Interventions to promote the implementation of pressure injury prevention measures in nursing homes: A scoping review

AIMS

To identify studies and the content of the interventions that have facilitated the implementation of pressure injury (PI) prevention measures in nursing home settings.

DESIGN AND METHOD

A scoping review methodology was employed. The author has carried out the following steps successively: Identified this scoping review's questions, retrieved potentially relevant studies, selected relevant studies, charted the data, summarised the results, and consulted with stakeholders from nursing homes in China.

DATA SOURCES

Six electronic databases and three resources of grey literature-PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Psych INFO, Open Grey, MedNar, ProQuest Dissertations, and Theses Full Texts were searched from January 2002 through May 2022.

RESULTS

Forty articles were included, among which the primary interventions were quality improvement, training and education, evidence-based practice, device-assisted PI prophylaxis, nursing protocols, and clinical decision support systems. Twenty-three outcome indicators were summarised in 40 articles, which included 10 outcome indicators, seven process indicators, and six structural indicators. Furthermore, only five articles reported barriers in the process of implementing interventions.

CONCLUSION

The common interventions to promote the implementation of PI prevention measures in nursing homes are quality improvement, training, and education. Relatively limited research has been conducted on evidence-based practice, clinical decision support systems, device-assisted PI prophylaxis, and nursing protocols. In addition, there is a paucity of studies examining the impediments to implementing these measures and devising targeted solutions. Therefore, it is recommended that future studies include analysis and reporting of barriers and facilitators as part of the article to improve the sustainability of the intervention.

IMPACT

This article reminds nursing home managers that they should realise the importance of implementation strategies between the best evidence of PI prevention and clinical practice. Also, this review provides the types, contents, and outcome indicators of these strategies for managers of nursing homes to consider what types of interventions to implement in their organisations.

TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

The protocol of this scoping review was published as an open-access article in June 2022 (Yang et al., 2022).

First report of jujube anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum siamense in China

Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.), a native small deciduous tree of China, is widely cultivated in China, Korea, India, Japan, Europe, and the United States (Chen et al. 2020). The fruit have been commonly consumed as healthy food supplements and traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years (Li et al. 2007). In August 2019, anthracnose-like leaf spot symptoms were observed on jujube plants in Xiaomenya Village, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China (36°27'39″N, 117°3'13″E), with over 30% leaf disease incidence. The spots were circular, sunken, brown in the center and with dark brown edges. As the spots enlarged and coalesced, it resulted in leaf perforation and early defoliation. Sometimes acervuli were observed on the lesions (Fig. S1a, b). To identify the causal agent, 20 diseased leaves were sampled, the margins of the lesions were cut into pieces (5 × 5 mm), sterilized and cultured following the protocol described previously (Wan et al. 2020) at 25 ℃ for 5 days. Twelve monospore isolates showing identical colony morphology were obtained. Three representative isolates, JNZG11, JNZG311, JNZG313, were used for further study. When grown on PDA the colony color was initially white and then turned pale-gray to gray in 5-day-old cultures. On the reverse, colonies were brown-black with an orange pigmentation near the center. Aerial mycelium was cottony, dense, white to pale-gray. Conidia were hyaline, 1-celled, smooth-walled, subcylindrical, oblong, attenuated with slightly rounded ends, (11.1-) 12.7-13.3 (-17.8) ×(-4.4) 5.2-5.5 (-6.3) μm (n=50). Appressoria were dark-brown, oval or irregular, (7.3-) 8.6-9.2 (-9.8) ×(-5.1) 5.8-6.9 (-7.0) μm (n=50) (Fig. S1c-g). The morphology resembled those of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex (Cannon et al. 2012). For accurate identification, the sequences of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin (ACT), β-tub2 (TUB2), calmodulin (CAL), chitin synthase (CHS-1), and glyceraldehyde-3phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) of the 3 isolates were sequenced (Weir et al. 2012), and deposited into GenBank (Accession Nos. see Table 1). The six loci (ITS, GAPDH, ACT, CHS-1, CAL, and TUB2) were concatenated and the aligned sequences (1904 bp) were 99.7% homologous to ex-type C. siamense ICMP18578. The sequences of 38 Colletotrichum species (44 isolates) were downloaded from GenBank for phylogenetic analyses. In the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree generated, the highest log likelihood was -8798.90 and the three isolates were all in the C. siamense clade (bootstrap support 94 %) (Fig. S2). To complete Koch's postulates, 60 healthy, mature jujube leaves on 12 branches (5 leaves per branch) (variety 'Zhongqiuhong') were inoculated with 20 μL of spore suspension (106 conidia/mL) or sterile water as a control. The branches were placed in sterile beakers containing a small amount of sterile water sealed with plastic wrap and maintained at 28 °C, 12 h light/dark. Five days after inoculation, all treated leaves showed the typical anthracnose symptom, similar to that observed in the field (Fig. S1h). The same fungus was re-isolated from the margins of the lesions using the aforementioned methods. Whereas no fungus were isolated from the controls. Previously, C. siamense has been reported to infect Z. mauritiana in China (Shu et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing anthracnose on Z. jujuba in China. This finding provides crucial information for the effective management of this disease.

[Distribution of Bacterial Concentration and Viability in Atmospheric Bioaerosols Under Different Weather Conditions in the Coastal Region of Qingdao]

Bacteria are the most abundant microorganisms in atmospheric bioaerosols, widely distributed in the environment. Bioaerosol samples were collected using the FA-1 impact sampler from October 2013 to January 2021 in the coastal city of Qingdao, and samples stained with a BacLight^TM bacterial viability kit were used to measure the concentrations of viable and non-viable bacteria with an epifluorescence microscope. The viable and non-viable bacteria in bioaerosols were characterized during different seasons, with particular attention paid to the distribution characteristics of bacteria on foggy, hazy, and dust days. The results showed that the mean concentrations of total bacteria were (1.06±0.68)×10⁵ cells·m^-3 in Qingdao during the sampling period, and those of viable and non-viable bacteria were (8.20±4.88)×10³ cells·m^-3and (9.74±6.72)×10⁴ cells·m^-3, respectively. The seasonal concentrations of non-viable bacteria were the highest in spring and winter and the lowest in summer, whereas that of viable bacteria was highest in spring, followed by those in summer and autumn, and the lowest in winter. Atmospheric bacterial concentrations fluctuated with by month, and total bacteria presented a similar variation pattern with that of non-viable bacteria. The monthly average concentration of non-viable bacteria showed the highest value in March during the spring and the lowest in June during the summer in 2021, whereas the highest value for viable bacteria occurred in May during the spring in 2021 and the lowest in December during the winter in 2020. Viable bacteria concentrations were significantly positively correlated with temperature and significantly negatively correlated with NO₂, SO₂, and CO. Non-viable bacteria were significantly positively correlated with PM. The bacteria in bioaerosol particles showed bimodal, unimodal, and skewed size distributions, varying with season and month. Under different weather conditions, the concentration of non-viable bacteria on dusty days was significantly higher than that on sunny, foggy, or hazy days, but the bacteria viability was as low as 6.85% due to long-distance transport. Anthropogenic pollution resulted in the lowest viability of bacteria at 4.10% on hazy days, whereas the highest viability in bacteria was 16.26% on foggy days due to high humidity. The size distribution of bacteria in bioaerosol particles under different pollution days showed a bimodal distribution, and the peak size depended on the weather type.

