Mitochondrial DNA mutation m.3243A>G is associated with altered mitochondrial function in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with heteroplasmy levels and with clinical phenotypes

AIMS

To investigate the associations among heteroplasmy levels (i.e. the proportions of mutant and wild-type mitochondrial DNA in the same cell), mitochondrial function and clinical severity of the m.3243A>G mutation.

METHODS

A total of 17 participants carrying the m.3243A>G mutation and 17 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Heteroplasmy levels of the m.3243A>G mutation in leukocytes, saliva and urine sediment were determined by pyrosequencing. The clinical evaluation included endocrinological, audiological and ophthalmological examinations. Mitochondrial function was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from participants.

RESULTS

Heteroplasmy levels in urine sediment were higher than those in leukocytes and saliva. Reduced levels of adenosine triphosphate and mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased reactive oxygen species production were observed in mutant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (all P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis indicated that higher heteroplasmy levels in peripheral blood leukocytes were associated with increased levels of glycated albumin and HbA_1c , and decreased total hip bone mineral density T-score after adjustment for age and sex (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, mitochondrial membrane potential was independently associated with bone mineral density T-score at the femoral neck (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Heteroplasmy levels in peripheral blood leukocytes and mitochondrial membrane potential in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were closely associated with clinical manifestations and were valuable for evaluation of the clinical severity of the m.3243A>G mutation.

Tamsulosin as a Medical Expulsive Therapy for Ureteral Stones: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

PURPOSE

Tamsulosin is widely administered as a medical expulsive therapy to facilitate stone passage in patients with ureteral calculi. Recently several large, multicenter, randomized controlled trials revealed conflicting results, which led to considerable uncertainty about the efficacy of tamsulosin in the management of ureteral stones. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin in the management of ureteral stones.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched MEDLINE®, Embase®, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar™ and the Cochrane Central Search Library databases up to June 2018. Two reviewers independently evaluated eligible randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of tamsulosin to treat ureteral stones. Study quality was assessed with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Included in study were 56 randomized controlled trials in a total of 9,395 patients. The observed treatment effect indicated that tamsulosin was associated with a higher stone expulsion rate (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.35-1.55, p <0.01), a shorter stone expulsion time (weighted mean difference -0.73, 95% CI -1.00--0.45, p <0.01), a lesser incidence of ureteral colic (weighted mean difference -0.81, 95% CI -1.24--0.39, p <0.01) and fewer incidences of requiring subsequent intervention (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.93, p = 0.017). Treatment with tamsulosin did not differ from a control group in the overall incidence of side effects (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.86-1.51, p = 0.36). On subgroup analysis we observed a significant benefit in the stone expulsion rate for tamsulosin among patients with stones greater than 5 mm (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22-1.68, p <0.01) but no effect for stones 5 mm or less (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.99-1.68, p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our current meta-analysis results indicate that tamsulosin is effective and relatively safe in patients with ureteral stone as a medical expulsive therapy to facilitate stone passage. It is suggested to administer it selectively in patients with 5 to 10 mm ureteral stones.

miR-10b suppresses cell invasion and metastasis through targeting HOXA3 regulated by FAK/YAP signaling pathway in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

Background

MicroRNAs have been related to tumor progression in diverse human cancers including clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Previous study has suggested the important regulation function of miR-10b in ccRCC. However, the direct target of miR-10b in ccRCC and the related molecular mechanisms has not yet been revealed.

Methods

miR-10b and HOXA3 was detected by qRT-PCR. MTT, colony formation assay, wound-healing and transwell assays were performed to detect cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities in ccRCC. Western blot analyses were performed to evaluate the protein expression of HOXA3, YAP, FAK and MMP-9. Dual luciferase reporter assay was employed to measure potential molecular mechanism of miR-10b in ccRCC.

Results

miR-10b was down-regulated in 786-O and A498 cells as compared to renal tubular HK-2 cells. By contrast, HOXA3 and YAP was up-regulated in ccRCC cells and tissues. Functionally, knockdown of YAP inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of FAK downregulated YAP, in turn, resulted in a decrease of HOXA3 expression. Mechanically, miR-10b targets HOXA3 to exert its tumor-suppressive effect on ccRCC in vitro.

Conclusions

These novel data suggest that miR-10b suppresses cell invasion and metastasis through targeting HOXA3, which partially passed through the FAK/YAP signaling pathway.

Klotho gene polymorphisms are associated with healthy aging and longevity: Evidence from a meta-analysis

Klotho gene polymorphisms have been implicated in healthy aging, but inconsistences in findings from previous case-control studies have raised concerns regarding the associations between KLOTHO gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to aging-related diseases and longevity. Hence, this meta-analysis was performed. We assessed the associations between two polymorphisms (G-395 A/rs1207568 and F352 V/rs9536314) and five parameters (urolithiasis, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and longevity) by calculating pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. According to the pooled results, the G allele of the G-395 A polymorphism conferred a significantly higher risk of urolithiasis; G-395 A was related to the susceptibility to cardiovascular disease under allele, dominant, and recessive models. There was no significant association between the G-395 A polymorphism and cognitive impairment among the elderly. The F allele of the F352 V polymorphism protected against breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility. Interestingly, based on the results of the subgroup analysis, the F352 V polymorphism was associated with the overall risk of neoplasms in BRCA1 mutation carriers but not in BRCA2 mutation carriers. Moreover, the F allele played a protective role in determining human longevity. In conclusion, Klotho G-395 A polymorphisms were associated with urolithiasis and cardiovascular disease but not with cognitive impairment. Additionally, Klotho F352 V polymorphisms were associated with cancers and longevity.

