[Effects of microRNA-34a on regulating silent information regulator 1 and influence of the factor on myocardial damage of rats with severe burns at early stage]

Objective: To explore the effects of microRNA-34a on regulating silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and influence of SIRT1 on myocardial damage of rats with severe burns at early stage. Methods: (1) Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham injury (SI) group, simple burns (SB) group and SIRT1 agonist (SA) group according to the random number table (the same grouping method below), with 8 rats in each group. Rats in groups SB and SA were inflicted with 30% total body surface area full-thickness scald (hereinafter referred to as burns) on the back, and rats in group SI were sham injuried on the back. Immediately after injury, rats in groups SI and SB were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline of 50 mL/kg, and rats in group SA were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline of 50 mL/kg and 1 mg/mL resveratrol of 50 mg/kg. At 6 h post injury, abdominal aortic blood was collected to make serum and myocardial tissue of rats was collected. (2) Myocardial cells of twelve neonatal SD rats were collected and divided into microRNA-34a mimic control (MMC) group, microRNA-34a mimic (MM) group, microRNA-34a inhibitor control (MIC) group, and microRNA-34a inhibitor (MI) group, which were respectively transfected with gene sequences of mimic control, mimic, inhibitor control, and inhibitor of microRNA-34a. The microRNA-34a expression level and protein expression level of SIRT1 in myocardial cells were respectively detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. Another batch of myocardial cells were divided into microRNA-34a inhibitor control+ burn serum (MCB) group, microRNA-34a inhibitor+ burn serum (MB) group, and microRNA-34a inhibitor+ burn serum + EX527 (MBE) group. Myocardial cells in group MCB were transfected with gene sequence of inhibitor control, and myocardial cells in the later groups were transfected with gene sequence of inhibitor of microRNA-34a. After transfection of 48 h, myocardial cells in group MBE were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) solution for 6 hours, with serum in group SB of volume fraction of 10% and final amount-of-substance concentration of 1 mol/L, and myocardial cells in the other 2 groups were cultured in DMEM solution with serum from rats of group SB of volume fraction of 10%. The protein expression levels of myocardial cells of SIRT1, cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax were detected by Western blotting. (3) Myocardial tissue from (1) was collected to detect expression levels of microRNA-34a and mRNA of SIRT1 in groups SI and SB by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Morphology of myocardial tissue of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA was observed with biological image navigator. The mRNA expression levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. The expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax of myocardial tissue of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA were detected by Western blotting. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and least-significant difference test. Results: (1) After transfection of 48 h, the expression level of microRNA-34a of myocardial cells in group MM was 4.67±0.92, significantly higher than 1.03±0.04 in group MMC (P<0.01); the protein expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial cells in group MM was 0.35±0.06, significantly lower than 1.12±0.11 in group MMC (P<0.01). After transfection of 48 h, the expression level of microRNA-34a of myocardial cells in group MI was 0.26±0.07, significantly lower than 1.33±0.07 in group MIC (P<0.01); the protein expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial cells in group MIC was 1.12±0.16, significantly lower than 1.74±0.34 in group MI (P<0.01). At 6 h after culture, compared with those in group MCB, the SIRT1 protein expression level of myocardial cells in group MB was significantly increased (P<0.05), while cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax protein expression levels of myocardial cells in group MB were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with those in group MB, the SIRT1 protein expression level of myocardial cells in group MBE was with no significantly statistical difference (P>0.05), and cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax protein expression levels were significantly increased (P<0.05). (2) At 6 h post injury, compared with that in group SI, the microRNA-34a expression level of myocardial tissue in group SB was significantly increased (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial tissue in group SB was significantly decreased (P<0.01). At 6 h post injury, myocardial cells in group SI arranged neatly with normal nucleus and no inflammatory cells infiltration; myocardial cells in group SB arranged disorderly, with no abnormal nucleus, and obvious inflammatory cells infiltration; myocardial cells in group SA arranged neatly, with normal nucleus and little inflammatory cells infiltration. At 6 h post injury, compared with those in group SB, the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α, and the protein expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax of myocardial tissue in groups SI and SA were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Conclusions: The microRNA-34a expression level of myocardial tissue of rats with severe burns at early stage increases, which decreases the expression level of SIRT1, and increases the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax, leading to obvious myocardial damage. Activation of SIRT1 can alleviate myocardial damage of rats with severe burns at early stage through decreasing expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax.

Association of Spicy Food Consumption Frequency with Serum Lipid Profiles in Older People in China

OBJECTIVES

There has been recent interest in spicy foods and their bioactive ingredients for cardiovascular health. This study aims to explore relationship between spicy food consumption frequency and serum lipid profiles in a cross-sectional sample of older Chinese from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS).

METHODS

A total of 1549 participant aged 65 years and above from CHNS 2009 were included in the analysis. Information on spicy food consumption was obtained using a questionnaire survey and 24h dietary recalls over three consecutive days combined with weighted food inventory. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) and apolipoprotein B (apoB). Correlations between spicy food consumption frequency and serum lipid profiles were evaluated by multivariate linear regression models.

RESULTS

The result shows a significant positive association between frequency of spicy food consumption estimated by the frequency question and daily spicy food intake calculated from 24h recall. After adjustment for potential lifestyle and dietary confounding factors, men with higher frequency of spicy food consumption showed higher apoA1 level, and lower ratio of LDL-C/apoB (p for trend <0.05). For female, frequency of spicy food consumption was significantly associated with TC, LDL-C, apoB, LDL-C/HDL-C, and apoB/apoA1 in an inverse manner, and positively correlated with apoA1 level (p for trend <0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this study with Chinese aged 65y and above, increased spicy food consumption frequency may favorably associated with some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Systematic review: cost-effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals for treatment of hepatitis C genotypes 2-6

BACKGROUND

The availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has dramatically changed the landscape of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy; however, the cost and budget requirements for DAA treatment have been widely debated.

AIMS

To systematically review published studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of DAAs for HCV genotype 2-6 infections, and synthesise and re-evaluate results with updated drug prices.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of various electronic databases, including Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane library and EconLit for cost-effectiveness studies published from 2011 to 2016. Studies evaluating DAAs for genotypes 2-6 were included. Reported costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were abstracted. We re-estimated ICERs by varying the price of DAAs from $20 000 to $100 000, and estimated the threshold price at which DAA regimens would be deemed cost-effective (ICER≤$100 000/QALY).

