Overexpression of ZmbZIP22 gene alters endosperm starch content and composition in maize and rice

Starch content and composition are major determinants of yield and quality in maize. In recent years, the major genes for starch metabolism have been cloned in this species. However, the role of transcription factors in regulating the starch metabolism pathway remains unclear. The ZmbZIP22 gene encodes a bZIP transcription factor. In our study, plants overexpressing ZmbZIP22 showed reductions in the size of starch granules, the size and weight of seeds, reduced amylose content, and alterations in the chemical structure of starch granules. Also, overexpression of ZmbZIP22 resulted in increases in the contents of soluble sugars and reducing sugars in transgenic rice and maize. ZmbZIP22 promotes the transcription of starch metabolism genes by binding to their promoters. Screening by yeast one-hybrid assays indicated a possible interaction between ZmbZIP22 and the promoters of eight key starch enzyme genes. Collectively, our results indicated that ZmbZIP22 functions as a negative regulator of starch synthesis, and suggest that this occurs through the regulation of key sugar and starch metabolism genes in maize.

Systemic clearance of p16INK4a -positive senescent cells mitigates age-associated intervertebral disc degeneration

Rationale

Age‐related changes in the intervertebral discs are the predominant contributors to back pain, a common physical and functional impairment experienced by older persons. Cellular senescence, a process wherein cells undergo growth arrest and chronically secrete numerous inflammatory molecules and proteases, has been reported to cause decline in the health and function of multiple tissues with age. Although senescent cells have been reported to increase in intervertebral degeneration (IDD), it is not known whether they are causative in age‐related IDD.

Objective

The study aimed to elucidate whether a causal relationship exists between cellular senescence and age‐related IDD.

Methods and Results

To examine the impact of senescent cells on age‐associated IDD, we used p16‐3MR transgenic mice, which enables the selective removal of p16^Ink4a‐positive senescent cells by the drug ganciclovir. Disc cellularity, aggrecan content and fragmentation alongside expression of inflammatory cytokine (IL‐6) and matrix proteases (ADAMTS4 and MMP13) in discs of p16‐3MR mice treated with GCV and untreated controls were assessed. In aged mice, reducing the per cent of senescent cells decreased disc aggrecan proteolytic degradation and increased overall proteoglycan matrix content along with improved histological disc features. Additionally, reduction of senescent cells lowered the levels of MMP13, which is purported to promote disc degenerative changes during aging.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that systemic reduction in the number of senescent cells ameliorates multiple age‐associated changes within the disc tissue. Cellular senescence could therefore serve as a therapeutic target to restore the health of disc tissue that deteriorates with age.

Photopolymerizable biogel scaffold seeded with mesenchymal stem cells: safety and efficacy evaluation of novel treatment for intervertebral disc degeneration

Tissue engineering approaches to treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) represent a novel avenue of addressing the biologic basis of this disease. However, such approaches remain limited by their invasive nature and disruption to the annular fibrosis (AF). This study sought to explore a new minimally-invasive tissue-engineering approach utilizing an injection of a photopolymerizable biogel scaffold seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) directly into the nucleus pulposus (NP). This study was performed using rabbit specimens for both in vivo and in vitro outcome measures. The treatment in this study was performed by injecting 25 μl of 10% (w/v) methacrylated gelatin biogel with 0.15% (w/v) lithium phenyl 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) and rabbit MSCs (1 × 10⁶ ) cells/ml into the NP. Samples were then photopolymerized in situ using non-ultraviolet light irradiation via a fiberoptic wire. For the in vitro arm of this study, gene expression analysis demonstrated increased anabolic activity in irradiated MSCs with and without biogel scaffolds. For the in vivo arm of this study, while GAG analysis did not demonstrate significant differences between groups, MRI analysis exhibited a trend toward improved NP matrix. Histological analysis was consistent with increased cellularity and less severe disc degeneration in the MSC + Gel group. However, osteophyte formation was noted in both Stab and MSC + Gel groups after the study period. Increased matrix gene expression of irradiated groups within in vitro studies indicates a photobiologic effect of 405 nm light. Despite promising anabolic actions, osteophyte formation and AF defects could not be avoided with implementation of this minimally-invasive tissue-engineering approach. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1451-1459, 2019.

Chinese Herbal Medicine (Xiaoaiping) Injections for Chemotherapy-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Trial

Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (Xiaoaiping) injections for chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and gastric cancer. Design: A randomized, controlled, multicenter study from December 2013 to August 2015. Settings/Location: All patients are from China. Subjects: One hundred forty patients with either NSCLC or gastric cancer were enrolled in this trial. Interventions: The intervention group (n = 70) was given Xiaoaiping injections (1 dose/day for 10 days) with chemotherapy, whereas the control group (n = 70) was given chemotherapy only. The follow up period was 11 days after the final injection. Outcome measures: Platelet (PLT) count was tested at day 0, 7, 14, and 21 as the primary outcome for evaluation. Safety measurements, including red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HBG), white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil (NE)#, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), creatinine (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were tested at day 0 and 21 as the secondary outcomes. Results: (1) Two patients in the intervention group and four patients in the control group were lost upon follow-up. (2) PLT count: there was no significant difference in PLT count between the two groups from baseline (day 0), day 7, and day 14. At day 21, the intervention group indicated an upward trend of PLT count with a statistically significant difference than that of the control group (p < 0.05). (3) NSCLC: there was significant difference in PLT count between the two groups on day 21 (p < 0.01). (4) Gastric cancer: there was no significant difference in PLT count between the two groups during this trial (p > 0.05). (5) There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention group and the control group with the safety figures (secondary outcomes) RBC, HGB, WBC, NE#, AST, ALT, LDH, CK, Cr, and BUN measured (p > 0.05). (6) Adverse events: one gastric cancer patient in the control group was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding on day 3. Conclusions: In conclusion, Xiaoaiping injections may provide a safe and effective option for CIT in patients with NSCLC.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of familial hypercholesterolemia patients with type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE

Though type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an important and independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) in the general population, the impact of T2DM on CAD in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is less understood. Thus, the current study aimed to examine the features of FH patients with T2DM and explore the effects of T2DM on CAD in FH.

METHODS

A total of 289 clinical heterozygous FH (HeFH) patients diagnosed with Dutch Lipid Clinic Criteria were consecutively recruited and divided into a T2DM group (n = 58) and non-T2DM group (n = 231). Clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were compared between the two groups. Target exome sequencing was used for gene mutation analysis.

RESULTS

HeFH patients with T2DM had significantly higher levels of triglycerides, body mass index and free fatty acids than did non-T2DM patients; moreover, patients with T2DM more frequently exhibited hypertension. However, the spectrum of FH-causing mutations was not significantly different (p = 0.061). Notably, patients with T2DM had higher prevalence of CAD (p = 0.012) and higher Gensini Score (p = 0.002). The regression analysis confirmed that HbA1c was an independent risk factor for both the presence and severity of CAD [OR 2.321 (1.098-4.904), p = 0.027; OR 1.349 (1.032-1.762), p = 0.028, respectively] in patients with HeFH.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there were not many differences in the clinical, lipid and genetic aspects of HeFH patients with and without T2DM, T2DM and HbA1c were associated with worse coronary lesions, suggesting that diabetes and the degree of blood glucose control are also important determinants of cardiovascular disease in these patients.

