Combination Therapy with Anti-VEGF and Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant for Macular Edema Secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion

PURPOSE

To compare the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab alone or ranibizumab combined with dexamethasone intravitreal implant in the treatment of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

STUDY DESIGN

A single center, case-controlled, prospective cohort study (Clinical Trail Registration Number: ChiCTR2400080048).

METHODS

A total of 44 patients were enrolled and randomized into the ranibizumab group (n = 23) and the combination group (ranibizumab combined with dexamethasone intravitreal implant) (n = 21). All patients received ranibizumab intravitreal injections in the first three months as the initial treatment. For the ranibizumab group, patients might receive repeat injections in case of the recurrence of macular edema; For the combination group, patients received an intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant after the first injection of ranibizumab at the day 15. The main outcome was best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and reduction of central macular thickness. The secondary outcome were the numbers of recurrence, the average injection interval, and the numbers of injection. Adverse events were also recorded.

RESULTS

The BCVAs in both groups were significantly improved compared with the baselines (all p < 0.001), but more increment in BCVA was noticed at the 3-month in the combination group (p = 0.022). Both groups showed a reduction of central macular thickness at all time points (p < 0.05). However, the combination group did not exhibit higher central macular thickness-reducing effects than the ranibizumab group (p > 0.05). Compared with the combination group, the ranibizumab group suffered a higher number of recurrences of macular edema (p < 0.001), a lower interval of injection (p = 0.050), and a higher number of injection (p < 0.011). The incidence of adverse events was not significant between the two groups (p = 0.944).

CONCLUSIONS

Ranibizumab combined with dexamethasone injection sustainably improved the BCVA of retinal vein occlusion patients with a good safety profile.

Functional characterization of NOD1 from golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus

Fish rely on innate immune system for immunity, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) are a vital group of receptor for recognition. In the present study, NOD1 gene was cloned and characterized from golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus, an commercially important aquaculture fish species. The ORF of T. ovatus NOD1 was 2820 bp long, encoding 939 amino acid residues with a highly conserved domains containing CARD-NACHT-LRRs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the T. ovatus NOD1 clustered with those of fish and separated from those of birds and mammals. T. ovatus NOD1 has wide tissue distribution with the highest expression in gills. Bacterial challenges (Streptococcus agalactiae and Vibrio alginolyticus) significantly up-regulated the expression of NOD1 with different response time. The results of T. ovatus NOD1 ligand recognition and signaling pathway analysis revealed that T. ovatus NOD1 could recognize IE-DAP at the concentration of ≧ 100 ng/mL and able to activate NF-κB signaling pathway. This study confirmed that NOD1 play a crucial role in the innate immunity of T. ovatus. The findings of this study improve our understanding on the immune function of NOD1 in teleost, especially T. ovatus.

Regulation of PhoB on biofilm formation and hemolysin gene hlyA and ciaR of Streptococcus agalactiae

PhoB is a response regulator protein that plays a key role in the PhoBR two-component signal transduction system. In this study, we used transcriptome and proteomics techniques to evaluate the detect the gene network regulated by PhoB of Streptococcus agalactiae. The results showed that expression of biofilm formation and virulence-related genes were changed after phoB deficiency. Crystal violet and CLSM assay confirmed that the deletion of the phoB increased the thickness of S. agalactiae biofilm. The results of lacZ reporter and the bacterial one-hybridization method showed that PhoB could directly bind to the promoter regions of hemolysin A and ciaR genes but not to the promoter regions of cylE and hemolysin III. Through the construction of an 18-base pair deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) random fragment library and the bacterial one-hybridization system, it was found that the conservative sequence of PhoB binding was TTGGAGAA(G/T). Our research has uncovered the virulence potential of the PhoBR two-component system of S. agalactiae. The findings of this study provide the theoretical foundation for in-depth research on the pathogenic mechanism of S. agalactiae.

Clinical features and prognostic significance of DNMT3A, FLT3, and NPM1 mutations in de novo acute myeloid leukemia patients

OBJECTIVE

Different co-mutation patterns are associated with varied clinical manifestations and prognosis. The purpose of this research was to explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of individuals with AML who had DNMT3A, FLT3, and NPM1 mutations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 259 newly diagnosed AML patients were investigated in this study, including 148 AMLFLT3mutDNMT3Awt , 48 AMLFLT3wtDNMT3Amut , and 63 AMLFLT3mutDNMT3Amut patients. Mutations were detected by targeted next-generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing. In addition, we utilized the publicly available data to analyze the expression profiles of AML.

RESULTS

Correlation analysis showed NPM1 mutations were positively associated with FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A, but negatively with CEBPA and RUNX1 mutations. In the presence of both DNMT3A and FLT3 mutations, patients were associated with typical clinical manifestations such as heavy disease burden and old age. Patients with both FLT3 and DNMT3A mutations had lower complete remission rates and poorer clinical outcomes than those with FLT3 or DNMT3A mutation alone. Univariate analysis showed that age, response to treatment, DNMT3A R882 mutation, NPM1 mutation, and consolidation treatment options were associated with OS. According to multivariate analysis, only consolidation treatment options could be considered as an independent prognostic factor. In addition, the percentage of AMLFLT3mutDNMT3AmutNPM1mut patients in our study was about 5.9%. Interestingly, the expression profile of this subgroup was significantly related to HOX family and histone H1 family, and enriched pathways associated with transcriptional misregulation.

CONCLUSION

We comprehensively evaluated the clinical and genetic characteristics, and expression profiles of AML patients with common mutations, and found that AML patients with triple mutations might be a distinct AML subtype, which should be redefined.

A review of natural and anthropogenic radionuclide pollution in marine bivalves

Radionuclide contamination in food is a public health issue. Bivalves are known to accumulate relatively high levels of radionuclides. Despite many relevant reports, this information is poorly organized. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a comprehensive scientific review of radionuclides in marine bivalves. In general, the accumulation of radionuclides in bivalves is highly species and tissue-specific, which may be due to the different biological half-life of radionuclides in different species and tissues. The trophic pathway is the main pathway for the accumulation of most radionuclides in bivalves, with polonium-210 (210Po) and lead-210 (210Pb) potentially selectively accumulating in the digestive glands, while 134Cs and 137Cs selectively accumulating in the adductor muscle and mantle. Some other radionuclides (radium-226 (226Ra) and strontium-90 (90Sr)) are absorbed along with other minerals (e.g. Calcium) and selectively accumulate in bivalve shells. The information in this study can provide an overview of radionuclide contamination in marine bivalves.

Molecular characterization of complement regulatory factor CD46 in Trachinotus ovatus and its role in the antimicrobial immune responses and complement regulation

CD46, as a cofactor of complement I factor, not only regulates the complement system but also functions as a pathogen receptor and is involved in controlling early pathogen infection through autophagy. In this study, a new CD46 gene (ToCD46) was identified from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), which showed higher sequence homology with other teleosts CD46. Homology comparison showed that ToCD46 had higher sequence homology (46.95-52.85%) with other teleosts CD46 and lower homology with mammal. Tissue expression profile analysis showed that ToCD46 was generally expressed in all tissues with the highest expression level in liver, followed by head kidney, and showed different patterns of up-regulation in immune-related tissues after stimulation by Streptococcus agalactiae and Vibrio alginolyticus. The hemolytic activity analysis and apoptosis assay showed that rToCD46 decreased the hemolytic activity of serum of golden pompano and effectively inhibited the damage of A549 cells, suggesting that ToCD46 might be involved in the regulation of complement activation of golden pompano. In vitro antibacterial experiments showed that rToCD46 had antibacterial activity against gram negative bacteria V. alginolyticus but no effect on positive bacteria S. agalactiae. These results suggest that ToCD46 may be involved in the immune response of golden pompano to pathogens, which will provide important basic information for elucidating the evolutionary history of the complement system of golden pompano.

