Self-powered molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical sensor based on Ppy/QD/HOF heterojunction for the detection of bisphenol A

As an emerging porous material, hydrogen-bonded organic framework materials (HOFs) still pose application challenges. In this work, the designed type "I + II" heterojunction extracted hot electrons from HOFs using quantum dots (QDs) and polypyrrole (Ppy), improving the stability and photoelectrochemical performance of materials. In addition to serving as a potential well, electropolymerized Ppy was used as a recognition element for bisphenol A (BPA), and a novel self-powered molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical (MIP-PEC) sensor was designed. The sensing platform showed a linear relationship from 1 × 10-10 to 1 × 10-7 mol∙L-1 and from 1 × 10-7 to 1 mol∙L-1 with an acceptable detection limit of 4.2 × 10-11 mol∙L-1. This is the first application of HOFs in constructing MIP-PEC sensors and a new attempt to improve the stability of HOFs for the application of porous crystal materials in the sensing field.

Two birds with one stone: A universal design and application of signal-on labeled fluorescent/electrochemical dual-signal mode biosensor for the detection of tetracycline residues in tap water, milk and chicken

An ingenious and universal design of fluorescent/electrochemical dual-signal mode sensing platform was constructed for the sensitive, selective and accurate detection of tetracycline (TET). Apt-functionalized nano-magnetic beads (Fe3O4-Apt) as capture probe, Apt-complementary short-chain functionalized fluorescent MOF loaded with methylene blue (MB) (cDNA-MOF-MB) as dual-signal tag were prepared. The sensing platform (Fe3O4-Apt/cDNA-MOF-MB) was formed based on the base complementary pairing of Apt and cDNA. With the help of Apt for target recognition, together with magnetic separation technology, a dual-signal mode biosensor was constructed. The dual-signal mode biosensor exhibited a wide linear concentration range from 1.00 × 10-9 g/mL to 1.00 × 10-4 g/mL with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.69 × 10-10 g/mL (fluorescence mode assay) and 1.15 × 10-10 g/mL (electrochemical mode assay). The proposed biosensor had been successfully applied to the determination of TET content in real samples with satisfactory recoveries (94.99-101.30%).

Prognostic value of the baseline magnetic resonance score in patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy

AIM

To investigate the prognostic value of the composite posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed tomography (CT) Score (ASPECTS)-Collaterals (pcASCO) score, which combines diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) posterior circulation ASPECTS (pcASPECTS) and the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)-collateral circulation score at baseline among patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were analysed retrospectively. The DWI-pcASPECTS and MRA-collateral circulation score before treatment and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after treatment were used as the endpoints. An mRS ≤2 was defined as a good prognosis, and an mRS ≥3 was defined as a poor prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse independent predictors of functional outcome 90 days after mechanical thrombectomy.

RESULTS

Mechanical thrombectomy was performed in 57 patients; 38 patients had a good prognosis, 19 patients had a poor prognosis, and 33 patients were successfully recanalised. Univariate logistic regression found that National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR: 1.18, p<0.001), pcASPECTS (OR: 1.91, p=0.028) and pcASCO score (OR: 0.51, p=0.001) were factors of good functional outcome. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) analysis showed that the diagnostic efficiency of the NIHSS and pcASCO was better (AUC = 0.88, 0.83, p<0.05) than that of the pcASPECTS (AUC = 0.65). The prediction model was established by age, NIHSS, and pcASCO, and the diagnostic efficiency of the prediction model was better (AUC = 0.94).

CONCLUSIONS

The composite MR-pcASCO score can be used as an important predictor of the prognosis of patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy.

Study on Purification, Identification and Antioxidant of Flavonoids Extracted from Perilla leaves

The flavonoids from Perilla leaves were extracted using flash extraction assisted by ultrasonic extraction with ethanol. Subsequently, macroporous resin was employed for the isolation and purification of these flavonoids, followed by an investigation into their antioxidant activity. The process conditions for the extraction of flavonoids from Perilla leaves were designed and optimized using a one-way experiment combined with a response surface methodology. The optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: the liquid-solid ratio was 20:1, ethanol volume fraction of 60%, ultrasound temperature of 60 °C, ultrasound time of 10 min and flash evaporation time of 60 s. The optimal extraction rate of flavonoids is 9.8 mg/g. In terms of separation and purification, a high-performance macroporous resin (HPD450 resin) with high purification efficiency was selected through static analysis and adsorption experiments. The optimal enrichment conditions were as follows: loading concentration of 0.06 mg/mL, optimal loading concentration of 20 mL, elution concentration of 70% and 76 mL, providing a reference for the further development and utilization of Perilla leaf flavonoids.

Correlation Analysis of Microbial Community Changes and Physicochemical Characteristics in Aged Vinegar Brewing

This study aimed to explore key physicochemical characteristics and evolutionary patterns of microbial community structure during the fermentation of aged vinegar. The correlation between microorganisms and physicochemical characteristics during fermentation was examined. The results revealed significant differences in genera at different stages of fermentation. The dominant bacteria in R1 were Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Aspergillus, and Issatchenkia. During the R2 fermentation stage, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, and Saccharomyces exhibited an upward trend and finally became the dominant bacteria. Aspergillus was the main bacterial genus at the end of overall fermentation. The correlation analysis showed that the bacterial genera significantly positively and negatively correlated with reducing sugars and amino acid nitrogen were the same in Cuqu. Similarly, the bacterial genera significantly positively and negatively correlated with pH and saccharification power were the same. pH, reducing sugar, and saccharification ability were mainly positively correlated with bacterial genera during fermentation. Further, studies found that the overall correlation between fungal communities and physicochemical characteristics was weaker than the correlation with bacteria during fermentation.

The Separation, Purification, Structure Identification, and Antioxidant Activity of Elaeagnus umbellata Polysaccharides

In order to investigate the antioxidant activity of Elaeagnus umbellata polysaccharides, the physicochemical characteristics of purified Elaeagnus umbellata polysaccharides (EUP, consisting of two fractions, EUP1 and EUP2) were investigated using UV spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This revealed that EUP1 and EUP2 were acidic polysaccharides with an average molecular weight (MW) of 63 and 38 kDa, respectively. EUP1 mainly consisted of L-rhamnose and D-galactose in a molar ratio of 2.05:1, and EUP2 consisted of D-mannose, L-rhamnose, D-galactose, and D-arabinose in a molar ratio of 2.06:1:2.78:1. Furthermore, EUP exhibited considerable antioxidant potential for scavenging hydroxyl, superoxide anion, DPPH, and ABTS radicals. Therefore, EUP can be developed as a potential antioxidant for the functional food or pharmaceutical field.

