[Multicenter evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of jaundice color card for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and practicality of the Jaundice color card (JCard) as a screening tool for neonatal jaundice. Methods: Following the standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) statement, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 9 hospitals in China from October 2019 to September 2021. A total of 845 newborns who were admitted to the hospital or outpatient department for liver function testing due to their own diseases. The inclusion criteria were a gestational age of ≥35 weeks, a birth weight of ≥2 000 g, and an age of ≤28 days. The neonate's parents used the JCard to measure jaundice at the neonate's cheek. Within 2 hours of the JCard measurement, transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured with a JH20-1B device and total serum bilirubin (TSB) was detected. The Pearson's correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for statistic analysis. Results: Out of the 854 newborns, 445 were male and 409 were female; 46 were born at 35-36 weeks of gestational age and 808 were born at ≥37 weeks of gestational age. Additionally, 432 cases were aged 0-3 days, 236 cases were aged 4-7 days, and 186 cases were aged 8-28 days. The TSB level was (227.4±89.6) μmol/L, with a range of 23.7-717.0 μmol/L. The JCard level was (221.4±77.0) μmol/L and the TcB level was (252.5±76.0) μmol/L. Both the JCard and TcB values showed good correlation (r=0.77 and 0.80, respectively) and agreements (96.0% (820/854) and 95.2% (813/854) of samples fell within the 95% limits of agreement, respectively) with TSB. The JCard value of 12 had a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.75 for identifying a TSB ≥205.2 μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.35 for identifying a TSB ≥342.0 μmol/L. The TcB value of 205.2 μmol/L had a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.60 for identifying TSB levels of 205.2 μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.26 for identifying TSB levels of 342.0 μmol/L. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of JCard for identifying TSB levels of 153.9, 205.2, 256.5, and 342.0 μmol/L were 0.96, 0.92, 0.83, and 0.83, respectively. The AUC of TcB were 0.94, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.87, respectively. There were both no significant differences between the AUC of JCard and TcB in identifying TSB levels of 153.9 and 205.2 μmol/L (both P>0.05). However, the AUC of JCard were both lower than those of TcB in identifying TSB levels of 256.5 and 342.0 μmol/L (both P<0.05). Conclusion: JCard can be used to classify different levels of bilirubin, but its diagnostic efficacy decreases with increasing bilirubin levels. When TSB level are ≤205.2 μmol/L, its diagnostic efficacy is equivalent to that of the JH20-1B. To prevent the misdiagnosis of severe jaundice, it is recommended that parents use a low JCard score, such as 12, to identify severe hyperbilirubinemia (TSB ≥342.0 μmol/L).

Efficiency improvement of GaN-based micro-light-emitting diodes embedded with Ag NPs into a periodic arrangement of nano-hole channel structure by ultra close range localized surface plasmon coupling

NH-μLED, namely a micro light-emitting diode structure with nano-holes dug all the way through the active region, is designed to make silver nanoparticles in extremely close contact with the quantum wells for improving the coupling between the localized surface plasmon and the quantum wells (LSP-QWs coupling) and thus enhancing the optical properties of theμLED. The experimental results show that, thanks to this deep nanohole structure, the LSP-QWs coupling can be realized effectively, which ultimately increases the optical performance of theμLED. The internal quantum efficiency of the NH-μLED filled with silver nanoparticles is increased by 12%, and the final optical output power is also enhanced. We have further carried out a comparison study which measures the transient lifetime of two different types ofμLEDs, and the results provide convincing evidence for the existence of the ultra close range LSP-QWs coupling effect.

[Analysis of PKD1 gene mutation in a pedigree affected with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease]

Objective: To analyze the clinical phenotype and detect the pathogenic gene in a Chinese pedigree with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease(ADPKD). Methods: The proband of this study was hospitalized in Dongguan City People's Hospital on October 10, 2017, due to "left maxillary apical cyst". Clinical phenotypes were noted, imaging examinations and determination of biochemical indicators were carried out for the clinical diagnosis of the proband. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood. Whole-exome genotyping of the proband was performed with the next generation sequencing technology, and the candidate mutation site of the patient and his family members was verified by PCR and Sanger sequencing technology. The mutation site was further screened in 150 unrelated healthy Chinese controls. Mutation frequency within human populations and bioinformatics analysis were predicted with softwares including ExAC, dbSNP, HGMD, 1000 genomes, ClinVar, PKDB, Mutation Taster and PhyloP. Results: The proband, a 46-year-old male, was diagnosed with hypertension, positive urine occult blood and elevated blood creatinine. B-ultrasound and CT examinations showed that he had bilateral polycystic kidney with left kidney stones and polycystic liver. The gene analysis showed that the c.11017-10C>A heterozygous splice mutation in PKD1 gene was identified in the proband, his second younger brother, younger sister, daughter and niece, but absent in 150 healthy controls. Bioinformatics analysis showed it has been reported in the dbSNP, ClinVar, HGMD, PKDB and Mutation Taster databases. Some databases predicted it has a harmful function for probably leading to production of a truncated polycystin1(PC1) protein. Conclusion: c.11017-10C>A underlies the Chinese ADPKD pedigree and expands mutation spectrum of PKD1.

