Mangiferin alleviates diabetic pulmonary fibrosis in mice via inhibiting endothelial-mesenchymal transition through AMPK/FoxO3/SIRT3 axis

Diabetes mellitus results in numerous complications. Diabetic pulmonary fibrosis (DPF), a late pulmonary complication of diabetes, has not attracted as much attention as diabetic nephropathy and cardiomyopathy. Mangiferin (MF) is a natural small molecular compound that exhibits a variety of pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fibrosis effects. In this study, we investigated whether long-term diabetes shock induces DPF, and explored whether MF had a protective effect against DPF. We first examined the lung tissues and sections of 20 diabetic patients obtained from discarded lung surgical resection specimens and found that pulmonary fibrosis mainly accumulated around the pulmonary vessels, accompanied by significantly enhanced endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). We established a mouse model of DPF by STZ injections. Ten days after the final STZ injection, the mice were administered MF (20, 60 mg/kg, i.g.) every 3 days for 4 weeks, and kept feeding until 16 weeks and euthanized. We showed that pulmonary fibrotic lesions were developed in the diabetic mice, which began around the pulmonary vessels, while MF administration did not affect long-term blood glucose levels, but dose-dependently alleviated diabetes-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), exposure to high glucose (33.3 mM) induced EndMT, which was dose-dependently inhibited by treatment with MF (10, 50 μM). Furthermore, MF treatment promoted SIRT3 expression in high glucose-exposed HUVECs by directly binding to AMPK to enhance the activity of FoxO3, which finally reversed diabetes-induced EndMT. We conclude that MF attenuates DPF by inhibiting EndMT through the AMPK/FoxO3/SIRT3 axis. MF could be a potential candidate for the early prevention and treatment of DPF.

[A study on the mediation effect of insulin use on diabetic retinopathy in a community population]

Objective: To explore the risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with diabetes and the mediating effect of insulin use on the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and DR. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Random cluster sampling was conducted using a random number table method. A total of 84 sampling points (including 2 pilot points) were selected from the registered population of patients with type 2 diabetes aged 50 years and above at the Disease Prevention and Control Center in Funing County, Jiangsu Province. Questionnaires and biochemical tests were performed to obtain information on the general characteristics of the participants, medical history, insulin use, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Ocular examinations, including anterior segment and fundus examinations, were conducted. The participants were divided into two groups, DR (diabetic retinopathy) and non-DR, based on the presence or absence of retinal hemorrhages, hard exudates, cotton wool spots, neovascularization, preretinal or vitreous hemorrhage. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the influencing factors for DR. The Karlson-Holm-Breen analysis method was used for mediation effect analysis. Results: A total of 2 067 diabetic patients were enrolled, of whom 1 965 completed the survey and 1 802 were included in the statistical analysis, resulting in a response rate of 87.2%. Among them, 660 patients were diagnosed with DR, with a detection rate of 36.63%. The results of multivariate analysis showed that diabetes duration (OR=1.166, 95%CI: 1.138-1.196), family history of diabetes (OR=1.325, 95%CI: 1.001-1.755), insulin therapy (OR=1.995, 95%CI: 1.434-2.777), HbA1c level (OR=1.513, 95%CI: 1.189-1.925), and alcohol consumption (OR=0.712, 95%CI: 0.514-0.985) were independent risk factors for DR. The mediating effect of insulin use accounted for 13.67% of the total effect of HbA1c on DR (P<0.001). Conclusions: The risk factors for DR in patients with diabetes include a history of insulin therapy, longer duration of diabetes, family history of diabetes, alcohol consumption, and high HbA1c levels. Insulin use increases the impact of HbA1c on DR and has a partial mediating effect on DR.

