Femtosecond all-optical synchronization of an X-ray free-electron laser

Many advanced applications of X-ray free-electron lasers require pulse durations and time resolutions of only a few femtoseconds. To generate these pulses and to apply them in time-resolved experiments, synchronization techniques that can simultaneously lock all independent components, including all accelerator modules and all external optical lasers, to better than the delivered free-electron laser pulse duration, are needed. Here we achieve all-optical synchronization at the soft X-ray free-electron laser FLASH and demonstrate facility-wide timing to better than 30 fs r.m.s. for 90 fs X-ray photon pulses. Crucially, our analysis indicates that the performance of this optical synchronization is limited primarily by the free-electron laser pulse duration, and should naturally scale to the sub-10 femtosecond level with shorter X-ray pulses.

Few-femtosecond synchronization at free-electron lasers is key for nearly all experimental applications, stable operation and future light source development. Here, Schulz et al. demonstrate all-optical synchronization of the soft X-ray FEL FLASH to better than 30 fs and illustrate a pathway to sub-10 fs.

Promoter hypomethylation and increased maspin expression in preeclamptic placentas in a Chinese population

OBJECTIVE

Preeclampsia is thought to begin with shallow trophoblast invasion and inadequate spiral artery remodeling. Maspin, a tumor-suppressor gene, plays a regulatory role in trophoblast invasion and motility. The tissue-specific methylation of the maspin promoter can regulate maspin gene expression in various cancers. We sought to detect maspin gene expression and assess the degrees of methylation of maspin promoter regions in preeclamptic placentas in the Han Chinese population and to investigate the potential role of maspin in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.

METHODS

We conducted RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting to characterize maspin gene expression and protein levels in the placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Finally, using methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing PCR, we detected the degrees of methylation of the promoter regions of maspin in each of the two studied groups.

RESULTS

Maspin expression was increased at the mRNA and protein levels in the preeclamptic placentas compared to the control group. Maspin immunohistochemical staining revealed positive staining in the syncytio-cytotrophoblast layers and more diffuse staining in the preeclamptic group. The mean methylation level of the analyzed promoter region was significantly hypomethylated in the preeclamptic placentas compared to the control placentas, pointing to a negative relationship between maspin promoter methylation and gene expression.

DISCUSSION

Hypomethylation of the maspin promoter results in increased expression of maspin in preeclamptic placentas, which suggests a negative relationship between maspin methylation and maspin expression in this Han Chinese population. Thus, maspin is likely involved in the etiology of preeclampsia.

Identification of biological targets of therapeutic intervention for diabetic nephropathy with bioinformatics approach

We aimed to discover the potential microRNA (miRNA) targets for diabetic nephropathy (DN) treatment. The microarray data of GSE1009 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between DN patients and normal individuals were analyzed using limma package. The significant miRNAs targeting DEGs were collected based on Web-based Gene Set Enrichment Analysis Toolkit (WebGestalt) system. Then we predicted the protein-protein interaction (PPI) pairs regulated by significant miRNAs and constructed the PPI pairs-miRNA network using Cytoscape software. Besides, the significant function modules were explored using Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) and Biological Networks Gene Ontology (BiNGO) plugin. Total 752 DEGs were obtained, including 318 down-regulated ones and 434 up-regulated ones. There were 10 significant miRNAs, among which miRNA-25 was the most significant. The PPI pairs-miRNA network was established with 103 PPI pairs and 10 miRNAs. Three function modules were obtained, including module A involved with miRNA-29, module B with miRNA-106 and module C with miRNA-124A and miRNA-21B. MiRNA-25, 29, 124 and 21 play key roles in DN progression and these miRNAs may be potential targets for DN treatment.

[Dynamic distribution of the avian infectious bronchitis virus isolate strain Jin-13 in SPF chickens]

This study aimed to understand the dynamic distribution of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) Jin-13 strain in SPF chickens. Ninety-day-old SPF chickens were inoculated with Jin-13, a virulent strain, and dissected at day 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28 or 35 post-inoculation (dpi). Samples of heart, liver, spleen, lung, trachea, kidney and duodenum were collected and the N gene was detected by Sybr Green I real-time quantitative RT-PCR assays. The established method had a good linear correlation from 7.77 x 10(8) to 10(0) copies/microL. SPF chickens developed typical clinical signs of IBV at the 4th dpi, and the IBV viral concentration of tissues and organs gradually increased with a peak of up to 7.13 x 10(4) copies/microL. The viral concentration of most organs decreased by the 10th dpi, but those of the kidney, trachea and lung remained positive for IBV at 28 dpi and the heart was still positive for IBV at > 35 dpi. The results of this study, showed that the Jin-13 strain can cause prolonged virus excertion in chickens with severe renal damage.

[Efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia patients]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.

METHODS

There were total 655 cases of chronic myeloid leukemia treated in one single-institution enrolled in this study. The dosage of TKI Imatinib was 400 mg/d for chronic phase, 600 mg/d for accelerated and blast phase respectively. Complete blood count, cytogenetic and molecular studies were regularly monitored during the course of therapy. The therapeutic effect was evaluated and the survival analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The total complete hematologic response (CHR), major cytogenetic response (MCyR), complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) and major molecular response (MMR) rates were 92.1%, 75.8%, 73.1% and 47.9% respectively. 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were (96.3 +/- 0.8)%, (86.3 +/-1.8)%, (79.0 +/- 2.4)% and (66.5 +/- 4.8)% respectively. 1 year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were (92.2 +/- 1.1)%, (77.9 +/- 2.1)%, (67.9 +/- 6.8)% and (35.8 +/- 6.0)% respectively. The proportion of the patients in chronic phase achieving CHR, MCyR, CCyR and MMR were 98.7%, 82.5%, 79.4% and 52.4% respectivly. Compared with chronic phase patients, the efficacy of IM in the treatment of accelerated phase and blast phase patients was significantly lower. The effect of TKI in early chronic phase was better than that in late chronic phase. Early molecular response was associated with a better 5-year EFS, but not OS.