Knockdown of DGCR5 enhances the radiosensitivity of human laryngeal carcinoma cells via inducing miR-195

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert critical roles in the development of various cancers, including human laryngeal cancer. Radioresistance contributes to the predominant causes of laryngeal cancer recurrence after radiotherapy. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of dysregulated lncRNA and radiation resistance in human larynx squamous carcinoma. Here, we investigated the biological roles of lncRNA DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 5 (DGCR5) in radioresistance of human laryngeal cancer. Two human larynx squamous carcinoma cell lines (Hep-2 and Hep-2R), with different radiosensitivities in vitro were used in the present study. We observed that DGCR5 was significantly upregulated in Hep-2R cells. Inhibition of DGCR5 by LV-shDGCR5 transfection restrained Hep-2R cell proliferation and sensitized cells to radiation. Reversely, overexpression of DGCR5 exhibited an opposite phenomenon in vitro. In addition, microRNA (miR)-195 was predicted as a direct downstream target of DGCR5. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays verified the direct interaction between them. Meanwhile, miR-195 was observed to be reduced in Hep-2R cells and miR-195 mimics repressed Hep-2 cell growth. Moreover, radiosensitivity of Hep-2R cells was greatly enhanced by overexpression of miR-195, which could be reversed by upregulation of DGCR5. Finally, in vivo experiments were used to validate that knockdown of DGCR5 suppressed laryngeal carcinoma via targeting miR-195. In conclusion, we indicated that DGCR5 could contribute to the radioresistance of human laryngeal carcinoma cells via sponging miR-195.

Mean arterial pressure and mortality in patients with distributive shock: a retrospective analysis of the MIMIC-III database

BACKGROUND

Maintenance of mean arterial pressure (MAP) at levels sufficient to avoid tissue hypoperfusion is a key tenet in the management of distributive shock. We hypothesized that patients with distributive shock sometimes have a MAP below that typically recommended and that such hypotension is associated with increased mortality.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis of the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-III) database from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, USA, we included all intensive care unit (ICU) admissions between 2001 and 2012 with distributive shock, defined as continuous vasopressor support for ≥ 6 h and no evidence of low cardiac output shock. Hypotension was evaluated using five MAP thresholds: 80, 75, 65, 60 and 55 mmHg. We evaluated the longest continuous episode below each threshold during vasopressor therapy. The primary outcome was ICU mortality.

RESULTS

Of 5347 patients with distributive shock, 95.7%, 91.0%, 62.0%, 36.0% and 17.2%, respectively, had MAP < 80, < 75, < 65, < 60 and < 55 mmHg for more than two consecutive hours. On average, ICU mortality increased by 1.3, 1.8, 5.1, 7.9 and 14.4 percentage points for each additional 2 h with MAP < 80, < 75, < 65, < 60 and < 55 mmHg, respectively. Multivariable logistic modeling showed that, compared to patients in whom MAP was never < 65 mmHg, ICU mortality increased as duration of hypotension < 65 mmHg increased [for > 0 to < 2 h, odds ratio (OR) 1.76, p = 0.005; ≥ 6 to < 8 h, OR 2.90, p < 0.0001; ≥ 20 h, OR 7.10, p < 0.0001]. When hypotension was defined as MAP < 60 or < 55 mmHg, the associations between duration and mortality were generally stronger than when hypotension was defined as MAP < 65 mmHg. There was no association between hypotension and mortality when hypotension was defined as MAP < 80 mmHg.

CONCLUSIONS

Within the limitations due to the nature of the study, most patients with distributive shock experienced at least one episode with MAP < 65 mmHg lasting > 2 h. Episodes of prolonged hypotension were associated with higher mortality.

Overexpression of LASS2 inhibits proliferation and causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in papillary thyroid cancer

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of LAG1 longevity-assurance homologue 2 (LASS2) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Methods

Immunohistochemistry staining was conducted to explore the expression levels of LASS2 in PTC tissues and adjacent normal thyroid tissues and nodular goiter tissues. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were performed to explore the expression levels of LASS2 in three PTC cell lines (TPC-1, K1, BCPAP). An Adv-LASS2-GFP recombinant adenovirus vector was constructed and transduced into BCPAP cells. Then CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were performed. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of p21, cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4, p53 and p-p53.

Results

LASS2 was downregulated in PTC tissues compared with adjacent thyroid tissues or nodular goiter tissues. In addition, the expression of LASS2 was found to be associated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. BCPAP cells expressed the lowest LASS2 compared to TPC-1 cells or K1 cells. Overexpression of LASS2 significantly inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis and caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in BCPAP cells. Furthermore, overexpression of LASS2 significantly increased the expression of p21, inhibited the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4, and increased the expression of p-p53, but did not effect the expression of p53 in BCPAP cells.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that overexpression of LASS2 inhibits PTC cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis and causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest via a p53-dependent pathway. Thus, LASS2 may serve as a novel biomarker in PTC.

