An OBP gene highly expressed in non-chemosensory tissues affects the phototaxis and reproduction of Spodoptera frugiperda

Insect odorant binding proteins (OBPs) were initially regarded as carriers of the odorants involved in chemosensation. However, it had been observed that a growing number of OBP genes exhibited broad expression patterns beyond chemosensory tissues. Here, an OBP gene (OBP31) was found to be highly expressed in the larval ventral nerve cord, adult brain and male reproductive organ of Spodoptera frugiperda. An OBP31 knockout strain (OBP31-/- ) was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. For OBP31-/- , the larvae needed longer time to pupate, but there was no difference in the pupal weight between OBP31-/- and wild type (WT). OBP31-/- larvae showed stronger phototaxis than the WT larvae, indicating the importance of OBP31 in light perception. For mating rhythm of adults, OBP31-/- moths displayed an earlier second mating peak. In the cross-pairing of OBP31-/- and WT moths, the mating duration was longer, and hatchability was lower in OBP31-/- group and OBP31+/- ♂ group than that in the WT group. These results suggested that OBP31 played a vital role in larval light perception and male reproductive process and could provide valuable insights into understanding the biological functions of OBPs that were not specific in chemosensory tissues.

[17-year study on the curative effect of treatment to prevent the recurrence of hepatitis B in different risk groups after liver transplantation]

Objective: To observe the recurrence condition of hepatitis B in different risk groups after liver transplantation in an attempt to provide useful information on whether to discontinue hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) in the future at an early stage. Methods: The patient population was divided into high, low-risk, and special groups [especially primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] according to the guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation. The recurrence condition and risk factors in this population were observed for hepatitis B. Measurement data were analyzed using a t-test and a rank-sum test. Count data were compared using a χ(2) test between groups. Results: This study finally included 532 hepatitis B-related liver transplant cases. A total of 35 cases had HBV recurrence after liver transplantation, including 34 cases that were HBsAg positive, one case that was HBsAg negative, and 10 cases that were hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA positive. The overall HBV recurrence rate was 6.6%. The recurrence rate of HBV was 9.2% and 4.8% in the high- and low-risk HBV DNA positive and negative groups before surgery (P = 0.057). Among the 293 cases diagnosed with HCC before liver transplantation, 30 had hepatitis B recurrence after surgery, with a recurrence rate of 10.2%. The independent related factors for the recurrence of hepatitis B in patients with HCC after liver transplantation were HCC recurrence (HR =181.92, 95%CI 15.99~2 069.96, P < 0.001), a high postoperative dose of mycophenolate mofetil dispersible tablets (MMF) ( HR =5.190, 95%CI 1.289~20.889, P = 0.020), and a high dosage of HBIG (HR = 1.012, 95%CI 1.001~1.023, P = 0.035). Among the 239 cases who were non-HCC before liver transplantation, five cases (recurrence rate of 2.1%) arouse postoperative hepatitis B recurrence. Lamivudine was used in all cases, combined with on-demand HBIG prophylaxis after surgery. There was no hepatitis B recurrence in non-HCC patients who treated with entecavir combined with HBIG after surgery. Conclusion: High-barrier-to-resistance nucleotide analogues combined with long-term HBIG have a good effect on preventing the recurrence of hepatitis B after liver transplantation. The discontinuation of HBIG may be considered at an early stage after administration of a high-barrier-to-resistance nucleotide analogue in low-risk patients. Domestically, the HBV infection rate is high, so further research is still required to explore the timing of HBIG discontinuation for high-risk patients, especially those with HCC.

[Study on transcriptome characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in children by RNA sequencing]

To explore the biological characteristics related to the pathogenesis and severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis by RNA sequencing of white blood cells in children with RSV bronchiolitis. This study is a case-control study. A total of 87 children diagnosed with bronchiolitis and RSV antigen positive and/or RSV nucleic acid positive in the pediatric respiratory department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from October 2019 to April 2022 were selected as the case group. The case group was divided into three groups based on the condition: mild, moderate, and severe, and there were two groups according to the presence or absence of atopic symptoms: the atopic group and the non-atopic group, forty healthy children in the same period were selected as the control group. The whole blood leukocyte RNA of the children in the case group and the control group was extracted for RNA sequencing, and the data were analyzed to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, the immunobiological pathways and genes related to the pathogenesis, disease condition, and atopy were screened through Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) annotation, and protein interaction network (PPI) construction methods. Construct the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) module to identify potential biological indicators related to disease severity.Compared with the control group, the case group had a total of 1 782 DEGs, including 1 586 upregulated genes and 196 downregulated genes. The GO pathway enrichment of DEGs is mainly enriched in molecular functions such as peroxidase activity and oxidoreductase activity. In the cytological components, it is mainly enriched in cytoplasmic vesicle lumen and secretory granule lumen. In biological processes, it is mainly enriched in processes such as neutrophil activation involved in immune responses, neutrophil degranulation, and neutrophil activation. KEGG analysis is mainly concentrated in the signal pathway of the viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor. A PPI network was constructed to screen four genes at the core position, including CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN. The DEGs obtained by comparing different disease groups with the control group are mainly enriched in retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and cell apoptosis pathways. WGCNA analysis showed that the brown module related to oxygen saturation was most closely related to the disease, and its gene was mainly enriched in the RNA helicase retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) like receptor signal pathway. There are 230 specific DEGs in the atopic group and 444 in the non-atopic group. KEGG enrichment analysis results show that both groups are enriched to NF-κB signaling pathway, the characteristic does not cause significant changes in immune response and transcriptome characteristics in children with RSV bronchiolitis. In conclusion, neutrophil activation, degranulation pathway and signal pathway of interaction between viral protein and cytokine and cytokine receptor are involved in the immune response of RSV bronchiolitis host. CCL2, IL-10, MMP9 and JUN genes may be associated with the pathogenesis. They might be potential biomarkers related to disease severity in RIG-I like receptors, cell apoptosis, and endogenous cannabinoid related signaling pathways.

Plasticity of the Gene Transcriptional Level and Microbiota in the Gut Contributes to the Adaptability of the Fall Armyworm to Rice Plants

Insects coordinate a variety of mechanisms to overcome the feeding challenges, including gene transcriptional plasticity and stable symbioses in the gut. Here, Spodoptera frugiperda larvae were reared on corn and rice plants for successive generations to obtain two specific strains. The rice strain displayed a longer developmental period, lower female fecundity, and intrinsic growth rate at G1 and G5 but not at G10. KEGG analysis of the G1, G5, and G11 gut transcriptome indicated that detoxification enzymes might play vital roles in host adaptation. RNAi-mediated knockdown of CYP12A2 and UGT41B8, which were highly expressed in the gut of the rice strain, significantly reduced the larval adaptability to rice. Besides, the dsCYP12A2-treated larvae displayed an increased sensitivity to luteolin, a flavonoid phytochemical. The KEGG function prediction of gut microbiota indicated that the high enrichment level of metabolism in the rice strain would play essential roles in rice adaptation.

A nonsensory odorant-binding protein plays an important role in the larval development and adult mating of Spodoptera frugiperda

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) play key roles in the perception of semiochemicals in insects. Several OBPs in insect olfactory systems have been functionally characterized, and they provide excellent targets for pest control. The functions of some OBPs that are highly expressed in the nonsensory organs of insects remain unclear. Here, the physiological function of an OBP (OBP27) that was highly expressed in the nonsensory organs of Spodoptera frugiperda was studied. OBP27 was nested within the Plus-C cluster according to phylogenetic analysis. The transcription of OBP27 steadily increased throughout the development of S. frugiperda, and transcripts of this gene were abundant in the fat body and male reproductive organs. An OBP27 knockout strain with an early frameshift mutation was obtained using the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system. The development time of OBP27-/- larvae was significantly longer than that of other larvae. Both male and female OBP27-/- pupae weighed significantly less than wild-type (WT) pupae. In crosses of OBP27-/- males or females, the mating rate was lower and the mating duration was longer for OBP27-/- male-WT female pairs than for WT-WT pairs. By contrast, the mating rate, hatching rate, and number of eggs of OBP27-/- female-WT male pairs and WT-WT pairs were similar. These findings indicate that OBP27 plays an important role in the larval development and mating process in male adults. Generally, our findings provide new insights into the physiological roles of nonsensory OBPs.

