[A multi-dimensional analysis of pollen broadcasting concerns in Chinese population: a large-scale multi-center cross-sectional survey]

Objective: To investigate the concern about pollen broadcasting in Chinese population from multiple dimensions and to understand the information about allergic rhinitis (AR) in China by analyzing related factors. Methods: From March 1 to September 30, 2022, a large-scale multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted based on the Questionnaire Star platform in 21 Chinese hospitals. A total of 7 056 subjects from 7 regions in China: Northeast, North, East, Central, South, Southwest, and Northwest China were included. Basic characteristics (including social demographic characteristics and disease characteristics of AR patients), concern about pollen broadcasting, the willingness of pollen-induced AR (PiAR) patients to receive pollen broadcasting, and the treatment satisfaction rate of AR patients were collected. The chi-square test, multivariate linear regression model, and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the concern about pollen broadcasting in the Chinese population and related factors from multiple dimensions. Results: Among 7 056 subjects, 23.02% were concerned about pollen broadcasting. Among 3 176 self-reported AR and 1 019 PiAR patients, 25.60% and 39.16% were concerned about pollen broadcasting, respectively, which was higher than that of non-AR or non-PiAR subjects (χ2 value was 21.74 and 175.11, respectively, both P<0.001). Among AR patients, the proportion of spring and autumn allergen-positive patients concerned about pollen broadcasting was higher than that in perennial allergen-positive patients (χ2 value was 20.90 and 19.51, respectively, both P<0.001). The proportion of AR patients with asthma, sinusitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was higher than those without complications (χ2 value was 50.83, 21.97, 56.78, 7.62, respectively, all P<0.05). The proportion of AR patients in North China who could find pollen broadcasting locally was 31.01%, significantly higher than those in other regions (all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression model analysis showed that among PiAR patients, those with higher per capita household income and higher AR disease cognition levels had been concerned about pollen broadcasting in the past, and those complicated with allergic conjunctivitis had stronger intention to receive pollen broadcasting (B value was 0.24, 0.13, 0.66, 0.47, respectively, all P<0.05). The higher the disease cognition level of PiAR patients, the stronger their willingness to actively participate in treatment (R2=0.72, P<0.001). Only 18.89% of AR patients felt satisfied with the treatment effect. Logistic regression analysis showed that in AR patients, the treatment satisfaction rate was significantly higher among those concerned about pollen broadcasting compared to those who were not (OR=1.83, P<0.001). Conclusions: Currently, the dissemination of pollen broadcasting in China is hindered by various factors such as disease cognition level. The treatment satisfaction among AR patients remains unsatisfactory.

[Analysis of the efficacy of transnasal endoscopic annulus of zinn area decompression in the treatment of dysthyroid optic neuropathy]

Objective: To evaluate the early efficacy and safety of transnasal endoscopic decompression in the annulus of zinn (AZ) region for refractory dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) and to preliminarily analyze the correlated factors of postoperative visual function outcome. Methods: From July 2021 to January 2023, 35 patients (56 eyes) with DON who received AZ area decompression in Peking University Third Hospital were included retrospectively, including 9 males (13 eyes) and 26 females (43 eyes), aging (52.2±12.0) years. Among them, 35 eyes underwent two-wall (medial and inferior) orbital decompression using an endonasal endoscopic approach, while 21 eyes received three-wall (medial, lateral, and inferior) orbital decompression through a combined approach. Key parameters such as best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), visual field (MD value), eyeball prominence, intraocular pressure, and complications were recorded. Postoperative data were collected one month after surgery. The statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: Significant outcomes were observed post surgery in BCVA, visual field, intraocular pressure and proptosis (t value was 8.37, 6.17, 4.50, and 9.20, respectively, all P<0.001). The reduction in proptosis was statistically significant between the 2-wall and 3-wall orbital decompression groups (t=-2.82, P=0.007). Changes in BCVA, visual field, and intraocular pressure before and after surgery was greater in the 3-wall orbital decompression group compared to 2-wall orbital decompression group, although the difference was not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Change in postoperative visual acuity and visual field was significantly positively correlated with preoperative visual acuity and preoperative visual field (all P<0.001). Similarly, change in intraocular pressure and proptosis was positively correlated with preoperative intraocular pressure and preoperative protrusion (all P<0.001). Preoperative diplopia was reported in seven patients (20.0%), and two new cases (5.7%) were noted post-operation, which resolved within 3 months after surgery. Conclusions: Endoscopic endonasal decompression of the AZ area is a safe and effective surgical treatment for DON, with notable improvements in BCVA. Furthermore, three-orbital wall decompression seems to yield better outcomes in terms of eye retraction.

[The rise and fall of the leprosy clinic in Ru Gao in the North of Jiangsu in the period of the Republic of China]

The North of Jiangsu was a traditional area for leprosy in Chinese history. In the period of the Republic of China, one of the largest leprosy clinics in China was established in Ru Gao (Jugao) with the help of Chinese and foreign charitable organizations, the Chinese central government and some squires. It was the only large clinic for leprosy in the North of Jiangsu. It was officially opened in 1924, attached to the Presbyterian Church hospital, and was closed in 1927 after the breakout of the civil war. It reopened in May 1933, hosted by a leprologist, Lee S. Huizenga. Ru Gao (Jugao) leprosy clinic treated around 1,000 lepers in the North of Jiangsu with medicines and language communication. The establishment of the leprosy clinic made a historical contribution in terms of preventing leprosy from spreading to Shanghai. It closed in the spring of 1938 because of the invasion of the Japanese military.

[Correlation analysis between prenatal exposure of per-/polyfluoroalkyl compounds and neonatal outcome]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the prenatal exposure of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and the neonatal outcome. Methods: A total of 506 maternal infant cohort samples were collected in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province from 2020 to 2021. The exposure levels of seven PFASs in maternal serum before delivery were detected by solid-phase extraction-ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression model was used to analyze the influence of prenatal exposure of PFASs on birth weight, birth length and Apgar score. Results: The maternal age, prenatal body mass index and gestation age were (31.3±4.3) years old, (26.7±3.2) kg/m² and (265.0±28.3) days, respectively. The birth weight, birth length and scores of Apgar-1 and Apgar-5 were (3.1±0.8) kg, (49.3±2.9) cm, (9.88±0.47) points and (9.99±0.13) points, respectively. PFASs were widely distributed in maternal serum, with the highest concentration of (18.453±19.557) ng/ml, (6.756±9.379) ng/ml and (5.057±8.555) ng/ml for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 6∶2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (Cl-PFESA), respectively. Maternal age, parity and delivery mode were associated with the exposure level of PFASs (P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that PFOS had negative effects on birth weight (β=-0.958), birth length (β=-0.073) and Apgar-5 score (β=-0.288) for neonates in the low birth weight (LBW) group. 6∶2 Cl-PFESA and 8∶2 Cl-PFESA inhibited the birth weight (β=-0.926; β=-0.552) and length (β=-0.074; β=-0.045) of newborn in the LBW group. In addition, 4∶2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTS) was associated with increased birth weight (β=0.111) and decreased Apgar-5 score (β=-0.030) in the normal weight group. Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to PFASs is associated with birth weight, birth length and Apgar-5 score. It is necessary to continue to pay attention to the impact of PFASs on fetal growth and development through maternal-fetal transmission.

