Effects of Mesalamine Combined with Live Combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus Capsules on Intestinal Mucosa Barrier Function and Intestinal Microbiota in Mildly Active Crohn's Disease Patients

Objective: This study is aimed at investigating the impact of mesalamine combined with Live combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus capsules on intestinal mucosa barrier function and intestinal microbiota in mildly active Crohn's disease patients.Methods: Ninety-six Crohn's disease patients in mild activity period were randomized into the control group (treated with mesalamine) and the observation group (treated with mesalamine combined with Live combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus capsules) (n = 48). After 4 wk of treatment, the patients were evaluated for their clinical efficacy. Intestinal microbiota counts, serum inflammatory factors, T lymphocyte subsets, and mucosal barrier function indicators in both groups were assessed.Results: After 4 wk of treatment, the total clinical effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group. The number of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) and Bifidobacterium Longum (B. longum) in the intestinal tract, serum IL-10 levels, and peripheral blood CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ levels were higher, and the number of Bacteroides vulgatus (B. vulgatus), the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, CD8+, ET, D-lactate, DAO, and urine L/M ratio were lower in the observation group in comparison to those in the control group (all p < 0.05).Conclusion: Mesalamine combined with Live combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus capsules are more effective in treating mildly active Crohn's disease.

Risk Factors and Risk Assessment for Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the pertinent risk factors associated with post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) and develop a predictive scoring system for assessing the risk of PEP in patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures.

STUDY DESIGN

Descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Gastroenterology, Nantong First People's Hospital, Jiangsu, China, from January 2022 to January 2023.

METHODOLOGY

Clinical data of 375 patients who underwent successful ERCP treatment were collected and organised. Relevant risk factors for PEP were analysed, and a scoring system was established to predict the risk of PEP.

RESULTS

Among the 375 patients who underwent ERCP, the incidence of PEP was 9.07% (34/375). Univariate analysis revealed that female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), and biliary stenting were risk factors for PEP. Multivariate analysis showed that female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, and SOD were independent risk factors for PEP. A scoring system was developed, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined a cut-off value of 1.5 points. Patients with a score less than 1.5 points had a low probability of developing PEP, while those with a score greater than 1.5 points had a significantly higher probability of PEP.

CONCLUSION

Female gender, pancreatic duct opacification, difficult cannulation, operation time ≥45 minutes, and SOD were independent risk factors for PEP. Additionally, a reliable scoring system was established to predict the risk of PEP. Clinicians can use this scoring system to assess the risk of PEP in patients and implement preventive measures to reduce the incidence of PEP.

KEY WORDS

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, Post-ERCP pancreatitis, Risk factors, Risk assessment, Preventive measure.

Circular RNA circWNK1 inhibits the progression of gastric cancer via regulating the miR-21-3p/SMAD7 axis

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options for advanced-stage patients. Recent studies have highlighted the role of circular RNA (circRNA) as a novel regulator of cancer progression in various malignancies. However, the underlying mechanisms by which circRNA contributes to the development and progression of GC remain poorly understood. In this study, we utilized microarrays and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to identify and validate a downregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0003251 (referred to as circWNK1), in paired GC and normal tissues. Through a series of in vitro and in vivo gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays, we demonstrated that circWNK1 exerts inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells. Additionally, we discovered that circWNK1 acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for SMAD7 by sequestering miR-21-3p. Our findings were supported by comprehensive biological information analysis, as well as RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter gene, and western blot assays. Notably, the downregulation of circWNK1 in GC cells resulted in reduced SMAD7 expression, subsequently activating the TGF-β signaling pathway. Collectively, our study reveals that circWNK1 functions as a tumor suppressor in GC by regulating the miR-21-3p/SMAD7-mediated TGF-β signaling pathway. Furthermore, circWNK1 holds promise as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.

[Long-term outcomes of intravascular ultrasound-guided drug-eluting stents implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome: ULTIMATE ACS subgroup]

Objective: To explore the long-term effects of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance on patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation. Methods: Data used in this study derived from ULTIMATE trial, which was a prospective, multicenter, randomized study. A total of 1 448 all-comer patients were enrolled between 2014 August and 2017 May. Primary endpoint of this study was target vessel failure (TVF) at 3 years, including cardiac death, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, and clinically-driven target vessel revascularization. Results: ACS was present in 1 136 (78.5%) patients, and 3-year clinical follow-up was available in 1 423 patients (98.3%). TVF in the ACS group was 9.6% (109/1 136), which was significantly higher than 4.5% (14/312) in the non-ACS group (log-rank P=0.005). There were 109 TVFs in the ACS patients, with 7.6% (43/569) TVFs in the IVUS group and 11.6% (66/567) TVFs in the angiography group (log-rank P=0.019). Moreover, patients with optimal IVUS guidance were associated with a lower risk of 3-year TVF compared to those with suboptimal IVUS results (5.4% (16/296) vs. 9.9% (27/273),log-rank P=0.041). Conclusions: This ULTIMATE-ACS subgroup analysis showed that ACS patients undergoing DES implantation were associated with a higher risk of 3-year TVF. More importantly, the risk of TVF could be significantly decreased through IVUS guidance in patients with ACS, especially in those who had an IVUS-defined optimal procedure.

[Synergistic effect of azacitidine with homoharringtonine by activating the c-MYC/DDIT3/PUMA axis in acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: This study aimed to explore the synergistic effect and underlying mechanism of azacitidine (AZA) in combination with homoharringtonine (HHT) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) . Methods: The synergistic effects of AZA and HHT were examined by cell proliferation, apoptosis, and colony formation assays. The synergistic effects were calculated using the combination index (CI) , and the underlying mechanisms were explored using RNA sequencing, pathway inhibitors, and gene knockdown approaches. Results: Compared with the single-drug controls, AZA and HHT combination significantly induced cell proliferation arrest and showed a synergistic effect with CI < 0.9 in AML cells. In the combination group versus the single-drug controls, colony formation was significantly decreased, whereas apoptosis was significantly increased in U937 (P<0.001) and MV4-11 (P<0.001) cells. AZA and HHT combination activated the integrated stress response (ISR) signaling pathway and induced DDIT3-PUMA-dependent apoptosis in cells. Furthermore, it remarkably downregulated the expression of c-MYC. The combination also activated c-MYC/DDIT3/PUMA-mediated ISR signaling to induce synergy on apoptosis. The synergy of AZA+HHT on apoptosis was induced by activating c-MYC/DDIT3/PUMA-mediated ISR signaling. Conclusion: The combination of AZA and HHT exerts synergistic anti-AML effects by inhibiting cellular proliferation and promoting apoptosis through activation of the ISR signaling pathway via the c-MYC/DDIT3/PUMA axis.