CONCLUSION

CML patients in chronic phase treated with TKI have a better outcome. The earlier TKI be used, the better the prognosis and efficacy be achieved.

First Report of Nigrospora Leaf Blight on Sesame Caused by Nigrospora sphaerica in China

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oilseed crop widely grown in the central regions of China. A new leaf blight has increasingly been observed in sesame fields in Anhui, Hubei, and Henan provinces since 2010. Approximately 30 to 40% of the plants were symptomatic in the affected fields. Initial symptoms were yellow to brown, irregularly shaped lesions. Lesions later expanded and the affected leaves tuned grayish to dark brown and wilted, with a layer of whitish mycelial growth on the underside. Severe blighting caused the center of lesions to fall out, leaving holes in the leaves. Sections of symptomatic leaf tissues were surface-sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s, then in 1% HgCl₂ for 30 s, rinsed three times in sterile distilled water, and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). The resulting fungal colonies were initially white, and then became grayish-brown with sporulation. Conidia were single-celled, black, smooth, spherical, 14.2 to 19.8 μm (average 17.1 μm) in diameter, and borne on a hyaline vesicle at the tip of each conidiophore. Morphological characteristics of the isolates were similar to those of Nigrospora sphaerica (1). To verify the identification based on morphological features, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the ribosomal RNA was amplified using ITS1 (5'-TCCGTAGGTGAACCTGCGG-3') and ITS4 (5'-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3') primers (3), and then sequenced and compared to the GenBank database through a BLAST search. Comparison of the sequence revealed 100% similarity to N. sphaerica (GenBank Accession No. JF817271.1). On the basis of morphological data and the ITS rDNA sequence, the isolate was determined to be N. sphaerica. Pathogenicity tests were conducted using fresh and healthy sesame leaves of 10 plants. A conidial suspension (10⁶ conidia/ml) collected from a 7-day-old culture on PDA was used for inoculation. Leaves of 10 plants were spray-inoculated with the spore suspension at the 6-week-old growth stage, and an additional 10 plants were sprayed with sterile water. Inoculated plants were covered with polyethylene bags to maintain high humidity. Plants were kept at 28°C and observed for symptom every day. Ten to 15 days after inoculation, inoculated leaves developed blight symptoms similar to those observed on naturally infected leaves. No symptoms were observed on the control leaves. N. sphaerica was re-isolated from the inoculated leaves, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. N. sphaerica has been reported as a leaf pathogen on several hosts worldwide (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Nigrospora leaf blight on sesame caused by N. sphaerica in China. References: (1) M. B. Ellis. Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. CMI, Kew, Surrey, UK, 1971. (2) D. F. Farr and A. Y. Rossman. Fungal Databases, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA. Retrieved from http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/ . July 01, 2013. (3) M. A. Innis et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990.

Organohalogen contamination in passerine birds from three metropolises in China: geographical variation and its implication for anthropogenic effects on urban environments

Contamination of organohalogen pollutants (OHPs), including dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in three metropolises of China, Beijing, Wuhan, and Guangzhou, and a reference rural site were determined using terrestrial residential passerine species as bioindicator. DDTs dominated in Wuhan whereas flame retardants dominated in Guangzhou and Beijing. No geographical variation was found for PCB levels but it exhibited different homologue profiles among different sites which could be attributed to different dietary sources of birds. Industry characteristics of the sampling location contributed to the geographical differences in the occurrence and contamination profile of OHPs. The transformation of traditional agriculture characterized contamination profiles to industry characterized profiles in Beijing and Guangzhou implicates significantly environmental concern on the flame retardants contamination in non-hot-spot regions of China.

Trophic dynamics of hexabromocyclododecane diastereomers and enantiomers in fish in a laboratory feeding study

The laboratory trophic transfer of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) was studied using predatory (oscar) fish and a prey species (tiger barb) exposed to a technical HBCD. Gut absorption, dynamic changes of diastereomer pattern and enantiomer fractions, and potential metabolism of HBCDs were examined. Compared with β- or γ-HBCD, α-HBCD showed lower absorption efficiency in the gut of oscar fish. A predominance of γ-HBCD was observed in the tiger barb after 5 d HBCD-exposed and oscar feeding on the tiger barb for 16 d. After 20 d of depuration, 41.1% γ-HBCD and 42.7% β-HBCD disappeared, and α-HBCD exceeded the initial amount. The transformation from γ-HBCD predominance in the food to α-HBCD predominance in the oscar was attributed mainly to the isomerization of γ-HBCD (at least 3% and up to 22.7%) to α-HBCD. Selective enrichment of the (+) α- and (-) β-enantiomers and no enantioselective enrichment of γ-HBCD were observed in the tiger barbs. No enantioselective uptake of the 3 diasteromers was found in the oscar gut. The enantiomer fractions of α- and γ-diastereomers were significantly higher, but that of β-diastereomer were significantly lower in the oscars than in the tiger barbs, indicating enantioselective metabolism of the 3 diastereomers. Two HBCD monohydroxylated metabolites were detected in the 2 fish species, but their composition patterns differed, indicating a species-specific metabolism of HBCD in the studied fish species.

Trophic dynamics of hexabromocyclododecane diastereomers and enantiomers in fish in a laboratory feeding study

The laboratory trophic transfer of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) was studied using predatory (oscar) fish and a prey species (tiger barb) exposed to a technical HBCD. Gut absorption, dynamic changes of diastereomer pattern and enantiomer fractions, and potential metabolism of HBCDs were examined. Compared with β- or γ-HBCD, α-HBCD showed lower absorption efficiency in the gut of oscar fish. A predominance of γ-HBCD was observed in the tiger barb after 5 d HBCD-exposed and oscar feeding on the tiger barb for 16 d. After 20 d of depuration, 41.1% γ-HBCD and 42.7% β-HBCD disappeared, and α-HBCD exceeded the initial amount. The transformation from γ-HBCD predominance in the food to α-HBCD predominance in the oscar was attributed mainly to the isomerization of γ-HBCD (at least 3% and up to 22.7%) to α-HBCD. Selective enrichment of the (+) α- and (-) β-enantiomers and no enantioselective enrichment of γ-HBCD were observed in the tiger barbs. No enantioselective uptake of the 3 diasteromers was found in the oscar gut. The enantiomer fractions of α- and γ-diastereomers were significantly higher, but that of β-diastereomer were significantly lower in the oscars than in the tiger barbs, indicating enantioselective metabolism of the 3 diastereomers. Two HBCD monohydroxylated metabolites were detected in the 2 fish species, but their composition patterns differed, indicating a species-specific metabolism of HBCD in the studied fish species.