Bioactivity of polysaccharides derived from bivalves

Bivalves have high diversity, widely distributed in various aquatic environments, including saltwater, brackish water and freshwater. Bivalves are known to rich in polysaccharides and have wide applications in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and industrial research. Despite many relevant reports are available, the information is poorly organized. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a comprehensive scientific review on the potential bioactivity of polysaccharides derived from bivalves. In general, the polysaccharides derived from bivalves possess various bioactive properties, including anticancer, antioxidant, anticoagulant and immunomodulatory activities. The bioactivity of these biomolecules highly depends on the bivalve species, extraction methods, purification methods, dosages, etc. The information in this study can provide an overview of the bioactivities of bivalve polysaccharides. This is very useful to be used as a guide for identifying the health benefits of polysaccharides derived from different bivalve species.

[Preliminary report on the use of total lumpectomyconical remnant gastric - esophagus side overlap anastomosis in radical resection of Siewert type II proximal gastric cancer]

Objective: There is no standard method for esophageal remnant gastric reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy. Reflux esophagitis caused by esophagogastrostomy remains a difficult surgical problem. To report the preliminary surgical results of novel esophagus-conical remnant gastric side overlap anastomosis (CGEO) , with particular emphasis on postoperative esophageal reflux. Methods: In June 2022, we developed a novel CGEO for laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy on two patients with Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Surgical procedures for CGEO: (1) Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and preparation of conically shaped gastric remnant; (2) Determining anastomotic site of residual stomach and esophagus; (3) Side-to-side anastomosis of right esophageal wall to anterior of conical gastric remnant; (4) Valvuloplasty of esophageal stump. Results: Case 1 was a 71-year-old man with an operation time of 305 minutes and was successfully discharged from the hospital on the 9th day after surgery, and the postoperative pathology was T3N0M0. Case 2 was an 82-year-old man with an operation time of 325 minutes. He was discharged on the 10th day after surgery. In both cases, only mild esophageal mucosal changes were seen in gastroscopy, there were no obvious symptoms of esophageal reflux. There was also no significant weight change at half a year after operation. Conclusion: CGEO is moderately safe in radical surgery for proximal gastric cancer, and may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of postoperative esophageal reflux, but long-term results need to be confirmed by further studies with follow-up.

Influence of Pyrolytic Carbon Black Derived from Waste Tires at Varied Temperatures within an Industrial Continuous Rotating Moving Bed System

Nowadays, waste tires have emerged as one of the most significant sources of environmental pollution. To address this issue, pyrolysis has become a widely adopted method. The continuous rotary kiln reactor has particularly gained popularity in industrial production for pyrolysis due to its suitability. In order to guide the development of new industrial continuous rotary kiln reactors and achieve high-performance pyrolytic carbon black (CBp), this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the physical and chemical characteristics of CBp and pyrolysis temperature. The elevated-temperature procedure led to a reduction in DBP values from 90 to 70 mL/100 mg, accompanied by a rise in the specific surface area from 63 to 77 m2/g. The augmentation of pyrolysis temperature was noted to induce the agglomeration of CBp particles, thereby negatively impacting their dispersion within polymer matrices. CBp particles at 550 °C exhibited greater structural order, as determined by Raman spectroscopy, which can be attributed to the elevated temperature proximate to the cylinder wall surface. Furthermore, the potential of CBp for reinforcement in natural rubber (NR) was taken into consideration. The pronounced propensity of high-temperature CBps to agglomerate led to uneven dispersion within the polymer, consequently causing heightened heat accumulation and the emergence of the Payne effect. Based on a thorough analysis of the outcomes, the optimal pyrolysis temperature for CBp synthesis within the continuous reactor was ascertained.

The high expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptor alpha Ⅱ (GFRA2) as a predictor of poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients: A survival and regression analysis approach

Gastric cancer has high mortality rates worldwide. Therefore, there is a need to identify prognostic biomarkers. This study evaluated the association between GFRA2 expression levels with clinicopathological features and prognosis in gastric cancer using data extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and a series of algorithms. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the association between different clinical features and survival. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to examine the correlation between GFRA2 expression and immune infiltration. The results showed that the expression of GFRA2 in tumor samples was significantly lower than that in normal samples. High expression of GFRA2 was significantly associated with histological type, histologic grade, and worse overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free survival. The univariate Cox analysis showed that the expression of GFRA2 was significantly correlated with T stage, N stage, M stage, and age. The multivariate analysis identified GFRA2 expression as an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer. GSEA showed that GFRA2 might regulate the calcium signaling pathway, focus adhesion, olfactory conduction, the extracellular matrix glycoproteins, and response to the Leishmania parasitic infection. GFRA2 showed a significant moderate positive correlation with the infiltration of mast cells. In summary, a high expression of GFRA2 may contribute to poor survival in gastric cancer patients and could be used as a potential prognostic biomarker.

An injectable elastic hydrogel crosslinked with curcumin-gelatin nanoparticles as a multifunctional dressing for the rapid repair of bacterially infected wounds

Injectable self-healing hydrogel dressings with excellent elasticity and multifunctional repair effects have been in high demand in wound healing applications, while maintaining stable elasticity in injectable multifunctional hydrogel dressings is still a challenge. Based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), curcumin-gelatin nanoparticles (CG NPs), and sodium alginate oxide (OSA), we developed a double-crosslinking injectable elastic self-healing hydrogel without any chemical cross-linking agent as a multifunctional wound healing dressing. CG NPs were more stable than pure curcumin (Cur) nanoparticles and could regulate the cross-linking of injectable hydrogels for high elasticity and rapid self-healing. We found that the CG NPs endowed the injectable hydrogel with good anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and reactive oxygen scavenging activities and could significantly shorten the wound healing time in infected full-thickness skin defect rats by promoting the polarization of M2-type macrophages, reducing oxidative damage, accelerating collagen deposition, enhancing granulation formation, and elevating angiogenesis. Taken together, the tunable elastic injectable hydrogel dressing exhibited a long-term service life with sustained repair function and can be taken as an optimal candidate for bacteria-infected wound healing.

Hemostatic alterations during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in ovine veno-venous and veno-arterial models

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has salvaged many people's life during global pandemics. However, ECMO is associated with a high incidence of hemostatic complications. This study aims to explore the effects of the ECMO system on the coagulation system in the healthy ovine ECMO model.

METHODS

Ten healthy male sheep were included. Five received the veno-arterial ECMO and five received the veno-venous ECMO. Heparin was infused for systemic anticoagulation and was adjusted according to the activated clotting time. Blood routine tests, coagulation factors, anticoagulation proteins, and fibrinolysis markers were tested at the baseline and every 24 h. After weaning, the pump heads were dissected to explore thrombosis.

RESULTS

Platelets decreased in the first 72 h and returned to the baseline at the 120th hour. The neutrophils increased in the first 24 h and returned to the baseline at the 48th hour. Factors II, VII, and X decreased in the first 24 h and gradually increased, while factors VIII, IX, XI, and XII decreased in the first 24 h and remained at a low level. The baseline antithrombin was 73.2 ± 14.4% and reduced to 42.6 ± 9.9% at the 168th hour. Pathology showed seven sheep developed thrombus, but no clinically relevant bleeding or thrombosis events occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The study explored hemostatic alterations during ECMO in healthy animal models, which eliminated the confounding under critically ill conditions. The study may provide insights into ECMO hemostatic disorders and aid the design of optimal therapeutic strategies.