A cooperative scheme for late leaf spot estimation in peanut using UAV multispectral images

In Australia, peanuts are mainly grown in Queensland with tropical and subtropical climates. The most common foliar disease that poses a severe threat to quality peanut production is late leaf spot (LLS). Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been widely investigated for various plant trait estimations. The existing works on UAV-based remote sensing have achieved promising results for crop disease estimation using a mean or a threshold value to represent the plot-level image data, but these methods might be insufficient to capture the distribution of pixels within a plot. This study proposes two new methods, namely measurement index (MI) and coefficient of variation (CV), for LLS disease estimation on peanuts. We first investigated the relationship between the UAV-based multispectral vegetation indices (VIs) and the LLS disease scores at the late growth stages of peanuts. We then compared the performances of the proposed MI and CV-based methods with the threshold and mean-based methods for LLS disease estimation. The results showed that the MI-based method achieved the highest coefficient of determination and the lowest error for five of the six chosen VIs whereas the CV-based method performed the best for simple ratio (SR) index among the four methods. By considering the strengths and weaknesses of each method, we finally proposed a cooperative scheme based on the MI, the CV and the mean-based methods for automatic disease estimation, demonstrated by applying this scheme to the LLS estimation in peanuts.

[Relationship between onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma and lymphocyte subtypes of peripheral blood]

Objective: To study the relationship between the onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) and peripheral blood lymphocyte subtypes and its clinical significance. Methods: The pathologic and clinical data of 117 LELC patients who were admitted to the Tumor Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences from 2006 to 2018 were collected. The histological classification was based on previously reported morphological classification method. The onco-immunological and morphologic characteristics of the tumors such as lymphoid follicle formation and interstitial fibrous hyperplasia, patient's peripheral blood lymphocyte subtypes and prognosis data were collected. The relationship between various factors and their impact on prognosis were analyzed. Results: There were 117 patients, including 61 females and 56 males. The male to female ratio was 0.9∶1.0. The age of onset was 24-89 years (median 52 years). Primary sites included head and neck (68 cases), lungs (26 cases), stomach (15 cases), and others (eight cases). Morphologically, 54 cases were type Ⅰ, 62 cases were type Ⅱ, and one case could not be classified. The onco-immunological and morphologic features of the LELC tumors showed a continuous spectrum. Interstitial TILs were noted from focally to diffuse, and the interstitial fibrous tissues were from hardly visible to obvious sclerotic. Formation of lymphoid follicles was seen in 42 patients; obvious fibrosis was seen in 31 cases. Data of peripheral blood lymphocyte subtyping by flow cytometry were available in 73 cases. These data included CD3⁺total T cells, CD3⁺CD4⁺helper T cells, CD3⁺CD8⁺cytotoxic T cells, CD3^-CD56⁺natural killer (NK) cells, CD3^-CD19⁺B cells, CD4⁺CD45RA^-T helper induction subgroup, CD4⁺CD45RA⁺ T suppression induction subgroup, CD4⁺CD45RO⁺memory T cell subgroup, CD45RA⁺CD45RO⁺activated T cell subgroup, CD8⁺CD38⁺activated cytotoxic T cell, and CD25⁺lymphocytes and CD44⁺lymphocyte. The proportion of lymphocytes of each subtype was normal in most patients, but the proportion of CD44⁺lymphocytes in 61 cases (83.6%) was increased; the proportion of T cell suppression induced subgroups was decreased in 53 cases (72.6%). Correlation analysis found a significant correlation between clinical stage and NK cells (P=0.023); tumor histologic type and cytotoxic T cells were significantly positively correlated (P=0.012); while tumor cell morphologic differentiation was significantly related to total T cells (P=0.003) and NK cells (P=0.026); Formation of interstitial lymphoid follicles was positively correlated with memory T cell subsets (P=0.025); Tumor interstitial fibrosis was significantly positively correlated with T suppression-induced subpopulations (P=0.004), and was significantly negatively correlated with total T cells (P=0.023) and with the expression of CD44 adhesion molecules (P=0.003). Survival analysis found that lymphoid follicle formation was a favorable prognostic factor for LELC (P=0.001). Conclusions: The onco-immunological and morphologic features in LELC show a continuous spectrum; the tumor clinicopathological characteristics and onco-immunological morphology are closely related to peripheral blood T lymphocyte subtypes, and the formation of interstitial lymphoid follicles is a favorable prognostic factor for LELC.

[Surgical treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma involving larynx and trachea]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) involving larynx and trachea. Methods: A total of 1 436 cases of thyroid malignant tumors were admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from 2004 to 2019, including 110 cases of PTC involving larynx and trachea, and of which 105 cases with complete follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed. There were 42 males and 63 females, with a male/female ratio of 1∶1.5, aged from 28 to 81 years. All lesions involved trachea, including 11 cases involving both trachea and larynx. Of those 83 cases underwent laryngeal and airway wall tumor excision, and 22 cases underwent radical tumor excision plus laryngeal and trachea repair. Extubation rate was analyzed and the postoperative survival curve of patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Among 105 cases, 16 cases underwent tracheotomy and 12 cases were successfully extubated. The overall 3- 5- and 10-year survival rates were 100.0%, 86.4% and 72.5%, and the disease-free survival rates were 93.1%, 81.6% and 57.7%, respectively. There was significant difference in survival curve between the two groups (χ²=4.21, P=0.040). The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 94.6% and 77.3% in laryngeal and tracheal tumor exclusion group, and 85.7% and 51.4% in the radical tumor resection group. There was no significant difference in the survival curves between the two groups (χ²=3.50, P=0.061). Conclusion: PTC patients with laryngeal and tracheal involvement can achieve long survival and good quality of life through reasonable surgical treatment.