Purification and identification of xanthine oxidase inhibitory peptides from enzymatic hydrolysate of α-lactalbumin and bovine colostrum casein

The development of food-derived Xanthine Oxidase (XO) inhibitors is critical to the treatment of hyperuricemia and oxidative stress-related disease. Few studies report on milk protein hydrolysates' XO inhibitory activity, with the mechanism of their interaction remaining elusive. Here, different commercial enzymes were used to hydrolyze α-lactalbumin and bovine colostrum casein. The two proteins hydrolyzed by alkaline protease exhibited the most potent XO inhibitory activity (bovine casein: IC₅₀ = 0.13 mg mL^-1; α-lactalbumin: IC₅₀ = 0.28 mg mL^-1). Eight potential XO inhibitory peptides including VYPFPGPI, GPVRGPFPIIV, VYPFPGPIPN, VYPFPGPIHN, QLKRFSFRSFIWR, LVYPFPGPIHN, AVFPSIVGR, and GFININSLR (IC₅₀ of 4.67-8.02 mM) were purified and identified from alkaline protease hydrolysates by using gel filtration, LC-MS/MS and PeptideRanker. The most important role of inhibiting activity of peptides is linked to hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding based on the results of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. The enzymatic hydrolysate of α-lactalbumin and bovine colostrum casein could be a competitive candidates for hyperuricemia-resisting functional food.

[Predictive value of stress-induced hyperglycemia on 28 d risk of all-cause death in intensive care patients]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between stress glucose elevation and the risk of 28 d all-cause mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and to compare the predictive efficacy of different stress glucose elevation indicators.

METHODS

ICU patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Ⅳ (MIMIC-Ⅳ) database were used as the study subjects, and the stress glucose elevation indicators were divided into Q1 (0-25%), Q2 (>25%- 75%), and Q3 (>75%-100%) groups, with whether death occurred in the ICU and the duration of treatment in the ICU as outcome variables, and demographic characteristics, laboratory indicators, and comorbidities as covariates, Cox regression and restricted cubic splines were used to explore the association between stress glucose elevation and the risk of 28 d all-cause death in ICU patients; and subject work characteristics [receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and the area under curve (AUC)] were used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of different stress glucose elevation indicators, The stress hyperglycemia indexes included: stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR1, SHR2), glucose gap (GG); and the stress hyperglycemia index was further incorporated into the Oxford acute severity of illness score (OASIS) to investigate the predictive efficacy of the improved scores: the AUC was used to assess the score discrimination, and the larger the AUC indicated, the better score discrimination. The Brier score was used to evaluate the calibration of the score, and a smaller Brier score indicated a better calibration of the score.

RESULTS

A total of 5 249 ICU patients were included, of whom 7.56% occurred in ICU death. Cox regression analysis after adjusting for confounders showed that the HR (95%CI) for 28 d all-cause mortality in the ICU patients was 1.545 (1.077-2.217), 1.602 (1.142-2.249) and 1.442 (1.001-2.061) for the highest group Q3 compared with the lowest group Q1 for SHR1, SHR2 and GG, respectively, and The risk of death in the ICU patients increased progressively with increasing indicators of stressful blood glucose elevation (P_trend < 0.05). Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a linear relationship between SHR and the 28 d all-cause mortality risk (P>0.05). the AUC of SHR2 and GG was significantly higher than that of SHR1: AUC_SHR2=0.691 (95%CI: 0.661-0.720), AUC_GG=0.685 (95%CI: 0.655-0.714), and AUC_SHR1=0.680 (95%CI: 0.650-0.709), P < 0.05. The inclusion of SHR2 in the OASIS scores significantly improved the discrimination and calibration of the scores: AUC_OASIS=0.820 (95%CI: 0.791-0.848), AUC_OASIS+SHR2=0.832 (95%CI: 0.804-0.859), P < 0.05; Brier score_OASIS=0.071, Brier score_OASIS+SHR2=0.069.

CONCLUSION

Stressful glucose elevation is strongly associated with 28 d all-cause mortality risk in ICU patients and may inform clinical management and decision making in intensive care patients.