Determination of Flavonoid Compounds in Shanxi Aged Vinegars Based on Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvent VALLME-HPLC Method: Assessment of the Environmental Impact of the Developed Method

This research presents a novel, eco-friendly, vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) approach, integrating hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with HPLC for the identification and quantification of nine specific flavonoids in Shanxi aged vinegar (SAV). The parameters of DES-VALLME, including the ratio of trioctylmethylammonium chloride to 1,4-butanediol (1:6), DES volume (150 μL), vortex duration (5 min), the concentration of NaCl (0.40 g), and centrifugation time (10 min), were optimized to achieve the maximum extraction efficiency of target substances. Under these optimal conditions, quantitative analyses performed via HPLC demonstrated a broad linear range of 0.20-50.00 μg/mL and correlation coefficients (r²) greater than 0.9944 for all nine calibration curves. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.09-0.18 μg/mL and 0.30-0.60 μg/mL, respectively, ensuring high sensitivity. The relative standard deviations for intra-day and inter-day variability were within the acceptable range, 2.34-3.77% and 3.04-4.96%, respectively, demonstrating the method's reliability. The recovery rates ranged from 85.97% to 108.11%, underscoring the method's precision. This technique exhibited a significant enrichment effect (enrichment factor: 43 to 296) on SAV flavonoids. Notably, the eco-friendliness of this procedure was evaluated using the Analytical Eco-Scale, Green Analytical Procedure Index, and Analytical Greenness Metric. The results suggested that this technique is a viable green alternative to traditional flavonoid determination methods in SAV. In summary, this novel method provides a theoretical basis for assessing flavonoid content in SAV samples and tracing SAV products. This contribution has significant implications for enhancing analytical techniques in food chemistry and environmental science and the sustainable development of the food industry.

Auto interpretable depth learning model to analyze the hemodynamic changes and pulmonary complications in laparoscopic gynecologic tumor surgery with nalmefene hydrochloride combined with general anesthesia

OBJECTIVE

In this work, based on intelligent computing, the biological signals of patients were analyzed to investigate the hemodynamic changes and pulmonary complications of Nalmefene Hcl combined with general anesthesia (GA) in laparoscopic gynecological tumor surgery (GTS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eighty computer-aided GTS patients were randomly divided into a control group (n = 40) and an observation group (n = 40). Biomedical electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were detected by wavelet neural network in all patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological tumor surgery and were computerized according to the android interface definition language model (AIDL). GA was used during surgery. The observation group was injected intravenously with 0.2 μg/kg naproxenacin hydrochloride after operation. The control group was given 1 mL 0.9% sodium chloride solution after operation. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), pulse oxygen saturation (SPO), coma score, and adverse reactions (AR) were compared between the two groups at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after wakefulness. The hemodynamic parameters between the two groups were compared. Serum urocholine (URO) and creatinine (Cre) levels were analyzed in patients without complications.

RESULTS

ECG waveform based on wavelet neural network has a high recognition rate and strong generalization ability. 37 patients in the observation group recovered within 10 minutes after surgery, and the recovery rate at 30 minutes was 95%. 30 patients in the control group awoke 10 minutes after the operation, and the recovery rate at 30 minutes m-AR was 75%. The average abstract windows toolkit (AWT) of the observation group and control group was 11.87 ± 5.78 min and 16.46 ± 5.32 min, respectively, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between the observation group and the control group during the extubation (p < 0.05). Blood gas indexes PaO2, PvO2, PaCO2, and PvCO2 in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group half an hour after the operation and half an hour after pneumoperitoneum (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Intelligent computational biological signal detection was beneficial to the development of surgery. Nalmefene Hcl combined with GA on the basis of the AIDL model has a significant effect on the awakening of GTS patients and can shorten sleep time. Patients with underlying cardiac disease were more likely to develop postoperative lung complications.

A universal design of turn-on fluorescent aptasensor based on luminescent MOFs: Application for the detection of bisphenol A in water, milk and chicken samples

A universal design of turn-on fluorescent aptasensor based on aptamer functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) complex (AuNPs-Apt/NH₂-MIL-125(Ti)) was realized for bisphenol A (BPA) detection. LMOF NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) was prepared using facial hydrothermal method. BPA aptamer functionalized AuNPs were prepared and adsorbed on the surface of NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) to obtain platform of the fluorescent aptasensor. The fabrication process, sensing performance and applicability of the proposed aptasensor were characterized and investigated carefully. Linear detection range of the constructed aptasensor was from 1 × 10^-9 mol L^-1 to 1 × 10^-4 mol L^-1 with good selectivity, repeatability, stability and reproducibility under optimal experimental conditions. Meanwhile, the fluorescent aptasensor was successfully utilized for BPA detection in real samples with the recoveries of 95.80%-103.12%. The proposed aptasensor based on AuNPs-Apt/NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) holds significant potential for BPA detection in environmental and food samples, promoting the construction and application of LMOFs-based aptasensor.

[Investigate of the etiology and prevention status of liver cirrhosis]

Objective: To investigate the etiology, prevention and treatment status, and their corresponding regional differences of the patients with liver cirrhosis in China, in order to provide scientific basis for the development of diagnosis and control strategies in China. Methods: Clinical data of patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis for the first time through January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 from 50 hospitals in seven different regions of China were collected and analyzed retrospectively, and the difference of etiology, treatment, and their differences in various regions were analyzed. Results: A total of 11 861 cases with liver cirrhosis were included in the study. Thereinto, 5 093 cases (42.94%) were diagnosed as compensated cirrhosis, and 6 768 cases (57.06%) had decompensated cirrhosis. Notably, 8 439 cases (71.15%) were determined as chronic hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis, 1 337 cases (11.27%) were alcoholic liver disease, 963 cases (8.12%) were chronic hepatitis C, 698 cases (5.88%) were autoimmune liver disease, 367 cases (3.09%) were schistosomiasis, 177 cases (1.49%) were nonalcoholic fatty liver, and 743 cases (6.26%) of other types of liver disease. There were significant differences in the incidence of chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver, schistosomiasis liver disease, and autoimmune liver disease among the seven regions (P<0.001). Only 1 139 cases (9.60%) underwent endoscopic therapy, thereinto, 718 cases (6.05%) underwent surgical therapy, and 456 cases (3.84%) underwent interventional therapy treatment. In patients with compensated liver cirrhosis, 60 cases (0.51%) underwent non-selective β receptor blockers(NSBB), including 59 cases (0.50%) underwent propranolol and 1 case (0.01%) underwent carvedilol treatment. In patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, 310 cases (2.61%) underwent NSBB treatment, including 303 cases (2.55%) underwent propranolol treatment and 7 cases (0.06%) underwent carvedilol treatment. Interestingly, there were significant differences in receiving endoscopic therapy, interventional therapy, NSBB therapy, splenectomy and other surgical treatments among the seven regions (P<0.001). Conclusion: Currently, chronic hepatitis B is the main cause (71.15%) of liver cirrhosis in several regions of China, and alcoholic liver disease has become the second cause (11.27%) of liver cirrhosis in China. The three-level prevention and control of cirrhosis in China should be further strengthened.