A smart adhesive Janus hydrogel for non-invasive cardiac repair and tissue adhesion prevention

Multifunctional hydrogel with asymmetric and reversible adhesion characteristics is essential to handle the obstructions towards bioapplications of trauma removal and postoperative tissue synechia. Herein, we developed a responsively reversible and asymmetrically adhesive Janus hydrogel that enables on-demand stimuli-triggered detachment for efficient myocardial infarction (MI) repair, and synchronously prevents tissue synechia and inflammatory intrusion after surgery. In contrast with most irreversibly and hard-to-removable adhesives, this Janus hydrogel exhibited a reversible adhesion capability and can be noninvasively detached on-demand just by slight biologics. It is interesting that the adhesion behaves exhibited a molecularly encoded adhesion-adaptive stiffening feature similar to the self-protective stress-strain effect of biological tissues. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that Janus hydrogel can promote the maturation and functions of cardiomyocytes, and facilitate MI repair by reducing oxidative damage and inflammatory response, reconstructing electrical conduction and blood supply in infarcted area. Furthermore, no secondary injury and tissue synechia were triggered after transplantation of Janus hydrogel. This smart Janus hydrogel reported herein offers a potential strategy for clinically transformable cardiac patch and anti-postoperative tissue synechia barrier.

Identification and functional characterization of complement regulatory protein CD59 in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus)

CD59, one of the essential inhibitors of the complement membrane attack complex (MAC), plays a crucial role in regulation of complement activation. In this study, we cloned and identified the CD59 gene (named ToCD59) of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). The ORF sequence of ToCD59 is 357 bp long encoding 118 amino acids with a molecular weight of 13.09 kDa. Prediction of protein domains showed that ToCD59 contained an Lu domain and a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) partial anchor. Homology comparisons indicated that ToCD59 shared the high sequence similarity with other fish CD59. RT-qPCR analysis showed that ToCD59 was expressed in all tested healthy tissues of golden pompano, with the highest level of expression in the brain. After stimulation with bacteria, ToCD59 expression levels were significantly up-regulated in head kidney, liver, gill and brain, but down-regulated in spleen. Subcellular localization results showed that ToCD59 localized to the cytoplasm of A549 cells. The hemolytic activity analysis showed that rToCD59 might have complement inhibitory activity through the alternative complement pathway. In addition, antibacterial test showed that rToCD59 had antibacterial ability against S. agalactiae and V. alginolyticus in vitro. These results suggest that ToCD59 might play an important role in the immune response against pathogens, which would provide basic information for elucidating the functional evolutionary history of complement system in teleost.

Frequency and clinical impact of WT1 mutations in the context of CEBPA-mutated acute myeloid leukemia

INTRODUCTION

Several studies have confirmed that mutations in the Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) gene occur in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, few data are available regarding the incidence of WT1 mutations in CEBPA^mut AML and their impact.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the frequency and clinical impact of WT1 mutations in 220 newly diagnosed AML patients with CEBPA mutations(CEBPA^mut). Chromosome karyotype analysis was performed by R or G banding method and further confirmed either by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and/or by multiple reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (multiple RT-PCR). Mutations were detected with a panel of 112mutational genes using next-generation sequencing (NGS).

RESULTS

Overall, 30 WT1 mutations were detected in 29 of the 220 CEBPA^mut AML patients (13.18%) screened. These mutations clustered overwhelmingly in exon 7 (n=16). WT1 mutations were found to be significantly more frequent in AML patients with double-mutated CEBPA (CEBPA^dm) than in AML patients with single-mutated CEBPA (17.36%vs. 8.08%, P = 0.043). Among WT1-mutated patients, the most common co-mutation was FLT3-ITD (n = 7, 24.14%), followed by NRAS (n = 5, 17.24%), CSF3R (n = 4, 13.79%), GATA2 (n = 4, 13.79%), and KIT (n = 4, 13.79%). The most frequent functional pathway was signaling pathways inas many as 62.07% of cases. Notably,the concomitant mutations in epigenetic regulatorswere inversely correlated with WT1 mutations(P = 0.003). CEBPA^dm AML patients with WT1 mutations had inferior relapse-free survival, event-free survival and overall survival compared with patients CEBPA^dm AML without WT1 mutations (P = 0.002, 0.004, and 0.010, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our data showed that WT1 mutations are frequently identified in CEBPA^mut AML, especially in CEBPA^dm AML. CEBPA^mut AML patients with WT1 mutations show distinct spectrum of comutations. In the context of CEBPA^dm AML, WT1 mutations predict a poor prognosis.

Molecular genetic and clinical characterization of acute myeloid leukemia with trisomy 8 as the sole chromosome abnormality

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to determine molecular genetic and clinical characterization of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with trisomy 8 as the sole chromosome abnormality, a recurrent but rare chromosomal abnormality in AML.

METHODS

Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization, reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction for gene rearrangement and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed on sole trisomy 8 AML patients.

RESULTS

A total of 35 AML patients with trisomy 8 as the sole chromosome abnormality were screened. The most frequently mutated genes were DNMT3A(37.1%), RUNX1(28.6%), FLT3-ITD(28.6%), IDH2(22.9%), NPM1(17.1%), and ASXL1 (14.3%). The sole +8 AML patients exhibited more mutations in RUNX1 (28.6% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.001) and ASXL1 (14.3% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.039) by comparing with normal karyotype AML (NK AML) patients(n = 63). The sole +8 AML patients(n = 35) with RUNX1 or IDH2 mutations showed significantly lower WBC counts, while FLT3-ITD showed higher white blood cell (WBC) counts as compared to the corresponding wild-type groups. Total of 45.7% patients achieved complete remission (CR) after the first induction therapy. The CR rate of patients with FLT3-ITD or IDH1 mutation was significantly lower than that in the corresponding wild-type cases (P = 0.047, 0.005, respectively). The median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (PFS) were 18.0 (95% CI: 10.8-25.2) and 10 (95% CI: 6.7-13.3) months, respectively. FLT3-ITD mutations and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) were independent prognostic markers for OS in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest a possible association between trisomy 8 and additional mutations that may influence clinical feature and prognosis.

Hypoxia-Responsive Stereocomplex Polymeric Micelles with Improved Drug Loading Inhibit Breast Cancer Metastasis in an Orthotopic Murine Model

Tumor metastasis is a leading cause of breast cancer-related death. Taxane-loaded polymeric formulations, such as Genexol PM and Nanoxel M using poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(d,l-lactide) (PEG-PLA) micelles as drug carriers, have been approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Unfortunately, the physical instability of PEG-PLA micelles, leading to poor drug loading, premature drug leakage, and consequently limited drug delivery to tumors, largely hinders their therapeutic outcome. Inspired by the enantiomeric nature of PLA, this work developed stereocomplex PEG-PLA micelles through stereoselective interactions of enantiomeric PLA, which are further incorporated with a hypoxia-responsive moiety used as a hypoxia-cleavable linker of PEG and PLA, to maximize therapeutic outcomes. The results showed that the obtained micelles had high structural stability, showing improved drug loading for effective drug delivery to tumors as well as other tissues. Especially, they were capable of sensitively responding to the hypoxic tumor environment for drug release, reversing hypoxia-induced drug resistance and hypoxia-promoted cell migration for enhanced bioavailability under hypoxia. In vivo results further showed that the micelles, especially at a high dose, inhibited the growth of the primary tumor and improved tumor pathological conditions, consequently remarkably inhibiting its metastasis to the lungs and liver, while not causing any systemic toxicity. Hypoxia-responsive stereocomplex micelles thus emerge as a reliable drug delivery system to treat breast cancer metastasis.