[Diagnosis and treatment of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a series of 7 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, prognosis of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis (MMTVT). Methods: The clinicopathological data of 7 patients with MMTVT who treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2010 and October 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were first diagnosed at (M (IQR)) 49 (23) years old (range: 27 to 64 years old). The main clinical manifestations were scrotal enlargement (7 cases) and hydrocele (2 cases). Results: Three patients underwent radical orchiectomy as initial treatment, 2 cases underwent hydrocelectomy due to diagnosis of hydrocele, followed by radical orchiectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, and 2 cases underwent transscrotal orchiectomy. Common tumor markers of testicular cancer were not significantly elevated in MMTVT. The expression of tumor PD-L1 was positive in 2 out of the 3 cases. One patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and 2 patients received first-line chemotherapy after tumor recurrence. Chemotherapy regimens used include cisplatin+pemetrexed. Up to October 2022, 3 cases relapsed, of which 2 cases died. The median overall survival was 35 months (range: 4 to 87 months) and the median progression-free survival was 6 months (range: 2 to 87 months). Conclusions: MMTVT at early stage should be treated with early radical orchiectomy and followed up closely after surgery. The cisplatin+pemetrexed regimen is a common option for the treatment of metastatic MMTVT, while whether immune checkpoint inhibitors could serve as a second-line treatment option deserves further research.

Co-CRISPR: A valuable toolkit for mutation enrichment in the gene editing of Spodoptera frugiperda

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been successfully applied in dozens of diverse species; although the screening of successful CRISPR/Cas9 editing events remains particularly laborious, especially for those that occur at relatively low frequency. Recently, a co-CRISPR strategy was proved to enrich the desired CRISPR events. Here, the co-CRISPR strategy was developed in the Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, with kynurenine 3-monooxygenase gene (kmo) as a marker. The kmo mosaics induced by single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs)/Cas9 displayed the darker green color phenotype in larvae, compared with wild type (brown), and mosaic-eye adults were significantly acquired from the mosaic larvae group. In the kmo knockout strain, no significant difference was observed in larval development and adult reproduction. Acetylcholinesterase 2 (ace2) and Wnt1 were selected as target genes to construct the co-CRISPR strategy using kmo marker. By co-injection of kmo and ace2 sgRNAs, the mutant efficiency of ace2 was significantly increased in the kmo mosaic (larvae or adults) groups. Similarly, more malformed pupae with Wnt1 mutations were observed in the darker green larvae group. Taken together, these results demonstrated that kmo was a suitable visible marker gene for the application and extension of co-CRISPR strategy in Fall armyworm. Using darker green color in larvae or mosaic-eye in adults from kmo knockout as a marker, the mutant efficiency of a target gene could be enriched in a Fall armyworm group consisting of marked individuals. The co-CRISPR strategy is helpful for gene function studies by the knockout technique with no or lethal phenotypes.

Characterization of neutral lipases revealed the tissue-specific triacylglycerol hydrolytic activity in Nilaparvata lugens

The lipid metabolism plays an essential role in the development and reproduction of insects, and lipases are important enzymes in lipid metabolism. In Nilaparvata lugens, an important insect pest on rice, triacylglycerol hydrolytic activities were different among tissues, with high activity in integument, ovary, and fat body, but low activity in intestine. To figure out the tissue-specific triacylglycerol hydrolytic activity, we identified 43 lipases in N. lugens. Of these 43 lipases, 23 belonged to neutral lipases, so this group was selected to perform further experiments on triacylglycerol hydrolysis. The complete motifs of catalytic triads, β9 loop, and lid motif, are required for the triacylglycerol hydrolytic activity in neutral lipases, which were found in some neutral lipases with high gene expression levels in integument and ovary, but not in intestine. The recombinant proteins of 3 neutral lipases with or without 3 complete motifs were obtained, and the activity determination confirmed the importance of 3 motifs. Silencing XM_022331066.1, which is highly expressed in ovary and with 3 complete motifs, significantly decreased the egg production and hatchability of N. lugens, partially through decline of the lipid metabolism. In summary, at least one-third of important motifs were incomplete in all neutral lipases with high gene expression in intestine, which could partially explain why the lipase activity in intestine was much lower than that in other tissues. The low activity to hydrolyze triacylglycerol in N. lugens intestine might be associated with its food resource and nutrient components, and the ovary-specific neutral lipases were important for N. lugens reproduction.

[How do young surgeons understand and grasp the new concepts, new techniques, and recent progress of hernia and abdominal wall surgery?]

With the development of modern surgery, the field of hernia and abdominal wall surgery is undergoing a transformative change, and new techniques, new concepts, and recent progress are being updated, which have motivated the high-quality development of the discipline. In the past two decades, the development of hernia and abdominal wall surgery in China has been recognized by international peers. Many young surgeons have gradually become the main force in the treatment of hernia and leaders in surgical technique. The innovation and development of discipline will never terminate; young surgeons as the main force should seriously think about how to improve their professional qualities. Young surgeons are interested in the innovation of surgical techniques and need to push for a traditional operation on the one hand and an innovative operation on the other. Updates to concepts and acquisition of new materials are more important, which can provide a solid foundation for technological innovation. Young surgeons should start with the basics and classics. Understanding the history and development of new techniques, new concepts and recent progress, and grasping indications of clinical application, is the important part of growing up for young surgeons, which can make surgical treatment more standardized, benefit patients, and promote the progress of Chinese specialized medical education.

EcR/USP-1-mediated ecdysteroid signaling regulates wolf spider (Pardosa pseudoannulata) development and reproduction

Lycosidae females demonstrate meticulous maternal care of offspring by carrying egg sacs and juvenile spiderlings during the reproductive stage. Nuclear receptors (NRs), especially the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP), have attracted considerable attention in the regulation of arthropod development and reproduction due to their pivotal roles in ecdysteroid signaling cascades. In the present study, 23 NRs, including one EcR and two USPs, were identified in the genome of the predatory wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting EcR and USP-1 inhibited spiderling development and resulted in non-viable eggs in the egg sacs. EcR and USP-1 responded to changes in ecdysteroid levels, and interference in ecdysteroid biosynthesis led to similar phenotypes as dsEcR and dsUSP-1 treatments. These findings suggest that EcR/USP-1-mediated ecdysteroid signaling regulates P. pseudoannulata development and reproduction. The P. pseudoannulata females with suppressed ecdysteroid signaling proactively consumed their non-viable egg sacs, resulting in a 7.19 d shorter first reproductive cycle than the controls. Termination of the failed reproductive cycle enabled the spiders to produce a new egg sac more rapidly. This reproductive strategy may partially rescue the reduction in population growth due to non-viable eggs and compensate for the physiological expenditure of wasted maternal care, which would be beneficial for the conservation of P. pseudoannulata populations and their natural control of insect pests.

[The versions of Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang by Wu Mianxue]

Shiguzhai Hui Ju Jian Bian Dan Fang, was the only medical book for prescription and formula collected and compiled by Wu Mianxue in the period of the Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620). It had seven volumes in total with six of them popular at that time. The volumes contained 1,460 folk formula and clinical prescriptions which were divided into 111 categories based on their corresponding symptoms of diseases. The set was issued in the beginning of the 17^th century, with only three subsets of the volumes left in China today. The three remained versions were the subset of volumes 4-5 left in the Ming Dynasty in the Medical College of Tianjin, the subset of volumes 1-2 and 6-7, with preface, left in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty (1660) in the Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine and the subset of volumes 4 and 6-7 from time unknown. Additionally, three unabridged versions were found in the Cabinet Library of the National Archives of Japan. They were the Ming version with preface of the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty and a hand-copied version left in the Edo period. It was found that the preface in the seventeenth of the Shun Zhi Period in the Qing Dynasty in both of these versions in China as well as the version in Japan, were counterfeit. The main texts in these versions were edited according to the Ming version. The hand-copied version in Japan was transcribed by Kasahara Eisan and edited by Tanba Motoken according to the Ming version in the late Edo Period.