RESULTS

A total of 92 ICERs for 7 different DAA regimens from 10 published articles were included. Among the abstracted 92 ICERs, 20 were for genotype 2, 40 for genotype 3, 30 for genotype 4, 2 for genotype 5 and none for genotype 6; therefore, only genotypes 2-5 were analysed. At the discounted price of $40 000, 87.0% analyses found DAA regiments to be cost-effective, and 7.6% found to be cost-saving. The median threshold price below which DAAs would be deemed cost-effective was between $144 400 and $225 000, and cost-saving between $17 300 and $25 400.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV treatment with DAAs is highly cost-effective in patients with HCV genotypes 2-5 at a $100 000/QALY threshold. Timely HCV treatment would be an optimal strategy from both a public health and economic perspective.

Emerging drugs for urothelial (bladder) cancer

INTRODUCTION

Metastatic urothelial carcinoma has been associated with poor prognosis and a median survival of approximately 12-14 months with standard therapy. Treatment options for decades have been limited to platinum based chemotherapy as first line with few therapeutic options available to the majority who will ultimately progress beyond platinum. Areas covered: This review focuses on the various targeted, antiangiogenic, chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents currently being developed for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma. Expert opinion: Incorporation of systemic immunotherapy into the treatment of urothelial carcinoma has already fundamentally changed the treatment of this disease. The landscape is rapidly changing and it is likely that immunotherapy will be incorporated into therapy in earlier disease states and in novel combinations. Outcomes in urothelial carcinoma have improved and likely to improve further with ongoing and future clinical research that is discussed in this review.

DNA Polymerase ɛ Deficiency Leading to an Ultramutator Phenotype: A Novel Clinically Relevant Entity

Two cases of metastatic colorectal cancer with a POLE mutation, both of which were ultramutated and microsatellite stable, are presented and discussed from the standpoint of the basic biochemical mechanisms leading to a unique phenotype in POLE deficiency, the challenges faced with interpreting the genomic profiling of tumors in this important subset of patients, and the potential clinical implications.

Deficiencies in DNA repair due to mutations in the exonuclease domain of DNA polymerase ɛ have recently been described in a subset of cancers characterized by an ultramutated and microsatellite stable (MSS) phenotype. This alteration in DNA repair is distinct from the better‐known mismatch repair deficiencies which lead to microsatellite instability (MSI) and an increased tumor mutation burden. Instead, mutations in POLE lead to impaired proofreading intrinsic to Pol ɛ during DNA replication resulting in a dramatically increased mutation rate. Somatic mutations of Pol ɛ have been found most frequently in endometrial and colorectal cancers (CRC) and can lead to a unique familial syndrome in the case of germline mutations. While other key genomic abnormalities, such as MSI, have known prognostic and treatment implications, in this case it is less clear. As molecular genotyping of tumors becomes routine in the care of cancer patients, less common, but potentially actionable findings such as these POLE mutations could be overlooked unless appropriate algorithms are in place. We present two cases of metastatic CRC with a POLE mutation, both of which are ultramutated and MSS. The basic biochemical mechanisms leading to a unique phenotype in POLE deficiency as well as challenges faced with interpreting the genomic profiling of tumors in this important subset of patients and the potential clinical implications will be discussed here. The Oncologist 2017;22:497–502

Key Points.

Clinicians should recognize that tumors with high tumor mutation burden and that are microsatellite stable may harbor a POLE mutation, which is associated with an ultramutated phenotype.

Work‐up for POLE deficiency should indeed become part of the routine molecular testing paradigm for patients with colorectal cancer.

This subset of patients may benefit from clinical trials where the higher number of mutation‐associated neoantigens and defect in DNA repair may be exploited therapeutically.

Wavelength-agile high-power sources via four-wave mixing in higher-order fiber modes

Frequency doubling of conventional fiber lasers in the near-infrared remains the most promising method for generating integrated high-peak-power lasers in the visible, while maintaining the benefits of a fiber geometry; but since the shortest wavelength power-scalable fiber laser sources are currently restricted to either the 10XX nm or 15XX nm wavelength ranges, accessing colors other than green or red remains a challenge with this schematic. Four-wave mixing using higher-order fiber modes allows for control of dispersion while maintaining large effective areas, thus enabling a power-scalable method to extend the bandwidth of near-infrared fiber lasers, and in turn, the bandwidth of potential high-power sources in the visible. Here, two parametric sources using the LP_0,7 and LP_0,6 modes of two step-index multi-mode fibers are presented. The output wavelengths for the sources are 880, 974, 1173, and 1347 nm with peak powers of 10.0, 16.2, 14.7, and 6.4 kW respectively, and ~300-ps pulse durations. The efficiencies of the sources are analyzed, along with a discussion of wavelength tuning and further power scaling, representing an advance in increasing the bandwidth of near-infrared lasers as a step towards high-peak-power sources at wavelengths across the visible spectrum.

Abstract P5-11-12: MOCHA: An institution-based care coordination app for post-hospitalization breast cancer patients

Purpose: Hospitals face many challenges in effective care coordination for post-surgery breast cancer patients, especially with scarce resources and limited availability of nurse navigators for care transition and post-hospitalization follow up. Mobile health provides an inexpensive and convenient means of real time care monitoring and communication between patients and care providers. Nevertheless, most current health apps focus on individual consumers and gather information from their daily lives, but do not integrate with clinical workflow or capture physiological and activity data into electronic medical record for real-time monitoring, patient surveillance, and professional care. To fill this gap, we have developed and implemented MOCHA (MethOdist Hospital Cancer Health Application), a coordinated care mobile app for post-hospitalization breast cancer patients from the perspective of a primary care institution. Methods: MOCHA supports both iOS and Android platforms and contains two main modules: health care monitoring and data communication, designed together with the physicians and nurses of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center. The Health care monitoring module aims to support real-time monitoring of the post-discharge medical state of breast cancer patients. Physicians can monitor the daily food intake and activities for patients and provide advice to patients in real-time. The data communication module was developed to safely exchange the care coordination data with the hospital electronic medical record or data warehouse. Communication between the patient and the physician can be via an in-house protocol or an open data exchange standard Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), that describes data format and elements for exchanging electronic health records. Our communication module uses https-based protocol to exchange the structured data with the FHIR resource server. Implementation: To validate the MOCHA app, we collaborated with the oncologists and dietitians at the Houston Methodist Cancer Center, who provided breast cancer patients for post-surgery care coordination. Our app exchanges health care data in real time with our hospital's clinical data warehouse. MOCHA searches Nutritionix food database for nutritional information and uses personal trackers such as Fitbit for patients' daily activities with their authorization. The app sends patients' daily burned calories into our clinical data warehouse. During the evaluation period, the physician communicates with cancer patients daily. In addition, every patient has a bi-weekly physical examination, and all examination results are shown in the app. After the experimental evaluation, the physician will access the data warehouse and analyze the test data in order to improve the quality of care coordination. The experimental clinical evaluation is ongoing, and we will report the results once the study is completed. Conclusion: MOCHA app provides health care monitoring and secure communication functions with interface with clinical data warehouse. The technical evaluation shows that the proposed methods are robust and efficient in support of care coordination for post-surgery cancer patients.

