Specific pupylation as IDEntity reporter (SPIDER) for the identification of protein-biomolecule interactions

Protein-biomolecule interactions play pivotal roles in almost all biological processes. For a biomolecule of interest, the identification of the interacting protein(s) is essential. For this need, although many assays are available, highly robust and reliable methods are always desired. By combining a substrate-based proximity labeling activity from the pupylation pathway of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the streptavidin (SA)-biotin system, we developed the Specific Pupylation as IDEntity Reporter (SPIDER) method for identifying protein-biomolecule interactions. Using SPIDER, we validated the interactions between the known binding proteins of protein, DNA, RNA, and small molecule. We successfully applied SPIDER to construct the global protein interactome for m6A and mRNA, identified a variety of uncharacterized m6A binding proteins, and validated SRSF7 as a potential m6A reader. We globally identified the binding proteins for lenalidomide and CobB. Moreover, we identified SARS-CoV-2-specific receptors on the cell membrane. Overall, SPIDER is powerful and highly accessible for the study of protein-biomolecule interactions.

[The applications and challenges of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in maternal and child health]

Due to its ultra-high sensitivity, specificity and throughput, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has become an important analytical tool in clinical laboratories in quantifying various small molecules, such as vitamins, bile acids, steroids and other internal metabolites relevant to maternal diseases. As an effective means of screening and diagnosing diseases in preventive medicine, LC-MS/MS has been widely used in maternal and child health, contributing to the reduction of the incidence of maternal and child diseases and premature morbidity and mortality. At present, LC-MS/MS is an emerging and powerful platform in laboratory testing in China, facing both challenges and opportunities. In this article, the representative applications in the field of maternal and child health are summarized and discussed, along with the major hurdles of LC-MS/MS in clinical recognition and implementation.

[A multicenter epidemiological study of acute bacterial meningitis in children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical epidemiological characteristics including composition of pathogens , clinical characteristics, and disease prognosis acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in Chinese children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical and laboratory data of 1 610 children <15 years of age with ABM in 33 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients were divided into different groups according to age,<28 days group, 28 days to <3 months group, 3 months to <1 year group, 1-<5 years of age group, 5-<15 years of age group; etiology confirmed group and clinically diagnosed group according to etiology diagnosis. Non-numeric variables were analyzed with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, while non-normal distrituction numeric variables were compared with nonparametric test. Results: Among 1 610 children with ABM, 955 were male and 650 were female (5 cases were not provided with gender information), and the age of onset was 1.5 (0.5, 5.5) months. There were 588 cases age from <28 days, 462 cases age from 28 days to <3 months, 302 cases age from 3 months to <1 year of age group, 156 cases in the 1-<5 years of age and 101 cases in the 5-<15 years of age. The detection rates were 38.8% (95/245) and 31.5% (70/222) of Escherichia coli and 27.8% (68/245) and 35.1% (78/222) of Streptococcus agalactiae in infants younger than 28 days of age and 28 days to 3 months of age; the detection rates of Streptococcus pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae were 34.3% (61/178), 14.0% (25/178) and 13.5% (24/178) in the 3 months of age to <1 year of age group; the dominant pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and the detection rate were 67.9% (74/109) and 44.4% (16/36) in the 1-<5 years of age and 5-<15 years of age . There were 9.7% (19/195) strains of Escherichia coli producing ultra-broad-spectrum β-lactamases. The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and blood culture were 32.2% (515/1 598) and 25.0% (400/1 598), while 38.2% (126/330)and 25.3% (21/83) in CSF metagenomics next generation sequencing and Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen detection. There were 4.3% (32/790) cases of which CSF white blood cell counts were normal in etiology confirmed group. Among 1 610 children with ABM, main intracranial imaging complications were subdural effusion and (or) empyema in 349 cases (21.7%), hydrocephalus in 233 cases (14.5%), brain abscess in 178 cases (11.1%), and other cerebrovascular diseases, including encephalomalacia, cerebral infarction, and encephalatrophy, in 174 cases (10.8%). Among the 166 cases (10.3%) with unfavorable outcome, 32 cases (2.0%) died among whom 24 cases died before 1 year of age, and 37 cases (2.3%) had recurrence among whom 25 cases had recurrence within 3 weeks. The incidences of subdural effusion and (or) empyema, brain abscess and ependymitis in the etiology confirmed group were significantly higher than those in the clinically diagnosed group (26.2% (207/790) vs. 17.3% (142/820), 13.0% (103/790) vs. 9.1% (75/820), 4.6% (36/790) vs. 2.7% (22/820), χ²=18.71, 6.20, 4.07, all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the unfavorable outcomes, mortility, and recurrence between these 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The onset age of ABM in children is usually within 1 year of age, especially <3 months. The common pathogens in infants <3 months of age are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae, and the dominant pathogen in infant ≥3 months is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Subdural effusion and (or) empyema and hydrocephalus are common complications. ABM should not be excluded even if CSF white blood cell counts is within normal range. Standardized bacteriological examination should be paid more attention to increase the pathogenic detection rate. Non-culture CSF detection methods may facilitate the pathogenic diagnosis.