The importance of vitellogenin receptors in the oviposition of the pond wolf spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata

Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) is crucial for vitellogenin (Vg) uptake by oocytes. VgR is less known in Arachnida, especially in spiders. Different from only one VgR in an arthropod species, two VgRs, VgR-1 and VgR-2, were found in the pond wolf spider, Pardosa pseudoannulata. Both VgRs had the typical domains of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family except for the absence of the ligand-binding domain 1 in VgR-2. Spatiotemporal expression profiles showed that two VgR genes were consistently highly expressed in females and their ovaries, but VgR-1 was 48-fold that of VgR-2 in ovaries. The transcriptional level of VgR-1 was significantly downregulated by RNAi, but it did not work for VgR-2 although several trials were performed. Vg-1 and Vg-2 might be the ligands of VgR-1 because their expressions were also decreased in the dsVgR-1-treated females. Silencing VgR-1 prolonged the pre-oviposition period by 56 h. The expression of VgRs and Vgs were upregulated by juvenile hormones (JHs), which suggested that JHs were the essential factors to vitellogenesis in the spider. The present study revealed the importance of VgR-1 in the spider oviposition, which will improve the understanding on VgR physiological functions in spiders.

[Baseline characteristics of the participants of China National Birth Cohort]

Objective: To explore the effects of environmental, genetic factors as well as the interactions in early life on the short-term and long-term health of offspring and to systematically evaluate the pregnancy outcomes and health of offspring after birth between families with assisted reproductive technology (ART) conception and families with spontaneous conception. Methods: The China National Birth Cohort (CNBC), a multicenter prospective birth cohort study, includes both families with ART conception and families with spontaneous conception. Since 2016, CNBC has recruited families from 24 hospitals located in 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions throughout China. Information and biospecimens were collected before ART treatment, embryo transfer, at early, second, third trimester and delivery, and at 42 days, 6, 12 and 36 months after birth. Results: By June 2020, CNBC had included 27 044 families with ART conception and 29 589 families with spontaneous conception. The majority of the participants are urban residents. Among the families with ART conception, 65.5% of the men and 63.7% of the women had college degrees or higher. The mean age distribution of men and women was (33.83±5.52) and (32.38±4.67) years. 83.2% of women were primiparas, and the prevalence rates of current regular smokers and current alcohol drinkers were 0.8% and 2.1% in women. Among the families with spontaneous conception, 81.5% of the men and 86.5% of the women had college degrees or higher. The mean age distribution of men and women was (32.06±5.09) and (30.40±4.27) years. 67.2% of women were primiparas, and the prevalence rates of current regular smokers and current alcohol drinkers were 0.1% and 2.2% in women. The baseline characteristics were different between the families with ART conception and spontaneous conception in different regions. Conclusion: CNBC provides a powerful and rich resource in studying the impact of genetic, environmental factors and interactions in early life and ART treatment on the health of offspring after birth.

[Profile of China National Birth Cohort]

With the rapid changes in lifestyle, natural and social environment, the reproductive health status of couples in childbearing age continues to decline, and long-term outcomes of the rapidly increasing offspring conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) needs to be evaluated urgently. Therefore, the focus of research now needs to be extended from death and severe diseases to full life cycle and full disease spectrum. In order to meet the demand for such research, we launched the China National Birth Cohort (CNBC) study, an ongoing prospective and longitudinal study aiming to recruit 30 000 families underwent ART and 30 000 families with spontaneous pregnancies. Long-term follow-up programs will be conducted for both spouses and their offspring. Data of couples and their offspring, such as environmental exposure, reproductive history, psychological and behavioral status, will be collected during follow-up. Peripheral blood, urine, umbilical blood, follicular fluid, semen were also collected at different follow-up nodes. Based on high-quality data and biological samples, CNBC will play an extremely important supporting role and have a far-reaching impact on maternal and children's health care and reproductive health in China. This paper is exactly a brief introduction to the construction and basic design of CNBC.

[A comparative study on the construction methods of animal models of aortic arch dissection]

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of different methods to construct animal models of aortic arch dissection (AAD), and explore safe and effective methods for constructing AAD animal models. Methods: Twenty-four healthy mongrel dogs were divided into 4 groups by random number table (n=6). Group A: Venous incision needle high pressure water flow impact method; Group B: Venous incision needle non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group C: Transarterial sheath non-high pressure water flow impact method; Group D: Two-way balloon expansion combined with elastase perfusion method. Imaging examinations were performed immediately and 7 days after operation, aortic tissue biopsy and pathological staining were performed 15 days after operation to observe the formation of AAD. The operation time, aortic blood flow block time, model construction success rate, dissection tear length, postoperative survival rate and survival time of four groups of experimental dogs were collected to compare the effectiveness and safety of different construction methods. Results: There were no significant difference of the gender, age and weight between four groups of experimental dogs (all P>0.05). The operation time of four groups of experimental dogs were (111.6±8.0), (168.0±17.4), (164.4±13.9), (202.8±21.5)min, and the difference was statistically significant (F=39.973, P<0.001). The operation time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of four groups of experimental dogs were (5.2±1.8), (19.6±3.8), (20.6±3.9), and (18.6±3.0) min, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.001). The aortic blood flow block time of group A was significantly lower than group B, C and D (F=27.598, P<0.001). The four groups of experimental dogs had 5, 5, 4, and 1 model were successfully constructed, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.008). The successful rate of model construction in group A was significantly higher than that in group D (P=0.040). The dissection tear length of four groups were (14.4±3.0), (11.3±4.2), (7.0±2.3), (4.7±0.6) cm,and the difference was statistically significant (F=8.103, P=0.003). The dissection tear length of group A was significantly longer than group C, D (all P<0.05). The postoperative survival time were 15.0(10.0, 15.0), 5.0(3.0, 10.0), 3.5(1.5, 4.8), 10.0(2.8, 15.0) days, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=7.825,P=0.036). The postoperative survival time of group A was significantly higher than group B, C (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the survival rate of the four groups (P=1.000). The pathological staining results showed that the elastic fiber at the tearing point of AAD was destroyed, and the elastic fiber on the outer wall of the false cavity was over-stretched, which was consistent with the pathological changes of aortic dissection. Conclusion: Transvenous incision needle high-pressure water flow impact modeling method is easy to operate. The aortic blood flow block time is short, the dissection tear length is wide, and the postoperative survival time is long, can be used as the preferred method of animal AAD model construction.

[Use of sofosbuvir-based regimens in the treatment of adolescents and children with chronic hepatitis C]

Sofosbuvir has ushered in a new era of hepatitis C treatment with its strong inhibition on the replication of hepatitis C virus, favorable safety profile and less interactions with other drugs. Sofosbuvir-based regimens have been included as the first-line therapies for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in international guidelines. Available clinical trial data show that sofosbuvir with ribavirin and ledipasvir/sofosbuvir are highly efficacious and safe in CHC patients aged 3-17 years old; therefore, they can meet the unmet medical needs of adolescents and children with CHC in China. Furthermore, the pan-genotypic sofosbuvir/velpatasvir is being investigated in adolescents and children with CHC, which is expected to make the treatment in such patients more convenient upon approval.

Synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with an IDA or TED modified surface for purification and immobilization of poly-histidine tagged proteins

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) chelating with metal ions can specifically interact with poly-histidine peptides and facilitate immobilization and purification of proteins with poly-histidine tags. Fabrication of MNPs is generally complicated and time consuming. In this paper, we report the preparation of Ni(ii) ion chelated MNPs (Ni-MNPs) in two stages for protein immobilization and purification. In the first stage, organic ligands including pentadentate tris (carboxymethyl) ethylenediamine (TED) and tridentate iminodiacetic acid (IDA) and inorganic Fe₃O₄–SiO₂ MNPs were synthesized separately. In the next stage, ligands were grafted to the surface of MNPs and MNPs with a TED or IDA modified surface were acquired, followed by chelating with Ni(ii) ions. The Ni(ii) ion chelated forms of MNPs (Ni-MNPs) were characterized including morphology, surface charge, structure, size distribution and magnetic response. Taking a his-tagged glycoside hydrolase DspB (Dispersin B) as the protein representative, specific interactions were confirmed between DspB and Ni-MNPs. Purification of his-tagged DspB was achieved with Ni-MNPs that exhibited better performance in terms of purity and activity of DspB than commercial Ni-NTA. Ni-MNPs as enzyme carriers for DspB also exhibited good compatibility and reasonable reusability as well as improved performance in various conditions.