[Honokiol reduces doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in vitro by inhibiting pyroptosis via activating AMPK/Nrf2 signaling]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of honokiol (HKL) for reducing doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 cells and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

H9c2 cells were divided into control group, DOX group, HKL + DOX group, and HKL+compound C+DOX group. After 24 h of corresponding treatment, the cells were examined for morphological changes and cell viability using CCK-8 assay. The mRNA expressions of the inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were detected by RT-PCR, and the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome c, NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), p-AMPK and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) were detected with Western blotting; the expressions of NLRP3 and p-AMPK also detected with immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

DOX treatment caused swelling and significantly lowered the viability of H9c2 cells (P < 0.05), resulting also in increased mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β (P < 0.05) and protein expressions of cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome c, NLRP3, caspase-1 and ASC (P < 0.05) but reduced protein levels of p-AMPK and Nrf2 (P < 0.05); fluorescence staining showed significantly increased NLRP3 expression and decreased expression of p-AMPK in DOX-treated cells (P < 0.05). All these changes in COX-treated cells were significantly alleviated by HKL treatment (P < 0.05). The application of compound C obviously mitigated the protective effects of HKL against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

HKL can alleviate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting pyroptosis in H9c2 cells, and this effect is mediated by activation of AMPK to regulate Nrf2 signaling.

Insights into the Mechanism for Vertical Graphene Growth by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Vertically oriented graphene (VG) has attracted attention for years, but the growth mechanism is still not fully revealed. The electric field may play a role, but the direct evidence and exactly what role it plays remains unclear. Here, we conduct a systematic study and find that in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, the VG growth preferably occurs at spots where the local field is stronger, for example, at GaN nanowire tips. On almost round-shaped nanoparticles, instead of being perpendicular to the substrate, the VG grows along the field direction, that is, perpendicular to the particles' local surfaces. Even more convincingly, the sheath field is screened to different degrees, and a direct correlation between the field strength and the VG growth is observed. Numerical calculation suggests that during the growth, the field helps accumulate charges on graphene, which eventually changes the cohesive graphene layers into separate three-dimensional VG flakes. Furthermore, the field helps attract charged precursors to places sticking out from the substrate and makes them even sharper and turn into VG. Finally, we demonstrate that the VG-covered nanoparticles are benign to human blood leukocytes and could be considered for drug delivery. Our research may serve as a starting point for further vertical two-dimensional material growth mechanism studies.

P–194 Impact of cryopreservation duration on pregnancy outcomes of vitrified-warmed blastocysts transfer using an open-device system

Study question

Is there a negative effect of long-term cryopreservation upon pregnancy outcomes after transfer of vitrified-warmed blastocysts stored in an open-device system?

Summary answer

Prolonged cryopreservation of vitrified blastocysts up to 24 months increased the incidences of clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth, while decreased early miscarriage rate.

What is known already

Vitrification is adopted as the dominant approach for cryopreservation of human oocytes and embryos. However, little is known about the potential effect of prolonged storage after vitrification on the genomic integrity and metabolism of embryos. Several studies have sought to decipher the effect of cryopreservation duration on IVF pregnancy outcomes, but few were confined to vitrification and the results were inconsistent.

Study design, size, duration

This retrospective study included 6722 patients undergoing their first vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer (VBT) cycles from January 2015 to June 2019 in a single fertility center in South China. The study was approved by the hospital’s Ethics Committee.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

A total of 6722 eligible patients were divided into five groups according to the storage duration after vitrification: Group I: 0–3 months; Group II: 3–6 months; Group III: 6–12 months; Group IV: 12–24 months; Group V: 24–36 months. The IVF pregnancy outcomes were compared between groups. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the independent effect of storage duration on pregnancy outcomes.

Main results and the role of chance

The odds of clinical pregnancy outcomes were similar from Group 1 to 4. However, the chance of clinical pregnancy (Group 1 as reference; Group 2: adjusted odds ratio (aOR)= 1.04, 95% CI 0.93–1.17; Group 3: aOR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.84–1.25; Group 4: aOR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.66–1.31; Group 5: aOR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38–0.76) , ongoing pregnancy (Group 2: aOR=0.99, 95% CI 0.89–1.11; Group 3: aOR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.77–1.14; Group 4: aOR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.62–1.22; Group 5: aOR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.29–0.60), and live birth rate (Group 2: aOR=1.00, 95% CI 0.89–1.12; Group 3: aOR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.81–1.19; Group 4: aOR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.65–1.27; Group 5: aOR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.32–0.66) significantly decreased, while the early miscarriage rate (Group 2: aOR=1.11, 95% CI 0.92–1.35; Group 3: aOR =1.25, 95% CI 0.92–1.70; Group 4: aOR = 1.33, 95% CI 0.77–2.31; Group 5: aOR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.36–4.31) significantly increased as the storage duration increased up to 24–36 months.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The primary limitation of this study was its retrospective nature. Besides, as all these data come from a single IVF treatment center, the results should be confirmed by a larger multicenter study.

