[Epidemic characteristics and trend analysis of major injuries deaths among children and adolescents in Jiangsu Province from 2012 to 2021]

Objective: To understand the situation and epidemic characteristics of injury deaths among children aged 5 to 24 years in Jiangsu Province from 2012 to 2021 and the trend of annual changes. Methods: The main injury mortality data of children and adolescents was collected, and the crude and standardized mortality rates of road traffic accidents, drowning, suicide, and accidental falls among children and adolescents over a decade and the annual average percentage of change (AAPC) were calculated. The main injury mortality characteristics and trends of children and adolescents of different age groups and genders were analyzed. Results: The total number of injury deaths among 5 to 24 adolescents in Jiangsu Province was 16 052, with a standardized mortality rate of 9.58/100 000. There was no significant trend in the overall standardized mortality rate of injuries (AAPC=-3.450%, P=0.055). The standardized mortality rate of road traffic injuries among children and adolescents showed a decreasing trend over the past decade, with statistical significance (AAPC=-9.406%, P<0.001). The standardized suicide mortality rate showed an upward trend over the past decade, with statistical significance (AAPC=9.000%, P=0.001). The overall injury mortality rate showed an upward trend with age. Suicide rates in males and females were on the rise and both have statistical significance (AAPC=9.420% and AAPC=9.607%, both P<0.05). The standardized mortality rates of female traffic accidents, drowning, and male traffic accidents showed a decreasing trend and were statistically significant (AAPC for female traffic accidents=-7.364%, AAPC for female drowning=-5.352%, and AAPC for male traffic accidents=-10.242%, all P<0.05). The standardized mortality rate of urban and rural traffic accidents showed a decreasing trend and was statistically significant(AAPC=-7.899% and AAPC=-9.421%, both P<0.001). The standardized suicide mortality rate showed an upward trend and statistical significance (AAPC=11.009% and AAPC=7.528%, both P<0.05). Conclusions: The overall injury situation of children and adolescents in Jiangsu Province improved in the past decade from 2012 to 2021, but the suicide mortality rate was on the rise. It is necessary to focus on the mental health issues of this age group and to strengthen the prevention and control of suicide among children and adolescents, in Jiangsu.

[A single-center study on the distribution and antibiotic resistance of pathogens causing bloodstream infection in patients with hematological malignancies]

Objective: To study the incidence of bloodstream infections, pathogen distribution, and antibiotic resistance profile in patients with hematological malignancies. Methods: From January 2018 to December 2021, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, pathogen distribution, and antibiotic resistance profiles of patients with malignant hematological diseases and bloodstream infections in the Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University. Results: A total of 582 incidences of bloodstream infections occurred in 22,717 inpatients. From 2018 to 2021, the incidence rates of bloodstream infections were 2.79%, 2.99%, 2.79%, and 2.02%, respectively. Five hundred ninety-nine types of bacteria were recovered from blood cultures, with 487 (81.3%) gram-negative bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eighty-one (13.5%) were gram-positive bacteria, primarily Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecium, whereas the remaining 31 (5.2%) were fungi. Enterobacteriaceae resistance to carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefoperazone sodium/sulbactam, and tigecycline were 11.0%, 15.3%, 15.4%, and 3.3%, with a descending trend year on year. Non-fermenters tolerated piperacillin/tazobactam, cefoperazone sodium/sulbactam, and quinolones at 29.6%, 13.3%, and 21.7%, respectively. However, only two gram-positive bacteria isolates were shown to be resistant to glycopeptide antibiotics. Conclusions: Bloodstream pathogens in hematological malignancies were broadly dispersed, most of which were gram-negative bacteria. Antibiotic resistance rates vary greatly between species. Our research serves as a valuable resource for the selection of empirical antibiotics.

[Measuring laryngotracheal stenosis by extracting centerline based on CT 3D reconstruction]

