[Research progress on proactive healthy lifestyle and disease immunoprevention]

The paradox of increasing health needs and limited health resources prompted a change in the traditional concept of disease prevention and control, and the concept of proactive health has emerged. Proactive health aimed to prevent and control disease and improve the body's immunity by using controlled methods and means to activate the body's self-healing ability and to identify foreign harmful substances as well as damage factors and tumor cells that the body itself may produce while giving full play to individual initiative. With the continuous development of science, people could maintain and improve their immune system from many aspects, which could be roughly divided into nonpharmaceutical interventions and pharmaceutical interventions. Nonpharmacological interventions included changing lifestyles and habits, adjusting the nutritional structure and intake of food, regulating mindsets and emotions, and improving the living and working environment, etc. This review systematically elaborated on the functions and molecular mechanisms of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotion in regulating immunity, to provide some scientific evidence and theoretical support for proactive health.

MicroRNA-27a Suppresses the Toxic Action of Mepivacaine on Breast Cancer Cells via Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1-TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 2

Objective

To investigate the toxic effects of microRNA-27a on breast cancer cells through inositol-acquiring enzyme 1-TNF receptor-associated factor 2 inhibition by mepivacaine.

Methods

The elevation of miR-27a in MCF-7 of BCC lines was measured, and groups were set up as control, mepivacaine, and elevated groups. Cells from each group were examined for inflammatory progression.

Results

Elevated miR-27a in MCF-7 cells was able to distinctly augment the cell advancement (P < 0.01) and decline cell progression (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, miR-27a reduced the content of intracellular inflammatory factors IL-1β (P < 0.01) and IL-6 (P < 0.01), elevated the content of IL-10 (P < 0.01), suppressed levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and p-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) (P < 0.01), and increased Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Elevated miR-27a in MCF-7 of BCC lineage was effective in reducing the toxic effects of mepivacaine on cells and enhancing cell progression. This mechanism is thought to be related to the activation of the IRE1-TRAF2 signaling pathway in BCC. The findings may provide a theoretical basis for targeted treatment of BC in clinical practice.

Clinical efficacy of targeted therapy, immunotherapy combined with hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (FOLFOX), and lipiodol embolization in the treatment of unresectable hepatocarcinoma

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of targeted therapy and immunotherapy combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) of FOLFOX and lipiodol embolization in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients included in the study were those who received targeted therapy and immunotherapy combined with HAIC of FOLFOX and lipiodol embolization in Zhongshan People's Hospital from December 2020 to June 2021 for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Evaluation indicators included objective response rate (ORR), median progression-free survival (mPFS), median duration of response (mDOR), 1-year overall survival rate (OS), surgical conversion rate, and adverse events. Treatment response was assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST and RECIST v1.1). A total of 35 patients were included in this study, 30 of whom completed treatment evaluation. According to mRECIST evaluation criteria, the objective response rate (ORR) was 83.3% (25/30); the complete response (CR) was 60% (18/30); the partial response (PR) was 23.3% (7/30), and stable disease (SD) was 16.7% (5/30). The mDOR was 10.3 months (95% Cl: 8.27-NE), and the mPFS was 13.2 months (95% CI: 10.3-NE); the surgical conversion rate was 30.0% (9/30). The 1-year OS was 96.7%. There were no serious surgical complications and grade 4 or 5 adverse events of targeted therapy, immunotherapy and HAIC. Some patients had grade 3 adverse reactions in gastrointestinal toxicity or hepatotoxicity, and the adverse reactions were improved after corresponding symptomatic treatment. We concluded that HAIC of FOLFOX and lipiodol embolization combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy had a significant curative effect in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, with no serious adverse reactions and a high rate of surgical conversion rate.

[A prospective randomized controlled study on the repair of skin and soft tissue defect in functional areas of children with full-thickness skin grafts from different sites of abdomen]

Objective: To compare and analyze the effect of repairing small skin and soft tissue defect wounds in functional areas of children with full-thickness skin grafts from different sites of abdomen. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. From January 2019 to June 2020, 60 female children with small skin and soft tissue defects in functional areas requiring full-thickness skin grafting, who met the inclusion criteria, were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University. According to the random number table, the children were divided into two groups, with 28 cases left in lateral abdomen group aged 5 (3, 8) years and 29 cases in lower abdomen group aged 5 (3, 7) years after the exclusion of several dropped-out children in follow-up. In lower abdomen group, 20 (12, 26) cm2 wounds of children were repaired with (24±10) cm2 full-thickness skin graft from transverse skin lines in the inferior abdomen area, while in lateral abdomen group, 23 (16, 32) cm2 wounds of children were repaired with (24±9) cm2 full-thickness skin graft from below the umbilical plane to above the groin in the lateral abdomen area. All the children were treated with continuous intradermal suture at the donor site incision and received continuous negative pressure treatment of -10.64 to -6.65 kPa in the donor and recipient areas after operation. The donor site was treated with a medical skin tension-reducing closure device since post-surgery day (PSD) 7. The use of medical skin tension-reducing closure device at the donor site, postoperative complications and suture removal time of the donor area were recorded, and the incidence of complications was calculated. On PSD 7, a self-designed efficacy satisfaction questionnaire was used to investigate the parents' satisfaction with the curative effect of their children. In post-surgery month (PSM) 1 and 6, Vancouver scar scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the scar at the donor site, and the VSS score difference between the two time points was calculated; the scar width at the donor site was measured with a ruler, and the scar width difference between the two time points was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test or Cochran & Cox approximate t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact probability test. Results: The proportion of children in lateral abdomen group who used the medical skin tension-reducing closure device in the donor area for equal to or more than 4 weeks after surgery was significantly higher than that in lower abdomen group (P<0.05). On PSD 7, there was one case of partial incision dehiscence in the donor area, one case of peripheral skin redness and swelling in the donor area, and one case of fat liquefaction in the donor area in lateral abdomen group, and one case of partial incision dehiscence in the donor area in lower abdomen group. The incidence of postoperative complications at the donor site of children in lower abdomen group was significantly lower than that in lateral abdomen group (P<0.05). Compared with that in lateral abdomen group, the suture removal time at the donor site of children after surgery in lower abdomen group was significantly shorter (t'=17.23, P<0.01). On PSD 7, the satisfaction score of parents with the curative effect of their children in lower abdomen group was significantly higher than that in lateral abdomen group (t'=20.14, P<0.01). In PSM 1 and 6, the VSS scores of scar at the donor site of children in lower abdomen group were 2.7±0.9 and 2.8±1.0, respectively, which were significantly lower than 7.1±2.2 and 9.1±2.7 in lateral abdomen group (with t values of 10.00 and 11.15, respectively, P<0.01). In PSM 6, the VSS score of scar at the donor site of children in lateral abdomen group was significantly higher than that in PSM 1 (t=3.10, P<0.01), while the VSS score of scar at the donor site of children in lower abdomen group was not significantly higher than that in PSM 1 (P>0.05). The VSS score difference of scar at the donor site of children in lateral abdomen group was significantly greater than that in lower abdomen group (Z=-8.12, P<0.01). In PSM 1 and 6, the scar widths at the donor site of children in lower abdomen group were 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) and 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) mm, respectively, which were significantly narrower than 6.0 (4.0, 10.0) and 8.5 (5.0, 12.0) mm in lateral abdomen group (with Z values of -13.41 and -14.70, respectively, P<0.01). In PSM 6, the scar width at the donor site of children in lateral abdomen group was significantly wider than that in PSM 1 (Z=-2.79, P<0.01), while the scar width at the donor site of children in lower abdomen group was not significantly wider than that in PSM 1 (P>0.05). The difference of scar width at the donor site of children in lateral abdomen group was significantly greater than that in lower abdomen group (Z=-14.93, P<0.01). Conclusions: The use of full-thickness skin grafts from the lower abdomen to repair small skin and soft tissue defect wounds in functional areas of children, especially girls, is effective, simple and easy to operate, and conforms to the principle of aesthetic repair. Compared with transplantation with full-thickness skin graft from the lateral abdomen, lower abdominal full-thickness skin grafting has a low incidence of donor site complications and no obvious scar hyperplasia, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