Autoantibody detection to tumor-associated antigens of P53, IMP1, P16, cyclin B1, P62, C-myc, Survivn, and Koc for the screening of high-risk subjects and early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic values by detecting sera autoantibodies to eight tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) of P53, IMP1, P16, cyclin B1, P62, C-myc, Survivn and Koc full-length recombinant proteins for the screening of high-risk subjects and early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect autoantibodies against the eight selected TAAs in 567 sera samples from four groups, including 200 individuals with normal esophageal epithelia (NOR), 214 patients with esophageal basal cell hyperplasia (BCH), 65 patients with esophageal dysplasia (DYS), and 88 patients with ESCC. In addition, the expression of the eight antigens in esophageal tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Statistically significant distribution differences were identified among the four groups for each of the individual autoantibodies to six TAAs (P53, IMP1, P16, cyclin B1, P62, and C-myc); the detection rates of antoantibodies were positively correlated with the progression of ESCC. When autoantibody assay successively accumulated to six TAAs (P53, IMP1, P16, cyclin B1, P62, and C-myc), a stepwise increased detection frequency of autoantibodies was found in the four sera groups (6% in NOR, 18% in BCH, 38% in DYS, and 64% in ESCC, respectively), the risks to BHC, DYS, and ESCC steadily increased about 3-, 9-, and 27-folds. The sensitivity and the specificity for autoantibodies against the six TAAs in diagnosing ESCC reached up to 64% and 94%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the six anti-TAA autoantibodies was 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.74-0.83). No more increasing in sensitivity was found with the addition of new anti-TAA autoantibodies. A combination detection of autoantibodies to TAAs might distinguish ESCC patients from normal individuals and the patients with esophageal precancerous lesions.

III-V quantum light source and cavity-QED on silicon

Non-classical light sources offer a myriad of possibilities in both fundamental science and commercial applications. Single photons are the most robust carriers of quantum information and can be exploited for linear optics quantum information processing. Scale-up requires miniaturisation of the waveguide circuit and multiple single photon sources. Silicon photonics, driven by the incentive of optical interconnects is a highly promising platform for the passive optical components, but integrated light sources are limited by silicon's indirect band-gap. III–V semiconductor quantum-dots, on the other hand, are proven quantum emitters. Here we demonstrate single-photon emission from quantum-dots coupled to photonic crystal nanocavities fabricated from III–V material grown directly on silicon substrates. The high quality of the III–V material and photonic structures is emphasized by observation of the strong-coupling regime. This work opens-up the advantages of silicon photonics to the integration and scale-up of solid-state quantum optical systems.

Soil moisture effect on bacterial and fungal community in Beilu River (Tibetan Plateau) permafrost soils with different vegetation types

AIM

This study investigated the effects of environmental variables on the bacterial and fungal communities of the Beilu River (on the Tibetan Plateau) permafrost soils with different vegetation types.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Microbial communities were sampled from meadow, steppe and desert steppe permafrost soils during May, June, August and November, and they were analysed by both pyrosequencing and the use of Biolog EcoPlates. The dominant bacterial and fungal phyla in meadow and steppe soils were Proteobacteria and Ascomycota, whereas Actinobacteria and Basidiomycota predominated in desert steppe soils. The bacterial communities in meadow soils degraded amines and amino acids very rapidly, while polymers were degraded rapidly by steppe communities. The RDA patterns showed that the microbial communities differed greatly between meadow, steppe and desert steppe, and they were related to variations in the soil moisture, C/N ratio and pH. A UniFrac analysis detected clear differences between the desert steppe bacterial community and others, and seasonal shifts were observed. The fungal UniFrac patterns differed significantly between meadow and steppe soils. There were significant correlations between the bacterial diversity (H') and soil moisture (r = 0.506) and C/N (r = 0.527). The fungal diversity (Hf') was significantly correlated with the soil pH (r = 0.541).

CONCLUSION

The soil moisture, C/N ratio and pH were important determinants of the microbial community structure in Beilu River permafrost soils.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These results may provide a useful baseline for predicting the variation in microbial communities in response to climate changes.

Localisation and role of activin receptor-interacting protein 1 in mouse brain

Activin A, a stimulator of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion from the pituitary, acts as a neurotrophic and neuroprotective factor in the central nervous system. Activin receptor-interacting protein 1 (ARIP1) has been identified as a cytoplasmic protein that interacts with the type II receptor of activin (ActRII). However, the distribution pattern and function of ARIP1 are not well characterised in the brain. In the present study, we confirmed the existence of mRNA and protein of ARIP1 in the mouse brain, and found that ARIP1 was mainly localised at the hippocampus and hypothalamus in the cerebrum, granular layers in the cerebellum (especially in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum) and choroid epithelial cells by immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, in contrast to the significant increase of activin A mRNA, ARIP1 mRNA and protein expression decreased in the mechanically lesioned brain of the mouse. Using neuroblastoma-derived Neuro-2a cells to investigate the function of ARIP1, we found that overexpression of ARIP1 down-regulated the activin A-induced signal transduction and significantly decreased the voltage-gated Na(+) current (I(Na) ). These data indicate that ARIP1 is a key molecule for the regulation of the action of activin in neurones, and also that decreased ARIP1 expression in the lesioned brain may be beneficial to the neurotrophic and neuroprotective roles of activin A in recovery after brain injury.