Objective: To compare the accuracy of the centerline extracted based on CT 3D reconstruction and conventional CT 3D reconstruction in measuring the length and degree of laryngotracheal stenosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 35 patients with laryngotracheal stenosis (including 19 cases without tracheotomy and 16 cases with tracheotomy) treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from March 2006 to March 2016, including 20 males and 15 females, whose ages ranged from 1 to 73 years, with a median age of 40.5 years. And CT data of 20 normal subjects were included in the same period, including 10 males and 10 females, whose ages ranged from 20 to 63 years, with a median age of 37.0 years. The continuous cross-sectional area of the airway perpendicular to the centerline was obtained by Mimics software. The area was compared with the discontinuous cross-sectional areas reconstructed by conventional CT 3D reconstruction software advantage workstation, also the length of cervical trachea, the length of stenosis, and the minimum airway area were compared. Multi-factor linear stepwise regression method was used to analyze the factors influencing the measuring difference between the two methods. Three patients with laryngotracheal stenosis were selected, and the measured stenosis length was compared with the surgical specimens to evaluate the accuracy of the two methods. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: In normal people, the areas of thyroid cartilage notch, glottis, inferio thyroid cartilage margin, inferio cricoid cartilage margin, and suprasternal notch planes measured by Mimics centerline method were smaller than those measured by conventional CT 3D reconstruction (t _{thyroid cartilage notch}=4.685, t_glottis=3.791, t_{lower thyroid cartilage margin}=5.621, t_{lower cricoid cartilage margin}=6.312, t_{suprasternal notch plane}=6.436, P<0.05). And the airway length measured by Mimics centerline method from the inferior thyroid cartilage to the superior sternal notch was longer (t=9.79, P<0.001). In laryngotracheal stenosis, in the non-tracheotomy group, the minimum airway area measured by Mimics centerline method was smaller and the stenosis length was longer than those measured by the conventional CT 3D reconstruction, and the difference was statistically significant (t_{minimum airway area}=2.562, t_{stenosis length}=5.240, P<0.05). In the tracheotomy group, the stenosis length measured by Mimics centerline method was longer than that measured by conventional CT 3D reconstruction, and the difference was statistically significant (t_{stenosis length}=2.854, P<0.05). Multi-factor linear regression analysis showed that different CT thickness had a statistically significant effect on the difference in the length of stenosis measured by the two methods (b=-5.370, t=-3.306, P=0.004), and different tracheal forward angle had a statistically significant effect on the difference in the minimum airway area measured by the two methods (b=-0.419, t=-2.208, P=0.04). The difference between the measured length of the Mimics centerline method and the intraoperative specimens was less than 0.5 mm. Conclusion: The centerline extracted based on CT 3D reconstruction can precisely reflect the laryngotracheal morphology and measure laryngotracheal stenosis more accurately.

[A Luciferase-EGFP Reporter System for the Evaluation of DNA Methylation in Mammalian Cells]

DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic modification involved in numerous biological processes. Here, we present a cell-based system pLTR-Luc2P-EGFP for evaluation of DNA methylation in mammalian cells. In this system, the expression of reporter gene luciferase2P (Luc2P)-EGFP is under the control of HIV-1 promoter 5' long terminal repeat (LTR), which contains multiple CpG sites. Once these sites are methylated, the expression of Luc2P-EGFP is turned off, which may be visualized under fluorescence microscopy, with quantification performed in luciferase activity assay. As a proof of principle, pLTR-Luc2P-EGFP was methylated in vitro, and transfected into 293T cells, where the reduction of Luc2P-EGFP expression was confirmed. Premixed reporter DNA samples with the methylation levels varying from 0 to 100% were used for quantitative measurements of DNA methylation. The resulting standard curves indicated the accuracy of luciferase activity exceeding that of the Western blotting against EGFP. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that data from luciferase activity assay were in good agreement with the actual DNA methylation levels. In summary, we have established a reporter system coupled with reliable detection technique capable of efficient quantifying the changes in methylation in mammalian cells. This system may be utilized as a high throughput screening tool for identifying molecules that modulate DNA methylation.

A Luciferase-EGFP Reporter System for the Evaluation of DNA Methylation in Mammalian Cells

DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic modification involved in numerous biological processes. Here, we present a cell-based system pLTR-Luc2P-EGFP for evaluation of DNA methylation in mammalian cells. In this system, the expression of reporter gene luciferase2P (Luc2P)-EGFP is under the control of HIV-1 promoter 5' long terminal repeat (LTR), which contains multiple CpG sites. Once these sites are methylated, the expression of Luc2P-EGFP is turned off, which may be visualized under fluorescence microscopy, with quantification performed in luciferase activity assay. As a proof of principle, pLTR-Luc2P-EGFP was methylated in vitro, and transfected into 293T cells, where the reduction of Luc2P-EGFP expression was confirmed. Premixed reporter DNA samples with the methylation levels varying from 0 to 100% were used for quantitative measurements of DNA methylation. The resulting standard curves indicated the accuracy of luciferase activity exceeding that of the Western blotting against EGFP. The Bland–Altman analysis showed that data from luciferase activity assay were in good agreement with the actual DNA methylation levels. In summary, we have established a reporter system coupled with reliable detection technique capable of efficient quantifying the changes in methylation in mammalian cells. This system may be utilized as a high throughput screening tool for identifying molecules that modulate DNA methylation.

[The status and related factors of myopia for children and adolescents aged 5-18 years old in Shaanxi Province in 2018]

In 2018, the myopia detection rate of children and adolescents aged 5-18 years old in Shaanxi Province was 54.9% (11 060/20 144). The myopia detection rate of girls ［58.6%(5 830/9 949)］ was higher than that of boys ［58.6% (3 416/5 830)］ (P<0.001). In children and adolescents, the myopia detection rate increased with the age before their 16 years old, and saw a stable or downward trend after the age of 16. After adjusting the confounding factors, the myopia detection rate of children and adolescents from regions with per capita GDP>100 000 yuan was higherthan that of children and adolescents from regions with per capita GDP<50 000 yuan［OR (95%CI):1.58(1.34-1.87)］.