[Exploration on the reformation of epidemiology teaching mode for postgraduates]

Objective: To explore the suitable teaching mode of epidemiology for postgraduates, so as to provide techniques for improving and enhancing the teaching quality. Methods: The course was divided into three stages according to the teaching progress, which was, traditional teaching, traditional teaching and case discussion, online learning and case discussion. The test scores in three stages were compared respectively, and the students' willingness to teaching methods was investigated by questionnaire. Results: The scores of 214 students showed an upward trend in three stages, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Most students paid more attention to the knowledge systematization and important knowledge. Most students proposed that the teaching time between theoretical knowledge and case discussion should be evenly distributed. More students chose Chinese literature related to their major as teaching cases. Most students believed that case discussion improved the skills of self-study and communication. Conclusion: The epidemiology course for postgraduate should integrate the traditional teaching and case discussion, with online learning as a supplementary, and take effective methods to evaluate, so as to improve the teaching quality of postgraduate.

[A Meta-analysis on association between statins and colorectal cancer]

Objective: To explore the association between statins and colorectal cancer and provide evidence for the prevention of colorectal cancer. Methods: Literatures about statins and colorectal cancer published from January 2000 to January 2020 were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang data, PubMed and Cochrane Library database. The literatures which met the inclusion criteria were collected, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Jadad score were used to assess the studies. Meta-analysis was performed with statistical software Revman 5.0 and Stata 12.1. Results: A total of 31 studies, involving more than 1.62 million subjects, were included in the analysis. The case-control study (RR=0.93, 95%CI: 0.88-0.98), the cohort study (RR=0.75, 95%CI: 0.63-0.88) and the randomized controlled trial (RR=0.79, 95%CI: 0.65-0.97) showed moderate protective effect of statins. Using statin <5 years (RR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.76-0.96), average daily dosage ≥34 mg (RR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.66-0.98) and lipid-soluble statins (RR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.74-0.99) also had preventive effect on colorectal cancer; while lovastatin (RR=1.07, 95%CI: 1.00-1.14) increased the risk of colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Statins have protective effect on colorectal cancer.

[Concentrations and Patterns of Atmospheric Particulate Nitrogen and Phosphorus During Different Weather Conditions in Qingdao Coastal Region]

Total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were continuously collected in the Qingdao coastal region from March 2018 to October 2019. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved total nitrogen (DTN), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the samples were (7.13±6.59) μg·m^-3, (17.42±9.88) ng·m^-3, (8.34±7.03) μg·m^-3, (25.59±13.67) ng·m^-3, (10.68±10.59) μg·m^-3, and (76.34±51.79) ng·m^-3, respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of different nitrogen and phosphorus species in aerosols varied significantly during the sampling period due to the influence of emission intensity, air mass source, and meteorological conditions. The concentrations of DIN, DTN, and TN were the highest in autumn followed by spring, winter, and summer, showing similar seasonal variations. However, TP showed the highest concentration in spring and the lowest in summer. The concentrations of DIN, DTN, and TN on haze days were 4.3, 3.8, and 4.5 times higher than on non-haze reference days, respectively, and DIP, DTP, and TP concentrations were 1.9, 1.9, and 1.2 times higher, respectively. During the heating period, the DIN/DTN ratio on haze days was (92.65±4.09)%, which was 8.87% higher than on non-haze days. During the non-heating period, the DIN/DTN ratio was (80.52±8.42)%, which was 4.83% higher than the reference days. However, the average DTN/TN ratio on haze days was significantly lower than on non-haze days; the average DTN/TN ratio on haze days was (73.41±12.18)% and (80.36±4.72)% during the heating and non-heating period, respectively, and were 13.35% and 5.92% lower, respectively, on non-haze days. The proportion of DIP to DTP on hazy days increased by only 1.47% relative to non-haze days, while the DIP/DTP ratio varied between hazy days. Due to the influence air mass sources, relative humidity, and atmospheric acidification process, the DTP/TP ratio on haze days increased by 10.58% relative to non-haze days. The concentrations of DIN, DTN, and TN in aerosols affected by dust events were 2.5, 2.6, and 2.6 times higher than on non-dust days, while DIP, DTP, and TP were 4.0, 2.8, and 7.2 times higher, respectively.

[Distribution of Total Microbes in Atmospheric Bioaerosols in the Coastal Region of Qingdao]

In order to determine the concentrations and size distributions of total airborne microbes in atmospheric bioaerosols, bioaerosol samples were collected in the coastal region of Qingdao, China, from Sep. 2016 to Jul. 2017 using size-fractionated bioaerosol samplers. The concentrations of total airborne microbes were then measured using an epifluorescence microscope after staining with DAPI (4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole). The results showed that the concentrations of total airborne microbes were in the range of 1.86×10⁵-2.54×10⁶ cells·m^-3 in Qingdao during the sampling period, with an average of (6.84±4.83)×10⁵ cells·m^-3. The concentrations of total airborne microbes showed seasonal variation, with the highest values occurring in spring and winter, and the lowest values in summer and fall. Statistical analysis showed that the concentrations of total airborne microbes in autumn had a significant seasonal difference with spring and summer (P<0.05). The monthly averaged concentrations of total airborne microbes ranged from 2.65×10⁵ cells·m^-3 to 1.12×10⁶ cells·m^-3, with the highest values in Feb. 2017 and the lowest in Sep. 2016. Total microbe concentrations also varied greatly over a diurnal timescale in fall and winter during the period of 2015 to 2017, but this variation was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Overall, the size distribution of total airborne microbes was skewed, with the highest ratio occurring at >7.0 μm with a ratio of 20.5%-27.3%. The monthly averaged size distribution of total airborne microbes varied between months, showing two main distribution types, specifically bimodal and skewed patterns, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed that the AQI and the concentrations of CO, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀ had a significant positive correlation with the concentrations of total airborne microbes (P<0.05), while air temperature, wind speed and direction, NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ were not significantly correlated with the airborne microbe concentration during the sampling period (P>0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that 20.6% of the variation in the total microbe concentrations in bioaerosols correlated with relative humidity and PM_2.5.

[Impact of a Dust Event on the Size Distribution of Metal Elements in Atmospheric Aerosols at a Coastal Region and over the Ocean]

Size-segregated aerosol samples were collected in the Qingdao coastal region and over the East Sea and the Pacific Northwest from March to April in 2016, and the concentration of metal elements (Al, Na, Fe, Mg, K, Cu, Pb, and Cd) were analyzed. The characteristics and the variation in the size distribution of the metal elements in the samples during dusty weather were discussed, as well as the sources and factors that influence the metals. The results indicated that the concentration of Al, Fe, K, Na, Cu, and Pb in the aerosols in the Qingdao coastal samples increased significantly by 85%-1400%, while the concentration of Cd decreased by 8%; the concentrations of Al, Fe, K, Cu, Pb, and Cd in the samples over the ocean increased by 163%-4580%, while the concentration of Na decreased by 62% during dusty weather. In addition, the size distribution of K changed from a double-peak to a coarse peak mode; that of Pb and Cd changed from a fine peak mode to a double-peak distribution. Cu still presented a double-peak distribution in which the proportion of coarse particles increased; Al, Fe, Mg, and Na showed little variation in their size distribution with a single peak in coarse mode. The dust event had different effects on the size distributions of the metal elements in the coastal and marine aerosol samples. The size distribution of the metal elements (Al, Fe, Mg, Na, and K) in the aerosols collected at the Qingdao coastal site had one peak of 2.1-3.3 μm during dusty weather; the peak moved to 3.3-4.7 μm for marine samples. In addition, the proportion of Al, Fe, Mg, Na, K, Pb, and Cd in the coarse mode decreased by 1%-35% for dust aerosol samples collected in Qingdao coastal region, whereas the proportion of these metals in coarse mode increased by 4%-33% for samples collected over the East Sea. This difference may be related to the hygroscopic growth, transport path, and height of the dust.