Expression of heat shock protein 27 in gut tissue of growing pigs fed diets without and with inclusion of chicory fiber

The physiological expression of cytoprotective heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in the gut was investigated in eighteen 7-wk-old pigs fed one of 3 fiber-rich diets for 18 d. The diets were a cereal-based control diet and a cereal-based diet with inclusion of either 80 g/kg chicory forage (CF80) or chicory root (CR80). Immunohistochemical staining showed that Hsp27 was expressed in all the samples from ileum and colon. The expression was most intensive in the apical intestinal epitheliums in close contact with luminal contents and lighter in crypt cells. The ileal Peyer's patches showed a strong expression of Hsp27, which was highly correlated with Hsp27 expression in the ileal epithelial cells (P = 0.003). The frequency of ileal Hsp27 expression with the most intensive staining was distributed higher in pigs fed chicory forage diet (CF80, 25%) followed by chicory root diet (CR80, 16.7%) and the control (11.1%). In proximal colon, the frequency of expression showed a similar pattern for the different diets. The intestinal microbiota profile was characterized with the intention to find correlations to heat shock protein (Hsp) expression in pig gastrointestinal (GI) tract and showed that the distal ileum and proximal colon encompass its own unique microbial profile. However, no significant relationship was found between gut microbiota diversity and Hsp27 expression. These indicate that Hsp27 expression in the porcine gut could be associated with specific dietary fiber components but not the overall microbiota diversity.

[Performance analysis and radiometric correction of novel molecular hyperspectral imaging system]

Integrating molecular imaging technology and hyperspectral technology, a novel molecular hyperspectral imaging (MHSI) system based on AOTF was presented. The system consists of microscope, spectrometer, matrix CCD, image collection card and computer. The system's performance was synthetically evaluated referring every part's performance. The spectral range of the MHSI system is from 550 to 1 000 nm. Two hundred twenty five bands can be continuously captured at a time. The spectral resolution is less than 2 nm. The spatial resolution is about 0.061 5 microm. CCD acquisition speed achieved 2.612 5 s x B(-1) in the integration mode and about 0.11 micros x B(-1) in the non-integration mode. Due to the infection of lamp, a spectral curve extracted directly from the original hyperspectral data can not truly present biochemical character and needs to be corrected. The paper proposes the gray correction coefficient algorithm with spatial dimension and spectral dimension, and gives concrete realization of the algorithm. Taking the sample of leukemia blood, by comparing the single-band images, pseudo-color images and spectra before and after correction, the results indicate the effectiveness of correction algorithm. The corrected data is effective for subsequent analysis.

Effect of a GaAsP shell on the optical properties of self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires grown on silicon

We realize the growth of self-catalyzed core-shell GaAs/GaAsP nanowires (NWs) on Si substrates using molecular-beam epitaxy. Transmission electron microscopy of single GaAs/GaAsP NWs demonstrates their high crystal quality and shows domination of the GaAs zinc-blende phase. Using continuous-wave and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL), we make a detailed comparison with uncapped GaAs NWs to emphasize the effect of the GaAsP capping in suppressing the nonradiative surface states. Significant PL enhancement in the core-shell structures exceeding 3 orders of magnitude at 10 K is observed; in uncapped NWs PL is quenched at 60 K, whereas single core-shell GaAs/GaAsP structures exhibit bright emission even at room temperature. From analysis of the PL temperature dependence in both types of NW we are able to determine the main carrier escape mechanisms leading to the PL quench.

Impact of chicory inclusion in a cereal-based diet on digestibility, organ size and faecal microbiota in growing pigs

A total of 30 7-week-old pigs were used to evaluate the effects of chicory inclusion on digestibility, digestive organ size and faecal microbiota. Five diets were formulated: a cereal-based control diet and four diets with inclusion of 80 and 160 g/kg chicory forage (CF80 and CF160), 80 g/kg chicory root (CR80) and a mix of 80 g/kg forage and 80 g/kg chicory root (CFR). Generally, the pigs showed a high growth rate and feed intake, and no differences between the different diets were observed. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of energy, organic matter and CP did not differ between the control and CF80, whereas they were impaired in diet CF160. The CTTAD of non-starch polysaccharides and especially the uronic acids were higher (P < 0.05) with chicory inclusion, with highest (P < 0.05) values for diet CF160. Coliform counts were lower and lactobacilli : coliform ratio was higher (P < 0.05) in diet CFR than in the control. Global microbial composition was investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with cloning and sequencing. Analysis of gut microbiota pattern revealed two major clusters where diet CF160 differed from the control and CR80 diet. Chicory forage diets were correlated with an increased relative abundance of one species related to Prevotella and decreased abundance of two other species related to Prevotella. For diet CFR, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii was higher than in the other diets. This study shows that both chicory forage and root can be used as fibre sources in pig nutrition and that they modulate the composition of the gut microbiota differently.

Peripheral blood mRNA expression patterns to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma from other hepatic diseases

Peripheral blood genes expressions profiling (GeXP) have been convinced to be more specific for the diagnosis of cancer and other diseases, and the GeXP system provides an ideal method to analyze multiple genes expression in one normalized and equable system. We aim to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma from other hepatic diseases based on peripheral blood and the GeXP system. Fifteen selected hepatic diseases related genes with two house-keeping genes for normalization were detected by the GeXP system. The diagnosis model was based on K nearest neighbor classifier and cross validation, and software based on MATLAB software was built for differential diagnosis of hepatic diseases. Eight hepatic related genes were demonstrated to show an obvious statistic difference in expressions while the K nearest neighbors classifier showed that the accuracy for normal controls, hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and the Other group was separately 80.57 %, 78.17 %, 84.48 %, 73.24 % and 85.85 %. The set of validation has been carried out to assess the accuracy of Model Two and the accuracy was even higher than the set of building for the model, except for the hepatitis B (HBV) group. A sensitive and specific GeXP system of eight genes has been developed for the accurate differential diagnosis of hepatic disease.