[Pathological features related to onco-immunity and their clinical significance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the tumor immunity-related pathologic features and clinical significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: All pathologic materials and clinical information of 192 PDAC patients from the Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences from January 2010 to December 2020 were collected. The onco-immune microenvironment associated morphologic features were evaluated, and MHC-Ⅰ, PD-L1, CD3, and CD8 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Then the correlation between the factors and their influence on prognosis was analyzed. Results: There were 163 cases of non-specific adenocarcinoma (163/192, 84.90%), 18 cases of adeno-squamous carcinoma (18/192, 9.37%), and 11 cases of other rare subtypes (11/192, 5.73%). Perineural invasion was observed in 110 cases (110/192, 57.29%) and vascular invasion in 86 cases (86/192, 44.79%). There were 84 cases (84/182, 46.15%) with severe chronic inflammation. Tumor infiltrating immune cell numbers (TII-N) were increased in 52 cases (52/192, 27.08%). Lymphocytes and plasma cells were the main infiltrating immune cells in 60 cases (60/192, 31.25%), whereas in 34 cases (34/192, 17.71%) the tumors were mainly infiltrated by granulocytes, and 98 cases (98/192, 51.04%) showed mixed infiltration. CD3+T cells were deficient in 124 cases (124/192, 66.31%). CD8+T cells were deficient in 152 cases (152/192, 79.58%). MHC-Ⅰ expression was down-regulated in 156 cases (156/192, 81.25%), and PD-L1 was positive (CPS≥1) in 46 cases (46/192, 23.96%). Statistical analysis showed that TII-N was negatively correlated with vascular invasion (P=0.035), perineural invasion (P=0.002), stage (P=0.004) and long-term alcohol consumption (P=0.039). The type of immune cells correlated positively with chronic pancreatic inflammation (P=0.002), and negatively with tumor differentiation (P=0.024). CD8+T cells were positively correlated with CD3+T cells (P=0.032), MHC-Ⅰ expression (P<0.001) and PD-L1 expression (P=0.001), and negatively correlated with long-term smoking (P=0.016). Univariate analysis showed that histological nonspecific type (P=0.013) and TII-N (P<0.001) were the factors for good prognosis. Vascular invasion (P=0.032), perineural invasion (P=0.001), high stage (P=0.003) and long-term alcohol consumption (P=0.004) were adverse prognostic factors. COX multivariate risk analysis found that TII-N was an independent favorable factor for PDAC, while perineural invasion was an independent adverse risk factor. Conclusions: TII-N is an independent superior prognostic factor for PDAC, and significantly correlated with many factors; chronic alcohol consumption and smoking may inhibit onco-immunity in PDAC patients.

Combined effects of biochar and fertilizer applications on yield: A review and meta-analysis

The use of biochar is changing, and the combined application of biochar with fertilizer is increasingly gaining acceptance. However, the yield gains results reported in the existing literature through the co-application of fertilizer with biochar are conflicting. To resolve this, we utilized a meta-analysis of 627 paired data points extracted from 57 published articles to assess the performance of the co-application of biochar and fertilizers on crop yield compared with the corresponding controls. We also studied the impact of biochar characteristics, experimental conditions, and soil properties on crop yield. Our analysis showed that individually, biochar and inorganic fertilizer increased crop yield by 25.3% ± 3.2 (Bootstrap CI 95%) and 21.9% ± 4.4, respectively. The co-application of biochar with both inorganic and organic fertilizers increased crop yield by 179.6% ± 18.7, however, this data needs to be treated with caution due to the limited dataset. The highest yield increase was observed with amendments to very acidic soils (pH ≤5), but the benefits of biochar were not affected by the rate and the time after the application. In addition, the effects of biochar are enhanced when it is produced at 401-500 °C with a C:N ratio of 31-100. Our results suggest that the co-application of biochar with either inorganic and/or organic fertilizers in acidic soils increase crop productivity compared to amendment with either fertilizer or biochar. Our meta-analysis supports the utilization of biochar to enhance the efficiency and profitability of fertilizers.

Biochar compound fertilisers increase plant potassium uptake 2 years after application without additional organic fertiliser

Biochar compound fertilisers (BCFs) are an emerging technology that combine biochar with nutrients, clays and minerals and can be formulated to address specific issues in soil-plant systems. However, knowledge of BCF performance over consecutive crops and without re-application is limited. This study aims to assess the residual effect of organic BCFs soil-plant nutrient cycling 2 years after application and without additional fertiliser inputs. We applied BCFs and biochar with organic fertiliser amendments and established a crop of ginger and a second crop of turmeric (Curcuma longa) without re-application or additional fertilisation. All treatment formulations included bamboo-biochar and organic fertiliser amendments; however, two novel BCFs were formulated to promote agronomic response in an intensive cropping system. We report here on the effect of treatments on soil and plant macronutrient and micronutrient cycling and turmeric growth, biomass and yield at harvest. Both BCFs (enriched (10 t ha^-1) and organo-mineral biochar (8.6 t ha^-1) increased foliar K (+155% and +120%) and decreased foliar Mg (-20% and -19%) concentration compared with all other treatments, suggesting antagonism between K and Mg. Plants were limited for K, P and B at harvest but not N, Ca or Mg. Foliar K was dependent on the biochar formulation rather than the rate of application. Biochar-clay aggregates increased K retention and cycling in the soil solution 2 years after application. Clay blended BCFs reduced K limitation in turmeric compared to biochar co-applied with organic amendments, suggesting these blends can be used to manage organic K nutrition. All formulations and rates of biochar increased leaf biomass and shoot-to-root ratio. Novel BCFs should be considered as an alternative to co-applying biochar with organic fertiliser amendments to decrease application rates and increase economic feasibility for farmers. Applying BCFs without re-application or supplementary fertiliser did not provide sufficient K or P reserves in the second year for consecutive cropping. Therefore, supplementary fertilisation is recommended to avoid nutrient deficiency and reduced yield for consecutive organic rhizome crops.

Limonitum Ameliorates Castor Oil-Induced Diarrhoea in Mice by Modulating Gut Microbiota

Diarrhoea is a common clinical condition; its pathogenesis is strongly associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Limonitum is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that exerts appreciable benefits regarding the amelioration of diarrhoea. However, the mechanism through which Limonitum ameliorates diarrhoea remains unclear. Here, the efficacy and underlying mechanism of Limonitum decoction (LD) regarding diarrhoea were explored from the aspect of gut microbiota. Castor oil (CO) was used to induce diarrhoea in mice, which were then used to evaluate the effects of LD regarding the timing of the first defecation, diarrhoea stool rate, degree of diarrhoea, diarrhoea score, intestinal propulsive rate, and weight of intestinal contents. The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butyric and valeric acids, were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to evaluate changes in the gut microbiota under exposure to LD. LD was found to effectively ameliorate the symptoms of diarrhoea, and the diversity and relative abundance of gut microbiota were restored to normal levels following LD treatment. Additionally, LD significantly restored the observed reductions in SCFAs. These results provide strong evidence that LD can sufficiently ameliorate diarrhoea in mice by regulating their gut microbiota. The findings presented here highlight that Limonitum may constitute a prospective remedy for diarrhoea.