Nuclear Charge Radius of ^{26m}Al and Its Implication for V_{ud} in the Quark Mixing Matrix

Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the isomer of the aluminium isotope ^{26m}Al. The measured isotope shift to ^{27}Al in the 3s^{2}3p ^{2}P_{3/2}^{○}→3s^{2}4s ^{2}S_{1/2} atomic transition enabled the first experimental determination of the nuclear charge radius of ^{26m}Al, resulting in R_{c}=3.130(15)  fm. This differs by 4.5 standard deviations from the extrapolated value used to calculate the isospin-symmetry breaking corrections in the superallowed β decay of ^{26m}Al. Its corrected Ft value, important for the estimation of V_{ud} in the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, is thus shifted by 1 standard deviation to 3071.4(1.0) s.

Clinical value of BISAP score combined with CRP and NLR in evaluating the severity of acute pancreatitis

To investigate the clinical value of bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score combined with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting the severity of early acute pancreatitis. A total of 113 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from September 2019 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and divided into mild acute pancreatitis group (51 cases), moderately severe acute pancreatitis group (32 cases) and severe acute pancreatitis group (30 cases) according to the severity of the disease. The general clinical data, laboratory test indicators, and imaging data within 72 hours were collected and compared among the 3 groups. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of BISAP score, BISAP combined with CRP, BISAP combined with NLR, and BISAP combined with CRP and NLR in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve. 1. BISAP score (0.9608 ± 0.1119, 1.688 ± 0.1225, 2.6 ± 0.1135), CRP (74.77 ± 8.336, 142.9 ± 11.44, 187.6 ± 13.04), and NLR (8.063 ± 0.7781, 13.69 ± 1.023, 18.06 ± 1.685) increased sequentially in mild acute pancreatitis group, moderately severe acute pancreatitis group, and severe acute pancreatitis group, and the differences in BISAP score, CRP and NLR among the 3 groups were statistically significant (P < .05). BISAP score was positively correlated with CRP and NLR (R = 0.5062, 0.5247, P < .05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of BISAP score, CRP, NLR, BISAP combined with NLR, and BISAP combined with CRP in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis were 0.885, 0.814, 0.714, 0.953, respectively. The specificity and sensitivity of combined diagnosis were higher than those of BISAP score or CRP and NLR alone. BISAP score combined with CRP and NLR can effectively evaluate the severity of acute pancreatitis, and their combination has a higher predictive value for early severity assessment.

Quantifying seaweed and seagrass beach deposits using high-resolution UAV imagery

Macroalgae and seagrass wash ashore by tidal waters and episodic events and create an ocean-to-land transport of carbon and nutrients. On land, these deposits (beach wrack) are consumed by macrofauna, remineralized by microorganisms, or washed back to the sea, during which recycling of carbon and nitrogen affect the biochemical cycles in coastal zones. Manual quantification of beach wracks is time-consuming and often difficult due to complex topography and remote locations. Here, we present a novel method using Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry combined with in situ measurements of carbon and nitrogen contents of wrack to quantify marine carbon and nutrient deposits in beach zones. The UAV method was tested against placed cubes ranging from 125 to 88,218 cm³ and demonstrated a high accuracy (R² > 0.99) for volume acquisition when compared to manual measurements. Also, the UAV-based assessments of the cross-sectional area of beach deposits demonstrated a high accuracy when compared to manual and high-precision GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) measurements without significant differences between the methods. This demonstrated that UAVs can provide detailed spatial maps, three-dimensional (3D) surface models, and accurate volumetric assessments of beach wrack deposits. In three case studies, combined with carbon and nitrogen measures, total organic carbon and nitrogen deposits in beach wracks were quantified ranging from 4.3 to 9.7 and from 0.3 to 0.5 kg per meter coastline, respectively. In conclusion, this UAV method demonstrated an effective tool to quantify ecosystem carbon and nitrogen deposits relevant to ecosystem assessments and quantification of blue carbon stocks. The method is optimal when the terrain below beach wrack deposits is known, as in the case with before-and-after or repeated surveys. Further, UAVs display strong time- and cost-effective advantages over manual methods which is amplified with increasing project scale. We propose it as a valuable method for multiple scientific and commercial applications related to environmental monitoring and management, including marine resource exploration and exploitation.

RIB induced reactions: Studying astrophysical reactions with low-energy RI beam at CRIB

Astrophysical reactions involving radioactive isotopes (RI) often play an important role in high-temperature stellar environments. The experimental studies on the reaction rates for those are still limited mainly due to the technical difficulties in producing high-quality RI beams. A direct measurement of those reactions would be still challenging in many cases, however, we can make a reliable evaluation of the reaction rates by an indirect method or by studying the resonance prorerties. Here we ntroduce recent examples of experimental studies on such RI-involving astrophysical reactions, performed at Center for Nuclear Study, the University of Tokyo, using the low-energy RI beam separator CRIB. One is for the neutron-induced destruction reactions of 7Be in the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, and the other is the study on the 22Mg(α, p) reaction relevant in X-ray bursts, which was performed with the resonant scattering method from the inverse reaction channel.

Impact of Nuclear Deformation and Pairing on the Charge Radii of Palladium Isotopes

The impact of nuclear deformation can been seen in the systematics of nuclear charge radii, with radii generally expanding with increasing deformation. In this Letter, we present a detailed analysis of the precise relationship between nuclear quadrupole deformation and the nuclear size. Our approach combines the first measurements of the changes in the mean-square charge radii of well-deformed palladium isotopes between A=98 and A=118 with nuclear density functional calculations using Fayans functionals, specifically Fy(std) and Fy(Δr,HFB), and the UNEDF2 functional. The changes in mean-square charge radii are extracted from collinear laser spectroscopy measurements on the 4d^{9}5s ^{3}D_{3}→4d^{9}5p ^{3}P_{2} atomic transition. The analysis of the Fayans functional calculations reveals a clear link between a good reproduction of the charge radii for the neutron-rich Pd isotopes and the overestimated odd-even staggering: Both aspects can be attributed to the strength of the pairing correlations in the particular functional which we employ.

First Application of Mass Measurements with the Rare-RI Ring Reveals the Solar r-Process Abundance Trend at A=122 and A=123

The Rare-RI Ring (R3) is a recently commissioned cyclotronlike storage ring mass spectrometer dedicated to mass measurements of exotic nuclei far from stability at Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) in RIKEN. The first application of mass measurement using the R3 mass spectrometer at RIBF is reported. Rare isotopes produced at RIBF-^{127}Sn, ^{126}In, ^{125}Cd, ^{124}Ag, ^{123}Pd-were injected in R3. Masses of ^{126}In, ^{125}Cd, and ^{123}Pd were measured whereby the mass uncertainty of ^{123}Pd was improved. This is the first reported measurement with a new storage ring mass spectrometry technique realized at a heavy-ion cyclotron and employing individual injection of the preidentified rare nuclei. The latter is essential for the future mass measurements of the rarest isotopes produced at RIBF. The impact of the new ^{123}Pd result on the solar r-process abundances in a neutron star merger event is investigated by performing reaction network calculations of 20 trajectories with varying electron fraction Y_{e}. It is found that the neutron capture cross section on ^{123}Pd increases by a factor of 2.2 and β-delayed neutron emission probability, P_{1  n}, of ^{123}Rh increases by 14%. The neutron capture cross section on ^{122}Pd decreases by a factor of 2.6 leading to pileup of material at A=122, thus reproducing the trend of the solar r-process abundances. The trend of the two-neutron separation energies (S_{2n}) was investigated for the Pd isotopic chain. The new mass measurement with improved uncertainty excludes large changes of the S_{2n} value at N=77. Such large increase of the S_{2n} values before N=82 was proposed as an alternative to the quenching of the N=82 shell gap to reproduce r-process abundances in the mass region of A=112-124.