This article reports a novel approach for synthesizing magnetic nanoparticles with a modified surface for purification and immobilization of histidine-tagged proteins.

Overview of high intensity ion source development in the past 20 years at IMP

Ion source development over the last 20 years at the IMP is reviewed. For versatile purposes, several types of ion sources have been involved in the research and development work at the IMP, i.e., the highly charged ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) ion source, intense microwave ion source or the 2.45 GHz intense beam ECR ion source, and laser ion source (LIS). In the development of ECR ion sources, SECRAL (Superconducting ECR ion source with Advanced design in Lanzhou), Lanzhou ECR ion source, and Lanzhou all permanent magnet ECR ion source series have been made, which can cover the operation microwave frequency range of 10-28 GHz. The LIS with an Nd:YAG laser with a maximum output energy of 8 J in 8 ns pulse duration has been developed for very intense short pulse ion beams from solid materials such as C, Ti, Ni, Ag, and so on. Microwave ion sources have been built to produce intense pulsed or direct current beams from several mA to 100 mA for either high intensity accelerators or applications. This paper will give an overview of the high intensity ion source development at the IMP, especially on the recent progress and new results, such as the status of the fourth generation ECR ion source (first fourth generation ECR ion source), the production of recorded highly charged ion beams with SECRAL sources, key technology research studies, and so on.

Long-term field insecticide susceptibility data and laboratory experiments reveal evidence for cross resistance to other neonicotinoids in the imidacloprid-resistant brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens

BACKGROUND

Long-term monitoring data is helpful to understand the fluctuation of susceptibility and pattern of cross resistance in insecticide resistance management. After the occurrence of imidacloprid resistance, the brown planthopper (BPH) has gradually developed resistance to thiamethoxam and clothianidin since 2010, but not to dinotefuran and nitenpyram. Here, we analyzed susceptibilities data of five neonicotinoids during 2005-2017 in East Asia and Vietnam to conduct cross-resistance patterns among neonicotinoids. To determine the factors of development of cross resistance in laboratory bioassays, we used the imidacloprid resistant and control strains that were selected from filed populations in the Philippines and Vietnam.

RESULTS

The Linear Mixed Models (LMM) analyses of insecticide susceptibility data showed that the slope values of imidacloprid resistance effects were 0.68 and 1.09 for resistance to thiamethoxam and clothianidin, respectively. Laboratory bioassay results showed that the LD₅₀ values for thiamethoxam and clothianidin in resistant strains (1.4-5.5 μg g^-1 ) were 3.2-16.4 times higher than those in the control strains (0.28-1.5 μg g^-1 ). However, the increase in the LD₅₀ values for imidacloprid was not related to that for dinotefuran and nitenpyram based on the results of the LMM analysis and laboratory bioassay.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that the development of imidacloprid resistance result in strong-cross resistance to some neonicotinoids, thiamethoxam and clothianidin, but not to others, dinotefuran and nitenpyram. We anticipate that our findings will be a starting point for understanding mechanism of the different trend of cross resistance by analyzing long-term susceptibility data and laboratory bioassays in insect pests. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

WHITE STRIPE LEAF8, encoding a deoxyribonucleoside kinase, is involved in chloroplast development in rice

WSL8 encoding a deoxyribonucleoside kinase (dNK) that catalyzes the first step in the salvage pathway of nucleotide synthesis plays an important role in early chloroplast development in rice. The chloroplast is an organelle that converts light energy into chemical energy; therefore, the normal differentiation and development of chloroplast are pivotal for plant survival. Deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs) play an important role in the salvage pathway of nucleotides. However, the relationship between dNKs and chloroplast development remains elusive. Here, we identified a white stripe leaf 8 (wsl8) mutant that exhibited a white stripe leaf phenotype at seedling stage (before the four-leaf stage). The mutant showed a significantly lower chlorophyll content and defective chloroplast morphology, whereas higher reactive oxygen species than the wild type. As the leaf developed, the chlorotic mutant plants gradually turned green, accompanied by the restoration in chlorophyll accumulation and chloroplast ultrastructure. Map-based cloning revealed that WSL8 encodes a dNK on chromosome 5. Compared with the wild type, a C-to-G single base substitution occurred in the wsl8 mutant, which caused a missense mutation (Leu 349 Val) and significantly reduced dNK enzyme activity. A subcellular localization experiment showed the WSL8 protein was targeted in the chloroplast and its transcripts were expressed in various tissues, with more abundance in young leaves and nodes. Ribosome and RNA-sequencing analysis indicated that some components and genes related to ribosome biosynthesis were down-regulated in the mutant. An exogenous feeding experiment suggested that the WSL8 performed the enzymic activity of thymidine kinase, especially functioning in the salvage synthesis of thymidine monophosphate. Our results highlight that the salvage pathway mediated by the dNK is essential for early chloroplast development in rice.

[Non-surgical treatment of acute pancreatitis with colonic fistula]

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of non-operative of colonic fistula following acute pancreatitis. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 354 patients with acute pancreatitis who were admitted to Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2013 to December 2018. Age of the patients was (46±14) years (range: 14-85 years); 249 cases (70.3%) were males. There were 41 cases of acute edematous pancreatitis and 313 cases of acute necrotising pancreatitis. Two hundred and fifteen cases were diagnosed as moderate severe acute pancreatitis and 139 were diagnosed as severe acute pancreatitis. Among 313 cases of acute necrotising pancreatitis, 62 cases underwent non-surgical treatment, 251 cases underwent surgical treatment in which 218 of minimal access retroperitoneal pancreatic necrosectomy underwent percutaneous nephroliguectomy with peripancreatic necrotic tissue removal technique. Results: There were 15 cases of colon fistula following acute necrotising pancreatitis, and the incidence rate was 4.2%(15/354). There were 7 males and 8 females, with age of (39±8) years (range: 27 to 50 years). The median interval between acute pancreatitis onset and diagnosis of colonic fistula was 71 days(27-134) days. Two cases occurred at the hepatic flexure of the colon, 4 cases at transverse colon, and 9 cases at splenic flexure of colon. Of the 354 patients, 39 cases died and the mortality was 11.0%. Two patients underwent laparotomy, and one of them died. The remaining 13 patients underwent non-surgical treatment and were discharged. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis with colonic fistula can be treated with non-surgical treatment and can achieve good prognosis.