[Effects of ketotifen on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in patients with combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome]

Objective:To study effects of ketotifen on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in patients with combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome.Method:One hundred and twelve patients with asthma were selected from department of respiration, Affiliated Hospital of North China University of science and technology from January 2016 to 2017 in March. Eighty-four patients with allergic rhinitis were selected as the subjects, Randomly divided into two groups,including observed group(n=42) and control group(n=42).The control group was treated with antitussive,expectorant and inhaled corticosteroids, while the observed group in the control group combined with ketotifen 1 mg 2/ day oral treatment,the changes of FeNO and IL-17 in the two groups were compared after one month treament.Result:Before treatment, two groups of patients in general IL-17 and fractional exhaled nitric oxide ware no significant difference(P> 0.05).After treatment, compared to the control group, the observed group was significantly more effective,the difference was statistically significant(P <0.05);fractional exhaled nitric oxide in treatment group were lower than those in control group, the difference was statistically significant(P&lt;0.05,P< 0.01).And the observed group was lower than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant,t(P<0.05).Conclusion:Ketotifen significantly reduce the FeNO of allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome, reduce airway inflammation.

[The effect of monrustet on the exhalation of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines in patients with asthma combined with OSAHS]

Objective:To study the effect of monrustet on fractional exhaled nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines in the elderly with bronchial asthma combined obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.Method:150 cases diagnosed as asthma were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into bronchial asthma combined with OSAHS (n=72)and bronchial asthma (n=78). According to the different treatment methods , patients were divided into observation group and control group. Two groups were given common treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, and the observation group was taken orally montrast 10mg/night additionally. The fractional exhaled nitric oxide was detected before and after treatment. Serum were collected for detection of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNR-α), Creactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), according to the sleep monitoring results, the sleep apnea low ventilation index (AHI) was calculated, and the changes of FeNO level,CRP,TNR-α,IL-6 and AHI were analyzed in the two groups.Result:Before treatment, the gender, age, degree of disease, FeNO level,TNR-α, CRP,IL-6 and AHI differences were not statistically significant in the two groups (P>0.05).After treatment, both groups of FeNO, TNR-α,CRP,IL-6 and AHI decreased before treatment (P < 0.05).The observation group was lower than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (FeNO level, AHIP< 0.01,TNR-α, CRP,IL-6 P< 0.05).Conclusion::Montelukast can reduce the FeNO level, the expression of TNR-α, CRP, and IL-6 of patients of bronchial asthma combined with OSAHS. Further improvement of the patient's condition, and provide reference value for the clinical medicine of patients with asthma.

[Microbial Activity in Bioaerosols in Winter at the Coastal Region of Qingdao]

In order to study the level and size distribution of microbial activity of atmospheric bioaerosols, bioaerosol samples were collected from November 2015 to January 2016 using size-fractionated bioaerosol samplers at the coastal region of Qingdao, and the microbial activity was measured using the fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis method. The results showed that the level of microbial activity was in the range of 21.89-108.59 ng·m^-3 sodium fluorescein during the sampling period, with an average of 59.43 ng·m^-3 sodium fluorescein in Qingdao. Size distribution of microbial activity exhibited a tendency, the activity increased with increasing particle size. The microbial activity on particles with coarse size (>2.1 μm) was higher than that on fine size, with the highest average proportion of 24.06% for coarse size larger than 7.0 μm. The daily variation of microbial activity was different for different samples, which showed no significant diurnal variation in winter. The correlation analysis showed that microbial activity was significantly correlated with wind velocity(r=0.445, n=33, ^**P<0.01) during the sampling period. However, microbial activity showed no significant correlation with the meteorological factors, such as temperature,relative humidity and UV intensity during the sampling period. Moreover, there was no significant correlation of microbial activity with air quality factors, such as AQI, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, CO, NO₂, O₃ and SO₂. Source of air mass had significant impact on microbial activity. The average level of microbial activity was 100.33 ng·m^-3 sodium fluorescein on sunny days, and the level decreased to 56.53 ng·m^-3 sodium fluorescein on hazy days. When the haze was mixed with fog and this special circumstance lasted for several days, the microbial activity reduced to 37.7% of the level of sunny days. Therefore, consecutive hazy weather had great influence on microbial activity.

Equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics of Cu(II) biosorption on Chinese chestnut shell pretreated with steam explosion

The shells of Chinese chestnuts (Castanea mollissima) are an agricultural residue. This work aimed to evaluate this feasibility of using steam explosion to modify this residue for Cu(II) biosorption from aqueous solutions. Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were evaluated. The steam-explosion pretreatment increased the surface area of the chestnut shell and exposed more hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, which are binding sites for Cu(II). It changed the sorption from a spontaneous process driven by enthalpy to a nonspontaneous one driven by entropy. It increased the Cu(II) sorption capacity at higher temperatures while it decreased the capacity at lower ones. Compared with untreated chestnut shell, the steam-exploded shell is preferable for Cu(II) sorption at higher temperatures.

[Concentrations and Compositions of Different Forms of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Atmospheric Aerosols in the Qingdao Coastal Region and over the Yellow and Bohai Sea]

The total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were collected in the Qingdao coastal region and over the Yellow and Bohai Sea from June to July in 2016. The diurnal and nightly TSP samples were also continuously collected in the Qingdao coastal region from August 6 to 15. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved total nitrogen (DTN), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the TSP samples were analyzed. Results showed that the concentrations of different forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in Qingdao were higher than those over the Yellow and Bohai Sea during the same sampling period. The contribution of dissolved N was similar to that of insoluble N to TN in Qingdao, with the ratio of DTN to TN of 56%. However the DTN was the dominant contributor of TN over the Yellow and Bohai Sea, accounting for 72% of TN on average. The inorganic nitrogen was the dominant species of DTN in Qingdao and over the Yellow and Bohai Sea (YBS), accounting for 67% and 75% of DTN, respectively. The contribution of dissolved P to TP was similar to that of insoluble P to TP in Qingdao and over the Yellow and Bohai Sea, and the DTP accounted for 49% and 58% of TP in Qingdao and over YBS, respectively. The ratio of IP to DTP was slightly higher than that of OP, with values of 56% and 59% in Qingdao and over the YBS, respectively. The origin of the air mass affected the concentrations and compositions of nitrogen and phosphorus in the aerosols. The concentrations of DIN, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), TN, DIP, and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in the aerosols from southern air mass were higher than those from northern and marine air masses. The concentration of DON in the diurnal aerosol samples was similar to that in the nightly samples; however, the concentrations of DIN and TN were higher in the diurnal aerosols than those in the nightly aerosols. The DTN was the dominant species of TN in the diurnal and nightly aerosol samples, accounting for 79% of TN on average. Inorganic nitrogen was the dominant species of DTN in the diurnal and nightly aerosols. The ratio of DIN to DTN decreased from 70% in diurnal samples to 61% in nightly samples. The concentrations of DIP were close to that of DOP in the diurnal and nightly aerosols; however, the concentrations of TP were higher in the diurnal aerosols than in the nightly ones. The insoluble P was the dominant form of TP in the aerosols, accounting for 83% and 62% of TP during the day and night, respectively. The contribution of DTP to TP in the nightly aerosols samples was much higher than that in the diurnal aerosols. For both day and night samples, inorganic phosphorus was the dominant species of DTP in aerosols, with a ratio of 71%-77%.