Wider implications of the findings: Our study provides more evidence about the negative impact of long-term storage of vitrified embryos on the clinical outcome. Clinicians should adapt FET strategies based on the embryo storage duration.

Trial registration number

Not applicable

[Eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma with TSC2 gene mutations in children]

Objective: To study clinical pathological characteristics, immunohistochemical, molecular genetical changes and prognosis in pediatric eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC RCC) with TSC2 gene mutations. Methods: The tissue samples were collected from two pediatric ESC RCC patients between 2017 and 2018. The tissues were subjected to histological examination and immunohistochemistry using EnVision system. The TFE3, TFEB gene rearrangements were tested using FISH and molecular genetic study. The paraffin sections were used for DNA extraction, PCR amplification and NGS sequencing. Results: The two patients with ESC RCC were both male, aged at 9 years and 8 months, and 13 years, respectively. The tumors were from the right kidney, 5 cm and 7 cm in size, respectively, with solid and cystic changes in cross section, and grey-reddish or grey-whitish fish meat appearance. Microscopic observation revealed the tumors had fibrous capsules, which were infiltrated by the tumor cells. The tumor cells were diffusely distributed, round-shaped, or polygon-shaped, and had voluminous cytoplasm, eosinophilic cytoplasm, various sizes of vacuoles and clear cell-like appearance. There were papillary structures in some areas, with visible fiber septa. The nuclei were round and vesicular, with multi-nucleated cells and megakaryocytes. The mitoses were not seen. A few cystic structures were visible in different sizes, and capsule walls were covered with a single layer of spike-like tumor cells. Thick-walled blood vessels were seen in the stroma, with focal lymphocytic infiltration, eosinophilic necrosis, calcifications and cholesterol crystals. Immunohistochemistry of the tumor cells was positive for PAX8 (diffuse), CK20 (focal), CKpan (focal), CK10 (1 focal, 1 diffuse), INI1, vimentin, CD68, and Ki-67 (5%~10%); the tumor cells were negative for HMB45, S-100, Melan A, p53, desmin, TFE3, CK7, CK19, EMA, CD56, CgA, Syn, CD30, CD117, WT1 and SMA. Molecular genetic study showed that TFE3 and TFEB gene rearrangements were not detected by FISH. NGS sequencing showed TSC2 p.Lys574Ter (0.198) was found in patient one and TSC2 p.Arg406Ter (0.355) in patient two. Conclusions: ESC RCC in children is a rare disease, and can be misdiagnosed easily. It has unique pathological characteristics, and immunohistochemical, molecular and genetic changes. The prognosis is relatively good.

Endosperm enrichment and physicochemical properties of superior and inferior grain starch in super hybrid rice

A significant asynchronous phenomenon exists in super hybrid rice because of the differences in spike and spikelet positions, which affect the accumulation and properties of starch. However, little is known about the endosperm enrichment and physicochemical properties of starch in superior and inferior grains in super hybrid rice. Rice YY2640 was selected as study material to investigate the enrichment and physicochemical properties of starch in superior and inferior grains in super rice using semi-thin sections, X-ray diffraction and related technologies. Superior grain filling was a continuous process, whereas inferior grain only started 8-10 days after anthesis. The order of starch accumulation starts in the central endosperm, then in the endosperm of the proximal vascular bundle and finally in the aleurone layer. Compared with the inferior grains, the superior grains have a higher 1000-grain weight, apparent amylose content, total starch content, average starch granule size, relative crystallinity, solubility and a resonance peak ratio at 1022/995 cm^-1 , whereas the swelling power and ratio of the resonance peak at 1045/1022 cm^-1 were lower. The final degree of hydrolysis of HCl, AAG and PPA of the superior grains were significantly lower than those of the inferior grains. The findings indicate that the different physicochemical properties of starch were mainly related to the development order of superior and inferior grains and the spatial enrichment of starch.

High Quality Graphene Thin Films Synthesized by Glow Discharge Method in A Chemical Vapor Deposition System Using Solid Carbon Source

Arc discharge is traditionally used to synthesize randomly arranged graphene flakes. In this paper, we substantially modify it into a glow discharge method so that the discharge current is much more reduced. The H₂ and/or Ar plasma etching of the graphitic electrode (used to ignite the plasma) is hence much gentler, rendering it possible to grow graphene in thin film format. During the growth at a few mbar, there is no external carbon gas precursor introduced. The carbon atoms and/or carbon containing particles as a result of the plasma etching are emitted in the chamber, some of which undergo gas phase scattering and deposit onto the metallic catalyst substrates (Cu-Ni alloy thin films or Cu foils) as graphene sheets. It is found that high quality monolayer graphene can be synthesized on Cu foil at 900 °C. On Cu-Ni, under the same growth condition, somewhat more bilayer regions are observed. It is observed that the material quality is almost indifferent to the gas ratios, which makes the optimization of the deposition process relatively easy. Detailed study on the deposition procedure and the material characterization have been carried out. This work reveals the possibility of producing thin film graphene by a gas discharge based process, not only from fundamental point of view, but it also provides an alternative technique other than standard chemical vapor deposition to synthesize graphene that is compatible with the semiconductor planar process. As the process uses solid graphite as a source material that is rich in the crust, it is a facile and relatively cheap method to obtain high quality graphene thin films in this respect.