Comprehensive mutation profile in acute myeloid leukemia patients with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 or CBFB-MYH11 fusions

Objective:

This study was undertaken with the aim of better understanding the genomic landscape of core-binding factor (CBF) acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Materials and Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed 112 genes that were detected using next-generation sequencing in 134 patients with de novo CBF-AML. FLT3-ITD, NPM1, and CEBPA mutations were detected by DNA-PCR and Sanger sequencing.

Results:

In the whole cohort, the most commonly mutated genes were c-KIT (33.6%) and NRAS (33.6%), followed by FLT3 (18.7%), KRAS (13.4%), RELN (8.2%), and NOTCH1 (8.2%). The frequencies of mutated genes associated with epigenetic modification, such as IDH1, IDH2, DNMT3A, and TET2, were low, being present in 1.5%, 0.7%, 2.2%, and 7.5% of the total number of patients, respectively. Inv(16)/t(16;16) AML patients exhibited more mutations of NRAS and KRAS (p=0.001 and 0.0001, respectively) than t(8;21) AML patients. Functionally mutated genes involved in signaling pathways were observed more frequently in the inv(16)/t(16;16) AML group (p=0.016), while the mutations involved in cohesin were found more frequently in the t(8;21) AML group (p=0.011). Significantly higher white blood cell counts were found in inv(16)/t(16;16) AML patients with c-KIT (c-KIT^mut) or NRAS (NRAS^mut) mutations compared to the corresponding t(8;21) AML/c-KIT^mut and t(8;21) AML/NRAS^mut groups (p=0.001 and 0.009, respectively).

Conclusion:

The mutation profiles of t(8;21) AML patients showed evident differences from those of patients with inv(16)/t(16;16) AML. We have provided a comprehensive overview of the mutational landscape of CBF-AML.

[The role and mechanism of lncRNA C9ORF139 targeting miR-24-3P/TAOK1 in regulating the proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cells]

Objective: To investigate the role and mechanism of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) C9ORF139 targeting micro RNA(miR)-24-3P/TAOK1 in regulating the proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Methods: AML cells HL-60 and THP-1 were purchased from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and divided into 4 groups:group A was negative control group (siNC group), group B was interference C9ORF139 group (siC9ORF139 group), group C was siC9ORF139+miR-24-3p inhibitor group, and group D was miR-24-3P+TAOK1 overexpression group (oe-TAOK1 group). Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to detect the expression levels of AML cell lines of HL-60 and THP-1 in four groups. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to measure cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was applied to analyze cell apoptosis. Transwell test was applied to detect cell migration and invasion ability. Western blot was used to detect p-serine/threonine kinase (p-raf) and p-mitogen activation proteinkinase (p-MEK), p-extracellular regulatory protein kinase (p-ERK) expression. The luciferase reporter gene plasmid was constructed to verify the binding ability of C9ORF139,miR-24-3P and TAOK1.Nude mice were inoculated with subcutaneous tumor cells of HL-60 (group A) and HL-60 (group B). Results: After the C9ORF139 gene was knocked down and cultured for 120 h, The cell proliferation ability (0.62±0.02, 0.82±0.02), migration ability (0.22±0.03, 0.05±0.01), invasion ability (0.20±0.02, 0.13±0.03) of group B were all lower than that of group A (1.30±0.02, 1.83±0.07; 0.99±0.02, 0.99±0.02; 1.00±0.01, 1.00±0.01) (all P<0.05). When co-transfected with miR-24-3 inhibitor, cell proliferation ability, migration ability and invasion ability were all higher in group B (all P<0.05). When co-transfected with miR-24-3P and oe-TAOK1 plasmid, cell proliferation ability, migration ability and invasion ability were all higher than group B (all P<0.05).When the C9ORF139 gene in the cells was knocked down, the apoptosis level of group B (28.56±8.07, 17.74±1.91) were higher than those of group A (0.31±0.27, 2.49±0.33)(all P<0.05); when co-transfected with miR-24-3P inhibitor, the apoptosis level (2.34±0.09, 3.06±0.06) were lower than those in group B (all P<0.05); when co-transfected with miR-24-3P and oe-TAOK1 in the plasmid group, the apoptosis level (2.16±1.29, 4.80±0.37) were also lower than those of group B (all P<0.05). In HL-60 and THP-1 cells, when C9ORF139 was not mutated, the luciferase activity of miR-24-3P group was lower than that of the miR-NC group (P<0.05). When the binding site with miR-24-3p in C9ORF139 sequence was mutated, the luciferase activity in miR-24-3p group was equivalent to that in miR-NC group (P>0.05).When TAOK1 was not mutated; the luciferase activity of miR-24-3P group was lower than that of group A (P<0.05). When the binding site with miR-24-3p in TAOK1 sequence was mutated, the luciferase activity in miR-24-3p group was equivalent to that in miR-NC group (P>0.05).When the C9ORF139 gene in HL-60 cells was knocked down and cultured for 72 h, the phosphorylation expression levels of Raf, MEK and ERK molecules in group B were significantly lower than those in group A (all P<0.05). By day 14, the tumor volume in the group A was greater than the tumor cell volume in the group B [(284.49±57.61) vs (125.70±18.64) mm³, P=0.017]. The tumor weight of HL-60 in group A was heavier than that of group B [(847.80±159.36) vs (408.40±113.16) mg, P=0.001]. Conclusions: LncRNA C9ORF139 regulates TAOK1 by sponging miR-24-3P to promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of acute myeloid leukemiacell.In vivo experiments have confirmed that the expression of C9ORF139 can promote the growth of subcutaneous tumors in AML nude mice.

Identifying Key Metabolites Associated with Glucosinolate Biosynthesis in Response to Nitrogen Management Strategies in Two Rapeseed (Brassica napus) Varieties

A high glucosinolate (GSL) concentration, an undesirable substance, has severely restricted rapeseed (Brassica species) development. We performed widely targeted metabolomics analysis based on the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) technology to analyze the metabolic profiles and identify the differential metabolites and GSL components in response to different nitrogen (N) levels in two rapeseed varieties. A total of 341 metabolites and 38 GSL components were detected in the seeds. A total of 188 differential metabolites, including 34 GSL components, were identified in response to different treatments, which were mapped into 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and GSL biosynthesis. Key indicators of GSL components highly responsible for different N levels under two contrasting varieties were recognized, i.e., 1-methylpropyl GSL and 4-methylthiobutyl GSL. This study suggests that the efficient N management and variety selection are important strategies for developing rapeseed with low GSLs.

A novel toll-like receptor from Crassostrea gigas is involved in innate immune response to Vibrio alginolyticus

Based on previous reports，toll-like receptors (TLRs) are recognition molecules common in various aquatic animals and play a vital role in innate immunity. In this study, a novel TLR CgToll-3 with leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) and a TIR (Toll-interleukin 1-resistance) domain was cloned in Crassostrea gigas. CgToll-3 with sixteen potential extracellular N-linked glycosylation sites and shares the closest phylogenic relationship with molluscan TLRs. Alignment of LRRs and TIR domains indicated that CgToll-3 was highly conserved compared to other LRRs of mollusks which could respond against Vibrio or other bacterial molecules, and contained three conserved functionally important motifs (Box 1, Box 2, and Box 3). The Hex Molecular Docking result showed that CgToll-3 could interact with CgMyd88 via the TIR domain. Subcellular Co-localization and BiFC Assay confirmed this interaction, and they could induce NF-κB activation. CgToll-3 was moderately expressed in the digestive gland, and its expression level was significantly up-regulated after Vibrio alginolyticus challenge. Taken together, CgToll-3 might be involved in the innate immune response to V. alginolyticus for C. gigas through a MyD88-dependent TLR mediated signaling pathway.