Citation Format: He T, Ogunti R, Yu X, Puppala M, Chen S, Mancuso J, Stephen W. MOCHA: An institution-based care coordination app for post-hospitalization breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-11-12.

MET/HGF pathway activation as a paradigm of resistance to targeted therapies

Resistance to targeted therapeutics is a key issue limiting the long-term utility of these medications in the management of molecularly selected subsets of cancer patients, including patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring oncogenic alterations affecting EGFR, ALK and other genes. Bypass resistance mediated by activation of MET kinase has emerged as a frequent, validated and pivotal resistance mechanism in multiple types of cancers. Biochemical understanding is accumulating to explain the unique role of MET in such bypass pathways, providing alternate downstream activation opportunities and intricate interactions during epithelial-mesenchymal transitions. Multiple diagnostic testing platforms have become available for selecting appropriate patients for MET targeting in a variety of settings. Importantly, in light of the failures of several earlier clinical studies of MET targeting agents, a large array of recent and current MET-focused trials are incorporating stricter patient selection and more robust predictive biomarkers providing hope for validation of MET targeting as a clinically impactful strategy.

Twist1 promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis by silencing Foxa1 expression

The heterogeneous breast cancers can be classified into different subtypes according to their histopathological characteristics and molecular signatures. Foxa1 expression is linked with luminal breast cancer (LBC) with good prognosis, whereas Twist1 expression is associated with basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) with poor prognosis owing to its role in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasiveness and metastasis. However, the regulatory and functional relationships between Twist1 and Foxa1 in breast cancer progression are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that in the estrogen receptor (ERα)-positive LBC cells Twist1 silences Foxa1 expression, which has an essential role in relieving Foxa1-arrested migration, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, Twist1 binds to Foxa1 proximal promoter and recruits the NuRD transcriptional repressor complex to de-acetylate H3K9 and repress RNA polymerase II recruitment. Twist1 also silences Foxa1 promoter by inhibiting AP-1 recruitment. Twist1 expression in MCF7 cells silenced Foxa1 expression, which was concurrent with the induction of EMT, migration, invasion and metastasis of these cells. Importantly, restored Foxa1 expression in these cells largely inhibited Twist1-promoted migration, invasion and metastasis. Restored Foxa1 expression did not change the Twist1-induced mesenchymal cellular morphology and the expression of Twist1-regulated E-cadherin, β-catenin, vimentin and Slug, but it partially rescued Twist1-silenced ERα and cytokeratin 8 expression and reduced Twist1-induced integrin α5, integrin β1 and MMP9 expression. In a xenografted mouse model, restored Foxa1 also increased Twist1-repressed LBC markers and decreased Twist1-induced BLBC markers. Furthermore, Twist1 expression is negatively correlated with Foxa1 in the human breast tumors. The tumors with high Twist1 and low Foxa1 expressions are associated with poor distant metastasis-free survival. These results demonstrate that Twist1's silencing effect on Foxa1 expression is largely responsible for Twist1-induced migration, invasion and metastasis, but less responsible for Twist1-induced mesenchymal morphogenesis and expression of certain EMT markers.

High-dose calcium channel blocker (CCB) monotherapy vs combination therapy of standard-dose CCBs and angiotensin receptor blockers for hypertension: a meta-analysis

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of high-dose calcium channel blocker (CCB) monotherapy and standard-dose CCBs combined with angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) for patients with hypertension. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed in December 2015. Randomized controlled trials designed to identify the above goal were included. Thirteen trials including 2371 patients were identified. The standard-dose CCB/ARB combination resulted in a greater reduction of systolic blood pressure (WMD -2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.76 to -1.28) and diastolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference (WMD) -2.07, 95% CI: -3.73 to -0.42) compared to high-dose CCB monotherapy. The overall hypertension control rate for the CCB/ARB combination was higher than that for CCB monotherapy (relative risk (RR): 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08-1.26). Furthermore, the CCB/ARB combination treatment yielded significantly fewer overall adverse events (RR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.95), oedema (RR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.18-0.52) and rash (RR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08-0.96, P=0.04) than did CCB monotherapy. The standard-dose CCB/ARB combination is superior to high-dose CCB monotherapy for lowering blood pressure and reducing adverse events in hypertensive patients. Future research should focus on the cost-effectiveness and long-term effects of these two treatment strategies for patients with hypertension.

Erosion protection benefits of stabilized SnF2 dentifrice versus an arginine-sodium monofluorophosphate dentifrice: results from in vitro and in situ clinical studies

Objectives

The aim of these investigations was to assess the ability of two fluoride dentifrices to protect against the initiation and progression of dental erosion using a predictive in vitro erosion cycling model and a human in situ erosion prevention clinical trial for verification of effectiveness.

Materials and methods

A stabilized stannous fluoride (SnF₂) dentifrice (0.454 % SnF₂ + 0.077 % sodium fluoride [NaF]; total F = 1450 ppm F) [dentifrice A] and a sodium monofluorophosphate [SMFP]/arginine dentifrice (1.1 % SMFP + 1.5 % arginine; total F = 1450 ppm F) [dentifrice B] were tested in a 5-day in vitro erosion cycling model and a 10-day randomized, controlled, double-blind, two-treatment, four-period crossover in situ clinical trial. In each study, human enamel specimens were exposed to repetitive product treatments using a standardized dilution of test products followed by erosive acid challenges in a systematic fashion.

