A general strategy for the synthesis of rare earth fluoride nano(micro)crystals

A simple, and environmentally friendly method to synthesize rare earth fluorides of REF₃ (RE = La, Y), and AREF₄ (A = Li, Na, K; RE = La, Gd, Y) nano(micro)crystals via a solvothermal route.

[Morphological characteristics and phenotypic analysis of multiple morphological abnormalities in sperm flagella]

Objective: To analyze the sperm morphological characteristics of multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF), and to analyze their common features and subtypes. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with abnormal morphology of flagella were analyzed by semen analysis. The morphological characteristics were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Histological observation of one case of testicular tissue was performed. Results: Of the 28 patients, only 13 patients (46.4%) had motile spermatozoa, 12 of which had a sperm motility rate of <10% and a sperm survival rate of 9.0%-80.0%. Under light and scanning electron microscope, sperm with absent, short, coiled, bent and irregular width flagella or their combinations were observed. Transmission electron microscopy showed structural abnormalities of sperm fibrous sheath, mitochondrial sheath. Loss rate of central microtubule was 41.4%-84.6%. The semen of the 2 patients with the absence or presence of the kinetic protein arm and both the inner and lateral motilin arms missing had no motile spermatozoa. There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of flagellar malformations between the two groups of patients (without motile sperm vs with motile spermatozoa). Conclusion: MMAF is a kind of sperm flagella specific abnormalities. Initially diagnosis can be carried out using light microscopy. Clear diagnosis could be conduct using transmission electron microscopy, and the central microtubule loss of the sperm could be seen as the main feature of the flagella abnormalities. Through the morphological analysis and research, MMAF could be precisely classified, which provide a strong basis for the diagnosis.

Distribution and morphology of ghrelin immunostained cells in the adrenal gland of the African ostrich

Ghrelin is the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. We investigated the distribution and morphological characteristics of ghrelin-immunopositive (ghrelin-ip) cells in the African ostrich adrenal gland. We found that the adrenal gland of the African ostrich consisted of three parts: capsule, inter-renal tissue and chromaffin cells. The inter-renal tissue and chromaffin cells interdigitated irregularly. The inter-renal tissue consisted of a peripheral zone and a central inner zone. The peripheral zone could be divided into an outer subcapsular zone and an inner zone. The subcapsular zone cells were arranged as a bow, while the inner area cells formed cords that were perpendicular to the capsule. The central inner zone exhibited irregular clumps and the cells were morphologically similar to chromaffin cells. Ghrelin-ip cells were located throughout the adrenal gland except the capsule. The majority of ghrelin-ip cells were found among the chromaffin cells. The number of ghrelin-ip cells in the inter-renal tissue decreased gradually from the central inner zone, to the inner zone to the subcapsular zone. The ghrelin-ip cells were oval or irregular in shape and exhibited cytoplasmic staining. Our findings suggest that ghrelin may play a role in regulating adrenal hormone secretion in the African ostrich.

[Prognostic significance of flow cytometric minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia during aplasia]

Objective: To investigate the impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) by multiparameter flow cytometry (MPFC) during aplasia on efficacy and prognosis of de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (non M(3)) patients. Methods: The MRD data by 8-color MPFC during aplasia (day 14-15 of induction therapy) in 85 de novo AML (non M(3)) patients and the MRD impact on efficacy and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Data of 85 patients, including 42 males (49.4%) and 43 females (50.6%) , were collected, with a median age of 35 (15-54) years. The median MRD by MPFC during aplasia was 0.58% (0-81.11%) , and 70 (82.4%) patients achieved complete remission (CR) after first induction chemotherapy. The cutoff of MRD by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was 2.305% (Se= 0.867, Sp=0.800) . The CR rate after one course was significantly higher in patients with MRD<2.305% [96.6% (56/58) ]than in patients with MRD≥2.305%[51.9% (14/27) ] (χ(2)=22.348, P<0.001) ; no significant difference with respect to relapse-free survival rate (χ(2)=1.08, P=0.299) or overall survival rate (χ(2)=0.42, P=0.516) could be demonstrated for the comparison of the two groups. Multivariates analysis showed MRD divided by 2.305% was the only independent prognostic factor for CR after one course (OR= 21.560, 95% CI 4.129-112.579, P<0.001) . Conclusion: Flow cytometric MRD divided by 2.305% during aplasia could be a predictor of efficacy after first induction therapy in AML patients.