MOF/COF heterostructure hybrid composite-based molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical sensing platform for determination of dibutyl phthalate: A further expansion for MOF/COF application

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF)/covalent-organic framework (COF) heterostructure hybrid composite (NH₂-UiO-66/TpPa-1-COF) with excellent photoactivity was developed, which further acted as the photoelectrochemical sensitized layer of a molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical (MIP-PEC) sensor for extremely sensitive and selective determination of dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The NH₂-UiO-66/TpPa-1-COF was synthesized using a simple one-step solvothermal method, which showed improved photocurrent response owing to heterojunction formation, favorable energy-band configuration and strong light absorption capacity. To improve the sensing performance, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed by sol-gel polymerization method as the recognition component of PEC sensor. The specific binding of imprinting sites towards DBP could block the electron transfer, causing decreased photocurrent response of the MIP-PEC sensor. The MIP-PEC sensor showed a wide detection range from 0.1 nmol L^-1 to 100 μmol L^-1 with a limit of detection of 3.0 × 10^-11 mol L^-1 under optimal conditions. Meanwhile, the proposed MIP-PEC sensor showed good stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and applicability in real samples. This is the first attempt to apply MOF/COF heterostructure hybrid composite for MIP-PEC sensor construction, providing new insight into the potential applications of microporous crystalline framework heterostructure hybrid composite in the sensing field.

Probiotic Properties Including the Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Ability of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Fermented Grains of Chinese Baijiu

In this study, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from fermented grains of traditional Chinese Baijiu, and their probiotic properties were characterized. Eleven out of 29 LAB strains showed good tolerance to the gastrointestinal tract and bile salts. The surface characteristics (auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity), safety (hemolytic and antibiotic sensitivity), antibacterial activity against three foodborne pathogens, and antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties of the 11 LAB strains were investigated. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to comprehensively evaluate LAB strains and their probiotic properties. It was found that Weissella cibaria (OP288150), Pediococcus acidilactici (OP288151), Pediococcus pentosaceus (OP288154), Pediococcus pentosaceus (OP288156) and Levilactobacillus brevis (OP288158) showed high probiotic properties, with potential for commercial development. The results also demonstrated that fermented grains of Chinese Baijiu can be used as a source of high-quality probiotics.

A novel metal-organic frameworks composite-based label-free point-of-care quartz crystal microbalance aptasensing platform for tetracycline detection

A novel label-free point-of-care quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) aptasensing platform based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was fabricated for tetracycline (TC) detection. MOFs (HKUST-1) and AuNPs were modified onto the sensing interface of QCM sensor to enhance the sensing performance of the QCM aptasensor. TC aptamer with sulfhydryl group was fixed through Au-S bond. The recognition performance of the aptasensor was predicted and verified by the computer simulation. At the optimal conditions, the frequency change of the sensor was adopted for quantitative detection of TC. The prepared QCM aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range from 1 × 10^-10 g mL^-1 to 1 × 10^-5 g mL^-1 with low limit of detection (0.8 × 10^-11 g mL^-1). High sensitivity, good selectivity, acceptable recoveries (87.6-91.4%) in real samples were obtained. For the first time, MOFs were utilized in the construction of QCM aptasensing platform, providing a promising application way of MOFs in the QCM sensing.

Antidiabetic Effect of Millet Bran Polysaccharides Partially Mediated via Changes in Gut Microbiome

Diabetes is a type of metabolic disease associated with changes in the intestinal flora. In this study, the regulatory effect of millet bran on intestinal microbiota in a model of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was investigated in an effort to develop new approaches to prevent and treat diabetes and its complications in patients. The effect of purified millet bran polysaccharide (MBP) with three different intragastric doses (400 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) combined with a high-fat diet was determined in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced model of T2DM. By analyzing the changes in indicators, weight, fasting blood sugar, and other bio-physiological parameters, the changes in gut microbiota were analyzed via high-throughput sequencing to establish the effect of MBP on the intestinal flora. The results showed that MBP alleviated symptoms of high-fat diet-induced T2DM. A high dosage of MBP enhanced the hypoglycemic effects compared with low and medium dosages. During gavage, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels of rats in the MBP group were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The glucose tolerance of rats in the MBP group was significantly improved (p < 0.05). In diabetic mice, MBP significantly increased the activities of CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px. The inflammatory symptoms of liver cells and islet cells in the MBP group were alleviated, and the anti-inflammatory effect was partially correlated with the dose of MBP. After 4 weeks of treatment with MBP, the indices of blood lipid in the MBP group were significantly improved compared with those of the DM group (p < 0.05). Treatment with MBP (400 mg/kg) increases the levels of beneficial bacteria and decreases harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract of rats, thus altering the intestinal microbial community and antidiabetic effect on mice with T2DM by modulating gut microbiota. The findings suggest that MBP is a potential pharmaceutical supplement for preventing and treating diabetes.

The antibacterial mechanism of perilla rosmarinic acid

Rosmarinic acid (RosA) is a phenolic acid compound extracted from perilla. In this experiment, the Oxford cup method was used to verify the antibacterial activity of PerillaRosA against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Bacillus subtilis. By polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the effect of RosA on bacterial nucleic acid and bacterial Na+ /K+ -ATP-ase activity, and scanning electron microscope to exploration of its antibacterial mechanism preliminarily. The results showed that RosA had antibacterial properties against all four bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of E. coli were 0.8 and 0.9 mg/ml, respectively. The MIC and MBC of Salmonella were 0.9 and 1.0 mg/ml, respectively. The MIC and MBC of S. aureus and B. subtilis were both 1.0 and 1.1 mg/ml. RosA has the bacteriostasis function, which can destroy bacterial cells and cell proteins and inhibit the activity of Na+ /K+ -ATP-ase in cells.