[A suspected case of delayed encephalopathy after acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning]

The main component of the gas in the fish storage tank is hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide poisoning is a common occupational chemical poisoning among fishermen in summer, and acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning can manifest as toxic encephalopathy. This paper analyzes a patient with delayed encephalopathy suspected of acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning. The patient was unconscious for 18 days after waking up for 5 days after acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning. After waking up again, there were symptoms such as decreased limb muscle strength, ataxia, swallowing, dysarthria, and the clinical characteristics were significantly different from those of delayed encephalopathy caused by acute carbon monoxide poisoning, such as decreased cognitive function and damage to extrapyramidal system.

[Analysis on the incidence of new occupational diseases in Weihai City from 2009 to 2020]

Objective: To analyze the pattern and characteristics of occupational diseases in Weihai City from 2009 to 2020, and to provide scientific basis for the formulation of occupational disease prevention. Methods: In February 2021, retrospective analysis was performed on the cases of occupational diseases diagnosed from 2009 to 2020 in Weihai City. The relevant information and data were collected to analyze the types of occupational diseases, onset age, working age, diagnosis time, industry distribution, economic type and enterprise size distribution. Results: From 2009 to 2020, a total of 453 cases of new occupational diseases were reported in Weihai City. There were 431 males (95.14%) and 22 females (4.86%) . The average onset age was (49.16±8.51) years, and the average working age was (17.89±9.30) years. The incidence of pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases (322 cases, 71.08%) , occupational otolaryngology and oral diseases (71 cases, 15.67%) and occupational chemical poisoning (36 cases, 7.95%) were the top 3 cases, of which 313 cases were pneumoconiosis and 69 cases were noise deafness. The cases were mainly concentrated in the 40-59 years age group (357 cases, 78.81%) and the 10-19 years working age group (175 cases, 38.63%) . There were significant differences in the incidence of occupational diseases in different ages and different working ages (χ(2)=97.64, 80.74, P<0.001) . The new cases were mainly in mining industry (134 cases, 29.58%) , shipbuilding or maintenance industry (97 cases, 21.41%) , and private enterprises (350 cases, 77.26%) . Conclusion: Pneumoconiosis and noise deafness are the main emerging occupational diseases in Weihai City. Occupational disease prevention and control in private enterprises such as mining and shipbuilding or maintenance industry should be strengthened.

Discovery of a novel inhibitor of nitric oxide production with potential therapeutic effect on acute inflammation

Inflammation as a host's excessive immune response to stimulation, is involved in the development of numerous diseases. To discover novel anti-inflammatory agents and based on our previous synthetic work on marine natural product Chrysamide B, it and a series of derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity on inhibition of LPS-induced NO production. Then the preliminary structure-activity relationships were conducted. Among them, Chrysamide B is the most potent anti-inflammatory agent with low cytotoxicity and strong inhibition on the production of NO (IC₅₀ = 0.010 μM) and the activity of iNOS (IC₅₀ = 0.082 μM) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Primary studies suggested that the mechanism of action may be that it interfered the formation of active dimeric iNOS but not affected transcription and translation. Furthermore, its good performance of anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-induced multiple inflammatory cytokines production, carrageenan-induced paw edema, and endotoxin-induced septic mice, was observed. We believe that these findings would provide an idea for the further modification and research of these analogs in the future.

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule promotes breast cancer resistance protein-mediated multidrug resistance in breast cancer by inducing partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Overexpression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) plays a crucial role in the acquired multidrug resistance (MDR) in breast cancer. The elucidation of molecular events that confer BCRP-mediated MDR is of major therapeutic importance in breast cancer. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) has been implicated in tumor progression and drug resistance in various types of cancers, including breast cancer. However, the role of EpCAM in BCRP-mediated MDR in breast cancer remains unknown. In the present study, we revealed that EpCAM expression was upregulated in BCRP-overexpressing breast cancer MCF-7/MX cells, and EpCAM knockdown using siRNA reduced BCRP expression and increased the sensitivity of MCF-7/MX cells to mitoxantrone (MX). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) promoted BCRP-mediated MDR in breast cancer cells, and EpCAM knockdown partially suppressed EMT progression in MCF-7/MX cells. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin signaling was activated in MCF-7/MX cells, and the inhibition of this signaling attenuated EpCAM and BCRP expression and partially reversed EMT. Together, this study illustrates that EpCAM upregulation by Wnt/β-catenin signaling induces partial EMT to promote BCRP-mediated MDR resistance in breast cancer cells. EpCAM may be a potential therapeutic target for overcoming BCRP-mediated resistance in human breast cancer.

Gliomas Interact with Non-glioma Brain Cells via Extracellular Vesicles

Emerging evidence suggests that crosstalk between glioma cells and the brain microenvironment may influence brain tumor growth. To date, known reciprocal interactions among these cells have been limited to the release of paracrine factors. Combining a genetic strategy with longitudinal live imaging, we find that individual gliomas communicate with distinct sets of non-glioma cells, including glial cells, neurons, and vascular cells. Transfer of genetic material is achieved mainly through extracellular vesicles (EVs), although cell fusion also plays a minor role. We further demonstrate that EV-mediated communication leads to the increase of synaptic activity in neurons. Blocking EV release causes a reduction of glioma growth in vivo. Our findings indicate that EV-mediated interaction between glioma cells and non-glioma brain cells alters the tumor microenvironment and contributes to glioma development.