Integrated multiple population analysis of leaf architecture traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

Leaf morphology in maize is regulated by developmental patterning along three axes: proximodistal, mediolateral, and adaxial-abaxial. Maize contains homologues of many genes identified as regulators of leaf development in other species, but their relationship to the natural variation of leaf shape remains unknown. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf angle, leaf orientation value, leaf length, and leaf width were mapped by a total of 256 F(2:3) families evaluated in three environments. Meta-analysis was used to integrate genetic maps and detect QTLs across several independent QTL studies, on the basis of the previously reported experimental results for leaf architecture traits. Candidate gene sequences for leaf architecture were mapped in the integrated consensus genetic map. In total, 21 QTLs and 17 meta-QTLs (mQTLs) were detected. Among these QTLs, qLA1-1 and qLA2 were consistently detected in five and three populations respectively, and six of seven QTLs with contributions (R(2)) >10% were integrated in mQTLs. Six key mQTLs (mQTL1-1, mQTL2-1, mQTL3-3, mQTL5-1, mQTL7-2, and mQTL8-1) with R(2) of some initial QTLs >10% included 4-6 initial QTLs associated with 2-4 traits. Therefore, the chromosome regions for six mQTLs with high QTL co-localization might be hot spots of the important QTLs for the associated traits. Fifteen key candidate genes controlling leaf architecture traits coincided with 11 corresponding mQTLs, namely DWARF4, KAN3, liguleless1, TAC1, ROT3, AS2/liguleless2, PFL2, yabby9/SE/LIC/yabby15, mwp1, CYCD3;2, and CYCB1. In particular, DWARF4, liguleless1, AS2/liguleless2, yabby9/SE/LIC/yabby15, and CYCD3;2 were mapped within the important mQTL1-1, mQTL2-1, mQTL3-3, mQTL5-1, and mQTL7-2 intervals, respectively. Fine mapping or construction of single chromosome segment lines for genetic regions of these five mQTLs is worth further study and could be put to use in marker-assisted breeding. In conclusion, the results provide useful information for further research and help to reveal the molecular mechanisms with regard to leaf architecture traits.

Peripheral blood mRNA expression patterns to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma from other hepatic diseases

Peripheral blood genes expressions profiling (GeXP) have been convinced to be more specific for the diagnosis of cancer and other diseases, and the GeXP system provides an ideal method to analyze multiple genes expression in one normalized and equable system. We aim to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma from other hepatic diseases based on peripheral blood and the GeXP system. Fifteen selected hepatic diseases related genes with two house-keeping genes for normalization were detected by the GeXP system. The diagnosis model was based on K nearest neighbor classifier and cross validation, and software based on MATLAB software was built for differential diagnosis of hepatic diseases. Eight hepatic related genes were demonstrated to show an obvious statistic difference in expressions while the K nearest neighbors classifier showed that the accuracy for normal controls, hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and the Other group was separately 80.57 %, 78.17 %, 84.48 %, 73.24 % and 85.85 %. The set of validation has been carried out to assess the accuracy of Model Two and the accuracy was even higher than the set of building for the model, except for the hepatitis B (HBV) group. A sensitive and specific GeXP system of eight genes has been developed for the accurate differential diagnosis of hepatic disease.

Clocking the melting transition of charge and lattice order in 1T-TaS2 with ultrafast extreme-ultraviolet angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We use time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with sub-30-fs extreme-ultraviolet pulses to map the time- and momentum-dependent electronic structure of photoexcited 1T-TaS(2). This compound is a two-dimensional Mott insulator with charge-density wave ordering. Charge order, evidenced by splitting between occupied subbands at the Brillouin zone boundary, melts well before the lattice responds. This challenges the view of a charge-density wave caused by electron-phonon coupling and Fermi-surface nesting alone, and suggests that electronic correlations play a key role in driving charge order.

[Molecular hyperspectral imaging (MHSI) system and application in biochemical medicine]

A novel molecular hyperspectral imaging (MHSI) system based on AOTF (acousto-optic tunable filters) was presented. The system consists of microscope, AOTF-based spectrometer, matrix CCD, image collection card and computer. The spectral range of the MHSI is from 550 to 1 000 nm. The spectral resolution is less than 2 nm, and the spatial resolution is about 0.3 microm. This paper has also presented that spectral curves extracted from the corrected hyperspectral data of the sample, which have been preprocessed by the gray correction coefficient, can more truly represent biochemical characteristic of the sample. The system can supply not only single band images in the visible range, but also spectrum curve of random pixel of sample image. This system can be widely used in various fields of biomedicine, clinical medicine, material science and microelectronics.

Research on the reactivation of Syk expression caused by the inhibition of DNA promoter methylation in the lung cancer

The aim of this study was to study the expression of Syk gene and methylation in its promoter region in the lung cancer and to investigate the relationship between silencing of the Syk gene and DNA methylation of the Syk promoter region in lung cancer cell lines. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to examine the Syk expression in specimens from 3 lung cancer cell lines and 16 lung cancer patients (tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues). MSP was used to analyze the methylation status of the Syk promoter region. We also investigated the role of restoring Syk expression by using a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-aza-CdR, in suppressing invasion of lung cancer cell lines. No expression of the Syk gene was detected in the 3 lung cancer cell lines. In the 16 lung cancer patient samples, Syk expression was significantly lower in the tumor tissues than that in their adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). Consistently, immunohistochemistry analysis of Syk protein expression showed that in the lung cancer tissues Syk protein expression was also significantly lower than that in their adjacent normal tissues. In the two lung cancer cell lines (NL9980, YTMLC-9) that lack the endogenous Syk expression, 4uM demethylation agent 5-aza-CdR treatment was able to reactivate the Syk gene expression, but not NCI-H446. In conclusion, hypermethylation leads to silencing of the Syk gene in human lung carcinoma cell lines. Methylation of the Syk promoter and loss of Syk expression in lung cancer cell lines are independent biomarkers. Syk may be a potential tumor suppressor in human lung cancer.