Multifunctional Chiral Three-Dimensional Phosphite Frameworks Showing Dielectric Anomaly and High Proton Conductivity

Chair 3D Co(II) phosphite frameworks have been prepared by the ionothermal method. It belongs to chiral space group P3₂21, and the whole framework can be topologically represented as a chiral 4-connected qtz net. It shows a multistep dielectric response arising from the reorientation of Me₂-DABCO in the chiral cavities. It can also serve as a pron conductor with high conductivity, 1.71 × 10^-3 S cm^-1, at room temperature, which is attributed to the formation of denser hydrogen-bonding networks providing efficient proton-transfer pathways.

Soil-plant nitrogen isotope composition and nitrogen cycling after biochar applications

Biochar has strong potential to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency in both agricultural and horticultural systems. Biochar is usually co-applied with full rates of fertiliser. However, the extent to which N cycling can be affected after biochar application to meet plant N requirement remains uncertain. This study aimed to explore N cycling up to 2 years after biochar application. We applied pine woodchip biochar at 0, 10 and 30 t ha^-1 (B0, B10, B30, respectively) in a macadamia orchard and evaluated the N isotope composition (δ¹⁵N) of soil, microbial biomass and macadamia leaves. Soil total N (TN) and inorganic N pools were also measured up to 2 years after biochar application. Biochar did not alter soil TN but soil NO₃^--N increased at months 12 and 24 after biochar application. Soil NO₃^--N concentrations were always over ideal levels of 15 μg g^-1 in B30 throughout the study. Stepwise regression indicated that foliar δ¹⁵N decreases after biochar application were explained by increased NO₃^--N concentrations in B30. Foliar TN and photosynthesis were not affected by biochar application. The soil in the high rate biochar plots had excess NO₃^--N concentrations (over 30 μg g^-1) from month 20 onwards. Therefore, N fertiliser applications could be adjusted to prevent excessive N inputs and increase farm profitability.

[Epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and control measures of trichinellosis in China: an overview]

Trichinellosis is a worldwide zoonotic parasitic disease, which may infect humans and a wide range of animals, including carnivores, herbivores and even birds. Humans get infections through ingestion of raw or semi-cooked meat or meat products containing live Trichinella larvae. Currently, this zoonosis is predominantly prevalent in southwestern, northeastern and central parts of China, which poses a great threat to human health and socioeconomic development. In addition, the emergent public health hazards caused by trichinellosis outbreaks greatly threaten human health and social stability. This review describes the current status, diagnosis, treatment and control measures of trichinellosis in China, so as to provide insights into trichinellosis control in the country.

[The epidemic, prophylaxis and treatment of cholera in Su-Wan Liberated Area in 1946]

Rugao and Haian belonging to First Branch of Su-Wan Liberated Area found fulminant cholera in 1946. The fulminant cholera spread throughout the Su-Wan Liberated Area in a short period of time. Thus, local mass and military led by CPC actively launched the Movement of Epidemic Prevention. They took some actions to clear up the circumstance, eliminate the pathogen, prevent the food contamination and cut off the route of transmission. Vaccination was carried out on a large scale. As a result of these measure, the fulminant cholera was efficiently controlled.

[Association between Lipoprotein(a) and the characteristics of left main coronary artery plaque in patients with stable angina pectoris]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between Lipoprotein (LP) (a) level and the characteristics of tissue components of left main coronary artery (LMCA) plaque. Methods: A total of 102 patients with stable angina pectoris who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the People's Hospital of Henan Province from June 2010 to October 2016 were included. We performed intravascular ultrasound-virtual histology (IVUS-VH) to their LMCAs and evaluated the tissue characteristics, and the blood level of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), ApoB, ApoA1, LP(a) were measured. According to the value of their LP(a) level they were divided into 2 groups (high LP(a) group (>300 mg/L) (n=35) and low LP(a) group (≤300 mg/L) (n=67)), then the relationship between the above lipid values and the tissue characteristics of the LMCA plaque in the patients were evaluated. Results: Patients with a high LP(a) had a larger percentage of fibrolipid volume and a smaller percentage fibrous volume compared to patients with a normal LP(a) (25%±5% vs 13%±6%, P<0.01 and 50%±8% vs 61%±9%, P<0.01). Using multivariate linear regression analysis after adjustment for the above-mentioned confounding factors, LP(a) had a significantly positive correlation with fibrolipid volume percentage (r=0.645, β=0.29, P<0.01), and had a negative correlation with fibrous volume percentage (r=-0.467, β=-0.32,P<0.01), suggesting that the LP(a) was associated with the vulnerability of the LMCA plaque. Conclusion: For the patients with stable angina pectoris, the LP(a) has a significantly positive correlation with the percentage of fibrolipid volume and a negative correlation with the percentage of fibrous volume, suggesting that the LP(a) could predict the vulnerability of the LMCA plaque.

[Review of survey method for human time-activity pattern and its application in the exposure assessment of air pollutants]

Time activity pattern refers to the time and behavior of people at different locations. The knowledge of time-activity pattern is essential for air pollution exposure assessment when direct personal exposure monitoring can't not be conducted, because air pollutant concentrations may vary significantly by location and activity. This review is focused on the survey method for human time-activity pattern and its application in the exposure assessment of air pollutants. After comparing the diary-reported trips and Global Positioning System (GPS) recording method, we believed that diary-reported trips were more reliable in describing comprehensive and detail records of the behavior and environmental circumstances while GPS-recorded trend to maintain sound information of time, location and transportations. Meanwhile, according to different subjects, the air pollution exposure model could be divided for population and individuals. There were great difference between two types of model in many areas, including the required information about time, activity and microenvironment.

The effects of short term, long term and reapplication of biochar on soil bacteria

Biochar has been shown to affect soil microbial diversity and abundance. Soil microbes play a key role in soil nutrient cycling, but there is still a dearth of knowledge on the responses of soil microbes to biochar amendments, particularly for longer-term or repeated applications. We sampled soil from a field trial to determine the individual and combined effects of newly applied (1 year ago), re-applied (1 year ago into aged biochar) and aged (9 years ago) biochar amendments on soil bacterial communities, with the aim of identifying the potential underlying mechanisms or consequences of these effects. Soil bacterial diversity and community composition were analysed by sequencing of 16S rRNA using a Miseq platform. This investigation showed that biochar in soil after 1 year significantly increased bacterial diversity and the relative abundance of nitrifiers and bacteria consuming pyrogenic carbon (C). We also found that the reapplication of biochar had no significant effects on soil bacterial communities. Mantel correlation between bacterial diversity and soil chemical properties for four treatments showed that the changes in soil microbial community composition were well explained by soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable organic C and total extractable nitrogen (N). These results suggested that the effects of biochar amendment on soil bacterial communities were highly time-dependent. Our study highlighted the acclimation of soil bacteria on receiving repeated biochar amendment, leading to similar bacterial diversity and community structure among 9-years old applied biochar, repeated biochar treatments and control.