UMP Kinase Regulates Chloroplast Development and Cold Response in Rice

Pyrimidine nucleotides are important metabolites that are building blocks of nucleic acids, which participate in various aspects of plant development. Only a few genes involved in pyrimidine metabolism have been identified in rice and the majority of their functions remain unclear. In this study, we used a map-based cloning strategy to isolate a UMPK gene in rice, encoding the UMP kinase that phosphorylates UMP to form UDP, from a recessive mutant with pale-green leaves. In the mutant, UDP content always decreased, while UTP content fluctuated with the development of leaves. Mutation of UMPK reduced chlorophyll contents and decreased photosynthetic capacity. In the mutant, transcription of plastid-encoded RNA polymerase-dependent genes, including psaA, psbB, psbC and petB, was significantly reduced, whereas transcription of nuclear-encoded RNA polymerase-dependent genes, including rpoA, rpoB, rpoC1, and rpl23, was elevated. The expression of UMPK was significantly induced by various stresses, including cold, heat, and drought. Increased sensitivity to cold stress was observed in the mutant, based on the survival rate and malondialdehyde content. High accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was found in the mutant, which was enhanced by cold treatment. Our results indicate that the UMP kinase gene plays important roles in regulating chloroplast development and stress response in rice.

Traditional Chinese medicine for management of recurrent and refractory Crohn disease: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Crohn disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing systemic inflammatory disease afflicting the gastrointestinal system with a high morbidity. There has been increasing clinical interest in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment for CD. This report aims to present patient outcome of therapeutic management using TCM in combination with pharmacologic therapy.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 53-year-old woman with a more than 23-year history of chronic indigestion, reflux, abdominal pain, and excessive diarrhea, and a more than 21-year history of recurrent refractory CD. The condition had been managed for 21 years with ongoing pharmacologic therapy, and surgical intervention; however, with poor therapeutic effect.

DIAGNOSIS

In this study, the diagnosis of CD was based on integrating patient symptoms and radiologic findings and biopsy results. The patient had no differential diagnosis.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient received acupuncture treatment at an approximate frequency of once per week for a total of 21 sessions until November 5, 2018. The patient also received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on an as-needed basis to manage her symptoms.

OUTCOMES

Patient reported symptoms of chronic indigestion, reflux, abdominal pain, and excessive diarrhea were substantially improved by combined TCM and pharmacologic therapy intervention, while the dosage of her medication was reduced.

CONCLUSION

Following acupuncture treatment, improvements of subjective symptoms: chronic indigestion, reflux, abdominal pain, and excessive diarrhea, were observed. CHM provided immediate relief of indigestion, reflux, and abdominal pain. TCM may be a potential therapeutic strategy to manage clinical symptoms of CD, if this is proven useful in future RCT studies.

Maize factors ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19 play important roles for plants to tolerance the cadmium stress and salt stress

Ubiquitin-Specific Protease16 (UBP16) has been described involved in cadmium stress and salt stress in Arabidopsis, however nothing is known about the functions of its homologs in maize. In this study, we investigate the functions of ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19, three Arabidopsis UBP16 homologs in maize. Our results indicate that ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19 are ubiquitously expressed throughout plant development, and ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19 proteins are mainly localized in plasma membrane. Complementation analyses show that over-expression of ZmUBP15 or ZmUBP16 can rescue the defective phenotype of ubp16-1 in cadmium stress. In addition, over-expression of ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 or ZmUBP19 can increase the plant tolerance to cadmium stress. These results indicate that ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19 are required for plant to tolerance the cadmium stress. Consistent with this point, cadmium-related genes are markedly up-regulated in seedlings over-expressing ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 or ZmUBP19. Furthermore, our data indicate that ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19 partially rescue the salt-stress phenotype of ubp16-1. Thus, our research uncover the functions of three novel maize proteins, ZmUBP15, ZmUBP16 and ZmUBP19, which are required for plants in response to cadmium stress and salt stress.

Functional analysis of ZmMADS1a reveals its role in regulating starch biosynthesis in maize endosperm

MADS-box family proteins play an important role in grain formation and flower development; however, the molecular mechanisms by which transcription factors regulate the starch metabolism pathway are unclear in maize. Here, we report a transcription factor, ZmMADS1a, that controls starch biosynthesis in maize (Zea mays L.). We demonstrate the expression of ZmMADS1a in tassel, silk, and endosperm, and show that the protein is localized to the cell nucleus. Compared with the control, seeds of overexpressing ZmMADS1a increased starch content (especially amylose content), had smaller starch granules and altered chemical structure. Meanwhile, overexpression of ZmMADS1a resulted in increases in the contents of soluble sugars and reducing sugars in maize. ZmMADS1a plays a positive regulatory role in the starch biosynthesis pathway by up-regulating several starch biosynthesis related genes. We also show that ZmMADS1a has a similar adjustment mechanism of starch biosynthesis in rice. Collectively, our study suggests that ZmMADS1a functions as a positive regulator of starch biosynthesis by regulating the expression of key starch metabolism genes during seed development.

Abstract P6-17-39: BAT8001, a potent anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate with a novel stable linker for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer

Overexpression of HER2 occurs in approximately 20% of breast cancers and is associated with shortened survival. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), an anti-HER2 ADC, has shown efficacy in HER2-positive breast cancer patients and was approved by the FDA and EMA for advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. However T-DM1 causes grade 3 and 4 thrombocytopenia in up to 14.5% of patients as its major toxicity. The thrombocytopenia is likely caused by one of T-DM1's catabolites and payload, DM1, indicating T-DM1's linker can be cleaved. Here we adopted a novel noncleavable linker and created an anti-HER2 ADC, BAT8001, which is expected be efficacious in HER2-positive breast cancer and have a better side effect profile relative to T-DM1 due to the stability of BAT8001's noncleavable linker. BAT8001 is internalized in HER2-positive cancer cells. It inhibits proliferation of HER2-positive tumor cells with IC50s of ˜0.1 nM, similar to the potency of T-DM1. BAT8001 also induces apoptosis in HER2-positive cancer cells. In both cell-line and patient-derived mouse xenograft (PDX) models, BAT8001 demonstrates strong inhibition activity on tumor growth. For example, in a cell-line model of breast cancer (BT474), BAT8001 demonstrates potent activity with complete responses in all animals tested at the 15mg/kg dose level. Pharmacokinetics studies in monkey reveals BAT8001 has similar Cmax, AUC, and t1/2 as T-DM1. The major catabolite of BAT8001 is the Cys-linker-payload containing product. No free payload is observed. This compares favorably with T-DM1 where free DM1, T-DM1's payload, is one of the major catabolites. In a multiple dose toxicity study, BAT8001 had a NOAEL of 15 mg/kg versus 10 mg/kg for T-DM1. BAT8001 exhibits similar potency to T-DM1 on inhibiting HER2-positive cell proliferation and tumor growth, yet demonstrates better multiple dose toxicity than T-DM1. The improved toxicity profile of BAT8001 suggests that the novel noncleavable linker utilized in BAT8001 is more stable than the linker utilized in T-DM1. BAT8001 is very efficacious in cell-line xenograft models of breast cancer. The preclinical profile of BAT8001 warrants further development for the treatment of breast cancer and other HER2-positive cancers.