Peptide-Functionalized Nanoinhibitor Restrains Brain Tumor Growth by Abrogating Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition Factor (MET) Signaling

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors and are associated with aggressive growth, high morbidity, and mortality. Aberrant mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) activation occurs in approximately 30% of glioma patients and correlates with poor prognosis, elevated invasion, and increased drug resistance. Therefore, MET has emerged as an attractive target for glioma therapy. In this study, we developed a novel nanoinhibitor by conjugating MET-targeting cMBP peptides on the G4 dendrimer. Compared to the binding affinity of the free peptide ( K_D = 3.96 × 10^-7 M), the binding affinity of the nanoinhibitor to MET increased 3 orders of magnitude to 1.32 × 10^-10 M. This nanoinhibitor efficiently reduced the proliferation and invasion of human glioblastoma U87MG cells in vitro by blocking MET signaling with remarkably attenuated levels of phosphorylated MET ( pMET) and its downstream signaling proteins, such as pAKT and pERK1/2. Although no obvious therapeutic effect was observed after treatment with free cBMP peptide, in vivo T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a significant delay in tumor growth after intravenous injection of the nanoinhibitor. The medium survival in mouse models was extended by 59%, which is similar to the effects of PF-04217903, a small molecule MET inhibitor currently in clinical trials. Immunoblotting studies of tumor homogenate verified that the nanoinhibitor restrained glioma growth by blocking MET downstream signaling. pMET and its downstream proteins pAKT and pERK1/2, which are involved in the survival and invasion of cancer cells, decreased in the nanoinhibitor-treated group by 44.2%, 62.2%, and 32.3%, respectively, compared with those in the control group. In summary, we developed a peptide-functionalized MET nanoinhibitor that showed extremely high binding affinity to MET and effectively inhibited glioma growth by blocking MET downstream signaling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of therapeutic inhibition of glioma growth by blocking MET signaling with a novel nanoinhibitor. Compared to antibodies and chemical inhibitors in clinical trials, the nanoinhibitor blocks MET signaling and provides a new approach for the treatment of glioma with the advantages of high efficiency, affordability, and, most importantly, potentially reduced drug resistance.

Altered structural and functional connectivity of the insula in functional dyspepsia

BACKGROUND

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease. Neuroimaging studies have identified that insula is involved in the pathogenesis of FD. However, less is known about structural and functional connectivity of insula in FD.

METHODS

In this study, 67 FD patients and 46 healthy controls (HCs) underwent structural MRI, resting-state functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans, and clinical assessment. We used the 3 neuroimaging modalities to investigate structural and functional connectivity of insula between FD patients and HCs, and we examined relationships between the neuroimaging findings and clinical symptoms.

KEY RESULTS

Compared with HCs, (i) FD patients had decreased gray matter density in right insula according to voxel-based morphometry method, which region was targeted as region of interest for further analysis of structural and functional connectivity; (ii) FD patients had lower connection probability in right anterior insula with right thalamus, right internal capsule (IC), and right external capsule (EC); (iii) FD patients had decreased functional connectivity of the right anterior insula with right thalamus and right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC); and (iv) FD patients had negative correlation between disease duration and the functional connectivity of right anterior insula with thalamus.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

The present findings reveal that alterations of structural and/or functional connectivity of right anterior insula with regions, including thalamus, IC, EC, and pACC, may be mainly implicated in abnormalities of visceral sensory processing and related affective responses in FD patients. Finally, this study could enhance understanding of the pathophysiology of FD.

Comparison of suctioning and traditional ureteral access sheath during flexible ureteroscopy in the treatment of renal stones

PURPOSE

To compare the efficiency and safety of suctioning ureteral access sheath (UAS) and traditional UAS during flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) for treatment of renal stones.

METHODS

Between January 2015 and December 2017, 165 patients who had renal stones successfully underwent FURS with suctioning UAS created by connecting a channel on the tail of the suctioning UAS to a vacuum device. The outcomes of these patients were compared with those of 165 patients undergoing FURS with traditional UAS using a 1:1 scenario matched-pair analysis. The matching parameters were age, gender and stone burden.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics were homogeneous between the two groups. The suctioning UAS group had significantly higher SFR one day postoperatively (82.4% vs. 71.5%; P = 0.02), but SFR 1 month postoperatively was comparable in the two groups (P = 0.13). The incidence of overall complications was significantly higher in the traditional UAS group (24.8% vs 11.5%; P < 0.001). Regarding individual complications, the traditional UAS group was associated with a significantly higher incidence of fever (13.9% vs 5.5%; P = 0.009) and urosepsis requiring only additional antibiotics (6.7% vs 1.8%; P = 0.029). No significant difference was noted in the incidence of septic shock, hematuria, steinstrasse or ureteral stricture. The suctioning UAS group had significantly shorter operative time (49.7 + 16.3 min vs. 57.0 ± 14.0 min; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to traditional UAS during FURS for treating renal stones, suctioning UAS had the advantages of higher SFR 1 day postoperatively, a lower incidence of infectious complications and a shorter operative time. Further well-designed studies are required to confirm the results.

