[Mesoporous nano-bioactive glass microspheres as a drug delivery system of minocycline]

OBJECTIVE

To construct mesoporous nano-bioactive glass (MNBG) microspheres load-release minocycline as an antibacterial drug delivery system.

METHODS

Sol-gel method was used to synthesze MNBG microspheres as drug carrier. The MNBG consisted of SiO2, CaO, and P2O5. According to the content of silicon, MNBG microspheres were divided into four groups (60S, 70S, 80S and 90S). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface characteristic and particle size of MNBG; Nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiment was performed to calculate the MNBG's specific surface area and the pore sizes; The Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR) and the thermogravimetric analysis were conducted to calculate the loading efficiencies of minocycline hydrochloride; UV spectrophotometric was used to determine the cumulative release of minocycline from drug-loaded particles in PBS solution within 21 d. Agar diffusion test (ADT) was performed to evaluate the antibacterial properties on Enterococcus faecalis. The inhibition zone was observed and the diameter was measured.

RESULTS

The MNBG microspheres had good dispersion, large surface area, and even particle size. The pore sizes ranged from 4.77 nm to 7.33 nm. The loading experiment results showed that the minocycline hydrochloride loading efficiency of MNBG was related to the pore size of the microspheres. Among 60S, 70S, 80S and 90S, 60S MNBG had the highest loading efficiency of 16.33% due to its high calcium content and large pore sizes. A slow minocycline release rate from MNBG particles in PBS solution until d 21 was observed. It was showed that a burst release of 28% of the total drug for the first 24 h. A cumulative release of 35% was found, and the final concentration of minocycline maintained at about 47 mg/L. ADT showed that mino-MNBG had inhibitory effect on the growth of Enterococcus faecalis. 1 g/L minocycline, 1 g/L mino-MNBG, and 0.1 g/L minocycline presented inhibition zone, however, PBS and 1 g/L MNBG didn't. The diameter of the inhibition zone of minocycline groups was significant larger than that of mino-MNBG group (P<0.05), which was also significant larger than those of PBS and MNBG groups (P<0.05). It showed that mino-MNBG drug delivery system had antibacterial properties on Enterococcus faecalis.

CONCLUSION

The 60S MNBG that can effectively load and release minocycline may be an ideal drug carrier.

[Nano-sized bioactive glass enhances osteogenesis of critical bone defect in rabbits]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the osteogenic effects of a nano-sized 58S bioactive glass (nano-58S BG) and a traditional 45S5 bioactive glass(45S5 BG) in penetrating parietal critical bone defects.

METHODS

Critical bone defect with 9 mm diameter was created in the parietal bone of New Zealand rabbits. The bone defects were then filled with either nano-58S BG, or 45S5 BG, or nothing but the newly-formed blood clot as the blank control at random. For histological observation, specimens were gained 4 and 8 weeks after the surgery, sectioned and stained by HE. The amount of collagen type I was observed with Picric-Sirius Red staining through polarimetry. To observe the new bone formation with fluorescence under the laser confocal microscope, we injected fluorescent markers 14, 28, and 42 days after the surgery. The markers were tetracycline hydrochloride, alizarin red and calcin individually in chronological order. Image J software was used to quantify the bone regeneration.

RESULTS

HE staining showed that BG particulates were integrated with the surrounding tissue without any inflammatory cells infiltration 4 weeks after surgery. New bone regeneration was observed both from the border and in the center of the defects in both BG groups. No bone regeneration in defect center was observed in control group. At the end of 8 weeks, there was more bone regeneration in nano-58S group compared with 45S5 group and control group. The structure of the new bone in BG groups was hollow, which was similar to the natural normal parietal bone. No hollow structure was observed in the new bone of control group. Picric-sirius Red polarimetry showed that more amount of collagen type I was found in nano-58S group than in either 45S5 or control group. The fluorescent observation of the hard tissue slices at the end of 8 weeks showed statistically larger scope and faster new bone formation in nano-58S group with (29.4±4.48) μm thickness from 4-6 weeks and (35.3±3.74) μm from 6-8 weeks compared with 45S5 group [(13.43±3.44) μm and (17.64±4.13) μm] and control group [(5.88±2.92) μm and (6.07±3.02) μm, P<0.01].