[Influence of Dust Events on the Concentration and Size Distribution of Microorganisms in Bioaerosols]

In order to study the influence of dust events on the airborne microbes in atmospheric bioaerosols, bioaerosol samples were continuously collected from March to April 2015 during two dust events using size-fractionated bioaerosol samplers in Lanzhou and Qingdao. The concentration of airborne microbes were measured using an epifluorescence microscope after staining with DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole). The results showed that the concentration of airborne microbes increased significantly during the period of dust (P<0.05). The average concentrations of airborne microbes on sunny days were 5.61×10⁵ cells·m^-3 and 2.08×10⁵ cells·m^-3 in Lanzhou and Qingdao, respectively, whereas the mean concentrations on dusty days were 14.8 times and 6.42 times those on sunny days, respectively. The concentration of airborne microbes presented a bimodal size distribution on sunny days in Lanzhou and Qingdao, with a peak at>7.0 μm and the lowest values ranging from 4.7 μm to 7.0 μm. However, the second peak appeared at 3.3-4.7 μm and 1.1-2.1 μm in Lanzhou and Qingdao, respectively. The size distribution of airborne microbes changed during the dust period. The size distribution of microbes still presented a bimodal distribution in Lanzhou; however, one peak shifted from>7.0 μm to 1.1-2.1 μm. The size distribution in Qingdao changed from a bimodal distribution to a skewed distribution with the predominant fraction in coarse mode. The background values of microbial load in PM₁₀ before the dust were 2224 cells·μg^-1 and 1550 cells·μg^-1 in Lanzhou and Qingdao, respectively, and the highest value of such increased significantly to 26442 cells·μg^-1 and 10250 cells·μg^-1 during the dust events, respectively. This demonstrated that the high concentration of microbes in the dust events resulted not only from increased atmospheric particles but also from dust source and transportation path along with long-range transported dust particles.

[Formation and Size Distribution of the Secondary Aerosol Inorganic Ions in Different Intensity of Haze in Qingdao, China]

Size-segregated atmospheric aerosol samples were collected from September 2015 to February 2016 at a coastal site in Qingdao, and the concentrations of major water-soluble inorganic ions were analyzed by ion chromatography. Characteristics and variation of size distribution of secondary inorganic components in aerosol were discussed, as well as the formation process and influencing factors of SNA(sulfate, nitrate and ammonium). The results indicated that the concentrations of NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺, NO₂^-, Cl^- in the aerosols were in the range of 10.32-193.46, 4.42-74.05, 2.21-57.75, 0.05-2.22 and 1.35-17.39 μg·m^-3 respectively. And the mass concentration of SNA increased with the intensity of haze pollution. The concentrations of NO₃^- on the slight, mild, moderate and severe haze days were 55%, 77%, 240% and 537% higher than that on non-haze days respectively, while concentrations of SO₄^2- increased by 4.7%, 35%, 77% and 262% respectively, and concentrations of NH₄⁺ increased by 72%, 83%, 201% and 526% respectively. The contribution of these water-soluble ions to PM_2.5 showed that the proportion of sum of NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺, NO₂^- and Cl^- to PM_2.5 was in range of 62.03%-80.93%. The proportion of ion to PM_2.5 decreased in the order of NO₃^- > SO₄^2- > NH₄⁺ > Cl^- > NO₂^-. With the enhancement of haze pollution, the proportion of NO₃^- in PM_2.5 increased from 29.53% to 45.54%. The correlation analysis showed that NO₃^- and SO₄^2- in the fine particle were significantly correlated with gaseous precursors NO₂ and SO₂, and also showed good correlations with relative humidity, visibility, wind speed and other weather conditions. These results indicated that the formation of SNA in fine particles was one of the main reasons for visibility decrease and the formation of air pollution in haze days. Meanwhile, high concentration of gaseous precursors, high relative humidity and low wind speed were the important influencing factors of haze formation. Except for slight haze days, SOR and NOR in the haze days were higher than those on the non-haze days, and increased significantly with the intensifying of haze, especially for 0.43-0.65 and 0.65-1.1 μm particle size. Conversion rates of nitrogen and sulfur in severe haze days were 1.5 times that in non-haze days, which showed nitrate and sulfate in these fine mode were mainly from gas-to-particle conversion. NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺ and NO₂^- increased in haze significantly, which mainly existed in the fine particles. The cloud process played a more important role on haze days. While on non-haze day, cloud process and the heterogeneous reaction were both the main factors. And the highest proportion of fine mode concentration to total one was observed for NO₃^-(79.4%) and SO₄^2-(74.4%) on severe haze days respectively. NO₃^- showed a bimodal distribution with peaks in the size-bin of 0.43~0.65 μm and 3.3-4.7 μm on non-haze, slight, mild haze days, and the fine peak moved to 0.65-1.1 μm on moderate haze days, however the bimodal distribution changed to unimodal distribution with peak at 0.65-1.1 μm on severe hazy days. SO₄^2- showed a bimodal distribution with peaks at 0.43-0.65 μm and 2.1-3.3 μm in the non-haze weather, while the size distribution changed to unimodal distribution on hazy days. But the peak sizes were different in different intensity of haze, with peak at 0.43-0.65 μm on mild and slight haze and 0.65-1.1 μm in moderate and severe haze days. NH₄⁺ showed a single peak distribution in the fine mode, with the peak in the particle size of 0.43-0.65 μm on slight and non-hazy days, and 0.65-1.1 μm on mild, moderate and severe hazy days. Therefore, haze has a great influence on the size distribution of SNA.

Meta-analysis of IL-6 -174G/C polymorphism and psoriasis risk

Previous studies examining the association between interleukin-6 (IL-6) -174G/C polymorphism and psoriasis risk have produced inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to offer a comprehensive review of the association between IL-6 -174G/C polymorphism and psoriasis risk through a meta-analysis. Literature search of PubMed and Embase databases was conducted to identify all eligible studies published before October 29, 2015. Four case-control studies involving 651 psoriasis cases and 552 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Data were extracted, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the associations. Combined analysis revealed a significant association between this polymorphism and psoriasis risk under the recessive model (OR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.12-2.55, P = 0.013 for GG vs GC + CC), and the heterozygous comparison model (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.29-2.23, P < 0.001 for GG vs GC). However, no significant association was observed under the allelic model (OR = 1.37, 95%CI = 0.99-1.89, P = 0.060 for G vs C), the dominant model (OR = 1.25, 95%CI = 0.92-1.71, P = 0.152 for GG + GC vs CC), and the homozygote comparison model (OR = 1.62, 95%CI = 0.79-3.32, P = 0.186 for GG vs CC). We conclude that the IL-6 -174G/C polymorphism contributes to psoriasis risk. However, further studies should be performed to validate our results.