[Assessing the consistency of methods to measure travel behavior related to exposure to air pollution]

Objective: To compare diary-reported trips and Global Positioning System (GPS) recording trips and identify the reasons for the discrepancies between two methods. Methods: The survey was conducted in Jiangning district in Nanjing city during July to September and November to December, 2015. Both the diary records and GPS method were used to investigate the travel behavior of 33 retired adults for 5 consecutive days. The GPS traces were display in Google Earth and then split into trips to compare with the diary records according to time and location. χ(2) test was used to analyze the influence of trip characteristics on misreporting rates of each method. Results: A total of 1 087 trips in the survey can be compared between the diary (n=909) and the GPS method (n=912). 7.3% (79/1 087) of the trips were only recorded by GPS method, and 11.8% (128/1 087) were only reported in the diary. Of the remaining 880 trips recorded by the both methods, 86.7% (763/880) matched each other, while 13.3% (117/880) did not. For the matched trips, the difference between the trip durations recorded by diary and GPS method was 2.0 (quartile was 6.0) minutes and the diary method overestimated about 25.0% trip durations when compared with the GPS method. The accuracy rates were 84.8%(903/1 065) and 86.9%(925/1 065) for diary and GPS method, respectively. Both methods were more likely to misreport the trip under 5 minutes. The misreporting rates of diary method for trips under 5 minutes were 6.8 times higher than trips over 30 minutes (21.7% vs 3.2%). The reporting accuracy was also significantly different among trips by different travel mode (P<0.05) for both methods, diary method had the lowest accuracy in reporting vehicles recorders (69.3%, 133/192), while GPS method was more accuracy in both biking (91.9%, 136/148) and vehicles recorders(89.6%, 172/192). The main reasons for misreporting by diary method were forgetting or unwilling to record and failing to record trips according to travel mode, while forgetting to carry GPS device, bad GPS signal and failing to locate the position were the main reasons for misreporting by GPS method. Conclusion: The majority of the trips reported in diary and GPS method are well consistent with each other. Both of the methods should be used simultaneously in the survey of time-activity pattern to improve the data quality.

[Application of endoscope assisted curved laryngoscopy technique in transoral laryngopharyngeal minimally invasive surgery]

Objective: To explore the possibility of endoscope assisted curved laryngoscopy technique applied in transoral laryngopharyngeal minimally invasive surgery and evaluate the advantages of this technique. Methods: Eight patients with huge benign lesions in larynx and pharynx undergoing transoral microsurgery at Peking University Third Hospital between February 2016 and February 2017 were enrolled in this study.The diagnosis included cyst at the base of tongue in two patients, cysts in the epiglottis in two patients, hemangioma in two patients, multiple masses of the hypopharynx and amyloidosis in supraglottic area in one patient each.The time and exposure during surgery, occurrence rate of complication and conditions of following-up were recorded. Results: The mean time of surgery was 20 min, the exposure was satisfying.There was no obvious complication after surgery.No residual or recurrent lesion was observed after 1 to 12 months follow-up(mean time 4.5 months). Conclusion: The endoscope assisted curved laryngoscopy technique has advantages in shortening the time of surgery, improving exposure and reducing the rate of complication and recurrence.

Transient Stability of Epigenetic Population Differentiation in a Clonal Invader

Epigenetic variation may play an important role in how plants cope with novel environments. While significant epigenetic differences among plants from contrasting habitats have often been observed in the field, the stability of these differences remains little understood. Here, we combined field monitoring with a multi-generation common garden approach to study the dynamics of DNA methylation variation in invasive Chinese populations of the clonal alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides). Using AFLP and MSAP markers, we found little variation in DNA sequence but substantial epigenetic population differentiation. In the field, these differences remained stable across multiple years, whereas in a common environment they were maintained at first but then progressively eroded. However, some epigenetic differentiation remained even after 10 asexual generations. Our data indicate that epigenetic variation in alligator weed most likely results from a combination of environmental induction and spontaneous epimutation, and that much of it is neither rapidly reversible (phenotypic plasticity) nor long-term stable, but instead displays an intermediate level of stability. Such transient epigenetic stability could be a beneficial mechanism in novel and heterogeneous environments, particularly in a genetically impoverished invader.

[Postoperative effects of balloon sinuplasty on chronic rhinosinusitis: a Meta-analysis]

Objective: To evaluate the postoperative clinical effects of balloon sinuplasty on chronic rhinosinusitis. Methods: PubMed, OVID, Embase, Cochrane Library, Proquest, Web of Science, Sinomed, Wan Fang and CNKI database (from established time to March of 2017) were searched for trials about the chronic rhinosinusitis treated by balloon sinuplasty. The relavent literatures were screened, and the prospective control studies were chosen. Lund-Mackay and SNOT-20 scores were used as the outcome idicators, and the methodological quality of the literatures were evaluated strictly. The extracted data were analyzed by Revman 5.3 software. Results: A total of 7 prospective before-after self-controlled studies were included, and the overall quality of which was relatively high. Meta-analysis showed that the Lund-Mackay scores at 6 months post-operation, the SNOT-20 scores at 6 months and more than 1 year post-operation were significant lower than baseline when balloon sinuplasty used in the surgery; the SNOT-20 scores at more than 1 year post-operation was lower than baseline when a standalone ballon sinuplasty was performed. All the results was statistically significant (P<0.05), and all the SMD were more than 0.8. Conclusions: The postoperative effect of balloon sinuplasty on chronic rhinosinusitis is obvious, and the subjective symptoms in patients is relieved effectively.

[Efficacy analysis of endoscopic stage Ⅰ reconstruction of nasal contour and function]

Objective:The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of endoscopic stage Ⅰ reconstruction of nasal contour and function.Method:Twenty subjects with severe nasal trauma,nasal bone fracture and deviation of nasal septum were selected.The surgeries of stage Ⅰ reconstruction of nasal contour and function were proceeded on 7 to 30 days after trauma.Result:The VAS scores of deformity of nasal contour and severity of nasal blockage assessed by patients decreased significantly after operation.Deflection distance of nasal dorsum measured by 3D imaging decreased significantly.In patients with abnormal nasal ventilation,the volume and the minimal cross-section area of abnormal nasal cavity increased significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion:The effectiveness of endoscopic stage Ⅰ reconstruction of nasal contour and function was excellent.The patients were satisfied with improvement of nasal contour and ventilation.