[The ability of gap detection in patients with acoustic neuroma]

Objective:We aimed to provide a basis for the clinical study of acoustic neuroma through investigating the ability of temporal gap detection in acoustic neuroma patients and comparing the abilities with those in people with normal and impaired hearing. Method:Twenty-two patients with confirmed acoustic neuroma, 30 normal hearing patients and 16 patients with sensorineural hearing loss were enrolled in this study, and the interval threshold for awareness of each group was tested. Result:The mean temporal gap detection test（TGDT） threshold of the normal hearing group was （3.56±0.82） ms; the sensorineural hearing loss group's was （3.91±1.46） ms; TGDT threshold of healthy side of acoustic neuroma patients was （4.01±1.86） ms; TGDT threshold of the impaired side of acoustic neuroma patients was （9.48±9.46）ms. After statistical analysis, we found that excepting for the test of phonetically balanced maximum （PBmax） and TGDT, other results in the sensorineural hearing loss group and normal hearing group is of no statistical difference. The difference between the affected side of the acoustic neuroma group and the other groups was statistically significant （P<0.05）. There was no linear correlation between the value of TGDT threshold and PBmax （P> 0.05）. TGDT value of normal people has no significant difference among people of different genders and ears of different individuals. Conclusion:The TGDT of the healthy ear of the patients with acoustic neuroma is not affected, and there is no significant change compared with normal people. The TGDT test has a good consistency with the PBmax results. The time interval response ability of the affected ear of the acoustic neuroma is significantly weaker than that of the normal person. The combined test of PBmax and TGDT will contribute to the diagnosis of retrocochlear disease.

Transfer-Free Graphene-Like Thin Films on GaN LED Epiwafers Grown by PECVD Using an Ultrathin Pt Catalyst for Transparent Electrode Applications

In this work, we grew transfer-free graphene-like thin films (GLTFs) directly on gallium nitride (GaN)/sapphire light-emitting diode (LED) substrates. Their electrical, optical and thermal properties were studied for transparent electrode applications. Ultrathin platinum (2 nm) was used as the catalyst in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The growth parameters were adjusted such that the high temperature exposure of GaN wafers was reduced to its minimum (deposition temperature as low as 600 °C) to ensure the intactness of GaN epilayers. In a comparison study of the Pt-GLTF GaN LED devices and Pt-only LED devices, the former was found to be superior in most aspects, including surface sheet resistance, power consumption, and temperature distribution, but not in optical transmission. This confirmed that the as-developed GLTF-based transparent electrodes had good current spreading, current injection and thermal spreading functionalities. Most importantly, the technique presented herein does not involve any material transfer, rendering a scalable, controllable, reproducible and semiconductor industry-compatible solution for transparent electrodes in GaN-based optoelectronic devices.

Transfer-free, lithography-free and fast growth of patterned CVD graphene directly on insulators by using sacrificial metal catalyst

Chemical vapor deposited graphene suffers from two problems: transfer from metal catalysts to insulators, and photoresist induced degradation during patterning. Both result in macroscopic and microscopic damages such as holes, tears, doping, and contamination, translated into property and yield dropping. We attempt to solve the problems simultaneously. A nickel thin film is evaporated on SiO₂ as a sacrificial catalyst, on which surface graphene is grown. A polymer (PMMA) support is spin-coated on the graphene. During the Ni wet etching process, the etchant can permeate the polymer, making the etching efficient. The PMMA/graphene layer is fixed on the substrate by controlling the surface morphology of Ni film during the graphene growth. After etching, the graphene naturally adheres to the insulating substrate. By using this method, transfer-free, lithography-free and fast growth of graphene realized. The whole experiment has good repeatability and controllability. Compared with graphene transfer between substrates, here, no mechanical manipulation is required, leading to minimal damage. Due to the presence of Ni, the graphene quality is intrinsically better than catalyst-free growth. The Ni thickness and growth temperature are controlled to limit the number of layers of graphene. The technology can be extended to grow other two-dimensional materials with other catalysts.