BNC1 Promotes Spermatogenesis by Regulating Transcription of Ybx2 and Papolb via Direct Binding to Their Promotor Elements

BNC1 is a transcription factor that is crucial for spermatogenesis and male fertility, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To study BNC1's specific role in spermatogenesis, we characterized a previously developed mouse model carrying a truncating mutation in Bnc1 (termed Bnc1+/tr for heterozygotes and Bnc1tr/tr for homozygotes) and found that the mutation decreased BNC1 protein levels and resulted in germ cell loss by apoptosis. Given that loss of functional Bnc1 is known to result in decreased expression of the spermatogenesis genes Ybx2 and Papolb, we aimed to explore whether and how BNC1 promotes transcription of Ybx2 and Papolb to mediate its role in spermatogenesis. We confirmed significant reduction in YBX2 and PAPOLB protein levels in testis tissue from Bnc1+/tr and Bnc1tr/tr males compared with wild-type mice (Bnc1+/+). Consistently, knockdown of Bnc1 led to downregulation of Ybx2 and Papolb in CRL-2196 cells in vitro. To investigate if BNC1 directly induces Ybx2 and Papolb gene expression, chromatin immunoprecipitation using mouse testicular tissue and luciferase reporter assays in HEK293 cells were used to identify functional binding of BNC1 to the Ybx2 and Papolb promoters at defined BNC1 binding sites. Taken together, this study reveals a mechanism for BNC1's role in spermatogenesis by directly binding to BNC1 binding elements in the promoter regions of both Ybx2 and Papolb and inducing transcription of these important spermatogenesis genes.

[Effects of anterolateral thigh free flap with fascia lata in repairing dura mater defect after resection of head squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of anterolateral thigh free flap with fascia lata in the repair of dura mater defect after resection of head squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: From June 2016 to June 2018, Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University applied the free transplantation of anterolateral thigh flap with fascia lata to repair the dura mater defect of 12 patients with head squamous cell carcinoma, including 9 males and 3 females, aged from 35 to 74 years. The size of scalp soft tissue defects in patients after carcinoma resection ranged from 12 cm×10 cm to 24 cm×21 cm, and the size of dura mater defect of patients ranged from 7 cm×6 cm to 16 cm×14 cm. The size of flap of patients ranged from 14 cm×12 cm to 27 cm×24 cm, and the size of fascia lata ranged from 8 cm×7 cm to 17 cm×15 cm. The superficial temporal artery and middle temporal vein were connected by end to end anastomosis with the first musculocutaneous perforating branch of the descending branch of lateral femoral artery and its accompanying vein. The flap donor area was transplanted with autologous split-thickness skin graft from trunk and fixed with packing. Postoperative survival of flaps and skin grafts was observed. The patients were followed up regularly. The cranial magnetic resonance imaging was performed to observe the recurrence of intracranial tumors and dural integrity, shape of the flap and whether the donor site region was left with significant dysfunction were observed. Results: All the flaps and skin grafts survived well in 12 patients after surgery. Ten patients had primary healing at the edge of the flap suture; 2 patients had local sinus tract formation at the suture site of flap, with a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and were recovered after outpatient dressing change. The patients were followed up for 10 to 36 months, and 3 patients with tumors involving in the dura mater sagittal sinus region had postoperative intracranial tumor recurrence. The tumor was resected again. All the patients had good dural integrity. The flaps of all patients were in good shape, and no obvious dysfunction remained in the flap donor site. Conclusions: Free transplantation of anterolateral thigh flap with fascia lata is an effective and reliable method to repair the dura mater defect following head squamous cell carcinoma resection. It can repair the scalp and dura mater defects caused by the invasion of squamous cell carcinoma and provide possibilities for skull reconstruction.

Radial Glial Cell-Derived VCAM1 Regulates Cortical Angiogenesis Through Distinct Enrichments in the Proximal and Distal Radial Processes

Angiogenesis in the developing cerebral cortex accompanies cortical neurogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms underlying cortical angiogenesis at the embryonic stage remain largely unknown. Here, we show that radial glia-derived vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) coordinates cortical vascularization through different enrichments in the proximal and distal radial glial processes. We found that VCAM1 was highly enriched around the blood vessels in the inner ventricular zone (VZ), preventing the ingrowth of blood vessels into the mitotic cell layer along the ventricular surface. Disrupting the enrichment of VCAM1 surrounding the blood vessels by a tetraspanin-blocking peptide or conditional deletion of Vcam1 gene in neural progenitor cells increased angiogenesis in the inner VZ. Conversely, VCAM1 expressed in the basal endfeet of radial glial processes promoted angiogenic sprouting from the perineural vascular plexus (PNVP). In utero, overexpression of VCAM1 increased the vessel density in the cortical plate, while knockdown of Vcam1 accomplished the opposite. In vitro, we observed that VCAM1 bidirectionally affected endothelial cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings identify that distinct concentrations of VCAM1 around VZ blood vessels and the PNVP differently organize cortical angiogenesis during late embryogenesis.

Emerging of canine kobuvirus in dogs in China, 2015

Canine kobuvirus (CaKoV) is a newly emerging virus in dogs, which relates to the diarrhea of dogs. To investigate the CaKoV infection in dog population, fecal samples of dogs were collected from three provinces of China in 2015. The results of genetic analysis based on the complete VP1 gene showed that six CaKoVs isolates in this study were closely related with the Chinese canine originated isolate CH1 (90.6%-91.9% nucleotide identities). The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the Chinese isolates clustered into a unique branch compared with isolates from other countries. The present study suggested that the CaKoVs had established infection in Chinese dog population. The systematic epidemiological investigation should be further carried out to evaluate the prevalence of the CaKoV infection in China.

Follicular localization of growth differentiation factor 8 and its receptors in normal and polycystic ovary syndrome ovaries

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and its etiology has not been characterized. Growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily that plays a critical role in the regulation of ovarian functions. However, the expression pattern of GDF8 in the human ovary is not yet clear. This study examined the cellular distribution of GDF8 and its putative cellular receptors (ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5) in a series of normal (n = 34) and PCOS ovaries (n = 14). The immunostaining of GDF8, ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5 was detected in the oocytes regardless of the developmental stage. All these proteins were localized in antral follicles in normal and PCOS ovaries, and the expression of these proteins increased with increasing follicle diameter. A significantly higher expression of GDF8 was detected in the granulosa cells than in the matched theca cells (TCs). These proteins were also localized in the luteal cells of the corpus luteum. Granulosa cells and TCs of large antral follicles in PCOS ovaries display a higher expression of these proteins. The higher expression levels of GDF8 and its functional receptors (ACVR2A, ACVR2B, and ALK5) in antral follicles of PCOS ovaries than those in normal ovaries suggest the possible involvement of dysregulated GDF8 in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

MicroRNA-7a ameliorates neuropathic pain in a rat model of spinal nerve ligation via the neurofilament light polypeptide-dependent signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway

Neuropathic pain is a type of chronic pain induced by either central or peripheral nerve injury. MicroRNAs have been recently linked to many diseases, including neuropathic pain. However, the role of miR-7a in neuropathic pain still remains elusive. Thus, we aim to investigate the effects of miR-7a on neuropathic pain based on the spinal nerve ligation rat model. After establishment of spinal nerve ligation rat models, rats were infected with adeno-associated virus-neurofilament light polypeptide, adeno-associated virus-miR-7a or treated with metformin. The paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency were assessed afterward, and the expression of miR-7a and neurofilament light polypeptide as well as their interaction was determined. Subsequently, miR-7a was overexpressed or silenced in dorsal root ganglion cells to investigate the role of miR-7a in neuropathic pain. Furthermore, the regulatory effect of neurofilament light polypeptide on neuropathic pain was detected using plasmid overexpressing neurofilament light polypeptide. Spinal nerve ligation rat model exhibited upregulation of neurofilament light polypeptide but downregulation of miR-7a. In addition, neurofilament light polypeptide accumulation or miR-7a inhibition decreased paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency. Then, neurofilament light polypeptide accumulation or miR-7a inhibition was observed to increase the phosphorylation level of signal transducer and activator of transcription. miR-7a was found to directly target neurofilament light polypeptide and downregulate neurofilament light polypeptide. In addition, inhibiting the signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway was also revealed to increase paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency. Collectively, our study demonstrated that miR-7a ameliorated neuropathic pain via blocking the signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway by repressing neurofilament light polypeptide. These findings, if taken further, can be of important clinical significance in treating patients with neuropathic pain.