Effects of feeding solid-state fermented wheat bran on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens

Solid-state fermentation has been used to improve the nutritive value of feed ingredients. In the present study, we investigated the effects of solid-state fermented wheat bran (FWB) on growth performance and apparent digestibility in broiler chickens. We measured the growth performance (ADFI, ADG, feed conversion, livability, and European performance efficiency factor) over 38 d in chicks fed a corn-soybean meal control diet (CON) or CON plus wet FWB (25 g/kg [T₁]; 50 g/kg [T₂]); or T₁ plus 3 g/kg (T₃); or T₂ plus 6 g/kg (T₄) soybean oil). The same diets were used to determine nutrient availability in chicks aged 20 d. Regression equations for AME and AME_n were obtained using 20-day-old chicks fed either the corn-soybean meal basal diet only or basal diet partially substituted with 50, 150, or 300 g/kg DM FWB. Diets containing 25 or 50 g/kg wet FBW did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens, nor the apparent DM, energy, and nitrogen digestibility of the feeds, compared with the control diets (all P > 0.05). Further supplementation with oil did not improve the growth performance of broiler chickens compared with controls or chickens fed FBW. However, chickens fed diets containing soybean oil (T₃ or T₄) had lower (P = 0.005 and P = 0.040, respectively) apparent DM and energy digestibility than the control and FWB groups. The regression equations for AME and AME_n with the substitution of FWB produced values of 1,854.3 and 1,743.9 kcal/kg DM, respectively, and the equations were Y = 1854.3X + 52.7 (R² = 0.971, n = 24, P < 0.001), and Y = 1743.9X + 44.6 (R² = 0.978, n = 24, P < 0.001), respectively. Supplementation with wet FWB did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens. Therefore, FWB is a suitable feed component for broilers.

Molecular genetic characterization of acute myeloid leukemia with isolated trisomy of chromosomes 4, 11, and 21

BACKGROUND

Autosomal trisomy is a relatively rare abnormality observed in AML, occurring singly or as a secondary event in association with other karyotypic changes, and associated with prognosis. The molecular genetic and clinical characterizations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with isolated trisomy 4, 11, or 21 have been poorly investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization, reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction for 41 chromosomal gene translocations/fusion genes, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were performed on 29 AML patients with trisomy 4, 11, or 21 as the sole chromosomal anomaly.

RESULTS

Of the 29 patients, one or more mutations were detected in 93.1% of patients. CEBPA had the highest mutation frequency, followed by TET2, NPM1, DNMT3A, and FLT3-ITD. The sole +11 AML patients exhibited more mutations in FLT3-ITD (P = .031) than the sole +21 AML patients, while CEBPA mutation was more frequently found in the sole +21 AML patients than that in the sole +11 AML patients(P = .07). The median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with +11 were shorter than those with +4(P = .015, 0.046) or +21 (0.057, 0.064), but no difference was found between +4 patients and +21 patients. In the whole cohort, only the FLT3-ITD mutation was significantly associated with inferior OS (18 vs. 35 months, P = .023) and DFS (12 months vs. NR, P = .046). There were no significant differences in OS and DFS according to the gene mutation status of CEBPA, TET2, NPM1, DNMT3A, and IDH1/2.

CONCLUSION

There was a significantly different mutation profile among the sole +4, +11, +21 AML patients. Our research provided new insight into the molecular characteristics of AML with isolated trisomy.

Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia with the KMT2A-Mixed Lineage Leukemia T10 Fusion: An Analysis of 10 Cases Showed Common Features and Frequent Mutations in the RAS Signaling Pathway

Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) T10 is a relatively rare partner for the KMT2A lysine (K)-specific methyltransferase 2A gene. The common features and coexisting mutations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 remain unknown. In this study, 10 adult AML patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 fusions were picked up from 496 AML patients by using RT-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization, and then screened for mutations in the 49 genes panel with next-generation sequencing and PCR, followed by direct Sanger sequencing. Of the 10 unique individuals identified, 6 were male and 4 were female (M:F ratio, 1.5:1) with ages ranging from 19 to 52 years (median 39.5 years). Most (90%, 9/10) patients with KMT2A-MLLT10 were accompanied by additional mutations. Twelve mutated genes were detected, averaging 2.1 mutations per patient (range, 0-4). The most frequently mutated gene was NRAS (n = 5). Clinical and laboratory data pointed to common features: French American British-M5 subtype (n = 7), a high rate of relapse, and biomarkers CD33 (n = 10), CD117 (n = 9), CD13 (n = 8), and CD64 (n = 8). Overall, most patients harbored at least one mutation. A high incidence of mutations affecting the RAS signaling pathway or RAS regulating components was found in 50% (5/10) patients. The overall survival is about 12.0 months. Allogeneic-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation trends to improve survival in selected patients.

Radiotherapy for Primary Tracheal Carcinoma: Experience at a Single Institution

Background:

There is limited understanding of tracheal carcinoma (TC) because of its rarity. We examined the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) for patients with primary TC.

Methods:

We analyzed the records of 32 patients with primary TC who received RT at our center between November 1996 and December 2016.

Results:

Thirteen patients received adjuvant RT and 18 received definitive RT. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR) after definitive RT. Among all patients, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 46.9% and the locoregional progression free survival (LRPFS) rate was 68.1%. Univariate analysis indicated the 5-year OS was better in those with adenoid cystic adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.001); the 5-year LRPFS was better in patients who received surgical resection than those who did not (92.9% vs 46.4%, P = 0.013) and in patients who received postoperative RT than in those who received definitive RT (91.7% vs 50.1%, P = 0.038). A sub-group univariate analysis indicated the 5-year PFS was better for those who received at least 68 Gy of radiation (44.4% vs 13.0%, P = 0.044). Patients who achieved CR had a better 5-year PFS than those who did not (57.1% vs 10%, P = 0.006). No patients had a toxicity of grade 3 or more.

Conclusions:

Adjuvant and definitive RT are safe and effective treatments for TC. Patients who received dosages of 68 Gy or more and who had complete tumor regression following definitive RT seemed to have better long-term survival.

A novel C-type lectin from Crassostrea gigas involved in the innate defense against Vibrio alginolyticus

C-type lectins (CTLs) are important immune molecules that participate in invertebrate defense response. In the present work, a novel structural CTL (CgLec-4E) was identified from Crassostrea gigas, which encodes 237 amino acids (aa) with an extra long chain of aa and in the C-type CRD domain with EPA, QPG and WHD mutated motifs respectively. rCgLec-4E could agglutinate and inhibit the growth of Vibrio alginolyticus, except Chlorella, which might be relevant to three mutated motifs. CgLec-4E was mainly expressed in digestive gland, and its expression level was significantly up-regulated post V. alginolyticus challenge, indicating that the high expression of CgLec-4E could provide necessary mucosal immune protections and might involve in food particle recognition for C. gigas. Moreover, the subcellular locations indicated that CgLec-4E might play different roles in the immune response. Taken together, our results enrich our understanding of the structures and function of CTLs in invertebrates.

Combination of Gemcitabine and Thymosin alpha 1 exhibit a better anti-tumor effect on nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NNKTL) is an aggressive and poor prognostic malignant tumor along with high-level infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Gemcitabine (Gem) and Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) exert an anti-tumor effect in various cancers. However, the effect of the combination of Gem and Tα1 in NNKTL remains unknown.