CONCLUSION

Compared with the traditional 45S5 bioactive glass, 58S nano-sized bioactive glass showed better osteogenic effect in bone regeneration in parietal bones of rabbits.

Comparison of 208-week sequential therapy with telbivudine and entecavir in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal responses to 24 weeks of Peg-IFNα-2a therapy: An open-labelled, randomized, controlled, "real-life" trial

The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of 208-week sequential therapy with telbivudine and entecavir in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with suboptimal responses to 24 weeks of Peg-IFNα-2a therapy. This was an open-label, randomized, controlled, "real-life" trial. HBeAg-positive CHB patients with serum HBV DNA ≥5.0 lg IU/mL and a < 1 lg IU/mL decline of HBsAg level from baseline who underwent at least 24 weeks of Peg-IFNα-2a therapy were included. Enrolled patients were randomized to receive either telbivudine (600 mg/d, n = 95) or entecavir (0.5 mg/d, n = 95) for 208 consecutive weeks. Six patients were lost to follow-up (4 patients in the telbivudine group and 2 in the entecavir group). Treatment was combined with adefovir when week 24 HBV DNA levels declined to <2 lg IU/mL versus baseline, when viral breakthrough occurred during treatment,or when HBV DNA remained detectable at 52 weeks (HBV DNA ≥500 IU/mL). Responses and safety were assessed after 208 weeks of treatment. There were no significant differences among the baseline characteristics, including age, gender, and ALT, HBV DNA, HBsAg or HBeAg levels. After 208 weeks of treatment, there was no significant difference in the rates of undetectable HBV DNA (HBV DNA<500 IU/mL) between the telbivudine group and the entecavir group (84/91,92.31% vs 88/93,94.62%, respectively, P = .525). More patients in the telbivudine group than the entecavir group achieved HBeAg clearance (74.73% vs 46.24%, respectively, P < .001) and HBeAg seroconversion (64.84% vs 38.71%, respectively, P < .001). Univariate analysis (Enter, a = 0.05) of both groups showed that telbivudine, male gender and baseline HBeAg levels were significantly correlated with HBeAg seroconversion after 208 weeks of sequential therapy. Cox regression analysis (Enter, a = 0.05) of the telbivudine group showed that the HBeAg seroconversion rate at 208 weeks was significantly correlated with gender (male) (P = .006, HR=4.406), baseline HBeAg level (P = .005, HR=0.433) and 24 w-HBeAg level reduction of more than 0.5 lg IU/ml from baseline (P = .027, HR=0.487). All patients tolerated sequential telbivudine treatment; only slightly elevated creatine kinase levels were observed. Stratification analysis found that patients with baseline HBeAg levels less than 3 lg COI who switched to telbivudine may have had significantly improved HBeAg seroconversion rates. In conclusion, telbivudine promotes HBeAg seroconversion that merits investigation in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with suboptimal responses to 24 weeks of Peg-IFNα-2a therapy. We would suggest that patients with baseline HBeAg levels under 3 lg COI switch to telbivudine to achieve higher HBeAg seroconversion rates and use the early reductions in HBeAg levels (24 weeks) to guide treatment.

Free flap reconstruction for patients aged 85 years and over with head and neck cancer: clinical considerations for comprehensive care

We aimed to identify and evaluate the clinical challenges involved in microvascular flap reconstructions of defects caused by resection of head and neck cancer among patients aged 85 and over. We designed a retrospective study of patients who were treated in the head and neck department of a tertiary referral centre from 2005 to 2015, and all patients aged 85 years and over who had reconstructions with microvascular flaps for head and neck cancer were entered into the study. A total of 24 patients fulfilled the criteria, of whom 15 were men and nine were women. The median (range) duration of stay in hospital was 23 (14-59) days. Eighteen patients had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score grade II and six patients grade III. The median (range) operating time was 420 (310-705)minutes, and operative blood loss 550 (200-1500)ml. Sixteen patients had prophylactic tracheostomies, nine of whom developed postoperative surgical complications, seven associated with the tracheostomy (p=0.005). Resections of head and neck cancer and microvascular reconstructions in patients aged 85 and over are associated with a high incidence of postoperative complications. Medical complications tend to be associated with the tracheostomy while surgical complications are potentially associated with the ASA score. Although the morbidity is high, complex resections and microvascular reconstructions are successful with optimum recovery, and age did not seem to influence the outcome. However, it is necessary to avoid prophylactic tracheostomy if possible in these patients.