Simulation-based design study for the passive shielding of the COSINUS dark matter experiment

The COSINUS (Cryogenic Observatory for SIgnatures seen in Next-generation Underground Searches) experiment aims at the detection of dark matter-induced recoils in sodium iodide (NaI) crystals operated as scintillating cryogenic calorimeters. The detection of both scintillation light and phonons allows performing an event-by-event signal to background discrimination, thus enhancing the sensitivity of the experiment. The choice of using NaI crystals is motivated by the goal of probing the long-standing DAMA/LIBRA results using the same target material. The construction of the experimental facility is foreseen to start by 2021 at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy. It consists of a cryostat housing the target crystals shielded from the external radioactivity by a water tank acting, at the same time, as an active veto against cosmic ray-induced events. Taking into account both environmental radioactivity and intrinsic contamination of materials used for cryostat, shielding and infrastructure, we performed a careful background budget estimation. The goal is to evaluate the number of events that could mimic or interfere with signal detection while optimising the geometry of the experimental setup. In this paper we present the results of the detailed Monte Carlo simulations we performed, together with the final design of the setup that minimises the residual amount of background particles reaching the detector volume.

Experimental studies on astrophysical reactions at the low-energy RI beam separator CRIB

Experimental studies on astrophysical reactions involving radioactive isotopes (RI) often accompany technical challenges. Studies on such nuclear reactions have been conducted at the low-energy RI beam separator CRIB, operated by Center for Nuclear Study, the University of Tokyo. We discuss two cases of astrophysical reaction studies at CRIB; one is for the 7Be+n reactions which may affect the primordial 7Li abundance in the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, and the other is for the 22Mg(α, p) reaction relevantin X-raybursts.

^{159}Dy Electron-Capture: A New Candidate for Neutrino Mass Determination

The ground state to ground state electron-capture Q value of ^{159}Dy (3/2^{-}) has been measured directly using the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. A value of 364.73(19) keV was obtained from a measurement of the cyclotron frequency ratio of the decay parent ^{159}Dy and the decay daughter ^{159}Tb ions using the novel phase-imaging ion-cyclotron resonance technique. The Q values for allowed Gamow-Teller transition to 5/2^{-} and the third-forbidden unique transition to 11/2^{+} state with excitation energies of 363.5449(14) keV and 362.050(40) keV in ^{159}Tb were determined to be 1.18(19) keV and 2.68(19) keV, respectively. The high-precision Q value of transition 3/2^{-}→5/2^{-} from this work, revealing itself as the lowest electron-capture Q value, is used to unambiguously characterize all the possible lines that are present in its electron-capture spectrum. We performed atomic many-body calculations for both transitions to determine electron-capture probabilities from various atomic orbitals and found an order of magnitude enhancement in the event rates near the end point of energy spectrum in the transition to the 5/2^{-} nuclear excited state, which can become very interesting once the experimental challenges of identifying decays into excited states are overcome. The transition to the 11/2^{+} state is strongly suppressed and found unsuitable for measuring the neutrino mass. These results show that the electron-capture in the ^{159}Dy atom, going to the 5/2^{-} state of the ^{159}Tb nucleus, is a new candidate that may open the way to determine the electron-neutrino mass in the sub-eV region by studying electron-capture. Further experimental feasibility studies, including coincidence measurements with realistic detectors, will be of great interest.

[Long-term outcomes of intravascular ultrasound-guided drug-eluting stent implantation in patients with chronic kidney disease: ULTIMATE CKD subgroup analysis]

Objective: To explore the long-term effect of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance on patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Methods: Data used in this study derived from ULTIMATE trial, which was a prospective, multicenter, randomized study. From August 2014 to May 2017, 1 448 patients with coronary heart disease undergoing DES implantation were selected from 8 domestic centers and randomly divided into two groups in the ratio of 1∶1 (IVUS or coronary angiography guided stent implantation). A total of 1 443 patients with the baseline serum creatine available were enrolled. The patients were divided into CKD group and non CKD group. CKD was defined as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) derived from Cockcroft Gault (CG) formula< 60 ml·min^-1·1.73 m^-2 for at least 3 months. Primary endpoint of this study was target vessel failure (TVF) at 3 years, including cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and clinically-driven target vessel revascularization. Kaplan Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log rank test was used to compare the occurrence of end-point events in each group. Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate HR and 95%CI, and interaction was tested. Multivariate Cox regression was used to analyze the independent influencing factors of TVF. Results: A total of 1 443 patients with coronary heart disease were enrolled in this study, including 349 (24.2%) patients in CKD group and 1 094 patients in non CKD group. In CKD group, IVUS was used to guide stent implantation in 180 cases and angiography was used in 169 cases; in non CKD group, IVUS was used to guide stent implantation in 543 cases and angiography was used in 551 cases. Three-year clinical follow-up was available in 1 418 patients (98.3%). The incidence of TVF in CKD group was 12.0% (42/349), which was higher than that in non CKD group (7.4% (81/1 094) (P = 0.01). The difference was mainly due to the higher cardiac mortality in CKD group (4.6% (16/349) vs. 1.5% (16/1094), P<0.001). In CKD group, the incidence of TVF in patients who underwent IVUS guided stent implantation was lower than that in angiography guided stent implantation (8.3% (15/180) vs. 16.0% (27/169), P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in the incidence of TVF between IVUS guided stent implantation and angiography guided stent implantation in non CKD group (5.9% (32/543) vs. 8.9% (49/551), P = 0.06), and there was no interaction (P = 0.47). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that IVUS guidance (HR = 0.56, 95%CI 0.39-0.81, P = 0.002), CKD (HR = 1.83, 95%CI 1.17-2.87, P = 0.010) and stent length (every 10 mm increase) (HR = 1.11, 95%CI 1.04-1.19, P = 0.002) were independent risk factors for TVF within 3 years after DES implantation. Conclusions: CKD patients undergoing DES implantation are associated with a higher risk of 3-year TVF. More importantly, the risk of TVF could be significantly decreased through IVUS guidance in comparison with angiography guidance in patients with CKD.