Distribution and developmental changes of ghrelin-immunopositive cells in the pancreas of African ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus)

Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), is produced by multiple cell types and affects feeding behavior, metabolic regulation, and energy balance. In the mammalian pancreas, the types of endocrine cells that are immunoreactive to ghrelin vary. However, little was known about its distribution and developmental changes in the pancreas of African ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus). In the present study, the distribution, morphological characteristics, and developmental changes of ghrelin-immunopositive (ghrelin-ip) cells in the pancreas of African ostrich chicks were investigated using immunohistochemistry. Ghrelin-ip cells were found in both the pancreatic islets and acinar cell regions. The greatest number of ghrelin-ip cells were found in the pancreatic islets, and were primarily observed at the periphery of the islets; some ghrelin-ip cells were also located in the central portion of the pancreatic islets. Interestingly, from postnatal d 1 to d 90, there was a steady decrease in the number of ghrelin-ip cells in the pancreatic islets and acinar cell regions. These results clearly demonstrated that ghrelin-ip cells exist and decreased with age in the African ostrich pancreas from postnatal d 1 to d90. Thus, these findings indicated that ghrelin may be involved in the development of the pancreas in the African ostrich.

Exercise-Induced Changes in Glucose Metabolism Promote Physiological Cardiac Growth

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background:

Exercise promotes metabolic remodeling in the heart, which is associated with physiological cardiac growth; however, it is not known whether or how physical activity–induced changes in cardiac metabolism cause myocardial remodeling. In this study, we tested whether exercise-mediated changes in cardiomyocyte glucose metabolism are important for physiological cardiac growth.

Methods:

We used radiometric, immunologic, metabolomic, and biochemical assays to measure changes in myocardial glucose metabolism in mice subjected to acute and chronic treadmill exercise. To assess the relevance of changes in glycolytic activity, we determined how cardiac-specific expression of mutant forms of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase affect cardiac structure, function, metabolism, and gene programs relevant to cardiac remodeling. Metabolomic and transcriptomic screenings were used to identify metabolic pathways and gene sets regulated by glycolytic activity in the heart.

Results:

Exercise acutely decreased glucose utilization via glycolysis by modulating circulating substrates and reducing phosphofructokinase activity; however, in the recovered state following exercise adaptation, there was an increase in myocardial phosphofructokinase activity and glycolysis. In mice, cardiac-specific expression of a kinase-deficient 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase transgene (Glyco^Lo mice) lowered glycolytic rate and regulated the expression of genes known to promote cardiac growth. Hearts of Glyco^Lo mice had larger myocytes, enhanced cardiac function, and higher capillary-to-myocyte ratios. Expression of phosphatase-deficient 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase in the heart (Glyco^Hi mice) increased glucose utilization and promoted a more pathological form of hypertrophy devoid of transcriptional activation of the physiological cardiac growth program. Modulation of phosphofructokinase activity was sufficient to regulate the glucose–fatty acid cycle in the heart; however, metabolic inflexibility caused by invariantly low or high phosphofructokinase activity caused modest mitochondrial damage. Transcriptomic analyses showed that glycolysis regulates the expression of key genes involved in cardiac metabolism and remodeling.

Conclusions:

Exercise-induced decreases in glycolytic activity stimulate physiological cardiac remodeling, and metabolic flexibility is important for maintaining mitochondrial health in the heart.