Safety, efficacy and tumor mutational burden as a biomarker of overall survival benefit in chemo-refractory gastric cancer treated with toripalimab, a PD-1 antibody in phase Ib/II clinical trial NCT02915432

BACKGROUND

High tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) is correlated with enhanced objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) for certain cancers receiving immunotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of toripalimab, a humanized programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody, in advanced gastric cancer (AGC), and the predictive survival benefit of TMB and PD-L1.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reported on the AGC cohort of phase Ib/II trial evaluating the safety and activity of toripalimab in patients with AGC, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In cohort 1, 58 chemo-refractory AGC patients received toripalimab (3 mg/kg d1, Q2W) as a monotherapy. In cohort 2, 18 chemotherapy-naive AGC patients received toripalimab (360 mg d1, Q3W) with oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 qd, d1, capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 b.i.d., d1-d14, Q3W as first-line treatment. Primary end point was ORR. Biomarkers such as PD-L1 and TMB were evaluated for correlation with clinical efficacy.

RESULTS

In cohort 1, the ORR was 12.1% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 39.7%. Median PFS was 1.9 months and median OS was 4.8 months. The TMB-H group showed significant superior OS than the TMB-L group [14.6 versus 4.0 months, HR = 0.48 (96% CI 0.24-0.96), P = 0.038], while PD-L1 overexpression did not correlate with significant survival benefit. A 77.6% of patients experienced at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE), and 22.4% of patients experienced a grade 3 or higher TRAE. In cohort 2, the ORR was 66.7% and the DCR was 88.9%. A 94.4% of patients experienced at least one TRAE and 38.9% of patients experienced grade 3 or higher TRAEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Toripalimab has demonstrated a manageable safety profile and promising antitumor activity in AGC patients, especially in combination with XELOX. High TMB may be a predictive marker for OS of AGC patients receiving toripalimab as a single agent.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02915432.

[The prognostic value of the international prognostic index, the national comprehensive cancer network IPI and the age-adjusted IPI in diffuse large B cell lymphoma]

Objective: To explore the prognostic value of the international prognostic index (IPI), the national comprehensive cancer network IPI(NCCN-IPI)and the age-adjusted IPI (aa-IPI) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Methods: A total of 311 patients with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) diagnosed from 2003 to 2012 in Nanfang hospital were included. All patients were divided into CHOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone) and R-CHOP (rituximab, CHOP) groups. Survival analysis was compared among IPI, NCCN-IPI and aa-IPI models. Discrimination of three different prognostic models was assessed using the Harrell's C statistic. Results: A total of 311 patients were analyzed. Among them, 128 patients were treated with CHOP regimen and other 183 patients were treated with R-CHOP regimen. In CHOP groups, both NCCN-IPI (5-year OS: 59.7% vs 26.8%, P<0.001) and aa-IPI (5-year OS: 71.0% vs 25.0%, P<0.001) showed better risk stratification for low-intermediate and high-intermediate group than the IPI (5-year OS: 47.6% vs 36.6%, P=0.003). However, in the patients treated with R-CHOP, NCCN-IPI showed better risk stratification in low, low-intermediate, high-intermediate groups (5-year OS: 96.0% vs 83.0% vs 66.5%, P=0.009). According to the Harrell's C statistic, C-index of IPI, NCCN-IPI and aa-IPI for overall survival (OS) were 0.546, 0.667, 0.698 in CHOP group and 0.611,0.654, 0.695 in R-CHOP group respectively. In patients younger than 60 years old, C-index of IPI, NCCN-IPI and aa-IPI for OS were 0.534, 0.675, 0.698 in CHOP group and 0.584, 0.648, 0.695 in R-CHOP respectively. Conclusion: The NCCN-IPI is more powerful than IPI and aa-IPI in DLBCL patients receiving R-CHOP. aa-IPI is a preferable model in predicting prognosis than IPI and NCCN-IPI in anthracycline-based chemotherapy without rituximab.

[Impact of menarche age on the near-term and long-term obesity of adult females]

Objective: To study the relationship between the age of menarche and the near-term/long-term obesity in adult women. Methods: We analyzed the baseline data of 30 895 women with complete data on menarche and body measurement that was from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study from 2004 to 2008. The age of menarche was divided into three groups: ≤12, 13-16 and ≥17 years old. Prematurity was set at age ≤12 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the effects of menarche age on the near/long-term obesity in female adults. Results: The average menarche age of respondent appeared as (15.64±1.92) years old, with prematurity number as 1 421, accounting for 4.6% of the total numbers. Regarding the postponing of dates of birth, the age of menarche in women showed an advancing tendency. Among all the adult women under study, 803 developed near-term obesity, with the prevalence as 2.6%, while the number of long-term obesity was 3 738, accounting for 12.1%. Refining factors of age, lifestyle, menopausal status, hypertension and diabetes showed that the menarche age was related to the risks of both short-term and long-term obesity in women and the ORs (95%CI) were 2.45 (1.74-3.45) and 1.99 (1.69-2.34), respectively. There was no multiplicative interaction shown between the menarche age and menopausal status on long-term obesity (P=0.324). Conclusion: Premature menarche appeared a risk factor for near-term/long-term obesity in adult females.