Citation Format: Tang W, Deng X, Ou Z, Gan J, Dong Q, Tan B, Lu L, Chen B, Bao C, Li S, Thomas B, Yu J-C. BAT8001, a potent anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate with a novel stable linker for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-17-39.

Dental Pulp Stem Cells: Isolation, Characterization, Expansion, and Odontoblast Differentiation for Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary area offering a promising approach by the use of stem cells combined with scaffolds and signaling factors for regeneration of damaged or lost tissues. Incorporation of a sufficient number of cells which do not elicit the immunoreaction in the body is a pivotal element for successful tissue formation using this method. Stem cells exhibiting strong capacity to self-renew and differentiate into different cell types are considered as a potent cell source. Among various cell sources, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are widely under investigation due to the fact that they are simply obtainable from extracted third molars or orthodontically extracted teeth and show an excellent potential for clinical application and also their harvesting method is minimally invasive. DPSCs are odontogenic progenitor cells with clonogenic abilities, rapid proliferation rates, and multiple differentiation potentials. Here, we describe protocols that allow 1) the isolation of DPSCs from a single tooth; 2) the characterization of human mesenchymal stem cells markers of DPSCs by flow cytometry; 3) the culture growth of DPSCs in 2D (in cell culture flasks) and 3D (by 3D printing of cell-laden constructs); and 4) the in vivo evaluation of differentiation potential of DPSCs.

The DOF-Domain Transcription Factor ZmDOF36 Positively Regulates Starch Synthesis in Transgenic Maize

Starch synthesis is a complex process that influences crop yield and grain quality in maize. Many key enzymes have been identified in starch biosynthesis; however, the regulatory mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified a DOF family gene, ZmDOF36, through transcriptome sequencing analysis. Real-time PCR indicated that ZmDOF36 was highly expressed in maize endosperm, with lower expression in leaves and tassels. ZmDOF36 is a typical DOF transcription factor (TF) that is localized to the nucleus and possesses transcriptional activation activity, and its transactivation domain is located in the C-terminus (amino acids 227-351). Overexpression of ZmDOF36 can increase starch content and decrease the contents of soluble sugars and reducing sugars. In addition, abnormal starch structure in transgenic maize was also observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the expression levels of starch synthesis-related genes were up-regulated in ZmDOF36-expressing transgenic maize. ZmDOF36 was also shown to bind directly to the promoters of six starch biosynthesis genes, ZmAGPS1a, ZmAGPL1, ZmGBSSI, ZmSSIIa, ZmISA1, and ZmISA3 in yeast one-hybrid assays. Transient expression assays showed that ZmDOF36 can activate the expression of ZmGBSSI and ZmISA1 in tobacco leaves. Collectively, the results presented here suggest that ZmDOF36 acts as an important regulatory factor in starch synthesis, and could be helpful in devising strategies for modulating starch production in maize endosperm.

In Vivo Rodent Models for Studying Dental Caries and Pulp Disease

Dental caries is an infectious oral disease caused primarily by complex interactions of cariogenic oral flora (biofilm) with dietary carbohydrates on the tooth surface over time. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus (S. mutans and S. sobrinus) are the most prevalent cariogenic species within the oral biofilm and considered the main etiological agents of caries. Pulp exposure and infection can be caused by trauma, carious lesion, and mechanical reasons. Pulp response to these exposures depends on the state of the pulp as well as the potential bacterial contamination of pulp tissue. Herein, we describe the process of using two in vivo rodent models to study the progression of dental caries and pulp disease: a nutritional microbial model and a pulp disease induction model. The progression of the carious lesion and pulpal infections in both models was assessed by micro-CT imaging and histomorphometric analysis. Moreover, the pulp disease induction models can be used to compare and assess the antibacterial and reparative properties of the different pulp capping materials.

Sitagliptin protects the cognition function of the Alzheimer's disease mice through activating glucagon-like peptide-1 and BDNF-TrkB signalings

BACKGROUND

Sitagliptin is an anti-diabetic drug and its effects on Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain controversial. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of sitagliptin on the cognition in AD and its underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The APP/PS1 (a model of AD) mice received daily gastric gavage administration of sitagliptin (20 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Then animals were subjected to behavioral experiment or sacrificed to histological staining and protein level analysis.

RESULTS

The MWM test showed that sitagliptin treatment significantly reduced the escape latency times in APP/PS1 mice in the learning phase (day 3-5) and elongated the time spent in the target quadrant in the probe test. Sitagliptin significantly reduced amyloid plaque deposition and elevated the spine density and the protein levels of synaptoneurosome GluA1- and GluA2-containing AMPA receptor (GluA1R and GluA2R) in the brain of the APP/PS1 mice. Sitagliptin treatment significantly up-regulated the brain BNDF protein and phosphorylation of tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB). Furthermore, exendin-(9-39) (a glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1] receptor antagonist) and K252a (a Trk tyrosine kinase inhibitor) treatment significantly abolished the cognitive protective effect of sitagliptin in the MWM test.

CONCLUSION

Sitagliptin treatment effectively protected the cognition function of the AD mice by regulating synaptic plasticity, at least partially, through activating GLP-1 and BDNF-TrkB signalings.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of probiotics to reduce the severity of oral mucositis induced by chemoradiotherapy for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a probiotic combination on the severity of oral mucositis (OM), which is a common, unpreventable complication induced by radiochemotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who undergo concurrent radiochemotherapy (CCRT).

METHODS

Eligible patients (n = 99) with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were undergoing CCRT were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive a probiotic combination or placebo during radiochemotherapy, and the incidence of severe OM (grade 3 or higher) was the primary endpoint.

RESULTS

Patients taking the probiotic combination showed a significant reduction in the severity of OM. The incidences of grade 0, 1, 2, and 3 OM in the placebo group and the probiotic combination group were 0% and 12.07%, 0% and 55.17%, 54.29% and 17.24%, and 45.71% and 15.52%, respectively. Furthermore, CCRT greatly lowered the number of immune cells, whereas the probiotic combination markedly lowered the reduction rates of CD4⁺ T cells (76.59% vs 52.85%; P < .05), CD8⁺ T cells (62.94% vs 29.76%; P < .05), and CD3⁺ T cells (69.72% vs 45.49%; P < .05) in an A-CCRT-P (after treatment with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy plus the probiotic combination) group. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that CCRT had obviously disturbed the intestinal diversity of patients in an A-CCRT (after treatment with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy plus a placebo) group, whereas the probiotic combination distinctly restored the microbial diversity in the A-CCRT-P group toward that of healthy people and a B-CCRT-P (before the treatment of radiotherapy plus chemotherapy plus the probiotic combination) group.