METHODS

SNK6 cells were treated with Gem, Tα1 and Gem plus Tα1 for 48 h. The expression levels of EBV and inflammatory factors were measured by qRT-PCR assay. The effect of Gem and Tα1 on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy was detected by CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, autophagic flux measurement, respectively. Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis and autophagy. In vivo xenograft models were used to further verify the roles of Gem and Tα1. Tumors were removed for weight measurement, H&E and IHC staining.

RESULTS

We identified that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Gem and Tα1 was 116.5 μmol/ml and 1.334 μmol/ml. Alone or combined administration of Gem and Tα1 dramatically attenuated the EBV viral load and promoted inflammatory factors expression in SNK6 cells, among which the combination of Gem and Tα1 treatment showed the most significant effect. Besides, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 markedly inhibited cell growth and EMT progress, and enhanced apoptosis and autophagy. Similarly, Gem combined with Tα1 suppressed tumor growth, promoted apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Additionally, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

CONCLUSION

In summary, combination administration of Gem and Tα1 suppressed the progression of NNKTL in vivo and in vitro. Our study provided an effective therapeutic strategy potentially for the clinical treatment of NNKTL.

Myeloid/lymphoid neoplasm with CEP110-FGFR1 fusion: An analysis of 16 cases show common features and poor prognosis

Objectives: The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is an extremely rare, generally aggressive haematologic malignancies. This study provided the clinical outcomes and therapeutic strategies for EMS patients confirmed with CEP110-FGFR1 fusion. Methods: We report here a case of translocation (8;9) (p12;q33)/CEP110-FGFR1 who received allo-HSCT and achieved molecular remission. We searched the PubMed database for relevant medical literatures published between 1992 and 2018. We generalized the laboratory results, clinical features, therapeutic outcomes for EMS with confirmed CEP110-FGFR1 fusion. Results: We identified 16 EMS cases with CEP110-FGFR1 fusions including our patient. The observed common syndrome features were characterized as follows: a male predominance, fatigue (35.7%), tonsil hypertrophy (41.7%), lymphadenopathy (53.8%), hepatosplenomegaly (54.5%). leukocytosis (greater than 20.0 × 10⁹/L, 71.4%), coexisting of eosinophilia and monocytosis (93.3%), and frequent progression to acute leukaemia. High incidence of tonsil hypertrophy and monocytosis may be a feature of EMS with CEP110/FGFR1 fusions. The CR rate for EMS was 23.1%. One patient treated with highly selective FGFR kinase inhibitor, INCB054828, achieved complete molecular remission rapidly. Allo-HSCT was performed in 8 patients. The median survival time for those patients was 9.0 (95%CI 5.599-12.601) months, with a range between 5 and 27 months. Allogeneic HSCT could improve survival in selected patients. Conclusion: FGFR1 and RUNX1 may be potential therapeutic targets for clinical trials. More accumulation of cases is also needed to determine whether allo-HSCT could be an optimal approach.

Preparation, characterization, and pharmacodynamic study on deep second degree burns of total flavonoids composite phospholipids liposome gel of Oxytropis falcata Bunge

Wound healing is the treatment problem after deep second degree (II°) burns. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB/inhibitory factor-κB (NF-κB/IκB) signal pathways play significant role in angiogenesis and wound repair after burns.This study aimed to investigate the preparation, characterization and pharmacodynamics of the total flavonoids composite phospholipids liposome of Oxytropis falcata Bunge (TFOFB-CPL) on deep II° burns to research its biological activity and underlying mechanism. The TFOFB-CPL was prepared by thin-film dispersion method and the preparation process was optimized via central composite design. The TFOFB-CPL was then characterized by using particle size, polydispersity indexes (PDIs), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE) and morphology. Moerover, in vitro transdermal test and in vivo pharmacodynamic study included wound healing rate, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, masson staning, western blotting and RT-PCR. The results showed that the therapeutic effects of TFOFB-CPL gel on deep II° burns, especially during wound healing were significant. TFOFB-CPL gel has a sustained-release effect during the treatment of deep II° burns with forming drug depot in the dermis layer. The wound healing rate of TFOFB-CPL gel group was near positive group and better than the other groups. TFOFB-CPL gel could promote the growth of epidermis, skin appendages, fibrovascular and collagen fibers, and had obvious anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, TFOFB-CPL gel inhibited the activation of p38MAPK and the degradation of IκBα, and promoted the neonatal wounds during the early stage. Therefore, TFOFB-CPL gel could be considered as a novel preparation for treating deep II° burns.

[Analysis of ASXL1 gene variant in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To detect ASXL1 gene variants among patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and explore their correlation with variants of other genes and clinical features of patients.

METHODS

For 149 patients with MDS, genomic DNA was amplified by PCR and subject to direct sequencing to identify variants of ASXL1, U2AF1, SF3B1, DNMT3A, TET2, IDH1/2, NPM1, FLT3-ITD and C-KIT genes.

RESULTS

ASXL1 variants were found among 37 patients (24.8%). Other commonly mutated genes included U2AF1 (22.8%), TET2 (11.4%), DNMT3A (9.4%), NPM1 (8.1%) and SF3B1 (6.0%). The frequency of concurrent U2AF1 and TET2 variants among patients with ASXL1 variants was slightly higher than that of wild-type patients. No significant difference was found in median age, MDS subtype, karyotype, peripheral leukocytes, hemoglobin, platelet levels, and bone marrow blast counts between the ASXL1-variant and the wild-type groups (P> 0.05). Twenty-nine patients harboring ASXL1 variants were followed up, 37.9% progressed to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The rate of transformation in ASXL1-variant group was significantly higher than the wild-type group (37.9% vs. 14.1%, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSION

ASXL1 showed a high frequency of variant among MDS patients, which was frequently accompanied with U2AF1 and TET2 variants. Compared with the wild type group, patients with ASXL1 variants were more likely to progress to AML.

Preparation and anti-Raji lymphoma efficacy of a novel pH sensitive and magnetic targeting nanoparticles drug delivery system

BACKGROUND

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogeneous class of cancers that arises in lymph nodes or other lymphatic tissues, which causes many deaths worldwide and its incidence is increasing.

METHODS

In this study, a pH-responsive DMSA-Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) covalently connect with ADM and As₂O₃ as a drug delivery system was invented to discuss the anticancer efficacy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cell line--Raji.

RESULTS

Detailedly, according to the chelation of ADM and Fe²⁺, the release rate of ADM was accelerated in acidic environment, and slowed down/blocked in neutral environment. The inhibitory effect to induce apoptosis of Fe₃O₄/As₂O₃+Doxil on Raji cells was obvious compared with that of single-drug group. Furthermore, the expression of Bcl-2 gene in Raji cells was suppressed under the action of MNPs.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the novel pH-responsive MNPs was proven to be a promising synergistic form of magnetic targeted drugs for clinical treatment of human Raji lymphoma.