[Textual research on lost ancient Chinese medical books in Bencao Tujing]

Bencao Tujing(, Illustration Classics for Materia Medica) occupies an irreplaceable academic position in the academic history of Chinese Materia Medica. It was written in the early Song Dynasty. The contents of Chinese medical books before Song Dynasty have not been revised by Song Dynasty officials, and the original appearance of earlier documents have been preserved. Domestic and foreign scholars mainly focus on the textual research of Chinese Materia medica patterns, and academic value research. The special research on the Lost ancient Chinese medical books were relatively rare. According to the names of"XX Fang"or"Someone Fang"in Bencao Tujing, about 46 kinds of Lost ancient Chinese medical books have been found. Taking Wei Zhou's Du Xing Fang, Liu Yuxi's Chuan Xin Fang, Tian Bao Dan Fang Tu (Tian Bao Dan Xing Fang) as examples, it is found that Lost ancient Chinese medical books recorded in Bencao Tujing have abundant materials and clear clues, which have further exploration space for the research and collection of Chinese medical books.

HPRL – International cooperation to identify and monitor priority nuclear data needs for nuclear applications

The OECD-NEA High Priority Request List (HPRL) is a point of reference to guide and stimulate the improvement of nuclear data for nuclear energy and other applications, and a tool to bridge the gap between data users and producers. The HPRL is application-driven and the requests are submitted by nuclear data users or representatives of the user’s communities. A panel of international experts reviews and monitors the requests in the framework of an Expert Group mandated by the NEA Nuclear Science Committee Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC). After approval, individual requests are classified to three categories: high priority requests, general requests, and special purpose requests (e.g., dosimetry, standards). The HPRL is hosted by the NEA in the form of a relational database publicly available on the web. This paper provides an overview of HPRL entries, status and outlook. Examples of requests successfully completed are given and new requests are described with emphasis on updated nuclear data needs in the fields of nuclear energy, neutron standards and dosimetry.

Conversion of coastal wetlands, riparian wetlands, and peatlands increases greenhouse gas emissions: A global meta-analysis

Land-use/land-cover change (LULCC) often results in degradation of natural wetlands and affects the dynamics of greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, the magnitude of changes in GHG emissions from wetlands undergoing various LULCC types remains unclear. We conducted a global meta-analysis with a database of 209 sites to examine the effects of LULCC types of constructed wetlands (CWs), croplands (CLs), aquaculture ponds (APs), drained wetlands (DWs), and pastures (PASs) on the variability in CO₂ , CH₄ , and N₂ O emissions from the natural coastal wetlands, riparian wetlands, and peatlands. Our results showed that the natural wetlands were net sinks of atmospheric CO₂ and net sources of CH₄ and N₂ O, exhibiting the capacity to mitigate greenhouse effects due to negative comprehensive global warming potentials (GWPs; -0.9 to -8.7 t CO₂ -eq ha^-1  year^-1 ). Relative to the natural wetlands, all LULCC types (except CWs from coastal wetlands) decreased the net CO₂ uptake by 69.7%-456.6%, due to a higher increase in ecosystem respiration relative to slight changes in gross primary production. The CWs and APs significantly increased the CH₄ emissions compared to those of the coastal wetlands. All LULCC types associated with the riparian wetlands significantly decreased the CH₄ emissions. When the peatlands were converted to the PASs, the CH₄ emissions significantly increased. The CLs, as well as DWs from peatlands, significantly increased the N₂ O emissions in the natural wetlands. As a result, all LULCC types (except PASs from riparian wetlands) led to remarkably higher GWPs by 65.4%-2,948.8%, compared to those of the natural wetlands. The variability in GHG fluxes with LULCC was mainly sensitive to changes in soil water content, water table, salinity, soil nitrogen content, soil pH, and bulk density. This study highlights the significant role of LULCC in increasing comprehensive GHG emissions from global natural wetlands, and our results are useful for improving future models and manipulative experiments.

[Textual research on lost articles in Mei Shi Fang]

Mei Shi fang() is a lost medical prescription book. Its title came from the "book of classics and history" , a chapter of Zhenglei Bencao (, Collected Classified Materia Medica). 117 pieces of lost articles were preserved in the book. In addition to Zhenglei Bencao, a total of 50 kinds of medical books explicitly quoted some of the lost articles in Mei Shi Fang. Among them, 38 kinds of medical books did not exceed the scope of the articles of Mei Shi Fang cited in Zhenglei Bencao, 12 kinds of medical books contained the articles of Mei Shi Fang which did not quoted in Zhenglei Bencao. It is speculated that Mei Shi Fang may still exist in the Yangtze River basin from 1552 to 1578. In terms of the existing articles of Mei Shi Fang, it has academic origin with Zhouhou Beiji Fang (, Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergency).

Results of the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation (CIELO) Project

Simulation of nuclear systems requires complete data that represents the relevant nuclear physics. This requires many types of experimental measurements, theoretical physics, semi-empirical models and software systems, as well as experts to integrate and guide the process. This discipline is collectively known as nuclear data, and separate programmes within various European countries, the USA, Japan, Russia, and other OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) member countries have been operating for many decades. The NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) exists to improve the quality and completeness of nuclear data by bringing together representatives of the major nuclear data evaluation projects of NEA member countries and selected Invitees. The Sub- and Expert Groups of the WPEC typically focus on specific technical topics, while the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation Pilot Project (CIELO) was established to generate complete evaluations for a selection of the most important isotopes for criticality in nuclear technologies: 235,238U, 239Pu, 56Fe, 16O and 1H.

This project stimulated numerous activities, resulting in major contributions to the Special Issue of the Nuclear Data Sheets journal and the production of a suite of new nuclear data evaluations that have been incorporated in major nuclear data libraries ENDF and JEFF. The outcomes of these evaluations include significant harmonisa-tion of discrepancies between the independent programmes, improvement in the performance for international standard nuclear criticality and neutron transmission benchmarks, complete uncertainties for nearly all parameters and the utilisation of modern data storage technologies. This work has leveraged the considerable, parallel experimental work in collecting improved experimental measurements to support nuclear data and highlighted high-priority areas for further study. A productive and durable framework for international evaluation has been established which will build upon the lessons learned. These will continue through new WPEC groups and a new IAEA evaluation network, which has been initiated in response to the success of the CIELO project. This article summaries some performance feedback on the CIELO evaluations, including recent results, and will describe ongoing and future, planned CIELO-related collaborations to further advance our understanding.

Overview of the OECD-NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC)

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) was established in 1989 to facilitate collaboration in nuclear data activities. Over its thirty year history, different Subgroups have been created to address topics in nearly every aspect of nuclear data, including: experimental measurements, evaluation, validation, model development, quality assurance of databases and the development of software tools.