CONCLUSIONS

A probiotic combination significantly enhances the immune response of patients and reduces the severity of OM through modification of gut microbiota.

[Effect of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure on thyroid function in a medical occupational population]

Objective: We evaluated the effect of low-dose of ionizing radiation on thyroid function of medical occupational group with long-term exposure; furthermore; we analyzed the relationship between the thyroid hormones and the risk factors; such as exposure length; department. Ultimately; providing the scientific basis for setting the ionizing radiation protection standards. Methods: The population who engaged radiodiagnosis and radiotherapy in a tertiary-A hospital were set up as occupational exposure; 724 medical professionals as the research object. We figured out the basic information and general condition of the groups by face-to-face questionnaire survey; By means of the thyroid hormone testing; we analyzed the thyroid hormone levels with different population; occupational exposure factors. Then; obtained the prevalence of thyroid nodules by the thyroid ultrasound. Besides; we used the logistic regression model to analyze the risk factors related to thyroid nodule. Applying Epidata、Excel in data management. All the data was analyzed by statistical software package Stata12.0. Descriptive statistics; single factor analysis of variance and other statistical methods were used for data analysis. Test standard: α=0.05、P<0.05 statistical significant. Results: 1. Based on the work experience; we divided the study population into four groups; such as 1-9; 10-19; 20-29; and>30 years. The difference of the TSH level among the four groups was statistically significant (P<0.05) . 2. The multiple logistic regression showed that sex and seniority were the independent risk factors for the abnormal rate of thyroid nodules. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to low-dose ionizing radiatiom could induce the thyroid damage of medical occupational population; which should be broader concerned.

Microwave pyrolysis of moso bamboo for syngas production and bio-oil upgrading over bamboo-based biochar catalyst

Microwave pyrolysis of moso bamboo over bamboo-based biochar catalyst was conducted to achieve the bio-oil upgrading and high quality syngas production. The influence of the biochar on bamboo pyrolysis involving the temperature rise, product yield, and bio-oil and gas compositions was studied. The gas production was facilitated by the biochar mainly at the cost of the bio-oil, indicating the biochar had an excellent activity for the bio-oil cracking. The main compositions in bio-oil were acetic acid and phenol with the total contents ranging from 73.145% to 82.84% over the biochar catalysts, suggesting the upgrading of the bio-oil were achieved. The biochar exerted a positive effect on the syngas (CO + H₂) production with the maximum content reaching up to 65.13 vol% at the 20 wt% addition amount of biochar under microwave condition. The biochar became more effective on the bio-oil upgrading and syngas production under microwave heating than conventional heating.

CircRNA circ-BANP-mediated miR-503/LARP1 signaling contributes to lung cancer progression

Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) attract much attention due to their potential vital functions in multiple human diseases, including cancer. circ-BANP has been reported to modulate colorectal cancer growth. Nevertheless, the relationship between circ-BANP and lung cancer requires to be investigated. In this study, we found circ-BANP was overexpressed in lung cancer tissues. Higher circ-BANP expression was associated with lower survival rate. Moreover, silencing circ-BANP markedly inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells in vitro and impaired tumor propagation in vivo. In mechanism, circ-BANP was identified as the sponge of miR-503 while miR-503 targets LARP1. Circ-BANP-induced inhibition of miR-503 led to increased expression of LARP1 in lung cancer. Finally, rescue assays indicated that LARP1 restoration partially reversed the effects of circ-BANP knockdown in lung cancer. In sum, our study illustrated that circ-BANP-mediated miR-503/LARP1 signaling promoted lung cancer growth, migration and invasion, providing a novel insight on the mechanism underlying lung cancer progression.

Amplifier for scanning tunneling microscopy at MHz frequencies

Conventional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is limited to a bandwidth of a few kHz around DC. Here, we develop, build, and test a novel amplifier circuit capable of measuring the tunneling current in the MHz regime while simultaneously performing conventional STM measurements. This is achieved with an amplifier circuit including a LC tank with a quality factor exceeding 600 and a home-built, low-noise high electron mobility transistor. The amplifier circuit functions while simultaneously scanning with atomic resolution in the tunneling regime, i.e., at junction resistances in the range of giga-ohms, and down towards point contact spectroscopy. To enable high signal-to-noise ratios and meet all technical requirements for the inclusion in a commercial low temperature, ultra-high vacuum STM, we use superconducting cross-wound inductors and choose materials and circuit elements with low heat load. We demonstrate the high performance of the amplifier by spatially mapping the Poissonian noise of tunneling electrons on an atomically clean Au(111) surface. We also show differential conductance spectroscopy measurements at 3 MHz, demonstrating superior performance over conventional spectroscopy techniques. Further, our technology could be used to perform impedance matched spin resonance and distinguish Majorana modes from more conventional edge states.

Atomic scale shot-noise using cryogenic MHz circuitry

By implementing dedicated cryogenic circuitry operating in the MHz regime, we have developed a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) capable of conventional, low frequency (<10 kHz), microscopy as well spectroscopy and shot-noise detection at 1 MHz. After calibrating our AC circuit on a gold surface, we illustrate our capability to detect shot-noise at the atomic scale and at low currents (<1 nA) by simultaneously measuring the atomically resolved differential conductance and shot-noise on the high temperature superconductor Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+x . We further show our direct sensitivity to the temperature of the tunneling electrons at low voltages. Our MHz circuitry opens up the possibility to study charge and correlation effects at the atomic scale in all materials accessible to STM.

Chinese herbal medicine for opioid induced constipation in cancer patients: Protocol for a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Opioid induced constipation (OIC) is a symptom that is commonly encountered in cancer pain management. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been widely used to improve OIC in China. Many clinical trials indicate that CHM could improve OIC. In this systematic review, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM for OIC in cancer patients.

METHODS

We will search the following electronic databases for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM for OIC in cancer patients: CENTRAL, EMBASE, MEDILINE, CINAHL and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Each database will be searched from inception to June 2018. The entire process will include study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and meta-analyses.

RESULTS

This proposed study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM for OIC. The outcomes will include change in bowel movements, quality of life and adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

This proposed systematic review will evaluate the existing evidence on the effectiveness and safety of CHM for OIC in cancer patients.

DISSEMINATION AND ETHICS

The results of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication. Because all of the data used in this systematic review and meta-analysis has been published, this review does not require ethical approval. Furthermore, all data will be analyzed anonymously during the review process.