Portable and on-site electrochemical sensor based on surface molecularly imprinted magnetic covalent organic framework for the rapid detection of tetracycline in food

In this study, for the first time, surface molecularly imprinted magnetic covalent organic frameworks (Fe₃O₄@COFs@MIPs) were combined with disposable screen-printed electrode (SPE) to construct a portable and on-site electrochemical sensor for the rapid detection of tetracycline (TC). The Fe₃O₄@COFs@MIPs, which was prepared by layer-by-layer modification method, had good magnetism and excellent adsorption ability. With the help of disposable SPE, equipped with a magnet, the electrode modification process was simplified and the detection efficiency was improved. Under optimal conditions, the fabricated electrochemical sensor exhibited linearity ranging from 1 × 10^-10 to 1 × 10^-4 g mL^-1. It had good selectivity, excellent reproducibility, desirable stability and remarkable applicability. The fabricated sensor was successfully applied to detect TC in real samples with satisfactory recoveries (96.15-106.20%). The detection strategy separated the recognition and adsorption process from the electrochemical detection process, providing a design idea for the application of COFs in the construction of high-efficiency molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors.

Three Novel Structural Variations at MHC and IL12B Predisposing to Psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Structural variations (SVs, defined as DNA variants ≥50 bp) have been associated with various complex human diseases. However, research to screen the whole genome for SVs predisposing to psoriasis is still lacking.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the association of SVs and psoriasis.

METHODS

We performed a genome-wide screen on SVs using an imputation method on 5 independent cohorts with 45,386 subjects from the Chinese Han population. Fine mapping analysis, genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis were conducted to explore the mechanism of SVs.

RESULTS

We obtained 4,535 SVs in total and identified 2 novel deletions (esv3608550, OR=2.73, P<2.00×10^-308 ; esv3608542, OR=0.47, P=7.40×10^-28 ) at 6q21.33 (MHC), 1 novel Alu element insertion (esv3607339, OR=1.22, P=1.18×10^-35 ) at 5q33.3 (IL12B), and confirmed 1 previously reported deletion (esv3587563, OR=1.30, P=9.52×10^-60 ) at 1q21.2 (LCE) for psoriasis. Fine mapping analysis including SNPs and small Insertions/Deletions (InDels) revealed that esv3608550 and esv3608542 were independently associated with psoriasis, and a novel independent SNP (rs9378188, OR=1.65, P=3.46×10^-38 ) was identified at 6q21.33. By genetic interaction analysis and RNA expression analysis, we speculate that the association of 2 deletions at 6q21.33 with psoriasis might relate to their influence on the expression of HLA-C.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study constructed the most comprehensive SV map for psoriasis thus far and enriched the genetic architecture and pathogenesis of psoriasis as well as highlighted the nonnegligible impact of SVs on complex diseases.

Antitumor effects of apoptin expressed by the dual cancer-specific oncolytic adenovirus - a review

Apoptin is a small molecular weight protein derived from chicken anemia virus, which can induce the apoptosis of transformed cells and tumor cells and leave primary and nontransformed cells unharmed. Apoptin's cell localization depends on its own phosphorylation state and cell type. In tumor cells, phosphorylated apoptin enters the nucleus and induces apoptosis. While, in normal cells apoptin mainly exists in the cytoplasm. Apoptin, as a disordered protein in cells, interacts with many proteins in cell signal pathways to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. The specific mechanism of apoptosis induced by apoptin has not been completely elucidated. Therefore, apoptin has become a potential anticancer agent. This review summarizes the research results of apoptin in our laboratory and reveals the specific antitumor mechanism of apoptin expressed by oncolytic virus vector on a variety of tumor cells and mouse models.

Surface molecularly imprinted magnetic MOFs: A novel platform coupled with magneto electrode for high throughput electrochemical sensing analysis of oxytetracycline in foods

In order to solve inherent problems of traditional molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors (MIECS), a novel platform of surface molecularly imprinted magnetic metal-organic frameworks (mMOFs@MIPs) was coupled with magneto electrode to establish magnetic MIECS for the recognition of oxytetracycline (OTC). mMOFs@MIPs were synthesized using layer-by-layer modification method for the recognition of OTC. With the help of magneto electrodes, mMOFs@MIPs can be magnetically modified on the electrode surface, forming the electrochemical sensing interface. The imprinted cavities of mMOFs@MIPs can act as the electron channel of the probe to realize label-free detection of OTC. A linear response was obtained within the OTC concentration range of 1.0 × 10^-9 g mL^-1-1.0 × 10^-4 g mL^-1. The applicability of the sensor was estimated using the spiking and recovery method in milk samples with the recoveries ranging from 89.0% to 103.1%. It has potential applications in food safety analysis with high throughput detection capability, high specificity and good stability.

Development of a molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical sensing platform based on NH2-MIL-125(Ti)-TiO2 composite for the sensitive and selective determination of oxtetracycline

In this work, a molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical (MIP-PEC) sensor based on a novel PEC composite of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and TiO₂ (NH₂-MIL-125(Ti)-TiO₂) was established for the ultrasensitive and selective detection of oxytetracycline (OTC). This is the first attempt of applying MOFs in the construction of MIP-PEC sensor. The NH₂-MIL-125(Ti)-TiO₂ was synthesized by a simple one-step solvothermal method and modified onto the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode as the photosensitive layer. Subsequently, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was modified as recognition element by electropolymerization. The NH₂-MIL-125(Ti)-TiO₂ showed an enhanced photocurrent response due to stronger light absorption capacity and matched energy band. Furthermore, MIP greatly improved the selectivity and sensitivity of the constructed PEC sensor. The photocurrent response of the MIP-PEC sensor was reduced after OTC recognition because the specific binding of OTC to the imprinted cavities blocked the electron transfer of the electrode. Under optimal experimental conditions, the MIP-PEC sensor exhibited a wide detection range from 0.1 nM to 10 μM with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 60 pM, as well as certain reproducibility, stability and good applicability in real samples. The proposed sensor provides ideas for the application of MOFs in the construction of PEC sensors and will offer an alternative method for the detection of other pollutants in the field of food safety.

Botrytis polygoni, a new species of the genus Botrytis infecting Polygonaceae in Gansu, China

A new species, Botrytis polygoni, was isolated from several species of Polygonaceae in 2011 and 2012 in Tongwei County, Gansu Province, China. The species infects Fagopyrum esculentum, F. tataricum, and Fallopia convolvulus, causing brown leaf spots and large blotches with concentric rings in the field. Botrytis polygoni is morphologically characterized by conidia spherical, unicellular, hyaline to pale brown or brown, (10.2-)14.3-21.4(-23.5) μm; and sclerotia black, spherical to subspherical, allantoid, or irregular-shaped, 0.2-4.1 × 0.1-3.0 mm. Comparison of the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) sequences confirmed its placement in the genus Botrytis. Phylogenetic analysis based on the protein-coding genes glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2) showed that the new species is clustered close but separate from Botrytis pyriformis, which was distant from 37 other Botrytis species and 17 undescribed species. Pathogenicity tests showed that the new species has aggressive pathogenicity to four species of Polygonaceae, specifically Fag. tataricum, Fal. convolvulus, Polygonum sibiricum, and Pol. aviculare, weak pathogenicity to Vicia faba in the Fabaceae, and no pathogenicity to eight other tested plants: Amaranthus retroflexus, Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Lagopsis supine, Mentha canadensis, Plantago asiatica, and Raphanus sativus.

Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Using Response Surface Methodology for Simultaneous Quantitation of Six Flavonoids in Flos Sophorae Immaturus and Antioxidant Activity

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was applied to extract rutin (RU), nicotiflorin (NI), narcissoside (NA), kaempferol (KA), isorhamnetin (IS), quercetin (QU), and total flavonoids of Flos Sophorae Immaturus (TFFSI) from Flos Sophorae Immaturus (FSI). Through single factor test and response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal extraction conditions were concluded as follows: ethanol concentration 70%, time 30 min, temperature 61 °C, and liquid/solid ratio 15.30 mL/g, respectively. The actual extraction rates of RU, NI, NA, KA, IS, QU, and TFFSI were 14.6101%, 2.9310%, 7.1987%, 0.1041%, 0.4920%, 2.7998%, and 26.4260%, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the extraction method with accuracy and efficiency could be used for the comprehensive evaluation quality control of extracts from FSI. The antioxidant activities of hydroalcoholic extraction from FSI on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•⁺), superoxide anion (•O²⁻) free radicals, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) were assessed. The results showed that the antioxidation activities of extracts on DPPH, ABTS•⁺, and •O²⁻ free radicals were reached 89.29%, 97.86%, and 56.61%, and 81.4% in FRAP at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of FSI extract was positively correlated with the amount of total flavonoids.

Purification, structural elucidation and in vivo immunity-enhancing activity of polysaccharides from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds

Quinoa crude polysaccharides (QPS) were extracted from Chenopodium quinoa Willd. The soluble non-starch polysaccharide fraction (QPS1) was subsequently purified by DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-50 gel chromatography, using QPS as raw materials. Its chemical structure was identified using FT-IR, NMR, AFM, SEM and Congo red staining. High performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) was used to determine molecular weight, and composition by HPLC. QPS1, with a molecular weight of 34.0 kDa, was mainly composed of mannose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose and arabinose at a molar ratio of 2.63:2.40:1.64:6.28:1.95:2.48:5.01. In addition, we evaluated the ameliorative effects of QPS1 on the improvement of anti-cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression in ICR mice. The result exhibited significantly immune-enhancing activity: QPS1 successfully improved the content of IFN-γ, IL-6, IFN-ɑ, IgM and lysozyme (LYSO) in serum for three weeks, enhanced the phagocytic function of mononuclear macrophages and ameliorated delayed allergy in mice.

[Effect of omeprazole on plasma concentration and adverse reactions of capecitabine in patients with colon cancer]

Objective: To investigate the effect of omeprazole on plasma concentration, efficacy and adverse reactions of capecitabine in patients with colon cancer. Methods: Seventy-two patients with colon cancer treated with capecitabine were analysed retrospective. The patients treated with capecitabine combined with omeprazole were identified as experimental group and the capecitabine treatment alone as control group.The differences of blood concentration and the side effects of capecitabine between these two groups were compared. Results: The plasma concentration of 5-Fluorouracilum in experimental group was (126.25±50.59) μg/ml, without significant difference of (123.09±56.70) μg/ml in control group (P=0.121). The incidence of Ⅲ to Ⅳ degree bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and hand-foot syndrome in experimental group were 13.8%, 0%, 0% and 19.4%, respectively. In control group, the incidence of Ⅲ to Ⅳ degree bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and the hand-foot syndrome were 11.1%, 0%, 0% and 19.4%, respectively, without significant difference of experimental group (P>0.05). The incidence of acid reflux and heartburn in the control group was 72.2%, significantly higher than 44.4% of the experimental group (P<0.05). The objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival time (PFS) in these two groups were 30.6% and 33.3%, and 8.0 month and 8.5 month, respectively, without significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: The intravenous omeprazole attenuates reflux and heartburn of colon cancer patients treated with capecitabine, without affecting its plasma concentration and side effects and has no impact on the PFS of these patients.

[Influence of Toll-like receptor 7 on CD8(+) T lymphocytes in patients with breast cancer]

Objective: To investigate the effect of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) in CD8(+) T cells activity from patients with breast cancer. Methods: Thirty-three patients with breast cancer, twenty-three patients with benign breast tumor, and twenty healthy individuals were collected from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University between December 2017 and March 2018. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, and CD8(+) T cells were purified. TLR7 protein and mRNA relative expression in CD8(+) T cells was measured using flow cytometry and real-time PCR, respectively. mRNA relative expressions corresponding to perforin, granzyme B, and FasL in CD8(+) T cells were measured in response to TLR7 agonist stimulation. Direct/indirect contact co-culture system of CD8(+) T cells and breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was also used to assess cytolytic and noncytolytic function in response to TLR7 agonist CL097 stimulation. Results: The mean fluorescence intensity corresponding to TLR7 protein in CD8(+) T cells from breast cancer patients was 124.0±15.32, which was significantly down-regulated in comparison with benign breast tumor patients (255.5±54.91) and healthy individuals (261.9±68.65) (P<0.000 1). TLR7 mRNA relative level was also remarkably reduced in CD8(+) T cells from breast cancer patients (1.97±1.18) in comparison with benign breast tumor patients (4.84±1.01) and healthy individuals (4.75±1.40) (P<0.000 1). TLR7 agonist CL097 stimulation notably increased mRNA relative levels of perforin and granzyme B mRNA in CD8(+) T cells (P<0.01), but not elevated FasL mRNA (P>0.05).Furthermore, TLR7 agonist CL097 stimulation enhanced the cytolytic and noncytolytic function of CD8(+) T cells to MCF-7 cells, which presented as the elevation of target cell death and increase of interferon-γ production in direct and indirect contact co-culture system. Conclusion: TLR7 agonist promoted CD8(+) T cells function from breast cancer patients.

