the gene or protein functions based on the cells made a significant contribution to the conservation and utilization of genetic resources. In this study, a fibroblast cell line of Liaoning cashmere goat, frozen in 174 cryovials with 5 × 10(6) cells each, was successfully established from 60 goats ear marginal tissues using explant culture and cryopreservation techniques. Biological analysis of in vitro cultured cell line showed that, the cells were morphologically consistent with fibroblasts; the average viability of the cells was 94.9 % before freezing and 90.1 % after thawing; the growth process of cells was consisted of a lag phase, a logarithmic phase and a plateau phase; cell population doubling time was 65.5 h; more than 90 % of cells were diploid prior to the 6th generation; Neither microbial contamination nor cross-contamination was detected. To determine cell permeability, intracellular path and stability of exogenous proteins during the transduction, a TAT protein transduction domain was fused to the C-terminus of enhanced green fluorescent protein, the established fibroblast cell line was treated with the purified exogenous proteins at various concentrations by adding them to the cell culture media for 1-24 h and assayed cell morphology and protein presence, it was found that the purified exogenous proteins readily entered cells at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml within 1.5 h and some of them could translocate into nucleus, moreover, the exogenous proteins appeared to be stable inside cells for up to 24 h.

Cloning and prokaryotic expression of rat homolog of Serpina3n and its expression change during liver regeneration

A strikingly upregulated expressed sequence tag was screened from regenerating rat liver at 8 h in a 0-4-8-12 h short-interval successive partial hepatectomy model from a previous study. In the present study, a full-length open reading frame (ORF) corresponding to this expressed sequence tag was predicted through electronic cloning and was subsequently cloned from an 8-h rat regenerating liver and deposited in GenBank (accession No. HM448398). Sequence analysis of HM448398 and the predicted ORF revealed that the two ORFs may be different transcripts of a gene. The sequence of HM448398 was highly homologous to that of rat Serpina3n, suggesting that it may be a homolog of Serpina3n. The pGEX-2TK prokaryotic expression vector for this ORF was constructed, and the result of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis manifested that the recombinant expression vector could express the glutathione-S-transferase-fused rat homolog of Serpina3n in an insoluble form in BL21. The target fusion protein was purified with affinity chromatography and was used as antigen to immunize rabbits for the production of polyclonal antibodies. Immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the gene was highly expressed in the priming and termination phases of liver regeneration. These findings lay a solid foundation for further study of roles of HM448398 using knock-in and RNA interference methods during liver regeneration.

Effects of Sophy β-glucan on growth performance, carcass traits, meat composition, and immunological responses of Peking ducks

The response of Peking ducks to supplements of Sophy β-glucan was studied. A total of 160 healthy 1-d-old mixed-sex ducklings were randomly allocated to 3 groups: Sophy β-glucan (n = 80), bacitracin zinc (n = 40), and control (n = 40), which received the same antibiotics-deficient diet supplemented with 1% β-glucan, 5% bacitracin zinc, or nothing, respectively. During 2 mo of the study, growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality of Peking ducks were evaluated. Additionally, a separate immunological study was conducted with a total of 105 healthy male Peking ducks in 7 groups (n = 15) and immunized with different doses of β-glucan (0, 0.5, 2.5, 12.5, and 62.5 μg/duck) and BSA (200 μg/duck). Blood was taken for detection of anti-BSA-IgG antibody and peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation assays. Groups subjected to different dietary treatments showed almost no differences in growth performance and slaughter traits except breast muscle percentage and intestinal length. These 2 indicators were significantly higher in the bacitracin zinc group than in the control and β-glucan groups (P < 0.05). Similarly, chemical compositions, fatty acids, and amino acids of breast muscle were not significantly influenced by the diet. Ducks immunized with Sophy β-glucan did not have enhanced level of anti-BSA-IgG antibodies but had significant peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation compared with unchallenged ducks (P < 0.01). With an increase in the glucan concentration, the proliferative responses approximately linearly increased. These findings indicate that 1% Sophy glucan did not improve duck growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality significantly under the conditions of the present experiment and mainly had regulatory or enhancing properties on poultry nonspecific cellular immunity.