[Expression of CD45 in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and the relationship with prognosis]

目的

观察CD45在初诊多发性骨髓瘤（MM）患者中的表达，探讨其与MM疗效和预后的关系。

方法

回顾性分析2010年1月至2017年1月河南省人民医院收治的130例初诊MM患者骨髓异常浆细胞中CD45的表达情况，对CD45⁺与CD45⁻患者的疗效和预后进行比较。

结果

①130例初诊MM患者中CD45⁺组33例（25.38%），CD45⁻组97例（74.62%）。②CD45⁺组和CD45⁻组的客观缓解率（ORR）分别为33.33%和64.95%，差异有统计学意义（P=0.002）；以硼替佐米为基础方案治疗的患者，CD45⁺组和CD45⁻组的ORR分别为35.71%和66.25%，差异有统计学意义（P=0.005）。③130例MM患者的中位无进展生存（PFS）时间为33.3（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，中位总生存（OS）时间为36.3（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，CD45⁺组与CD45⁻组的中位PFS时间分别为29.8（95%CI 10.0~59.0）个月和34.5（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=14.59，P<0.001），中位OS时间分别为32.5（95%CI 10.0~68.0）个月和37.6（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=11.42，P=0.001）；接受硼替佐米的患者中，CD45⁺组与CD45⁻组的中位PFS分别为30.3（95%CI 10.0~59.0）个月和36.3（95%CI 6.0~69.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=14.75，P=0.001）。中位OS时间分别为34.0（95%CI 10.0~68.0）个月和39.5（95%CI 6.0~78.0）个月，差异有统计学意义（χ²=10.62，P=0.001）。④Cox风险回归模型分析显示血肌酐≥176.8 µmol/L[HR=2.723（95%CI 1.744~6.723），P=0.001]、CD45阳性[HR=1.330（95%CI 1.067~1.804），P=0.008]，LDH ≥ 220 IU/L[HR=1.308（95%CI 1.160~2.417），P=0.015]是独立于其他临床指标的预后危险因素。

结论

CD45阳性是MM患者的预后不良因素。硼替佐米不能改善CD45⁺MM患者的不良预后。

Community structure, dispersal ability and functional profiling of microbiome existing in fat body and ovary of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

The endosymbionts play vital roles in growth, development and reproduction in insects. Yeast-like endosymbionts (YLSs) have been well studied in Nilaparvata lugens (N. lugens), but little is known about the tissue-specific bacterial microbiomes, especially on the microbial intersection among internal tissues. Here, the correlation of microbial composition, structure, dispersal ability and functional profiling were illuminated in two tissues, the fat body and ovary in N. lugens. A total of 11 phyla and 105 genera were captured from all samples; Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most predominant and accounted for more than 99% in all samples. However, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria was significantly different in ovary and fat body through Fisher's Least Significant Difference test. Microbial diversity but not the richness index in the two tissues exhibited significant difference. Furthermore, the microbial community structure of the ovary and fat body were primarily determined by tissue quality. Firmicutes showed strong dispersal ability between ovary and fat body based on the quantitative null model assessing, indicating the frequent interaction of these microbiomes in the two tissues. In addition, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways of microbial participation were delineated. The ten most abundant pathways counted for over 46% of the annotation and were shared between the two tissues, mainly containing Energy Metabolism and Amino Acid Metabolism/Biosynthesis. The results will provide insights into the correlation of microbial community structure between ovary and fat body of N. lugens.

[Clinical outcome of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and predicting retroperitoneal histology in advanced nonseminomatous germ cell tumours of the testis]

Objective: To explore the clinical outcome of advanced testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer patients undergoing post chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND), and to analyze the relevant prognostic factors of lymph node pathological. Methods: A total of 43 consecutive testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer patients underwent PC-RPLND between March 2001 and December 2014 in Department of Urology at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were retrospectively reviewed. The average age of the patients was (29.0±11.5) years (ranging from 12 to 58 years). Before PC-RPLND, 22 patients were classified as phase Ⅱ, while 21 were phase Ⅲ. Primary tumor histology revealed seminomatous elements in 19 cases, embryonal cell carcinoma in 22 cases, yolk sac tumor in 13 cases, chorionic carcinoma in 3 cases, mature teratomatous elements in 11 and immature teratomatous elements in 2 cases. Patients were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy after orchectomy and then underwent surgical resection of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.After PC-RPLND, all patients underwent a periodic review including the blood routine, biochemistry routine and computed tomography or ultrasonograph of the chest, the abdomen and the pelvis. The association of pathological data with patient's clinic features and the correlations between molecular features detected with each other were assessed by the t test, χ(2) and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate logistic regression were used to assess prognostic factors. Results: The median operative time was 278 minutes (ranging from 50 to 715 minutes). Median blood loss was 425 ml (ranging from 50 to 5 000 ml). Eight patients received blood transfusion intra-operatively, 2 patients underwent adjunctive surgical procedures, 4 patients developed ileus and 4 had an ascites chylosus following PC-RPLND, 1 patient had a postoperative hyperthermia and retrograde ejaculation was present in 10 patients. The transverse diameter of the residual tumor in patients ranged from 0.8 to 18.2 cm. Necrosis, teratoma and viable germ cell tumors were found in 15, 17 and 11 of all patients. The median follow-up time was 46 months (ranging from 6 to 169 months). There were 39 patients had no tumor recurrence, 7 patients were found recurrence after PC-RPLND, 5 died of malignant germ cell tumor. The normal serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level before chemotherapy (HR=25.811, 95%CI: 0.678 to 982.624, P=0.017) and relative changes more than 50% in retroperitoneal lymph node size (HR=0.016, 95%CI: 0 to 0.698, P=0.032) were statistically significant prognostic factors of the presence of necrosis. Conclusions: Since most residual masses are not sensitive to chemotherapy, PC-RPLND is still an essential part of the treatment of metastatic testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer. Patients with the normal serum LDH level before chemotherapy and a shrinkage of 50% or more in retroperitoneal mass have a considerably chance of having necrosis in the retroperitoneum resection. This may help to refine the selection of candidates for PC-RPLND.

[Surgical treatment for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in genito-urinary system: a study of 15 cases]

Objective: To present 15 cases of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) in genitor-urinary system, and analyze the characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods: The diagnostic and therapeutic process of 15 confirmed cases admitted to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between March 2009 and September 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the total cases, 11 cases were diagnosed with cystic IMT with a maximum diameter of 1.0-4.5 cm, 8 cases underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor(TURBT)and 4 of them underwent partial cystectomy after TURBT and 3 underwent partial cystectomy directly. Two cases were renal IMT with a maximum diameter of 4.0-9.0 cm, one underwent partial nephrectomy and the other accepted radical nephrectomy. One case who was diagnosed with prostatic IMT with a maximum diameter of 3.4 cm underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and postoperative radiotherapy. One case who was diagnosed with perineal IMT with a maximum diameter of 2.1 cm underwent tumor resection. Results: The patients were followed up for 10-32 months with a median time of 27 months. No cases relapsed during the follow-up. Conclusion: Surgery is the preferred method for treating IMT in genitor-urinary system. Retrospective study shows a good prognosis in IMT patients, but a long-term follow-up is still required.

Synthesis of hard magnetic NdFeB composite particles by recycling the waste using microwave assisted auto-combustion and reduction method

The present work provides a facile and energy-saving approach to recycle Nd-Fe-B wastes. Employing the severely oxidized and contaminated sintered Nd-Fe-B scraps as the raw materials, sub-micro sized Nd-Fe-B/α-Fe composite magnetic powders were successfully synthesized by microwave assisted auto-combustion method followed by a reduction diffusion process. In details, the waste magnets were dissolved in HNO₃ solution and both the rare earth oxides and iron oxide were obtained by auto-combustion approach with the help of microwave heating. These oxides were then reduced to achieve Nd-Fe-B alloys with the reducing agent CaH₂. To modify the composition of the final product, Nd(NO₃)₃·6H₂O and H₃BO₃ were added during dissolving and consequently three compositions of the final products were obtained. TEM results demonstrate that the sizes of α-Fe and Nd₂Fe₁₄B grains are below 10 nm and 20 nm, respectively. The magnetic properties of the composite powders obtained from the wastes in this study are comparable to those obtained by other methods using pure reagents. The room temperature coercivity of as-synthesized Nd₁₅Fe₇₇B₈ is higher than 400 kA/m. In addition, an appropriate mass ratio of CaH₂ to Nd-Fe-B oxides is required in order to obtain good magnetic properties.