[Autophagy regulated by JWA influenced sensitivity of esophageal cancer to cisplatin]

Objective: To explore the effect of JWA on cisplatin sensitivity and its potential molecular mechanism in esophageal cancer. Methods: The siRNA was used to inhibit the JWA expression, then cisplatin sensitivity and LC3 (autophagy related protein) expression levels were observed in TE1 cells.Further, the effect of autophagy inhibitor tamoxifen (3-MA) on above process was determined.Cisplatin sensitivity of 20 fresh esophageal cancer samples was evaluated by histoculture drug response assay (HDRA). Result: Silencing JWA gene increased the sensitivity of TE1 cells to cisplatin (P<0.05), and decreased the LC3-Ⅰ and LC3-Ⅱ proteins induced by cisplatin.Furthermore, combined with 3-MA increased the inhibition rate of cisplatin in JWA silencing group (P<0.05). Additionally, the inhibition rate of cisplatin on tissues with low JWA expression were higher than those with high expression (45.6% vs 25.6%, P=0.005). Conclusions: JWA could influence the cisplatin sensitivity by regulating autophagy in esophageal cancer.

Metal-polydopamine frameworks and their transformation to hollow metal/N-doped carbon particles

We present a new strategy for in situ transformation of metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals to hollow metal-organic structures through polycondensation of dopamine. The hollow metal-polydopamine (PDA) particles are formed by a coordination assembly of metal ions (Co and Zn) and PDA, inheriting the morphology of MOF (ZIF-67 and ZIF-8) crystals. The hollow porous metal/N-carbon particles morphosynthetically transformed from hollow metal-PDA particles exhibit excellent oxygen reduction electrocatalytic activity. The strategy presented here is promising for synthesizing hollow metal-organic polymer (metal-carbon) particles with diverse morphologies for energy and environmental applications.

Parametrically Tunable Soliton-Induced Resonant Radiation by Three-Wave Mixing

We show that a temporal soliton can induce resonant radiation by three-wave mixing nonlinearities. This constitutes a new class of resonant radiation whose spectral positions are parametrically tunable. The experimental verification is done in a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal, where a femtosecond near-IR soliton is excited and resonant radiation waves are observed exactly at the calculated soliton phase-matching wavelengths via the sum- and difference-frequency generation nonlinearities. This extends the supercontinuum bandwidth well into the mid IR to span 550-5000 nm, and the mid-IR edge is parametrically tunable over 1000 nm by changing the three-wave mixing phase-matching condition. The results are important for the bright and broadband supercontinuum generation and for the frequency comb generation in quadratic nonlinear microresonators.

Effects of dynamic diffraction conditions on magnetic parameter determination in a double perovskite Sr2FeMoO6 using electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism

Electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD) spectroscopy, which is similar to the well-established X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy (XMCD), can determine the quantitative magnetic parameters of materials with high spatial resolution. One of the major obstacles in quantitative analysis using the EMCD technique is the relatively poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), compared to XMCD. Here, in the example of a double perovskite Sr₂FeMoO₆, we predicted the optimal dynamical diffraction conditions such as sample thickness, crystallographic orientation and detection aperture position by theoretical simulations. By using the optimized conditions, we showed that the SNR of experimental EMCD spectra can be significantly improved and the error of quantitative magnetic parameter determined by EMCD technique can be remarkably lowered. Our results demonstrate that, with enhanced SNR, the EMCD technique can be a unique tool to understand the structure-property relationship of magnetic materials particularly in the high-density magnetic recording and spintronic devices by quantitatively determining magnetic structure and properties at the nanometer scale.

[Efficacy of 104-week sequential therapy with telbivudine or entecavir in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal responses to 24-week therapy with pegylated interferon-α-2a]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy and safety of 104-week sequential therapy with telbivudine or entecavir in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with suboptimal responses to 24-week pegylated interferon-α-2a (PEG-IFN-α-2a) therapy.

METHODS

A total of 130 HBeAg-positive CHB patients with HBV DNA≥5.0 lg IU/ml and a reduction in HBsAg quantitation < 1 lg IU/ml compared with baseline who received PEG-IFN-α-2a therapy for 24 weeks were enrolled and randomly divided into telbivudine group and entecavir group, and 5 of them were lost. HBeAg clearance rate and seroconversion rate, HBV DNA clearance rate, safety, and drug resistance rate at week 104 were observed. The t-test, chi-square test, or multivariate Cox regression analysis were used for statistical analysis of different types of data.