Biogenesis of circular RNAs and their roles in cardiovascular development and pathology

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a newly discovered type of RNA generated by back-splicing of precursor mRNA and found in many species. They are, expressed in a tissue-specific manner and fulfill regulatory activities in many biological processes. Recent research has revealed that circRNAs play critical roles in the development and pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Some of these circRNAs show aberrant expression and regulatory activities during heart disease including heart failure and cardiac infarction and hypertrophy. These findings suggest that circRNAs might be a suitable target for the treatment and prevention of heart disease. In this review, we summarize the latest research on the biogenesis and functions of circRNAs with emphasis on the regulatory roles of circRNAs in the development and pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

WSe2 few layers with enzyme mimic activity for high-sensitive and high-selective visual detection of glucose

As one of the transition metal dichalcogenide materials, WSe₂ in the form of a few layers (nanosheets) have received much attention due to their unique physical, optical and electrical properties. Herein, we demonstrate that WSe₂ nanosheets possess intrinsic enzyme mimic activity. Under acidic conditions, they exhibit pronounced peroxidase-like property. The Michaelis-Menten kinetics indicate that the catalytic activity of WSe₂ nanosheets is comparable to that of horseradish peroxidase. Based on the color reaction, a platform of WSe₂ nanosheets was constructed to detect glucose concentration and it showed high sensitivity and high selectivity, which means that WSe₂ nanosheets with peroxidase-like property can be used to develop a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric method for glucose detection. Moreover, due to the electron-transferring and antioxidant properties of WSe₂ few layers, the peroxidase-like catalysis is proposed. These findings pave the way for further application of WSe₂ nanosheets in nano-biomedicine.

[Prediction of outcome in acute myeloid leukemia by measurement of WT1 expression as a basic marker of minimal residual disease]

Objective: To probe the potential utility of Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) as a marker of minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to estimate the relapse-predicting cut-off value. Methods: Quantitative assessment of bone marrow WT1 mRNA level was preformed using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RQ-RT-PCR) assay. The expression levels of WT1 dynamically measured with RQ-RT-PCR were retrospectively analyzed in 121 AML cases (not including acute promyelocytic leukemia) achieving complete remission (CR) after induction therapy followed by consolidation therapy. By comparing WT1 levels of patients with different post-therapy outcomes, the investigators used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to determine WT1 threshold so as to predict their clinical relapses. Then prognoses and the significance of intervention were analyzed between WT1 positive and negative patients according to the cut-off value of WT1. Results: According to ROC curve, WT1 level higher than 2.98% predicted the possibility of relapse. For simplicity and clinical application, 3.00% was used as the cut-off value of WT1 level for relapse. WT1 levels in 41 patients at diagnosis were detected, meanwhile 3 patients whose WT1 levels at diagnosis below 3.00% were excluded, then the median WT1 level of the rest 38 patients at diagnosis was 44.09% (range 7.19%-188.06%) . The median WT1 level in remission was 0.48% (352 samples, range 0-8.41%) . The median WT1 level at diagnosis was higher than that in remission. Excluding the 3 patients with WT1 level at diagnosis under 3.00%, the relapse rate of WT1 positive group (>3.00% during consolidation phase and follow-up) and WT1 negative group (≤3.00%) was 70.0% (14/20) and 12.2% (12/98) respectively (P<0.001) . The median time from WT1 positivity to clinical relapse was 58 days. Conclusions: WT1 expression level above 3.00% was associated with markedly high risk of relapse, which could be as a useful marker for monitoring MRD following consolidation therapy.

Optically pumped lasing with a Q-factor exceeding 6000 from wet-etched GaN micro-pyramids

We report the observation of room-temperature optically pumped lasing modes from a single GaN pyramid microcavity on a metallic mirror. The mode at 367.2 nm exhibits a low threshold (0.4-0.5  MW/cm²) and a narrow linewidth (0.054 nm), by which the quality factor can be estimated to be >6000. These lasing behaviors can be attributed to the specific wet-etching approach by selectively etching away defects and pyramid geometry with bottom Ag reflectors for better light confinement. Optical resonances in these pyramids are further investigated in combination with three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations.