New insight into foregut functions of xenobiotic detoxification in the cockroach Periplaneta americana

The physiological functions of insect foregut, especially in xenobiotic detoxification, are scarcely reported because of unimportance in appearance and insufficient molecular information. The cockroach Periplaneta americana, an entomological model organism, provides perfect material to study physiological functions of foregut tissue due to its architectural feature. Through Illumina sequencing of foregut tissue from P. americana individuals (control) or insects treated with cycloxaprid, as a novel neonicotinoid insecticide, 54 193 166 clean reads were obtained and further assembled into 53 853 unigenes with an average length of 366 bp. Furthermore, the number of unigenes involved in xenobiotic detoxification was analyzed, mainly including 70 cytochrome P450s, 12 glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), seven carboxylesterases (CarEs) and seven adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Compared to control, the expression of 22 xenobiotic detoxification unigenes was up-regulated after cycloxaprid application, mainly containing 18 P450s, one GST, two CarEs and one ABC adenosine triphosphate transporter, indicating that the oxidation-reduction was the major reactive process to cycloxaprid application. Through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, the expression of selected unigenes (six P450s, one GST and one CarE) was up-regulated at least two-fold following cycloxaprid treatment, and was generally in agreement with transcriptome data. Compared to the previous midgut transcriptome of P. americana, it looks like the expressive abundance of the xenobiotic detoxification unigenes might be important factors to the detoxifying functional differences between foregut and midgut. In conclusion, insect foregut would also play important roles in the physiological processes related to xenobiotic detoxification.

[The role of estrogen related-receptor γ and ATP-dependent K(+) channel Kcnj1 in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between estrogen related-receptorγ (ERRγ) and ATP-dependent K(+) channel Kcnj1 in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and its possible role in regulating ischemic preconditioning. Methods: The expression of ERRγ in kidney tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 in human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) under hypoxia (1% O(2)) were detected by RT-PCR. The ERRγ-deficient heterozygous mice model and the ERRγ-deficient completely mice model were established. The pretreatedischemia-reperfusion model were constructed in wild-type mice, ERRγ-deficient heterozygous mice and ERRγ-deficient completely mice, respectively. Renal injury was observed under a light microscope with PAS staining. ERRγ and Kcnj1 were tested by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results: ERRγ in mice kidney tissue was mainly expressed in renal tubules, and the expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 were decreased 59% and 29.5% respectively after hypoxia in the renal tubular cells (HK-2). In the animal model, the expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 were decreased 31.9% and 11% in early ischemic mice kidney tubular cells of wild type. The expressions of ERRγ and Kcnj1 in renal tubular cells were decreased 33.2% and 19.1% after ischemia and reperfusion. When ERRγ were overexpressed in renal tubular cells, ERRγ was increased by 89%, and the expression of Kcnj1 was increased by 72.5%. The expression of Kcnj1 was decreased by 75.7% in ERRγ-deficient completely mice. However, Kcnj1 expression in renal tissue of ERR-γ-deficient mice was stable, but ischemic preconditioning failed to interfere with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Conclusion: ERRγ-Kcnj1 is closely related to ischemic preconditioning and protects renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, and may be one of the regulatory factors. To explore the protective effect of the regulating pathway on ischemia reperfusion injury couldprovide a theoretical basis for the development of drug pretreatment.

Development of sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for the detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in fecal samples

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute diarrhea and dehydration in new-born piglets with subsequent economic losses to swine industry. In the current study, gene encoding of 381aa-792aa spike protein (S1) with the main epitope relative to virus neutralization of PEDV was amplified by RT-PCR and inserted into vector pET-30A(+). The plasmid was transferred into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Meanwhile, recombinant protein expression was induced by isopropy1-β-galactopyranoside (IPTG). After denaturation and renaturation of inclusion bodies, the S1 protein was obtained by using purified recombinant S1 protein in immunized female BALB/c mice. Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against S1 protein, named 4C7 by hybridoma technique were gained successfully. The result showed that MAb can specifically respond to S1 protein and PEDV via ELISA, Western bolt and immunofluorescence assay methods. A sandwich ELISA (S-ELISA) was established by using the captured monoclonal antibodies 4C7. The sensitivity and specificity were compared between S-ELISA and RT-PCR, which showed similar sensitivity and specificity. This work indicated that S-ELISA would be a significant tool alongside a specific diagnostic reagent for PEDV in future.

[Combined application of multi-parameter semiquantitative Alberta stroke program early CT score to assess infarction severity in acute ischemic stroke]

Objective: To explore the significance of multi-parameter semiquantitative Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) in detecting core infarction in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Methods: Twenty-one consecutive AIS patients from Beijing Hospital were retrospectively reviewed in this study from August 2016 to August 2017. All the patients presented within 6 hours since symptom onset.All the patients underwent one-stop dynamic whole brain 4D CTA-CTP scan before treatments (intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, or other endovascular recanalization). MRI scan was performed in all patients 3 to 7 days after initial administration. Multi-parameter ASPECTS was calculated on the affected hemisphere regarding noncontrast CT (NCCT) map, cerebral blood flow (CBF) map, cerebral blood volume (CBV) map, mean transit time (MTT) map and MRI-DWI map by subtracting 1 point from 10 for any abnormalities visually detected. The evaluative consistency and diagnostic efficiency were analyzed by Pearson's χ(2) test, kappa identity test, and Kendall's coefficient of concordance using IBM SPSS statistics 22.0 software. Results: Compared with DWI-ASPECTS or follow-up NCCT-ASPECTS, CBV-ASPECTS had the best performance on both the kappa identity test (kappa coefficient κ=0.74)and Kendall's coefficient of concordance (τ=0.70). All the values of sensitivity (77.8%), specificity (95.5%), positive likelihood ratio (17.27) and AUC(0.87)were the highest in CBV-ASPECTS, followed by dMTT-ASPECTS. Meanwhile, the misdiagnosis rate (4.5%), missed diagnosis rate (22.2%) and negative likelihood ratio were the lowest in CBV-ASPECTS, followed by dMTT-ASPECTS. dMTT-ASPECTS had the same specificity(95.5%) as CBV-ASPECTS did and it could reveal the infarction in the areas where CBV map showed normal. NCCT-ASPECTS had the lowest sensitivity (64.7%) and highest missed diagnosis rate (35.3%). The misdiagnosis rate of CBF-ASPECTS was the highest (25.2%) and AUC was the lowest (0.76). Conclusions: Multi-parameter semiquantitative ASPECTS may predict the infarction accurately in AIS patients. Compared with the single parameter of NCCT-ASPECTS, this new method may have better detectability and diagnostic performance.

Effects of temperature on fitness costs in chlorpyrifos-resistant brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Insecticide resistance is inevitable if an insecticide is widely used to control insect pests. Fortunately, the resistance-associated fitness costs often give chances to manage resistances. In most cases, the fitness cost in resistant insects is often evaluated under laboratory conditions for insect development, which limits its practical application in pest control in the field. In a laboratory population R9 with 253-fold resistance to chlorpyrifos after nine-generation selection with chlorpyrifos, the relative fitness was only 0.206 under laboratory conditions (25°C, humidity 70%-80% and 16 h light/8 h dark photoperiod), when compared to S9, a susceptible counterpart (resistance ratio = 2.25-fold) from the same origin as R9 but without any selection with insecticides. Temperatures varied the resistance-associated fitness costs, with enhanced costs at high temperatures and reduced costs at low temperatures, such as 0.174 at 32°C and 0.527 at 18°C. The copulation rate and fecundity were two key factors for the reduced costs at low temperatures. Another finding was that R9 individuals needed much more time to recover from heat shock than that of S9, but R9 and S9 individuals were similarly sensitive to cold shock. The low fitness cost at low temperatures would increase the overwintering population, which might further increase risks of rapid development and widespread distribution of chlorpyrifos resistance in Nilaparvata lugens.

Induction of P450 genes in Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera by two neonicotinoid insecticides

Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera are two primary planthoppers on rice throughout Asian countries and areas. Neonicotinoid insecticides, such as imidacloprid (IMI), have been extensively used to control rice planthoppers and IMI resistance consequently occurred with an important mechanism from the over-expression of P450 genes. The induction of P450 genes by IMI may increase the ability to metabolize this insecticide in planthoppers and increase the resistance risk. In this study, the induction of P450 genes was compared in S. furcifera treated with IMI and nitromethyleneimidazole (NMI), in two planthopper species by IMI lethal dose that kills 85% of the population (LD₈₅ ), and in N. lugens among three IMI doses (LD₁₅ , LD₅₀ and LD₈₅ ). When IMI and NMI at the LD₈₅ dose were applied to S. furcifera, the expression changes in most P450 genes were similar, including the up-regulation of nine genes and down-regulation of three genes. In terms of the expression changes in 12 homologous P450 genes between N. lugens and S. furcifera treated with IMI at the LD₈₅ dose, 10 genes had very similar patterns, such as up-regulation in seven genes, down-regulation in one gene and no significant changes in two genes. When three different IMI doses were applied to N. lugens, the changes in P450 gene expression were much different, such as up-regulation in four genes at all doses and dose-dependent regulation of the other nine genes. For example, CYP6AY1 could be induced by all IMI doses, while CYP6ER1 was only up-regulated by the LD₅₀ dose, although both genes were reported important in IMI resistance. In conclusion, P450 genes in two planthopper species showed similar regulation patterns in responding to IMI, and the two neonicotinoid insecticides had similar effects on P450 gene expression, although the regulation was often dose-dependent.