15-Month Health Outcomes and the Related Risk Factors of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients From Onset: A Cohort Study

Objective

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on patient health has been a recent focus. This study aims to determine the persistent symptoms and psychological conditions of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 15 months after onset, that patients first developed symptoms. The potential risk factors were also explored.

Methods

A cohort of COVID-19 patients discharged from February 20, 2020 to March 31, 2020 was recruited. Follow-ups were conducted using validated questionnaires and psychological screening scales at 15 months after onset to evaluate the patients' health status. The risk factors for long-term health impacts and their associations with disease severity was analyzed.

Findings

534 COVID-19 patients were enrolled. The median age of the patients was 62.0 years old (IQR 52.0–70.0) and 295 were female (55.2%). The median time from onset to follow-up was 460.0 (451.0–467.0) days. Sleep disturbance (18.5%, 99/534) and fatigue (17.2%, 92/534) were the most common persistent symptoms. 6.4% (34/534) of the patients had depression, 9.2% (49/534) were anxious, 13.0% (70/534) had insomnia and 4.7% (25/534) suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that glucocorticoid use during hospitalization (OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.12–11.44) was significantly associated with an increased risk of fatigue. The OR values for anxiety and sleep disorders were 2.36 (95% CI 1.07–5.20) and 2.16 (95% CI 1.13–4.14) in females to males. The OR value of PTSD was 25.6 (95% CI 3.3–198.4) in patients with persistent symptoms to those without persistent symptoms. No significant associations were observed between fatigue syndrome or adverse mental outcomes and disease severity.

Conclusions

15-month follow-up in this study demonstrated the need of extended rehabilitation intervention for complete recovery in COVID-19 patients.

[Early efficacy of three dimensional printed anatomical biomimetic cervical artificial disc replacement in the treatment of cervical degenerative diseases]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of a new cervical artificial disc prosthesis in the treatment of cervical degenerative diseases. Methods: The clinical data of 18 patients with single-level cervical degenerative diseases who underwent three dimensional printed anatomical bionic cervical disc replacement at Department of Spinal Surgery,Honghui Hospital,Xi'an Jiaotong University from May 2019 to July 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 7 males and 11 females,aged (45±8) years old(range:28 to 58 years).The surgical segment was located at C_3－4 level in 2 cases, C_4－5 level in 5 cases, C_5－6 level in 9 cases, and C_6－7 level in 2 cases.The clinical and radiographic outcomes were recorded and compared at preoperative,postoperative times of one month and twelve months.The clinical assessments contained Japanese orthopedic association (JOA) score,neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS).Imaging assessments included range of motion (ROM) of cervical spine, prosthesis subsidence and prosthesis anteroposterior migration.Repeated measurement variance analysis was used for comparison between groups,and paired t test was used for pairwise comparison. Results: All patients underwent the operation successfully and were followed up for more than 12 months.Compared with preoperative score,the JOA score,NDI and VAS were significantly improved after surgery (all P<0.01).There was no significant difference in postoperative ROM compared with 1-and 12-month preoperative ROM (t=1.570,P=0.135;t=1.744,P=0.099). The prosthesis subsidence was (0.29±0.13) mm (range: 0.18 to 0.50 mm) at 12-month postoperatively.The migration of prosthesis at 12-months postoperatively were (0.71±0.20) mm (range: 0.44 to 1.08 mm).There was no prosthesis subsidence or migration>2 mm at 12-month postoperatively. Conclusion: Three dimensional printed anatomical biomimetic cervical artificial disc replacement has a good early clinical effect in the treatment of cervical degenerative diseases, good mobility can be obtained while maintaining stability.

Potential genetic basis of B cell hyperactivation in murine lupus models

BACKGROUND

Lupus B cells not only produce autoantibodies against nuclear antigens but also provide co-stimulation to T cells. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the mechanism underlying lupus B cell hyperactivation.

METHODS

This study focuses on the detection of B cell activation status, analysis of early BCR signaling response, DNA sequencing, and quantity determination of BCR signaling regulators in murine lupus models.

RESULTS

Our result showed that there is a B cell hyperactivation with a significant elevation of B cell activation markers, and a BCR signaling hyperactivity with an abnormal increase of phosphorylated BCR signaling molecules and cytoplasmic calcium in the early response to BCR crosslinking in B6.Sle1/2/3 lupus mouse. Whole exome sequencing identified a multiple point mutation in the exon of many BCR signaling regulators in common murine lupus models, MRL/lpr, NZM2410, BXSB, NZB, and NZW strains. cNDA sequencing confirmed FcγR2b, Ly9, Pirb, Siglecg, and CD22 BCR signaling regulator variants in B6.Sle1/2/3 lupus mouse, but surface protein expression of these regulators on B cells showed an abnormal increase.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support that these BCR signaling regulator variants are potential causative genes of B cell hyperactivation in murine lupus models through their possible functional reduction.

Linear epitope landscape of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein constructed from 1,051 COVID-19 patients

To fully decipher the immunogenicity of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Spike protein, it is essential to assess which part is highly immunogenic in a systematic way. We generate a linear epitope landscape of the Spike protein by analyzing the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) response of 1,051 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with a peptide microarray. We reveal two regions rich in linear epitopes, i.e., C-terminal domain (CTD) and a region close to the S2' cleavage site and fusion peptide. Unexpectedly, we find that the receptor binding domain (RBD) lacks linear epitope. We reveal that the number of responsive peptides is highly variable among patients and correlates with disease severity. Some peptides are moderately associated with severity and clinical outcome. By immunizing mice, we obtain linear-epitope-specific antibodies; however, no significant neutralizing activity against the authentic virus is observed for these antibodies. This landscape will facilitate our understanding of SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral responses and might be useful for vaccine refinement.