[Coexisting mutations in NPM1-mutated elderly adults with acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To explore the coexisting mutations in NPM1 mutated elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML). Methods: The clinical data of 152 elderly adults(aged≥60 years) and 49 young adults(aged 18-45 years) with AML between June 2013 and December 2018 in outpatient and hospitalized patients of Changzhou Second People's Hospital and Wuxi Second People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 51 gene mutations were detected using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and sanger sequencing. The general clinical characteristics, the occurrence of coexistence gene mutations, the correlation between coexistence gene mutations and some clinical parameters, and the initial induction remission rate between elderly and young adult AML patients with NPM1 mutations were analyzed and compared. Results: NPM1 mutations were detected in 46 of 152 elderly AML patients. Thirty eight patients (82.6%) with NPM1 mutations carried other gene mutations at the same time, among whom 8 patients (17.4%) carried NPM1 mutations alone, while 14(30.4%) carried 2, 16 (34.8%) carried 3, and 8 (17.4%) carried ≥ 4 mutations. NPM1 mutations frequently co-occurred with FLT3-ITD15 cases (32.6%) , DNMT3A10 (21.7%) , TET26 (13.4%) and FLT3-TKD5 (10.9%) . Compared with young adults with NPM1 mutations, elderly patients had higher TP53, FLT3-TKD rates, lower incidence of DNMT3A, RAS mutation (all P<0.05) and lower coexistence rate of 4 gene mutations (P=0.002).The presence of ≥ 4 mutations was found to be significantly associated with higher white blood level than those in patients with single, double and 3 mutations coexisted in elderly adults AML patients(all P<0.05). With the increase of the amount of mutations, the complete remission(CR) rate decreased gradually after the initial induction. Patients who carried 3 or more mutations showed a lower CR rate than those with single gene mutations (all P<0.05) . Patients who carried>4 genes also showed a significantly lower CR rate than those with double gene mutations (P=0.031). Patients with FLT3-ITD mutations exhibited higher white blood level and lower CR rate than that in nonmutant type group (all P<0.05). The CR rate of patients with DNMT3A mutation was also significantly lower than that with nonmutant type (P=0.033). However, patients with FLT3-TKD mutations showed a higher platelet level than that with nonmutant type (P=0.019). There was no significant difference in CR rate and peripheral blood cell level between TET2 mutated and nonmutant type. Conclusion: NPM1 mutated elderly patients with AML commonly show additional mutations, and the amount and type of coexisting mutations have an influence on the clinical features and CR rate of elderly patients with AML.

[Mutation analysis of 77 patients with normal-karyotype myelodysplastic syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To carry out mutation analysis for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and a normal karyotype.

METHODS

Targeted capture and next-generation sequencing (NGS) was carried out using a customized 49-gene panel. FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), CALR, NPM1 and CEBPA mutations were detected by PCR and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients (80.5%) were found to harbor at least one mutation. Each patient has carried 2.21 mutations in average. Coexistence of ≥ 3 mutations was common (43.7%). The most commonly mutated genes were RUNX1 (23.4%, 18/77), ASXL1 (18.2%, 14/77), NPM1 (15.6%, 12/77), U2AF1 (15.6%, 12/77), DNMT3A (11.7%, 9/77). Patients with SF3B1 mutations were significantly older than those with ASXL1 mutations (P=0.023). Mutations of the DNMT3A gene were significantly associated with the blood platelet level compared with BCOR mutations (P=0.02). No significant difference was found in the number and rate of mutations between those under or above 60-year-old. Among 67 patients with clinical follow-up, 20 (29.8%) has transformed to acute myeloid leukemia, and the time of transformation has ranged from 1 to 44 months, with a average of 5.3 months. RUNX1, U2AF1 and FLT3 mutations are associated with leukemic transformation.

CONCLUSION

Coexistence of ≥ 3 mutations are frequent among patients with normal-karyotype MDS. Certain mutations are associated with age and leukemic transformation.

In Situ Growth of Metal-Organic Frameworks in Three-Dimensional Aligned Lumen Arrays of Wood for Rapid and Highly Efficient Organic Pollutant Removal

Organic contaminants in water have become one of the most serious environmental problems worldwide. Adsorption is one of the most promising approaches to remove organic pollutants from water. However, the existing adsorbents have relatively low removal efficiency, complex preparation processes, and high cost, which limit their practical applications. Here, we developed three-dimensional (3D) zirconium metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) encapsulated in a natural wood membrane (UiO-66/wood membrane) for highly efficient organic pollutant removal from water. UiO-66 MOFs were in situ grown in the 3D low-tortuosity wood lumens by a facile solvothermal strategy. The resulting UiO-66/wood membrane contains the highly mesoporous UiO-66 MOF structure as well as many elongated and open lumens along the direction of the wood growth. Such a unique structural feature improves the mass transfer of organic pollutants and increases the contact probability of organic contaminants with UiO-66 MOFs as the water flows through the membrane, thereby improving the removal efficiency. Furthermore, the integrated multilayer filter consisting of three pieces of UiO-66/wood membranes exhibits a high removal efficiency (96.0%) for organic pollutants such as rhodamine 6G, propranolol, and bisphenol A at the flux of 1.0 × 10³ L·m^-2·h^-1. The adsorbed capacity of UiO-66/wood for Rh6G (based on the content of UiO-66 MOFs) is calculated to be 690 mg·g^-1. We believe that such low-cost and scalable production of the UiO-66/wood membrane has broad applications for wastewater treatment and other related pollutant removal.

Psychological Capital and Perceived Professional Benefits: Testing the Mediating Role of Perceived Nursing Work Environment Among Chinese Nurses

The current descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to explore the mediating role of perceived nursing work environment (PNWE) in the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived professional benefits among Chinese nurses. Participants (N = 351) working in two large general hospitals in Guangdong, China completed self-report questionnaires from March to May 2017. Linear regression analyses and structural equation modeling were performed to explore the mediating effect. PsyCap (particularly for hope and optimism) had a positive effect on perceived professional benefits, and PNWE was a mediator in this relationship among Chinese nurses. A good working environment can be regarded as a mediator variable, increasing staff's competence and sense of belonging to a team. For successful implementation, nurse managers should use effective strategies to increase nurses' confidence and hope while providing a comfortable work environment. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(4), 38-47.].

Molecular characterization and expression of interleukin-10 and interleukin-22 in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) in response to Streptococcus agalactiae stimulus

In the present study, members of the interleukin (IL)-10 family of cytokines, including IL-10 (TOIL-10) and IL-22 (TOIL-22) of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), were cloned for the first time, and their expression patterns and 3D structures analyzed. The full-length cDNA sequences of TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 contained open reading frames of 564 and 567 bp, respectively. TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 shared higher homology (78%-89%) with the corresponding genes from various fish relative to other species (25%-34%) and contained the IL-10 family signature and four cysteine residues that are well conserved in other vertebrate IL-10 members. Phylogenetic tree analysis of our sequences alongside other IL-10 family proteins revealed that TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 cluster together with other teleost IL-10 and IL-22 molecules. Expression of TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 genes was ubiquitous in all tissues examined. The TOIL-10 gene was also highly expressed in skin, heart, gill, spleen, kidney, brain and liver, and lower levels were detected in intestine and muscle. High expression of the TOIL-22 gene was observed in gill, intestine, kidney, spleen, with the lowest levels in liver. TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 were rapidly activated after SAΔphoB immunization and significantly increased to peak levels at 12 h and 4 d in golden pompano kidney and spleen respectively following challenge. Expression in the brain reached peak levels at 4 d and 3 d respectively after post-immunization. Our results collectively indicate that TOIL-10 and TOIL-22 participate in the host immune response to bacterial infection. Moreover, TOIL-22 plays a potentially important role in mucosal immunity.