Short-term dynamics of carbon and nitrogen using compost, compost-biochar mixture and organo-mineral biochar

This study aims to examine the effects of different organic treatments including compost (generated from cattle hide waste and plant material), compost mixed with biochar (compost + biochar) and a new formulation of organo-mineral biochar (produced by mixing biochar with clay, minerals and chicken manure) on carbon (C) nitrogen (N) cycling. We used compost at the rate of 20 t ha(-1), compost 20 t ha(-1) mixed with 10 t ha(-1) biochar (compost + biochar) and organo-mineral biochar which also contained 10 t ha(-1) biochar. Control samples received neither of the treatments. Compost and compost + biochar increased NH4 (+) -N concentrations for a short time, mainly due to the release of their NH4 (+) -N content. Compost + biochar did not alter N cycling of the compost significantly but did significantly increase CO2 emission compared to control. Compost significantly increased N2O emission compared to control. Compost + biochar did not significantly change N supply and also did not decrease CO2 and N2O emissions compared to compost, suggesting probably higher rates of biochar may be required to be added to the compost to significantly affect compost-induced C and N alteration. The organo-mineral biochar had no effect on N cycling and did not stimulate CO2 and N2O emission compared to the control. However, organo-mineral biochar maintained significantly higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) than compost and compost + biochar from after day 14 to the end of the incubation. Biochar used in organo-mineral biochar had increased organic C adsorption which may become available eventually. However, increased DOC in organo-mineral biochar probably originated from both biochar and chicken manure which was not differentiated in this experiment. Hence, in our experiment, compost, compost + biochar and organo-mineral biochar affected C and N cycling differently mainly due to their different content.

The Relative Importance of Genetic Diversity and Phenotypic Plasticity in Determining Invasion Success of a Clonal Weed in the USA and China

Phenotypic plasticity has been proposed as an important adaptive strategy for clonal plants in heterogeneous habitats. Increased phenotypic plasticity can be especially beneficial for invasive clonal plants, allowing them to colonize new environments even when genetic diversity is low. However, the relative importance of genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity for invasion success remains largely unknown. Here, we performed molecular marker analyses and a common garden experiment to investigate the genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity of the globally important weed Alternanthera philoxeroides in response to different water availability (terrestrial vs. aquatic habitats). This species relies predominantly on clonal propagation in introduced ranges. We therefore expected genetic diversity to be restricted in the two sampled introduced ranges (the USA and China) when compared to the native range (Argentina), but that phenotypic plasticity may allow the species' full niche range to nonetheless be exploited. We found clones from China had very low genetic diversity in terms of both marker diversity and quantitative variation when compared with those from the USA and Argentina, probably reflecting different introduction histories. In contrast, similar patterns of phenotypic plasticity were found for clones from all three regions. Furthermore, despite the different levels of genetic diversity, bioclimatic modeling suggested that the full potential bioclimatic distribution had been invaded in both China and USA. Phenotypic plasticity, not genetic diversity, was therefore critical in allowing A. philoxeroides to invade diverse habitats across broad geographic areas.

HER 2/neu protein expression in gastric cancer is associated with poor survival

Mol Med Rep 2: [Related article:] 943–946, 2009; DOI: 10.3892/mmr_00000196 After the publication of the article, the authors noted that there was an error regarding the author list on the Pubmed website. J.Y. Shen was erroneously omitted from the data submitted for publication on the Pubmed website. We apologize for the oversight and possible misunderstanding. The correct author list is the list that was published in PDF format on the Spandidos Publications website and in print, which is as follows: S.D. Xie1*, C.Y. Xu1,3*, J.G. Shen1, Z.N. Jiang2,3, J.Y. Shen1 and L.B. Wang1.

Effect of biochar amendment on yield and photosynthesis of peanut on two types of soils

Biochar has significant potential to improve crop performance. This study examined the effect of biochar application on the photosynthesis and yield of peanut crop grown on two soil types. The commercial peanut cultivar Middleton was grown on red ferrosol and redoxi-hydrosol (Queensland, Australia) amended with a peanut shell biochar gradient (0, 0.375, 0.750, 1.50, 3.00 and 6.00%, w/w, equivalent up to 85 t ha(-1)) in a glasshouse pot experiment. Biomass and pod yield, photosynthesis-[CO2] response parameters, leaf characteristics and soil properties (carbon, nitrogen (N) and nutrients) were quantified. Biochar significantly improved peanut biomass and pod yield up to 2- and 3-folds respectively in red ferrosol and redoxi-hydrosol. A modest (but significant) biochar-induced improvement of the maximum electron transport rate and saturating photosynthetic rate was observed for red ferrosol. This response was correlated to increased leaf N and accompanied with improved soil available N and biological N fixation. Biochar application also improved the availability of other soil nutrients, which appeared critical in improving peanut performance, especially on infertile redoxi-hydrosol. Our study suggests that application of peanut shell derived biochar has strong potential to improve peanut yield on red ferrosol and redoxi-hydrosol. Biochar soil amendment can affect leaf N status and photosynthesis, but the effect varied with soil type.

Soil and foliar nutrient and nitrogen isotope composition (δ(15)N) at 5 years after poultry litter and green waste biochar amendment in a macadamia orchard

This study aimed to evaluate the improvement in soil fertility and plant nutrient use in a macadamia orchard following biochar application. The main objectives of this study were to assess the effects of poultry litter and green waste biochar applications on nitrogen (N) cycling using N isotope composition (δ(15)N) and nutrient availability in a soil-plant system at a macadamia orchard, 5 years following application. Biochar was applied at 10 t ha(-1) dry weight but concentrated within a 3-m diameter zone when trees were planted in 2007. Soil and leaf samples were collected in 2012, and both soil and foliar N isotope composition (δ(15)N) and nutrient concentrations were assessed. Both soil and foliar δ(15)N increased significantly in the poultry litter biochar plots compared to the green waste biochar and control plots. A significant relationship was observed between soil and plant δ(15)N. There was no influence of either biochars on foliar total N concentrations or soil NH4 (+)-N and NO3 (-)-N, which suggested that biochar application did not pose any restriction for plant N uptake. Plant bioavailable phosphorus (P) was significantly higher in the poultry litter biochar treatment compared to the green waste biochar treatment and control. We hypothesised that the bioavailability of N and P content of poultry litter biochar may play an important role in increasing soil and plant δ(15)N and P concentrations. Biochar application affected soil-plant N cycling and there is potential to use soil and plant δ(15)N to investigate N cycling in a soil-biochar-tree crop system. The poultry litter biochar significantly increased soil fertility compared to the green waste biochar at 5 years following biochar application which makes the poultry litter a better feedstock to produce biochar compared to green waste for the tree crops.

Status of soil nematode communities during natural regeneration of a subtropical forest in southwestern China

Forest recovery has been extensively evaluated using plant communities but fewer studies have been conducted on soil fauna. This study reports the status of soil nematode communities during natural re-establishment after deforestation in a subtropical forest in southwestern China. Soil nematode communities of two secondary succession stages, shrub-grassland and secondary forest, were compared with those of virgin forest. Shrub-grassland had higher herbivore relative abundance but lower fungivore and bacterivore relative abundance than forests. Between secondary and virgin forest, the latter had higher abundance of bacterivores. Shrub-grassland had lower nematode diversity, generic richness, maturity index and trophic diversity index than virgin forest, whereas there were no differences in these indices between secondary forest and virgin forest. The small differences in nematode community structures between secondary forest and virgin forest suggest that soil nematode communities recovered to a level close to that of the undisturbed forest after up to 50 years of natural succession.