Establishment and cryopreservation of a fibroblast cell line derived from Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)

The Bengal tiger ear marginal tissue fibroblasts cell line (BTF22), containing 157 tubes of frozen cells, was successfully established by using primary explants technique and cell cryoconservation technology. Biological analysis showed that the population doubling time (PDT) for revival cells was approximately 28 h. Measurement of LDH and MDH isoenzymes showed no cross-contamination among the cells. Karyotyping showed that the frequency of cells with chromosome number 2n = 38 was 90.6-92.2%. Tests for bacteria, fungi, viruses and mycoplasma were negative. Plasmids encoding the fluorescent proteins pEGFP-N3, pEGFP-C1, pECFP-N1, pECFP-mito, pDsRed1-N1, and pEYFP-N1 were transfected into cells to study exogenous gene expression in the cells. The plasmid transfection efficiency was between 4.4% and 31.9%. Every index of the BTF22 cell line meets all the standard quality controls of American type Culture Collection (ATCC). Not only has the germline of this important Bengal tiger species been preserved at the cell level, but also valuable material had been provided for genome, postgenome and somacloning research. Moreover, the establishment of this technical platform would provide both technical and theoretical support for storing the genetic resources of other animals and poultry at the cell level.

Early embryonic blood cells collect antigens and induce immunotolerance in the hatched chicken

Earlier experimental data in our laboratory showed that introduction of an exogenous protein into early chicken embryonic blood leads to immunotolerance of hatched chicken to that protein. However, the underlying mechanism is yet unknown. In the present study, we show that the blood cells collecting circulating antigen might contribute to the establishment of immunotolerance. In this experiment, most of the chicken embryo blood cells took up injected fluorescein isothiocyanate-BSA at approximately embryonic d 3. At the same stage, 1 microL of embryo blood was taken out and incubated with BSA. After being loaded with BSA in vitro and washed, these cells were injected back into the original embryo. The BSA-specific lymphocytes were depleted in chickens whose early embryo cells had been loaded with BSA, as evidenced by a significant decrease in anti-BSA antibody after challenge with BSA when the chickens were 3 wk old. In addition, by direct injection of BSA to embryonic d 3 embryo blood, the hatched chickens had decreased amounts of anti-trinitrophenol antibody after the chickens were challenged with trinitrophenol-BSA, indicating that the helper function of BSA-specific T cells was impaired. In conclusion, these observations suggest that some early embryo blood cells possibly collect and store antigen for the establishment of self-tolerance before the maturation of B and T cells.

Stepwise regression analysis of the determinants of blood tacrolimus concentrations in Chinese patients with liver transplant

Tacrolimus (FK506) is one of the immunosuppressive drugs used effectively to prevent allograft rejection after liver transplantation. Narrow therapeutic range and individual variance in pharmacokinetics make it difficult to establish a fixed dosage for all patients. Genetic polymorphism in drug metabolizing enzymes and in transporters may influence tacrolimus exposure. A stepwise regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between blood concentrations of tacrolimus (54 blood samples at the day of 1 week, 2 week and one month after liver transplantation) and genetic & non-genetic factors in 18 Chinese liver transplant patients. The equation of multiple stepwise regression was: Y (tacrolimus' blood concentration) = 34.534 - 0.247 (age) - 0.510 (weight) + 1.688 (dose) + 6.876 (recipient's CYP3A5 genotype) - 3.097 (donor's CYP3A5 genotype), P < 0.01. The factors impacting patient's tacrolimus blood concentrations in a descending order are weight, recipient's CYP3A5 genotype, dose, age, donor's CYP3A5 genotype. Among those, patient's weight and recipient's CYP3A5 genotype could significantly impact the blood concentration of tacrolimus. The influence of recipient's CYP3A5 gene polymorphism is much more obvious than that of donor's. Neither donor's nor recipient's MDR1 genetic polymorphisms were correlated with the blood concentration of tacrolimus.