Synthesis of α-arylthioacetones using TEMPO as the C3 synthon via a reaction cascade of sequential oxidation, skeletal rearrangement and C-S bond formation

Here, we present an unprecedented pathway to α-sulfenylated carbonyl compounds from commercially available thiols and universally employed TEMPO and its analogues, which act as C3 synthons through skeletal rearrangement under simple and metal-free conditions. Mechanism studies suggest that this reaction involves a consecutive radical oxidation and cation coupling process. TEMPO analogues and thiols serve as oxidants and reductive reagents, respectively, along the radical process, while in the coupling process, the former ones afford C3 synthons to couple with related sulfur sources.

[Etiological analysis and establishment of a discriminant model for lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized patients]

Objective: To analyze the pathogens of lower respiratory tract infection(LRTI) including bacterial, viral and mixed infection, and to establish a discriminant model based on clinical features in order to predict the pathogens. Methods: A total of 243 hospitalized patients with lower respiratory tract infections were enrolled in Fujian Provincial Hospital from April 2012 to September 2015. The clinical data and airway (sputum and/or bronchoalveolar lavage) samples were collected. Microbes were identified by traditional culture (for bacteria), loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP) and gene sequencing (for bacteria and atypical pathogen), or Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR)for viruses. Finally, a discriminant model was established by using the discriminant analysis methods to help to predict bacterial, viral and mixed infections. Results: Pathogens were detected in 53.9% (131/243) of the 243 cases.Bacteria accounted for 23.5%(57/243, of which 17 cases with the virus, 1 case with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and virus), mainly Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Klebsiella Pneumonia. Atypical pathogens for 4.9% (12/243, of which 3 cases with the virus, 1 case of bacteria and viruses), all were mycoplasma pneumonia. Viruses for 34.6% (84/243, of which 17 cases of bacteria, 3 cases with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 1 case with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and bacteria) of the cases, mainly Influenza A virus and Human Cytomegalovirus, and other virus like adenovirus, human parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, human boca virus were also detected fewly. Seven parameters including mental status, using antibiotics prior to admission, complications, abnormal breath sounds, neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (NAP) score, pneumonia severity index (PSI) score and CRUB-65 score were enrolled after univariate analysis, and discriminant analysis was used to establish the discriminant model by applying the identified pathogens as the dependent variable. The total positive predictive value was 64.7%(77/119), with 66.7% for bacterial infection, 78.0% for viral infection and 33.3% for the mixed infection. Conclusions: The mostly detected pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, atypitcal pathogens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, influenza A virus and human cytomegalovirus in hospitalized patients with LRTI in this hospital. The discriminant diagnostic model established by clinical features may contribute to predict the pathogens of LRTI.

TBHP promoted demethylation of α-amino carbonyl compounds: a concise approach to substituted γ-lactams

A novel tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) promoted CH₂-extrusion reaction of α-amino carbonyl compounds has been developed, which is driven by a demethylenation process to give various ring contraction products γ-lactams under radical conditions.

A concise synthesis and biological study of evodiamine and its analogues

Efficient access to evodiamine and its analogues is presented via Lewis acid catalysis. In this reaction, three chemical bonds and two heterocyclic-fused rings are constructed in one step.

[Postoperative complications and survival analysis of 1 118 cases of open splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection in the treatment of portal hypertension]

Objective: To analyze the recent postoperative and long-term postoperative complications of open-splenectomy and disconnection in patients with portal hypertension. Methods: There were 1 118 cases with portal hypertension who underwent open splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection from April 2010 to September 2015 at Department of Surgery, People's Liberation Army 302 Hospital. Retrospective case investigation and telephone follow-up were conducted in October 2016. All patients had history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding before operation. Short-term complications after surgery were recorded including secondary laparotomy of postoperative abdominal hemostasis, severe infection, intake disorders, liver insufficiency, postoperative portal vein thrombosis and perioperative mortality. Long-term data including postoperative upper gastrointestinal rebleeding, postoperative survival rate and incidence of postoperative malignancy were recorded, too. GraphPad Prism 5 software for data survival analysis and charting. Results: Postoperative short-term complications in 1 118 patients included secondary laparotomy of postoperative abdominal hemostasis(1.8%, 21/1 118), severe infection(2.9%, 32/1 118), intake disorders(1.0%, 11/1 118), liver dysfunction (1.6%, 18/1 118), postoperative portal vein thrombosis(47.1%, 526/1 118)and perioperative mortality(0.5%, 5/1 118). After phone call following-up, 942 patients' long-term data were completed including 1, 3, 5 years postoperative upper gastrointestinal rebleeding rate(4.4%, 12.1%, 17.2%), 1, 3, 5-year postoperative survival rate(97.0%, 93.5%, 90.3%); the incidence of postoperative malignant tumors in 1, 3 and 5 years were 1.7%, 4.4% and 6.2%. Conclusions: Reasonable choosing of surgical indications and timing, proper performing the surgery process, effective conducting perioperative management of portal hypertension are directly related to the patient's short-term prognosis after portal hypertension. Surgical intervention can reduce the rates of patients with upper gastrointestinal rebleeding, improve survival, and do not increase the incidence of malignant tumors.

[Clinical manifestations analysis of patients diagnosed with primary pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods: A total of 14 cases diagnosed with primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma were collected from May 2007 to May 2017 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. The clinical features, pathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All 14 cases were pathologically diagnosed with primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma. The biopsy tissues were obtained through the Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) (4 cases), percutaneous puncture (2 cases), and bronchoscopy (8 cases). Cell types of these tumors were centrocyte-like cells (10 cases), lymphocytoid cells (2 cases), and monocytoid B cells (2 cases). The B cell clonality was detected by IgH cloning test in 4 cases and 3 of them were demonstrated with monoclonal strips. MALT1 breakup gene was positive in 3 out of 6 examined cases using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). As for the treatment, 8 patients underwent chemotherapy, 5 patients underwent surgical resection and 1 patient abandoned treatment. Twelve patients were followed up to 9 years. The tumor recurrence occurred in 2 patients and resulted their death. Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma are lack of specificity. The pathology, immunohistochemistry, IgH cloning test and MALT1 breakup gene tested by FISH are the criteria for diagnosis.