Predicting ecosystem carbon balance in a warming Arctic: the importance of long-term thermal acclimation potential and inhibitory effects of light on respiration

The carbon balance of Arctic ecosystems is particularly sensitive to global environmental change. Leaf respiration (R), a temperature-dependent key process in determining the carbon balance, is not well-understood in Arctic plants. The potential for plants to acclimate to warmer conditions could strongly impact future global carbon balance. Two key unanswered questions are (1) whether short-term temperature responses can predict long-term respiratory responses to growth in elevated temperatures and (2) to what extent the constant daylight conditions of the Arctic growing season inhibit leaf respiration. In two dominant Arctic species Eriophorum vaginatum (tussock grass) and Betula nana (woody shrub), we assessed the extent of respiratory inhibition in the light (RL/RD), respiratory response to short-term temperature change, and respiratory acclimation to long-term warming treatments. We found that R of both species is strongly inhibited by light (averaging 35% across all measurement temperatures). In E. vaginatum both RL and RD acclimated to the long-term warming treatment, reducing the magnitude of respiratory response relative to the short-term response to temperature increase. In B. nana, both RL and RD responded to short-term temperature increase but showed no acclimation to the long-term warming. The ability to predict plant respiratory response to global warming with short-term temperature responses will depend on species-specific acclimation potential and the differential response of RL and RD to temperature. With projected woody shrub encroachment in Arctic tundra and continued warming, changing species dominance between these two functional groups, may impact ecosystem respiratory response and carbon balance.

HER 2/neu protein expression in gastric cancer is associated with poor survival

The presence of HER 2/neu has been reported in gastric cancer, but its impact on patient survival remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of HER 2/neu in gastric cancer. A total of 218 paired resected gastric cancer and corresponding normal specimens were collected. HER 2/neu protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between HER 2/neu expression and patient clinicopathological parameters was evaluated and the prognostic significance of HER 2/neu expression was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Forty-one out of 218 (18.8%) gastric cancer specimens showed HER 2/neu-positive expression. No relationship was found between membranous HER 2/neu expression and clinicopathological parameters. However, HER 2/neu expression was correlated with poorer overall survival (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, HER 2/neu expression was a significant independent prognostic predictor of gastric cancer (p<0.001), and was associated with poor survival in gastric cancer patients. These data indicate that HER 2/neu may play a major role in the therapeutic management of gastric cancer.

Leaf structural characteristics are less important than leaf chemical properties in determining the response of leaf mass per area and photosynthesis of Eucalyptus saligna to industrial-age changes in [CO2] and temperature

The rise in atmospheric [CO(2)] is associated with increasing air temperature. However, studies on plant responses to interactive effects of [CO(2)] and temperature are limited, particularly for leaf structural attributes. In this study, Eucalyptus saligna plants were grown in sun-lit glasshouses differing in [CO(2)] (290, 400, and 650 µmol mol(-1)) and temperature (26 °C and 30 °C). Leaf anatomy and chloroplast parameters were assessed with three-dimensional confocal microscopy, and the interactive effects of [CO(2)] and temperature were quantified. The relative influence of leaf structural attributes and chemical properties on the variation of leaf mass per area (LMA) and photosynthesis within these climate regimes was also determined. Leaf thickness and mesophyll size increased in higher [CO(2)] but decreased at the warmer temperature; no treatment interaction was observed. In pre-industrial [CO(2)], warming reduced chloroplast diameter without altering chloroplast number per cell, but the opposite pattern (reduced chloroplast number per cell and unchanged chloroplast diameter) was observed in both current and projected [CO(2)]. The variation of LMA was primarily explained by total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentration rather than leaf thickness. Leaf photosynthetic capacity (light- and [CO(2)]-saturated rate at 28 °C) and light-saturated photosynthesis (under growth [CO(2)] and temperature) were primarily determined by leaf nitrogen contents, while secondarily affected by chloroplast gas exchange surface area and chloroplast number per cell, respectively. In conclusion, leaf structural attributes are less important than TNC and nitrogen in affecting LMA and photosynthesis responses to the studied climate regimes, indicating that leaf structural attributes have limited capacity to adjust these functional traits in a changing climate.

Differential influence of clonal integration on morphological and growth responses to light in two invasive herbs

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In contrast to seeds, high sensitivity of vegetative fragments to unfavourable environments may limit the expansion of clonal invasive plants. However, clonal integration promotes the establishment of propagules in less suitable habitats and may facilitate the expansion of clonal invaders into intact native communities. Here, we examine the influence of clonal integration on the morphology and growth of ramets in two invasive plants, Alternanthera philoxeroides and Phyla canescens, under varying light conditions.

METHODS

In a greenhouse experiment, branches, connected ramets and severed ramets of the same mother plant were exposed under full sun and 85% shade and their morphological and growth responses were assessed.

KEY RESULTS

The influence of clonal integration on the light reaction norm (connection×light interaction) of daughter ramets was species-specific. For A. philoxeroides, clonal integration evened out the light response (total biomass, leaf mass per area, and stem number, diameter and length) displayed in severed ramets, but these connection×light interactions were largely absent for P. canescens. Nevertheless, for both species, clonal integration overwhelmed light effect in promoting the growth of juvenile ramets during early development. Also, vertical growth, as an apparent shade acclimation response, was more prevalent in severed ramets than in connected ramets. Finally, unrooted branches displayed smaller organ size and slower growth than connected ramets, but the pattern of light reaction was similar, suggesting mother plants invest in daughter ramets prior to their own branches.

CONCLUSIONS

Clonal integration modifies light reaction norms of morphological and growth traits in a species-specific manner for A. philoxeroides and P. canescens, but it improves the establishment of juvenile ramets of both species in light-limiting environments by promoting their growth during early development. This factor may be partially responsible for their ability to successfully colonize native plant communities.

Characterization of neural stem cells on electrospun poly(L-lactic acid) nanofibrous scaffold

Nanofibrous poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds were fabricated by an electrospinning technique and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, mercury porosimeter, atomic force microscopy and contact-angle test. The produced PLLA fibers with diameters ranging from 150 to 350 nm were randomly orientated with interconnected pores varying from several microm to about 140 microm in-between to form a three-dimensional architecture, which resembles the natural extracellular matrix structure in human body. The in vitro cell culture study was performed and the results indicate that the nanofibrous scaffold not only supports neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation and neurites out-growth, but also promotes NSC adhesion. The favorable interaction between the NSCs and the nanofibrous scaffold may be due to the greatly improved surface roughness of the electrospun nanofibrous scaffold. As evidenced by this study, the electrospun nanofibrous scaffold is expected to play a significant role in neural tissue engineering.