Preparation of fat substitute based on maize starch hydrolysates and application in reduced-fat acidified milk gel

Reduced-fat food has become a popular choice among contemporary consumers. This study aims to develop a starch-based fat substitute and incorporate it into reduced-fat milk gel acidified with glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) to achieve similar rheological properties as a full-fat gel. The gel properties of the fat substitute were assessed. The study examined the rheological properties, syneresis, textural properties and microstructure of acidified milk gels while also monitoring acidification process. Starch hydrolysates with low dextrose equivalent (DE) (<5.1 %) can serve as an effective fat substitute due to their excellent gelling properties The rheological and textural properties of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel with DE at 3.1 % of starch hydrolysate and 30 % fat substitution are similar to those of the full-fat milk gel. The syneresis and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results indicated that the microstructure of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel was similar to the full-fat version. Moreover, the sensory properties of the reduced-fat acidified milk gel were acceptable when the DE was 3.1 %, and 30 % fat was replaced. In our study, we utilized hydrolyzed starch to produce reduced-fat acidified milk gels, which could potentially be used in the development of reduced-fat yogurt formulations.

Low-fat ice cream model system: impact of incorporation of alcalase hydrolyzed zein

Research on fat substitutes with low calories and good flavor is important to reduce the fat content in food. In this paper, the selection of fat substitutes and the preparation of low-fat ice cream were carried out through looking at the emulsion properties of the enzymatic hydrolysis of zein. The results showed that the emulsifying activity of zein after enzymatic hydrolysis for 10 min was 66.76 m² g^-1, and the emulsifying stability was 78.51 min, showing the best emulsifying properties. Enzymatic hydrolysis of zein can effectively reduce the degree of lipid oxidation. The protein digestibility in intestinal juice was also significantly improved, and the release rate of free fatty acids in the emulsion reached more than 80%. The viscosity, shear stress, elastic modulus, electronic nose and electronic tongue of ice cream with 10% oil substitute were close to those of full-fat ice cream. It is expected to provide a basis for the development of functional foods.

Effect of ferulic acid covalent conjugation on the functional properties and antigenicity of β-lactoglobulin

Binding to phenolics can improve the functional properties of proteins. Changes in structure, functional properties, and antigenicity of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) after covalent conjugation with ferulic acid (FA) at different mass ratios were reported here. The results of SDS-PAGE and gel exclusion chromatography confirmed that covalent complexes were formed. When the mass ratio of β-LG and FA was 10:6, the binding content of FA was the highest. Fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectrometry, and FTIR analysis showed that the structure of the complexes was more stretched compared to native β-LG. The addition of FA significantly improved the emulsifying property of β-LG. When the mass ratio was 10:6, the radical scavenging activities of DPPH and ABTS reached 65.06% and 88.22%, respectively, and the antigenicity of β-LG reduced by about 35%. This study provides novel β-LG-FA complexes in food systems to reduce the antigenicity of β-LG and improve functional properties.

[Role of Dipeptidyl peptidase inhibitors in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury]

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI)is a common complication after lung transplantation and cardiopulmonary bypass. It is an important factor affecting the success rate of transplantation. Its specific pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. It is very significant to find the targets and drugs for the prevention and treatment of LIRI in order to improving the utilization rate of "marginal donor lung" and the long-term survival rate of lung transplant patients. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4(DPP4) inhibitors are a class of oral hypoglycemic agents. Previous studies have shown that DPP4 inhibitors have a variety of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, immunomodulatory and other extrapancreatic functions. Recent studies have shown that DPP4 inhibitors may alleviate LIRI through various mechanisms, including inhibiting inflammatory responses, reducing oxidative stress, regulating blood glucose levels, and activating autophagy. This article reviewed the clinical and preclinical applications and mechanisms of DPP4 inhibitors in LIRI.