RESULTS

At week 104 of treatment, HBV DNA clearance rate showed no significant difference between the telbivudine group and entecavir group (P = 0.363), and the telbivudine group had significantly higher HBeAg clearance rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate than the entecavir group (HBeAg clearance rate: 61.29% vs 23.81%, P < 0.01; HBeAg seroconversion rate: 51.61% vs 19.05%, P < 0.01). Male sex and telbivudine therapy were baseline predictors of HBeAg seroconversion. The multivariate Cox regression analysis (Forward LR, a = 0.05) showed that the presence or absence of HBeAg seroconversion at week 104 was significantly associated with male sex (HR = 4.917), a reduction in HBsAg > 0.5 lg IU/ml at week 12 of treatment compared baseline (HR = 3.514), and a reduction in HBeAg > 1 lg COI at week 12 of treatment compared baseline (HR = 8.651).

CONCLUSION

In HBeAg-positive CHB patients with suboptimal responses to 24-week PEG-IFNα-2a therapy, the sequential therapy with telbivudine helps achieve better HBeAg clearance rate and seroconversion rate compared with the sequential therapy with entecavir and can be used as a therapeutic regimen for such patients. A reduction in HBeAg > 1 lg COI at week 12 of treatment compared baseline can be used as a predictive factor for HBeAg seroconversion at week 104.

[Chinese multicenter randomized trial of customized chemotherapy based on BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1)-RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) mRNA expression in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients]

Objective: BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1) and RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) play key roles in predicting chemosensitivity of platinum and taxanes. A randomized trial was carried out to compare non-selected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1 and RAP80 expression. Methods: Advanced stage NSCLC patients whose tumor specimen was sufficient for molecular analysis were randomized (1∶3) to the control or experimental arm. Patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin (Arm 1), those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1expression received docetaxel/cisplatin (Arm 2), and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone (Arm 3). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 226 patients were screened and 124 were randomized in this trial. ORR in the four subgroups was 22.6%, 48.4%, 30.3% and 19.2%, respectively (P=0.08); PFS was 4.74, 5.59, 3.78 and 2.73 months, respectively (P=0.55); and OS was 10.82, 14.44, 10.86 and 10.86 months, respectively (P=0.84). The common adverse effects included neutropenia, nausea, anemia and fatigue. Conclusions: No statistically significant difference of ORR, PFS or OS is observed in the experimental arms compared with the control arm. Patients with low RAP80 mRNA levels have a trend of better survival and higher response rate to gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy.

Cloning and characterization of a novel betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase gene from Suaeda corniculata

Glycine betaine is an important quaternary ammonium compound that is produced in response to several abiotic stresses in many organisms. The synthesis of glycine betaine requires the catalysis of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH), which can convert betaine aldehyde into glycine betaine in plants, especially in halotolerant plants. In this study, we isolated the full-length cDNA of BADH from Suaeda corniculata (ScBADH) using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Next, we analyzed the expression profile of ScBADH using real-time PCR. The results showed that ScBADH expression was induced in the roots, stems, and leaves of S. corniculata seedlings under salt and drought stress. Next, ScBADH was overexpressed in Arabidopsis, resulting in the transgenic plants exhibiting enhanced tolerance over wild-type plants under salt and drought stress. We then analyzed the levels of glycine betaine and proline, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, during salt stress in WT and transgenic Arabidopsis. The results indicated that overexpression of ScBADH produced more glycine betaine and proline, and increased SOD activity under NaCl treatment. Our results suggest that ScBADH might be a positive regulator in plants during the response to NaCl.

[Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among residents of 30 years or above years old in Pengzhou city of Sichuan province]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among residents in Pengzhou city of Sichuan province.

METHODS

Among 20 townships in Pengzhou city of Sichuan Province, 14 townships were selected using a clustered sampling based on the economic level and distance. The registered residents in the selected townships aged 30-79 years were recruited for a comprehensive survey from 2004 to 2007. A total of 55 687 residents (21 315 males and 34 372 females) were selected based on a face to face questionnaire interview and physical examination; the patient group included 14 151 residents with hypertension and the control group had 41 536 residents without hypertension were selected. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to investigate the influence factors for hypertension. OR (95%CI) values were calculated. Different levels of risk exposure factors were transformed into the risk scores using a statistical model.