Comparison of Antioxidant Activities of Melanin Fractions from Chestnut Shell

Chestnut shell melanin can be used as a colorant and antioxidant, and fractionated into three fractions (Fr. 1, Fr. 2, and Fr. 3) with different physicochemical properties. Antioxidant activities of the fractions were comparatively evaluated for the first time. The fractions exhibited different antioxidative potential in different evaluation systems. Fr. 1, which is only soluble in alkaline water, had the strongest peroxidation inhibition and superoxide anion scavenging activity; Fr. 2, which is soluble in alkaline water and hydrophilic organic solvents but insoluble in neutral and acidic water, had the greatest power to chelate ferrous ions; and Fr. 3, which is soluble both in hydrophilic organic solvents and in water at any pH conditions, had the greatest hydroxyl (·OH) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH·) radicals scavenging abilities, reducing power, and phenolic content. The pigment fractions were superior to butylated hydroxytolune (BHT) in ·OH and DPPH· scavenging and to ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in the Fe(2+)-chelation. They were inferior to BHT in peroxidation inhibition and O₂·(-) scavenging and reducing power. However, BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and cannot play the colorant role. The melanin fractions might be used as effective biological antioxidant colorants.

Insolubilization of Chestnut Shell Pigment for Cu(II) Adsorption from Water

Chestnut shell pigment (CSP) is melanin from an agricultural waste. It has potential as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment but cannot be used in its original state because of its solubility in water. We developed a new method to convert CSP to insolubilized chestnut shell pigment (ICSP) by heating, and the Cu(II) adsorption performance of ICSP was evaluated. The conversion was characterized, and the thermal treatment caused dehydration and loss of carboxyl groups and aliphatic structures in CSP. The kinetic adsorption behavior obeyed the pseudo-second-order rate law, and the equilibrium adsorption data were well described with both the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherms. ICSP can be used as a renewable, readily-available, easily-producible, environmentally-friendly, inexpensive and effective adsorbent to remove heavy-metal from aquatic environments.

Association between IL-21 polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis

Several case-control studies have been conducted to investigate the association between Interleukin-21 (IL-21) polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility, and most of the studies focused on IL-21 rs907715 and rs2221903 polymorphisms. Given the inconsistent results from these studies, the present meta-analysis aimed to obtain a more precise estimate of the association between IL-21 rs907715 and rs2221903 polymorphisms and SLE. Studies regarding these specific polymorphisms and SLE were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and CBM. Data were extracted and meta-analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 software. For the IL-21 rs907715 polymorphism, seven sets of comparisons involving 7977 SLE cases and 8097 healthy controls were considered. Results showed that there were significant differences in the IL-21 rs907715 genotype distribution between SLE patients and healthy controls in the comparisons of all genetic models. Upon stratified analysis by ethnicity, a similar result was found in the Caucasian and African-American population. For the IL-21 rs2221903 polymorphism, seven sets of comparisons involving 7990 SLE cases and 8098 healthy controls were considered. Results showed that there were significant differences in the IL-21 rs2221903 genotype distribution between SLE patients and healthy controls in the comparisons of GG versus AA and GG versus GA+AA. Upon stratified analysis by ethnicity, a similar result was found in the Caucasian population. This meta-analysis suggests that the both IL-21 rs907715 and rs2221903 polymorphisms may be associated with SLE susceptibility. As current evidence remains limited, further studies are needed to warrant the association between IL-21 rs907715 and rs2221903 polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility.

[Concentration distribution of metal elements in atmospheric aerosol under different weather conditions in Qingdao Coastal Region]

To know the influence of different weather conditions on the concentration of metal elements in aerosols in the coastal region, total suspended particles (TSP) samples were collected from April to May 2012, and August 2012 to March 2013 in the Qingdao coastal region, and common trace metals were analyzed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results showed that Al, Ca, Fe, Na, K and Mg were the dominant metal elements in TSP, and the sum of the six elements accounted for 94.2% of the sum of all metals. TSP and metal elements had significant monthly variations, Fe, Al, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Ba, Mn, Ti, Sr and Li had the highest concentration in November and January, while Be, Sc, Co, Ni and Cr showed the highest value in January. Na had the highest concentration in August, November and February, and the lowest in December. Pb had the highest concentration in January and February, and the lowest in August and December. Enrichment factors indicated that Be, Co, Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Sr and Ti were mainly affected by natural sources; Li, Cr, Ni, Zn, Ba and Na were affected by natural sources and part of anthropogenic sources; Pb was mainly from anthropogenic sources. Different weather conditions had great impact on TSP and metal elements concentrations, all the measured metals had the highest concentrations in smog except Ti. Compared with the sunny day, the concentration of atmospheric particulate Ti decreased, while the other elements increased by 1 to 4 times in smog. Li, Be, Cr, Ni, Al, Fe, Mg and Mn had little variation in concentration in foggy day, and the concentration of Pb and Na increased considerably. The concentration of Co, Ca and Ti reduced obviously in fog. Except for Cr, Co and Ti, the other elements increased by 1 to 3 times in haze. Most of the elements had the minimal enrichment factors in sunny day, while the other had the maximal enrichment factor in foggy day. Enrichment factors of Ni, Zn, Ba, K, Na, Pb and Sr varied in the order of sunny day < haze day < smog day <foggy day, Fe and Mn were sunny day < smog day < haze day < foggy day, A1 and Mg were sunny day < foggy day < haze day < smog day. The variation of enrichment factors was different under different weathers for Li, Be, Cr, Co, Ca and Ti.

[Concentration and community diversity of microbes in bioaerosols in the Qingdao coastal region]

Bioaerosol samples were collected in Qingdao coastal region during July 2009 - June 2010 to investigate the concentration and community diversity of microbes in bioaerosols. Microbe concentrations (bacteria and fungi) in marine and terrestrial bioaerosols were determined and diversity indices including Shannon-Weiner index, Simpson's index and Pielou index were calculated in this study. Monthly average concentrations of terrestrial bacteria, marine bacteria, terrestrial fungi and marine fungi were in the ranges of 12-436 CFU x m(-3), 25-561 CFU x m(-3), 0-817 CFU x m(-3) and 11-1346 CFU x m(-3), respectively. There were consistent seasonal variations of these four types of microbe, with higher concentrations in spring and summer and lowest during winter, especially in February. Compared to terrestrial microbes, marine microbes account for higher proportion to the total culturable microbes, with a percentage of 63%. The number of microbial species varied from 17 to 102, and was partially correlated with microbial concentrations, however, it did not show obvious seasonal variation. Based on the analysis of calculated diversity indices, we found that the community diversities of four types of microbe were much higher in January, November and May than in February. The community diversity varied with the season, space and different microbial species, and showed a different seasonal variation from the microbial concentration.

[Seasonal distribution of water-soluble inorganic ions in the atmospheric aerosol in Qingdao]

To collect comprehensive information on the characteristics and sources of water-soluble ions in the atmospheric aerosol in Qingdao, samples of total suspended particles (TSP) were collected from January to December 2008, and the concentrations of the major water-soluble inorganic ions were analyzed using ion chromatography. The results showed that SO4(2-), NO3-, NH4+ and Cl- were the dominant water-soluble ions in TSP, the sum of the four accounting for 86.9% of water-soluble ions in mass concentration. TSP and water-soluble inorganic ions showed obvious seasonal variations and there were a variety of sources. The mass concentrations of Na+, NH4+, Ca2+, F- and Mg2+ were highest in winter and lowest in summer. The concentrations of K+ and PO4(3-) were highest in autumn and lowest in summer. NO3-, Cl- and SO4(2-) concentrations had the highest values in spring, winter, and spring, respectively. Different weather conditions had great influence on the concentrations of TSP and water-soluble ions. The mass concentrations of TSP were highest in dust weather followed by haze, smog, fog and sunny days. The average mass concentrations of Na+ , Mg2+, Ca2+, F- , Cl- and PO4(3-) were highest in smog days while the other ions in haze days.