Systemic disruption of the homeostasis of transfer RNA isopentenyltransferase causes growth and development abnormalities in Bombyx mori

Isopentenylation at A37 (i⁶ A37) of some transfer RNAs (tRNAs) plays a vital role in regulating the efficiency and fidelity of protein synthesis. However, whether insects, which are well known for their highly efficient protein synthesis machinery, employ this regulatory mechanism remains uninvestigated. In the current study, a candidate tRNA isopentenyltransferase (IPT) gene with three alternative splicing isoforms (BmIPT1-BmIPT3) was identified in Bombyx mori (silkworm). Only BmIPT1 could complement a yeast mutant lacking tRNA IPT. Phylogenetic analysis showed that silkworm tRNA IPT is conserved in the Lepidoptera. BmIPT was expressed in all B. mori tissues and organs that were investigated, but was expressed at a significantly higher level in silk glands of the fourth instar compared to the first day of the fifth instar. Interestingly, BmIPT was expressed at a significantly higher level in the domesticated silkworm, B. mori, than in wild Bombyx mandarina in multiple tissues and organs. Knock-down of BmIPT by RNA interference caused severe abnormalities in silk spinning and metamorphosis. Constitutive overexpression of BmIPT1 using a cytoplasmic actin 4 promoter in B. mori raised its messenger RNA level more than sixfold compared with nontransgenic insects and led to significant decreases in the body weight and cocoon shell ratio. Together, these results confirm the first functional tRNA IPT in insects and show that a suitable expression level of tRNA IPT is vital for silk spinning, normal growth, and metamorphosis. Thus, i⁶ A modification at position A37 in tRNA probably plays an important role in B. mori protein synthesis.

[Application of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor to prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in patients with lymphoma: a prospective, multicenter, open-label clinical trial]

目的

评价聚乙二醇化重组人粒细胞刺激因子（PEG-rhG-CSF）预防淋巴瘤患者化疗后发生中性粒细胞减少症的有效性和安全性。

方法

本研究为多中心、开放、单臂、Ⅳ期临床试验。纳入410例淋巴瘤患者接受多周期化疗并预防性使用PEG-rhG-CSF。主要观察患者各化疗周期Ⅲ/Ⅳ度中性粒细胞减少症和发热性中性粒细胞减少（FN）的发生率，同时观察患者整个化疗期间抗生素的使用率。

结果

①410例患者中，违背入选标准8例（1.95%），失访35例（8.54%），发生不良事件19例（4.63%），出现符合终止研究标准者12例（2.93%），疾病进展或复发15例（3.66%），故最终321例（78.29%）进入符合方案集。②在第1~4个治疗周期，初级预防给予PEG-rhG-CSF后，Ⅳ度中性粒细胞减少症的发生率分别为19.14%（49/256）、12.50%（32/256）、12.18%（24/197）、13.61%（20/147），FN的发生率分别为3.52%（9/256）、0.39%（1/256）、2.54%（5/197）、2.04%（3/147）；次级预防给药后，Ⅳ度中性粒细胞减少症的发生率从61.54%（40/65）降至16.92%（11/65）、18.46%（12/65）、20.75%（11/53），FN的发生率从16.92%（11/65）降至1.54%（1/65）、4.62%（3/65）、3.77%（2/53）。③整个化疗期间接受抗生素治疗的受试者比例为34.39%（141/410）。④与PEG-rhG-CSF相关的不良事件发生率为4.63%（19/410），最常见的不良反应为骨痛[3.90%（16/410）]、乏力（0.49%）和发热（0.24%）。

结论

在淋巴瘤患者化疗过程中，预防性使用PEG-rhG-CSF能够有效降低化疗过程中Ⅲ/Ⅳ度中性粒细胞减少症和FN的发生率，确保淋巴瘤患者接受标准剂量化疗，提高治愈率。

[Effect of anesthesia on cardiopulmonary complications in elderly patients with hip fracture]

Objective: To compare the effects of different types of anesthesia on postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients aged 80 years and above who received unilateral hip fracture surgery. Methods: The perioperative data of patients aged 80 and above who underwent unilateral hip fracture surgery in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from July 2009 to June 2014 were collected and grouped based on the types of anesthesia including general anesthesia, neuraxial anesthesia, and peripheral nerve block. Variables were analyzed including preoperative general conditions (age, sex, type of fracture, ASA physical status classification, preoperative cardiopulmonary complications), intraoperative conditions (type of surgical procedure, operative time, blood loss, total intraoperative fluid infusion), and postoperative conditions (length of hospital stay, postoperative hospital stay, ICU stay, postoperative newly developed cardiopulmonary complications, postoperative in-hospital death, hospitalization costs). The incidences of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications of each group were analyzed and compared. Results: A total of 219 cases were finally analyzed including general anesthesia (n=46), neuraxial anesthesia (n=90) and nerve block group (n=83). Fewer cases with preoperative pulmonary complications were noticed in general anesthesia group (15 cases, 32.6%) than in neuraxial anesthesia group (45 cases, 50%) and nerve block group (47 cases, 56.6%) (χ(2)=6.912, P=0.032). No statistical differences were found between groups regarding preoperative cardiovascular complications and other variables. There were no significant differences in postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. However, the cost of hospitalization was lower in neuraxial anesthesia group (45.6±21.4) thousand RMB and nerve block group (48.2±25.8) thousand RMB compared with general anesthesia group (56.3±21.6) thousand RMB, the difference was statistically significant(F=9.951, P=0.007). Conclusions: For elderly patients undergoing unilateral hip surgery, the type of anesthesia does not affect the incidence of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. However, neuraxial anesthesia and nerve block may reduce the cost of hospitalization.

Nine Novel PAX9 Mutations and a Distinct Tooth Agenesis Genotype-Phenotype

Tooth agenesis is one of the most common developmental anomalies affecting function and esthetics. The paired-domain transcription factor, Pax9, is critical for patterning and morphogenesis of tooth and taste buds. Mutations of PAX9 have been identified in patients with tooth agenesis. Despite significant progress in the genetics of tooth agenesis, many gaps in knowledge exist in refining the genotype-phenotype correlation between PAX9 and tooth agenesis. In the present study, we complete genetic and phenotypic characterization of multiplex Chinese families with nonsyndromic (NS) tooth agenesis. Direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products revealed 9 novel (c.140G>C, c.167T>A, c.332G>C, c.194C>A, c.271A>T, c.146delC, c.185_189dup, c.256_262dup, and c.592delG) and 2 known heterozygous mutations in the PAX9 gene among 120 probands. Subsequently, pedigrees were extended, and we confirmed that the mutations co-segregated with the tooth agenesis phenotype (with exception of families in which DNA analysis was not available). In 1 family ( n = 6), 2 individuals harbored both the PAX9 c.592delG mutation and a heterozygous missense mutation (c.739C>T) in the MSX1 gene. Clinical characterization of families segregating a PAX9 mutation reveal that all affected individuals were missing the mandibular second molar and their maxillary central incisors are most susceptible to microdontia. A significant reduction of bitter taste perception was documented in individuals harboring PAX9 mutations ( n = 3). Functional studies revealed that PAX9 haploinsufficiency or a loss of function of the PAX9 protein underlies tooth agenesis.

Effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on acrylamide-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells

Acrylamide (ACR) is a chemical intermediate utilized in industry. ACR is also formed during heating of foods containing carbohydrates and amino acids. Therefore, humans are widely exposed to ACR, and ACR neurotoxicity in humans is a significant public health issue attracting wide attention. In this study, we investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenolic compound in green tea, in PC12 cells treated with ACR. ACR-treated PC12 cells pretreated with various concentrations of EGCG (2.5, 5 and 10 μM) for 24 h had increased viability and acetylcholinesterase activity and reduced apoptosis and necrosis compared to cells exposed to ACR alone. EGCG reduced the expression of bax mRNA, decreased cytochrome c release, reduced intracellular calcium levels, inactivated caspase 3 and increased mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that EGCG prevents ACR-induced apoptosis through a mitochondrial-mediated pathway. In addition, EGCG inhibited the formation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation while enhancing superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels, thereby reducing oxidative stress. Our results indicate that pretreatment of PC12 cells with EGCG attenuates ACR-induced apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress. Therefore, drinking green tea may reduce nerve injury induced by ACR.

Deep Profiling of Proteome and Phosphoproteome by Isobaric Labeling, Extensive Liquid Chromatography, and Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has experienced an unprecedented advance in comprehensive analysis of proteins and posttranslational modifications, with particular technical progress in liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and isobaric labeling multiplexing capacity. Here, we introduce a deep proteomics profiling protocol that combines 10-plex tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling with an optimized LC-MS/MS platform to quantitate whole proteome and phosphoproteome. The major steps include protein extraction and digestion, TMT labeling, two-dimensional liquid chromatography, TiO₂-mediated phosphopeptide enrichment, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and computational data processing. This protocol routinely leads to confident quantification of more than 10,000 proteins and approximately 30,000 phosphosites in mammalian samples. Quality control steps are implemented for troubleshooting and evaluating experimental variation. Such a multiplexed robust method provides a powerful tool for dissecting proteomic signatures at the systems level in a variety of complex samples, ranging from cell culture, animal tissues to human clinical specimens.

Prognostic significance of preoperative absolute peripheral monocyte count in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of peripheral blood monocytes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients who underwent esophagectomy. Records from 218 consecutive patients with histologically diagnosed ESCC who underwent esophagectomy at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2007 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The median disease-free survival (DFS) of this cohort was 29.0 months, and the 5-year DFS rate was 34.4%. The median overall survival (OS) was 35.0 months, and the 5-year OS rate was 37.6%. The cut-off value of 0.42 × 10⁹ /L for the absolute monocyte count (AMC) was chosen as optimal to discriminate between survival and death by applying receiver operating curve analysis. There were 131 patients (60.1%) who had high AMC (≥0.42 × 10⁹ /L) preoperatively. We found that AMC was significantly associated with gender, tumor location, and platelet count. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of patients with high preoperative AMC had a significant worse prognosis for DFS (high vs. low: 27.5% vs. 39.0%, P = 0.015) and OS (high vs. low: 31.1% vs. 44.8%, P = 0.009) than those with low preoperative AMC. In a multivariate analysis, preoperative AMC was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (P = 0.025, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.469, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.050-2.054) and OS (P = 0.015, HR: 1.547, 95% CI: 1.088-2.200). In addition, among 140 patients without both preoperative and postoperative therapy, significantly worse OS (P = 0.012) and marginally reduced DFS (P = 0.079) were found in the high AMC cohort versus the low AMC cohort. A higher preoperative absolute peripheral monocyte count can be considered as a useful prognostic marker of ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy.

Effect of embolic microspheres in the treatment of primary hepatic carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of embolic microspheres in the treatment of primary hepatic carcinoma. Fifty-eight patients who were confirmed with primary hepatic carcinoma by imaging were retrospectively analyzed. They were firstly perfused with 50 mg of oxaliplatin and 40 mg of epirubicin. Embolic microspheres were then injected into the distal end of targeted blood vessels. After this procedure, dynamic observation was carried out until tumor stain disappeared. Liver function and blood indexes were reexamined on days 5, 6, 7 and 28 after treatment, and moreover, the liver was examined with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). Compared to traditional lipiodol embolization, embolic microspheres did not aggregate the damage on liver function and the imaging examination suggested necrosis of some tumor tissues. Embolic microspheres proved to be effective in treating primary hepatic carcinoma. It produces no damage on liver function and can lead to significant shrinkage of hepatic carcinoma and necrosis of some tumor tissues. Embolic microspheres, which merely block distal branches of tumor-feeding artery, can avoid collateral circulation induced by permanent blocking, thus achieve a good treatment effect.

A New Pulse Pileup Rejection Method Based on Position Shift Identification

Pulse pileup events degrade the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of nuclear medicine data. When such events occur in multiplexed detectors, they cause spatial misposition, energy spectrum distortion and degraded timing resolution, which leads to image artifacts. Pulse pileup is pronounced in PETbox4, a bench top PET scanner dedicated to high sensitivity and high resolution imaging of mice. In that system, the combination of high absolute sensitivity, long scintillator decay time (BGO) and highly multiplexed electronics lead to a significant fraction of pulse pileup, reached at lower total activity than for comparable instruments. In this manuscript, a new pulse pileup rejection method named position shift rejection (PSR) is introduced. The performance of PSR is compared with a conventional leading edge rejection (LER) method and with no pileup rejection implemented (NoPR). A comprehensive digital pulse library was developed for objective evaluation and optimization of the PSR and LER, in which pulse waveforms were directly recorded from real measurements exactly representing the signals to be processed. Physical measurements including singles event acquisition, peak system sensitivity and NEMA NU-4 image quality phantom were also performed in the PETbox4 system to validate and compare the different pulse pile-up rejection methods. The evaluation of both physical measurements and model pulse trains demonstrated that the new PSR performs more accurate pileup event identification and avoids erroneous rejection of valid events. For the PETbox4 system, this improvement leads to a significant recovery of sensitivity at low count rates, amounting to about 1/4th of the expected true coincidence events, compared to the LER method. Furthermore, with the implementation of PSR, optimal image quality can be achieved near the peak noise equivalent count rate (NECR).