[Predictive value of D-dimer for deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity in adult burn patients]

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of D-dimer for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower extremity in adult burn patients. Methods: A retrospective case series study was conducted. The clinical data of 3 861 adult burn patients who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the Department of Burns of Zhengzhou First People's Hospital from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 were collected. The patients were divided into DVT group (n=77) and non-DVT group (n=3 784) according to whether DVT of lower extremity occurred during hospitalization or not. Data of patients in the two groups were collected and compared, including the gender, age, total burn area, D-dimer level, with lower limb burn and inhalation injury or not on admission, with sepsis/septic shock, femoral vein indwelling central venous catheter (CVC), history of surgery, and infusion of concentrated red blood cells or not during hospitalization. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. The indicators with statistically significant differences between the two groups were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen the independent risk factors for DVT of lower extremity in 3 861 adult burn patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the independent risk factors predicting DVT of lower extremity in 3 861 adult burn patients were drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC), the optimal threshold value, and the sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold value were calculated. The quality of the AUC was compared by Delong test, and the sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold value were compared using chi-square test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in gender, occurrence of sepsis/septic shock or history of surgery during hospitalization between patients in the two groups (P>0.05), while there were statistically significant differences in age, total burn area, D-dimer level, lower limb burn and inhalation injury on admission, and femoral vein indwelling CVC and infusion of concentrated red blood cells during hospitalization between patients in the two groups (t=-8.17, with Z values of -5.04 and -10.83, respectively, χ2 values of 21.83, 5.37, 7.75, and 4.52, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, total burn area, and D-dimer level were the independent risk factors for DVT of lower extremity in 3 861 adult burn patients (with odds ratios of 1.05, 1.02, and 1.14, respectively, 95% confidence intervals of 1.04-1.06, 1.00-1.03, and 1.10-1.20, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The AUCs of ROC of age, total burn area, and D-dimer level for predicting DVT of lower extremity in 3 861 adult burn patients were 0.74, 0.67, and 0.86, respectively (with 95% confidence intervals of 0.68-0.80, 0.60-0.74, and 0.83-0.89, respectively, P values<0.01), the optimal threshold values were 50.5 years old, 10.5% total body surface area, and 1.845 mg/L, respectively, the sensitivity under the optimal threshold values were 71.4%, 70.1%, and 87.0%, respectively, and the specificity under the optimal threshold values were 66.8%, 67.2%, and 72.9%, respectively. The AUC quality and sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold value of D-dimer level were significantly better than those of age (z=3.29, with χ2 values of 284.91 and 34.25, respectively, P<0.01) and total burn area (z=4.98, with χ2 values of 326.79 and 29.88, respectively, P<0.01), while the AUC quality and sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold values were similar between age and total burn area (P>0.05). Conclusions: D-dimer level is an independent risk factor for DVT of lower extremity in adult burn patients, its AUC quality and sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold value are better than those of age and total burn area, and it has good predictive value for DVT of lower extremity in adult burn patients.

[Effect factors of collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester cesarean scar pregnancy]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and effect factors of collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester cesarean scar pregnancy(CSP). Methods: This study was a multicenter case-control study, with 219 inpatients with CSP in First People's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou Central Hospital, Third People's Hospital of Zhengzhou and Henan No3 Provincial People's Hospital from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020 who were selected to obtain their clinical data. Double-blind method was performed in digital subtraction angiography imaging analysis. The patients were divided into collateral blood supply group and non-collateral blood supply group, and the incidence of collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester CSP was calculated. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to find the independent risk factors of collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester CSP. As well, clinical outcomes after uterine artery embolization (UAE) were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 219 patients with early trimester CSP have average age of (32.4±5.0) years old and average pregnancy of (51.0±10.6) days. The incidence of collateral blood supply was 12.3% (27 cases), of which16 cases were on the left, 6 on the right and 5 in both sides. A total of 43 collateral vessels were found, with 1.59 vessels per patient on average. Bladder artery was the most common source of collateral blood supply, accounting for 74.4% (32/43), followed by internal pudendal artery for 18.6% (8/43). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that gestational weeks ≥8 weeks, maximum diameter of gestational sac ≥50 mm and rich blood supply of gestational sac are independent risk factors for collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester CSP, with OR (95%CI) 3.68 (1.06-12.76), 7.00 (1.52-32.19)、9.96 (3.59-27.58), respectively, all P<0.05. The success rates of UAE were 100% in both groups. The reduction in serum β-Human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) level at 24 hours after UAE, vaginal bleeding during uterine curettage, hysterectomy and menstrual recovery time were not found to have significant difference between groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Early trimester CSP leads to a certain occurrence of collateral blood supply, which may have adverse impact on the efficacy of UAE and patient safety. Gestational weeks, the maximum diameter of gestational sac and the degree of vascularization of gestation sac have certain value in suggesting the collateral blood supply of patients with early trimester CSP, which is helpful for the complete embolization of gestational sac in the process of UAE.