[Expression and significance of c-fos in resistant cell line TU177/VCR of larynx squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To explore the effect of c-fos on multidrug resistance of laryngeal cancer TU177 cells. Method: Increasing drug concentration gradient is adopted to establish the stability of the laryngeal cancer drug resistance in cell line; RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect difference of the c-fos between TU177 and TU177/VCR cells; plasmids with human c-fos knockdown or over expression were transfected into TU177/VCR and TU177 cells respectively, and the effects of different treatment on cell proliferation were investigated with MTT. Results: The drug resistance of TU177/VCR cells was 26.25-fold in vincristine (VCR), 7.33-fold in Paclitaxel (TAX), 2.41 in cisplatin (DDP), and 5.50 in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), comparing with TU177( P<0.05). The TU177/VCR cells had significantly higher c-fos expression compared to TU177 cells( P<0.05). The results showed that the IC(50) values of 5-FU for the NC group and c-fos shRNA group were (306.2±6.3)μmol/L and (81.3±3.9)μmol/L, respectively, which was decreased by 73% in the c-fos shRNA group compared to that in the NC group (P<0.05). Similarly, the results showed that the IC(50) values for 5-FU were (55.3±9.4) μmol/L in NC group and (288.1±7.3)μmol/L in c-fos WT group, which was increased 5.21-fold in c-fos WT cells. Conclusion: C-fos plays important role in multidrug resistance of larynx cancer cell TU177/VCR, and might become a new molecular target for laryngeal cancer treatment.

[FAT1 inhibits cell proliferation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through regulating the expression of CDK4/CDK6/CCND1 complex]

Objective: To explore the expression of FAT1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues, and its effect on cell proliferation. Methods: The expression levels of FAT1 protein in human ESCC tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Lentivirus based knockdown of FAT1 was carried out in YSE2 and Colo680N cell lines and 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays was performed to examine the effect of FAT1 on the proliferation of these ESCC cells. Colony formation assay was used to detect the colony formation ability. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis. The expression levels of cell cycle markers in FAT1 knock out ESCC cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Results: The relative expression of FAT1 in ESCC tissues was 66.97±21.53, significantly lower than 78.13±16.76 of adjacent normal tissues(P<0.05). Knockdown of FAT1 promoted cell proliferation and colony formation. In YSE2 cell, the division time in negative control (NC) group was (1 570±51) min, significantly longer than (1 356±31) min in shFAT1 group. In Colo680N cell, division time in NC group was (1 532±53) min, significantly longer than (1 290±30) min in shFAT1 group (P<0.05). Knockdown of FAT1 promoted G1-to S-phase transition and resulted in the upregulation of CDK4/CDK6/CCND1. Conclusion: FAT1 inhibits the proliferation and G1-to S-phase transition of ESCC cells through regulating the protein expression of CDK4/CDK6/CCND1 complex.

Maternal high estradiol exposure alters CDKN1C and IGF2 expression in human placenta

INTRODUCTION

The increased maternal estradiol (E₂) concentrations induced by assisted reproductive technology (ART) result in lower birth weight of offspring, which is associated with increased risk of adult diseases. However, the exact mechanism remains unknown. The present study investigated the effect of high E₂ exposure on the expression of imprinted genes CDKN1C and IGF2 in human placentas and the DNA methylation status of their differential methylation regions (DMRs).

METHODS

The mRNA expression of CDKN1C and IGF2 in human placentas and the human trophoblast cells (HTR8) treated with E₂ were investigated by reverse transcription-real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The DNA methylation of their DMRs were investigated by sodium bisulfite sequencing.

RESULTS

CDKN1C and IGF2 were significantly up-regulated in ART conceived placentas. The mean birth weight of ART singletons was significantly lower than that of naturally conceived (NC) ones, with the increased percentage of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth. The DNA methylation was significantly down-regulated in the DMR of CDKN1C (KvDMR1) and up-regulated in the DMR of IGF2 (H19 DMR) in ART placentas. The treatment of E₂ altered the expression of the two genes and the DNA methylation of their DMRs in HTR8 to a similar tendency as in vivo.

DISCUSSION

The maternal high E₂ levels after ART up-regulate the expression of imprinted genes in human placentas through epigenetic modifications, which influences the growth potential of the offspring. Further studies are needed to follow up the growth and development of the ART offspring.

Persistent Expression of VCAM1 in Radial Glial Cells Is Required for the Embryonic Origin of Postnatal Neural Stem Cells

During development, neural stem cells (NSCs) undergo transitions from neuroepithelial cells to radial glial cells (RGCs), and later, a subpopulation of slowly dividing RGCs gives rise to the quiescent adult NSCs that populate the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ). Here we show that VCAM1, a transmembrane protein previously found in quiescent adult NSCs, is expressed by a subpopulation of embryonic RGCs, in a temporal and region-specific manner. Loss of VCAM1 reduced the number of active embryonic RGCs by stimulating their premature neuronal differentiation while preventing quiescence in the slowly dividing RGCs. This in turn diminished the embryonic origin of postnatal NSCs, resulting in loss of adult NSCs and defective V-SVZ regeneration. VCAM1 affects the NSC fate by signaling through its intracellular domain to regulate β-catenin signaling in a context-dependent manner. Our findings provide new insight on how stem cells in the embryo are preserved to meet the need for growth and regeneration.

Plasmonic reflection color filters with metallic random nanostructures

We develop reflective color filters with randomly distributed nanodisks and nanoholes fabricated with hydrogen silsesquioxane and Ag films on silicon substrate. They exhibit high resolution, angle-independence and easily up-scalable fabrication, which are the most important factors for color filters for industrial applications. We uncover the underlying mechanism after systematically analyzing the localized surface plasmon polariton coupling in the electric-field distribution. The agreement of the experimental results with those from the simulation indicates that tunable colors across the visible spectrum can be obtained by simply varying the diameter of the nanodisks, promoting their applications.

Peripheral Tc17 and Tc17/Interferon-γ Cells are Increased and Associated with Lung Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive loss of lung function and local and systemic inflammation, in which CD8⁺ T-cells are believed to play a key role. Activated CD8⁺ T-cells differentiate into distinct subpopulations, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing Tc1 and interleukin (IL)-17-producing Tc17 cells. Recent evidence indicates that Tc17 cells exhibit considerable plasticity and may convert into IL-17/IFN-γ-double producing (Tc17/IFN-γ) cells when driven by inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the Tc17/IFN-γ subpopulation in peripheral blood of patients with COPD and to evaluate their potential roles in this disease.

Methods:

Peripheral blood samples were collected from 15 never-smokers, 23 smokers with normal lung function, and 25 patients with COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2–4). Proportions of the IL-17/IFN-γ-double expressing subpopulation were assessed using flow cytometry. Plasma concentrations of cytokines favoring Tc17/IFN-γ differentiation were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:

Patients with COPD had higher proportions of Tc17 cells and Tc17/IFN-γ cells in the peripheral blood than smokers and never-smokers. The plasticity of Tc17 cells was higher than that of Th17 cells. The percentages of Tc17 cells and Tc17/IFN-γ cells showed negative correlations with forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted value (r = −0.418, P = 0.03; r = −0.596, P = 0.002, respectively). The plasma concentrations of IL-6, transforming growth factor-β1, and IL-12 were significantly higher in patients with COPD compared with smokers and never-smokers.