[Comparison of generic and original imatinib in the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase: a multicenter retrospective clinical study]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of generic imatinib (Genike, Chiatai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.) and imatinib (Glevic, Novartis, Switzerland) in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML-CP) . Methods: A retrospective study of 323 CML-CP patients (205 in Glivec treatment group and 118 in Genike group) who were ≥ 18 years old receiving imatinib monotherapy over the period of June 2013 to March 2016 was done to compare the differences of cytogenetics, molecular curative effect, survival, and adverse reactions between the two groups. The beginning dosage of imatinib was 400mg per day. There was no statistically difference between the two groups of patients on baseline. Results: ①The median duration of imatinib treatment was 13 (0.5-36) months in Glevic group and 11 (1-31) months in Genike group. ②The rate of complete hematological remission (CHR) had no statistically difference between Glivec and Genike treatment groups[98% (201/205) vs 97.5% (115/118) , χ(2)=0.123, P=0.725]. ③Cumulative rates of major cytogenetic responses (MCyR) at 3, 6 and 12 months after imatinib treatment in Gleevec and Genike groups were (59.7±3.5) % vs (79.8±3.1) %, (89.2±2.6) % vs (59.1±4.7) %, (80.3±4.1) % vs (87.1±4.3) %, respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (χ(2)=0.084, P=0.772) . Cumulative rates of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) at 3, 6 and 12 months after imatinib treatment in Gleevec and Genike groups were (32.9±3.4) % vs (58.3±3.7) %, (87.4±3.0) % vs (35.2±4.5) %, (64.8±4.8) % vs (87.3±4.7) %, respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (χ(2)=0.660, P=0.417) . ④Cumulative rates of major molecular responses at 6, 12 months after imatinib treatment in Glevic and Genike groups were (24.9±3.3) % vs (57.0±4.1) %, (16.3±4.0) % vs (55.3±7.7) %, respectively, there was no statistical significance (χ(2)=1.617, P=0.204) . Cumulative rates of molecular response 4.5 (MR4.5) at 12 months after imatinib treatment in Glevic and Genike groups were (14.9±3.2) % vs (8.1±2.1) % (χ(2)=3.628, P=0.057) , respectively. ⑤At a median follow-up of 12 months, the difference of progression-free survival (PFS) in Glevic and Genike groups had no statistical significance[ (96.6±1.4) % vs (93.3±2.5) %, χ(2)=2.293, P=0.130]. The difference of event-free survival (EFS) had no statistical significance, either[ (95.6±1.5) % vs (93.3±2.4) %, χ(2)=2.124, P=0.145]. ⑥Genike was well tolerated in patients with CML-CP and had no statistically significant difference in adverse events compared with Glevic group. Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences in efficacy and safety between Glevic and Genike treatment in newly diagnosed patients with CML-CP.

[Trend of caesarean section rate and puerpera characteristics: based on Robson classification]

Objective: To analyze the trend in caesarean section rate and puerpera characteristics in hospital, and provide valuable information for maternal and child health policy making and clinical practice. Methods: A total of 12 041 women who delivered in the affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2016 were selected. Based on Robson classification system, changes in the rate of caesarean delivery as well as its relationship with two-child policy and infant sex ratio were analyzed. Results: The overall caesarean section rate gradually decreased from 66.9% to 44.2% during the past six years. Respectively, the caesarean section rate in primiparae with singleton term babies decreased to 32.1% and the rate in multiparas without uterine scar decreased to 14.2%, and the rate in premature delivery decreased to 22.9%, the differences were significant (P<0.01). The proportion of vaginal delivery (R1, R3), multiparas with uterine scar (R5) and twins pregnancy (R8) increased. the differences were significant (P<0.01). The annual overall newly-born sex ratio ranged from 110∶100 to 128∶100. In group R1, more babies were girls, the proportion was stable, more women with premature delivery and multiparas had boy babies, but the boy babies by multiparas without uterine scar obviously decreased in the last 2 years. Conclusions: Primiparae with singleton head birth, multipara without uterine scar and women with premature deliveries are the key population in the effort of reduction of caesarean section rate. The caesarean section rate and proportion were unstable in multiparas with uterine scar, breech deliveries and twin deliveries. The application of Robson classification system can improve the comparability of the surveillance data.