[Epidemiology of uncorrected refractive errors in type 2 diabetics aged 50 and above in Funing County, China: the Jiangsu Diabetic Eye Study]

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of uncorrected refractive errors among people aged 50 years and above in Funing county, Jiangsu province. Methods: Randomly cluster sampling was used in selecting individuals aged ≥50 years in 82 clusters from Funing County Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Uncorrected refractive error was defined as an improvement of at least 2 lines in best corrected visual acuity compared with presenting visual acuity in the better eye. The mean±standard deviation was used to describe the continuous data, and the rate or composition ratio was used to represent the classified data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the prevalence of uncorrected refractive errors in different ages, genders, educational levels, durations of diabetes and levels of glycosylated hemoglobin. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Results: A total of 2 067 persons were enumerated, and 1910 (92.4%) participants were in the statistical analyses. The prevalence of uncorrected refractive error was 25.63%. The prevalence of uncorrected refractive error for myopia only, hyperopia only, astigmatism only, myopia with astigmatism and hyperopia with astigmatism was 72.55% (37/51), 46.77% (58/124), 17.81% (13/73), 63.95% (94/147) and 51.98% (100/194), respectively. The results showed that the older age, level of glycosylated hemoglobin, myopia and lens state were the independent influencing factors of uncorrected refractive error. The odds ratio (OR) for people aged 70 to<80 years and ≥80 years was 1.81 and 1.90, respectively, with statistical significance compared to people younger than 60 years. Compared with the level of glycosylated hemoglobin less than 5.6%, the OR with glycosylated hemoglobin from7.1% to 8.0% and more than 10% was 1.84 (P<0.05) and 1.82 (P<0.05), respectively. The OR of myopia, low myopia, moderate myopia and high myopia was 2.98 (P<0.01), 6.94 (P<0.01), 42.43 (P<0.01) and 77.85 (P<0.01), respectively. The OR of opacity of the eye lens was 7.60 (P<0.01). Conclusions: Uncorrected refractive error is one of the important causes of visual impairment in diabetic patients aged 50 and above in Funing county, Jiangsu province; the important influencing factors were age, glycosylated hemoglobin concentration, myopia and lens status. Relevant health departments should popularize the eye health for diabetic patients and conduct regular optometry and fundus examination. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 757-765).

[Jiangsu Diabetic Eye Disease Study：epidemiological survey of blindness and moderate or severe visual impairment in people with type 2 diabetes over 50 years old in Funing County]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, causes and risk factors of moderate or severe visual impairment and blindness in people with type 2 diabetes over 50 years old in Funing County, Yancheng. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Using cluster random sampling, 84 survey sites were selected, and eye examination was performed on people with type 2 diabetes over 50 years old who were registered with the chronic disease information center of Funing County Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Yancheng, Jiangsu. The prevalence of moderate or severe visual impairment and blindness were calculated by different ages and genders. The causes of blindness and visual impairment were determined, and their influencing factors were analyzed by univariate and multivarite logistic regression. Results: A total of 2 067 people were investigated in this study, and 1 909 people were included. The response rate was 92.4%. Based on PVA, the prevalence of blindness and moderate to severe visual impairment was 5.29% (95%CI: 4.29%-6.30%) and 18.54% (95%CI: 16.80%-20.29%). The prevalence of blindness was related to age, marital status, education, duration of diabetes, history of diabetic nephropathy, systolic blood pressure and nuclear opacity. The prevalence of moderate or severe visual impairment was related to age, gender, educational level, diabetes treatment, exercise, and glycated hemoglobin. The prevalence of blindness and moderate to severe visual impairment was 3.67% (95%CI: 2.82%-4.51%) and 9.80% (95%CI: 8.46%-11.13%) based on BCVA. The prevalence of blindness was related to age, marital status, education, duration of diabetes, history of diabetic nephropathy, exercise and systolic blood pressure, while the prevalence of moderate or severe visual impairment was related to age, educational level, diabetes treatment and nuclear opacity. The primary cause of blindness and visual impairment is cataract, followed by diabetic retinopathy. Conclusions: The prevalence of moderate or severe visual impairment and blindness in people with type 2 diabetes in Funing County is relatively high. Attention should be paid to the prevention of blindness in this population. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56: 593-599).