Leptin gene transfer regulates fibromuscular development and lipid deposition in muscles via SIRT1, FOXO3a and PGC-1α in mice in vivo

Leptin gene transfer in the liver by hydrodynamic-based gene delivery instead of peptide administration was used to investigate the effects of leptin on muscle mass accretion and lipid accumulation in muscles of wild-type mice. Food intake (P<0.01), body weight (P<0.01) and white adipose tissue (P<0.01) were significantly reduced in the leptin gene-treated group compared with the control group. Moreover, plasma leptin concentration was significantly increased after administration of the mouse leptin gene at a dose of 15 µg per mouse for 1 day (P<0.01) or 1 week (P<0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA abundance of myosin heavy chain type I (MyHC-I), myosin heavy chain type II (MyHC-IIa, MyHC-IIx), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) genes in gastrocnemius muscle and extensor digitorum longus after administration of leptin for 1 week were significantly increased compared with the control group. Finally, we investigated the mechanism by which leptin gene transfer affects fibromuscular and fat deposition in muscle. Gene expression and protein levels of SIRT1, and proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) were remarkably increased in extensor digitorum longus. On the other hand, PGC-1α and FOXO3a gene expression was observed to have significantly increased in gastrocnemius muscle. However, only changes in the protein levels of PGC-1α were observed (P<0.05). These results suggest that leptin may affect the growth and development of muscle, and fat deposition in wild-type mice via SIRT1 and FOXO3a and their downstream targets, including PGC-1α.

[Concentration distribution of bioaerosol in summer and autumn in the Qingdao coastal region]

Bioaerosol samples were collected using an Andersen sampler from Jul. 2009 to Nov. 2009 in the Qingdao coastal region. Total microbe (including 'culturable microbe' and 'non-culturable microbe'), the terrigenous and marine microbe were analyzed by the counting methods of fluorescence microscope and Petri dishes containing agar media. The results showed that the proportion of non-culturable microbe to total microbe was as high as 99.58% of total on average, while the average proportion of culturable microbe to total microbe was 0.42%. The average proportions of marine bacteria/fungi did to the culturable microbe (18.99% and 45.47% respectively) were more than that of terrigenous bacteria/fungi (16.91% and 18.63% respectively), therefore marine bacteria/fungi contributed more to the microbe than terrigenous bacteria/fungi. It could be seen that the composition and concentration distribution were greatly affected by the ocean in the Qingdao coastal region. The average concentrations of total microbe were higher in Autumn (181 682.5 CFU/m3) than that in Summer (159 704.2 CFU/m3), and that of terrigenous bacteria, marine bacteria/fungi were also higher in Autumn than in Summer. The particle sizes of total microbe presented a log-normal distribution in summer and autumn, and the total microbe mainly existed in coarse particles larger than 2.1 microm. There was the highest proportion of total microbe in 3.3-4.7 microm particles, the lowest one in 0.65-1.1 microm. The terrigenous and marine bacterial particle sizes showed a skew distribution with a higher value in large particles (> 7 microm) and a lower one in fine particles (0.65-1.1 microm). The terrigenous and marine fungal particle sizes showed a log-normal distribution in summer and autumn, and the highest concentration proportion existed in particles with diameter of 2.1-3.3 microm.

[Distribution of atmospheric particulate inorganic nitrogen in different weather conditions in the heating period in Qingdao]

The atmospheric aerosol samples were collected before and in the heating period during October 2007-April 2008 in Qingdao coastal region, and inorganic nitrogen components were analyzed using IC (Ion Chromatography). The results showed that the concentration of aerosol particles and particulate inorganic nitrogen components (NH4+, NO3-) were increased from 137.41 microg/m3, 2.48 microg/m3, 6.95 microg/m3 before to 250.34 microg/m3, 4.43 microg/m3, 10.28 microg/m3 in the heating period respectively. The concentrations of TSP (total suspended particles) and inorganic nitrogen in Qingdao were influenced by different weather conditions. The average concentration of TSP was 181.34 microg/m3 in sunny days during heating period, increased by 32.0% than before. But the nitrate and ammonium showed a value of 5.56 and 1.86 microg/m3 in sunny days, lower than that before heating, which mainly came from secondary aerosols. The average concentrations of TSP, nitrate and ammonium increased were 1-2 times higher in foggy days in heating period due to lower temperature, high humidity and accumulation of pollutants. The concentrations of TSP, nitrate and ammonium decreased in strong winds and temperature drop weather. The size distribution of aerosol particles and inorganic nitrogen, were influenced clearly by heating soot and ash. The size distribution of nitrate showed double peaks with a higher peak in accumulation mode (0.43-0.65 microm) and a lower one in coarse mode (3.3-4.7 microm) before heating, and the peak in the 'accumulation mode' shifted to 0.65-1.1 microm during heating period. NH4(+) -N, a major inorganic nitrogen component in the particulate matter, showed single peak in the "accumulation mode".

[Construction, expression and purification of UreB-Omp11 fusion protein of Helicobacter pylori and its immunocompetence]

AIM

To construct H.pylori vaccine candidate strain expressing UreB-Omp11 recombinant fusion protein of H.pylori. To express and purify the fusion protein UreB-Omp11 and to determine its immunocompetence.

METHODS

The two genes were amplified by PCR, and the fusion gene ureB-omp11 was amplified by over lap extension PCR and then cloned into the fusion expression vector pET30a(+), pET28a(+) and pMAL-c2X. The appropriate expression system was selected, and the recombinant UreB-Omp11 fusion protein was expressed and indentfied by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Then the fusion protein was purified by MBP affinity chromatography and the purity was indentfied by SDS-PAGE. Then the fusion protein was immunized to mice. The immunized mice sera were analyzed by Western blot with purified fusion protein.

RESULTS

The ureB-omp11 fusion gene was correctly insected into pET30a(+) and confirmed by Enzyme digestion and sequencing analysis; Results in SDS-PAGE and optical density scanning demonstrated that this fusion protein MBP-UreB-Omp11 was expressed in the recombinant strain of E.coli TB1(pMAL-ureB-omp11). The fusion protein UreB-Omp11 was recognized by the mice sera immunized by H.pylori, the human sera infected with H.pylori and The purity of fusion protein was 90% after purification. The fusion protein purified could be recognized by corresponding antibody of mice sera immunized by this fusion piotein, This fusion protein has strong immunoantigenicity and immunoreactivity.

CONCLUSION

The prokaryotic expression system TB1 (pMAL-c2X-ureB-omp11) was successfully constructed and selected. The results obtained lay the foundation for research on development of protein and DNA vaccine of Hp.

Histological observation of somatic embryogenesis from cultured embryos of Quercus variabilis Bl

Immature zygotic embryos of Quercus variabilis Bl. were excised and cultured on MS basal medium containing 0.25 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.5 mg/L 6-benzyl aminopurine. Callus was initiated from these embryos within 6 weeks. Two types of embryogenic calluses were formed: one was the white mucilaginous callus and the other was light yellow to translucent, glossy, mucilaginous. Histological examination showed that the non-embryogenic cells derived from zygotic embryos were large in size, with small nuclei, thin cytoplasm, and the embryogenic cells were small in size, with large nuclei, thick cytoplasm and denser arrangement. Somatic embryos were induced from embryogenic masses (EMS) cultured on a medium not containing plant growth regulators (PGRs). The histological origin of somatic embryos was single epidermal or subepidermal cells. Somatic embryos displayed a standard development pattern, from globular ones to heart-like and torpedo-shaped ones and finally to embryo with two cotyledons, which was similar to the development of zygotic embryo in vivo. Secondary proembryos were formed on the axis and cotyledon of existing embryos and originated from single, densely stained cells of the epidermis at all stages.