Results

Both studies demonstrated statistically significant differences between the two products, with dentifrice A providing significantly better enamel protection in each study. In vitro, dentifrice A provided a 75.8 % benefit over dentifrice B (p < 0.05, ANOVA), while after 10 days in the in situ model, dentifrice A provided 93.9 % greater protection versus dentifrice B (p < 0.0001, general linear mixed model).

Conclusion

These results support the superiority of stabilized SnF₂ dentifrices for protecting human teeth against the initiation and progression of dental erosion.

Clinical relevance

Stabilized SnF₂ dentifrices may provide more significant benefits to consumers than conventional fluoride dentifrices.

Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo

OBJECTIVE

Retinoic acid has been shown to improve the aged-appearing skin. However, less is known about the anti-ageing effects of retinol (ROL, vitamin A), a precursor of retinoic acid, in aged human skin in vivo. This study aimed to investigate the molecular basis of ROL anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo.

METHODS

Sun-protected buttock skin (76 ± 6 years old, n = 12) was topically treated with 0.4% ROL and its vehicle for 7 days. The effects of topical ROL on skin epidermis and dermis were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, Northern analysis, real-time RT-PCR and Western analysis. Collagen fibrils nanoscale structure and surface topology were analysed by atomic force microscopy.

RESULTS

Topical ROL shows remarkable anti-ageing effects through three major types of skin cells: epidermal keratinocytes, dermal endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Topical ROL significantly increased epidermal thickness by stimulating keratinocytes proliferation and upregulation of c-Jun transcription factor. In addition to epidermal changes, topical ROL significantly improved dermal extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment; increasing dermal vascularity by stimulating endothelial cells proliferation and ECM production (type I collagen, fibronectin and elastin) by activating dermal fibroblasts. Topical ROL also stimulates TGF-β/CTGF pathway, the major regulator of ECM homeostasis, and thus enriched the deposition of ECM in aged human skin in vivo. 0.4% topical ROL achieved similar results as seen with topical retinoic acid, the biologically active form of ROL, without causing noticeable signs of retinoid side effects.

CONCLUSION

0.4% topical ROL shows remarkable anti-ageing effects through improvement of the homeostasis of epidermis and dermis by stimulating the proliferation of keratinocytes and endothelial cells, and activating dermal fibroblasts. These data provide evidence that 0.4% topical ROL is a promising and safe treatment to improve the naturally aged human skin.

Abstract P1-05-02: The N-terminus of Twist1 is responsible for interacting with transcriptional repressors to promote EMT and metastasis of breast cancer cells

Twist1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, plays a key role to mediate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promote breast cancer metastasis. However, knowledge about Twist1 structure-function relationships to cancer-related phenotypes is limited. Therefore, we studied the requirement of Twist1 N-terminus in Twist1-dependent breast cancer metastasis. We showed that the amino-terminus of Twist1 was the dominant negative mutant of Twist1. Overexpression of Twist1 N-terminus exhibited different cell morphology and motility in vitro. Inoculation of Twist1 N-terminus overexpression cells into SCID mice showed delayed tumor formation and reduced lung metastasis. Furthermore, Twist1 N-terminus overexpression induced expression change of EMT markers, including E-cadherin, β-catenin, vimentin and Twist1 both in vivo and in vitro. Co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry revealed that Twist1 N-terminus interacted with several members of the Mi2/nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (Mi2/NuRD) complex, HDAC2, 3 and 7, MTA1 and 2, RbAp46/48, and many corepressors including NCoR1 and 2, which released them from the proximal region of E-cadherin promoter for transcriptional activation. These data suggest that Twist1 N-terminus is required for Twist1-mediated transcriptional programs and breast cancer metastasis.

Citation Format: Yu X, He T, Xu J. The N-terminus of Twist1 is responsible for interacting with transcriptional repressors to promote EMT and metastasis of breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-05-02.

A randomized clinical study to assess ingestion of dentifrice by children

This study investigated whether there was a difference in amounts of dentifrice ingested by children based on age using pea-sized instructions. The study had a randomized, single-blinded, 3-period, crossover design modelled after Barnhart et al. (1974) with one regular-flavored and two specially-flavored dentifrices used ad libitum. Subjects were enrolled in three groups: 2-4, 5-7, and 8-12 years. They were instructed to brush at home as they would normally with each dentifrice for 3 weeks (9 weeks total). On weekly study-site visits, subjects brushed with the assigned dentifrice containing a lithium marker to measure the amount of dentifrice ingested and used. Averaging across dentifrices, amounts ingested were: 0.205 g (2-4 yr), 0.125 g (5-7 yr) and 0.135 g (8-12 yr), demonstrating 2-4 year-olds ingested significantly more than older children (p ≤ 0.002). Averaging across dentifrices, amounts used were: 0.524 g (2-4 yr), 0.741 g (5-7 yr) and 0.978 g (8-12 yr) suggesting an age-related effect (p < 0.01). Findings also showed that ingestion amount for specially-flavored dentifrices may increase relative to regular-flavored dentifrice for children 2-7 years-old. This research demonstrated that dentifrice ingestion amount decreased significantly with age while usage amount increased with age. Importantly, ingestion and usage levels in younger children reflect "pea-sized" direction and were numerically lower than historical levels reported prior to this direction.