[Application value of sedation in colonoscopy]

Objective: To investigate the value of sedation in colonoscopy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of colonoscopy procedures was performed in our institution. Inclusion criteria: (1) colonoscopy procedures were performed by well-trained gastrointestinal surgeons our institution; (2) medical records were complete and colonoscopy was documented properly by notes, videos, photographs, and traceable pathological reports. Those with incomplete records or performed in other institution were excluded. According to above criteria, clinical data of 49 057 cases of clinic and hospitalization receiving diagnostic or therapeutic colonoscopyat Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgery, Daping Hospital from July 2007 to February 2017 were collected. Among them, there were 24 638 (50.2%) males and 24 419 females, with mean age of (50.6±14.1) (4 to 98) years. Based on the application of sedation during colonoscopy, patients were divided into the sedation group (39 412 cases, 80.3%) and the non-sedation group (9 645 cases, 19.7%). Clinical characteristics of two groups were compared. Results: The sedation rate increased from 45.6% (369/810) to 94.8% (917/967) from 2007 to 2017. As compared to non-sedation group, a higher proportion of females [51.0% (20 095/39 412) vs. 44.8% (4 324/9 645), χ(2)=117.422, P<0.001] and younger median age (50.0 years vs. 51.0 years, Z=-4.774, P<0.001) were found in the sedation group, whose differences were statistically significant. In all the 9645 cases in the non-sedation group, about 5.5% (534) of them terminated the examination because of unbearable discomfort, including 244 (4.6%) males and 290 (6.7%) females (χ(2)=20.522, P<0.001). Among all the screening population who were ≥50 years old, there was no significant difference in the polyp detection rate (PDR) between the sedation group and the non-sedation group [26.7% (4 737/17 753) vs. 27.4% (1 093/3 984), χ(2)=0.937, P=0.330]. The cecal intubation rate (CIR) in the sedation group was significantly higher than that in the non-sedation group [(85.2% (14 422/16 933) vs. 76.1% (2 803/3 682), χ(2)=180.032, P<0.001]. Five cases in the sedation group developed iatrogenic colonic perforation (ICP), with none in the non-sedation group. Conclusions: The application of sedation in colonoscopy is increasingly popular. Sedation can significantly improve CIR in colonoscopy, while it has no positive influence on PDR. Meanwhile, sedation increases the medical expense and may result in higher ICP rate.

[Occurrence of deep venous thrombosis in adult burn patients and its risk factors]