[Research progress of the cholesteatoma and proliferation pathways]

Cholesteatoma is an abnormal formation of benign cystic lesions from the squamous epithelium of the temporal bone, and the local invasive growth could damage the structures of middle ear. Cholesteatoma has been the research focus in otorhinolaryngology, however the pathogenesis of it is still unclear. From the previous studies we found that the epidermal proliferation was one of the important factors in the pathogenesis of the cholesteatoma, which was also involved in multiple proliferation pathways. In this paper, we briefly reviewed the progress and the mechanisms of the actions of cholesteatoma in these pathways.

[Association between TV watching time and the cognitive functions among the elderly aged 60 years and above in Xiamen City]

Objective: To explore the cognitive functions of the elderly aged 60 years and above in Xiamen, and whether TV watching time would affect those functions. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 3 230 registered individuals aged 60 years and above in Xiamen from July to October in 2016 with a multi-stage random sampling method. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to measure cognitive functions and ordinal logistic regression was used to quantify their associations with TV watching time. Results: A total of 2 944 respondents were included in this study. The overall age of them was (70.14±7.81) years. 51.49% (n=1 516) of all participants were men. Overall, the mean scores of MoCA in general and each subdomain cognitive function were 18.65±6.43 (general), 5.43±1.17 (orientation), 2.33±1.95 (memory), 1.80±1.52 (visuospatial), 1.66±1.20 (executive), 4.54±1.71 (attention), and 4.09±1.64 (language). Compared to those who watched TV no more than 2 hours per day, the elderly who did not watch TV had a worse performance in general, orientation, memory, visuospatial, executive, attention, language function, with OR (95%CI) values about 0.50 (0.35-0.71), 0.52 (0.37-0.73), 0.68 (0.48-0.96), 0.67 (0.47-0.96), 0.48 (0.34-0.67), 0.56 (0.41-0.77) and 0.45 (0.33-0.62), respectively. As to respondents who watched TV more than 2 hours but no more than 4 hours per day, they had a better performance in general, executive, attention, language, and orientation function with respective OR (95%CI) values about 1.24 (1.05-1.47), 1.20 (1.02-1.41), 1.41 (1.19-1.67), 1.51 (1.28-1.77) and 1.33 (1.08-1.64). Conclusion: The elderly aged 60 years and above in Xiamen City with TV watching time between 2 and 4 hours per day had a good performance in cognitive functions compared to those with more or less TV watching time.

[Risk factors related to HIV new infections among men who have sex with men in a cohort study]

Objectives: To analyze and understand the risk factors related to HIV new infections among men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: A longitudinal observational study among MSM was conducted to collect information on HIV related behaviors and sero-conversion. Univariate and multivariate generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to discuss the risk factors for HIV new infection. Results: A total number of 4 305 MSM were followed during 2013-2015. Among those self-reported MSM who are seeking partners on the Interner tended to have higher proportion on receptive anal intercourse and consistent condom use during anal intercourse than the subgroups seeking their partners in gay bars or bathrooms. HIV incidence among followed MSM during the study period appeared as 4.3/100 person years, with adjusted RR (aRR) of HIV infection for receptive anal intercourse as group 2.20 (95% CI: 1.49-3.24) times than that of insertion anal intercourse group. Those who used rush-poppers (aRR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.10-2.17), unprotected anal intercourse (aRR=2.24, 95%CI: 1.62-3.08), and those with syphilis infection (aRR=2.95, 95%CI: 2.00-4.35) were also risk factors for HIV new infections. After controlling other factors, the relationship between the ways of seeking partners and HIV new infection was not statistical significant. Conclusion: Risk factors for HIV new infection among MSM appeared complex and interactive, suggesting that further studies are needed to generate tailored strategies for the prevention of HIV epidemic among MSM population.