Understanding the element segregation and phase separation in the Ce-substituted Nd-(Fe,Co)-B based alloys

Ce substituted Nd₂Fe₁₄B (2:14:1)-type permanent magnets have shown increasing potential in the applications due to their high properties/cost ratio. However, the element segregation and phase separation in the Ce substituted magnets have not been fully understood yet. In this work, (Nd_1−xCe_x)₂₅Fe₄₀Co₂₀Al₄B₁₁ alloys with high coercivities were prepared by copper mold casting. Based on detailed microstructure and composition analysis, the segregation of rare earth (RE) elements was observed in the as-cast alloys. Nd element prefers to enter into the 2:14:1 phase and the Ce element enter into the 1:2 phase. The existence of the 1:2 phase can promote the element segregation. The alloy shows an abnormal increase of coercivity from 641 kA/m for x = 0.2 to 863 kA/m for x = 0.3. This increase could be attributed to the phase separation of the 2:14:1 phase, which has been confirmed by the microstructural characterization. The present data provides useful information for exploring Ce-containing Nd-Fe-B magnets.

Insecticide susceptibilities of the two rice planthoppers Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera in East Asia, the Red River Delta, and the Mekong Delta

BACKGROUND

The two rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera, have different life cycles in the regions of East Asia, the Red River Delta, and the Mekong Delta. The susceptibilities of these species to a range of insecticides have not previously been compared among the three regions over multiple years. Here, we describe the differences and similarities in insecticide susceptibilities of the two species among the three regions in 2006-2011.

RESULTS

In all three regions in 2006 - 2011, N. lugens developed high and moderate levels of resistance to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, respectively, but this species did not develop resistance to fipronil. In contrast, S. furcifera developed a high level of resistance to fipronil. The ranges in 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀ ) values for N. lugens treated with both imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were similar over time between East Asia and the Red River Delta, and were different in the Mekong Delta.

CONCLUSION

The results support the idea that resistant populations migrate from the Red River Delta region to East Asia. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the susceptibility of N. lugens to insecticides in the Red River Delta is very important for insecticide resistance management in East Asia. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Expression of nucleolar protein 14 and CD31 in pancreatic cancer mouse model and its correlation with tumor progression]

Objective: To investigate expression of nucleolar protein 14(NOP14) and CD31 in pancreatic cancer mouse model and its correlation with tumor progression. Methods: Clinicopathological data of 5 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) and hepatic metastasis between January 2013 and December 2015 was collected in Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Immunohistochemistry staining was employed to detect the expression of NOP14 in matched primary PDAC and relevant metastasis.Pancreatic cancer cells with NOP14 stably knocked down were established by transfecting lentivirus with NOP14 targeted silencing RNA.The inhibition efficacy was detected by quantitative real time PCR and western blot.Microvascular density(MVD) in pancreatic cancer transplantation mouse model was determined by CD31 immunohistochemistry staining analysis and correlated with NOP14 expression and tumor progression. Results: NOP14 had a significant higher expression in liver metastasis than primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma (2.09±0.45 vs. 1.31±0.27, P=0.028). NOP14 was knocked down 86 percent on mRNA level determined by qPCR and 78 percents on protein level detected by western blot. MVD was significantly decreased in NOP14-inhibited tumor from both pancreatic cancer cells subcutaneously and orthotopically grafted tumor mouse model with the value of 61.40±13.85 vs. 85.53±14.59 (P=0.041) and 38.33±10.91 vs. 59.33±15.37(P =0.037), respectively. Besides, MVD was positively associated with tumor volume(r=0.842, P<0.01) and metastasis (r=0.726, P=0.008). Conclusion: NOP14 presents higher expression in hepatic metastasis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and might promote tumor progression by increasing microvascular density.

[A preliminary study on the mechanical characteristics of the titanium scaffolds with three-dimensional mesh structure fabricated by electron beam melting]

Objective: To examine the biomechanical properties of three-dimensional(3D) printed electron beam melting(EBM) Ti-6Al-4V mesh as scaffold for mandibular repairment. Methods: We fabricated Ti-6Al-4V samples of different structures with strut, sheet and 3D mesh scaffolds(a controllable diameter 0.35, 0.50, 0.70 mm, distribution density: intensive sparse) by EBM process. The mechanical properties of these structures were examined by X-ray energy dispersive spectrum(EDS), uniaxial tensile test, three-point bending test, under compression load and compared with their different microstructure and mechanical properties. Results: Compressive deformation behavior of these cellular structures exhibited brittle character that had a typical irregular plateau region in the stress-strain curves. The mesh of larger diameter(d=0.70 mm) showed higher specific strength than the meshs of small diameter(d=0.35 mm) did, and the other 3D mesh under the same condition showed identical specific stiffness. Conclusions: EBM was successfully used to fabricate novel 3D mesh Ti-6Al-4V structures for applications. By optimizing the buckling and bending deformation, Ti-6Al-4V cellular solids with high strength, low modulus. Furthermore, the results of mechanical property and chemistry composition showed that the scaffold could completely satisfy the requirement of hard tissue repairment.

[Experience of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis]

Objective: To explore the experience of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis(IPN). Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 12 patients with IPN who underwent minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement between June 2008 and June 2013 in People's Liberation Army General Hospital and First Affiliated Hospital of People's Liberation Army General Hospital, respectively.There were 10 male patients and 2 female patients aging from 33 to 55 years with mean age of(43±8)years.Pancreas infective necrosis, the serious complications of severe acute pancreatitis occurred in all of the patients among which there were 2 patients with infection after percutaneous catheter drainage(PCD)in early phase of disease, and 12 patients with spontaneous during the late phase. The technical strategies of the minimally invasive treatment mainly included PCD, minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement, and irrigation. Results: Ten patients received PCD and the median time from onset of acute necrotizing pancreatitis to PCD was mean of 24 days(range 8-86 days). Minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement was performed after 18 days(range 3-29 days) after PCD.Three patients died after surgery.Five patients had hemorrhage complication and 3 had colonic fistula.Pancreatic fistula occurred in 2 patients. Conclusions: The technique of minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement has advantage and some minor disadvantage.Delayed minimal-access video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement is recommended.

The insecticidal activity and action mode of an imidacloprid analogue, 1-(3-pyridylmethyl)-2-nitroimino-imidazolidine

Neonicotinoids, such as imidacloprid, are key insecticides extensively used for control of Nilaparvata lugens. However, imidacloprid resistance has been reported in many Asian countries in recent years. To understand the roles of the chlorine atom of pyridyl group on insecticidal activity and resistance, the atom was removed to generate an imidacloprid analogue DC-Imi (DesChlorine Imidacloprid). DC-Imi showed significantly higher toxicity than imidacloprid in the susceptible strain of N. lugens, but had medium level cross-resistance in an imidacloprid-resistant strain. In Xenopus oocyte expressed nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) Nlα1/rβ2, the inward currents evoked by DC-Imi were detected and could be blocked by typical nAChRs antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE), which demonstrated that DC-Imi acted as an agonist on insect nAChRs. The efficacy of DC-Imi on Nlα1/rβ2 was 1.8-fold higher than that of imidacloprid. In addition, the influence of an imidacloprid resistance associated mutation (Y151S) on agonist potencies was evaluated. Compared with the wild-type receptor, the mutation reduced maximal inward current of DC-Imi to 55.6% and increased half maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) to 3.53-fold. Compared with imidacloprid (increasing EC50 to 2.38-fold of wild-type receptor), Y151S mutation decreased DC-Imi potency more significantly. The results indicated that the selective and possibly high toxicities could be achieved through the modification of 6-chloro-3-pyridyl group in imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids.