Novel β-carbolines against colorectal cancer cell growth via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Wnt signaling pathway is aberrantly activated in a variety of cancers, especially in colorectal cancer (CRC), because of mutations in the genes encoding adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), β-catenin and Axin. Small-molecule antagonists of Wnt/β-catenin signaling are attractive candidates for developing effective therapeutics for CRC. In this study, we have identified a novel Wnt signaling inhibitor, isopropyl 9-ethyl-1- (naphthalen-1-yl)-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3- carboxylate (Z86). Z86 inhibited Wnt reporter activities and the expression of endogenous Wnt signaling target genes in mammalian cells and antagonized the second axis formation of Xenopus embryos induced by Wnt8. We showed that Z86 treatment inhibits GSK3β (Ser9) phosphorylation, leading to its overactivation and promoting the phosphorylation and degradation of β-catenin. In vitro, Z86 selectively inhibited the growth of CRC cells with constitutive Wnt signaling and caused obvious G1-phase arrest of the cell cycle. Notably, in a nude mouse model, Z86 inhibited dramatically the xenografted tumor growth of CRC. Daily intraperitoneal injection of Z86 at 5 mg/kg resulted in >70% reduction in the tumor weight of HCT116 cell origin that was associated with decreased GSK3β (Ser9) phosphorylation and increased β-catenin phosphorylation. Taken together, our findings provide a novel promising chemotype for CRC therapeutics development targeting the canonical Wnt signaling.

Adaptive striping watershed segmentation method for processing microscopic images of overlapping irregular-shaped and multicentre particles

Oversegmentation is a major drawback of the morphological watershed algorithm. Here, we study and reveal that the oversegmentation is not only because of the irregular shapes of the particle images, which people are familiar with, but also because of some particles, such as ellipses, with more than one centre. A new parameter, the striping level, is introduced and the criterion for striping parameter is built to help find the right markers prior to segmentation. An adaptive striping watershed algorithm is established by applying a procedure, called the marker searching algorithm, to find the markers, which can effectively suppress the oversegmentation. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by analysing some typical particle images including the images of gold nanorod ensembles.

4q27 as a psoriasis susceptibility locus in the Northeastern Chinese Han population

Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease with genetic components. Chromosome 4q27 is related to many autoimmune diseases, however, the relationship between psoriasis and 4q27 has not been fully established yet. The objective of this study is to investigate the association between chromosome 4q27 and psoriasis in the Northeastern Chinese Han population. Four common single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2069762, rs4833837, rs6840978, and rs7684187) from chromosome 4q27 were genotyped in 400 psoriasis cases and 398 controls from the Northeastern Chinese Han population using the Multiplex SNaPSHOT method. Single nucleotide polymorphism and haplotype frequencies were analyzed using spss 13.0. Our data indicated that rs2069762 GG, TG genotypes [GG: odds ratio (OR) = 2.6875, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5948-4.5290, P < 0.0001; TG: OR = 1.6159, 95% CI = 1.2044-2.1681, P = 0.0013], and H3 haplotype (OR = 1.717, 95% CI = 1.050-2.808, P = 0.030) increased the risk of psoriasis. Furthermore, rs4833837 GG, GA genotypes (GG: OR = 0.2071, 95% CI = 0.0685-0.6266, P = 0.0022; GA: OR = 0.4711, 95% CI = 0.3289-0.6746, P < 0.0001), and H5 haplotype (OR = 0.482, 95% CI = 0.238-0.978, P = 0.039) were identified as protective factors for psoriasis. 4q27 polymorphisms are associated with psoriasis in the Northeastern Chinese Han population.

Effective Resistance to Wheat Stripe Rust in a Region with High Disease Pressure

Stripe rust is a major fungal disease of wheat. It frequently becomes epidemic in southeastern Gansu province, a stripe rust hot spot in China. Evaluations of wheat germplasm response are crucial for developing cultivars to control the disease. In total, 57 wheat cultivars and lines from Europe and other countries, comprising 36 cultivars with documented stripe rust resistance genes and 21 with unknown genes, were tested annually with multiple races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in the field at Tianshui in Gansu province from 1993 to 2013. Seven wheat lines were highly resistant, with infection type (IT) 0 during the entire period; 16 were moderately resistant (IT 0;-2); and 26 were moderately susceptible (IT 0;-4), with low maximum disease severity compared with the susceptible control Huixianhong. 'Strampelli' and 'Libellula', with three and five quantitative trait loci, respectively, for stripe rust resistance have displayed durable resistance in this region for four decades. Ten cultivars, including 'Lantian 15', 'Lantian 26', and 'Lantian 31', with stripe rust resistance derived from European lines, were developed in our breeding program and have made a significant impact on controlling stripe rust in southeastern Gansu. Breeding resistant cultivars with multiple adult-plant resistance genes seems to be a promising strategy in wheat breeding for managing stripe rust in this region and other hot spots.

Optimization of the Energy Window for PETbox4, a Preclinical PET Tomograph With a Small Inner Diameter

Small animal positron emission tomography (PET) systems are often designed by employing close geometry configurations. Due to the different characteristics caused by geometrical factors, these tomographs require data acquisition protocols that differ from those optimized for conventional large diameter ring systems. In this work we optimized the energy window for data acquisitions with PETbox4, a 50 mm detector separation (box-like geometry) pre-clinical PET scanner, using the Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE). The fractions of different types of events were estimated using a voxelized phantom including a mouse as well as its supporting chamber, mimicking a realistic mouse imaging environment. Separate code was developed to extract additional information about the gamma interactions for more accurate event type classification. Three types of detector backscatter events were identified in addition to the trues, phantom scatters and randoms. The energy window was optimized based on the noise equivalent count rate (NECR) and scatter fraction (SF) with lower-level discriminators (LLD) corresponding to energies from 150 keV to 450 keV. The results were validated based on the calculated image uniformity, spillover ratio (SOR) and recovery coefficient (RC) from physical measurements using the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU-4 image quality phantom. These results indicate that when PETbox4 is operated with a more narrow energy window (350-650 keV), detector backscatter rejection is unnecessary. For the NEMA NU-4 image quality phantom, the SOR for the water chamber decreases by about 45% from 15.1% to 8.3%, and the SOR for the air chamber decreases by 31% from 12.0% to 8.3% at the LLDs of 150 and 350 keV, without obvious change in uniformity, further supporting the simulation based optimization. The optimization described in this work is not limited to PETbox4, but also applicable or helpful to other small inner diameter geometry scanners.

MicroRNA-191 correlates with poor prognosis of colorectal carcinoma and plays multiple roles by targeting tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 3

MicroRNA-191 (miR-191) is reported to be overexpressed in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but the role of miR-191 in CRC progress remained unclear. This study demonstrated that High miR-191 expression was associated with clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis and depth of tumor invasion. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with high miR-191 expression had a poor overall survival. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that miR-191 was an independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC. Furthermore, we found that tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 3 (TIMP3) was a direct target of miR-191 in colorectal cancer SW620 cells. TIMP3 downregulation mediated by miR-191 activated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and thus promoted invasiveness of cancer cells. Anti-miR-191 could attenuate the invasiveness, suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis by restoring TIMP3 expression. Our results suggested that miR-191 might be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in patients with colorectal cancer.