Electroacupuncture for patients with refractory functional dyspepsia: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

To test the efficacy of electroacupuncture for patients with refractory functional dyspepsia (FD).

METHODS

A 24-week, 2-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted at three hospitals in China. Patients with refractory FD were randomly assigned to receive 20 sessions of authentic or sham electroacupuncture in a treatment duration of 4 weeks. The primary outcome was complete absence of dyspeptic symptoms at 16 weeks after initiation of acupuncture (week 16). The secondary outcomes included adequate relief of dyspeptic symptoms, Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire (LDQ), Nepean Dyspepsia Index (NDI), and adverse events. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed.

KEY RESULTS

Two hundred patients were included, of which 196 (98%) completed follow-up data at week 24. At week 16, 17 (17%) patients in the authentic electroacupuncture group vs 6 (6%) patients in the sham group achieved the primary outcome (P = .014). Sixty-two (62%) patients had adequate relief in the authentic electroacupuncture group, as compared to 22 (22%) in the sham group (P = .001). The scores of LDQ and NDI were significantly improved in both groups at week 16, and patients in the authentic electroacupuncture group have more improvements (LDQ, mean difference, -2.2, 95% confidence interval, -2.3 to -2.1, P < .001; NDI, -7.3, -10.5 to -4.2, P < .001). Results were similar for all the outcomes assessed at week 24. No serious adverse events were reported in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture efficaciously improves dyspeptic symptoms in patients with refractory FD.

Aggregation kinetics of microplastics in aquatic environment: Complex roles of electrolytes, pH, and natural organic matter

Microplastics are an emerging contaminants of concern in aquatic environments. The aggregation behaviors of microplastics governing their fate and ecological risks in aquatic environments is in need of evaluation. In this study, the aggregation behavior of polystyrene microspheres (micro-PS) in aquatic environments was systematically investigated over a range of monovalent and divalent electrolytes with and without natural organic matter (i.e., Suwannee River humic acid (HA)), at pH 6.0, respectively. The zeta potentials and hydrodynamic diameters of micro-PS were measured and the subsequent aggregation kinetics and attachment efficiencies (α) were calculated. The aggregation kinetics of micro-PS exhibited reaction- and diffusion-limited regimes in the presence of monovalent or divalent electrolytes with distinct critical coagulation concentration (CCC) values, followed the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. The CCC values of micro-PS were14.9, 13.7, 14.8, 2.95 and 3.20 mM for NaCl, NaNO₃, KNO₃, CaCl₂ and BaCl₂, respectively. As expected, divalent electrolytes (i.e., CaCl₂ and BaCl₂) had stronger influence on the aggregation behaviors of micro-PS as compared to monovalent electrolytes (i.e., NaCl, NaNO₃ and KNO₃). HA enhanced micro-PS stability and shifted the CCC values to higher electrolyte concentrations for all types of electrolytes. The CCC values of micro-PS were lower than reported carbonaceous nanoparticles CCC values. The CCC[Ca²⁺]/CCC [Na⁺] ratios in the absence and presence of HA at pH 6.0 were proportional to Z^-2.34 and Z^-2.30, respectively. These ratios were in accordance with the theoretical Schulze-Hardy rule, which considers that the CCC is proportional to z^-6-z^-2. These results indicate that the stability of micro-PS in the natural aquatic environment and the possibility of significant aqueous transport of micro-PS.

Nemo-like kinase (NLK) primes colorectal cancer progression by releasing the E2F1 complex from HDAC1

Control of E2F1 activity is restricted via its interactions with RB1 and HDAC1. However, the detailed regulatory mechanisms underlying the E2F1/HDAC1 complex remain elusive. Here, we report that Nemo-like kinase (NLK) boosts cell cycle progression, which facilitates tumor development by releasing the E2F1 protein from HDAC1. Deletion of NLK largely blocks colorectal tumor proliferation and development. Moreover, RNA-seq shows that cell cycle is arrested at the G1/S phase in NLK-deficient cells and that the expression of E2F complex-targeted genes are affected, whereas overexpression of NLK but not an NLK mutant restores the wild-type phenotype. Mechanistically, we show that NLK interacts with the E2F1 complex, leading to disassembly of the E2F1/HDAC1 complex and thus diminishing the ability of E2F1 to bind to target gene promoters. Our results indicate that NLK boosts cell proliferation and E2F1 activity and controls the cell cycle switch by releasing HDAC1 from the E2F1 complex.

Dilatancy induced ductile-brittle transition of shear band in metallic glasses

Dilatancy-generated structural disordering, an inherent feature of metallic glasses (MGs), has been widely accepted as the physical mechanism for the primary origin and structural evolution of shear banding, as well as the resultant shear failure. However, it remains a great challenge to determine, to what degree of dilatation, a shear banding will evolve into a runaway shear failure. In this work, using in situ acoustic emission monitoring, we probe the dilatancy evolution at the different stages of individual shear band in MGs that underwent severely plastic deformation by the controlled cutting technology. A scaling law is revealed that the dilatancy in a shear band is linearly related to its evolution degree. A transition from ductile-to-brittle shear bands is observed, where the formers dominate stable serrated flow, and the latter lead to a runaway instability (catastrophe failure) of serrated flow. To uncover the underlying mechanics, we develop a theoretical model of shear-band evolution dynamics taking into account an atomic-scale deformation process. Our theoretical results agree with the experimental observations, and demonstrate that the atomic-scale volume expansion arises from an intrinsic shear-band evolution dynamics. Importantly, the onset of the ductile-brittle transition of shear banding is controlled by a critical dilatation.