FLT1 signaling in metastasis-associated macrophages activates an inflammatory signature that promotes breast cancer metastasis

Although the link between inflammation and cancer initiation is well established, its role in metastatic diseases, the primary cause of cancer deaths, has been poorly explored. Our previous studies identified a population of metastasis-associated macrophages (MAMs) recruited to the lung that promote tumor cell seeding and growth. Here we show that FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (Flt1, also known as VEGFR1) labels a subset of macrophages in human breast cancers that are significantly enriched in metastatic sites. In mouse models of breast cancer pulmonary metastasis, MAMs uniquely express FLT1. Using several genetic models, we show that macrophage FLT1 signaling is critical for metastasis. FLT1 inhibition does not affect MAM recruitment to metastatic lesions but regulates a set of inflammatory response genes, including colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), a central regulator of macrophage biology. Using a gain-of-function approach, we show that CSF1-mediated autocrine signaling in MAMs is downstream of FLT1 and can restore the tumor-promoting activity of FLT1-inhibited MAMs. Thus, CSF1 is epistatic to FLT1, establishing a link between FLT1 and inflammatory responses within breast tumor metastases. Importantly, FLT1 inhibition reduces tumor metastatic efficiency even after initial seeding, suggesting that these pathways represent therapeutic targets in metastatic disease.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression in the different stages of rat thromboangiitis obliterans

We investigated the expression and effects of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in rat thromboangiitis obliterans (TO). Rats were divided into sham and model groups. The model group was further divided into groups based on observation duration. Lauric acid was injected below an artery clamp to simulate TO in the model group; saline was used in the sham group. Clamps were removed 15 min after injection in both groups, and physiological changes were observed at different times (gross observation and hematoxylin and eosin staining). The animals were killed at various times following the operation and serum and muscle tissues were sampled. For the sham group: the endometrium was relatively intact; medial membrane and epineurium lesions were absent; and blood vessels and surrounding tissues had no inflammatory cell infiltration. For the model group: all subgroups displayed inflammation; large numbers of inflammatory cells were gathered; muscle tissue lost its normal texture and structure; and the internal elastic membrane was integrated. Compared with the preoperative status, HIF-1α expression increased significantly in all subgroups (P < 0.05); there was no change in the sham group. HIF-1α expression in each subgroup was different (F = 14.267, P < 0.05). Femoral artery injection of lauric acid can be used as a rat TO model owing to its simple application and success rate. HIF-1α expression increased in the early stage of TO and gradually decreased with the extension of ischemia time; it may play a leading role in TO development and can be used for diagnosis and cure evaluation.

Experimental gingivitis, bacteremia and systemic biomarkers: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Bacteremia and systemic inflammatory markers are associated with periodontal and systemic diseases and may be linking mechanisms between these conditions. We hypothesized that in the development of gingival inflammation, systemic markers of inflammation and bacteremia would increase.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

To study the effect of bacteremia on systemic inflammatory markers, we recruited 80 subjects to participate in an experimental gingivitis study. Subjects were stratified based on gender, smoking and the number of bleeding sites and then randomized to one of two groups: control group (n = 40) or experimental gingivitis group (n = 40). Subjects in the control group conducted an oral hygiene regimen: brushing twice daily with a regular sodium fluoride cavity protection dentifrice and a standard manual toothbrush, flossing twice daily, and mouth rinsing with an anti-cavity fluoride rinse once daily. The experimental group stopped brushing and flossing, and used only the fluoride anti-cavity mouth rinse for 21 d.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine of 80 subjects were evaluable. One subject in the control group was excluded from the results due to antibiotic use during the study. Our data showed the experimental gingivitis group exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) increase in dental plaque level and gingival inflammatory indices relative to baseline and the control group but a decrease in bacteremia and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 levels vs. baseline. Bacteremia was negatively correlated with gingival inflammatory indices and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 levels in the experimental gingivitis group, thus negating our hypothesis.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that there are marked differences in systemic cytokine levels over the course of short-term experimentally induced gingivitis and further conclude that a long-term periodontitis study must be considered to address mechanisms whereby oral diseases may affect systemic diseases.

High-resolution chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing reveals novel binding targets and prognostic role for SOX11 in mantle cell lymphoma

Sex determining region Y-box 11 (SOX11) expression is specific for mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) as compared with other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. However, the function and direct-binding targets of SOX11 in MCL are largely unknown. We used high-resolution chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to identify the direct target genes of SOX11 in a genome-wide, unbiased manner and elucidate its functional significance. Pathway analysis identified WNT, PKA and TGF-beta signaling pathways as significantly enriched by SOX11-target genes. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and promoter reporter assays confirmed that SOX11 directly binds to individual genes and modulates their transcription activities in these pathways in MCL. Functional studies using RNA interference demonstrate that SOX11 directly regulates WNT in MCL. We analyzed SOX11 expression in three independent well-annotated tissue microarrays from the University of Wisconsin (UW), Karolinska Institute and British Columbia Cancer Agency. Our findings suggest that high SOX11 expression is associated with improved survival in a subset of MCL patients, particularly those treated with intensive chemotherapy. Transcriptional regulation of WNT and other biological pathways affected by SOX11-target genes may help explain the impact of SOX11 expression on patient outcomes.

Plasminogen activator urokinase expression reveals TRAIL responsiveness and supports fractional survival of cancer cells

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/TNFSF10/Apo2L) holds promise for cancer therapy as it induces apoptosis in a large variety of cancer cells while exerting negligible toxicity in normal ones. However, TRAIL can also induce proliferative and migratory signaling in cancer cells resistant to apoptosis induced by this cytokine. In that regard, the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumor selectivity of TRAIL and those balancing apoptosis versus survival remain largely elusive. We show here that high mRNA levels of PLAU, which encodes urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), are characteristic of cancer cells with functional TRAIL signaling. Notably, decreasing uPA levels sensitized cancer cells to TRAIL, leading to markedly increased apoptosis. Mechanistic analyses revealed three molecular events taking place in uPA-depleted cells: reduced basal ERK1/2 prosurvival signaling, decreased preligand decoy receptor 2 (DcR2)-death receptor 5 (DR5) interaction and attenuated recruitment of DcR2 to the death-inducing signaling complex upon TRAIL challenge. These phenomena were accompanied by increased FADD and procaspase-8 recruitment and processing, thus guiding cells toward a caspase-dependent cell death that is largely independent of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Collectively, our results unveil PLAU mRNA levels as marker for the identification of TRAIL-responsive tumor cells and highlight a key role of uPA signaling in ‘apoptosis versus survival' decision-making processes upon TRAIL challenge.

Is methanol really a bad solvent for poly(n-butyl methacrylate)? Low dispersity and high molecular weight polymers of n-butyl methacrylate synthesised via ATRP in anhydrous methanol

Anhydrous methanol, a traditional precipitant for poly(n-butyl methacrylate), has been shown to be an excellent synthesis solvent using ATRP, generating high molecular weights and low dispersities (up to 76 000 g mol⁻¹ and as low as 1.02).