Broadband rectangular TEn0 mode exciter with H-plane power dividers for 100 GHz confocal gyro-devices

A generic approach to excite TE_n0 (n ≥ 1) modes in a rectangular waveguide for confocal gyro-devices is proposed. The exciter consists of a 3 dB H-plane power divider (n ≥ 3) and a mode-converting section. The injection power is split into two in-phase signals with equal amplitudes which simultaneously excite the secondary waveguide via two sets of multiple slots. Both the position and width of the slot are symmetrically distributed with respect to the center line for each set of slots. The slot width complies with a geometry sequence, with adjacent slots being spaced a quarter wavelength apart to cancel the backward wave out. A TE₄₀ mode exciter at 100 GHz is numerically simulated and optimized, achieving a 1 dB and a 3 dB transmission bandwidth of 18.2 and 21 GHz, respectively. The prototype is fabricated and measured. The cold test is carried out utilizing two identical back-to-back connected mode exciters, and the measured performances are in good agreement with the numerical simulation results when taking into account the wall loss and assembly tolerance.

[Primary antifungal prophylaxis with posaconazole plays a pivotal role during chemotherapy of acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFI) and usage of intravenous antifungal drugs during remission induction chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) under primary antifungal prophylaxis with posaconazole. Methods: Clinical records from newly diagnosed AML patients above 15 years old in one single center from February 2014 to January 2016 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed, excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia. The incidence of IFI and usage of intravenous antifungal drugs were investigated between control group (not receiving any broad spectrum antifungal prophylaxis) and treatment group (receiving posaconazole as primary prophylaxis). Results: A total of 147 newly diagnosed AML patients were enrolled. Of them, 81 received prophylaxis with posaconazole, and 66 did not receive broad-spectrum antifungal treatment. 7 IFI occurred in posaconazole group, and all were possible cases; 19 IFI occurred in control group (3 proven, 4 probable, 12 possible). The incidence of IFI was significantly lower in treatment group than that in control group (8.6% vs 28.8%, χ(2)=10.138, P=0.001). Usage of intravenous antifungal drugs was significantly decreased in posaconazole group (18.5% vs 50.0%, χ(2)=16.390, P<0.001). Conclusion: Prophylaxis with posaconazole coulf prevent IFI and reduce usage of intravenous antifungal drugs significantly during remission induction chemotherapy in AML patients.

In vivo efficacy of the AKT inhibitor ARQ 092 in Noonan Syndrome with multiple lentigines-associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Noonan Syndrome with Multiple Lentigines (NSML, formerly LEOPARD syndrome) is an autosomal dominant "RASopathy" disorder manifesting in congenital heart disease. Most cases of NSML are caused by catalytically inactivating mutations in the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), non-receptor type 11 (PTPN11), encoding the SH2 domain-containing PTP-2 (SHP2) protein. We previously generated knock-in mice harboring the PTPN11 mutation Y279C, one of the most common NSML alleles; these now-termed SHP2Y279C/+ mice recapitulate the human disorder and develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by 12 weeks of age. Functionally, heart and/or cardiomyocyte lysates from SHP2Y279C/+ mice exhibit increased basal and agonist-induced AKT and mTOR activities. Here, we sought to determine whether we could reverse the hypertrophy in SHP2Y279C/+ mice using ARQ 092, an oral and selective allosteric AKT inhibitor currently in clinical trials for patients with PI3K/AKT-driven tumors or Proteus syndrome. We obtained echocardiographs of SHP2Y279C/+ and wildtype (SHP2+/+) littermates, either in the presence or absence of ARQ 092 at 12, 14, and 16 weeks of age. While SHP2Y279C/+ mice developed significant left ventricular hypertrophy by 12 weeks, as indicated by decreased chamber dimension and increased posterior wall thickness, treatment of SHP2Y279C/+ mice with ARQ 092 normalized the hypertrophy in as early as 2 weeks following treatment, with hearts comparable in size to those in wildtype (SHP2+/+) mice. In addition, we observed an increase in fractional shortening (FS%) in SHP2Y279C/+ mice, an effect of increased compensatory hypertrophy, which was not apparent in SHP2Y279C/+ mice treated with ARQ 092, suggesting functional improvement of HCM upon treatment with the AKT inhibitor. Finally, we found that ARQ 092 specifically inhibited AKT activity, as well as its downstream effectors, PRAS and S6RP in NSML mice. Taken together, these data suggest ARQ 092 may be a promising novel therapy for treatment of hypertrophy in NSML patients.