Conclusions:

Peripheral Tc17 cells are increased and more likely to convert to Tc17/IFN-γ cells in COPD, suggesting that Tc17 cell plasticity may be involved in persistent inflammation of the disease.

Outbreak of Occupational Brucellosis at a Pharmaceutical Factory in Southeast China

Brucellosis is an occupational disease affecting workers in butcher shops, the milking and dairy product industry, causing more than 500 000 new cases around the world. As a national statutory B infectious disease in China, morbidity of brucellosis is rapidly increasing in recent years. We report an occupational outbreak of brucellosis infection in a pharmaceutical factory. Exposure was a result of manual operation in the process line, close contact with sheep placentas, insufficient disinfection and repeated using of protective suits and infected by aerosol dissemination. Improved preventive methods, appropriate public health measures and spread of health education would be helpful to prevent the occupational outbreak of brucellosis in future.

Expression of RANKL by peripheral neutrophils and its association with bone mineral density in COPD

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Osteoporosis is a major co-morbidity of COPD, but the mechanistic links between diseases of the lung and the bone remain elusive. Human neutrophils express the osteoclast activation factor RANKL (receptor activator of NF-kB ligand) and act directly on osteoclasts to promote bone loss. Given that neutrophils are key effector cells in the pathogenesis of COPD, these same cells, by expressing RANKL, may be involved in osteoporosis of COPD.

METHODS

We enrolled 59 male patients with COPD, 32 smokers with normal lung function and 25 healthy non-smokers of the same gender as controls. The expression of RANKL on peripheral neutrophils was detected by flow cytometry. The plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA. We analysed the association of RANKL ⁺ neutrophils with bone mineral density (BMD), lung function and the levels of cytokines.

RESULTS

RANKL ⁺ neutrophils in the blood of COPD patients were increased as compared to smokers and healthy controls, and the percentage of RANKL ⁺ neutrophils was higher in patients with low BMD as compared to those with normal BMD. The percentage of RANKL ⁺ neutrophils showed negative correlations with BMD and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted. Further analysis showed that activated neutrophils were increased and expressed a higher level of RANKL in COPD patients. Plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 were increased in COPD patients and correlated with RANKL expression by neutrophils.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that RANKL-expressing neutrophils are increased in male patients with COPD and associated with BMD and lung function, suggesting that these cells may play a role in osteoclastogenesis in COPD.

Binding of FGF2 to FGFR2 in an autocrine mode in trophectoderm cells is indispensable for mouse blastocyst formation through PKC-p38 pathway

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF1, FGF2 and FGF4) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4) have been reported to be expressed in preimplantation embryos and be required for their development. However, the functions of these molecules in trophectoderm cells (TEs) that lead to the formation of the blastocyst as well as the underlying mechanism have not been elucidated. The present study has demonstrated for the first time that endogenous FGF2 secreted by TEs can regulate protein expression and distribution in TEs via the FGFR2-mediated activation of PKC and p38, which are important for the development of expanded blastocysts. This finding provides the first explanation for the long-observed phenomenon that only high concentrations of exogenous FGFs have effects on embryonic development, but in vivo the amount of endogenous FGFs are trace. Besides, the present results suggest that FGF2/FGFR2 may act in an autocrine fashion and activate the downstream PKC/p38 pathway in TEs during expanded blastocyst formation.

Polarization-independent plasmonic subtractive color filtering in ultrathin Ag nanodisks with high transmission

We demonstrate a TE/TM polarization-independent plasmonic subtractive color filtering scheme employing ultrathin two-dimensional Ag nanodisks. These TE/TM polarization-independent subtractive color filters exhibit small feature sizes (below 200 nm) and high transmission up to 70% in the visible spectral region, superior to previously reported plasmonic color filters. Simulated optical transmission spectra and colors are in good agreement with experimental results. The color-filtering behaviors strongly depend on thickness and period of nanodisks. Underlying mechanisms are also discussed in detail.

Interaction Between Gastric Carcinoma Cells and Neural Cells Promotes Perineural Invasion by a Pathway Involving VCAM1

BACKGROUND

Perineural invasion (PNI) is one of the important routes for local spread of gastric carcinoma associated with poor prognosis. However, the exact cellular characteristics and molecular mechanisms of PNI are still unclear.

AIM

To identify the interaction between gastric carcinoma cells and neural cells, and whether vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) is involved in this process.

METHODS

We adopted in vitro cell coculture assays to investigate the cellular and molecular interaction between gastric cancer cells and neural cells.

RESULTS

We find upregulation of VCAM1 in clinical gastric cancer tissue samples. In in vitro tumor-neural cell coculture system, gastric cancer cells with high level of VCAM1 promote proliferation of neural progenitor cells and induce the process outgrowth and branching of neural cells. Reciprocally, neural cells enhance neurotropic migration and mobility of tumor cells. Repressing VCAM1 function through VCAM1 blocking antibody can attenuate these effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that VCAM1 is significantly involved in tumor invasion via mediating nerve-tumor interaction, which is a mutually beneficial process. It is possible that interaction between neural cells and tumor cells might contribute to PNI of gastric carcinoma. Inhibiting the activity of VCAM1 could be a potential strategy targeting PNI in gastric carcinoma therapy.

Effect of relative nanohole position on colour purity of ultrathin plasmonic subtractive colour filters

Plasmonic subtractive color filters through patterning periodic nanostructures on ultrathin Ag films deposited on a glass substrate, exhibiting good durability, simple fabrication, and flexible color tunability, have attracted considerable attention due to their tremendous potential applications. While previous studies have mainly focused on their extraordinary physical mechanisms, color purity, which is another key parameter for high quality imaging applications, has been much less investigated. In this work, we demonstrate that the relative position of nanoholes patterned on ultrathin Ag films can largely affect the color purity of plasmonic subtractive color filters. The calculated results agree reasonably well with the experimental data, revealing that the purity of subtractive colors can be improved by changing the nanohole arrays from square lattice to triangular lattice without reducing transmission at visible frequencies. In addition, underlying mechanisms are clarified by systematically analyzing the dominant valley in transmission spectra.

Construction of a natural phage antibody library of human anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

The objective of this study was to identify and construct a human natural phage single-chain antibody (scFv) library of human anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) using phage display technology. Total RNA was extracted from lymphatic tissue near an ATC and used to amplify variable heavy chain (VH) and variable light chain (VL) fragments with added linker sequences using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After purification, the VH and VL amplicons were used to produce scFv fragments with added SfiI and NotI restriction enzyme recognition sites using splicing-overlap-extension PCR. Following digestion, the scFv gene was cloned in the pCANTAB-5E plasmid, and the recombinant phagemids were transformed into the susceptible Escherichia coli TG1 strain. After infection by the helper phage M13K07, a human ATC phage antibody library was successfully constructed. Clear 28 S and 18 S bands could be seen in the total RNA from the library, and the sizes of the VH, VL, and scFv genes contained therein were approximately 370, 350, and 750 bp, respectively. In addition, the conversion efficiency as measured by the pUC19 standard plasmid was 10(8) CFU/μg, and the positive insert ratio was 86.4% (19/22). These results demonstrated the successful construction of a human ATC scFv antibody gene library, and might provide the experimental basis for the further screening and identification of a phage single-chain antibody with ATC cell-specificity.