Association of androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism with VO₂max response to hypoxic training in North China Han men

The purposes of this study were to investigate the distribution characteristics of CAG repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of androgen receptor gene and the association of CAG polymorphism with VO₂max response to hypoxic training in North China Han men. Sixty-five healthy young men completed a 30-day HiHiLo training (living high, exercise high and training low) in a simulated normobaric hypoxic environment. All subjects slept in 14.3-14.8% O₂ concentration, and participated in hypoxic training three times a week in 15.4% O₂ concentration. VO₂max (peak oxygen consumption) and body weight were measured before and after hypoxic training. A total of 15 repeat alleles were observed by CAG genotype analyze, in which (CAG)22 was most common. When using 21 and 22 alleles, respectively, as cut-off points, we found that the baseline body weight of two shorter genotype groups was significantly lower than that of longer ones, and that the ΔVO₂max and ΔrVO₂max (Δrelative value of VO₂max) of two shorter genotype groups were significantly higher than those of longer ones after hypoxic training. These findings indicated that AR CAG repeat polymorphism was associated with the exercise performance after simulated normobaric hypoxic HiHiLo training in North China Han men, and that the shorter genotypes had a better individual response to hypoxic training.

Protective effect of Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, on LPS/D: -GalN-induced acute liver injury in mice

OBJECTIVE

Protein kinase D (PKD) is a newly described serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a pivotal role in inflammatory response. In the present study, we examined the protective effect of Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and D: -galactosamine (D: -GalN)-induced acute liver injury in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were pretreated intraperitoneally with Gö6976 30 min before LPS/D: -GalN administration . The mortality and degree of hepatic injury was subsequently assessed.

RESULTS

The results indicated that LPS/D: -GalN administration markedly induced hepatic PKD activation, lethality and liver injury, while pretreatment of the PKD inhibitor Gö6976 significantly inhibited LPS-induced PKD activation, improved the survival of LPS/D: -GalN-administered mice and attenuated LPS/D: -GalN-induced liver injury, as evidenced by reduced levels of serum aminotransferases as well as reduced histopathological changes. In addition, the protective effects of Gö6976 were paralleled by suppressed activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), decreased expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and adhesion molecules, and reduced apoptosis and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in liver.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experimental data indicated that Gö6976, a PKD inhibitor, could effectively prevent LPS/D: -GalN-induced acute liver injury by inhibition of MAPKs activation to reduce TNF-α production. This suggests the potential pharmacological value of PKD inhibitors in the intervention of inflammation-based liver diseases.

Estrogen receptor beta variants mRNA expressions in gastric cancer tissues and association with clinicopathologic parameters

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS

The aim of this study is to examine the expression of estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 ,5 in gastric cancer tissues and evaluate their correlation with clinicopathological features.

METHODOLOGY

Real-time quantitative PCR assay was applied to detect the expression of estrogen receptor beta-1, 2, 5 mRNAs in 44 gastric cancer tissues and their paired normal tissues and correlate their mRNA levels with the clinicopathological properties of the tumors. 2(deltaCT) method was used to obtain the relative quantity of target mRNA expression.

RESULTS

In almost all patients, estrogen receptor beta-1, 2, 5 mRNAs were expressed in gastric cancers and their matched normal tissues; however estrogen receptor beta-5 mRNA was not found in 8 normal gastric tissues. Estrogen receptor beta-5 had a much higher expression than estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 in gastric cancer tissues. Higher estrogen receptor beta-5 mRNAlevel was observed in gastric cancers than matched normal tissues (p = 0.001) and its increased expression was correlated with pTNM stage of the tumor (p = 0.032) and the lymph node metastasis (p = 0.026). Decreased mRNA level of estrogen receptor beta-1 was observed in gastric cancers compared to their matched normal tissues (p = 0.008). Estrogen receptor beta-1, 2 were not correlated with lymph node metastasis, gender, age, tumor size, tumor grade and pTNM stage (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study investigating the clinicopathologic role of estrogen receptor beta variants in gastric cancer. Our study shows that estrogen receptor beta-5 is the most important factor for gastric cancer development and progression among the three estrogen receptor beta variants.

Prognostic role of estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The presence of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) have been reported in cell and tissue level in gastric cancer, but its impact on patients' survival remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the expression level of ERalpha and ERbeta and to assess clinical significance of ERalpha and ERbeta expression in gastric cancer.

METHODS

The expression level of ERalpha and ERbeta were assessed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 35 surgically resected gastric cancer and corresponding normal tissues and by immunohistochemical staining in 211 surgically resected gastric cancer and match normal tissues.

RESULTS

The expression level between ERalpha mRNA expression in gastric cancer tissues and match normal tissues had no statistically significant difference. The ERbeta mRNA level in normal tissues was significantly higher than that observed in gastric cancer tissues (P = 0.001). Neither ERalpha nor ERbeta mRNA expression levels had significant correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. Forty-eight of 211 (22.7%) gastric cancer tissues showed positive expression of ERalpha and ERbeta detected in gastric cancer. ERalpha-positive expression correlated with poorer overall survival (P = 0.014), as did the absence of ERbeta expression in patients with gastric cancer (P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the positive expression of ERalpha and the absence of ERbeta were significant independent prognostic factors for overall survival (hazard ratio 2.159, P = 0.013, and hazard ratio 2.016, P = 0.025 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that ERalpha and ERbeta were expressed in both gastric cancer and corresponding normal tissues. ERalpha expression and the absence of ERbeta expression are associated with poor survival.

Phenotypic divergence during the invasion of Phyla canescens in Australia and France: evidence for selection-driven evolution

Rapid adaptive evolution has been advocated as a mechanism that promotes invasion. Demonstrating adaptive evolution in invasive species requires rigorous analysis of phenotypic shifts driven by selection. Here, we document selection-driven evolution of Phyla canescens, an Argentine weed, in two invaded regions (Australia and France). Invasive populations possessed similar or higher diversity than native populations, and displayed mixed lineages from different sources, suggesting that genetic bottlenecks in both countries might have been alleviated by multiple introductions. Compared to native populations, Australian populations displayed more investment in sexual reproduction, whereas French populations possessed enhanced vegetative reproduction and growth. We partitioned evolutionary forces (selection vs. stochastic events) using two independent methods. Results of both analyses suggest that the pattern of molecular and phenotypic variability among regions was consistent with selection-driven evolution, rather than stochastic events. Our findings indicate that selection has shaped the evolution of P. canescens in two different invaded regions.