Construction of a Streptococcus agalactiae phoB mutant and evaluation of its potential as an attenuated modified live vaccine in golden pompano, Trachinotus ovatus

Streptococcus agalactiae is a Gram-positive pathogen that can survive inside professional phagocytes and nonphagocytic cells to cause septicemia and meningoencephalitis in freshwater and marine fish. However, vaccines based on extracellular products (ECP) and formalin-killed whole S. agalactiae cells, as well as subunit vaccine are unable to protect fish from infection by variant serotypes S. agalactiae. The search for live attenuated vaccine with highly conserved and virulent-related genes is essential for producing a vaccine to help understand and control streptococcosis In this study, the phoB gene was cloned from pathogenic S. agalactiae TOS01 strain and the mutant strain SAΔphoB was constructed via allelic exchange mutagenesis. The results showed that the deduced amino acid of S. agalactiae TOS01 shares high similarities with other Streptococcus spp. and has high conserved response regulator receiver domain (REC) and DNA-binding effector domain of two-component system response regulators (Trans_reg_C). Cell adherence and invasion assays, challenge experiments and histopathological changes post-vaccination were performed and observed, the results showed that the mutant strain SAΔphoB has a lower adherence and invasion rate and less virulent than the wild type strain in golden pompano, and it doesn't induce clinical symptoms and obvious pathological changes in golden pompano, thereby indicating that the deletion of phoB affects the virulence and infectious capacity of S. agalactiae. Golden pompano vaccinated via intraperitoneal injection SAΔphoB had the relative percent survival value of 93.1% after challenge with TOS01, demonstrating its high potential as an effective attenuated live vaccine candidate. Real-time PCR assays showed that the SAΔphoB was able to enhance the expression of immune-related genes, including MHC-I, MyD88, IL-22 and IL-10 after vaccination, indicating that the SAΔphoB is able to induce humoral and cell-mediated immune response in golden pompano over a long period of time.

[Efficacy of semicircular canal occlusion in the treatment of stage 3 or 4 Ménière's disease]

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of semicircular canal occlusion in the treatment of intractable Ménière's disease in stage 3 or 4.Method:Retrospective analysis of clincal date of twenty-nine patients who were referred to our institute and diagonsed with Ménière's disease. According to the preoperative staging of hearing, there were 12 cases in stage 3 and 17 cases in stage 4, and all patients underwent semicircular canal occlusion. The preoperative and postoperative frequency of vertigo, hearing, caloric test, functional level and tinnitus level were compared. Postoperative following-up period was 6-23 months, with an average of 13 months.Result:Postoperatively, vertigo was controlled effectively in all 29 cases, of which 26 cases(89.7%) were completely controlled and 3 cases(10.3%) were basic controlled. The hearing stabilized in 25 cases(86.2%), worse in 2 cases(6.9%) and improved in 2 cases(6.9%). The semicircular canal function of all patients were in low status by caloric test. The rate of tinnitus relief and functional improvement was 41.4%(12/29) and 96.6%(28/29).Conclusion:Semicircular canal occlusion is an effective measure for treatment of Ménière's disease in stage 3 or stage 4, especially in controlling vertigo and improving functional level, but the long-term follow-up is necessary.

Osteoblast differentiation of rabbit adipose-derived stem cells by polyethylenimine-mediated BMP-2 gene transfection in vitro

The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of polyethylenimine-mediated transfection of the human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene into rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), and its effect on osteoblast differentiation. Adipose tissue was isolated from the necks of adult Japanese white rabbits and cultured in vitro to obtain ADSCs. Gene delivery of BMP-2 was mediated by polyethylenimine and stable transformants were selected by G-418. The expression of BMP-2 mRNA was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and of the BMP-2 protein by ELISA. Osteocalcin and collagen type I were detected by western blot and by an alkaline phosphatase kit. Alizarin red S stain was also utilized to examine osteogenesis. The non-transfected group was considered as a control. In this study, we successfully derived ADSCs from rabbit adipose tissue. Through passages 3-6, the expression of CD29 and CD44 gradually increased, whereas the expression of CD34 and CD45 gradually decreased. Both mRNA and protein expression of BMP-2 were confirmed following polyethylenimine-mediated BMP-2 gene delivery. In addition, the expression of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and collagen type I was found to be upregulated and alizarin red S staining was positive in transfected ADSCs, indicating BMP-2-induced osteogenesis. Therefore, this study determined that polyethylenimine was able to mediate BMP-2 gene delivery and induce osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs.

A g-C3N4/rGO nanocomposite as a highly efficient metal-free photocatalyst for direct C–H arylation under visible light irradiation

A metal-free highly efficient sandwich structured g-C₃N₄/rGO photocatalyst for direct C–H arylation under visible light irradiation has been reported.

[To study the effect of intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on sudden deafness]

Objective:To observe the efficacy of intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on the treatment of sudden deafness.Method:One hundred and forty-nine patients diagnosed as sudden deafness were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group. The control group was treated with the conventional medication and methylprednisolone(0.5 ml)+0.9%NaCl(0.5 ml), once every three days for two weeks. The observation group was added with mouse nerve growth factor(0.5 ml) once every three days for two weeks.Result:The total effective rate in the observation group of hearing, tinnitus and vertigo were respective 93.4%, 77.8%,85.2%, which were higher than 80.8%, 63.0%, 67.2%.in the control group.And the differences between them had statistical significance(P< 0.05).Conclusion:Effect of the intratympanic injection with mouse nerve growth factor and methylprednisolone on the treatment of sudden deafness is obvious, which can effectively improve hearing level, and relieve tinnitus and vertigo.

Characterization and identification of streptococci from golden pompano in China

Streptococcal infections cause significant mortality and high economic losses in the fish farm industry worldwide, including in the culture of golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus L., a species gaining popularity in China. A total of 9 streptococcal strains were isolated from cage-cultured diseased golden pompano in Beihai, Zhanjing, and Shenzhen, China, between 2012 and 2014. Conventional and rapid identification systems were used to determine that the isolates were Streptococcus agalactiae, S. iniae, and S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae. All isolates were gram-positive cocci cells in pairs or short-chain, non-motile, catalase negative, α or β hemolytic cocci. The results of multiplex PCR assays and 16S rRNA BLAST analysis also showed that the β hemolytic strains were S. agalactiae and S. iniae and the α hemolytic strain was S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae, respectively. Pathogenicity assays revealed that S. agalactiae (lethal dose [LD50]: 6.38 × 10(4) CFU ml(-1)) was more virulent for golden pompano than S. iniae (LD50: 1.47 × 10(7) CFU ml(-1)) and S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae (LD50: 2.57 × 10(6) CFU ml(-1)) when they were challenged by intraperiotoneal (i.p.) injection. The results of antibiotic susceptibility showed that all strains were extremely susceptible to cefradine, erythromycin, and cefotaxime but resistant to gentamicin, penicillin G, novobiocin, neomycin, ciprofloxacin, roxithromycin, furazolidone, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, kanamycin, ampicillin, tetracycline, and vancomycin This is the first report of a phenomenon of golden pompano coinfection with S. agalactiae and S. iniae, which will contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of streptococcicosis.

Ratiometric electrochemical immunoassay based on internal reference value for reproducible and sensitive detection of tumor marker

A ratiometric assay in an electrochemical immunosensor for tumor marker, herein carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was chosen as a model analyte, was developed to improve simplicity and accuracy. The immunosensor was fabricated via the simple expedient way of using Polythionine-gold (PTh-Au) as electrode modified material to be an internal reference signal and K3[Fe(CN)6] in electrolyte as an indicator signal. When the CEA was fixed on the modified electrode via immunoreaction, only the indicator signal sensitively altered; by contrast, the internal reference signal of PTh-Au remained constant at a suitable pH of the electrolyte. The ratio between the alterations of the indicator signal of K3[Fe(CN)6] and the constant internal reference signal can be used to monitor the concentration of CEA reliably, reproducibly, and sensitively. The prepared ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor could detect CEA with good specificity within a wide linear range from 0.005ng/ml to 40ng/ml with a detection limit of 2.2pg/ml. Additionally, experimental results confirm that our proposed method is practical. Thus, this method can expand to recognize and test other protein markers.