Expression of APOB, ADFP and FATP1 and their correlation with fat deposition in Yunnan's top six famous chicken breeds

1. Adipose differentiation related protein (ADFP), fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) and apolipoprotein B (APOB) are suspected to play an important role in determining intramuscular fat and in overall meat quality. 2. Yunnan's top six famous chicken breeds (the Daweishan Mini, Yanjin Black-bone, Chahua, Wuding, Wuliangshan Black-bone and Piao chicken) are known for the high quality of their meat, but little is known about their expression of these three genes. 3. The present study aimed to examine the ADFP, FATP1 and APOB genes in different tissues of these six breeds at different development stages. The subcutaneous fat from the back midline and front, abdominal fat, liver and muscle tissue was sampled at 28, 49, 70, 91 and 112 days. The expression of ADFP, FATP1 and APOB was measured by real-time PCR. 4. The results showed that the expression of the three genes differed depending on age, tissue types and breeds. However, the expression of the three genes correlated with fat traits. In conclusion, the expression of the ADFP, FATP1 and APOB genes is associated with the fat traits of Yunnan's top six chicken breeds. These results could help with molecular marker screening and marker-assisted breeding to improve the quality of poultry for meat production.

Dentin dysplasia type I-A dental disease with genetic heterogeneity

Hereditary dentin disorders include dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) and dentin dysplasia (DD), which are autosomal dominant diseases characterized by altered dentin structure such as abnormality in dentin mineralization and the absence of root dentin. Shields classified DGI into three subgroups and DD into two subtypes. Although they are all hereditary dentin diseases, they do not share the same causative genes. To date, the pathogenic genes of DGI type I, which is considered a clinical manifestation of syndrome osteogenesis imperfecta, include COL1A1 and COL1A2. Mutations of the DSPP gene, which encodes the dentin sialophosphoprotein, a major non-collagenous protein, are responsible for three isolated dentinal diseases: DGI-II, DGI-III, and DD-II. However, DD-I appears to be special in that researchers have found three pathogenicity genes-VPS4B, SSUH2, and SMOC2-in three affected families from different countries. It is believed that DD-I is a genetically heterogeneous disease and is distinguished from other types of dentin disorders. This review summarizes the DD-I literature in the context of clinical appearances, radiographic characteristics, and functions of its pathogenic genes and aims to serve clinicians in further understanding and diagnosing this disease.

Clinical application of a gadolinium-based capsule as an MRI contrast agent in slow transit constipation diagnostics

BACKGROUND

As a traditional method for the assessment of colon dynamics, radio-opaque markers (ROMs) are limited in clinical use because of their ionizing radiation. We compared the accuracy and applicability of gadolinium-based capsules with ROMs in the measurement of colon dynamics in healthy controls and slow transit constipation (STC) patients.

METHODS

Seven patients with STC and nine healthy controls under a normal diet orally consumed ROMs and gadolinium-based capsules simultaneously. All subjects underwent X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Healthy control images were acquired at 12, 24, and 48 h, and STC patient images were acquired at 24, 48, and 72 h. The scores based on the position of the labeling capsules and ROMs in the colon and the colon transit times (CTTs) in the two groups were compared.

KEY RESULTS

The CTTs obtained via the ROMs were 34.7±17.4 and 67.3±6.5 h in the healthy controls and STC patients, respectively (P<.05). The CTTs obtained via MRI were 30.9±15.9 and 74.1±7.2 h in the healthy controls and STC patients, respectively (P<.05). The CTTs of the STC patients were significantly longer than the healthy controls. The correlation (r_s ) between the scores based on the position of the labeling capsule and ROMs in the healthy group and the STC patients was .880 (P<.05) and .889 (P<.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

As a MRI contrast label, gadolinium-based capsules exhibit results comparable to ROMs in colon motility measurements.

Organic nitrate chemistry and its implications for nitrogen budgets in an isoprene- and monoterpene-rich atmosphere: constraints from aircraft (SEAC4RS) and ground-based (SOAS) observations in the Southeast US

Formation of organic nitrates (RONO₂) during oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs: isoprene, monoterpenes) is a significant loss pathway for atmospheric nitrogen oxide radicals (NO_x), but the chemistry of RONO₂ formation and degradation remains uncertain. Here we implement a new BVOC oxidation mechanism (including updated isoprene chemistry, new monoterpene chemistry, and particle uptake of RONO₂) in the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model with ∼25 × 25 km² resolution over North America. We evaluate the model using aircraft (SEAC⁴RS) and ground-based (SOAS) observations of NO_x, BVOCs, and RONO₂ from the Southeast US in summer 2013. The updated simulation successfully reproduces the concentrations of individual gas- and particle-phase RONO₂ species measured during the campaigns. Gas-phase isoprene nitrates account for 25-50% of observed RONO₂ in surface air, and we find that another 10% is contributed by gas-phase monoterpene nitrates. Observations in the free troposphere show an important contribution from long-lived nitrates derived from anthropogenic VOCs. During both campaigns, at least 10% of observed boundary layer RONO₂ were in the particle phase. We find that aerosol uptake followed by hydrolysis to HNO₃ accounts for 60% of simulated gas-phase RONO₂ loss in the boundary layer. Other losses are 20% by photolysis to recycle NO_x and 15% by dry deposition. RONO₂ production accounts for 20% of the net regional NO_x sink in the Southeast US in summer, limited by the spatial segregation between BVOC and NO_x emissions. This segregation implies that RONO₂ production will remain a minor sink for NO_x in the Southeast US in the future even as NO_x emissions continue to decline.