[Effects of root exudates of squash grafted with cucumber shoot on seed germination]

Cucumber (Cucumis statirus L.) is commonly cultivated by grafting on squash (Cucurbita moschata) in commercial production. The effects of root exudates of squash grafted with cucumber on seed germination rate of cucumber and squash were tested. In this study, the exudates of cucumber-grafted squash roots were continuously collected with XAD-4 resin, and were further diluted with distilled water to make 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% concentrations. Cucumber and squash seeds were used for bioassay. The seeds were germinated in glass petri dishes with 2 filter papers at bottoms and containing 5 mL the diluted root exudates. The results showed that the exudates of cucumber-grafted squash roots significantly inhibit germination rate, radicel and hypocotyl elongation in cucumber and squash, and the inhibitory rate positively correlate with the concentration of the grafted cucumber root exudates. So grafted cucumber still have allelopathy. The exudates of cucumber-grafted squash roots significantly stimulated IAA oxidase activity in cucumber and squash. As a result, they decrease IAA level in cucumber and squash, and restrained their growth. The exudates of cucumber-grafted squash roots also decrease significantly the activities of amylase and alpha-amylase in cucumber and squash, and this decrease effects were strengthening with the increasing of the concentration of the grafted cucumber root exudates. So the exudates of cucumber-grafted squash roots can inhibit the hydrolysis and utilization of starch in cucumber and squash, and thereby suppress germination and seedling growth.

Phosphoinositide 3 kinase is critical for survival, mitogenesis and migration but not for differentiation of endothelial cells

Angiogenesis involves endothelial cell invasion and migration into the surrounding tissue where cells differentiate, to form new lumen-containing vessels. We have investigated the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-induced angiogenesis. Angiogenesis in vivo in chick embryos was inhibited by treatment with the PI3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002. Stimulation of primary bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) cells with FGF-2, VEGF-A(165), or a combination of the two induced PI3-kinase activity in vitro and subsequent activation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt. The combination of FGF-2 and VEGF-A(165) led to an additive response. Activation of PI3-kinase was strictly required for FGF-2- and VEGF-A(165)-induced migration and DNA synthesis of BCE cells. Tubular morphogenesis was unaffected by treatment with wortmannin or LY294002, but survival of the tubular structures was dependent on PI3-kinase activity. VEGF-A(165) and FGF-2 induced increased stability of the tubular structures in a synergistic manner. These data indicate that PI3-kinase activity is required for migration, mitogenicity and survival but not for differentiation of endothelial cells during angiogenesis.

VEGF-induced activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase is dependent on focal adhesion kinase

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A stimulates formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). This process includes migration of endothelial cells from the preexisting vessel toward the source of the growth factor. We show that VEGF-A-induced migration of porcine aortic endothelial cells expressing VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is dependent on activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase). There is no direct interaction between VEGF receptor-2 and PI3-kinase; instead PI3-kinase is activated downstream of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in VEGF-A-stimulated cells. Thus, VEGF-A stimulation leads to complex formation between FAK and PI3-kinase and overexpression of dominant-negative FAK decreases VEGF-A-induced PI3-kinase activation. FAK activation by VEGF-A increases with increasing concentration of growth factor, without apparent collapse of the cytoskeleton, in contrast to the effect of platelet-derived growth factor. FAK activation is mediated via the C-terminal tail of VEGFR-2 and loss of VEGF-A-induced FAK activation in cells expressing mutant VEGFR-2 correlates with loss of migration capacity. These data show that VEGF-A-induced FAK and PI3-kinase activation are required for migration of cells expressing VEGFR-2, via a pathway independent of direct interaction with the receptor.

Prediction of programmed-temperature retention values of naphthas by artificial neural networks

It is proposed for the first time a method of prediction of the programmed-temperature retention times of components of naphthas in capillary gas chromatography using artificial neural networks. People are used to predict the programmed-temperature retention time using many formulas such as the integral formula, which requires that four parameters must be determined by calculation or experiments. However the results obtained by the formula are not so good to meet the demand of industry. In order to predict retention time accurately and conveniently, artificial neural networks using five-fold cross-validation and leave-20%-out methods have been applied. Only two parameters: density and isothermal retention index were used as input vectors. The average RMS error for predicted values of five different networks was 0.18, whereas the RMS error of predictions by the integral formula was 0.69. Obviously, the predictions by neural networks were much better than predictions by the formula, and neural networks need fewer parameters than the formula. So neural networks can successfully and conveniently solve the problem of predictions of programmed-temperature retention times, and provide useful data for analysis of naphthas in petrochemical industry.

Pentoxifylline inhibits neointimal formation and stimulates constrictive vascular remodeling after arterial injury

Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor used in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease, and this agent can suppress inflammatory vascular damage. Inflammation has been implicated in vascular lesion formation, and we examined the effects of PTX in a model of arterial injury. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with intraperitoneal PTX (75 mg/kg/day) or saline starting 3 days before carotid balloon injury, and killed 24 h or 14 days later. Carotid arteries were analyzed by cross-sectional morphometry, immunostaining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and subjected to terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Moreover, the effects of PTX on vascular smooth-muscle cell (VSMC) migration and production of collagen types I, IV, and VI were examined in vitro. At 14 days after balloon injury, PTX reduced the neointimal area (0.074+/-0.001 vs. 0.172+/-0.003 mm2; p<0.001), media area (0.143+/-0.001 vs. 0.176+/-0.001 mm2; p<0.01), intima/media ratio (0.50+/-0.02 vs. 0.99+/-0.12; p<0.001), and total vessel area (0.601+/-0.010 vs. 0.744+/-0.011 mm2; p<0.01). The lumen area, PCNA expression, and TUNEL were similar in the two treatment groups, whereas the neointimal cell density was increased by PTX (3,476+/-504 cells/mm2 vs. 2,215+/-232 cells/mm2; p<0.05). In vitro, PTX inhibited VSMC production of collagen type I in a concentration-dependent manner and did not influence VSMC migration. We conclude that PTX inhibits neointimal formation and induces constrictive vascular remodeling in the rat model of balloon injury by mechanisms involving decreased VSMC collagen type I production.

Tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 is involved in regulation of platelet-derived growth factor-induced migration

SHP-2 is a ubiquitously expressed Src homology-2-containing cytosolic tyrosine phosphatase that binds to and becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated by the activated platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFR-beta). Removal of the binding site on the receptor, by mutation of Tyr1009 to Phe1009 (denoted Y1009F), led to loss of PDGF-stimulated phosphatase activity in cells expressing the mutated receptor, and these cells failed to form membrane edge ruffles and to migrate toward PDGF. Furthermore, treatment with phosphatase inhibitors phenylarsine oxide (PAO) and orthovanadate led to loss of PDGF-stimulated phosphatase activity and attenuated PDGF-stimulated migration of wild type PDGFR-beta cells. Treatment of wild type PDGFR-beta cells with combinations of PAO or orthovanadate and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin or LY294002 resulted in a synergistic inhibition of PDGFR-beta-mediated cell migration. PDGF stimulation of wild type PDGFR-beta cells led to induction of p125 focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity at low concentrations of the growth factor and a decrease at higher concentrations. In the mutant Y1009F cells and in wild type PDGFR-beta cells treated with PAO and orthovanadate, FAK activity was not increased in response to PDGF. These results suggest that SHP-2 activity is involved in regulation of FAK activity and thereby of cell migration through PDGFR-beta, independently of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Vascular endothelial growth factor C induces angiogenesis in vivo

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) recently has been described to be a relatively specific growth factor for the lymphatic vascular system. Here we report that ectopic application of recombinant VEGF-C also has potent angiogenic effects in vivo. VEGF-C is sufficiently potent to stimulate neovascularization from limbal vessels in the mouse cornea. Similar to VEGF, the angiogenic response of corneas induced by VEGF-C is intensive, with a high density of new capillaries. However, the outgrowth of microvessels stimulated by VEGF-C was significantly longer than that induced by VEGF. In the developing embryo, VEGF-C was able to induce branch sprouts from the established blood vessels. VEGF-C also induced an elongated, spindle-like cell shape change and actin reorganization in both VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-2 and VEGFR-3-overexpressing endothelial cells, but not in VEGFR-1-expressing cells. Further, both VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 could mediate proliferative and chemotactic responses in endothelial cells on VEGF-C stimulation. Thus, VEGF-C may regulate physiological angiogenesis and participate in the development and progression of angiogenic diseases in addition to lymphangiogenesis.

Effects of captopril and enalaprilat on intracellular Ca2+, Na+ contents and pH in hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiomyocytes

AIM

To study the mechanisms of captopril (Cap) and enalaprilat (Ena) protective effects on hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiac myocytes.

METHODS

Using fluorescent probes Fura 2-AM, BCECF/AM, SBFI/AM combined with computer image processing techniques to measure intracellular ion concentrations.

RESULTS

[Ca2+]i (165 +/- 8 nmol.L-1) and [Na+]i (9.2 +/- 0.8 mmol.L-1) were higher but [pH]i (6.7 +/- 0.3) was lower in hypoxic and reoxygenated myocytes (196 +/- 14 nmol.L-1, 9.3 +/- 1.3 mmol.L-1, 6.61 +/- 0.19, respectively) than in normal ones. Cap and Ena reduced [Ca2+]i (149 +/- 11 and 152 +/- 10 nmol.L-1 respectively) and intracellular acidosis (7.11 +/- 0.22 and 7.2 +/- 0.4, respectively) during hypoxia. Cap also decreased [Na+]i in hypoxic myocytes (8.1 +/- 0.9 mmol.L-1). During reoxygenation, Cap decreased [Ca2+]i and [Na+]i but Ena had no significant effect on them. Cap or Ena had no additive effect when combined with verapamil (Ver).

CONCLUSION

Cap and Ena protected hypoxic and reoxygenated cardiomyocytes, but the mechanisms were not the same.

Effect of captopril on intracellular pH in vascular smooth muscle cells

AIM

To observe the effect of captopril (Cap) on intracellular pH (pHi) in aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC).

METHODS

Cultured ASMC derived from rat and rabbit aortae were loaded with the fluorescent dye BCECF and pHi was determined using digital image processing method.

RESULTS

The pHi of untreated SHR and WKY rats were 7.37 +/- 0.29 and 7.19 +/- 0.31, respectively. Oral Cap decreased pHi (7.11 +/- 0.26, P < 0.05) and exaggerated pHi response to angiotensin II (Ang-II, 0.1 mumol.L-1) in ASMC of SHR rats vs WKY rats (0.14 +/- 0.05 vs 0.21 +/- 0.05 pH units, P < 0.01). Cap in vitro had no effect on Ang-II induced intracellular alkalinization in ASMC of rabbits.

CONCLUSION

Oral Cap inhibits Na+(-)H+ exchange activity in ASMC of SHR rats.

Effects of captopril and enalaprilat on intracellular Ca2+ content in isolated cardiomyocytes from rats

AIM

To study the effects of ACEI captopril (Cap) and enalaprilat (Ena) on intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in cardiac myocytes isolated from SHR and WKY rats.

METHODS

Using fluorescent probe Fura 2-AM combined with computer image processing technique to measure [Ca2+]i.

RESULTS

Resting [Ca2+]i was higher in SHR cardiac myocytes (174 +/- 5 nmol.L-1) than that in WKY rat myocytes (148 +/- 15 nmol.L-1, P < 0.01). Cap and Ena decreased the resting [Ca2+]i in SHR myocytes (161 +/- 11 and 166 +/- 7 nmol.L-1, respectively, P < 0.05) but not in WKY rat myocytes (P > 0.05). Both drugs inhibited [Ca2+]i increment induced by KCI, NE, or Ang II in SHR and WKY rat myocytes except on KCI-induced [Ca2+]i increment in WKY rat myocytes (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Cap and Ena had direct effects on pathological voltage-operated calcium channel in cardiac myocytes.

Effects of captopril and enalapril on intracellular Ca2+ in vascular smooth muscle cell

AIM

To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors can affect Ca2+ handling in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC) directly.

METHODS

Cultured ASMC derived from rat aorta were loaded with the intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca]2+i) fluorescent indicator Fura 2-AM and digital image processing technique was used.

RESULTS

Resting [Ca2+]i was greater in ASMC from SHR vs WKY (P < 0.01). KCl-, norepinephrine (NE)-, and angiotensin II (Ang)-induced [Ca2+]i increases were enhanced in ASMC of SHR vs WKY (220 +/- 6, 212 +/- 8, and 215 +/- 14 vs 199 +/- 6, 202 +/- 7, and 195 +/- 7 nmol.L-1, respectively). Captopril (Cap) and enalapril (Ena) had no inhibitory effect on KCl-, NE-, and Ang-induced [Ca2+]i increases in ASMC of WKY. Cap and Ena inhibited KCl-, NE-, and Ang-increased [Ca2+]i in ASMC of SHR (210 +/- 7, 194 +/- 6, and 201 +/- 6 nmol.L-1, respectively). Ena and nifedipine similarly decreased KCl-, NE-, and Ang-increased [Ca2+]i.

CONCLUSION

Cap blocked KCl-, NE-, and Ang-increased ([Ca2+]i) via a voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel of which function and specificity was altered in ASMC of SHR.

[Effects of alpha adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on palpebral fissure and lacrimation in mice]

Ip methoxamine (Met), norepinephrine (NE), xylazine (Xyl), and clonidine (Clo) produced dose-related reversal of ptosis induced by reserpine. These agonists had equivalent Emax values, however, the order of potency was: Clo greater than Met approximately NE greater than Xyl. Met-induced antiptotic action was competitively inhibited by prazosin (Pra) (apparent pA2 = 6.86), but not by idazoxan (Ida); Xyl-induced antiptotic action was competitively inhibited by Ida (apparent pA2 = 6.39), but inhibited by Pra in a noncompetitive manner. These results suggested that the eyelids of mice had both alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors. In mice lacrimal gland, Met, and NE elicited dose-related lacrimal secretions, however, Xyl and Clo had no such reaction. Lacrimal secretions elicited by Met or NE were inhibited by Pra, but not by Ida. These results suggested that the lacrimal gland of mice had only alpha-1 adrenoceptor.