Octadecyl Chains Immobilized onto Hyaluronic Acid Coatings by Thiol-ene "Click Chemistry" Increase the Surface Antimicrobial Properties and Prevent Platelet Adhesion and Activation to Polyurethane

Infection and thrombus formation are still the biggest challenges for the success of blood contact medical devices. This work aims the development of an antimicrobial and hemocompatible biomaterial coating through which selective binding of albumin (passivant protein) from the bloodstream is promoted and, thus, adsorption of other proteins responsible for bacterial adhesion and thrombus formation can be prevented. Polyurethane (PU) films were coated with hyaluronic acid, an antifouling agent, that was previously modified with thiol groups (HA-SH), using polydopamine as the binding agent. Octadecyl acrylate (C18) was used to attract albumin since it resembles the circulating free fatty acids and albumin is a fatty acid transporter. Thiol-ene "click chemistry" was explored for C18 immobilization on HA-SH through a covalent bond between the thiol groups from the HA and the alkene groups from the C18 chains. Surfaces were prepared with different C18 concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20%) and successful immobilization was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle determinations, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The ability of surfaces to bind albumin selectively was determined by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Albumin adsorption increased in response to the hydrophobic nature of the surfaces, which augmented with C18 saturation. HA-SH coating reduced albumin adsorption to PU. C18 immobilized onto HA-SH at 5% promoted selective binding of albumin, decreased Staphylococcus aureus adhesion and prevented platelet adhesion and activation to PU in the presence of human plasma. C18/HA-SH coating was established as an innovative and promising strategy to improve the antimicrobial properties and hemocompatibility of any blood contact medical device.

TLR4 and Caveolin-1 in Monocytes Are Associated With Inflammatory Conditions in Diabetic Neuropathy

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of TLR4 and caveolin‐1 in monocytes among healthy volunteers as well as those with type‐2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Nineteen healthy control subjects, 18 patients with T2DM, and 20 patients with DPN were enrolled. Toll‐like receptor (TLR)4, caveolin‐1, MyD88, phosphorylated IκB, and plasma TNF‐α and interleukin (IL)‐6 were measured using real‐time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with the other two groups, the DPN group had higher expression of TLR4, MyD88, phosphorylated IκB, TNF‐α, and IL‐6, but significantly lower levels of caveolin‐1 and total IκB in monocytes. Plasma concentrations of TNF‐α and IL‐6 were positively correlated with TLR4 and negatively correlated with caveolin‐1 in patients with DPN. Plasma concentration of TLR4 was negatively correlated with caveolin‐1 in patients with DPN. Reduced expression of caveolin‐1 in monocytes could aggravate the TLR4‐mediated inflammatory cascade.

[Efficacy of GLIDE chemotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed advanced-stage or relapsed/refractory extranodal natural killer cell lymphoma]

目的

研究GLIDE（吉西他滨、门冬酰胺酶、异环磷酰胺、地塞米松、依托泊苷）方案治疗初发进展期及复发难治性结外鼻型NK/T细胞淋巴瘤（ENKL）患者的有效性及安全性。

方法

纳入2010年3月至2016年3月收治的初发进展期及复发难治性ENKL患者42例，给予GLIDE方案化疗，中位疗程数为3(2~6）个，评估化疗结束后缓解率及早期（2个疗程后）缓解率，采用Kaplan-Meier方法统计无进展生存（PFS）及总生存（OS），同时采用Cox回归方法进行多因素分析，寻找影响患者PFS及OS的独立预后因素。

结果

31例（73.8%）患者达到完全缓解（CR），其中22例（52.4%）为早期CR，31例CR患者中14例接受序贯自体造血干细胞移植（ASCT）。1年PFS与OS率分别为65.6％和82.7%，4年PFS与OS率分别为48.2％和63.1%，中位OS时间未达到，中位PFS时间为30.5个月。多因素分析提示美国东部肿瘤协作组体能状态评分（ECOG评分）0~1分以及CR后序贯ASCT为减少复发、延长患者生存的有利因素。