WPEC has recently completed activities on fission yield evaluation, the general nuclear database structure (GNDS) to replace the ENDF-6 format, methods to provide feedback to evaluation, studies of specific capture cross sections, new methods in thermal scattering kernel evaluation and the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation (CIELO) Pilot Project. Ongoing activities in GNDS application programming interface (API) development, methods for covariance evaluation and quality assurance in nuclear data validation using the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) database are complemented by the work of two Expert Groups that oversee the High-Priority Request List (HPRL) for Nuclear Data and the continuous development of the GNDS. New activities on the use of integral experiments for nuclear data validation and adjustment, as well as the use of the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database (SINBAD) for validation have begun and will be coordinated alongside future Subgroups.

After three decades we will review the status of WPEC, how it integrates other collections and activities organised by the NEA and how it dovetails with the initiatives of the IAEA and other bodies to effectively coordinate international activities in nuclear data.

CircMTO1 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in disease incidence. However, the roles of circRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remain largely unknown. We explored the expression of circMTO1 in CRC and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Quantitative Real-time-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to explore circMTO1 expression in CRC tissues and cell lines. The effect of circMTO1 on the biological function of CRC cells was analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, Edu assay, colony formation assay, wound-healing assay and transwell invasion assay. Gene expression and signaling pathway were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

QRT-PCR showed that circMTO1 expression was significantly decreased in CRC tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues and human normal colon epithelial cell line (FHC), respectively. Patients with low circMTO1 expression were correlated with advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor overall survival. Function assays demonstrated that circMTO1 inhibition promoted CRC cells proliferation and invasion ability in vitro. In addition, we showed that circMTO1 inhibition could promote CRC progression via activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that circMTO1 could act as a tumor suppressor affecting the growth and invasion of CRC cells via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, providing a novel potential biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

P916The effect of a novel, user-friendly, transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair device in a porcine model of mitral regurgitation

Objective

A new technique has been devised to treat mitral regurgitation (MR) through the transapical route by replicating the edge-to-edge repair surgery. This system encompasses an easy-to-use leaflet clamp and a smaller-sized delivery system (14F–16F). We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of this device in a porcine model of acute MR.

Methods

Acute MR was induced in 36 anesthetized porcine subjects by severing the major chordae supporting the corresponding segment of the leaflet. This device was then transapically implanted on the prolapsing segment under 3D epicardial echocardiographic guidance. All of the animals were killed 30 days after the procedure to verify the proper location of the implanted devices.

Results

Cutting the major chordae induced an eccentric MR jet (MR grade: 3+, 27.8%/4+, 72.2%) in all of the animals. Every single pig was then successfully implanted with one clamp. The duration of catheterization ranged from 18 to 40 minutes. Overt MR reduction was observed following the procedure through echocardiography; residual MR was mild in 8 cases, trivial in 19 cases, and absent in 9 cases. In terms of hemodynamic parameters, the mean and maximum mitral valve pressure gradients were increased significantly (p<0.01), but these values were less than 4 mmHg in all of the cases. Autopsy demonstrated that all but one device were precisely placed to clip the prolapsing segment of the mitral valve, and there was no evidence of thrombosis, thromboembolism or impairment of the cardiac structure.

Table 1. Changes in hemodynamic parameters, cardiac size, and functional parameters after the procedure Preoperation Postoperation P value MR-maxA (mm2) 7.27±2.13 1.54±1.29 0.000 MVPG-max (mmHg) 1.95±0.47 3.66±0.62 0.000 MVPG-mean (mmHg) 0.87±0.31 1.7±0.28 0.000 LVEDD (mm) 46.08±2.85 46.44±3.53 0.239 LVESD (mm) 29.11±3.44 29.08±3.62 0.940 LVEF (%) 66.53±6.4 67.14±4.93 0.256 LAD (mm) 35.75±2.24 36.42±1.99 0.057 LAA (mm2) 12.95±2.22 12.64±1.55 0.301

Figure 1

Conclusions

Transapical implantation of the novel mitral valve repair device is effective and safe in reducing acutely induced MR in pigs; thus, suggesting that it has great potential for clinical benefit in patients with MR.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Shanghai Science and Technology Committee

Diverse effects of pulsed electrical stimulation on cells - with a focus on chondrocytes and cartilage regeneration

Biological effects of pulsed electrical stimulation (PES) on cells and tissues have been intensively studied with the aim of advancing their biomedical applications. These effects vary significantly depending on PES parameters, cell and tissue types, which can be attributed to the diverse variety of signaling pathways, ion channels, and epigenetic mechanisms involved. The development of new technology platforms, such as nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) with finely tuned parameters, have added further complexity. The present review systematically examines current research progress in various aspects of PES, from physical models to biological effects on cells and tissues, including voltage-sensing domains of voltage-gated channels, pore formation, intracellular components/organelles, and signaling pathways. Emphasis is placed on the complexity of PES parameters and inconsistency of induced biological effects, with the aim of exploring the underlying physical and cellular mechanisms of the physiological effects of electrical stimulation on cells. With chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells and cartilage regeneration as examples, the underlying mechanisms involved were reviewed and analyzed, hoping to move forward towards potential biomedical applications. Hopefully, the present review will inspire more interest in the wider clinical applications of PES and lay the basis for further comprehensive studies in this field.

Abstract GS5-05: Resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer mediated by a reversible drug-tolerant state

Approximately 50% of patients with localized triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) have substantial residual cancer burden following treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), resulting in distant metastasis and death for most of these patients. While genomic and phenotypic intra-tumor heterogeneity are pervasive features of TNBCs at the time of diagnosis, the functional contributions of heterogeneous tumor cell populations to chemoresistance have not been elucidated.

To investigate tumor evolution accompanying NACT, we employed orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of treatment-naïve TNBC, which retain intra-tumor heterogeneity characteristic of human TNBC. We discovered that some PDX models initially exhibited partial sensitivity to standard front-line NACT (Adriamycin plus Cytoxan, AC). Following AC, residual tumors were resistant to chemotherapy but repopulated tumors with chemo-sensitive cells if left untreated, indicating that tumor cells possessed inherent plasticity. To identify the tumor cell subpopulation(s) conferring chemoresistance, we conducted barcode-mediated clonal tracking in three independent PDX models by introducing a high-complexity pooled lentiviral barcode library into PDX tumor cells which were then orthotopically engrafted into recipient mice. Strikingly, residual tumors maintained the same heterogeneous clonal architecture as naïve tumors. Concordantly, whole-exome sequencing revealed conservation of genomic subclonal architecture throughout treatment. These results were corroborated by genomic sequencing of serial biopsies pre- and post-AC obtained directly from TNBC patients enrolled on an ongoing clinical trial at MD Anderson (ARTEMIS; NCT02276443). Together, these studies revealed that genomically distinct pre-treatment subclones were equally capable of surviving AC to reconstitute tumors after treatment.