Influence of dairy by-product waste milk on the microbiomes of different gastrointestinal tract components in pre-weaned dairy calves

The community structure of colonised bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of pre-weaned calves is affected by extrinsic factors, such as the genetics and diet of the calves; however, the dietary impact is not fully understood and warrants further research. Our study revealed that a total of 6, 5, 2 and 10 bacterial genera showed biologically significant differences in the GITs of pre-weaned calves fed four waste-milk diets: acidified waste milk, pasteurised waste milk, untreated bulk milk, and untreated waste milk, respectively. Specifically, generic biomarkers were observed in the rumen (e.g., Bifidobacterium, Parabacteroides, Fibrobacter, Clostridium, etc.), caecum (e.g., Faecalibacterium, Oxalobacter, Odoribacter, etc.) and colon (e.g., Megamonas, Comamonas, Stenotrophomonas, etc.) but not in the faeces. In addition, the predicted metabolic pathways showed that the expression of genes related to metabolic diseases was increased in the calves fed untreated waste milk, which indicated that untreated waste milk is not a suitable liquid diet for pre-weaned calves. This is the first study to demonstrate how different types of waste milk fed to pre-weaned calves affect the community structure of colonised bacteria, and the results may provide insights for the intentional adjustment of diets and gastrointestinal bacterial communities.

[The application status of the linear stapler device in the total laryngectomy]

Summary It is very obvious that the linear stapler can shorten the operation time, reduce the incidence of pharyngeal fistula, and shorten the oral feeding time in total laryngectomy. However the stapler was used in the total laryngectomy not as widespread as in gastrointestinal surgery. In order to further understanding the function of the linear stapler device in the total laryngectomy, the stapler's composition, working principle, classification，method to use, operation method, and application of advantages and disadvantages will be reviewed.

[Present situation of laryngotracheal stenosis' diagnosis technology]

Laryngotracheal stenosis is a complex and dangerous disease,which caused by trauma or endotracheal intubation.Accurately and clearly to show the length and area of the airway stenosis,which is of great significance for the correct qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of the disease and the development of the treatment.The relevant inspection has its advantages and disadvantages.How to use inspection accurate and reasonable,there is no unified standard.Therefore,this paper will evaluate the role and significance of different relevant inspection(pulmonary function tests,ultrasound,bronchoscopy,CT,MRI) in the diagnosis of laryngotracheal stenosis,providing reference for laryngeal and tracheal stenosis diagnosis and treatment.

Recognition of Y Fragment Deletion by Genotyping Graphs after Amplified by PowerPlex® 21 Detection Kit

OBJECTIVES

To recognize the possibility of Y fragment deletion of Amelogenin gene intuitively and simply according to the genotyping graphs.

METHODS

By calculating the ratio of total peak height of genotyping graphs, the statistics of equilibrium distribution between Amelogenin and D3S1358 loci, Amelogenin X-gene and Amelogenin Y-gene, and different alleles of D3S1358 loci from 1 968 individuals was analyzed after amplified by PowerPlex^® 21 detection kit.

RESULTS

Sum of peak height of Amelogenin X allele was not less than 60% that of D3S1358 loci alleles in 90.8% female samples, and sum of peak height of Amelogenin X allele was not higher than 70% that of D3S1358 loci alleles in 94.9% male samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The result of genotyping after amplified by PowerPlex^® 21 detection kit shows that the possibility of Y fragment deletion should be considered when only Amelogenin X-gene of Amelogenin is detected and the peak height of Amelogenin X-gene is not higher than 70% of the total peak height of D3S1358 loci.

Attributes of primary care in community health centres in China and implications for equitable care: a cross-sectional measurement of patients' experiences

BACKGROUND

China has been undergoing a health-care reform, and community health centres (CHCs) are being established as primary care provider across urban areas.

AIM

To evaluate primary care attributes in CHCs by measuring patients' experiences.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional surveys of 3360 adult service users with multistage cluster sampling.

METHODS

We developed a short assessment tool consisting of 33 items derived from the short version of the original Primary Care Assessment Tool-Adult Edition (PCAT-AE). The reliability and validity of the instrument were evaluated. Score distributions were assessed using descriptive statistics with 95% confidence interval (CI). The overall PCAT scores were categorized into three quantile groups (lower score, medium score and optimal score). Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to explore patient characteristics associated with optimal score after controlling for demographic, socio-economic, health conditions and health-care utilization characteristics.

RESULTS

One-third (33.4%, 95% CI: 31.0-35.9%) of subjects had optimal overall PCAT scores, while the majority (83.4%) reported medium-to-lower score in the community orientation scale. Patients' characteristics with respect to health-care utilization had major effects on PCAT scores. Subjects with the presence of social medical insurance had higher odds of having greater experience in most primary care attributes and tended to report optimal primary care experience (aOR 2.30, 95% CI: 1.92-2.75) compared with those without social medical insurance.

CONCLUSIONS

Equitable primary care is yet to be strengthened with regard to the community orientation attribute, and particularly among patients without social medical insurance, as they tend to have inferior experiences in the primary care sector.