结论

GLIDE方案能够有效治疗初发进展期及复发难治性ENKL, ECOG评分0~1分及CR后序贯ASCT治疗是患者获得较长PFS和OS时间的独立预后因素。

Three-dimensional stress In vitro promotes the proliferation and differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells implanted by bioactive glass

To analyze the biological and mechanical microenvironment on the directional differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) In vitro. PDLSCs were cultured in three-dimensional stress system In vitro for 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Methods like immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were adopted and the proliferation and differentiation situation of PDLSCs were determined. Bioactive glass (BAG) of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% was implanted into PDLSCs with or without three-dimensional stress for 3 weeks, respectively. The proliferation and differentiation situation of PDLSCs were determined. The mRNA levels of Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Type I Collagen (COL I), Type II Collagen (COL II), Bone sialoprotein (BSP), Osteocalcin (OCN) and Osteopontin (OPN) were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. 30% BAG and three-dimensional stress for 3 weeks promoted the proliferation and differentiation of PDLSCs mostly. PDLSCs induced by BAG and 3D force and the control all expressed the mRNA of ALP, COLⅠand COL Ⅱ. The BAG and three-dimensional stress induced PDLSCs also expressed the mRNA of BSP, OCN and OPN. BAG and three-dimensional stress indicated microenvironment In vitro can promote the proliferation and differentiation of PDLSCs.

Identification of Natural Infections in Sheep/Goats with HoBi-like Pestiviruses in China

The natural infections of HoBi-like pestiviruses in cattle have been reported in South America, Europe and Asia. In China, although the detections of HoBi-like pestivirus have been reported, the epidemiological investigation was limited. From January 2014 to October 2015, several flocks of sheep/goats in Henan province in central China suffered respiratory diseases which were recovered slowly after antibiotics treatment. To test whether it is the HoBi-like pestivirus caused this symptom, 49 serum samples and 22 nasal swabs were then collected for analysis by serology and RT-PCR. Serological result revealed that prevalence of pestivirus in small ruminants was 12.2% (6/49) in central China. Sequence analysis of partial 5'-UTR nucleotides of pestivirus-positive samples suggested that HoBi-like pestivirus might have circulated in sheep/goats of China for a period and have evolved into new genotype clusters. It is apparent that the study provides the molecular evidence of natural infections in goat/sheep species with HoBi-like pestiviruses in China.

Xanthophyll supplementation reduced inflammatory mediators and apoptosis in hens and chicks

This study investigated effects of xanthophylls (containing 40% lutein and 60% zeaxanthin) on gene expression of inflammatory mediators ( [] and []) and apoptosis ( [] and ) of breeding hens and chicks. In Exp. 1, 432 hens were divided into 3 groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 (as the control group), 20, or 40 mg/kg xanthophylls. The liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were sampled after 35 d. Results showed that 40 mg/kg of xanthophyll addition decreased in the liver, in the liver and duodenum, and in the liver and jejunum while increasing level in the liver and jejunum. Experiment 2 was a 2 × 2 factorial design. Male chicks hatched from hens fed 0 or 40 mg/kg xanthophyll diets were fed diets containing either 0 or 40 mg/kg xanthophylls. The liver, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were sampled at 0, 7, 14, and 21 d after hatching. Results showed that in ovo xanthophylls reduced inflammatory mediators and apoptosis in the liver, duodenum, and jejunum of chicks mainly within 1 wk after hatching, whereas dietary xanthophylls only decreased expression in the liver from 2 wk onward. These results underlined important anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of maternal but not progeny dietary xanthophylls. In conclusion, xanthophylls can suppress inflammatory mediators and apoptosis in different tissues of hens and chicks.