Antibody Binding Epitope Mapping (AbMap) of Hundred Antibodies in a Single Run

Antibodies play essential roles in both diagnostics and therapeutics. Epitope mapping is essential to understand how an antibody works and to protect intellectual property. Given the millions of antibodies for which epitope information is lacking, there is a need for high-throughput epitope mapping. To address this, we developed a strategy, Antibody binding epitope Mapping (AbMap), by combining a phage displayed peptide library with next-generation sequencing. Using AbMap, profiles of the peptides bound by 202 antibodies were determined in a single test, and linear epitopes were identified for >50% of the antibodies. Using spike protein (S1 and S2)-enriched antibodies from the convalescent serum of one COVID-19 patient as the input, both linear and potentially conformational epitopes of spike protein specific antibodies were identified. We defined peptide-binding profile of an antibody as the binding capacity (BiC). Conceptually, the BiC could serve as a systematic and functional descriptor of any antibody. Requiring at least one order of magnitude less time and money to map linear epitopes than traditional technologies, AbMap allows for high-throughput epitope mapping and creates many possibilities.

Systematic evaluation of IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-derived peptides for monitoring COVID-19 patients

Serological tests play an essential role in monitoring and combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Recombinant spike protein (S protein), especially the S1 protein, is one of the major reagents used for serological tests. However, the high cost of S protein production and possible cross-reactivity with other human coronaviruses pose unavoidable challenges. By taking advantage of a peptide microarray with full spike protein coverage, we analyzed 2,434 sera from 858 COVID-19 patients, 63 asymptomatic patients and 610 controls collected from multiple clinical centers. Based on the results, we identified several S protein-derived 12-mer peptides that have high diagnostic performance. In particular, for monitoring the IgG response, one peptide (aa 1148–1159 or S2–78) exhibited a sensitivity (95.5%, 95% CI 93.7–96.9%) and specificity (96.7%, 95% CI 94.8–98.0%) comparable to those of the S1 protein for the detection of both symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. Furthermore, the diagnostic performance of the S2–78 (aa 1148–1159) IgG was successfully validated by ELISA in an independent sample cohort. A panel of four peptides, S1–93 (aa 553–564), S1–97 (aa 577–588), S1–101 (aa 601–612) and S1–105 (aa 625–636), that likely will avoid potential cross-reactivity with sera from patients infected by other coronaviruses was constructed. The peptides identified in this study may be applied independently or in combination with the S1 protein for accurate, affordable, and accessible COVID-19 diagnosis.

[The mechanism study of ouabain in inhibiting the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting the laser kinase signaling pathway]

Objective: To investigate the effect of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain on the proliferation and division of liver cancer HepG2 cells, and to explore the anticancer mechanism. Methods: HepG2 cells were exposed with different concentrations of ouabain (0.1, 1, 10 μmol/L) for 24 h, the proliferation ability was appraised using CCK-8, and the HepG2 cells was as a control group. The status of chromosome separation was detected with cell immunofluorescence (ICC) coupled to confocal microscope. The expression levels of AURKA, mTOR, p-mTOR, ERK and p-ERK protein were analyzed using western blot. Results: After treating with 0.1, 1 and 10 μmol/L of ouabain for 24 h, the inhibitory rate of cells were (23.5±4.57)%, (49.80±5.32)%, and (72.10±5.62)%, respectively. Ouabain could significantly inhibit the proliferation of HepG2, and presented in a dose-dependent manner(F=32.8, P<0.05). The ICC results showed that the chromosome separation disorders occurred in HepG2 cells treated with 1 μmol/L for 24 h, and the spindle diameter of HepG2 cells with ouabain treatment was decreased significantly compared with the control group(t=9.58, P<0.05). The results of western blot showed that the expression levels of AURKA, p-mTOR and p-ERK expressions in HepG2 cells treated with 1 μmol/L of ouabain were significantly decreased compared with the control group(F=16.26, 8.32, 33.59, P<0.05). Ouabain inhibited the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in nude mice(F=370.20, P<0.05). Conclusion: Ouabain can induce chromosome division disorder and inhibit the proliferation in liver cancer HepG2 cells by inhibiting AURKA signaling pathway.

[Progress of researches on the role of neutrophil extracellular traps in the immune responses against parasites]

Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) is a type of bead-like, fibrous and reticular substances that is actively released by activated inflammatory neutrophils during the stage of infections or inflammatory responses. NET, which is composed of chromatin DNA and multiple intracellular protein components, may wrap pathogens to limit their diffusions. Meanwhile, NET may kill pathogens via a wide range of antibacterial proteins, which is considered as the third antibacterial mechanism of neutrophils, in addition to phagocytosis and degranulation. Recent studies have shown the involvement of NET in the immune response against parasitic infections. This review summarizes the advances of NETs in the immune responses against parasitic infections, so as to provide insights into the elucidation of the pathogenesis and development of therapeutics of parasitic diseases.