Effects of exercise training on carbohydrate and lipid catabolism in the swimming muscles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

This study aims to determine the effects of exercise training on carbohydrate and lipid catabolism in the swimming muscles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by measuring the levels of related enzymes, lipids and free fatty acids. We designed one control group and two training groups of fish that were exercised at different training intensities [0, 1 and 1.5 body lengths per second (bl/s)]. The fish in the experimental groups were trained for 12 h/day for 4 weeks. Compared with the control group, the 1 and 1.5 bl/s groups showed significantly increased hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activities in red muscle (p < 0.05). In white muscle, pyruvate kinase activity was significantly higher in the 1.5 bl/s group than in the control group (p < 0.05), and hexokinase activity did not significantly differ between the groups. The activities of hormone-sensitive lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in both muscle types were significantly lower in the training groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). The plasma-free fatty acid level decreased (p < 0.05), while the lipid percentages increased in red muscle (p < 0.05) after exercise training. These findings clearly indicated that with exercise training, glycolysis increased and lipid oxidation decreased in the swimming muscle of tilapia.

In situ multiproperty measurements of individual nanomaterials in SEM and correlation with their atomic structures

The relationship between property and structure is one of the most important fundamental questions in the field of nanomaterials and nanodevices. Understanding the multiproperties of a given nano-object also aids in the development of novel nanomaterials and nanodevices. In this paper, we develop for the first time a comprehensive platform for in situ multiproperty measurements of individual nanomaterials using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, optical, and photoelectronic properties of individual nanomaterials, with lengths that range from less than 200 nm to 20 μm, can be measured in situ with an SEM on the platform under precisely controlled single-axial strain and environment. An individual single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was measured on the platform. Three-terminal electronic measurements in a field effect transistor structure showed that the SWCNT was semiconducting and agreed with the structure characterization by transmission electron microscopy after the in situ measurements. Importantly, we observed a bandgap increase of this SWCNT with increasing axial strain, and for the first time, the experimental results quantitatively agree with theoretical predictions calculated using the chirality of the SWCNT. The vibration performance of the SWCNT, a double-walled CNT, and a triple-walled CNT were also studied as a function of axial strain, and were proved to be in good agreement with classical beam theory, although the CNTs only have one, two, or three atomic layers, respectively. Our platform has wide applications in correlating multiproperties of the same individual nanostructures with their atomic structures.

Transversally and axially tunable carbon nanotube resonators in situ fabricated and studied inside a scanning electron microscope

We report a new design of carbon nanotube (CNT) resonator, whose resonance frequency can be tuned not only transversally by a gate voltage, but also by the axial strain applied through directly pulling the CNT. The resonators are fabricated from individual suspended single-walled CNT (SWCNT) in situ inside a scanning electron microscope. The resonance frequency of a SWCNT resonator can be tuned by more than 20 times with an increase of quality factor when the axial strain of the SWCNT is only increased from nearly zero to 2% at room temperature. The transversal gate-tuning ability is found to be weaker than the axial-tuning ability and decrease with increasing the axial strain. The gate voltage can hardly tune the resonance frequency when the initial axial strain is larger than 0.35% and the CNT acts like a tied string. The relationship among resonance frequency, gate voltage, and initial axial strain of the CNT obtained presently will allow for the designs of CNT resonators with high frequency and large tuning range. The present resonator also shows ultrahigh sensitivity in displacement and force detection, with a resolution being better than 2.4 pm and 0.55 pN, respectively.

[Classification and functional study of peripheral blood dendritic cells in patients with coronary artery disease with different atherosclerotic plaques]

OBJECTIVE

To study the quantitative and functional changes of peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs) and their subsets in the leukocyte population in patients with coronary artery disease (CHD) with different coronary artery plaques and explore the relation between DCs and coronary plaque development.

METHODS

Thirty CHD patients were divided into SAP (10 cases), UAP (10 cases) and ACS (10 cases) groups, with another 10 patients having negative result in coronary angiography as the control group. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed to identify the nature of the plaques. The percentage and absolute number of peripheral blood DCs and DC subsets were measured by flow cytometry. The functional status of the DCs was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

In the SAP group, IVUS found stable plaques in 8 cases and unstable plaques in 2 cases; in UAP group, 7 patients had unstable plaques, 2 had stable plaques, and 1 had plaque rupture. Plaque rupture, unstable plaques and stable plaques were found in 6, 3 and 1 patients in ACS group, respectively. In comparison with patients with stable plaques, those with unstable plaques had significantly increased percentages and number of DCs, mDCs and mDC1 (P<0.05), while the mDC2s and pDCs showed no obvious difference between them (P>0.05). The percentages and number of DCs, mDCs, mDC1s and pDCs were significantly decreased in patients with ruptured plaques (P<0.05). In peripheral blood monouclear cells cultured for 7 days, the CD83 expression was significantly higher in unstable and rupture plaque groups than in stable plaque group, and no significant difference was found between stable plaque group and the control group (P>0.05). In unstable and rupture plaque groups, co-culture with 2x10(5)/ml DCs evoked strong proliferation of the T cells in comparison with the stable plaque group, but no difference was found between the stable plaque and the control groups (P>0.05). Significantly higher levels of interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha were detected in the supernatant of the mixed lymphocyte reaction in unstable and ruptured plaque groups than in stable plaque and control groups, without obvious difference between the latter two groups.