Abrp, a new gene, confers reduced susceptibility to tetracycline, glycylcine, chloramphenicol and fosfomycin classes in Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii, a non-fermenting gram-negative coccobacillus, is a major pathogen responsible for a variety of healthcare-associated infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract and bloodstream infections. Moreover, A. baumannii is associated with alarming increases in drug resistance rates to almost all available antibiotics leaving limited treatment options. Here, we characterize the biological functions of a novel gene, abrp, which encodes a peptidase C13 family. We demonstrate that the abrp is associated with decreased susceptibility to tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline, tigecycline, chloramphenicol and fosfomycin. Deletion of abrp was able to increase cell membrane permeability and display slower cell growth rate. Results from the present study show that abrp plays an important role in conferring reduced susceptibility to different classes of antibiotics and cell growth in A. baumannii. The change of antibiotic sensitivities may result from modifications to the cell membrane permeability of A. baumannii.

MiR-125a-5p decreases after long non-coding RNA HOTAIR knockdown to promote cancer cell apoptosis by releasing caspase 2

HOTAIR (homeobox transcript antisense RNA), one of the prototypical long non-coding RNAs, has been verified overexpressed in multiple carcinomas and has emerged as a promising novel anticancer target. Its well-established role is acting as a predictor of poor prognosis and promoting cancer cell metastasis. Recently, another important mission of HOTAIR was uncovered that targeting HOTAIR caused cancer cell apoptosis. Nevertheless, so far there is no published data elaborating the mechanism. Here, we report that microRNA miR-125a-5p decreases and releases caspase 2 to promote cancer cell apoptosis after HOTAIR knockdown. We applied siRNAs targeting HOTAIR to various cancer cells, and observed apoptosis in all of these cell lines. RNA sequencing detected that miR-125a-5p was decreased after HOTAIR knockdown and miR-125a-5p mimics could rescue the apoptosis induced by HOTAIR deficiency. Luciferase assays identified caspase 2, an initiator caspase, to be a new target of miR-125a-5p. Elevated expression and subsequent cleavage of caspase 2 was observed after HOTAIR knockdown or inhibition of miR-125a-5p. RNAi of caspase 2 could attenuate the apoptosis induced by HOTAIR knockdown. In 80 clinical colon cancer tissues, HOTAIR and miR-125a-5p levels were higher than adjacent tissues, whereas caspase 2 was lower. MiR-125a-5p expression level was significantly correlated with colon tumor size, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage. These findings indicate that miR-125a-5p decreases after HOTAIR knockdown to promote cancer cell apoptosis by releasing caspase 2. Our work reveals a previously unidentified apoptotic mechanism, which might be exploitable in anticancer drug development.

Competitive and Predacious Interactions Among Three Phytoseiid Species Under Experimental Conditions (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The effect of competition on species that coexist with similar ecological niches is an important theme in ecology. Furthermore, species displacement by introduced or invaded species is also an important environmental problem for biological control and conservation ecology. We tested whether two species of phytoseiids could coexist in closed cages with ample quantities of the extraguild prey species Carpoglyphus lactis (L.). Three species of phytoseiid mites-Amblyseius eharai Amitai & Swirski (a species native to China), Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (both species were introduced from outside of China)-were tested under experimental conditions (25 ± 1°C, 90 ± 5% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 14:10 [L:D] h). With extraguild prey, we found that the numbers of a single population of each phytoseiid species (initial density of 10 females per cage) reached a plateau between 18 and 25 d after introduction into the experimental cages, suggesting that density-dependent factors were operating. In closed environments, one of these density-dependent factors might be cannibalism by these species. With regression analyses, Lotka-Volterra equations estimated the rate of population increase (r) and the carrying capacity (K) of each species with the data from observations on population dynamics. We next observed the interactions of two phytoseiid species with abundant extraguild prey. In all species combinations, one species went extinct and the other increased in population size, despite the availability of sufficient extraguild prey, suggesting some type of competition must have caused the extinctions. We suggested that intraguild predation is the most plausible hypothesis to explain the results.