Objective: To investigate the occurrence and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in adult burn patients. Methods: The clinical data of 1 219 adult burn patients admitted to the Department of Burns of Zhengzhou First People's Hospital from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016, conforming to the study criteria, were analyzed retrospectively by the method of case-control study, including 811 males and 408 females, aged 18-102 years. According to whether DVT occurred during hospitalization or not, the patients were divided into group DVT (n=12) and non-DVT group (n=1 207). The incidence of DVT, the diagnosis time of DVT, affected limbs, and DVT classification were counted and recorded. The gender, age, total burn area, D-dimer, lower limb burn, full-thickness burn, femoral vein indwelling central venous catheter (CVC) , inhalation injury, sepsis/infection shock, surgical operation, and infusion of concentrated red blood cells of patients between the two groups were compared with chi-square test, and then the indicators with statistically significant differences between the two groups were processed by multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to screen the independent risk factors of DVT in the adult burn patients. Results: (1) The incidence of DVT of adult burn patients was 0.98% (12/1 219), and DVT was diagnosed 24-138 days after injury, with a median of 61.5 days. DVT occurred in the right lower limb of 2 patients, left lower limb of 8 patients, and bilateral lower limbs of 2 patients, and DVT classification included 6 cases of mixed type and 6 cases of peripheral type. (2) There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, and full-thickness burn of patients between the two groups ( χ(2)=1.524, 0.021, 3.115, P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in total burn area, lower limb burn, inhalation injury, sepsis/infection shock, D-dimer, femoral vein indwelling CVC, surgical operation, and infusion of concentrated red blood cells among patients between the two groups (χ(2)=17.975, 6.206, 3.987, 8.875, 5.447, 15.124, 10.735, 14.031, P<0.05 or P<0.01). (3) Total burn area, D-dimer, and femoral vein indwelling CVC were independent risk factors for DVT in adult burn patients (odds ratio=10.927, 4.762, 9.394, 95% confidence interval=3.078-38.789, 1.197-18.934, 2.631-33.540, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: The incidence of DVT in adult burn patients is relatively low, and the diagnosis time of DVT is 3 weeks after burn, with DVT classification of mixed type and peripheral type. The total burn area, femoral vein indwelling CVC, and D-dimer are independent risk factors for predicting DVT in adult burn patients.

[Multi-level analysis on factors affecting the adherence to early antithrombotic therapy among people with acute ischemic stroke]

Objective: To explore the patient and hospital related determinants of adherence to early antithrombotic therapy among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: AIS patients aged 50 years old or above who were eligible for early antithrombotic therapy, were included from the China National Stroke Registry Ⅱ (CNSR Ⅱ) project. Characteristics related to patients and hospitals were collected. Univariate analysis method was conducted to explore the correlation between hospital or patient-related determinants and early antithrombotic therapy. A 2-level logistic regression model was set up to identify patient and hospital-related variables that were associated with the adherence to early antithrombotic therapy, with patient as level 1 and hospital as level 2. Results: A total of 16 910 patients were included in the study, with 14 332 (84.75%) of them having received early antithrombotic therapy. Results from the univariate analysis showed that the patient determinants to early antithrombotic therapy would include age, type of health insurance, average income and history of dyslipidemia. Hospital determinants would include factors as: level and region of the hospital, academic status, with/without stroke unit, quality control on single disease and the percentage of neurological beds in total beds (P<0.05). Data on multilevel model showed that the patient-related determinants on early antithrombotic therapy would include age, gender, average income, history of hypertension, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission while hospital related determinants would include percentage of neurological beds in total beds, and region of the hospital (P<0.05). Conclusions: The quality of a hospital was associated with the adherence to early antithrombotic therapy. AIS patients at advanced age or with high NIHSS score at admission should be paid more attention.

CNS distribution, signalling properties and central effects of G-protein coupled receptor 4