Biomonitoring PFAAs in blood and semen samples: Investigation of a potential link between PFAAs exposure and semen mobility in China

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have been suspected to act as endocrine disruptors and adversely affect human reproductive health. We aimed to investigate the association between PFAAs in blood and semen, explore a potential link between PFAAs exposure and semen quality in the population of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region in China, one of the "world factories". The monitoring results demonstrated that the population (103 male participants) from the PRD region in this study had higher PFAAs levels in blood and semen than some other areas in China. PFOS was found at the highest mean concentrations of 118.16 ng/mL in blood and 5.31 ng/mL in semen among the nine PFAAs. Significant associations were found between concentrations of several analytes in blood and semen, including Σ₉ PFAAs (r = 0.475, P < .01), PFOA (r = 0.215, P = .029), PFHS (r = 0.458, P < .01) and PFOS (r = 0.981, P < .01). BMI was the most important factor to PFAAs, but there was no significant difference in PFAAs concentrations in blood and semen collected from participants with different smoking and drinking habits, education background and occupations. Negative correlations were significantly observed between sperm motility and PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBS, PFOA, PFHS, PFOS and Σ₉PFAAs in semen. Therefore, exposure to PFAAs may result in a decline in semen mobility in participants from the PRD region.

Large-scale 16S gene assembly using metagenomics shotgun sequences

Motivation

Combining a 16S rRNA (16S) gene database with metagenomic shotgun sequences promises unbiased identification of known and novel microbes.

Results

To achieve this, we herein report reference-based ribosome assembly (RAMBL), a computational pipeline, which integrates taxonomic tree search and Dirichlet process clustering to reconstruct full-length 16S gene sequences from metagenomic sequencing data with high accuracy. By benchmarking against the synthetic and real shotgun sequences, we demonstrated that full-length 16S gene assemblies of RAMBL were a good proxy for known and putative microbes, including Candidate Phyla Radiation. We found that 30-40% of bacteria genera in the terrestrial and intestinal biomes have no closely related genome sequences. We also observed that RAMBL was able to generate a more accurate determination of environmental microbial diversity and yield better disease classification, suggesting that full-length 16S gene assemblies are a powerful alternative to marker gene set and 16S short reads. RAMBL first realizes the access to full-length 16S gene sequences in the near-terabase-scale metagenomic shotgun sequences, which markedly improve metagenomic data analysis and interpretation.

Availability and Implementation

RAMBL is available at https://github.com/homopolymer/RAMBL for academic use.

Contact

zengfeng@xmu.edu.cn.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Comparative study of the treatment of 20-30 mm renal stones with miniaturized percutaneous nephrolithotomy and flexible ureterorenoscopy in obese patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate and compare flexible ureteroscopy (f-URS) and mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPNL) for 20-30 mm renal stones in obese patients regarding efficacy and safety.

METHODS

Between May 2011 and June 2017, 254 obese patients who had 20-30 mm kidney stone were consecutively included in the study; 106 patients underwent mPNL and 148 underwent f-URS by the same surgeon. The following parameters were retrospectively assessed: patient and stone characteristics, surgical details, perioperative outcomes, and stone-free rates (SFR).

RESULTS

F-URS group was similar to mPNL group in terms of the mean duration of surgery (92.8 ± 26.1 vs 87.4 ± 31.5 min, P = 0.137) and the final SFR (89.1 vs 92.5%, P = 0.381). The f-URS group had significantly shorter postoperative stay (1.0 ± 0.8 vs 4.3 ± 1.7 days, P < 0.001) and lower postoperative complications (11.5 vs 26.4%, P = 0.002). However, the f-URS group had a lower SFR after first session (67.2 vs 87.4%, P < 0.001) and needed more number of procedures (1.5 ± 0.4 vs 1.3 ± 0.4, P < 0.001) than the mPNL group.

CONCLUSIONS

MPNL has a higher efficacy (higher SFR after first session and lower number of procedures); however, f-URS offers advantages regarding safety (lower complication rate). Therefore, both options can be offered to obese patients with renal stones from 20 to 30 mm in size. Nevertheless, these results must be confirmed by further prospective randomized trials.

Efficient biosynthesis, analysis, solubility and anti-bacterial activities of succinylglycosylated naringenin

A novel water-soluble flavonoid with good anti-bacterial activities, naringenin-6″-succl-7-O-glucoside (7-SGN), was synthesised. It was biotransformed from naringenin by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FJ18 in aqueous miscible organic media, and characterised by LC-MS and NMR analysis. The solubility of 7-SGN in water was approximately 102 times higher than that of naringenin. These results demonstrated that both the water solubility and the anti-bacterial activity of 7-SGN were significantly improved.