RESULTS

The prevalence rate of hypertension was 25.41% among residents aged 30 years or above in Pengzhou (14 151/55 687), 28.95% (6 170/21 315) for male residents and 23.22% (7 981/34 372) for female residents. Multivaraite logistic regression analysis showed that main risk factors for hypertension in male residents were age, low educational level, widower, low household income, no medical insurance, no fresh fruits intake, high body mass index (BMI), high waist to hip ratio, and low physical activity, which was less than 3 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) level, among which the highest three riskswere (not including the social demographic characteristics) BMI≥28 kg/m(2), waist to hip ratio ≥0.90, and not consuming fresh fruits. OR (95% CI) values for these three key factors were 3.74 (3.27-4.28), 1.34 (1.24-1.44), and 1.27 (1.14-1.41), respectively. The corresponding risk scores for these factors were 2.993, 1.102, and 1.237, respectively. Main risk factors for hypertension in female residents were age, working hours, no medical insurance, fewer number of family members, no fresh fruits intake, smoking, never drinking tea, no dairy products intake, high BMI, highwaist to hip ratio and low physical activity, among which the highest three risks were (not including the social demographic characteristics) BMI ≥28 kg/m(2), MET level, and waist to hip ratio ≥0.85. OR (95% CI) values for these three key factors were 3.30 (3.02-3.60), 1.35 (1.22-1.51), and 1.33 (1.23-1.44), respectively. The corresponding risk scores for these factors were 2.390, 1.263, and 1.051, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence rate of hypertension among the residents over 30 years of age in Pengzhou city was 25.41%. The main risk factors were age, not consuming fresh fruits, high BMI, high waist to hip ratio, and low MET level.

CTL- vs Treg lymphocyte-attracting chemokines, CCL4 and CCL20, are strong reciprocal predictive markers for survival of patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Tumoural infiltration of T lymphocytes is determined by local patterns of specific chemokine expression. In this report, we examined the roles of CCL4 and CCL20 in the accumulation of CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and determined the correlations between chemokine expressions and ESCC patients' survival.

METHODS

Reverse transcriptase-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were performed to examine the expressions of interested genes. Flow cytometry was adopted to check the expressions of CCL4- and CCL6-specific receptors, CCR5 and CCR6, on CTLs and Treg cells. In addition, transwell assay was carried on.

RESULTS

The CCL4 expression was significantly correlated with the expression of CTL markers (CD8 and Granzyme B), whereas CCL20 was positively correlated with Treg markers (FoxP3 and IL-10). Consistently, CCR5 was found to be mainly expressed on CD8(+) T lymphocytes, while CCR6 showed prevalence on Treg lymphocytes and the frequencies of CCR5(+)CD8(+) CTLs and CCR6(+) Treg cells were higher in TIL compared with PBMC. Respectively, CCL4 and CCL20 recruited CD8(+) and regulatory T cells in vitro. Importantly, high levels of CCL4 in the lesions of ESCC patients predicted prolonged survival. Furthermore, CCL4(high)/CCL20(low) group demonstrated better overall survival, whereas CCL4(low)/CCL20(low) and CCL4(low)/CCL20(high) groups showed the worst overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed that CCL4 and CCL20 recruit functionally different T lymphocyte subsets into oesophageal carcinoma, indicating CCL4 and CCL20 are potential predictors of ESCC patients' survival.

Multiple idiopathic cervical root resorption: a case report

AIM

To report a severe and rare case of multiple idiopathic cervical root resorption (MICRR) in an adult female.

SUMMARY

A healthy 27-year-old Chinese female, with no significant associated factors, presented with MICRR. Resorption progressed quickly and lesions varied in severity, involving 29 teeth and leading to the loss of 23 teeth over a period of only 3 years. The inner surface of the crown showed extensive areas with worm-eaten lacunar resorption, and the resorptive lesions had abundant lysosomes throughout their cytoplasm. Further, heavy deposits of reaction products were shown in variously sized lysosomes.