Ultrasensitive Displacement Noise Measurement of Carbon Nanotube Mechanical Resonators

Mechanical resonators based on a single carbon nanotube are exceptional sensors of mass and force. The force sensitivity in these ultralight resonators is often limited by the noise in the detection of the vibrations. Here, we report on an ultrasensitive scheme based on a RLC resonator and a low-temperature amplifier to detect nanotube vibrations. We also show a new fabrication process of electromechanical nanotube resonators to reduce the separation between the suspended nanotube and the gate electrode down to ∼150 nm. These advances in detection and fabrication allow us to reach [Formula: see text] displacement sensitivity. Thermal vibrations cooled cryogenically at 300 mK are detected with a signal-to-noise ratio as high as 17 dB. We demonstrate [Formula: see text] force sensitivity, which is the best force sensitivity achieved thus far with a mechanical resonator. Our work is an important step toward imaging individual nuclear spins and studying the coupling between mechanical vibrations and electrons in different quantum electron transport regimes.

Dissection and fine-mapping of two QTL for grain size linked in a 460-kb region on chromosome 1 of rice

BACKGROUND

Grain size is a key determinant of grain weight and a trait having critical influence on grain quality in rice. While increasing evidences are shown for the importance of minor-effect QTL in controlling complex traits, the attention has not been given to grain size until recently. In previous studies, five QTL having small effects for grain size were resolved on the long arm of chromosome 1 using populations derived from indica rice cross Zhenshan 97///Zhenshan 97//Zhenshan 97/Milyang 46. One of them, qTGW1.2c that was located in a 2.1-Mb region, was targeted for fine-mapping in the present study.

RESULTS

Firstly, the qTGW1.2c region was narrowed down into 1.1 Mb by determining genotypes of the cross-over regions using polymorphic markers newly developed. Then, one BC₂F₉ plant that was only heterozygous in the updated QTL region was identified. A total of 12 populations in generations from BC₂F_11:12 to BC₂F_15:16 were derived and used for QTL mapping. Two QTL linked in a 460-kb region were separated. The qGS1-35.2 was delimited into a 57.7-kb region, containing six annotated genes of which five showed nucleotide polymorphisms between the two parental lines. Quantitative real-time PCR detected expression differences between near isogenic lines for qGS1-35.2 at three of the six annotated genes. This QTL affected grain length and width with opposite allelic directions, exhibiting significant effect on ratio of grain length to width but showing little influence on yield traits. The other QTL, qGW1-35.5, was located within a 125.5-kb region and found to primarily control grain width and consequently affect grain weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work lays a foundation for cloning of two minor QTL for grain size that have potential application in rice breeding. The qGS1-35.2 could be used to modify grain appearance quality without yield penalty because it affects grain shape but hardly influences grain yield, while qGW1-35.5 offers a new gene recourse for enhancing grain yield since it contributes to grain size and grain weight simultaneously.

Characterization of an RNA silencing suppressor encoded by maize yellow dwarf virus-RMV2

Maize yellow dwarf virus-RMV2 (MYDV-RMV2) causes dwarfing and yellowing symptoms on leaves in field-grown maize plants in Anhui province in China. Herein, we evaluated the RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) activity of the P0 protein from MYDV-RMV2 by co-infiltration assays using wild-type and GFP-transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana (line 16C). The P0 of MYDV-RMV2 exhibited RSS activity and inhibited RNA silencing both locally and systemically. MYDV-RMV2 P0 acts as an F-box-like motif, and mutations to Ala at positions 67, 68, and 81 in the F-box-like motif (67LPxx81P) abolished the RSS activity of P0. However, MYDV-RMV2 P0 failed to interact with AGO1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Expressing P0 induced developmental defects. P0 was targeted to both the nuclei and cytoplasm of plant cells. These findings expand our knowledge of the role of polerovirus P0 proteins in RNA silencing.

[Research advances in the v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog gene mutation in ameloblastoma]

V-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) is a pro-oncogene, which is one member of the RAF family. Mutated BRAF is found in approximately 8% of human tumors. BRAF gene mutations lead to continuous activation of the mitogen-activatd protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which resulting in abnormal cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. In recent years, recurrent MAPK signaling mutations were identified in ameloblastoma, among which BRAF-V600E is the most prominent type. This provides new strategies for the targeted treatment of ameloblastoma. This paper reviewed the latest advances in BRAF gene mutation associated with ameloblastoma and its potential clinical significance.

Influence of silicon on growth mechanism of micro-arc oxidation coating on cast Al-Si alloy

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is a plasma-assisted electrochemistry method to prepare protective ceramic coatings on aluminium alloys. Alloy elements of the Al-alloy substrate, such as Si, Cu, Mg and Li, have effects on the microstructure and composition of the MAO coatings. Usually, silicon distributes in the cast Al-Si alloy substrate as small laths and they cover approximately 10% of the substrate surface. Therefore, their effects on the growth process and microstructure of the MAO coatings are worthy of notice. In the present study, oxide coatings with a thickness of 15-18 µm were prepared on the ZL109 Al-Si alloy by MAO. The phase content, surface morphology and element distribution of the coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and electron probe micro-analysis respectively. The average hardness of the coatings was 622.3 ± 10.2 HV_0.05. The adhesive strength of the coatings is 40.55 ± 2.55 N, and the adhesion of the coatings could be rated as 5B by tape test according to ASTM D3359-17 standard test methods, which indicated a high adhesive strength between the MAO coating and substrate. The effects of silicon laths on surface morphology and composition of the coatings were discussed, and a model was put forward to describe the growth process of the MAO coatings on cast Al-Si alloys. The authors believe that the high silicon content of the substrate has no adverse influence on the structure and properties of the MAO coating on the ZL109 alloy.

Histone variant H2A.Z antagonizes the positive effect of the transcriptional activator CPC1 to regulate catalase-3 expression under normal and oxidative stress conditions

In eukaryotes, deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z into nucleosomes through the chromatin remodeling complex, SWR1, is a crucial step in modulating gene transcription. Recently, H2A.Z has been shown to control the expression of responsive genes, but the underlying mechanism of how H2A.Z responds to physiological stimuli is not well understood. Here, we reveal that, in Neurospora crassa, H2A.Z is a negative regulator of catalase-3 gene, which is responsible for resistance to oxidative stress. H2A.Z represses cat-3 gene expression through direct incorporation at cat-3 locus in a SWR1 complex dependent pathway. Notably, loss of H2A.Z or SWR1 subunits leads to increased binding of a transcription factor, CPC1, at cat-3 locus. Additionally, introduction of plasmids containing gene encoding H2A.Z or SWR1 complex subunits into wild-type strains decreased CAT-3 expression, indicating that H2A.Z counteracts the positive effect of CPC1 to achieve low level cat-3 expression under non-inductive condition. Furthermore, upon oxidative stress, H2A.Z is rapidly evicted from cat-3 locus for the recruitment of CPC1, resulting in robust and full cat-3 gene expression in response to external stimuli. Collectively, this study strongly demonstrates that H2A.Z antagonizes the function of transcription factor to regulate responsive gene transcription under normal conditions and to poise for gene full activation under oxidative stress.