Frequency of CYP2D6*10 and *14 alleles and their influence on the metabolic activity of CYP2D6 in a healthy Chinese population

To study the frequency of CYP2D6(*)10 and (*)14 alleles in a healthy Chinese population, and the influence of these two alleles on the metabolic activity of CYP2D6. CYP2D6(*)10 and (*)14 genotypes of 295 healthy Chinese subjects were determined using a tetra-primer method and allele-specific amplification. CYP2D6 phenotypes of 131 subjects were determined using dextramethorphan as probe drug. There were 10 subjects with a (*)14 allele, including one homozygous for (*)14. The gene frequency of (*)10 and (*)14 alleles were 55.8 and 1.8%, respectively. The metabolic ratio (MR) of dextramethorphan in 131 subjects was 0.032+/-0.106. The MR of (*)1/(*)1, (*)1/(*)10, (*)10/(*)10, (*)1/(*)14, (*)10/(*)14, and (*)14/(*)14 groups were 0.007+/-0.012, 0.009+/-0.010, 0.042+/-0.029, 0.093, 0.11, and 1.186, respectively. The MR of subjects with (*)14 allele was higher than those of (*)1/(*)1, (*)1/(*)10, or (*)10/(*)10 groups (P<0.001). The CYP2D6(*)10 and (*)14 alleles have substantial impact on the metabolic activity of CYP2D6, and the CYP2D6(*)14 allele may be the cause of the poor metabolizer phenotype in Chinese subjects.

Dipolar effect in coherent spin mixing of two atoms in a single optical lattice site

We show that atomic dipolar effects are detectable in the system that recently demonstrated two-atom coherent spin dynamics within individual lattice sites of a Mott state. Based on a two-state approximation for the two-atom internal states and relying on a variational approach, we have estimated the spin dipolar effect. Despite the absolute weakness of the dipole-dipole interaction, it is shown that it leads to experimentally observable effects in the spin mixing dynamics.

Field assessment of nanoscale bimetallic particles for groundwater treatment

A field demonstration was performed in which nanoscale bimetallic (Fe/Pd) particles were gravity-fed into groundwater contaminated bytrichloroethene and other chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons at a manufacturing site. With diameters on the order of 100-200 nm, the nanoparticles are uniquely suited to rapidly degrade redox-amenable contaminants and for optimal subsurface delivery and dispersion. Approximately 1.7 kg of the nanoparticles was fed into the test area over a 2-day period, resulting in minimal clogging of the injection well. The test area was located within a well-characterized region of the contaminant plume and included an injection well and three piezometer couplets spaced 1.5 m apart. Despite the low nanoparticle dosage, trichloroethene reduction efficiencies of up to 96% were observed over a 4-week monitoring period with the highest values observed at the injection well and adjacent piezometers. Data from the field assessment were consistent with the results of pre-injection laboratory studies, which showed rapid dechlorination of target chlorinated compounds accompanied by a sharp decrease of standard oxidation potential and an increase in pH.

Decreased +gz tolerance following lower body positive pressure: simulated push-pull effect

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to attempt to simulate the push-pull maneuver on a single-axis human centrifuge using lower body positive pressure (LBPP), and to observe the effect of the push-pull maneuver on +Gz tolerance.

METHODS

Six volunteers participated in the experiment. They were subjected to LBPP of up to 300 mm Hg for 1 min. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored before, during and after LBPP. Immediately after LBPP, +Gz tolerance was measured on a human centrifuge.

RESULTS

During LBPP, systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) increased significantly, mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased but not significantly, and HR decreased significantly. After LBPP, SBP and MAP decreased significantly, while DBP and HR decreased but not significantly. In all subjects, +Gz tolerance decreased after LBPP. The decreased value was 0.70 +/- 0.06 G, maximum 1.0 G and minimum 0.5 G.

CONCLUSION

The push-pull maneuver can be simulated on a single-axis human centrifuge using LBPP. The physiologic effects of LBPP were similar to those of -Gz. We observed that +Gz tolerance decreased after LBPP, which confirmed the push-pull effect from the experiment.

[Appraisal and analysis of heat removing characteristic of liquid cooling garment using thermal manikin]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relation of the design parameters and appraise the heat removing characteristic of liquid cooling garment (LCG) using thermal manikin.

METHOD

To appraise the design of LCG, the thermal manikin wearing LCG and heat insulation garment was put in the temperature cabin, then the inlet and outlet temperature of cooling liquid in the LCG were measured and the heat removed was calculated.