Effect of Grifola frondosa 95% ethanol extract on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet-fed rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of 95% ethanol extract of G. frondosa (GF95) on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet (HFD) fed rats.

Synergy between active sites and electric conductivity of molybdenum sulfide for efficient electrochemical hydrogen production

Synergy between active sites and electric conductivity tailored by controllable calcination and carbon nanotube addition for efficient electrochemical hydrogen production.

Antidiabetic and Lipid-Lowering Effects of the Polyphenol Extracts from the Leaves of Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels on Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels (Wampee) is widely grown in China and considered as a healthy fruit. Its leaves are also considered as traditional herbs. This study analyzed polyphenol compounds in polyphenol extracts of the leaves C. lansium (lour.) Skeels (PEL) and investigated the protective effect of PEL against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in T2DM rats. The result showed that PEL is composed mainly of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, coffee acid, ferulic acid, and rutin. PEL could obviously relieve some symptoms of T2DM rats, including emaciation, hyperhidrosis, polyphagia, diuresis, liver swelling, kidney, and pancreas hypertrophy, as well as reduce fasting blood glucose. Moreover, the supplementation of PEL significantly ameliorated lipids disorder and protected liver in T2DM rats, including fat accumulation, improvement of lipid distribution and hepatocyte protection. These results indicate that the Oral of PEL have potential effects of against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in diabetic disorders.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The leaves Clausena lansium (lour.) Skeels is rich in polyphenol and other ingredients. In this research, the preliminary study shows that PEL can reduce fasting blood glucose and improve lipids disorder in rats, which will bring to diabetic patients a way to improve the disease and enhance the quality of life. The PEL therefore can be used for the production of pharmaceutical raw materials and the design of novel functional foods by simple conversion.

Leukapheresis in 15 patients weighing 20kg or less: A single centre experience

The application of apheresis equipment to perform leukapheresis (LK) in low weight paediatric patients is logistically complex and lacking of largest clinical performing experiences, meanwhile, the benefit from LK is controversial. In this study, 15 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL)and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and hyperleukocytosis were treated with the COBE Spectra apheresis system in the general paediatric ward by the staff from the department of Blood Transfusion. 26 LK procedures were performed. 12 patients (80%) were performed with peripheral veins, others (20%) with femoral veins. Median age, body weight of the patients was 4 years (range from1year 10 month to 7 years) and 15kg (range from10 to 20kg). The median white blood cell (WBC) count of pre-first-LK was 289×10⁹/L (range from 108×10⁹/L to 579×10⁹/L). The median decrease in WBC count after each LK was 34% (range from 14% to 54%), and overall decrease in WBC after completion of LK procedures was 45% (range from 15% to 70%). All of the patients had no further signs of leukostasis and achieved marked reductions in WBC counts. Only minor clinical adverse events were attributable to LK. With adequate monitoring and experienced team, LK is a safe and may be a beneficial leukoreduction method in small patients weighing 20kg or less with ALL and AML.

Comparison of structural features and in vitro digestibility of purple yam (Dioscorea alata L.) resistant starches by autoclaving and multi-enzyme hydrolysis

Resistant starches (RS) were prepared from purple yam by dual autoclaving-retrogradation (DAS), and pullulanase debranching treatment (PDS). DAS and PDS were then hydrolyzed by α-amylase and amyloglucosidase to obtain DAS.H and PDS.H. Differences in structural characteristics and in vitro digestibility among the four samples were investigated. The results showed that granules of RS had a rough surface and irregular shape. DAS had the lowest amylose content (29.52%), whereas PDS.H had the highest amylose content (41.96%). The order of crystallinity of the RS was: PDS.H (31.23%) > DAS.H (30.16%) > PDS (21.23%) > DAS (15.30%). Analysis by in vitro digestibility indicated a decreased hydrolysis index and glycemic index due to lower swelling power and water-binding capacity, and a well-ordered double helix structure and more crystallization in PDS.H than in the other RS samples. These results suggest that pullulanase debranching combined with α-amylase and amyloglucosidase hydrolysis may produce better RS with improved crystalline structure and higher digestion resistibility.

Eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma: Clinical diagnosis and treatment experience of 41 cases

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features of eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma (EHLG) in the head and neck.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Collecting the patients who diagnose with EHLG by pathological examination. The EHLG patients with the masses involved regions, such as involved inguinal region, chest wall, abdominal wall, anterior superior iliac spine or clavicle, instead of head and neck were excluding. All of the participants will sign the informed consent form. The history data includes: clinical history, blood routine test, pathological examination, and recurrence will be collected.

RESULTS

A total of 41 patients of EHLG were included. These patients predominantly presented as an enlarging and painless single or multiple masses with a history of repeated swelling. There were the complaint of itchy skin and pigmentation. The routine blood test showed that the percentage value of eosinophil increased in almost patients including 26 cases had raised absolute eosinophil count. The serum level of lgE was increased in 29 cases remarkably. With the methods of treatments, 36 patients received surgical excision, 3 patients accepted hormonotherapy, and another 2 patients for radiotherapy. The recurrence of EHLG was in 9 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

EHLG is a rare disease. The clinical manifestation (itchy skin and pigmentation) and increased eosinophil play critical values to the diagnosis of EHLG. Confirmed diagnosis always depends on pathological examination. Surgery is a preferred treatment, while low dose of radiotherapy is necessary for preventing relapse after operation and hormonotherapy.