To identify functional addictions of residual tumor cells, we conducted histologic and transcriptomic profiling. Residual tumors following AC-treatment exhibited extensive fibrotic desmoplasia and tumor cell pleomorphism in both PDX models and in serial biopsies obtained from TNBC patients enrolled on the ARTEMIS trial. Strikingly, these AC-induced features were reverted upon regrowth of residual tumors in PDXs and in patients' tumors. Similarly, residual tumors exhibited unique transcriptomic features, many of which are also de-regulated in cohorts of human TNBCs undergoing chemotherapy treatment. These features were nearly completely reverted after tumors regrew, suggesting that the residual tumor state may be a unique and transient therapeutic window. Gene set enrichment analyses revealed that residual tumors had increased activation of oxidative phosphorylation and decreased glycolytic signaling. Pharmacologic targeting of oxidative phosphorylation with a small-molecule inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I (IACS-010759) significantly delayed the regrowth of AC-treated residual tumors in three independent PDX models. Collectively, these studies reveal that a reversible phenotypic state can confer chemoresistance in the absence of genomic selection and that the residual tumor state is a novel therapeutic window for chemo-refractory TNBC.

Citation Format: Echeverria GV, Ge Z, Seth S, Jeter-Jones SL, Zhang X, Zhou X, Cai S, Tu Y, McCoy A, Peoples M, Lau R, Shao J, Sun Y, Bristow C, Carugo A, Ma X, Harris A, Wu Y, Moulder S, Symmans WF, Marszalek JR, Heffernan TP, Chang JT, Piwnica-Worms H. Resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer mediated by a reversible drug-tolerant state [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS5-05.

Double-stranded RNA-dependent kinase PKR activates NF-κB pathway in acute pancreatitis

The activation of transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) occurs early in acute pancreatitis (AP) simultaneously with intracellular trypsinogen activation. Double-stranded RNA-dependent kinase (PKR) promotes the activation of NF-κB and the production of pro-inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The rat and rat pancreatic AR42J cells were treated by cerulein to establish AP models, showing PKR increased. TNF-α, IL-6 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in AP pancreatic tissues and cerulein-treated AR42J cells increased, while PKR knockdown in AR42J cells reversed cerulein-induced inflammatory response and pancreatic cell injury. In addition, inhibitor of kappa B kinase α (IKKα), phosphorylated P65 (p-P65), P65 increased in cerulein-treated AR42J cells. Meanwhile, in cerulein-treated AR42J cells, interaction between PKR and IKKα, as well as the co-localization and nuclear accumulation of PKR and P65, were detected. Furthermore, cerulein induced the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of P65, which indicated the activation of NF-κB, while PKR knockdown hindered NF-κB activation to alleviate pancreatic cell injury. In summary, PKR might promote NF-κB activation via facilitating its phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, thus accelerated inflammatory response and pancreatic cell injury in AP, implying a novel molecular target for the treatment of AP.

Abstract P4-03-02: Characterizing and targeting chemoresistant subclones in patient-derived xenograft models of triple negative breast cancer

Fifty percent of all triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients harbor significant residual tumor burden following treatment with standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), resulting in poor prognosis. Recent studies in TNBC have revealed extensive intra-tumoral heterogeneity at the time of diagnosis and throughout disease progression, but the relative contributions of these heterogeneous populations of tumor cells to chemoresistance are not well understood.

The primary tumor, dermal metastasis, and germline reference were obtained from a patient with untreated metastatic TNBC. Tumor cells were engrafted into the humanized mammary fat pads of NOD/SCID mice to establish PDX models of the primary (PIM001-P) and metastatic (PIM001-M) tumors. RNA sequencing and whole-exome sequencing (WES), performed on the patient's primary and metastatic tumors and the first- and third- passage PDX models revealed transcriptomic profiles and subclonal heterogeneity of the patient's tumors were recapitulated in the PDX models.

Treatment of mice engrafted with PIM001-P tumors with NACT (Adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide, AC) resulted in partial response, the magnitude of which was diminished in mice bearing PIM001-M tumors. Tumor subclones were tracked during chemotherapy treatment in mice engrafted with PIM001-P tumors using lentiviral non-targeting DNA barcodes. Residual tumors maintained the clonal architecture of untreated tumors, and deep WES revealed stable maintenance of somatic mutant allele frequencies throughout treatment. Therefore, selection of pre-existing resistant clones did not lead to AC resistance in this model. Interestingly, only 25% of residual tumor clones contributed to primary relapse once treatment was halted, suggesting only a subpopulation of tumor cells was able to reconstitute the tumor.

RNA sequencing and reverse phase protein array revealed that while vehicle-treated and regrown tumors were highly similar, residual tumors harbored a unique profile characterized by numerous significant alterations in RNA and protein levels. Together, these results suggest that residual tumors enter into a transient drug-resistant state that is reversible. Residual tumors were enriched for alterations in pathways such as metabolism, extracellular matrix remodeling, and cell-cell communication. Pharmacologic targeting of the residual tumor state with an inhibitor of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation led to significant inhibition of tumor regrowth following AC treatment. Additional vulnerabilities identified in residual tumors are being targeted therapeutically with the goal of eradicating residual tumor cells.

Citation Format: Echeverria GV, Seth S, Ge Z, Sun Y, DiFrancesco E, Lau R, Marszalek J, Moulder S, Symmans F, Heffernan TP, Chang JT, Piwnica-Worms H. Characterizing and targeting chemoresistant subclones in patient-derived xenograft models of triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-03-02.

Abstract GS6-06: Identifying metastatic drivers in patient-derived xenograft models of triple negative breast cancer

Metastases are responsible for the vast majority of deaths due to breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by high rates of metastasis and poor prognosis. We are employing patient derived xenograft (PDX) models of TNBC to identify drivers of metastasis. Tumor samples are obtained from the breast tumors of patients with TNBC and engrafted immediately into the humanized mammary fat pads of immune compromised mice. Lentiviral transduction was employed to express bioluminescent and fluorescent markers in two independent PDX models of TNBC. Using these models, we demonstrated that human breast tumors are capable of completing all stages of the metastatic cascade in mice, and metastatic lesions are observed in organs normally found in patients with metastatic breast cancer including lung, liver, bone, brain, and lymph nodes. Dynamic and reversible epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) was observed as tumors metastasized to lung and were re-passaged to recipient mouse mammary glands. Lung metastases were isolated using bioluminescence imaging and lung metastasis gene expression signatures were generated. Metastasis signatures from two independent PDX models were compared to identify genes that were commonly de-regulated in lung metastases relative to corresponding mammary tumors. Comprehensive gain-of-function screens were then conducted in vivo to identify functional drivers of TNBC metastasis. Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5) was identified as a metastatic driver in this screen. CEACAM5 mRNA and protein levels were elevated in lung metastases relative to corresponding mammary gland tumors in mice. In addition, we demonstrated that CEACAM5 expression was upregulated in the lung metastases of breast cancer patients, and its expression inversely correlated with patient survival. Our data indicate that the metastatic function of CEACAM5 is to promote growth of breast tumors in the lung by inducing MET (mesenchymal to epithelial transition).