Chinese military medical teams in the Ebola outbreak of Sierra Leone

The 2014-2015 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa was the largest in history. The three most affected countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, have faced enormous challenges in controlling transmission and providing clinical care for patients with EVD. The Chinese government, in response to the requests of the WHO and the governments of the affected countries, responded rapidly by deploying Chinese military medical teams (CMMTs) to the areas struck by the deadly epidemic. A total of three CMMTs, comprising 115 military medical professionals, were rotationally deployed to Freetown, Sierra Leone to assist with infection prevention and control, clinical care and health promotion and training. Between 1 October 2014 and 22 March 2015, the CMMTs in Sierra Leone admitted and treated a total of 773 suspected and 285 confirmed EVD cases. Among the 285 confirmed cases, 146 (51.2%) patients survived after treatment. In addition, the CMMTs maintained the record of zero infections among healthcare workers and zero cross-infections between quarantined patients. In this manuscript, we aim to give an overview of the mission, and share our best practices experience on predeployment preparedness, EVD holding and treatment centre building and EVD case management.

Towards a Role for Clinical Pathology Diagnostics for Childhood Maltreatment

Recent reports from the Center for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente demonstrate that early life adverse experience leads to morbidity and mortality in adulthood. To date there are no objective tests that help care-givers or local child protective services make informed decisions for children with a history of abuse, neglect or trauma. This is the first report from a new group of trans-disciplinary investigators describing a new approach to identify the biological impact of childhood maltreatment using clinical pathology testing. Such new quantitative measurements will be useful to identify children at risk for poor mental and physical health outcomes and to follow response to interventions.

Neonatal Overfeeding in Female Mice Predisposes the Development of Obesity in their Male Offspring via Altered Central Leptin Signalling

The prevalence of obesity among child-bearing women has increased significantly. The adverse consequences of maternal obesity on the descendants have been well accepted, although few studies have examined the underlying mechanisms. We investigated whether neonatal overfeeding in female mice alters metabolic phenotypes in the offspring and whether hypothalamic leptin signalling is involved. Neonatal overfeeding was induced by reducing the litter size to three pups per litter, in contrast to normal litter size of 10 pups per litter. Normal and neonatally overfed female mice were bred with normal male mice, and offspring of overfeeding mothers (OOM) and control mothers (OCM) were generated. We examined body weight, daily food intake, leptin responsiveness and the number of positive neurones for phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) along with neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) and NPY in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of the brain stem. The body weight and daily food intake of OOM were significantly higher than those of OCM. Leptin significantly reduced food intake and increased the number of pSTAT3 positive neurones in the ARH of OCM mice, whereas no significant changes in food intake and pSTAT3 neurones were found in leptin-treated OOM mice. The number of NPY neurones in the ARH and NTS of the OOM mice was significantly higher than that of OCM mice. The results of the present study indicate that the obese phenotype from mothers can be passed onto the subsequent generation, which is possibly associated with hypothalamic leptin resistance.

Identification of aac(2')-I type b aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes in resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii toward aminoglycosides. A total of 32 A. baumannii strains were identified by molecular identification and subsequently isolated. The isolates were then amplified by polymerase chain reaction to analyze the 9 aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes and 7 16S rRNA methylase genes. Five types of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes and 1 type of 16S rRNA methylase gene were detected in the 32 drug-resistant A. baumannii strains. Positive genes included 7 detection modes, of which the all-6-gene-positive mode aac(2')-Ib+aac(3)-I+aac(6')-Ib+ant(3'')-I+aph(3')-I+armA exhibited the largest number of strains (12, 37.5%). The resistance of A. baumannii against aminoglycosides resulted from the presence of 5 types of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes and the 16S rRNA methylase gene armA. This study is the first to isolate the aac(2')-Ib aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme gene from A. baumannii in a domestic clinical setting.