Co-gasification of High-ash Sewage Sludge and Straw in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed with Oxygen-enriched Air

Gasification is a promising technology to utilize solid wastes. Co-gasification of high-ash sewage sludge and straw were studied in a fluidized bed using oxygen-enriched air. Several factors influencing co-gasification performance were investigated, including the blending ratio of straw (BR, 0–100 %), the oxygen percentage of enriched air (OP, 30.2–50 %) and the bed material type (high alumina bauxite, calcined dolomite and olivine). The results indicated that the proper increase in BR led to higher syngas yield and an increase in OP caused an increase in combustible gas components, both showing improvements for waste gasification. Correspondingly, the maximum cold gas efficiency was obtained at BR of 50 % and OP of 44.7 %, respectively. Additionally, calcined dolomite exhibited the maximum advantage in the reduction of heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), promoting the production of H2 and CO. The addition of high alumina bauxite was favored for improving syngas yield and gasification efficiency.

Microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of moso bamboo for high syngas production

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of moso bamboo with the activated carbon-supported iron(III) ion catalyst was carried out with the aim of obtaining high quality and quantity syngas(H₂ + CO). The effect of the catalyst on moso bomboo pyrolysis involving the temperature-rising characteristics, product distribution, tar conversion and gas compositions were investigated. The results indicated that the catalyst improved the microwave-absorption capability and increased the maximum reaction temperatures. The formation of gases was promoted by the catalyst mainly at the expense of the tar, indicating the catalyst had an excellent activity for the tar conversion .The catalyst had the positive influence on the formation of syngas with the maximum content reaching up to 81.14 vol% with H₂/CO being 1.04 and inhibited the production of CH₄ and CO₂. The loading of iron(III) ion into activated carbon exerted a significant influence on bamboo pyrolysis. The addition of the catalyst increased the thermal efficiency of the reaction system.

New Ordered Structure of Amorphous Carbon Clusters Induced by Fullerene-Cubane Reactions

As a new category of solids, crystalline materials constructed with amorphous building blocks expand the structure categorization of solids, for which designing such new structures and understanding the corresponding formation mechanisms are fundamentally important. Unlike previous reports, new amorphous carbon clusters constructed ordered carbon phases are found here by compressing C₈ H₈ /C₆₀ cocrystals, in which the highly energetic cubane (C₈ H₈ ) exhibits unusual roles as to the structure formation and transformations under pressure. The significant role of C₈ H₈ is to stabilize the boundary interactions of the highly compressed or collapsed C₆₀ clusters which preserves their long-range ordered arrangement up to 45 GPa. With increasing time at high pressure, the gradual random bonding between C₈ H₈ and carbon clusters, due to "energy release" of highly compressed cubane, leads to the loss of the ability of C₈ H₈ to stabilize the carbon cluster arrangement. Thus a transition from short-range disorder to long-range disorder (amorphization) occurs in the formed material. The spontaneous bonding reconstruction most likely results in a 3D network in the material, which can create ring cracks on diamond anvils.

Characterization of ash melting behaviour at high temperatures under conditions simulating combustible solid waste gasification

To achieve high-temperature gasification-melting of combustible solid waste, ash melting behaviour under conditions simulating high-temperature gasification were studied. Raw ash (RA) and gasified ash (GA) were prepared respectively by waste ashing and fluidized bed gasification. Results of microstructure and composition of the two-ash indicated that GA showed a more porous structure and higher content of alkali and alkali earth metals among metallic elements. Higher temperature promoted GA melting and could reach a complete flowing state at about 1250°C. The order of melting rate of GA under different atmospheres was reducing condition > inert condition > oxidizing condition, which might be related to different existing forms of iron during melting and different flux content with atmosphere. Compared to RA, GA showed lower melting activity at the same condition due to the existence of an unconverted carbon and hollow structure. The melting temperature for sufficient melting and separation of GA should be at least 1250°C in this work.

[Prevalence and clinical features of familial hypercholesterolemia in Chinese patients with myocardial infarction]

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and clinical features of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in Chinese patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Method: This retrospective study recruited a total of 2 119 consecutive patients (age (56.7±10.9) years old) undergoing coronary angiography with first MI from April 2011 to December 2016. Patients were divided into 2 groups: premature MI (male<55 years old, female<60 years old) and non-premature MI. The diagnosis of FH was established according to Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) diagnostic criteria and referred as definite/probable FH in our study. The prevalence and clinical features of FH, including lipid level, MI characteristics and stain therapy, were explored. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the predictive value of FH for the presence of premature MI. Results: The prevalence of definite/probable FH was 3.68% (78/2 119) in MI patients and 7.28% (68/934) in premature MI patients. Onset of MI occurred 10 years earlier in patients with definite/probable FH than those without FH ((47.9±9.4) years vs. (58.8±10.7) years, P<0.01). Additionally, we found that the risk of premature MI was significantly and independently increased in definite/probable FH patients (OR=5.32, 95%CI 2.77-10.22, P<0.01). None of FH patients reached the target of LDL-C<1.8 mmol/L under statin therapy. Conclusions: The prevalence of FH in Chinese patients with MI is not rare. Clinically, FH is linked with the early onset of MI.

The prognostic significance of UCA1 for predicting clinical outcome in patients with digestive system malignancies

Background

Urothelial Carcinoma Associated 1 (UCA1) was an originally identified lncRNA in bladder cancer. Previous studies have reported that UCA1 played a significant role in various types of cancer. This study aimed to clarify the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers.

Results

The meta-analysis of 15 studies were included, comprising 1441 patients with digestive system cancers. The pooled results of 14 studies indicated that high expression of UCA1 was significantly associated with poorer OS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR: 1.89, 95 % CI: 1.52–2.26). In addition, UCA1 could be as an independent prognostic factor for predicting OS of patients (HR: 1.85, 95 % CI: 1.45–2.25). The pooled results of 3 studies indicated a significant association between UCA1 and DFS in patients with digestive system cancers (HR = 2.50; 95 % CI = 1.30–3.69). Statistical significance was also observed in subgroup meta-analysis. Furthermore, the clinicopathological values of UCA1 were discussed in esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Materials and methods

A comprehensive retrieval was performed to search studies evaluating the prognostic value of UCA1 in digestive system cancers. Many databases were involved, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang database. Quantitative meta-analysis was performed with standard statistical methods and the prognostic significance of UCA1 in digestive system cancers was qualified.

Conclusions

Elevated level of UCA1 indicated the poor clinical outcome for patients with digestive system cancers. It may serve as a new biomarker related to prognosis in digestive system cancers.