Citation Format: Powell E, Shao J, Picon HM, Ge Z, Echeverria GV, Peoples M, Bristow C, Cai S, Tu Y, McCoy AM, Piwnica-Worms D, Draetta G, Edwards JR, Moulder SL, Symmans WF, Heffernan TP, Liang H, Piwnica-Worms H. Identifying metastatic drivers in patient-derived xenograft models of triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS6-06.

Isomeric 26Al beam production with CRIB

We performed an experiment to measure proton resonant elastic scattering of a mixed 26m,gAl beam with a thick target in inverse kinematics by using CNS RI beam sep-arator, located at RIKEN Nishina Center. It aimed to search for strong proton resonances and determine level properties of low spin-parity states in 27Si. Diagnosis of the 26mAl purity of the beam by annihilation radiation are discussed.

Clostridium piliforme Infection in Two Farm-raised White-tailed Deer Fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) and Association with Copper Toxicosis

Necropsy of 2 white-tailed deer fawns who died acutely revealed diarrhea and melena in case No. 1 and no gross changes in case No. 2. Histologically, the livers of both deer displayed multifocal coagulative necrosis, with infiltrations of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes. By Warthin-Starry staining, bundles of filamentous bacteria were identified within hepatocytes at the periphery of the necrotic foci in case No. 1. There was multifocal myocardiocyte necrosis in case No. 1 and multifocal lymphoid necrosis of the Peyer's patches in case No. 2. Clostridium piliforme 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene was detected in both livers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with C. piliforme-specific primers. The liver copper levels in both cases were normal to slightly elevated. The kidney copper level in case No. 2 was elevated. This represents the first published cases of Tyzzer's disease in deer, a novel use of PCR for the diagnosis of C piliforme infection, and a possible association between copper toxicosis and Tyzzer's disease.

Evolving concepts of chondrogenic differentiation: history, state-of-the-art and future perspectives

As a cell source, multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for chondrogenic differentiation and subsequent cartilage regeneration. From previous literature, it is known that chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs inevitably leads to hypertrophy and subsequent endochondral ossification. In this review, we examine the history of currently established protocols of chondrogenic differentiation and elaborate on the roles of individual components of chondrogenic differentiation medium. We also summarise the effects of physical, chemical and biological factors involved, and propose potential strategies to differentiate MSCs into articular chondrocytes with homogenous mature phenotypes through spatial-temporal incorporation of cell differentiation and chondrogenesis.

Cholecystectomy and the risk of esophageal and gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a meta-analysis of observational studies to explore the relationships between cholecystectomy and the risk of esophageal and gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

The study design was retrospective, and carried out in the First People's Hospital of Nantong, Jiangsu, China from January 2012 to April 2012. Studies were identified by a literature search of MEDLINE and EMBASE through March 31, 2012, and by manually searching the reference lists of pertinent articles. The summary relative risks (SRRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random-effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 12 estimates from 6 independent studies (including 1,622 esophageal cancer [EC] cases and 2,314 GC cases) were included in this meta-analysis. We found that cholecystectomy was not associated with risk of EC and GC (EC: SRRs--1.03; 95% CI: 0.94-1.13; heterogeneity: p=0.496; I2=0; n=4 studies; [GC: SRRs--1.03; 95% CI: 0.93-1.13; heterogeneity: p=0.652; I2=0; n=5 studies]). Sub-grouped analyses revealed that these null associations were independent of geographic location and study design. Based on 2 studies, we found patients undergoing cholecystectomy at least 10 years before had an elevated risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).

CONCLUSION

The results of this meta-analysis suggest that cholecystectomy does not increase the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and GC development, but may increase EAC risk. More epidemiological research of a prospective design is needed to further clarify these associations in the future.

Rapid and sensitive diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of Acanthamoeba. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay was tested using different copies of positive DNA. The specificity of the assay was tested using DNA extracted from Acanthamoeba, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, herpes simplex virus-1 and human corneal epithelial cells. Its effectiveness was evaluated and compared with culture, corneal smear examination and real-time PCR in corneal samples from mice with Acanthamoeba keratitis. We also tested three corneal samples from patients with suspected Acanthamoeba or fungal infection using LAMP. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification was confirmed to be very sensitive, with the lowest detection limit being ten copies/tube of Acanthamoeba DNA. The LAMP primers only amplified Acanthamoeba DNA. During the development of Acanthamoeba keratitis in mice, almost all of the positive rates of LAMP at each time post-infection were higher than those of culture or corneal smear examination. The total positive rate of LAMP was significantly higher than those of culture and corneal smear examination (p <0.05), whereas the sensitivities of LAMP and real-time PCR were comparable. However, the trends of positive change in these different test methods were generally similar. Of the three clinical corneal specimens, two with suspected Acanthamoeba keratitis tested positive for Acanthamoeba using LAMP along with culture or corneal smear examination, whereas the other suspected fungal keratitis tested negative. The LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, highly specific and sensitive method for the diagnosis of keratitis caused by Acanthamoeba.

H. pylori DNA Transformation by Natural Competence and Electroporation

Helicobacter pylori is an important etiological pathogen of human stomach diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric carcinoma (1). In the past few years, great progress has been made in the cloning and characterization of H. pylori genes. Success of these studies stems in part from the finding that chromosomal and recombinant plasmid DNA are able to be efficiently transformed into H. pylori cells by natural competence (2-4) and electroporation (3,5). Such techniques allow the transfer of cloned H. pylori genes, manipulated in vitro, which can then shed light on the structural and functional relationships of the genes of interest. In this chapter, we describe the protocols for the isolation of H. pylori chromosomal and plasmid DNA, natural transformation, and electroporation.

Risk Factors for Developing Pneumonia in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Following Acute Ischaemic Stroke

Objectives:

To evaluate markers of infection and identify risk factors for the development of pneumonia following acute ischaemic stroke in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

Patients with diabetes mellitus ( n = 106) who were hospitalized after acute ischaemic stroke with ( n = 32) or without ( n = 74) pneumonia at admission were included in the study. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), white blood cell (WBC) count, mean body temperature and severity of stroke on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale were measured at the time of admission. The degree of disability according to the modified Rankin Scale was assessed after 30 days.

Results:

Raised levels of IL-6 and CRP, older age, more severe stroke, longer duration of hospitalization and dysphagia were significantly associated with the development of pneumonia. Patients with pneumonia had significantly worse outcomes compared with nonpneumonia patients after 1 month. Raised WBC count and mean body temperature were not significant predictors of pneumonia.

Conclusions:

Markers of infection, more severe ischaemic stroke, dysphagia and older age may help in predicting the occurrence of pneumonia at stroke onset.