Clinical application of three-dimensional reconstruction and rapid prototyping technology of multislice spiral computed tomography angiography for the repair of ventricular septal defect of tetralogy of Fallot

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and rapid prototyping technology (RPT) of multislice spiral computed tomography angiography (CTA) was applied to prepare physical models of the heart and ventricular septal defects of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) patients in order to explore their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of this complex heart disease. CTA data of 35 ToF patients were collected to prepare l:l 3D solid models using digital 3D reconstruction and RPT, and the resultant models were used intraoperatively as reference. The operations of all 35 patients were completed under the guidance of the 3D solid model, without difficulty. Intraoperative findings of the patients were consistent with the morphological and size changes of the 3D solid model, and no significant differences were found between the patches obtained from the 3D solid model and the actual intraoperative measurements (t = 0.83, P = 0.412). 3D reconstruction and RPT of multislice spiral CTA can accurately and intuitively reflect the anatomy of ventricular septal defects in ToF patients, providing the foundation for a solid model of the complex congenital heart.

First Report of Dickeya solani Causing Soft Rot in Imported Bulbs of Hyacinthus orientalis in China

A bacterial pathogen, Dickeya solani, emerged as a major threat to potato (Solanum tuberosum) production in Europe in 2004 and has spread to many potato-growing regions via international trade. In December 2013, soft rot symptoms were observed in hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) bulbs imported from the Netherlands into China at Ningbo Port. Diseased bulbs gave off an offensive odor. The base and internal parts of diseased bulbs rotted, and the margins of diseased tissues showed brown discoloration. Isolation on nutrient agar glucose (NAG) medium resulted in dominating colonies of characteristic "fried egg" morphology (1). One colony was chosen for further investigation and tentatively named "isolate 6165-3." Under microscopic visualization after gram stain, the cells of isolate 6165-3 were gram-negative, motile, and rod shaped. The isolate was then identified as a member of genus Dickeya using the Biolog GN microplate. The 16S rRNA, recA, and dnaX sequences of isolate 6165-3 were subsequently determined and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers KM405240, KM405241, and KM405242, sharing 99% (16S rRNA), 100% (recA), and 100% (dnaX) nucleotide identity with those of known D. solani isolates, respectively. By this means, the isolate 6165-3 was identified as D. solani (1,2). To confirm the pathogenicity of the isolate, four plants each of 30-day-old hyacinth, 14-day-old potato, and 60-day-old moth orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis) were inoculated with suspensions of the isolate with a concentration of 10⁸ CFU/ml in sterile water by stabbing. Plants were incubated in a climate chamber at 28°C during the day and 24°C during the night with a relative humidity of 93% and a photoperiod of 12/12 h. Plants inoculated with sterile water were included as negative controls. After 2 or 3 days, typical symptoms such as water-soaked lesions and soft rot developed around the inoculation point, while the negative controls remained symptomless. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by re-isolating bacteria from lesions, which had identical sequence and morphology characters with the inoculated isolate. This is the first report of intercepted D. solani on hyacinth bulbs imported from the Netherlands into China, indicating that D. solani can spread via hyacinth. Further spread of the pathogen into potato production might lead to immeasurable economic consequences for China. References: (1) P. F. Sarris et al. New Dis. Rep. 24:21, 2011. (2) J. M. van der Wolf et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 64:768, 2014.

Self-seeding-based 10Gb/s over 25km optical OFDM transmissions utilizing face-to-face dual-RSOAs at gain saturation

Self-seeded passive optical networks (PONs) are currently attracting extensive research interest. In this paper, a novel self-seeded PON transmitter is, for the first time, proposed and experimentally demonstrated, which incorporates two face-to-face-positioned reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (RSOAs) operating at their gain saturation regions: one RSOA directly driven by an upstream electrical signal and the other RSOA biased at a fixed current. Detailed experimental explorations are undertaken of the dynamic performance characteristics of the proposed transmitter. It is shown that, in comparison with previously reported self-seeded transmitters each employing a reflective mirror and a single electrical signal-driven RSOA, the proposed transmitter has a number of salient advantages including, considerably narrowed optical signal spectra, up to 16dB reduction in RINs of intensity-modulated optical signals, and residual intensity modulation crosstalk suppression as high as 10.7dB. The aforementioned features enable experimental demonstrations of real-time self-seeded 10Gb/s optical OFDM (OOFDM) transmitters. In particular, by making use of two low-cost RSOAs having their 3-dB modulation bandwidths as small as 1.125GHz, 10Gb/s over 25km adaptive OOFDM transmissions with power penalties of 0.6dB are experimentally achieved in the simple self-seeded IMDD PON systems.