Growth performance, digestibility, and gut development of broiler chickens on diets with inclusion of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

A total of 256 broiler chickens (1 d old) were used in a 32-d growth trial to study the effects of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) forage and root inclusion on growth performance, digestibility, and gut development. The chicory forage originated from 2 harvests (June and September) and was included at 60 and 120 g/kg. The chicory root was included alone at 60 g/kg or together with chicory forage, from both harvests, in equal amounts (60 g/kg). The cereal-based control diet and 7 experimental diets were fed to each of 4 pens of chickens (8 chickens/pen). A higher BW gain and lower feed conversion ratio were found at 13 d of age in chickens fed the 60 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05), whereas performance did not differ between the control and 60 g/kg chicory root diets. In contrast, a lower performance and digestibility of DM, organic matter, and AME as well as a thinner cecal mucosa layer were found for the 120 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05). No diet effects on organ parameters or on pH of cecum digesta were detected. The soluble nonstarch polysaccharides fractions of chicory forage did not have any major negative effects on performance and gut development, and chicory forage from the September harvest was seen to have a higher nutritional value than that from the June harvest. Thus, results from the current study suggest that chicory forage is a potentially useful fiber-rich feed ingredient with high palatability for broiler chickens.

Bioaccumulation of several brominated flame retardants and dechlorane plus in waterbirds from an e-waste recycling region in South China: associated with trophic level and diet sources

The present study is primarily designed to examine the role played by dietary sources on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) congener profiles in waterbirds collected in an e-waste recycling region in South China. Some emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), such as dechlorane plus (DP), 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromoethyl benzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), were also quantified. Stable isotopes (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) were analyzed to assess the trophic levels and dietary sources of the birds. PBDEs were found to be the predominant HFRs, followed by DP, PBT, PBEB, and BTBPE. The birds in which BDE209 was predominant have differential δ(13)C and δ(15)N signatures compared with other birds, suggesting that dietary source is one of the important factors in determining the PBDE congener profile in birds. The levels of ΣPBDEs, PBEB, and PBT were significantly correlated with the trophic level (δ(15)N) for avian species which are located in a food chain, indicating the biomagnification potential of these compounds. No correlation was found between DP concentrations and trophic level of the birds. There is a significantly negative correlation between the fraction of anti-DP and δ(15)N, suggesting that the metabolic capability of DP in birds increases with the trophic level of the birds.

Effects of tripeptides and lactogenic hormones on oligopeptide transporter 2 in bovine mammary gland

This study was conducted to investigate the expression of oligopeptide transporter 2 (PepT2) and its potential function in bovine mammary gland. First, the PepT2 mRNA and protein were determined in cultured mammary epithelial cells. Then the effects of lactogenic hormones (prolactin, hydrocortisone or insulin) and substrate (threonyl-phenylalanyl-phenylalanine) on PepT2 were investigated. The PepT2 mRNA and protein were successfully detected in bovine mammary epithelial cells. PepT2 gene expression was enhanced by the addition of 50, 500 and 5000 ng/ml prolactin, 10 and 100 ng/ml hydrocortisone, and 50, 500, 5000 and 50,000 ng/ml insulin. PepT2 mRNA abundance was increased when 5, 10 and 15% of threonyl-phenylalanyl-phenylalanine was included. Responses of PepT2 to lactogenic hormones and oligopeptide inferred that it may play an important role in bovine mammary gland.

Effects of dietary supplementation of methionine and lysine on milk production and nitrogen utilization in dairy cows

The effect of the content of lysine and methionine in metabolizable protein (MP) on lactation performance and N utilization in Chinese Holstein cows was determined. A control diet (C) was formulated to be adequate in energy but slightly limiting in MP. The concentration of Met and Lys in MP was 1.87 and 5.93%, respectively. The treatments were as follows (% of Met or Lys in MP): L=diet C supplemented with L-lysine-HCl at 0.49% on a dry matter (DM) basis (Met, 1.87; Lys, 7.00); M=diet C supplemented with 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) at 0.15% (Met, 2.35; Lys, 5.93); ML=diet C supplemented with 0.49% L-lysine HCl and 0.15% HMB (Met, 2.39; Lys, 7.10). The diets were fed to 60 Chinese Holsteins in mid-lactation (average days in milk=120, and milk yield=32.0 kg/d) for 8 wk. Milk yield was increased by supplementation of either Lys (1.5 kg/d) or Met (2.0 kg/d), and supplementation of both Lys and Met further increased milk yield (3.8 kg/d). There was no significant difference in dry matter intake across treatment groups. Cows on treatments M (3.95%) and ML (3.90%) had higher milk fat content than those on C (3.60%) and L (3.67%), but there were no significant differences in milk protein and lactose contents or somatic cell count among treatments. Supplementation of Met or Lys significantly increased Met or Lys concentration in arterial plasma. Treatment ML had a higher conversion of intake N to milk N and lower urea N concentrations in serum, urine, and milk than did treatment C. Supplementing HMB and L-lysine-HCl to provide approximately 2.3% Met and 7.0% Lys of the MP in diets slightly limiting in MP increased milk production, milk protein yield, and N utilization efficiency.

Cadmium directly induced mitochondrial dysfunction of human embryonic kidney cells

Cadmium (Cd) is the major component of polluted environment, which has numerous undesirable effects on health. Cd could induce apoptosis of HEK293 cells, and the mitochondria may play a key role. However, the mode of action is unclear. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the ability of the Cd to induce dysfunction of mitochondria. We examined the effect of cadmium chloride (1, 5 and 10 μM) on mitochondrial membrane permeability and potential as well as oxidative stress markers in mitochondria isolated from HEK293 cells. We found that Cd could directly increase in permeability and decrease in membrane potential of mitochondria, even resulted in mitochondrial swelling, and that Cd could inhibit the activities of ATPase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), enhanced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). On the whole, the results show that Cd can directly lead to mitochondrial dysfunction of HEK293 cells, including increased permeability, inhibiting respiration and evoking oxidative stress. Thus, for the first time, this paper makes an overall analysis of Cd-induced changes of structure and function of isolated mitochondria. Our findings may also have general implications in Cd-induced apoptosis by mitochondria pathway.