Characterization of knitted polymeric scaffolds for potential use in ligament tissue engineering

Different scaffolds have been designed for ligament tissue engineering. Knitted scaffolds of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) yarns and co-polymeric yarns of PLLA and poly(glycolic acid) (PLGA) were characterized in the current study. The knitted scaffolds were immersed in medium for 20 weeks, before mass loss, molecular weight, pH value change in medium were tested; changes in mechanical properties were evaluated at different time points. Results showed that the knitted scaffolds had 44% porosity. There was no significant pH value change during degradation, while there was obvious mass loss at initial 4 week, as well as smooth molecular weight drop of PLLA. PLGA degraded more quickly, while PLLA kept its integrity for at least 20 weeks. Young's modulus increased while tensile strength and strain at break decreased with degradation time; however, all of them could maintain the basic requirements for ACL reconstruction. It showed that the knitted polymeric structures could serve as potential scaffolds for tissue-engineered ligaments.

Helicobacter hepaticus infection in mice: models for understanding lower bowel inflammation and cancer

Pioneering work in the 1990s first linked a novel microaerobic bacterium, Helicobacter hepaticus, with chronic active hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease in several murine models. Targeted H. hepaticus infection experiments subsequently demonstrated its ability to induce colitis, colorectal cancer, and extraintestinal diseases in a number of mouse strains with defects in immune function and/or regulation. H. hepaticus is now widely utilized as a model system to dissect how intestinal microbiota interact with the host to produce both inflammatory and tolerogenic responses. This model has been used to make important advances in understanding factors that regulate both acquired and innate immune response within the intestine. Further, it has been an effective tool to help define the function of regulatory T cells, including their ability to directly inhibit the innate inflammatory response to gut microbiota. The complete genomic sequence of H. hepaticus has advanced the identification of several virulence factors and aided in the elucidation of H. hepaticus pathogenesis. Delineating targets of H. hepaticus virulence factors could facilitate novel approaches to treating microbially induced lower bowel inflammatory diseases.

Disclosure of HIV-positive serostatus to sexual partners and associated factors in southern China

In light of an increased push for disclosure of HIV-positive serostatus to sexual partners (partner disclosure, PD) in China as reflected by national and local policies, the objective of this study was to determine the proportion and evaluate associated factors of PD among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in HIV/AIDS high-risk areas in southern China. Of the 946 HIV-positive individuals, the proportion of those who disclosed positive serostatus results to their sexual partners was 90.2% (625/693). Variables independently associated with non-disclosure included testing in Guangxi province (adjusted relative ratio [ARR] = 0.33), becoming infected with HIV via injecting drug use (IDU) transmission (ARR = 0.32), having not reported discussing disclosure with health department staff during post-test counselling (ARR = 0.41) and having a sexual relationship of ≤2 years' duration (ARR = 0.31). This study also identified a relatively larger differential between the proportion of disclosure to regular partners and the proportion of disclosure to casual partners (94.8% versus 13.0%) in comparison with other studies. Findings from this study may aid policies for future consideration.

Predictive role of capsule endoscopy on the insertion route of double-balloon enteroscopy

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) has been suggested to be more efficient if based on the results of screening video capsule endoscopy (VCE). We evaluated the utility of VCE for predicting the best insertion route of DBE for the evaluation and treatment of small-bowel lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Results of studies of patients with complete VCE examination of the small bowel and with findings confirmed by DBE are reported. A location index of lesions found on VCE was defined as the time from the pylorus to the lesion as a percentage of the time from the pylorus to the ileocecal valve. Based on our previous retrospective evaluation, a cut-off value of 0.6 was adopted, and the oral or anal approach was selected when the index was < or = 0.6 or > 0.6, respectively.

RESULTS

Data from 60 patients who underwent both VCE and DBE examinations and in whom the capsule reached the cecum were evaluated. Lesions shown on VCE were all reached by the first DBE procedures (41 orally and 19 anally). Based on the time index cut-off value of 0.6, the accuracy of selecting the insertion route of DBE was 100 %.

CONCLUSION

DBE is an effective approach for confirming VCE results. In patients with complete small-bowel investigation by VCE, the best insertion route for DBE can be reliably indicated using a time index based on the VCE records.

Comparison of osteogenesis of human embryonic stem cells within 2D and 3D culture systems

The objective of this study was to compare the osteogenic potential of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) within two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) culture systems. hESCs of the H1 line (Wicell Inc., Madison, Wisc., USA) were induced to form embryoid bodies (EBs) through 5 days of suspension culture within non-adherent culture dishes. Following enzymatic dissociation, the EB-derived single cells were seeded on either novel 3D porous PLGA scaffolds or 2D culture dishes with the same total cell number. Osteogenic differentiation was induced through culture media supplemented with dexamethasone, L-ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate. After 3 weeks of in vitro culture, quantitative and qualitative assays of osteogenic differentiation were conducted. Osteocalcin secretion and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities were detected at significantly higher levels within 3D culture compared with the 2D system. Subsequently, the cell-scaffold constructs were implanted in iliac crest defects of immunosuppressed rabbits. After 4 weeks, the constructs were subsequently explanted and characterized by histology and X-ray analysis. Formation of new bone was detected within and around the implanted scaffolds. The results demonstrate that the osteogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells is enhanced in a 3D culture system compared to a 2D culture environment. Upon implantation in situ, the differentiating human embryonic stem cells can contribute positively to the repair and regeneration of bone defects.

Dose-dependent protective effect of propofol against mitochondrial dysfunction in ischaemic/reperfused rat heart: role of cardiolipin

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Ischaemia damages to the cardiac mitochondria by increasing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxidation of cardiolipin. The inhibited mitochondrial function leads to the cardiac injury during reperfusion. Propofol (2, 6-diisopropylphenol), an intravenous anaesthetic, has been shown to decrease cardiac ischaemia and reperfusion injury. In the present study, we propose that propofol protects mitochondrial function and decreases cardiac injury by prevention of cardiolipin peroxidation during ischaemia and reperfusion.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

After isolation of mitochondria from isolated rat heart perfused on a Langendorff model, various mitochondrial bioenergetic parameters were evaluated such as rates of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, H(2)O(2) production, complex I and III activity as well as the degree of lipid peroxidation and cardiolipin content. The action of propofol was also explored in isolated mitochondria. And the effect of cardiolipin was evaluated by fusing cardiolipin liposome with mitochondria.

KEY RESULTS

Propofol treatment had strong dose-dependent protection attenuating these parameters alterations in reperfused rat heart and isolated mitochondria. Additionally, cardiolipin treatment had the same protective effect, compared with propofol treatment at high concentration.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The protective effect of propofol appears to be due, at least in part, as a chemical uncoupler, to the interruption of the vicious circle of ROS-cardiolipin-complexes of the respiratory chain-ROS through preserving the content and integrity of cardiolipin molecules by ROS attack. These findings may provide an explanation for some of the factors responsible for cardioprotection and one approach exploring an available antioxidant.