[Retrospective investigation of patients receiving additional surgery after endoscopic non-curative resection for early colorectal cancer]

Objective: To investigate the clinical application of additional surgery after non-curative endoscopic resection for early colorectal cancer. Methods: A retrospectively descriptive cohort study was conducted. Inclusion criteria: (1) pathologically confirmed primary colorectal adenocarcinoma;(2) receiving additional surgery after endoscopic resection; (3) semi-elective operation. Exclusion criteria: familial adenomatous polyposis, appendiceal neoplasms, anal canal neoplasms, neuroendocrine tumors, and surgery because of perforation or bleeding after endoscopic resection. Indications of additional surgery: (1) pathologically positive lateral or basal resection margin; (2) submucosal invasion depth ≥ 1000 μm; (3) lymphovascular invasion; (4) poorly differentiated, undifferentiated or mucinous adenocarcinoma; (5) more than grade G2 in tumor budding; (6) incomplete resection or piecemeal specimen with margin impossible to evaluate; (7) patient's consent due to undetermined pathology. According to the above criteria, clinical data of 92 patients at the Colorectal Surgery Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2013 and December 2018 were collected. Demographic data, pathological examinations, operative methods and outcomes were analyzed. Results: There were 61 (66.3%) male and 31 female (33.7%) patients with an average age of (58.2±10.7) years. The average BMI was (23.8±3.5) kg/m(2). The lesions located in the right-sided colon, left-sided colon and rectum in 19, 37 and 36 patients respectively. Sixteen patients received endoscopic snare resection, 45 received endoscopic mucosal resection and 31 received endoscopic submucosal dissection. Reasons for additional surgery included endoscopic specimen with pathologically positive margin (n=22, 23.9%), submucosal invasion depth ≥ 1000 μm (n=9, 9.8%), lymphovascular invasion (n=4, 4.3%), poorly differentiated, undifferentiated or mucinous adenocarcinoma (n=5, 5.4%), piecemeal resection (n=13, 14.1%), undetermined pathology (n=52, 56.5%). The median duration from endoscopic resection to additional surgery was 16 days. Thirty-four patients (37.0%) received preoperative endoscopic localization with carbon nanoparticles suspension injection and 5 (5.4%) were marked with titanium clip. Seventy-four patients (80.4%) received laparoscopic surgery, 17 (18.5%) received open surgery, while 1 patient (1.1%) was converted to open surgery due to missing titanium clip. Three patients (3.3%) were treated with transanal excision, 2 (2.2%) with bowel resection, and 87 (94.6%) with radical excision. After additional surgery, histopathological examination of surgical specimens revealed the presence of residual tumor in 5 patients (5.4%), lymph node metastasis in 8 (8.7%), lymphovascular invasion in 1 (1.1%) and tumor deposit in 1 (1.1%). Twelve patients (13.0%) developed postoperative complications, including 4 mid-low rectal cancer patients (4.3%) with anastomostic leakage or bleeding. After surgery, according to the TNM staging system, 83 patients (90.2%) were classified as TNM stage 0-I, 9 (9.8%) as TNM stage II-IV. One patient of stage IV with liver metastasis underwent concomitant hepatectomy. One patient of stage II received regular follow-up after operation. Seven cases of stage III and 1 of stage IV received postoperative chemotherapy. Eighty-five patients (92.4%) were followed up with a median time of 12.8 (IQR: 8.1, 24.3) months. No recurrence or metastasis was observed. Conclusions: Surgery is an effective salvage measure for non-curative endoscopic resection of early colorectal cancer. Since surgery may have complications, indications of the additional surgery should be considered carefully. Preoperative endoscopic localization should be performed in order to ensure the safety and efficacy of surgery.

Identification of Serum Biomarkers for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Using a Library of Phage Displayed Random Peptides and Deep Sequencing

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the most serious autoimmune diseases, characterized by highly diverse clinical manifestations. A biomarker is still needed for accurate diagnostics. SLE serum autoantibodies were discovered and validated using serum samples from independent sample cohorts encompassing 306 participants divided into three groups, i.e. healthy, SLE patients, and other autoimmune-related diseases. To discover biomarkers for SLE, a phage displayed random peptide library (Ph.D. 12) and deep sequencing were applied to screen specific autoantibodies in a total of 100 serum samples from 50 SLE patients and 50 healthy controls. A statistical analysis protocol was set up for the identification of peptides as potential biomarkers. For validation, 10 peptides were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). As a result, four peptides (SLE2018Val001, SLE2018Val002, SLE2018Val006, and SLE2018Val008) were discovered with high diagnostic power to differentiate SLE patients from healthy controls. Among them, two peptides, i.e. SLE2018Val001 and SLE2018Val002, were confirmed between SLE with other autoimmune patients. The procedure we established could be easily adopted for the identification of autoantibodies as biomarkers for many other diseases.