Biosorption of antimony(V) onto Fe(III)-treated aerobic granules

Iron precipitate was produced with 0.1M FeCl3 and bound with the amino or hydroxyl groups of the granules surface, accompanied with removal of Ca, Mg, K and Na from the biomass matrix. The Fe(III)-treated granules exhibited much higher adsorption capacity of antimony(V) than the untreated granules, peaked at pH 3.4 at a maximum capacity of 22.6 mg g(-1) of dry mass. The intraparticle diffusion and film diffusion resistances controlled the Sb(V) adsorption onto the Fe(III)-treated granules. Fe(III) treatment is a cost-effective and easy-to-implement process to modify the surface of aerobic granules to enhance their adsorption capacity to Sb(V).

Screening of radical-scavenging natural neuroprotective antioxidants from Swertia chirayita

To detect and identify natural antioxidants in Swertia chirayita with protective effect against cerebral infarction, a screening method, using column chromatography and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat, was developed. Seventeen compounds were purposefully separated and identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Ultraviolet Spectrum, and Mass Spectrometry. The purified compounds were further screened by radical scavenging activity and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Two compounds showed apparent radical scavenging activity and neuroprotective activity. The two compounds were identified as 1-hydroxy-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyxanthone and 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxy xanthone, and were preliminarily considered as primary natural neuroprotective antioxidants in Swertia chirayita. These two compounds (20 mg kg-1) markedly decreased infarct size to below 5%, and also caused a significant improvement of activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (92.90 ± 11.19 U ml-1), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (122.58 ± 12.31 μmol mg-1) and a decrease in the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) (3.98 ± 2.00 nmol ml-1) in serum. The two compounds showed strong capability for protective effects against cerebral damages induced by ischemia-reperfusion, and the protective effect may be related to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The use of the screening method based on tracing separation and ischemia reperfusion would provide a new way for detection of radical-scavenging and natural neuroprotective compounds from Swertia chirayita or complex matrices.

[Efficacy of lamivudine and adefovir de novo combination therapy or after mono-therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients]

To investigate the efficacy of 104 weeks of lamivudine (LAM) and adefovir (ADV) de novo combination therapy, as compared to optimized combination therapy administered after 48 weeks of treatment with lamivudine or adefovir mono-therapy, in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. A total of 174 patients with CHB were equally divided among three treatment groups: LAM mono-therapy; ADV mono-therapy; and LAM + ADV combination therapy. The patients in the LAM + ADV group were treated with LAM plus ADV for 104 consecutive weeks. The patients in the LAM or the ADV groups were first treated for 48 weeks with LAM or ADV, respectively, after which the patient's virological response was assessed. According to the results, the patient was continued on mono-therapy or switched to combination therapy for the subsequent 56 weeks. Virological and biochemical examinations were carried out at weeks 48 and 104. The rates of undetectable HBV DNA in the LAM mono-therapy, ADV mono-therapy, and LAM-ADV combination therapy groups at week 48 were 68%, 50%, and 84%, and at week 104 were 80%, 72%, and 95%, respectively. For the same groups, the virus breakthrough rates at week 48 were 15%, 0%, and 0%, and at week 104 were 18%, 2%, and 0%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed significant differences for the rate of undetectable HBV DNA between LAM + ADV group and LAM group at week 48 (x2 = 4.473, P= 0.034) and at week 104 (x2 = 5.795, P = 0.016), LAM + ADV group and ADM group at week 48 (x2 = 14.802, P less than 0.001) and week 104 (x2 = 5.547, P = 0.001). The hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion rates at week 48 were 15% (x2 = 4.543, P = 0.033), 13% (x2 = 4.035, P = 0.045) and 38%, and at week 104 were 21% (x2 = 4.438, P = 0.035), 17% (x2 = 4.223, P = 0.04) and 44%, respectively, among patients positive for HBeAg. Statistical analysis showed that the differences among the three groups for each of these parameters were statistically significant (all, P less than 0.05). When compared with LAM or ADV mono-therapy followed by LAM+ADV at week 48, the LAM plus ADV de novo combination therapy for 104 weeks provided CHB patients with better virological and serological responses and a lower drug resistance rate.