CONCLUSION

The percentage and absolute number of peripheral blood DCs and their functional status suggest the alterations of the coronary artery plaques in CHD patients.

Length control and sharpening of carbon nanotube scanning probe microscope tips using carbon nanotube "nanoknife"

Through nanomanipulation inside scanning electron microscope, a carbon nanotube scanning probe microscope tip was made by connecting a carbon nanotube with a silicon atomic force microscope tip. The carbon nanotube scanning probe microscope tip was then tailored to the desired length and end structure by a "nanoknife" which is a carbon nanotube adhered to a metal tip. Through mapping the same carbon nanotube on SiO2 substrate, it was found that the lateral resolution of the carbon nanotube tips can be improved significantly through sharpening the tip ends, and the sharpened carbon nanotube tips had better performance than commercial silicon tips.

Suppression of early experimental osteoarthritis by in vivo delivery of the adenoviral vector-mediated NF-kappaBp65-specific siRNA

OBJECTIVE

This study was to use adenoviral vector-mediated nuclear factor-kappaBp65 (NF-kappaBp65)-specific siRNA (Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65)) to suppress the progression of early osteoarthritis (OA) in rat model, and therefore to explore a new gene therapy for OA.

METHODS

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to confirm the silencing effect of Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65) in cultured rat chondrocytes. Transection of the medial collateral ligament plus partial medial meniscectomy was operated in the knee of rats to establish OA model. Histological analysis was made to assess the morphological change of cartilage and synovium, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was made to measure the expression of cytokines, such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), in synovial fluid. The silencing effect of Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65) on NF-kappaBp65 in cartilage and synovium of knee was measured with Western blot and the activation of NF-kappaB was measured with electrophoretic mobility shift assays.

RESULTS

Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65) can inhibit the activation of NF-kappaB and the expression of NF-kappaBp65 in cartilage and synovium of the knee, restrain the induction of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in synovial fluid, alleviate the inflammation of synovium and reduce the degradation of cartilage in early phase of experimental OA.

CONCLUSIONS

Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65) can suppress the progression of the early experimental OA which suggests that Ad-siRNA(NF-kappaBp65) has potential to be a useful preventive and therapeutic agent for OA.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of a rice glutelin allele for the GluA-1 gene

The rice ( Oryza sativa L.) mutant of glu4a, lacking the glutelin alpha-2 subunit while the alpha-1 subunit increased (alpha-1H/alpha-2L), was used in this study. Two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis revealed that the mutant lacked the polypeptide pI6.71/alpha-2 encoded by glu4 while forming a new polypeptide of pI6.50/alpha-1. Experiments were conducted to identify the relationships between the mutated polypeptides of the mutant and to illustrate the mutation mechanism of the allele. Peptide mapping and amino-acid sequence analyses revealed that the newly formed glu4a encoded polypeptide pI6.50/alpha-1 of high homology with the deleted pI6.71/alpha-2 polypeptide which was encoded by glu4 (GluA-1). The nucleotide sequence revealed that the iso-electric point variation of the pI6.50/alpha-1 polypeptide was caused by a point mutation with nucleotide replacement at the variable region of the gene. These results suggested the possibility of altering glutelin quality by using single gene mutation.

Relation of renin-angiotensin system gene polymorphisms and expressions with the efficacy of antihypertensive drugs

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of renin-angiotensin system (RA3) gene polymorphisms and expressions with the clinical efficacy of antihypertensive drugs. METHODS: This randomized, single-blind study consisted of 90 patients with essential hypertension, who were divided into losartan, lisinopril and nisodipine groups with corresponding medications as indicated. The genotypes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion, angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T polymorphism and expressions of ACE and AT1 receptor genes were examined individually. RESULTS: The basal level of mRNA expression of AT1 receptor was lower in patients with MM genotype of AGT gene than those in patients with MT 1 and TT genotypes, but between the latter two, no significant differences were found. The three antihypertensive drugs, when significantly lowering the blood pressure, reduced AT1 receptor mRNA expression concurrently. Losartan and lisinopril both decreased ACE mRNA expression levels that were positively correlated with the difference of the diastolic blood pressure whereas nisodipine elevated ACE mRNA expression, showing inverse correlation to the difference of thediastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: For patients with hypertension who have elevated basal levels of AT1 mRNA expression and AGT T allele or who retain high basal expression levels of ACE mRNA AT1 antagonists and ACE inhibitors that execute their action through RAS are preferentially selected, and in cases of low basal levels of ACE mRNA calcium antagonists are preferred.