Identification of Serine 119 as an Effective Inhibitor Binding Site of M. tuberculosis Ubiquitin-like Protein Ligase PafA Using Purified Proteins and M. smegmatis

Owing to the spread of multidrug resistance (MDR) and extensive drug resistance (XDR), there is a pressing need to identify potential targets for the development of more-effective anti-M. tuberculosis (Mtb) drugs. PafA, as the sole Prokaryotic Ubiquitin-like Protein ligase in the Pup-proteasome System (PPS) of Mtb, is an attractive drug target. Here, we show that the activity of purified Mtb PafA is significantly inhibited upon the association of AEBSF (4-(2-aminoethyl) benzenesulfonyl fluoride) to PafA residue Serine 119 (S119). Mutation of S119 to amino acids that resemble AEBSF has similar inhibitory effects on the activity of purified Mtb PafA. Structural analysis reveals that although S119 is distant from the PafA catalytic site, it is located at a critical position in the groove where PafA binds the C-terminal region of Pup. Phenotypic studies demonstrate that S119 plays critical roles in the function of Mtb PafA when tested in M. smegmatis. Our study suggests that targeting S119 is a promising direction for developing an inhibitor of M. tuberculosis PafA.

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The pupylation activity of purified M. tuberculosis PafA is almost completely inhibited upon the association of AEBSF.

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The AEBSF binding site, Ser 119 plays critical roles in both the pupylation and depupylation activity of purified M. tuberculosis PafA.

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Disruption of purified M. tuberculosis PafA Ser 119 causes a dramatic reduction in Pup binding.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major challenge worldwide, there is an urgent need to identify potential drug targets for developing more effective anti-tubercular drugs. M. tuberculosis ubiquitin-like protein ligase PafA is an attractive drug target, however, effective PafA inhibitors have not yet been identified. Here, we show that interruption of a single amino acid, S119, causes dramatic loss of PafA activity. S119 could thus serve as a promising precise target for developing M. tuberculosis PafA inhibitors.

Systematic Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Effectors Reveals that BfrB Suppresses Innate Immunity

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has evolved multiple strategies to counter the human immune system. The effectors of Mtb play important roles in the interactions with the host. However, because of the lack of highly efficient strategies, there are only a handful of known Mtb effectors, thus hampering our understanding of Mtb pathogenesis. In this study, we probed Mtb proteome microarray with biotinylated whole-cell lysates of human macrophages, identifying 26 Mtb membrane proteins and secreted proteins that bind to macrophage proteins. Combining GST pull-down with mass spectroscopy then enabled the specific identification of all binders. We refer to this proteome microarray-based strategy as SOPHIE (Systematic unlOcking of Pathogen and Host Interacting Effectors). Detailed investigation of a novel effector identified here, the iron storage protein BfrB (Rv3841), revealed that BfrB inhibits NF-κB-dependent transcription through binding and reducing the nuclear abundance of the ribosomal protein S3 (RPS3), which is a functional subunit of NF- κB. The importance of this interaction was evidenced by the promotion of survival in macrophages of the mycobacteria, Mycobacterium smegmatis, by overexpression of BfrB. Thus, beyond demonstrating the power of SOPHIE in the discovery of novel effectors of human pathogens, we expect that the set of Mtb effectors identified in this work will greatly facilitate the understanding of the pathogenesis of Mtb, possibly leading to additional potential molecular targets in the battle against tuberculosis.

The Ser/Thr Protein Kinase Protein-Protein Interaction Map of M. tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis, the leading cause of death among all infectious diseases. There are 11 eukaryotic-like serine/threonine protein kinases (STPKs) in Mtb, which are thought to play pivotal roles in cell growth, signal transduction and pathogenesis. However, their underlying mechanisms of action remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, using a Mtb proteome microarray, we have globally identified the binding proteins in Mtb for all of the STPKs, and constructed the first STPK protein interaction (KPI) map that includes 492 binding proteins and 1,027 interactions. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the interacting proteins reflect diverse functions, including roles in two-component system, transcription, protein degradation, and cell wall integrity. Functional investigations confirmed that PknG regulates cell wall integrity through key components of peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis, e.g. MurC. The global STPK-KPIs network constructed here is expected to serve as a rich resource for understanding the key signaling pathways in Mtb, thus facilitating drug development and effective control of Mtb.

Effect of the Fusarium toxins, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol, on the mouse brain

The aim of this study was to find effects of Fusarium toxins on brain injury in mice. We evaluated the individual and combined effect of the Fusarium toxins zearalenone and deoxynivalenol on the mouse brain. We examined brain weight, protein, antioxidant indicators, and apoptosis. After 3 and 5days of treatment, increased levels of nitric oxide, total nitric oxide synthase, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and malondialdehyde were observed in the treatment groups. This was accompanied by reduced levels of brain protein, superoxide dismutase (apart from the low-dose zearalenone groups), glutathione, glutathione peroxidase activity, and percentage of apoptotic cells. By day 12, most of these indicators had returned to control group levels. The effects of zearalenone and deoxynivalenol were dose-dependent, and were synergistic in combination. Our results suggest that brain function is affected by zearalenone and deoxynivalenol.