RESULT

The relationship between the design parameters and heat removed, and also that between the design parameters and temperature ratio efficiency were found. And the heat removed was calculated. It provided a reasonable basis for appraisal of LCG.

CONCLUSION

The design of the LCG for the EVA space suit was found to be reasonable. The flow rate regulation range was too narrow, and the change of heat removing capacity depended on the change of inlet temperature.

Synthesis and characterization of CdIn(2)S(4) nanorods by converting CdS nanorods via the hydrothermal route

The ternary semiconductor CdIn(2)S(4) nanorods were synthesized by a method based on CdS nanorods via the hydrothermal route, in which CdS nanorods were converted by reaction with InCl(3) and thiourea in aqueous solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that the typical sizes of the CdIn(2)S(4) nanorods were 10-30 nm in diameter and 200-1000 nm in length. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) analysis of the surface stoichiometry (CdIn(2.03)S(4.15)) and room-temperature Raman spectrum (RS) were recorded. The influences of reaction temperature, time, and sulfur sources on the formation for CdIn(2)S(4) nanorods were investigated. A possible formation mechanism of the CdIn(2)S(4) nanorods was also proposed.

[Data analysis of 492 times centrifuge examination]

Objective. To sum up the experiences and to find the regularity of centrifuge examinations. Method. The data of nine years of centrifuge examination (from 1988 to 1996) of pilots who suffered from black out or LOC frequently were analyzed. Result. There were totally 492 times centrifuge examinations. First centrifuge examination included 229 pilots, 49 qualified, 180 unqualified. Second centrifuge examination included 263 pilots, 50 qualified, 213 unqualified. The pilots were all male. The average age of first centrifuge examination was 29.27 +/- 4.87 years. Average flying time was 1015.24 +/- 131.89 h. 68.7% of their plane was JJ-6 or above. Conclusion. Most pilots undergoing centrifuge examination these nine years were 26-35 year old, and had flown for 601-1200 h. The planes they flew are mostly high-performance fighter aircraft. Close attention must be paid to pilots under similar condition by the flight surgeon. It is recommended that the special equipment of G-tolerance training should be added to the fighter aircraft units.

Cloning and characterization of a new member of the T-box gene family

The T-box is a strongly conserved protein domain, 174 to 186 amino acids in length, that binds DNA. Many genes from many species have been shown to encode T-box domain-containing proteins. Here we report the cloning and characterization of a novel T-box gene, TBX21. The human cDNA contains an open reading frame encoding a 535-amino-acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 58.3 kDa. Except for the T-box sequence, database searches revealed no significant homology to any known sequences at the nucleotide or protein level. In addition to the human cDNA sequence, we report the cDNA sequence of the murine homologue, the structure and organization of the murine Tbx21 gene, and its localization to mouse chromosome 11. TBX21 expression was detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes, spleen, lung, and natural killer cells.

[Protective effects of low dose nitric oxide inhalation on lung ischemia/reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery]

OBJECTIVE

Out aim is to study the effects of inhaling nitric oxide(NO) on the pulmonary ischemia/reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

METHODS

Cardiac valve replacement was performed on twenty patients with chronic rheumatic heart valve disease under cardiopulmonary bypass, and they were randomly divided into two groups: control group(n = 10) and NO group(n = 10). We monitored the following: mean pulmonary arterial pressure(MPaP), pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR), peak airway pressure (PAP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP), inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), xanthinoxidase (XOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), PaO2 and the duration of post-operative mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

The PAP, MPaP and PVR in the control group were much higher than those in NO group after reperfusion(P < 0.05). The durations of postoperative mechanical ventilation in NO group were shorter than those in the control group(P < 0.01). The cGMP and PaO2 after reperfusion in NO group were higher(P < 0.01), and the ICAM-1, XOD, MDA were lower(P < 0.05) than those in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

1. If aortic clamp time is over 1 h, lung ischemia/reperfusion injury may occur during cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery. 2. Inhaling 20 ppm NO in the early phase of reperfusion has protective effects on the lung ischemia/reperfusion injury during cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery. 3. The mechanisms of the protective effects may be related with the increase of cGMP and the decrease of ICAM-1, XOD, MDA.