Diffuse interstitial and multiple cavitary lung lesions due to Talaromyces marneffei infection in a non-HIV patient

A 57-year-old man presented with unproductive cough and dyspnea for 6 months in Fujian Province, China. His misuse of a large amount of steroids (accumulated dose equivalent to 3530 mg prednisolone) resulted in Talaromyces marneffei infection. Chest computed tomographic scan revealed diffuse interstitial and multiple cavitary lung lesions. Treatment with amphotericin B combined with itraconazole resulted in total recovery, with marked regression of lung lesions.

Endostar combined with irinotecan/calcium folinate/5-fluorouracil (FOLFIRI) for treating advanced colorectal cancer: A clinical study

PURPOSE

The current study aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of endostar plus irinotecan/calcium folinate/5-fluorouracil (FOLFIRI) in treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

Forty patients with advanced CRC were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to two groups. The control group (n = 18) and tested group (n = 22) were received FOLFIRI alone and FOLFIRI plus endostar, respectively. The end points were overall response rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity.

RESULTS

A total of 38 patients (17 in control group and 21 in tested group) completed two cycles of treatment and were deemed assessable for response. Patients treated with FOLFIRI plus endostar experienced a obviously higher overall response rate (42.9%) compared with patients who received FOLFIRI alone (29.4%) and a statistically significant improvement in median PFS (14.5 vs. 11.0  months). The toxicity of FOLFIRI/endostar was comparative to that of FOLFIRI with regard to gastrointestinal reactions, haematologic toxicity, peripheral neuropathy and cholinergic syndrome. Cardiovascular adverse reactions including electrocardiogram abnormality and hypertension, which might be ascribed to endostar treatment, were reversible and manageable.

CONCLUSION

The addition of endostar to FOLFIRI resulted in a higher overall response rate and longer PFS and did not increase unacceptable adverse responses in patients with advanced CRC. Future randomised controlled clinical trials with a larger group of patients are warranted to further investigate the value of FOLFIRI plus endostar in CRC treatment.

Wrist Rehabilitation Assisted by an Electromyography-Driven Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Robot After Stroke

BACKGROUND

Augmented physical training with assistance from robot and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may introduce intensive motor improvement in chronic stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the rehabilitation effectiveness achieved by NMES robot-assisted wrist training and that by robot-assisted training.

METHODS

This study was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up. Twenty-six hemiplegic subjects with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to receive 20-session wrist training with an electromyography (EMG)-driven NMES robot (NMES robot group, n = 11) and with an EMG-driven robot (robot group, n = 15), completed within 7 consecutive weeks. Clinical scores, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Modified Ashworth Score (MAS), and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) were used to evaluate the training effects before and after the training, as well as 3 months later. An EMG parameter, muscle co-contraction index, was also applied to investigate the session-by-session variation in muscular coordination patterns during the training.

RESULTS

The improvement in FMA (shoulder/elbow, wrist/hand) obtained in the NMES robot group was more significant than the robot group (P < .05). Significant improvement in ARAT was achieved in the NMES robot group (P < .05) but absent in the robot group. NMES robot-assisted training showed better performance in releasing muscle co-contraction than the robot-assisted across the training sessions (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The NMES robot-assisted wrist training was more effective than the pure robot. The additional NMES application in the treatment could bring more improvements in the distal motor functions and faster rehabilitation progress.

Thermal preparation of lysozyme-imprinted microspheres by using ionic liquid as a stabilizer

Thermal preparation of lysozyme-imprinted microspheres was firstly investigated by using biocompatible ionic liquid (IL) as a thermal stabilizer. The imprinted microspheres made with IL could obtain the good recognition ability to template protein, whereas the imprinted polymer synthesized in the absence of it had a similar adsorption capacity to the non-imprinted one. Furthermore, the preparation conditions of imprinted polymers (MIPs) including the content of IL, temperature of polymerization, and types of functional monomers and crosslinkers were systematically analyzed via circular dichroism spectrum and activity assay. The results illustrated that using hydroxyethyl acrylate as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the crosslinker, 5 % IL as the stabilizer, and 75 °C as the reaction temperature could retain the structure of template protein as much as possible. The obtained MIPs showed excellent recognition ability to the template protein with the separation factor and selectivity factor value of 4.30 and 2.21, respectively. Consequently, it is an effective way to accurately imprint and separate template protein by cooperatively using circular dichroism spectroscopy and activity assay during the preparation of protein MIPs. The method of utilizing IL to stabilizing protein at high temperature would offer a good opportunity for various technologies to improve the development of macromolecules imprinting.

High maternal serum estradiol environment in the first trimester is associated with the increased risk of small-for-gestational-age birth

CONTEXT

There are increasing concerns that a disrupted endocrine environment may disturb the growth of the fetus. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) situates gamete/embryo in a supraphysiological estradiol (E2) environment and, thus, provides an ideal model to investigate this problem.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to investigate whether the maternal high-E2 environment in the first trimester increases the risks of low birth weight (LBW) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth.

METHODS

In total, 8869 singletons born after fresh embryo transfer (ET) (n = 2610), frozen ET (n = 1039), and natural conception (NC) (n = 5220) and their mothers were included. Birth weight, LBW, SGA, and maternal serum E2 levels were investigated.

RESULTS

The mean serum E2 levels of women undergoing fresh ET at 4 and 8 weeks of gestation were significantly higher than those of the women undergoing frozen ET and the women with NC (P < .01). Serum E2 levels of women undergoing fresh ET at 4 and 8 weeks of gestation were positively correlated to those on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration (r = 0.5 and r = 0.4, respectively; P < 0.01). The birth weight after fresh ET was significantly lower than that after frozen ET and NC (P < 0.01), with increased incidence of LBW and SGA (P < .05). Furthermore, in the fresh ET group, singletons of mothers with high E2 levels (≥10460 pmol/L on the day of hCG administration) had higher risks of LBW (P < .01) and SGA (P < .01) than those with low E2 levels, and maternal serum E2 level on the day of hCG administration negatively correlated with the birth weight (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The maternal high-E2 environment in the first trimester is correlated with increased risks of LBW and SGA. Evaluation of serum E2 before ET should be adopted to reduce the possibility of high E2 exposure to gamete/embryo.