Effects of dietary supplementing tannic acid in the ration of beef cattle on rumen fermentation, methane emission, microbial flora and nutrient digestibility

Four adult Simmental male cattle (376 ± 9.0 kg initial BW), fitted with permanent rumen cannulas, were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to investigate the effects of dietary supplementing tannic acid (TA) on rumen fermentation, methane (CH₄ ) production, rumen microbes, nutrient digestibility and plasma biochemical parameters. Four levels of TA, that is 0, 6.5, 13.0 or 26.0 g/kg dry matter (DM), were added to the basal ration (composed of corn silage and concentrate mixture) as experimental treatments respectively. Each experimental period consisted of a 12-day adaptation phase followed by a 3-day sampling phase. The results showed that supplementing TA at 26.0 g/kg DM decreased the relative abundance of protozoa, methanogens and Ruminococcus albus to the total ruminal bacterial 16S rDNA in beef cattle (p < 0.05). The results also showed that supplementing TA at 6.5, 13.0 or 26.0 g/kg DM decreased (p < 0.01) the CH₄ production (l/kg DM intake) by 11.1%, 14.7% and 33.6% respectively. Supplementing TA at 13.0 or 26.0 g/kg DM decreased the ratio of acetate to propionate and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃ -N) (p < 0.05) and tended to decrease the total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration of rumen fluid (p = 0.07). Supplementing TA at 26.0 g/kg DM decreased DM and organic matter (OM) digestibility (p < 0.05), supplementing TA at 6.5, 13.0 or 26.0 g/kg DM decreased (p < 0.01) crude protein (CP) digestibility by 5.0%, 8.6% and 15.7%, respectively, and supplementing TA at 6.5, 13.0 or 26.0 g/kg DM increased (p < 0.05) the plasma total antioxidant capability. It was concluded that supplementing TA in the ration of beef cattle decreased the CH₄ production and digestibility of CP of beef cattle. Supplementing TA could be an effective option to mitigate CH₄ emission form cattle, further research is necessary to study the effects of TA on the performance of cattle.

Diastolic dysfunction and cardiac troponin I decrease in aging hearts

Cardiac tropnoin I (cTnI) plays a critical role in the regulation of diastolic function, and its low expression may result in cardiac diastolic dysfunction, which is the most common form of cardiovascular disorders in older adults. In this study, cTnI expression levels were determined in mice at various ages and cardiac function was measured and compared between young adult mice (3 and 10 months) and older mice (18 months). The data indicated that the cTnI levels reached a peak high in young adult hearts (3 months), but decreased in older hearts (18 months). Furthermore, the older hearts showed a significant diastolic dysfunction observed by P-V loop and echocardiography measurements. To further define the mechanism underlying the cTnI decrease in aging hearts, we tested DNA methylation and histone acetylation modifications of cTnI gene. We found that acetylation of histone near the promoter region of cTnI gene played an important role in regulation of cTnI expression in the heart at different ages. Our study indicates that epigenetic modification caused cTnI expression decrease is one of the possible causes that result in a reduced cTnI level and diastolic dysfunction in the older hearts.

[The circumferential decompression by posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion for thoracic ossification of posterior iongitudinal ligament]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the efficacy of the circumferential decompression with posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion for thoracic ossification of posterior Iongitudinal ligament (T-OPLL).

METHODS

From May 2012 to June 2015, 16 consecutive patients underwent posterior transpedicular osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion.Osteotomy range was depended by length and types of OPLL.Patient's data included level, clinical presentation, blood loss, length of surgery, complications, VAS, JOA, and Frankel grading system before and after the surgery. All data were collected, retrospectively.

RESULTS

The follow-up period was (30±19) months (range from 12 to 50 months). The operation time was (261.6±51.3) min (range from 190 to 310 min). The blood loss was (980.3±370.5) ml (range from 600 to 2 100 ml). All patients were well treated with posterior compression and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion.The VAS score was (4.2±0.2) in all patients at a week, improving to (2.7±0.1) points at 3 months, (2.4±0.2) at 1 year, and (2.0±0.1) at last fellow-up.The statistical analysis of the results showed a significant improvement of pain at 3 months (P<0.05) when compared to the preoperative status.The preoperative JOA score was (4.2±1.7) in all patients, improving to (7.8±2.5) points at 3 months, (8.5±2.7) at 1 year, and (9.0±1.0) at last fellow-up.The mean recovery rate for the total JOA score was (72%±8%). Differences in the overall JOA Scores showed significant postoperative improvement.Frankel grade improved by either 1 or 2 grades in 16 patients at the last follow-up.None of the patients showed any signs of instrument migration or failure during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that the procedure achieved a total resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligament.The treatment method with posterior transpedicular osteotomy and circumferential decompression was found to be safe, effective, reliable, and technically feasible.

Association Analysis of Myosin Heavy-chain Genes mRNA Transcription with the Corresponding Proteins Expression of Longissimus Muscle in Growing Pigs

The goal of this work was to investigate the correlations between MyHC mRNA transcription and their corresponding protein expressions in porcine longissimus muscle (LM) during postnatal growth of pigs. Five DLY (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) crossbred pigs were selected, slaughtered and sampled at postnatal 7, 30, 60, 120, and 180 days, respectively. Each muscle was subjected to quantity MyHCs protein contents through an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to quantity myosin heavy-chains (MyHCs) mRNA abundances using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We calculated the proportion (%) of each MyHC to total of four MyHC for two levels, respectively. Moreover, the activities of several key energy metabolism enzymes were determined in LM. The result showed that mRNA transcription and protein expression of MyHC I, IIa, IIx and IIb in LM all presented some obvious changes with postnatal aging of pigs, especially at the early stage after birth, and their mRNA transcriptions were easy to be influenced than their protein expressions. The relative proportion of each MyHC mRNA was significantly positively related to that of its corresponding protein (p<0.01), and MyHC I mRNA proportion was positively correlated with creatine kinase (CK), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities (p<0.05). These data suggested that MyHC mRNA transcription can be used to reflect MyHC expression, metabolism property and adaptive plasticity of porcine skeletal muscles, and MyHC mRNA composition could be a molecular index reflecting muscle fiber type characteristics.