Serum immunoglobulin E level and its impact on the pregnancy outcome associated with fetal growth restriction: a prospective cohort study

We evaluated the relationship between total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and pregnancy outcome in a prospective cohort study focusing on fetal growth restriction (FGR). Sixty women with FGR and twenty with normal singleton pregnancy were enrolled during their third trimester. Infants were followed up for 6 months. Blood samples were obtained from pregnant women during the third trimester; cord blood samples were also taken. Six months after birth, blood samples were obtained from infants. Demographic and baseline characteristics were compared between groups. Birth weight, length and head circumference of neonates in the FGR group were lower than those in the control group. Total serum IgE level was significantly increased in third-trimester pregnant women with FGR compared with normal group (P < 0.05). However, this trend was not observed in the cord blood at birth or peripheral blood of 6-month-old infants. The prevalence of atopic eczema between the 2 groups was similar. Linear regression analysis revealed that the IgE level in the third trimester was negatively correlated with birth weight (P < 0.05). Higher serum IgE level in the cord blood was significantly associated with an increased risk of being small for gestational age (P < 0.05). In conclusion, IgE levels in the third trimester of pregnancy and cord blood are strongly related to birth outcomes of FGR.

Epidemiological investigation of physique situation for birth high-risk children aged 9-15 years in Chengdu, Southwest China

BACKGROUND

As the intrauterine environment can effect children's growth and development, this study aimed to explore the relationship between birth high-risk and physique situation of 9 to 15-year-old children by cross-sectional investigation, and to provide clues for the monitoring, prevention, and treatment of growth deviation in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study recruited 7,194 students aged 9 to 15 years in primary and junior schools. Their parents were asked to complete the birth situation questionnaire. Measurements included height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Birth high-risk infant was defined according to the gestational age and birth weight. Growth deviation was classified as underweight, short stature, overweight, and obesity.

RESULTS

The prevalence of all kinds of growth deviations in preterm, full-term, and post-term birth groups were similar, the same as the physique situation at school age among both sexes. The incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) was 6.23%, when at school age, part of SGA had catch-up growth. However, the prevalence of underweight and short stature for SGA was highest in three groups. The weight and height at school age in SGA group was less than that in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity for LGA and macrosomia were highest in three groups. At school age, the weight in macrosomia and LGA groups was higher than that in the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal height and weight development and growth of children with birth high-risk are different from normal children. In order to improve healthy situation, more attention should be paid to height and weight development of those children with birth high-risk at school age, even in pre-school age. Prevention may already begin during pregnancy.

Structural and physiological characterization during wheat pericarp development

The cytological and physiological features of developing wheat pericarp were clearly characterized in this report. Our results may be helpful to articulate the functions of pericarp during the seed development. Although wheat pericarp has been well studied, knowledge of the sequence of events in the process of pericarp development is incomplete. In the present study, the structural development process of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pericarp was investigated in detail using resin microtomy and microscopy. Chlorophyll contents, and photosynthetic and respiratory rates, in pericarp were determined using spectrophotometer and an oxygen electrode, respectively. Mineral nutrient contents were also determined using scanning electron microscopy. The main results are as follows: (1) based on the structures and physiological characteristics observed, the developmental process of pericarp was divided into four stages, growth, formation, extinction and maturation stages, pericarp exhibited specific features at each stage. (2) Pericarp development differed in different parts, or varieties, of wheat. The dorsal pericarp had fewer starch grains and slower rates of apoptosis than the abdominal mesocarp. The cross cells in dorsal pericarp had an irregular outline. When compared with soft wheat cv. Yangmai 11, mesocarp cells in hard wheat cv. Xumai 30 had more starch grains, larger cell size and longer development duration. (3) The chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and respiratory rate in pericarp increased gradually, reaching a maximum about 16 days after anthesis, and later decreased continually. The photosynthetic rate in pericarp was lower than the respiration rate. (4) The contents of mineral elements in pericarp, such as calcium, zinc, iron and potassium were higher than those in the inner endosperm. The data indicate that wheat pericarp has many functions, e.g. protection, photosynthesis, mineral accumulation, synthesis and degradation of starch.

The utility of mitochondrial DNA fragments for genetic identification of forensically important sarcophagid flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in China

Species-diagnostic anatomical characters of fleshflies are not known for most immature stages or even adults, and an existing key may be incomplete or difûcult for nonspecialists to use. The use of sarcophagids for PMI estimations has been greatly hampered by their highly similar morphological characters. DNA-based method can be used as a supplemental means of morphological method in identification of forensically important sarcophagid flies. However, relying solely on single DNA fragment for delimiting species is considered to be unreliable, especially when the fragment was small. Sequence data of selected regions of the cytochrome oxidase subunit two (COII) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes of the most important Chinese fleshfly taxa associated with cadavers are presented, which can be instrumental for implementation of the Chinese Sarcophagidae database. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced segments showed that all sarcophagid specimens were properly assigned into five species, which indicated the possibility of separation congeneric species with the short fragments.