[Comparative research and follow-up study on treatment of spastic cerebral palsy with Jiaji (EX-B2) point needling]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical effects of Jiaji (EX-B2) needling for treatment of spastic cerebral palsy (SCP).

METHODS

Sixty-two SCP patients were randomized into two groups, the treatment group treated by needling, and the control group treated by sham-acupuncture, once every day for 60 times totally. The clinical effect was assessed with scoring by the modified Ashworth's scale (MAS), gross motor function measuring scale (GMFM) and WeeFIM at the end of treatment (T1), half-year (T2) and 1-year (T3) after treatment.

RESULTS

Clinical effectiveness assessment showed that MAS scores in the treatment group reduced significantly and steadily at all the time points (P < 0.01), while in the control group, it reduced significantly at T1 (P < 0.01), but raised again at T2 and T3 to higher than that in the treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), approaching the baseline level (P > 0.05). GMFM and WeeFIM scores increased in both groups at all the three assessing time points (P < 0.01), but the increments in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group respectively (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Jiaji (EX-B2) needling could achieve good clinical therapeutic effects on SCP.

Improved motor function in dko mice by intravenous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

BACKGROUND AIMS

We explored the potential therapeutic value of transplanting bone marrow (BM)-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) into utrophin/dystrophin-deficient double knock-out (dko) mice, a murine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

METHODS

MSC from male rats were isolated and transplanted into female dko mice via the caudal vein. Behavior and locomotor function were later evaluated, along with the expression of dystrophin and utrophin in the sarcolemma of myofiber tissues. The presence of grafted cells was confirmed via polymerase chain reaction for the sex-determining region of the Y-chromosome.

RESULTS

Locomotor activity improved significantly (P < 0.05) from 5 to 15 weeks after cell transplantation, as measured by traction, rotating rod and running wheel tests. We also found that the expression of dystrophin and utrophin increased significantly (P < 0.05) and progressively in the sarcolemma from 5 to 15 weeks after transplantation. The median lifespan of mice in the normal group (74.1 weeks) was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than those in the control (22.0 weeks) and transplantation (35.0 weeks) groups, and the median lifespan of mice in the transplantation group was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of this study demonstrate that BM MSC have potential value in xenogeneic transplantation therapy for muscular dystrophy.

Prognosis and Expression of Lambda Light Chains in Solitary Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Head and Neck: Two Case Reports and a Literature Review

Two cases of extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) of the head and neck, an uncommon plasma cell neoplasm, were studied. Both patients had good outcomes and have been followed for 17 and 12 years without recurrence or systemic disease. In these two cases, the tumours measured were 4 cm and 0.3 cm, and both cases were positive for lambda light chain restriction on immunohistochemistry. Prognostic factors were considered, based on a review of EMP of the head and neck, including published reports and the authors' clinical experience. Of all plasma cell tumours, EMP has the best prognosis, especially when located in the head and neck region. Variation in the biological behaviour of EMP and the limited number of documented cases make it difficult to determine prognostic factors. Some series have found that age, tumour size, site of origin (extramedullary versus bone), grade, M-protein, light chains and radiotherapy dose all influence the outcome in EMP patients.

Long lifetimes of quantum-dot intersublevel transitions in the terahertz range

Carrier relaxation is a key issue in determining the efficiency of semiconductor optoelectronic device operation. Devices incorporating semiconductor quantum dots have the potential to overcome many of the limitations of quantum-well-based devices because of the predicted long quantum-dot excited-state lifetimes. For example, the population inversion required for terahertz laser operation in quantum-well-based devices (quantum-cascade lasers) is fundamentally limited by efficient scattering between the laser levels, which form a continuum in the plane of the quantum well. In this context, semiconductor quantum dots are a highly attractive alternative for terahertz devices, because of their intrinsic discrete energy levels. Here, we present the first measurements, and theoretical description, of the intersublevel carrier relaxation in quantum dots for transition energies in the few terahertz range. Long intradot relaxation times (1.5 ns) are found for level separations of 14 meV (3.4 THz), decreasing very strongly to approximately 2 ps at 30 meV (7 THz), in very good agreement with our microscopic theory of the carrier relaxation process. Our studies pave the way for quantum-dot terahertz device development, providing the fundamental knowledge of carrier relaxation times required for optimum device design.

[Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome: surgical complications and strategy for avoidance]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the surgical complications in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and discuss the risk factors and preliminary strategies for prevention of complications.

METHODS

From September 1998 to March 2007, 653 OSAHS patients confirmed by polysomnography were treated by different surgical approaches according to their obstructive sites, which included uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in 586 cases, nasal surgery in 104 cases/times, hyoid suspension surgery in 53 cases/times, respectively or at the same time. Local anesthesia was used in 294 cases and general anesthesia in 359 cases. Two hundreds and seventeen cases were treated by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 3 to 7 days pre-operation and 2 to 3 days post-operation.