Enhanced adhesion and field emission of CuO nanowires synthesized by simply modified thermal oxidation technique

Metal oxide nanowires (NWs) can be easily grown by the thermal oxidation method, but the low adhesion between the NWs and the substrate restricts their practical applications in functional devices. In this work, the conventional hotplate technique is simply modified by introducing one or two stainless steel plates to supply a more stable oxidation environment, which is found to be beneficial to the growth and adhesion of CuO NWs on the Cu substrate. In detail, the Cu foils were heated on the hotplate directly, on one plate over the hotplate, and between two plates over the hotplate at 400 °C in ambient condition. It is found that the NWs obtained between two plates exhibit large length and diameter with moderate density. The sufficient activated oxygen, stable temperature, and proper temperature gradient configuration caused by the two plates accelerate the formation of CuO NWs, and result in the longest NWs with enhanced adhesion. The grain-boundary diffusion and Kirkendall effect are proposed to explain the mechanism of NWs growth and the formation of cracks. The NWs obtained between two plates also showed the best field emission properties, with lowest turn-on field (5.31 V μm(-1)) and threshold field (9.8 V μm(-1)). Excellent field emission properties and enhanced NW-substrate adhesion indicate that these NW arrays could be potentially used as the cathode of field emission displays.

Detection of Piwi-interacting RNAs based on sequence features

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs. Distinguishing piRNAs from other non-coding RNAs is important because of their important role in the physiological regulation of spermatogenesis, genome protection from transposons, and regulation of mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. Few computational studies have addressed piRNAs detection, and both effectiveness and efficiency of piRNA detection tools require improvement. In this study, a piRNA detection method based on sequence features and a support vector machine was developed. Four types of features are proposed: weighted k-mer, weighted k-mer with wildcards, position-specific base, and piRNA length. The piRNA sequences from human, mouse, rat, and drosophila were respectively used in this experiment. Compared to existing algorithms, the proposed method provides a better balance between precision and sensitivity (both are approximately 90%), and although these values were slightly slower than those obtained using the piRNA annotation approach, the proposed method was four-fold faster than piRPred and 229-fold faster than piRNA predictor.

Misdiagnosis of primary hepatic marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type, a case report

Background

Extra-nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue originating in the liver is less common.

Case presentation

We described the clinical presentation, immunohistochemistry, and immunophenotypes of this lymphoma, which was misdiagnosed with tiny hepatic carcinoma in a 44-year-old woman with hepatitis C; the patient underwent left lateral sectionectomy. The immunophenotype identified the most of the lymphoid cells as positive CD20, CD34, Ki67, CD3, CD4, CD79a, CD45RO, MUM-1, and CD5 and negative CD10, CD15, CD30, ACT, CK, CRO, DES, and HMB45. The diagnosis of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) was made by histology after surgery; the patient went through the excellent recovery with no chemotherapy and is disease free for 27 months.

Conclusions

Primary hepatic MALT is less common with incidental finding; local resection is beneficial due to its oncological indolence.

Strain-tuned optoelectronic properties of hollow gallium sulphide microspheres

Sulfide semiconductors have attracted considerable attention. The main challenge is to prepare materials with a designable morphology, a controllable band structure and optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a facile chemical transportation reaction for the synthesis of Ga2S3 microspheres with novel hollow morphologies and partially filled volumes. Even without any extrinsic dopant, photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength could be facilely tuned from 635 to 665 nm, depending on its intrinsic inhomogeneous strain distribution. Geometric phase analysis (GPA) based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging reveals that the strain distribution and the associated PL properties can be accurately controlled by changing the growth temperature gradient, which depends on the distance between the boats used for raw material evaporation and microsphere deposition. The stacking-fault density, lattice distortion degree and strain distribution at the shell interfacial region of the Ga2S3 microspheres could be readily adjusted. Ab initio first-principles calculations confirm that the lowest conductive band (LCB) is dominated by S-3s and Ga-4p states, which shift to the low-energy band as a result of the introduction of tensile strain, well in accordance with the observed PL evolution. Therefore, based on our strain driving strategy, novel guidelines toward the reasonable design of sulfide semiconductors with tunable photoluminescence properties are proposed.

Overexpression of the A-FABP gene facilitates intermuscular fat deposition in transgenic mice

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), the most abundant FABP in adipocytes, controls fatty acid uptake, transport, and metabolism in fat cells. We constructed a transgenic mice model that overexpressed the cattle A-FABP gene to investigate the relationship between A-FABP expression and intermuscular fat deposition. There was no significant difference in body weight and serum biochemical indexes between transgenic and wild-type mice. Further, there were no significant differences in intermuscular triglyceride content and A-FABP expression levels over three generations of transgenic mice. However, abdominal adipose rate, A-FABP protein content, and intermuscular triglyceride levels of transgenic mice were significantly higher than those of wild-type mice. In addition, triglycerides were remarkably higher in the skeletal muscle but lower in the myocardium of transgenic mice. Thus, overexpression of cattle A-FABP gene promoted fat deposition in the skeletal muscle of transgenic mice.

Chemosensillum immunolocalization and ligand specificity of chemosensory proteins in the alfalfa plant bug Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze)

Insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are a family of small soluble proteins. To date, their physiological functions in insect olfaction remain largely controversial in comparison to odorant binding proteins (OBPs). In present study, we reported the antenna specific expression of three CSPs (AlinCSP4-6) from Adelphocoris lineolatus, their distinct chemosensillum distribution as well as ligand binding capability thus providing the evidence for the possible roles that they could play in semiochemical detection of the plant bug A. lineolatus. The results of qRT-PCR and western blot assay clearly showed that all of these three CSPs are highly expressed in the adult antennae, the olfactory organ of insects. Further cellular investigation of their immunolocalization revealed their dynamic protein expression profiles among different types of antennal sensilla. In a fluorescence competitive binding assay, the selective ligand binding was observed for AlinCSP4-6. In ad`dition, a cooperative interaction was observed between two co-expressed CSPs resulting in an increase of the binding affinities by a mixture of AlinCSP5 and AlinCSP6 to terpenoids which do not bind to individual CSPs. These findings in combination with our previous data for AlinCSP1-3 indicate a possible functional differentiation of CSPs in the A. lineolatus olfactory system.

Use of a dietary exposure system for screening of insecticidal compounds for their toxicity to the planthopper Laodelphax striatellus

We developed a dietary exposure assay for screening insecticidal compounds for their toxicity and for assessing the side effects of insecticidal proteins produced by genetically engineered (GE) plants on the planthopper Laodelphax striatellus Fallén. The fitness bioassay confirmed that the diet fulfills the requirements to be used in the dietary exposure system. To validate the efficacy of the dietary exposure system, nymphs of L. striatellus were fed diets treated with different concentrations of an inorganic stomach poison, potassium arsenate (PA), or a cysteine protease inhibitor, E-64. The results showed that with increasing concentrations of E-64, the larval development time was prolonged, the adult weight was reduced and the survival rate of L. striatellus was decreased. Similarly the survival rates of L. striatellus consistently decreased with increasing PA content in the diet. The data indicate that the dietary exposure assay is able to detect the effects of insecticidal compounds on L. striatellus. Subsequently, this assay was successfully used for assessing the potential toxicity of Cry2Aa. The results showed that L. striatellus larvae were not negatively affected when fed the artificial diet containing purified Cry2Aa at 300 μg/g diet. In the assay, the stability and bioactivity of crystal (Cry) proteins in the food sources were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and sensitive-insect bioassays. These results show that L. striatellus is not sensitive to Cry2Aa. We conclude that the dietary exposure system is valid and useful for assessing the toxicity of insecticidal compounds produced by GE plants on planthoppers.