Advanced phosphorus removal for secondary effluent using a natural treatment system

Mechanisms for low concentrations phosphorus removal in secondary effluent were studied, and a process was developed using limestone filters (LF), submerged macrophyte oxidation ponds (SMOPs) and a subsurface vertical flow wetland (SVFW). Pilot scale experimental models were applied in series to investigate the advanced purification of total phosphorus (TP) in secondary effluent at the Chengjiang sewage treatment plant. With a total hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 82.52 h, the average effluent TP dropped to 0.17 mg L(-1), meeting the standard for Class III surface waters. The major functions of the LF were adsorption and forced precipitation, with a particulate phosphorus (PP) removal of 82.93% and a total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) removal of 41.07%. Oxygen-releasing submerged macrophytes in the SMOPs resulted in maximum dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH values of 11.55 mg L(-1) and 8.10, respectively. This regime provided suitable conditions for chemical precipitation of TDP, which was reduced by a further 39.29%. In the SVFW, TDP was further reduced, and the TP removal in the final effluent reached 85.08%.

Mitochondrial DNA and STR analyses for human DNA from maggots crop contents: a forensic entomology case from central-southern China

Insect larvae and adult insects found on human corpses can provide important forensic evidence however it is useful to be able to prove evidence of association. Without this, it could be claimed that the insect evidence was a contaminant or had been planted on the body. This paper describes how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and STR analysis of the crop contents of larvae of the blowfly Aldrichina grahami collected from separated body parts was used to provide evidence of association.

Cationic liposomes as gene delivery system: transfection efficiency and new application

As it has been generally reported that oppositely charged cationic liposomes (CLs) are superior to either neutral or anionic liposomes as gene delivery carrier, interest in the properties, structures, transfection mechanism of CLs and so forth arises unprecedentedly. However, our understanding about the mechanism of CLs-gene complexes (lipoplex)-cell interaction and factors influencing the transfection efficiency (TE) of CLs remains poor. In this article, we describe some new results aimed at elucidating the relationship between the chemical-physical properties of lipoplex with TE and introducing recent applications of CLs in gene therapy.

Radiation Defect-Induced Lattice Contraction of InP

We studied the lattice strain induced in the MeV ion bombarded InP crystals and the annealing behaviors of lattice strain, Raman line shift, and linewidth. The lattice spacing for the planes parallel to the surface decreases as a result of irradiation, and amounts to a strain of −0.061% for (100) face, −0.056% for (110) face, and −0.050% for (111) face for 15 MeV Cl bombarded samples to a dose of 1.25E15 ions/cm2. The negative lattice strain, Raman line shift, and line width completely recover at 450°C, and show a major recovery stage at 250°C – 350°C.

Identification of the forensically important sarcophagid flies Boerttcherisca peregrina, Parasarcophaga albiceps and Parasarcophaga dux (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) based on COII gene in China

Accurate species identication is a crucial step in forensic entomology, as the insect collected on a corpse can provide useful information for estimation of postmortem interval (PMI). The utility of the forensically important Sarcophagidae (Diptera) for crime scene investigation has been severely restricted, as morphological identification is difficult, especially the identification of females and larvae. In this study, a method for using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data and phylogenetic analysis was performed to distinguish the three Chinese sarcophagid species: Boerttcherisca peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830) Parasarcophaga albiceps (Meigen, 1826) and Parasarcophaga dux (Thompson, 1869) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). DNA was extracted and analyzed by a 189 bp fragment of cytochrome coxidase subunit II (COII) gene. The monophyletic branches of the phylogenetic tree reveal that this marker is suitable for discrimination between these species, providing high support for separation on congeneric species. Therefore, the molecular method applied to the sarcophagid species identification is feasible.

In vitro Ad5F35-mediated CTLA4-Ig gene transfer prolongs pig skin xenotransplant survival

Wound closure and coverage are the biggest challenges faced by medical practitioners in treating severe burns. Fresh cadaver allografts are still considered to be the gold standard skin substitute. Unfortunately, their use is severely impeded by inadequate availability. In this report we endeavored to solve this problem by using gene-modified pig skin as a substitute for human skin. We report that adenovirus (Ad)-mediated transfer of human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobin (CTLA4-Ig) into pig skin in vitro is a useful approach to lower immunostimulatory ability and improve the take of pig skin for wound coverage. To optimize gene transfer efficiency, we also compared exogenous gene transfer efficiency in pig skin by Ad5F35 vector with that of the widely used Ad5. The uptake efficiency of Ad5F35 was about 1.3 times more than that of Ad5, and the survival time on rat burn wounds was prolonged by about 3 days. Our results demonstrate that CTLA4Ig gene-modified pig skin is a promising biologic dressing for wound coverage and Ad5F35 an effective viral carrier for delivery.