RESULTS

Perioperative complications were found in 57 OSAHS cases (93 times), the incidence of peri-operative complications was 8.7% (57/653), including respiratory problems in 19 cases/times and 1 death occurred during inducing stage in general anesthesia. Profuse bleeding was encountered in 9 cases/times during operation and primary and secondary bleeding in 27 cases/times, cardiopathy and hypertension crisis in 31 cases/times and cerebral stroke and hemiplegia in 1 case, reactive somnolence in 3 cases/times and reactive hyperglycemia in 3 cases/times. Data were analyzed by the multivariate logistic regression model. The results showed that the complications were significantly reduced after CPAP treatment during peri-operative stage and increased accompanied with patients' hypertension, choice of general anesthesia, BMI and AHI. All patients were followed-up more than 1 year. After UPPP, 23.9% cases (140/586) had sensation of foreign body in pharynx and alleviated in 6 to 12 months. Scar tissues in oropharynx in 7 cases, nasopharyngeal stenosis in 1 case, atrophy rhinitides and atrophy pharyngitis in 3 cases, nasopharyngeal un-closure and long-term nasopharyngeal reflex in 3 cases. Conclusions Peri-operative complications are more common in obese and severe OSAHS patients, especially when they accompanied with hypertension. The corresponding strategies should be taken to reduce complications in OSAHS surgery, which include controlling the hypertension effectively, performing CPAP treatment actively, cooperating with interdisciplinary doctors, monitoring closely after operation. It is important to reduce surgical sequelae through improving surgical skills and not enlarging the surgical scale blindly.

[Establishment of a diabetic-hypertensive rat model]

This study is to establish a diabetic-hypertensive model in rats. After the induction of diabetes by streptozocin (STZ), rats were maintained with free access to rat chow and 1% NaCl drinking water. Blood pressure was monitored at conscious state by tail-cuff weekly till it was 50 mmHg higher than normal animal steadily. Finally, blood pressure was measured by catheterization of the right carotid artery and plasma ET-1 and Ang II, kidney Ang II and angiotensinogen or preproendothelin gene expression in liver or aorta were assayed separately. STZ-diabetic rats that maintained with 1% NaCl drinking water exhibited obviously increasing blood pressure since the third week. Then the pressure reached 150 mmHg at the 6th week and was maintained until the 11th week. Till the 12th week, the blood pressure reached to higher than 160 mmHg. In addition, these high blood pressure rats were accompanied with increased blood plasma ET-1 and Ang II and augmented gene expression levels of angiotensinogen in kidneys and preproendothelin in aorta tissues. Loading sodium chloride chronically to STZ-diabetic rats could prepare a diabetic-hypertensive rat model.

P633H, a novel dual agonist at peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma, with different anti-diabetic effects in db/db and KK-Ay mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are attractive targets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. P633H (2-[4-(2-Fluoro-benzenesulphonyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3-{4-[2-(5-methyl-2-phenyl-oxazol-4-yl)-ethoxy]-phenyl}-propionic acid), a novel PPARalpha/gamma dual agonist, was investigated for its very different effects on insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in db/db and KK-A(y) mice.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The action of P633H at PPARalpha/gamma was characterized by using transactivation assays. Functional activation of PPARalpha/gammain vitro was confirmed by pre-adipocyte differentiation and regulation of target gene expression. Anti-diabetic studies were performed in two different diabetic mice models in vivo.

KEY RESULTS

P633H activated both PPARalpha and PPAR gamma, (with EC(50) values of 0.012 micromol and 0.032 micromol respectively). Additionally, P633H promoted pre-adipocyte differentiation, up-regulated expression of adipose specific transport protein (aP2) mRNA (3T3-Ll cells) and acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA (LO2 cells). In db/db mice, P633H reduced serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids and liver triglycerides. It also improved glucose intolerance without affecting food intake and body weight after 15 days of treatment. However in KK-A(y) mice, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidemia and impaired glucose tolerance were not relieved even after a 25 day treatment with P633H. Further studies with real-time PCR and electron microscopy revealed that P633H promoted progression of diabetes in KK-A(y) mice by increasing hepatic gluconeogenesis and exacerbating pancreatic pathology.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Although P633H was a high-potency PPARalpha/gamma dual agonist, with good functional activity in vitro, it produced opposing anti-diabetic effects in db/db and KK-A(y) mice.

Optimization of magnetic beads for maldi-TOF MS analysis

MALDI-TOF MS is being widely applied to analyze serum samples for the diagnosis of human diseases and for the identification of potential biomarkers. However, different types of magnetic beads afford different purification capability for low abundance proteins and peptides in body fluids. The aim of our study was to establish a proteome fractionation technique for choosing magnetic beads for proteomic analysis in breast cancer research. We used three different kinds of magnetic beads (MB-HIC C8, MB-IMAC-Cu and MB-WCX) to pre-analyze 28 breast cancer patients and 24 healthy control serum samples for proteomic profiling by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. The serum samples purified by MB-WCX group provided the best proteomic pattern .These samples had the most average peak numbers, the highest peak intensities, and the best capturing ability of low abundance proteins or peptides in serum samples. Therefore, we chose MB-WCX as our best magnetic beads to pre-analyze large-scale cancer and healthy control samples. The application of the standardized, pre-analytical serum samples with right type of magnetic bead-based fractionation will decrease variability of proteome patterns in human serum assessed by MALDI-TOF MS.

Searching for Potential Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Ovarian cancer is a common gynecological malignant disease, causing more deaths among women .The key objective in the treatment of ovarian cancer is early diagnosis. The objective of our study was to seek new ovarian cancer biomarkers based on a serum protein profile with the aim of discriminating ovarian cancer patients from healthy controls. An MB-WCX kit was used to analyze serum samples obtained from 20 ovarian cancer patients and 20 healthy controls and then we generated MALDI-TOF protein profiles from the analysis. After pre-processing of the spectra, linear analysis with ClinProTools bioinformatics software was used to classify protein profiles and search for prominent peaks that could be used as potential ovarian cancer biomarkers. Using ClinproTools bioinformatics and statistical software, we found 5 prominent expressed proteins in the ovarian cancer and healthy control groups. The mass to charge ratio were 4648.21(m/z), 9294.03(m/z), 3886.1(m/z), 9066.38(m/z) and 4254.71(m/z), respectively, and the former four proteins were expressed higher in the ovarian cancer patients, but the later one was expressed at lower levels in the cancer patients. The sensitivity and specificity were both more than 90%. From our study, we found that MALDI-TOF MS is a high-throughput sample preparation method and is a new potential tool for the diagnosis of human disease, not only to search for new early detection biomarkers in the ovarian cancer patients' serum samples, but also with a potential use for routine clinical work.