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus re-emerges in China in winter 2013

Through a national surveillance system for unexplained pneumonia, a severe case of influenza A(H7N9) in a man in his mid-30s was identified in Zhejiang Province, China on 14 October 2013. Epidemiological and clinical findings were consistent with the patterns reported during the outbreak in spring 2013, and laboratory findings showed that the virus had 99.6% identity with earlier H7N9 viruses identified in humans in the spring except for five mutations in the NA gene.

Microbial basis of oral malodor development in humans

To better understand the microbial basis of oral malodor development in humans, we used a cross-sectional and longitudinal study design and the pyrosequencing approach to track and compare the tongue microbiota associated with oral malodor in 29 Chinese adults who underwent a consecutive three-day evaluation for the amount of H2S excreted orally. Three levels of the oral malodor state (healthy, oral malodor, and severe oral malodor) were defined based on the H2S level. Community structure of the tongue plaques was more sensitive to changes of malodor state than to interpersonal variations or differences in sampling times. Within each individual, the structure of microbiota was relatively stable, while their variations were correlated with the change in the H2S level. Severe oral malodor microbiota were the most conserved in community structure, whereas the healthy ones were relatively varied. Oral-malodor-associated bacteria were identified. The relative abundance of Leptotrichia and Prevotella was positively correlated with oral malodor severity, whereas Hemophilus and Gemella exhibited a negative relationship with oral malodor severity. Our study provides one of the first landscapes of oral microbiota changes associated with oral malodor development and reveals microbes potentially useful to the evaluation and control of oral malodor.

Perceptions of caring in China: patient and nurse questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND

The concept of caring is important to both patients and nurses. If patients and nurses perceive caring behaviours differently, patients may not have their needs met or will be dissatisfied with the nursing.

AIM

This study conducted in mainland China compared the perceptions of nurses and patients concerning nurses' caring behaviours.

METHODS

From November 2011 to June 2012, 680 patients and 540 of their nurses in five hospitals in southern, central and eastern China were invited to complete a descriptive comparative survey with four subcategories, the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24. Respondents scored each of the 24 items on the survey from 1 (low) to 6 (high). Of those invited, 595 patients (87.50%) and 445 (82.41%) nurses completed the survey.

RESULTS

The mean item score on the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 was 4.32 and 4.96 for patients and nurses, respectively. The subcategory with the highest mean score for both groups was knowledge and skills (4.73, 5.25), and the lowest for both groups was positive connectedness (3.98, 4.51). Nurses' scores were significantly higher than those of patients for all four subcategories (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The gap between the two groups indicates that nurses need to improve their understanding and response to patients' actual and perceived needs and expectations. In China, patients require more support from nurses of their psychological needs.

STUDY LIMITATIONS

Participants came from a limited number of hospitals in three cities. A larger sample from different hospitals in mainland China could have increased the power of the study.

Inhibition of the mitochondrial pyrimidine biosynthesis enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase by doxorubicin and brequinar sensitizes cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent in selectively killing tumor cells. However, TRAIL monotherapy has not been successful as many cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL. Chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin have been shown to act synergistically with TRAIL, but the exact mechanisms of actions are poorly understood. In this study, we performed high-throughput small interfering RNA screening and genome-wide gene expression profiling on doxorubicin-treated U1690 cells to explore novel mechanisms underlying doxorubicin-TRAIL synergy. The screening and expression profiling results were integrated and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) was identified as a potential candidate. DHODH is the rate-limiting enzyme in the pyrimidine synthesis pathway, and its expression was downregulated by doxorubicin. We demonstrated that silencing of DHODH or inhibition of DHODH activity by brequinar dramatically increased the sensitivity of U1690 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis both in 2D and 3D cultures, and was accompanied by downregulation of c-FLIPL as well as by mitochondrial depolarization. In addition, uridine, an end product of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway was able to rescue the sensitization effects initiated by both brequinar and doxorubicin. Furthermore, several other cancer cell lines, LNCaP, MCF-7 and HT-29 were also shown to be sensitized to TRAIL by brequinar. Taken together, our findings have identified a novel protein target and its inhibitor, brequinar, as a potential agent in TRAIL-based combinatorial cancer therapy and highlighted for the first time the importance of mitochondrial DHODH enzyme and pyrimidine pathway in mediating TRAIL sensitization in cancer cells.

Plaque control evaluation of a stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice compared to a triclosan dentifrice in a six-week trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare the anti-plaque efficacy of a stabilized 0.454% stannous fluoride (referred to as SnF2) dentifrice versus a 0.3% triclosan dentifrice formulated with a copolymer and sodium fluoride (referred to as triclosan).

METHODS

The study had a randomized, double-blind, two-treatment, parallel-group design, and compared plaque reduction from baseline after both three and six weeks of treatment with either the SnF2 or triclosan dentifrices using a manual toothbrush. Subjects brushed their teeth using their assigned treatment dentifrices according to the manufacturer's instructions. Following overnight plaque accumulation, levels of plaque were assessed by an experienced examiner using the Rustogi, et al. Modified Navy Plaque Index at the start of the study (baseline), and after three and six weeks of regular brushing. Groups were compared using analysis of covariance separately for Weeks 3 and 6, and by repeated measures for Weeks 3 and 6 combined.

RESULTS

One-hundred and twenty subjects were randomized to treatment and 114 subjects completed the study. Both treatment groups showed a statistically significant reduction from baseline in mean plaque values for all three tooth areas (whole mouth, gingival margin, interproximal) at both Weeks 3 and 6 (p < 0.02 for all comparisons). Analysis of covariance showed a statistically significantly (p < 0.0001) lower adjusted mean plaque level for the SnF2 group compared to the triclosan group for all three tooth areas at both Weeks 3 and 6, and for Weeks 3 and 6 combined. Weeks 3 and 6 combined adjusted mean plaque was 36.5% lower for whole mouth for the SnF2 group versus the triclosan group. Weeks 3 and 6 combined adjusted mean plaque reduction from baseline was three times greater for the SnF2 group relative to the triclosan group.

CONCLUSION

Both dentifrices showed statistically significant reductions from baseline in whole mouth, gumline, and interproximal accumulated overnight plaque after three and six weeks of brushing, but the SnF2 dentifrice showed statistically significantly greater plaque reductions versus the triclosan dentifrice.