Disrupted intrinsic connectivity of the periaqueductal gray in patients with functional dyspepsia: A resting-state fMRI study

BACKGROUND

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. Accumulating evidence suggests the crucial role of central nervous system in the development and maintenance of FD. In particular, periaqueductal gray (PAG) has demonstrated an important role in modulation of pain and emotion, which may be related to FD. However, the study of the PAG in FD is still limited. This study aimed to assess intrinsic connectivity of the PAG in FD patients.

METHODS

Resting-state functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 66 FD patients and 42 healthy controls (HCs). Functional connectivity analysis was performed to investigate the PAG connectivity pattern differences between the patients and HCs. We then examined the relationships between functional connectivity within the PAG networks and FD symptoms.

KEY RESULTS

Compared to HCs, patients had increased PAG connectivity with the insula, and decreased PAG connectivity with the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and hippocampus/parahippocampus (HIPP/paraHIPP). There were positive correlations between disease duration and PAG connectivity with the putamen and supplementary motor area (SMA), and positive correlations between symptom severity and PAG connectivity with the insula. FD patients with high level of anxiety and depression had altered PAG connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), precuneus, dlPFC and caudate, compared to other patients.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

These findings indicate that abnormal intrinsic network of the PAG might be associated with abnormality of pain processing and disruption of emotion processing in FD patients. Our study further complements neuroimaging findings about FD.

[Advantages of foley catheter for nephrostomy tube after minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the advantages and nursing experience of foley catheter for nephrostomy tube after minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL).
 Methods: From October 2015 to April 2016, the clinical data of 137 patients, who were diagnosed with upper urinary tract calculi and need to perform mPCNL, were collected and randomized into 2 groups: a foley catheter group (research group, n=69) and a normal nephrostomy tube group (control group, n=68). The patients in research group used foley catheter for nephrostomy tube, while those in the control group used normal nephrostomy tube. Bleeding volume, the days of bleeding, pipes shedding and pain degree were compared, and the experience of the nursing process was summarized.
 Results: The bleeding volume, the days of bleeding in the research group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P<0.01). The pipes shedding rate in the research group were lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative pain scores between the 2 groups (P>0.05). There was no other complications and discomfortable symptoms in the experimental group.
 Conclusion: The use of foley catheter for nephrostomy tube after mPCNL is safe, and it can decrease the bleeding volume and pipes shedding rate. It doesn't increase the patient's postoperative pain and can reduce the difficulty and risk for postoperative nursing.

Transcriptome profiling of Cucumis metuliferus infected by Meloidogyne incognita provides new insights into putative defense regulatory network in Cucurbitaceae

Root-knot nematodes (RKN) represent extensive challenges to Cucurbitaceae crops. However, Cucumis metuliferus (Cm) is known to be resistant to Meloidogyne incognita (Mi) infections. Thus, analysis of differentially expressed genes may lead to a comprehensive gene expression profiling of the incompatible Cm-Mi interaction. In this study, the time-course transcriptome of Cm against Mi infection was monitored using RNA-Seq. More than 170000 transcripts were examined in Cm roots, and 2430 genes were subsequently identified as differentially expressed in response to Mi infection. Based on function annotation and orthologs finding, the potential mechanism of transcriptional factor, cytoskeleton, pathogen-related genes and plant hormone were assessed at the transcription level. A comparison of gene expression levels between Mi-infected Cm and cucumber plants revealed that cytoskeleton-related genes are key regulators of Cm resistance to Mi. We herein discuss the dual nature of cytoskeleton-related genes in the susceptibility and resistance of plant hosts to Mi. Our observations provide novel insights into the responses of Cm to Mi at the transcriptome level. The data generated in this study may be useful for elucidating the mechanism underlying resistance to RKNs in cucurbitaceous crops.

HMOX-1 inhibits TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

Epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism underlying metastatic breast cancer. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in EMT. Heme oxygenase‑1 (HMOX‑1) can reduce oxidative stress. However, the effect of HMOX‑1 on the EMT process in breast cancer cells is unknown. We treated the MCF‑7 breast cancer cell line with the HMOX‑1 inducer hemin and observed that hemin induced HMOX‑1 expression and inhibited migration, invasion and ROS generation in transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β)‑treated MCF‑7 cells using quantitative RT‑qPCR, western blotting, wound‑healing and cell invasion assays as well as fluorescent probe DCFDA. Hemin inhibited TGF‑β‑induced EMT in the MCF‑7 cells, whereas HMOX‑1 siRNA attenuated the suppressive effect of hemin as determined by the expression and cellular distribution of selected EMT markers. In summary, our results revealed that hemin treatment increased HMOX‑1 expression and inhibited TGF‑β‑induced EMT in MCF‑7 cells.