Is vertebroplasty a risk factor for subsequent vertebral fracture, meta-analysis of published evidence?

In our paper, we systemically retrieved the eligible study evaluating whether increased incidence of subsequent vertebral fracture is associated with vertebroplasty. Main effect sizes were vertebral fracture rates reported in terms of hazard ratio (HR) for time-to-event data or relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcome. Our results do not support the hypothesis that vertebroplasty contributes to increased risk of subsequent vertebral fracture, neither adjacent nor total vertebral fracture.

INTRODUCTION

Vertebroplasty has been implicated in significant changes in vertebral strength, vertebral shape, and consequently increased risk for subsequent vertebral fracture, especially the adjacent level. Here, we further tested the hypothesis whether new-onset vertebral fracture is a natural result of osteoporosis or consequence of cement augmentation.

METHODS

Relevant literatures were retrieved using PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), supplemented by a hand-search of the reference lists of selected articles. Eligible studies assessed whether increased morbidity of subsequent vertebral fracture is associated with vertebroplasty. Main effect sizes were vertebral fracture rates reported in terms of hazard ratio (HR) for time-to-event data or relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcome. Random-effects model was used to account for clinical or methodological heterogeneity across studies.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies with a number of 2,551 individuals (1,631 in vertebroplasty group and 920 in control group) were suitable for this meta-analysis. In trials that reported adjacent vertebral fracture as time-to-event data (two trials, n = 328), we found a similar incidence of vertebral fracture in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) group compared to conservative therapy (HR 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.29 to 1.26; P = 0.18). In trials that reported overall vertebral fracture as time-to-event data (three trials, n = 704), vertebroplasty was associated with a slightly increased but non-significant risk for vertebral fracture (HR 1.14, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 2.00; P = 0.65). The outcome was further confirmed in the secondary meta-analysis of studies that reported vertebral fracture as dichotomous data. Subgroup analysis according to study design revealed no difference either.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results do not support the hypothesis that vertebroplasty contributes to increased risk of subsequent vertebral fracture, neither adjacent nor total vertebral fracture. However, adequately designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the present findings.

Fabrication of micro DOE using micro tools shaped with focused ion beam

A novel method is proposed to fabricate micro Diffractive Optical Elements (DOE) using micro cutting tools shaped with focused ion beam (FIB) milling. Micro tools with nanometric cutting edges and complicated shapes are fabricated by controlling the tool facet's orientation relative to the FIB. The tool edge radius of less than 30 nm is achieved for the nano removal of the work materials. Semi-circular micro tools and DOE-shaped micro tools are developed to fabricate micro-DOE and sinusoidal modulation templates. Experiments show that the proposed method can be a high efficient way in fabricating micro-DOE with nanoscale surface finishes.

A comparative study on Pb2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ sorption onto zirconium phosphate supported by a cation exchanger

In the present study, a novel hybrid sorbent ZrP-001 was prepared by loading zirconium phosphate (ZrP) onto a strongly acidic cation exchanger D-001. Sorption behavior of Pb(2+), Zn(2+), and Cd(2+) onto ZrP-001 was experimentally examined by comparing with the host exchanger D-001. ZrP-001 was characterized by scanning electron micrograph (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), pH-titration and pore size distribution analysis. Sorption of the heavy metals onto ZrP-001 was found to be pH-dependent due to the ion exchange mechanism. Compared to D-001, a smaller pore size of ZrP-001 due to the ZrP dispersion consequently resulted in a lower sorption rate. Competitive effect of Ca(2+) on sorption of heavy metals onto ZrP-001 and D-001 was compared to elucidate sorption preference of the hybrid sorbent towards heavy metals. More favorable sorption of ZrP-001 than D-001 was observed for all the three metals and their sorption preference onto ZrP-001 followed the order Pb(2+)>>Zn(2+) approximately Cd(2+). Fixed-bed sorption results and its efficient regeneration property further demonstrated that ZrP-001 is a potential candidate for removing heavy metals from contaminated water.