ABCB1/MDR1 gene polymorphism and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of case-control studies

AIM

ABCB1/MDR1 protein is found in high concentrations on the apical surfaces of colonic epithelial cells. It acts as an efflux pump by transporting toxic endogenous substances, drugs and xenobiotics out of cells. Polymorphisms in the ABCB1/MDR1 gene may either change expression of the ABCB1/MDR1 protein or alter its function, suggesting its possible association with colorectal cancer. Several studies have reported a relationship between ABCB1 gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk, but no consistent conclusion has been reached. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to identify any association between the ABCB1 gene and CRC risk.

METHOD

PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cbmdisc and CNKI were searched for studies on the relationship of ABCB1/MDR1 gene SNPs and the incidence of colorectal cancer. Eligible articles were included for data extraction. The main outcome was the frequency of ABCB1/MDR1 gene SNPs among cases and controls. Comparison of the distribution of SNPs was performed mainly using Review Manager 5.0.

RESULTS

Ten, four and two trials were identified that focussed on the ABCB1 gene SNPs rs1045642, rs2032582 and rs3789243, respectively. A total of 3175 cases and 3715 controls were included. The meta-analysis, stratified by ethnicity or population source, indicated no association between the ABCB1 gene rs1045642 polymorphism and colorectal cancer risk. However, when the study by Bae et al. was removed from the analysis, there was some evidence to indicate a higher T-allele frequency in Asian colorectal cancer patients (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.67, P = 0.03). Neither ABCB1 rs2032582 nor ABCB1 rs3789243 indicated an association with colorectal cancer risk. An increased frequency only of the wild-type combined allele (rs2032582G/rs1045642C) was found in Caucasian patients (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03-1.44, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

There is some evidence to indicate an association between ABCB1 rs1045642T and colorectal cancer risk in Asians. Compared with the ABCB1 gene SNPs rs1045642, rs2032582 or rs3789243 alone, combined haplotypes of several SNPs might be a better marker to determine the genetic influence on the susceptibility to colorectal cancer among Caucasians.

ABCB1/MDR1 gene polymorphism and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of case-control studies

AIM

ABCB1/MDR1 protein is found in high concentrations on the apical surfaces of colonic epithelial cells. It acts as an efflux pump by transporting toxic endogenous substances, drugs and xenobiotics out of cells. Polymorphisms in the ABCB1/MDR1 gene may either change expression of the ABCB1/MDR1 protein or alter its function, suggesting its possible association with colorectal cancer. Several studies have reported a relationship between ABCB1 gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk, but no consistent conclusion has been reached. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to identify any association between the ABCB1 gene and CRC risk.

METHOD

PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cbmdisc and CNKI were searched for studies on the relationship of ABCB1/MDR1 gene SNPs and the incidence of colorectal cancer. Eligible articles were included for data extraction. The main outcome was the frequency of ABCB1/MDR1 gene SNPs among cases and controls. Comparison of the distribution of SNPs was performed mainly using Review Manager 5.0.

RESULTS

Ten, four and two trials were identified that focussed on the ABCB1 gene SNPs rs1045642, rs2032582 and rs3789243, respectively. A total of 3175 cases and 3715 controls were included. The meta-analysis, stratified by ethnicity or population source, indicated no association between the ABCB1 gene rs1045642 polymorphism and colorectal cancer risk. However, when the study by Bae et al. was removed from the analysis, there was some evidence to indicate a higher T-allele frequency in Asian colorectal cancer patients (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.67, P = 0.03). Neither ABCB1 rs2032582 nor ABCB1 rs3789243 indicated an association with colorectal cancer risk. An increased frequency only of the wild-type combined allele (rs2032582G/rs1045642C) was found in Caucasian patients (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03-1.44, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

There is some evidence to indicate an association between ABCB1 rs1045642T and colorectal cancer risk in Asians. Compared with the ABCB1 gene SNPs rs1045642, rs2032582 or rs3789243 alone, combined haplotypes of several SNPs might be a better marker to determine the genetic influence on the susceptibility to colorectal cancer among Caucasians.

Carcass and meat quality traits of four commercial pig crossbreeds in China

We evaluated carcass and meat quality traits of two Chinese native crossbreeds Landrace x Meishan (LM) and Duroc x (Landrace x Meishan) (DLM) and two foreign crossbreeds Duroc x (Landrace x Yorkshire) (DLY) and PIC (an imported five-way crossbreed). One hundred and twenty weaned pigs (half castrated males and half females) were reared and slaughtered at a predestinated slaughter age. The general carcass and meat quality traits were measured and analyzed. The DLY and PIC crosses had significantly heavier live weights (93.39 and 96.33 kg, P < 0.01), significantly higher dressing percentages (80.65 and 79.39%, P < 0.05), significantly bigger loin areas (42.69 and 43.91 cm(2), P < 0.001), and significantly more lean carcasses (65.78 and 66.40%, P < 0.001) than LM and DLM. On the other hand, LM had a significantly lower live weight (70.29 kg, P < 0.01), significantly thicker back fat (3.54 cm, P < 0.001), significantly less lean carcasses (46.82%, P < 0.001), and significantly less ham and breech (26.53%, P < 0.05) than the other crossbreeds. Among meat quality parameters, LM had the highest intramuscular fat content (5.02%, P < 0.001) and the smallest fiber area (3126.45 μm(2), P < 0.01). However, PIC showed the lowest pH(1) (5.82, P < 0.01) and pH(2) (5.63, P < 0.01), the highest drip loss (2.89%, P < 0.01), and the lowest intramuscular fat (1.35%, P < 0.001). We concluded that LM and DLM had good meat quality traits but poorer carcass traits than DLY and PIC; DLY had good carcass and meat quality traits; PIC had good carcass traits, but it had less intramuscular fat, lower pH and higher drip loss.