LDR reverses DDP resistance in ovarian cancer cells by affecting ERCC-1, Bcl-2, Survivin and Caspase-3 expressions

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer is the most frequent cause of death resulting from malignant gynecological tumors. After surgical intervention, cisplatin (DDP) is a major chemotherapy drug for ovarian cancer, but the ovarian cancer cells tend to develop DDP resistance in the clinical setting. Tumor cells are sensitive to low-dose radiation (LDR). However, how the LDR therapy improves the effects of chemotherapy drugs on ovarian cancer is not well understood. This study aimed to explore this issue.

METHODS

The SKOV3/DDP cells were divided into 3 groups, including low-dose group, conventional-dose group, and control group (no radiation). Cell counting kit-8 assay was performed to measure cell proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis was then utilized to quantify the apoptosis with classical Annexin V/propidium iodide co-staining. And Real-time quantitative PCR and western blot were eventually used to analyze the mRNA and protein levels of excision repair cross complementing-group 1 (ERCC1), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Survivin and Caspase-3, respectively.

RESULTS

The IC50 value of DDP in the low-dose group was significantly lower compared with the other two groups. Compared with the conventional-dose group and control group, LDR treatment resulted in significantly more apoptosis. Besides, LDR treatment significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression of ERCC1, Bcl-2, and Survivin, and enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of Caspase-3 compared with the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

LDR reversed DDP resistance in SKOV3/DDP cells possibly by suppressing ERCC1, Bcl-2, and Survivin expressions, and increasing Caspase-3 expression.

Community-based stroke system of care improves patient outcomes in Chinese rural areas

BACKGROUND

Building effective and efficient stroke care systems is a key step in improving prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this stroke system of care on stroke management during a 2-year follow-up.

METHODS

A stroke system of care was developed from November 2009 to November 2010 in three townships in Ganyu County. Additional three matched townships were invited as controls. We first investigated the stroke incidence of these populations. Subsequently, this stroke system of care and an educational campaign in the three intervention townships were implemented and the effectiveness of the system was evaluated in the next 2 years.

RESULTS

At postintervention, more patients in the intervention communities obtained stroke knowledge and then the proportion of patients with stroke who were admitted within 3 hours of onset markedly increased in 2012 (12.0% vs 8.1%, p=0.044) and in 2013 (15.2% vs 9.7%, p=0.008) compared with those in the control communities. In the intervention communities, this proportion of patients with acute ischaemic stroke who received thrombolytic treatment was markedly raised from 2.1% in 2012 to 3.0% in 2013. More importantly, the fatality rate substantially decreased in 2013 in the intervention communities compared with that in the control communities (6.1% vs 9.7%, p=0.032). Similarly, the disability rate significantly decreased in 2013 (45.3% vs 51.5%, p=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

The community-based stroke system of care was effective and practical for optimising stroke treatments and improving patient outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR-RCH-13003408, Post-results.

Cross-pathway control gene CPC1/GCN4 coordinates with histone acetyltransferase GCN5 to regulate catalase-3 expression under oxidative stress in Neurospora crassa

Catalase is an important enzyme found in nearly all aerobic organisms and plays an essential role in protecting cells from oxidative damage by catalyzing the degradation of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. In filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, the expression levels of catalases are rigorously regulated by morphogenetic transition during growth and development in cells. Our study revealed that catalase-3 transcription is positively regulated by histone acetyltransferase GCN5 and the cross-pathway control gene cpc-1, as the cat-3 expression level is significantly decreased in gcn5^KO and cpc-1 (j-5) mutants. Moreover, gcn5^KO and cpc-1 (j-5) mutants could not respond to H₂O₂ treatment due to the inadequate cat-3 transcription, while wild-type strains showed high expression levels of catalase upon H₂O₂ treatment. The global H3 acetylation and the acetylation of H3 at cat-3 locus dramatically decreased in gcn5^KO under normal or oxidative stress conditions. Meanwhile, the expression of CAT-3 is reduced in gcn5^E146Q, the catalytically dead mutant, suggesting that the catalytic activity of GCN5 functions in regulation of cat-3 transcription. In addition, GCN5 cannot acetylate histone H3 efficiently at cat-3 locus in cpc-1 (j-5) mutant strains under normal or oxidative stress conditions. Furthermore, ChIP assays data revealed that the CPC1/GCN4 can directly target the cat-3 promoter region, which may recruit GCN5 to modify the histone acetylation of this region. These results disclosed a distinctive function of CPC1/GCN4 in the regulatory pathway of cat-3 transcription, which is mediated by GCN5-dependent acetylation.

Abstract P6-07-02: Bisphenol A treatment induces hyperplasia in primary and stem cell-generated mammary glands from pregnant mice

Breast cancer is a commonly diagnosed cancer of pregnancy. However, how endogenous and exogenous endocrine factors may contribute to the development of pregnancy-associated mammary tumorigenesis is not clear. There is growing evidence that mammary stem cells (MaSCs) may initiate neoplastic transformation when dysregulated in mouse models. We investigated the effect of the environmental endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) on mouse mammary gland morphology, epithelial cell composition, pre-neoplastic lesions, and the regenerative function of MaSCs. Pregnant FVB mice with GFP transgene on Day E8.5 were implanted with osmotic pumps that constantly release BPA at 0, 25 or 250 ng/kg/day for 28 days and the mice were euthanized one month after weaning. In agreement with the literature, we observed an abnormality of the morphology of the mammary gland after BPA treatment characterized by higher duct density and abnormal secondary and tertiary branching. Quantification of percent hyperplastic mammary ducts in H&E-stained tissue slides revealed a significant increase of ducts with hyperplastic lesions after BPA treatment, particularly with the low dose. To investigate the effects of BPA treatment on MaSCs, we used enzyme digestion to isolate the CD24hi/CD49f+ luminal epithelial cells (also termed as colony forming cell or CFC) and the CD24+/CD49fhi basal epithelial cells (also termed as mammary repopulating unit or MRU) from mammary gland tissues by FACS and found no significant difference in percent of luminal or basal cell population after BPA treatment. Because the basal cells are enriched with MaSCs that can form mammospheres in suspension culture and subsequently form solid 3D organoids when cultured in Matrigel, we transplanted the solid 3D organoids into cleared mammary fat pads of syngeneic FVB mice and immune-compromised nude mice to examine how BPA treatment might alter MaSC function. Significantly, similar to the results from the primary mammary glands, the regenerated mammary glands by MaSCs from mice treated with the low dose of BPA showed increased duct density, secondary and tertiary branching, and a significantly greater number of hyperplastic lesions. Taken together, our study demonstrated that BPA exposure at very low dose could induce pre-neoplastic lesions in the mammary gland of pregnant mice, apparently by directly targeting MaSCs and implicates BPA as an exogenous endocrine factor that may promote pregnancy-associated mammary tumorigenesis.

Citation Format: Bouamar H, Zhang F, Gu X, Dong Q, Sun L. Bisphenol A treatment induces hyperplasia in primary and stem cell-generated mammary glands from pregnant mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-07-02.