The effects of post-stroke upper-limb training with an electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot

Loss of hand function and finger dexterity are main disabilities in the upper limb after stroke. An electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot had been developed for post-stroke rehabilitation training. The effectiveness of the hand robot assisted whole upper limb training was investigated on persons with chronic stroke (n=10) in this work. All subjects attended a 20-session training (3-5times/week) by using the hand robot to practice object grasp/release and arm transportation tasks. Significant motor improvements were observed in the Fugl-Meyer hand/wrist and shoulder/elbow scores (p<0.05), and also in the Action Research Arm Test and Wolf Motor Function Test (p<0.05). Significant reduction in spasticity of the fingers as was measured by the Modified Ashworth Score (p<0.05). The training improved the muscle co-ordination between the antagonist muscle pair (flexor digitorum (FD) and extensor digitorum (ED)), associated with a significant reduction in the ED EMG level (p<0.05) and a significant decrease of ED and FD co-contraction during the training (p<0.05); the excessive muscle activities in the biceps brachii were also reduced significantly after the training (p<0.05).

Note: investigation on the influences of gripping methods on elastic modulus by a miniature tensile device and in situ verification

In this paper, by gripping the specimen on various positions, including the gripping section, stress concentration transition section, and gauge length section, theoretical analysis on the influences of gripping methods on tensile elastic modulus calculation was investigated with a group of equations. Then, an image-based displacement measurement system was implemented, and the experimental verification via in situ tensile testing was carried out to verify the feasibility of the theoretical analysis by a miniature tensile device integrated with a metallographic microscope. The stress-strain curves of 2026 aluminum alloy were also obtained by gripping the specimens on various positions to illustrate the influences of gripping methods. The influence of gripping methods on elongation measurement was also investigated. This paper showed a modular calculation method of elastic modulus for the tensile testing of typical plate specimens.

Aquaporin-1 plays a crucial role in estrogen-induced tubulogenesis of vascular endothelial cells

CONTEXT

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) has been proposed as a mediator of estrogen-induced angiogenesis in human breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms governing AQP1-mediated, estrogen-induced angiogenesis may contribute to an improved understanding of tumor development.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to identify the estrogen-response element (ERE) in the promoter of the Aqp1 gene and investigate the effects and mechanisms of AQP1 on estrogen-induced tubulogenesis of vascular endothelial cells.

SETTING

The study was conducted in a university hospital in eastern China.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Immunohistological, real-time PCR and Western blot analyses were used to determine the expression AQP1 mRNA and protein in vascular endothelial cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses and luciferase reporter assays identified ERE-like motif in the promoter of the Aqp1 gene.

RESULTS

Expression of AQP1 in blood vessels of human breast and endometrial carcinoma tissues were significantly higher than controls. Estradiol (E2) dose-dependently increased the expression levels of AQP1 mRNA and protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A functional ERE-like motif was identified in the promoter of the Aqp1 gene. AQP1 colocalized with ezrin, a component of the ezrin/radixin/moesin protein complex, and, ezrin colocalized with filamentous actin in HUVECs. Knockdown of AQP1 or ezrin with specific small interfering RNA significantly attenuated the formation of transcytoplasmic filamentous actin stress fibers induced by E2 and inhibited E2-enhanced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tubule formation of HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONS

Estrogen induces AQP1 expression by activating ERE in the promoter of the Aqp1 gene, resulting in tubulogenesis of vascular endothelial cells. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning the angiogenic effects of estrogen.

Coordinated upper limb training assisted with an electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot after stroke

An electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot had been developed for post-stroke rehabilitation training. The effectiveness of the hand robot assisted whole upper limb training on muscular coordination was investigated on persons with chronic stroke (n=10) in this work. All subjects attended a 20-session training (3-5 times/week) by using the hand robot to practice object grasp/release and arm transportation tasks. Improvements were found in the muscle co-ordination between the antagonist muscle pair (flexor digitorum and extensor digitorum) as measured by muscle co-contractions in EMG signals; and also in the reduction of excessive muscle activities in the biceps brachii. Reduced spasticity in the fingers was also observed as measured by the Modified Ashworth Score.

[The cytotoxicity of indirubin derivative PHII-7 against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and its mechanisms]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the cytotoxicity of indirubin derivative PHII-7 against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and to study its primary mechanisms.

METHODS

The proliferation of MCF-7 cells was detected using MTT colorimetry. Annexin V/PI double staining was applied to detect the apoptosis rate of MCF-7 cells. The distribution of cell cycles was detected using PI staining and flow cytometry (FCM). The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MCF-7 cells were detected by DCFH-DA staining. The mRNA and protein levels of c-fos were detected using RT-PCR and Westem blot analysis.

RESULTS

PHII-7 at different concentrations inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with the inhibitory rate ranging from 43.13% to 90.90% (P < 0.05). The inhibition was strengthened along with increased concentrations. PHII-7 at different concentrations could induce the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. The early apoptosis rate was 1.43% +/- 0.02%, 9.14% +/- 0.36%, and 45.79% +/- 8.46%, respectively with the action of 1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 micromol/L PHII-7, respectively, showing dose-dependent manner. FCM analysis found that the proportion of MCF-7 cells in the G0/G1 phase and the S phase decreased after treatment with PHII-7, and the ratio of MCF-7 cells in the G2/M phase obviously increased (P < 0.01). The intra-cellular ROS level was significantly elevated 2 h after pretreatment with PHII-7. The levels of the protooncogene c-fos mRNA and protein were down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner after action of PHII-7.

CONCLUSIONS

PHII-7 exerted obvious in vitro cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cells. Its mechanisms might be associated with arresting the cell cycle, regulating the redox equilibrium, and down-regulating the expression of the protooncogene.

Post-stroke wrist rehabilitation assisted with an intention-driven functional electrical stimulation (FES)-robot system

In this work, a novel FES-robot system was developed for wrist rehabilitation training after stroke. The FES-robot system could be continuously controlled by electromyography (EMG) from the residual wrist muscles to facilitate wrist flexion and extension tracking tasks on a horizontal plane by providing assistance from both FES and robot parts. The system performance with five different assistive combinations from the FES and robot parts was evaluated by subjects with chronic stroke (n=5). The results suggested that the assistance from the robot part mainly improved the movement accuracy in the tracking tasks; and the assistance from the FES part mainly suppressed the excessive muscular activities from the elbow joint. The best combination was when the assistances from FES and robot was 1:1, and the results showed better wrist tracking performance with less muscle co-contraction from the elbow joint.

An EMG-driven exoskeleton hand robotic training device on chronic stroke subjects: task training system for stroke rehabilitation

An exoskeleton hand robotic training device is specially designed for persons after stroke to provide training on their impaired hand by using an exoskeleton robotic hand which is actively driven by their own muscle signals. It detects the stroke person's intention using his/her surface electromyography (EMG) signals from the hemiplegic side and assists in hand opening or hand closing functional tasks. The robotic system is made up of an embedded controller and a robotic hand module which can be adjusted to fit for different finger length. Eight chronic stroke subjects had been recruited to evaluate the effects of this device. The preliminary results showed significant improvement in hand functions (ARAT) and upper limb functions (FMA) after 20 sessions of robot-assisted hand functions task training. With the use of this light and portable robotic device, stroke patients can now practice more easily for the opening and closing of their hands at their own will, and handle functional daily living tasks at ease. A video is included together with this paper to give a demonstration of the hand robotic system on chronic stroke subjects and it will be presented in the conference.