Characterization and in vitro cellular uptake of PEG coated iron oxide nanoparticles as MRI contrast agent

Monodisperse magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs), coated with PEG at different molecular weight, were prepared via self-assembly method. The particle diameters were measured by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscope. Increasing the molecular weight of PEG in the coating polymer increased the overall particles diameter. As coating thickness increased, the saturation magnetization (Ms) and T2 relaxivity decreased. The interactions of these MNPs with macrophage cells were also investigated. The results showed that cellular uptakes of MNPs depended on nanoparticle concentration and surface chemistry. The results of this study will have implications on the chemical design of nanomaterials for bio-imaging and bio-detection.

Automatic detection and classification of human epicardial atrial unipolar electrograms

This paper describes an unsupervised signal processing method applied to three-channel unipolar electrograms recorded from human atria. These were obtained by epicardial wires sutured on the right and left atria after coronary artery bypass surgery. Atrial (A) and ventricular (V) activations had to be detected and identified on each channel, and gathered across the channels when belonging to the same global event. The algorithm was developed and optimized on a training set of 19 recordings of 5 min. It was assessed on twenty-seven 2 h recordings taken just before the onset of a prolonged atrial fibrillation for a total of 1593697 activations that were validated and classified as normal atrial or ventricular activations (A, V) and premature atrial or ventricular activations (PAA, PVA). 99.93% of the activations were detected, and amongst these, 99.89% of the A and 99.75% of the V activations were correctly labelled. In the subset of the 39705 PAA, 99.83% were detected and 99.3% were correctly classified as A. The false positive rate was 0.37%. In conclusion, a reliable fully automatic detection and classification algorithm was developed that can detect and discriminate A and V activations from atrial recordings. It can provide the time series needed to develop a monitoring system aiming to identify dynamic predictors of forthcoming cardiac events such as postoperative atrial fibrillation.

3He spin-dependent cross sections and sum rules

We present a measurement of the spin-dependent cross sections for the 3He over -->(e over -->,e')X reaction in the quasielastic and resonance regions at a four-momentum transfer 0.1< or =Q2< or =0.9 GeV2. The spin-structure functions have been extracted and used to evaluate the nuclear Burkhardt-Cottingham and extended Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rules for the first time. The data are also compared to an impulse approximation calculation and an exact three-body Faddeev calculation in the quasielastic region.

Activated beta-catenin induces myogenesis and inhibits adipogenesis in BM-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been thought to be attractive candidates for the treatment of degenerative muscle diseases. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms governing the myogenic differentiation in MSC. As the Wnt signaling pathway has been associated with myogenesis in embryogenesis and post-natal muscle regeneration, we hypothesized that the Wnt signaling pathway may be involved in governing the myogenic differentiation in MSC.

METHODS

Primary MSC were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats and expanded in proliferation medium. The rMSC were transfected with a constitutively active hbeta-catenin (S37A) plasmid or control vector by Lipofectamine followed by G418 selection. The transfected rMSC were grown to 80% confluence and then cultured in myogenic or adipogenic differentiation medium. Cells were characterized by light microscopy, immunofluorescence and RT-PCR at different time points after myogenic or adipogenic introduction.

RESULTS

Ectopic expression of activated beta-catenin located primarily in the nucleus and activated transcription in rMSC. Overexpression of stabilized beta-catenin induced 27.1 +/- 3.91% rMSC forming long multinucleated cells expressing MyoD, myogenin, desmin and myosin heavy chain (MHC) via evoking the expression of skeletal muscle-specific transcription factors. In addition, overexpression of activated beta-catenin inhibited the adipogenic differentiation in rMSC through down-regulated expressions of C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that activated beta-catenin can induce myogenic differentiation in rMSC. The ability of stabilized beta-catenin to induce myogenic differentiation in rMSC may allow for its therapeutic application.

Etude sur les acides fulviques extraits d'eaux superficielles françaises - Extraction, caractérisation et réactivité avec le chlore

Après avoir présenté quelques données bibliographiques sur les substances humiques aquatiques, l'extraction de plusieurs substances humiques issues de onze eaux de surface françaises, est discutée en terme de rendements d'extraction. Quelques paramètres de caractérisation des acides fulviques sont présentés et en particulier, l'analyse élémentaire, l'absorption UV, les fonctions carboxyles et les potentiels de réactivité avec le chlore. Concernant la chloration, une attention particulière a été portée d'une part sur la nature produits organo-chlorés formés et d'autre part sur les corrélations qui existent entre la nature des acides fulviques et leur potentiel de réactivité avec le chlore.

Measurement of the generalized forward spin polarizabilities of the neutron

The generalized forward spin polarizabilities gamma(0) and delta(LT) of the neutron have been extracted for the first time in a Q2 range from 0.1 to 0.9 GeV2. Since gamma(0) is sensitive to nucleon resonances and delta(LT) is insensitive to the Delta resonance, it is expected that the pair of forward spin polarizabilities should provide benchmark tests of the current understanding of the chiral dynamics of QCD. The new results on delta(LT) show significant disagreement with chiral perturbation theory calculations, while the data for gamma(0) at low Q2 are in good agreement with a next-to-leading-order relativistic baryon chiral perturbation theory calculation. The data show good agreement with the phenomenological MAID model.