Detection of Gallibacterium anatis by TaqMan fluorescent quantitative PCR

To better understand the prevalence of Gallibacterium anatis in different poultry species, a rapid and accurate method was developed to detect G. anatis using a TaqMan fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Specific primers and a TaqMan probe were designed based on the reference gtxA gene sequence. The qPCR standard curve showed a good linear relationship, and the method showed good reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity, indicating its suitability for G. anatis identification and quantitative analysis. A comparison of the detection results in 160 clinical swab samples showed that the detection rate (54.4%) of the qPCR for G. anatis was better than that of two conventional methods: gyrB gene-based qPCR for G. anatis (51.9%) and culture-based identification (34.4%). G. anatis was detected in layer chicken (77.3%), Silkie chicken (72.7%), and duck (27.1%) with relatively high detection rates, whereas dove (8.8%) and quail (3.0%) showed lower detection rates, indicating the different prevalence of G. anatis in different fowl species.

Growth, structural and thermophysical properties of TbNbO4 crystals

An as-grown TbNbO₄ crystal has a negative thermal expansion and the zero thermal expansion could be achieved.

Biomass tar cracking and syngas production using rice husk char-supported nickel catalysts coupled with microwave heating

In the present work, biomass pyrolysis tar cracking and reforming for high quality syngas production using a rice husk char (RHC)-supported nickel catalyst (Ni/RHC) coupled with microwave heating was investigated. The Ni/RHC catalyst exhibited a high catalytic performance on tar removal and contributed well to the production of CO and H₂. The conversion efficiency could reach up to 97.3%, and the CO and H₂ yields were 274.0 ml g⁻¹ and 248.9 ml g⁻¹, respectively, at 700 °C, under microwave conditions, when the nickel loading amount was 10.42 wt% of the support. The tar conversion efficiencies and syngas yields significantly increased as the cracking temperatures increased from 500 °C to 700 °C and the nickel loading amount increased from 0 to 10.42 wt%. The Ni/RHC catalysts became more effective for tar removal and the production of syngas increased under microwave conditions compared to the results obtained under conventional conditions.

We explored the effect of Ni/RHC catalyst on tar removal and syngas production under microwave conditions.

[The role and significance of digital reconstruction technique in liver segments based on portal vein structure]

Objective: To study the segment of liver according to the large amount of three-dimensional(3D) reconstructive images of normal human livers and the vascular system, and to recognize the basic functional liver unit based on the anatomic features of the intrahepatic portal veins. Methods: The enhanced CT primitive DICOM files of 1 260 normal human livers from different age groups who treated from October 2013 to February 2017 provided by 16 hospitals were analyzed using the computer-aided surgery system.The 3D liver and liver vascular system were reconstructed, and the digital liver 3D model was established.The vascular morphology, anatomical features, and anatomical distributions of intrahepatic portal veins were statistically analyzed. Results: The digital liver model obtained from the 3D reconstruction of CAS displayed clear intrahepatic portal vein vessels of level four.Perform a digital liver segments study based on the analysis of level four vascular distribution areas.As the less anatomical variation of left hepatic portal vein, the liver was classified into four types of liver segmentation mainly based on right hepatic portal vein.Type A was similar to Couinaud or Cho's segmentation, containing 8 segments(537 cases, 42.62%). Type B contained 9 segments as there are three ramifications of right-anterior portal vein(464 cases, 36.82%). The main difference for Type C was the variation of right-posterior portal vein which was sector shape(102 cases, 8.10%). Type D contained the cases with special portal vein variations, which needs three-dimensional simulation to design individualized liver resection plan(157 cases, 12.46%). These results showed that there was no significant difference in liver segmental typing between genders(χ(2)=2.179, P=0.536) and did not reveal any significant difference in liver segmental typing among the different age groups(χ(2)=0.357, P=0.949). Conclusions: The 3D digital liver model can demonstrate the true 3D anatomical structures, and its spatial vascular variations.The observation of anatomic features, distribution areas of intrahepatic portal veins and individualized liver segmentation achieved via digital medical 3D visualization technology is of great value for understand the complexity of liver anatomy and to guide the precise hepatectomy.

Effect of iron(III) ion on moso bamboo pyrolysis under microwave irradiation

The effect of iron(III) ion on microwave pyrolysis of moso bamboo was investigated. Hydrofluoric acid washing was used as a pilot process to demineralize moso bamboo in order to eliminate the influences of the other inorganics contained in moso bamboo itself. The results indicated that the addition of iron(III) ion increased the maximal reaction temperatures under microwave condition dependent on the amount of the added iron(III) ion. The production of the non-condensable gases was promoted by the addition of iron(III) ion mainly at the expense of liquid products. Iron(III) ion exhibited the positive effect for syngas production and inhibited the formation of CO₂ and CH₄. The formation of Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ was found during microwave pyrolysis and the mechanism of the two metallic oxides formation was described in this work.

[Quality evaluation of decoction of single medicinal herb--a case of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos]

Decoction of single medicinal herb is a reference for the standardization of different dosage form of Chinese medicine and it provides a new direction for solving the problems existing in the quality of Chinese medicinal granules such no uniform dosage forms and no clear quality standard. There are few reports on the idea, method and preparation of single herb standard decoction. Our country is in urgent need of that information in order to improve the consistency and stability of traditional Chinese medicine products. Here, Lonicerae Japinicae Flos was selected as an example to elucidate the preparation and quality evaluation of Chinese single herbal medicine decoction. Twelve batches of representative Lonicerae Japinicae Flos were collected, UPLC fingerprints were established, and the chemical structures of main peaks were identified with UPLC-QTOF-MS and standard compounds. The main components in the decoction are organic acids and iridoids. The extract rate of the standard decoction was (34.2±2.9)% and the transfer rate is (78.6±8.4)% in the form of chlorogenic acid, within the range of 75%-125% of mean. This paper established a method for the quality evaluation of standard decoction of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos and provided reference for the quality control method of terminal products from decoction of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos.

Overexpression of LncRNA PVT1 Predicts Advanced Clinicopathological Features and Serves as an Unfavorable Risk Factor for Survival of Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Many studies have reported that PVT1 played important roles in diverse cancer types. But the systematic analysis of PVT1 in gastrointestinal cancers has not been inspected. Thus, we aimed to investigate clinical value of the long noncoding RNA PVT1 (lncRNA) expression in digestive system cancers.

METHODS

Eligible studies were collected from a number of databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang database). Pooled hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (95 % Cl) were applied to assess the clinical significance of PVT1.

RESULTS

Data from 15 articles were included with a total of 2585 patients. Elevated PVT1 expression were significantly related to poor overall survival (OS) [HR = 1.86, 95% CI (1.44, 2.28); p<0. 0001] in digestive system cancers. The same association was also observed between PVT1 expression with outcomes, including disease free survival (DFS), disease specific survival (DSS) and relapse free survival (RFS). The lncRNA PVT1 could also be predicative for some clinicopathological features.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis revealed that PVT1 may serve as a prognostic predictor and pathological biomarker in digestive system cancers.