First Report of Nigrospora oryzae Causing Leaf Spot of Cotton in China

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is widely cultivated for the important economic value of the fiber. In the summer of 2011, a leaf spot of cotton plants cv. Wanza40 was observed in 11 fields (total of about 4 ha) in Qianshan County in southwest Anhui Province, China. Approximately 30% of the plants in each field were symptomatic. Affected plants exhibited brown to reddish, irregular foliar lesions, each with a brown border near the vein of the leaves. A sign of fungal infection was a dark leaf mold observed on lesions on the abaxial surface of leaves. Sections of symptomatic leaf tissues were surface-sterilized (in 75% ethanol for 30 s, then 1% NaOCl for 1 min), rinsed three times in sterile distilled water, and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). A fungus consistently recovered from symptomatic leaf samples produced colonies that were initially white and then became grayish brown with the onset of sporulation. Black, spherical to subspherical, single-celled conidia (10 to 12 × 14 to 16 μm) were borne on a hyaline vesicle at the tip of each conidiophore. Morphological characteristics of the fungus were similar to that of Nigrospora oryzae (2). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) from a representative strain of the fungus, AHC-1, was amplified using the primers ITS1/ITS4 (4) and sequenced (GenBank Accession No. JQ864579). The ITS sequence had 99% identity with >553 bp of the ITS sequence of an N. oryzae isolate (GenBank Accession No. EU918714.1). On the basis of morphological data and ITS rDNA sequence, the isolate was determined to be N. oryzae. A pathogenicity test was performed on detached, young leaves of 4-month-old healthy cotton plants of cv. Wanza40. Six leaves were inoculated by placing a colonized agar piece (5 mm in diameter) from 7-day-old cultures of the fungus on pushpin-wounded leaves. Another six leaves treated with sterile PDA plugs served as a negative control treatment. Leaves were incubated in petri dishes and maintained at 25°C in a growth chamber programmed for 12 hours of fluorescent white light/day. After 5 days, brown to black lesions were observed on all inoculated leaves, whereas no symptoms developed on control leaves. N. oryzae was consistently reisolated from symptomatic leaves but not from the control leaves. N. oryzae is a weak pathogen on a wide range of plants, and has been described as the causal agent of lint rot on cotton (1,3), but to our knowledge this is the first report of N. oryzae causing a leaf spot of cotton in China. References: (1) D. F. Farr and A. Y. Rossman. Fungal Databases, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA, Retrieved from http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/ , April 8, 2012. (2) H. J. Hudson. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 46:355, 1963. (3) A. J. Palmatter et al. Plant Dis. 87:873, 2003. (4) T. J. White et al. In: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990.

Physical origin of general oscillation of structure, surface energy, and electronic property in rutile TiO2 nanoslab

Titanium oxide (TiO(2)) nanostructures have been attracting consistent focus in the past few years because of their enhanced power in solar-energy conversion. Surface and interface play a crucial role in the determination of thermodynamic stability and electronic structure of TiO(2) nanostructures. The rutile (110) nanoslab (NS) has been used as a common subject to investigate the surface relaxation, defect characters, molecule adsorption, and chemically dynamic reaction of TiO(2) nanostructures. Up to date, a long-time standing issue in TiO(2) NS, i.e., the general oscillation of structure, surface energy and electronic property with changing of NS thickness, has not been clear. We have presented a comprehensive investigation on the relationship between surface and oscillation behavior in the TiO(2) (110) NS by the first-principles calculations accompanied with the wave function analysis. We clearly, for the first time, pointed out that the dipoles and surface states bonding induced by the surface-surface interactions are the physical origin of general oscillations in the TiO(2) (110) NS. Our findings not only have a new insight into the basic interactions between surfaces in TiO(2) nanostructures, but also provide useful information for tuning the photocatalytic and photovoltaic properties by surface design.

Genetic diversity analysis of barley landraces and cultivars in the Shanghai region of China

We analyzed the genetic diversity of 115 barley germplasms, including 112 landraces and three new barley cultivars grown in the Shanghai region, using a set of 11 SSR markers. Sixty-six alleles were observed at the 11 SSR loci, ranged from three to ten, with a mean of six alleles per locus. The polymorphism information content ranged from 0.568 to 0.853, with a mean of 0.732, indicating considerable genetic variation in barley in the Shanghai area. Clustering analysis indicated that these barley accessions could be divided into two categories (A and B). Ninety-seven six-rowed barley cultivars were classified in the A category; sixteen two-rowed and two six-rowed barley cultivars were classified in the B category. This demonstrated genetic differences between two-rowed and six-rowed barley varieties. In addition, we found that the three new barley cultivars are closely related.

An all-purpose building block: B12N12 fullerene

We have theoretically shown that the boron nitride fullerene cage B(12)N(12) is an all-purpose building block for fabricating multifarious BN nanotubes. Firstly, we investigated the stability and structural of the boron nitride fullerene cage B(12)N(12) and the polymerized derivatives obtained from it. Interestingly we found out that two B(12)N(12) cages can spontaneously form one BN nanotube with two closed ends through the structural transformation when one cage meets another. These results indicated that the fullerene B(12)N(12) can be polymerized to build various remarkable polymers through the spontaneous structural transformation when they are together, which all have planer or tridimensional shapes with a hollow tubular structure, even at the juncture of the coalesced B(12)N(12). Simultaneously, after the structure optimization, the quadrangles at the juncture of the coalesced B(12)N(12) disappear to form a perfect surface only composed of hexagons. Then, we calculated the energy of all the considered nanostructures. The polymerization of the fullerene B(12)N(12) is exothermic and thus can form very stable derivative polymers. These theoretical conclusions stimulate us to use the fullerene B(12)N(12) as an all-purpose building block to construct various BN nanostructures for purpose of fundamental research and potential applications.

Secular trends in the prevalence of general and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults, 1993-2009

The objective of this study is to examine the trends in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and prevalence of overweight (BMI 25-27.49 kg m(-2) ), general obesity (BMI ≥ 27.5 kg m(-2) ) and abdominal obesity (WC ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women) among Chinese adults from 1993 to 2009. Data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, which was conducted from 1993 to 2009 and included a total of 52,621 Chinese adults. During the period of 1993-2009, mean BMI values increased by 1.6 kg m(-2) among men and 0.8 kg m(-2) among women; mean WC values increased by 7.0 cm among men and 4.7 cm among women. The prevalence of overweight increased from 8.0 to 17.1% among men (P < 0.001) and from 10.7 to 14.4% among women (P < 0.001); the prevalence of general obesity increased from 2.9 to 11.4% among men (P < 0.001) and from 5.0 to 10.1% among women (P < 0.001); the prevalence of abdominal obesity increased from 8.5 to 27.8% among men (P < 0.001) and from 27.8 to 45.9% among women (P < 0.001). Similar significant trends were observed in nearly all age groups and regions for both men and women. The prevalence of overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults has increased greatly during the past 17 years.