Early clinical characteristics of bacterial endophthalmitis in retinopathy of prematurity after intravitreal bevacizumab injection: A case report

Intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB) is emerging as a safe and effective therapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP); however, follow-up investigations after IVB have indicated that endophthalmitis, a rare and devastating complication, may develop. The present study reports a case of an infant with ROP who developed endophthalmitis after IVB infection. The infant was administered with an intravitreal injection of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat the endophthalmitis. A favorable anatomic outcome was achieved after follow-up. From this case, it was discovered that the early clinical characteristics of endophthalmitis infection secondary to IVB in premature infants include: i) The clinical symptoms of endophthalmitis infection appearing as early as 3-5 days after IVB; ii) a white membranous plaque on the retina surface with an obscure circular boundary; iii) a plaque that enlarges to a gray flocculent mass and intrudes the vitreous body, where the hazing surrounds the lesion; and iv) conjunctival hyperemia and cornea edema in the anterior segment of the affected eye. This case also indicated that timely retinal screening with RetCam or a binocular ophthalmoscope 3-5 days after IVB may be effective for detecting early stage endophthalmitis in infants who are unable to complain of a loss of visual acuity. From the present case report, it is advisable that the same type of screening be performed 3-5 days after other types of eye surgery, such as cataract extraction surgery, to detect early stage endophthalmitis. Furthermore, the present case also revealed that an early intravitreal injection of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be an effective treatment for premature infants with bacterial endophthalmitis.

The Role and Molecular Mechanism of Non-Coding RNAs in Pathological Cardiac Remodeling

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules that do not encode proteins. Studies show that ncRNAs are not only involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, metabolism and other physiological processes, but also involved in the pathogenesis of diseases. Cardiac remodeling is the main pathological basis of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Many studies have shown that the occurrence and development of cardiac remodeling are closely related with the regulation of ncRNAs. Recent research of ncRNAs in heart disease has achieved rapid development. Thus, we summarize here the latest research progress and mainly the molecular mechanism of ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), in cardiac remodeling, aiming to look for new targets for heart disease treatment.

Seroprevalence of bluetongue virus infection in goats in the central China

Seroprevalence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in goats from Hubei was investigated by a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Blood samples (n= 1157) were collected during the year 2014 and 2015. The results showed that 13.31% (CI 95% 11.4%-15.4%) serum samples were positive for BTV antibodies in goats in Hubei. The prevalence of BTV antibodies in each region ranged from 1.32% to 27.70%, and differences among the regions were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The prevalence of BTV in male and female goats was 14.23% (95% CI: 11.3, 17.6) and 12.58% (95% CI: 10.1, 15.4), respectively, no significant difference in genders (p > 0.05). In different seasons, the seroprevalence were 8.94% (95% CI: 5.6, 13.3) in spring; 18.31% (95% CI: 14.5, 22.7) in summer; 23.08% (95% CI: 17.0, 30.2) in autumn and 6.98% (95% CI: 4.6, 10.0) in winter, respectively with a significant difference of the prevalence in the different seasons (p < 0.01).

[The progress of the IL-12 cytokine family in allergic rhinitis]

As the IL-12 family plays an important role in immune regulation, it arouses the attention of the researchers increasingly. There are mainly four members in the IL-12 family, including IL-12, IL-23, IL-27 and IL-35 at present. The family members share many similar structures, but they have their own distinctive biological characteristics and play different roles to balance the functional effects of their own family. IL-12 and IL-23 are positive regulators and mainly play pro-inflammatory effect while IL-27 and IL-35 are negative regulators and mainly play anti-inflammatory effect. Thus, IL-12 family plays an important role in the regulation of the immune response and this function may be better than other cytokine family. IL-12 family has an important regulatory effect on multiple T cell subsets and also has an impact on their differentiation and function. So, we postulate that the IL-12 family may have an intense relationship with the generation and development of the allergic rhinitis. This article will mainly talk about the unique structure and role of the IL-12 cytokine family and discuss its immune regulation effect in the allergic rhinitis.