Improved electrophoretical analyses for rice seed storage glutelin

Rice seed storage glutelin could be separated into three acidic (alpha-) and three basic (beta-) subunit components by SDS-PAGE using 15%-25% gradient acrylamide gel. More than 13 acidic and 14 basic bands may be distinguished with an improved iso-electric focus electrophoresis system by adjusting Ampholine ratios. Combine these two sensitive electrophoresis systems resulting in two-dimensional electrophoresis giving high resolution of glutelin leading the yield of single polypeptide. The improved electrophoresis system is helpful in identifying rice glutelin variation and for further studies of glutelin biochemistry.

New rice mutants lacking glutelin alpha-1 subunit

Four rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant lines lacking glutelin alpha-1 subunit were obtained by screening the progenies of fertilized egg treatment with MNU. SDS-PAGE and IEF analyses showed that the mutants without pI6.82 polypeptide in common while forming/increasing other polypeptide indicating that the mutants were controlled by structural genes. IEF analysis also suggested that the polypeptides of pI6.82 and pI8.58 derived from the same glutelin precursor. The mutants are considered to be useful material for glutelin quality improvement and for genetic regulatory mechanism study of glutelin biosynthesis.

Internal circulating fluidized bed incineration system and design algorithm

The internal circulating fluidized bed (ICFB) system is characterized with fast combustion, low emission, uniformity of bed temperature and controllability of combustion process. It is a kind of novel clean combustion system, especially for the low-grade fuels, such as municipal solid waste (MSW). The experimental systems of ICFB with and without combustion were designed and set up in this paper. A series of experiments were carried out for further understanding combustion process and characteristics of several design parameters for MSW. Based on the results, a design routine for the ICFB system was suggested for the calculation of energy balance, airflow rate, heat transfer rate, and geometry arrangement. A test system with ICFB combustor has been set up and the test results show that the design of the ICFB system is successful.

[Effect of liuwei dihuang decoction, on the cytokine expression in splenocytes in AA rats]

OBJECTIVE

The effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW) on the function of splenic T helper cells (Th) was studied and compared with those of the immune inhibitors such as cyclophosphamide (Cy) and cyclosporin A (CsA) in AA rats.

METHODS

The expression of mRNA for IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in splenic T-Lymphocytes of adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats was evaluated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.

RESULTS

mRNA expression level of IL-2 had a tendency to elevate, but the mRNA expression levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly decreased in AA rats in comparison with control groups. LW treatment significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of IL-2 and promoted the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 in splenocytes of AA rats, with an obvious characteristic as compared with that of Cy or CsA.

CONCLUSION

LW can correct the indifferent balance of the functions of splenocyte Th1/Th2 in AA rats.

Analysis of ingredient and heating value of municipal solid waste

Great differences between municipal solid wastes (MSW) produced at different places and different times in terms of such parameters as physical ingredient and heating value lead to difficulty in effective handling of MSW. In this paper, ingredient, heating value and their temporal varying trends of typical MSW in Beijing were continuously measured and analyzed. With consideration of the process in pyrolysis and incineration, correlation between physical ingredients and heating values was induced, favorable for evaluation of heating value needed in handling of MSW from simple analysis of physical ingredients of it.

[Studies on learning and memory function-related genes in the hippocampus and the relationship between the cognitive enhancing effect of liuwei dihuang decoction (LW) and gene expression]

Our studies showed that the expressions of the genes including glucocorticoid receptor (GR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), bcl-2, c-fos, neural cell adhesion molecule(NCAM), presenilin-2 (PS-2) and apoE in the hippocampus were closely related to the central learning and memory function in senescence accelerated mice (SAM), hydrocortisone(HC)-treated mice and normal mice. The differential display technique was applied to compare mRNAs expression between SAM-prone/8 (SAMP8), and SAM-resistance/1 (SAMR1). Six differentially expressed cDNA bands were identified and two of them are unknown genes. Chronic oral administration of LW (5 g/kg), a traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, significantly ameliorated the deterioration of learning and memory ability in SAMP8 and HC-treated mice and corrected the abnormal expressions of hippocampal genes. Further studies showed that corticosterone significantly affected the gene expression in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. These results suggested that central learning and memory function is closely related to the expressions of hippocampal genes. The imbalance of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leads to the deterioration of learning and memory function and the abnormal expressions of hippocampal genes. Therefore, one of the important ways of the cognitive enhancing effect of LW is to correct the abnormal expressions of hippocampal genes.

[Effects of low-molecular-weight Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharides on p53 gene expression]

AIM

To study the effect of low-molecular-weight Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharides (LRPS) on p53 gene expression.

METHODS

The level of p53 gene expression was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and autoradiography.

RESULTS

The levels of p53 mRNA in Lewis lung cancer tissue were 0.46, 1.52, 1.48, and 1.60 respectively after saline, LRPS 20 and 40 mg.kg-1, and cyclophosphamide 10 mg.kg-1, which were the effective doses inhibiting the growth of tumor tissue cells in vivo. LRPS markedly increased p53 gene expression.

CONCLUSION

LRPS effect on p53 gene expression is one of the mechanisms of antitumor activity.