Highly effective removal of heavy metals by polymer-based zirconium phosphate: A case study of lead ion

Zirconium phosphate (ZrP) has recently been demonstrated as an excellent sorbent for heavy metals due to its high selectivity, high thermal stability, and absolute insolubility in water. However, it cannot be readily adopted in fixed beds or any other flowthrough system due to the excessive pressure drop and poor mechanical strength resulting from its fine submicrometer particle sizes. In the present study a hybrid sorbent, i.e., polymer-supported ZrP, was prepared by dispersing ZrP within a strongly acidic cation exchanger D-001 and used for enhanced lead removal from contaminated waters. D-001 was selected as a host material for sorbent preparation mainly because of the Donnan membrane effect resulting from the nondiffusible negatively charged sulfonic acid group on the exchanger surface, which would enhance permeation of the targeted metal ions. The hybrid sorbent (hereafter denoted ZrP-001) was characterized using a nitrogen adsorption technique, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Lead sorption onto ZrP-001 was found to be pH dependent due to the ion-exchange mechanism, and its sorption kinetics onto ZrP-001 followed the pseudo-first-order model. Compared to D-001, ZrP-001 exhibited more favorable lead sorption particularly in terms of high selectivity, as indicated by its substantially larger distribution coefficients when other competing cations Na(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) coexisted at a high level in solution. Fixed-bed column runs showed that lead sorption on ZrP-001 resulted in a conspicuous decrease of this toxic metal from 40 mg/L to below 0.05 mg/L. By comparison with D-001 and ZrP-CP (ZrP dispersion within a neutrally charged polymer CP), enhanced removal efficiency of ZrP-001 resulted from the Donnan membrane effect of the host material D-001. Moreover, its feasible regeneration by diluted acid solution and negligible ZrP loss during operation also helps ZrP-001 to be a potential candidate for lead removal from water. Thus, all the results suggested that ZrP-001 offers excellent potential for lead removal from contaminated water.

Modeling synergistic adsorption of phenol/aniline mixtures in the aqueous phase onto porous polymer adsorbents

The adsorption equilibria of phenol and aniline on nonpolar polymer adsorbents (NDA-100, XAD-4, NDA-16 and NDA-1800) were investigated in single- and binary-solute adsorption systems at 313 K. The results showed that all the adsorption isotherms of phenol and aniline on these adsorbents can be well fitted by Freundlich and Langmuir equations, and the experimental uptake of phenol and aniline in all binary-component systems is obviously higher than predicted by the extended Langmuir model, arising presumably from the synergistic effect caused by the laterally acid-base interaction between the adsorbed phenol and aniline molecules. A new model (MELM) was developed to quantitatively describe the synergistic adsorption behavior of phenol/aniline equimolar mixtures in the binary-solute systems and showed a marked improvement in correlating the binary-solute adsorption of phenol and aniline by comparison with the widely used extended Langmuir model. The newly developed model confirms that the synergistic coefficient of one adsorbate is linearly correlated with the adsorbed amount of the other, and the larger average pore size of adsorbent results in the greater synergistic effect of phenol/aniline equimolar mixtures adsorption.

Effects and expression of TRAIL and its apoptosis-promoting receptors in human pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer cells are usually resistant to apoptosis mediated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or FasL, and their toxicity towards normal cells hampers their application for therapeutic use. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a novel member of the TNF family, triggers apoptosis in a variety of malignant cells, but exhibits less cytotoxicity in normal cells. To investigate the therapeutic potential of TRAIL, we analyzed the expression of TRAIL and its apoptosis-inducing receptors (DR4 and DR5) in the normal and cancerous human pancreas, and the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL cytotoxicity. TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 mRNA levels were concomitantly increased in pancreatic cancers compared with normal controls (P<0.01), and there were positive correlations between the expression levels of TRAIL and DR4, TRAIL and DR5 and between DR4 and DR5 mRNA (r=0.85, r=0.87, r=0.91; P<0.01). Immunostaining revealed the presence of the corresponding proteins frequently within the same cancer cells. In five pancreatic cancer cell lines, TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 mRNA expression was detectable at various levels. However, independent of the presence of DR4 and DR5, TRAIL cytotoxicity assays revealed that pancreatic cancer cells showed a significantly lower sensitivity (LD(50)>85 ng/ml) to TRAIL treatment than Jurkat T lymphoma cells (LD(50)=7.2 ng/ml). These findings show that pancreatic cancers are insensitive towards TRAIL-mediated apoptosis despite expression of TRAIL and its receptors, suggesting the presence of mediators which inhibit the TRAIL cell-death-inducing pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.

Flavonol glycosides from Epimedium sagittatum and their neurite outgrowth activity on PC12h cells

The MeOH extract of Epimedium sagittatum was found to show neurite outgrowth activity on cultured PC12h cells. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract yielded six prenylated flavonol glycosides, ikarisoside A (1), icarisid II (2), epimedoside A (3), icariin (4), epimedin B (5), and epimedokoreanoside-I (6) as the active ingredients.

Short-term safety of live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine (SA14-14-2): results of a randomized trial with 26,239 subjects

The short-term safety of an effective and inexpensive new live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine (SA14-14-2) was studied in a randomized trial, using block randomization. Of 26,239 children who were enrolled, half received the vaccine and half served as controls. Subjects were prospectively followed for 30 days for severe adverse events, such as encephalitis, meningitis, and "all-cause" hospitalization. No cases of encephalitis or meningitis occurred in either group. The upper 95% confidence limit for adverse events not occurring among subjects receiving their first dose was 4.1/10,000. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for other adverse events were 0.70 (0.43-1.15) for all-cause hospitalization, 0.91 (0.37-2.22) for seizure, and 0.79 (0.56-1.11) for fever lasting > or = 3 days. These data attest to the short-term safety of the SA14-14-2 virus strain and the hamster kidney cell substrate.