[Clinical features and prognosis in CD10(-) pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients with immunophenotype of CD10(-)pre-B (CD10(-) pre B-ALL) . Methods: 6 adult cases with CD10(-) pre B-ALL immunophenotypes were analyzed retrospectively, related literatures were reviewed to clarify these kind of patients' clinical features and prognosis. Results: CD10(-) pre B-ALL occurred in 1.5% of ALL, 1.8% of B-ALL and 11.5% of pre B-ALL respectively. All the 6 patients were male with the median age as 33.5 years old, the median white blood cells was 101.78×10(9)/L, MLL-AF4 fusion transcripts were evident in all cases. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 5 patients after first induction chemotherapy, 1 patient failed to respond to induction therapy, and got CR after 3 courses of chemotherapy. 2 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in CR(1), 1 patient relapsed in the short term and underwent allo-HSCT in CR(2). 1 patient was still waiting for allo-HSCT. Of the 2 patients who didn't receive transplantation, 1 died following a relapse, the other remained to be in CR. Conclusions: CD10(-) pre B-ALL was a rare but distinct subtype in adult ALL characterized by male dominance, high onset white blood cells and MLL rearrangement rate. Conventional chemotherapy produced a high response rate but more likely relapse, allo-HSCT may have the potential to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Influence of Rotation Increments on Imaging Performance for a Rotatory Dual-Head PET System

For a rotatory dual-head positron emission tomography (PET) system, how to determine the rotation increments is an open problem. In this study, we simulated the characteristics of a rotatory dual-head PET system. The influences of different rotation increments were compared and analyzed. Based on this simulation, the imaging performance of a prototype system was verified. A reconstruction flowchart was proposed based on a precalculated system response matrix (SRM). The SRM made the relationships between the voxels and lines of response (LORs) fixed; therefore, we added the interpolation method into the flowchart. Five metrics, including spatial resolution, normalized mean squared error (NMSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), contrast-to-noise (CNR), and structure similarity (SSIM), were applied to assess the reconstructed image quality. The results indicated that the 60° rotation increments with the bilinear interpolation had advantages in resolution, PSNR, NMSE, and SSIM. In terms of CNR, the 90° rotation increments were better than other increments. In addition, the reconstructed images of 90° rotation increments were also flatter than that of 60° increments. Therefore, both the 60° and 90° rotation increments could be used in the real experiments, and which one to choose may depend on the application requirement.

[The clinical and prognostic significance of acute myeloid leukemia with FLT3-ITD]

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance and prognosis factors of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with FLT3 mutation-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) and provide more evidence for prognosis evaluation in AML with FLT3-ITD. Methods: The clinical characteristics and outcomes of 98 AML with FLT3-ITD were analyzed. Results: In patients with FLT3-ITD positive AML, the median of WBC and peripheral blood blast at initial diagnosis were 58.2 (0.3-461.8) ×109/L and 42.2 (0-397.1) ×109/L, respectively. The complete remission (CR) rate after one course induction therapy was 60.6% in 71 patients with intermediate or adverse risk. The primary refractory rate was 26.8% in 71 patients with intermediate or adverse risk. The lower number of peripheral blood blast was a favorable factor to achieve CR after one course induction therapy (P=0.009). CR after one course (HR=0.395, 95% CI 0.183-0.85, P=0.001) and allo-transplantation in CR1 (HR=0.180, 95% CI 0.043-0.752, P=0.018) favored longer relapse-free survival (RFS). CR after one course (HR=0.251, 95% CI 0.121-0.523, P< 0.001) and lower number of peripheral blood blast (HR=0.219, 95% CI 0.088-0.545, P=0.003) favored longer overall survival (OS) in AML with FLT3-ITD. Conclusion: FLT3-ITD positive AML with lower number of peripheral blood blast has a relative favorable prognosis. CR after one course and allotransplantation in CR1 are important strategy to improve prognosis in AML with FLT3-ITD.