Occurrence and distribution of organophosphate esters in urban soils of the subtropical city, Guangzhou, China

67 soil samples from the road greenbelts, the paddy/vegetable fields, the parks, the commercial and residential areas in the subtropical city, Guangzhou, China, were collected and analyzed for 11 organophosphate esters (OPEs) and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO). OPEs were detected in all soil samples analyzed, which indicate that OPEs are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. The ∑₁₁OPEs concentrations ranged from 0.041 mg kg^-1-dry weight (dw) to 1.37 mg kg^-1-dw, with the mean and median concentrations of 0.25 mg kg^-1-dw and 0.24 mg kg^-1-dw, respectively. High concentrations of OPEs were observed in the roadside soils collected from the commercial areas with heavy traffic and extensive anthropogenic activities. Of 11 OPEs, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), tri-cresyl-phosphate (TMPP), tributyl phosphate (TNBP) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) were the most abundant OPEs, contributing 42.8 ± 15.4%, 17.2 ± 11.9%, 10.9 ± 6.85% and 9.70 ± 9.56% of ∑₁₁OPEs, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that OPEs accumulation in the urban soils derived from different sources. As compared to the results for other studies, the urban soils of Guangzhou were moderately polluted by OPEs.

Prenylated flavonoids from the stems and roots of Tripterygium wilfordii

Phytochemical investigation on the stems and roots of Tripterygium wilfordii led to the isolation and characterization of three new prenylated flavanones, tripteryols A-C (1-3), along with (±)-5,4'-dihydroxy-2'-methoxy-6',6″-dimethypyraro-(2″,3″:7,8)-6-methyflavanone (4), and ((2S)-5,7,4'-trihydroxy-2'-methoxy-8,5'-di(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-6-methylflavanone (5). Structures of the compounds 1-5 were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques, such as UV, IR, NMR (1D and 2D), and HRESI-MS. Tripteryols B (2) was found active in the antimicrobial assay against Cryptococcus neoformans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with IC₅₀ values in the range of 2.95-8.59μg/mL. Compounds 4 and 5 showed significant antimicrobial activities against C. neoformans, MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus with IC₅₀ values in the range of 1.06-2.60μg/mL. Additionally, significant antimalarial activities of tripteryols A-B (1-2) against chloroquine-sensitive D6 and resistant W2 clones of Plasmodium falciparum were observed and none of the compounds 1-5 were cytotoxic to Vero cells.

[Expression of matrix Gla protein and bone morphogenetic protein 2 in renal papillary tissues in patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones]

OBJECTIVE

To compare expression levels of matrix Gla protein (MGP) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) in Randall's plaque of renal papillary tissues in patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones and the underlying mechanism for stone formation.
 Methods: A total of 30 samples of Randall's plaque in renal papillary tissues from patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones were collected from the Department of Urology of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from April, 2015 to December, 2015 and served as an experimental group. Ten samples of renal papillary tissues in patients undergone renal tumor nephrectomy were collected from the same hospital and served as a control group. The expressions of MGP and BMP-2 mRNA and protein were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot.Meanwhile, immunohistochemical technique was used to observe the expressions of MGP and BMP-2 in different parts of renal papillary tissues in the 2 groups.
 Results: 1) The mRNA expression levels of MGP in the experimental group and the control group were 0.760±0.804 and 1.365±0.348, respectively, with significant difference between them (P<0.05). Them RNA levels of BMP-2 in the experimental group and the control group were 2.500±0.725 and 1.485±0.870, respectively, with significant difference between them (P<0.05). The expression levels of MGP protein in the experimental group and the control group were 0.130±0.424 and 0.202±0.704, respectively, with no significant difference between them (P>0.05). The expression levels of BMP-2 protein in the experimental group and the control group were 0.885±0.220 and 0.682±0.272, respectively, with significant difference between them (P<0.05). The immunohistochemistry showed that the protein expression of MGP in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, while the protein expression of BMP-2 in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (both P<0.05).
 Conclusion: The BMP-2 expression is increased while MGP expression is decreased in renal papillary tissues in patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones, and the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stone might be a kind of osteogenetic reaction or ectopic calcification.

Spatial summation of the short-term plasticity of a pair of organic heterogeneous junctions

Short-term plasticity of a pair of organic heterogeneous junctions could be linearly summed from those of the two sources.

[Arginase Level in Apheresis Leukocyte-Reduced Platelets Stored for Different Time]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of storage time on arginase level and possible source of arginase in apheresis leukocyte-reduced platelets(ALR-Plt).

METHODS

The arginase level and myeloperoxidase(MPO) levels in ALR-Plt and control plasma were detected by ELISA. The relationship between arginase level and MPO level in ALR-Plt was analyzed by correlation analysis.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference of arginase level between ALR-Plt stored less than 3 days and control plasma. However, arginase level in ALR-Plt stored over 3 days was significantly higher than that in ALR-Plt stored less than 3 days and control plasma(P<0.05). There was no significant difference of MPO level in ALR-Plt stored for different times, but the MPO level in ALR-Plt stored for different time was lower than that in control plasma. Correlation analysis showed that arginase level positively correlated with MPO level in ALR-Plt of different storage time (r=0.58).

CONCLUSION

The arginase level in ALR-Plt stored over 3 days increase significantly. The main possible source of arginase in ALR-Plt is the residual white blood cells, especially neutrophils.