Retrieving quasi-phase-matching structure with discrete layer-peeling method

An approach to reconstruct a quasi-phase-matching grating by using a discrete layer-peeling algorithm is presented. Experimentally measured output spectra of Šolc-type filters, based on uniform and chirped QPM structures, are used in the discrete layer-peeling algorithm. The reconstructed QPM structures are in agreement with the exact structures used in the experiment and the method is verified to be accurate and efficient in quality inspection on quasi-phase-matching grating.

Meta-analysis: the use of carbon dioxide insufflation vs. room air insufflation for gastrointestinal endoscopy

BACKGROUND

Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) insufflation has been proposed as an alternative to air insufflation to distend the lumen in gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy.

AIM

To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which CO(2) insufflation was compared with room air insufflation in GI endoscopy.

METHODS

Electronic and manual searches were combined to search RCTs. After methodological quality assessment and data extraction, the efficacy and safety of CO(2) insufflation were systematically assessed.

RESULTS

Twenty-one RCTs [13 on colonoscopy, four on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), two on double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE), one on oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, and one on flexible sigmoidoscopy] were identified. For colonoscopy, CO(2) insufflation resulted lower postprocedural pain intensity, and increased the proportion of patient without pain at 1 h (RR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.37-2.47) and 6 h (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.14-1.44) postprocedure. For ERCP, the pain-releasing effect of CO(2) insufflation was not obvious (SMD: -1.48, 95% CI: -3.56, 0.59). CO(2) insufflation revealed no consistent advantages in the RCTs of DBE, but was shown as safe as air insufflation in oesophagus/stomach endoscopic submucosal dissection in one study. pCO(2) level showed no significant variation during these procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with air insufflation, CO(2) insufflation during colonoscopy causes lower postprocedural pain and bowel distension without significant pCO(2) variation. More RCTs are needed to assess its advantages in other GI endoscopic procedures.

[Prevalence and clinical characteristics of thyroid disease induced by chronic hepatitis B treated with polyethylene glycol (peg) interferon-alpha]

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence and clinical characteristics of thyroid disease induced by chronic hepatitis B treated with polyethylene glycol (peg) interferon-alpha.

METHODS

Totally 210 patients with chronic hepatitis B were monitored for thyroid function and thyroid antibodies before application of polyethylene glycol (peg) interferon-alpha therapy and every 3 months during and after the treatment.

RESULTS

After treatment with polyethylene glycol (peg) interferon-alpha, 6.7% (14/210) of patients had thyroid disease, in which 5.2% (11/210) had hyperthyroidism and 1.4% (3/210) had hypothyroidism. The proportion of the hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in women were 11.8% (6/51) and 3.9% (2/51), higher than 3.1% (5/159) and 0.6% (1/159) in male (P < 0.05). In women subjects, higher proportion of those who developed thyroid disease were positive for antibody against thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) before treatment and positive for antibody against thyroid globulin (TgAb) during the treatment as compared with those who did not develop thyroid disease (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with polyethylene glycol (peg) interferon-alpha therapy are prone to develop thyroid disease. Women positive for TPOAb and TgAb may be at increased risk for developing thyroid disease.

Multiple variants of TERT and CLPTM1L constitute risk factors for lung adenocarcinoma

Recent studies have shown that 5p15.33 is one of the chromosomal regions that is most consistently altered in lung cancer; common variants that are located in this region have been genotyped in various populations. However, the genetic contribution of these variants to carcinogenesis is relatively unknown. A clinic-based case-control study in Shanghai was undertaken on 196 patients with lung cancer and 229 healthy individuals. TERT rs2736100 and CLPTM1L rs401681 and rs402710 were genotyped using the ABI TaqMan Allelic Discrimination assay. For rs2736100, the G variant and the GG genotype were more frequent, whereas the TT genotype was less frequent in patients with lung adenocarcinoma than in controls. The CT genotype at rs401681 was more common and the TT genotype was rare in patients, and the differences were significant between lung adenocarcinoma patients and controls. This was also true for rs402710. Moreover, the frequency of the GGCTCT haplotype was higher and the TTTTTT frequency was lower in patients, especially those with lung adenocarcinoma. Aberrant linkage disequilibrium among the three SNPs was found in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. We conclude that multiple variants at 5p15.33 contribute to susceptibility to lung adenocarcinoma.