Information on the distribution and biology of the G-protein coupled receptor 4 (GPR4) in the brain is limited. It is currently thought that GPR4 couples to Gs proteins and may mediate central respiratory sensitivity to CO2. Using a knock-in mouse model, abundant GPR4 expression was detected in the cerebrovascular endothelium and neurones of dorsal raphe, retro-trapezoidal nucleus locus coeruleus and lateral septum. A similar distribution was confirmed using RNAscope in situ hybridisation. In HEK293 cells, overexpressing GPR4, it was highly constitutively active at neutral pH with little further increase in cAMP towards acidic pH. The GPR4 antagonist NE 52-QQ57 effectively blocked GPR4-mediated cAMP accumulation (IC50 26.8 nM in HEK293 cells). In HUVEC which natively express GPR4, physiological acidification (pH 7.4-7.0) resulted in a cAMP increase by ∼55% which was completely prevented by 1 μM NE 52-QQ57. The main extracellular organic acid, l-lactic acid (LL; 1-10 mM), suppressed pH dependent activation of GPR4 in HEK293 and HUVEC cells, suggesting allosteric negative modulation. In unanaesthetised mice and rats, NE 52-QQ57 (20 mg kg-1) reduced ventilatory response to 5 and 10% CO2. In anaesthetised rats, systemic administration of NE 52-QQ57 (up to 20 mg kg-1) had no effect on hemodynamics, cerebral blood flow and blood oxygen level dependent responses. Central administration of NE 52-QQ57 (1 mM) in vagotomised anaesthetised rats did not affect CO2-induced respiratory responses. Our results indicate that GPR4 is expressed by multiple neuronal populations and endothelium and that its pH sensitivity is affected by level of expression and LL. NE 52-QQ57 blunts hypercapnic response to CO2 but this effect is absent under anaesthesia, possibly due to the inhibitory effect of LL on GPR4.

Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity is a major determinant of renal sympathetic discharge in conscious Wistar rats

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? Does chronic reduction of neuronally generated nitric oxide in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus affect the set-point regulation of blood pressure and sympathetic activity destined to the kidneys? What is the main finding and its importance? Within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, nitric oxide generated by neuronal nitric oxide synthase plays a major constitutive role in suppressing long term the levels of both ongoing renal sympathetic activity and arterial pressure in conscious Wistar rats. This finding unequivocally demonstrates a mechanism by which the diencephalon exerts a tonic influence on sympathetic discharge to the kidney and may provide the basis for both blood volume and osmolality homeostasis.

ABSTRACT

The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus plays a crucial role in cardiovascular and neuroendocrine regulation. Application of nitric oxide donors to the PVN stimulates GABAergic transmission, and may suppress sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to lower arterial pressure. However, the role of endogenous nitric oxide within the PVN in regulating renal SNA chronically remains to be established in conscious animals. To address this, we used our previously established lentiviral vectors to knock down neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) selectively in the PVN of conscious Wistar rats. Blood pressure and renal SNA were monitored simultaneously and continuously for 21 days (n = 14) using radio-telemetry. Renal SNA was normalized to maximal evoked discharge and expressed as a percentage change from baseline. The PVN was microinjected bilaterally with a neurone-specific tetracycline-controllable lentiviral vector, expressing a short hairpin miRNA30 interference system targeting nNOS (n = 7) or expressing a mis-sense as control (n = 7). Recordings continued for a further 18 days. The vectors also expressed green fluorescent protein, and successful expression in the PVN and nNOS knockdown were confirmed histologically post hoc. Knockdown of nNOS expression in the PVN resulted in a sustained increase in blood pressure (from 95 ± 2 to 104 ± 3 mmHg, P < 0.05), with robust concurrent sustained activation of renal SNA (>70%, P < 0.05). The study reveals a major role for nNOS-derived nitric oxide within the PVN in chronic set-point regulation of cardiovascular autonomic activity in the conscious, normotensive rat.

[Brief introduction to the development of ancient history of paediatric diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine]

As an important part of paediatric science, paediatric diagnosis was in the initial stage of its development before the Song Dynasty. The main measures of diagnosing diseases were observation and pulse palpation, especially the latter. The rapid development of paediatrics in the Song Dynasty necessitated thepaediatric diagnosis to develop further, emphasizing the spiritual expressions of the eyes and fingerprint, with its special features gradually developed in the period of the Jin and Yuan Dynasties.During this period, the paediatrics diagnosis was developed on the basis of the previous generations, with equal importance paid to both observation and pulse feeling. In the period of the Ming and Qing Dynasties the four paediatric diagnostics were constantly enriched with attentions paid to the use of multiple approaches and thus the diagnostics was perfected day by day.

Structure-dependent behaviours of skin layers studied by atomic force microscopy

The multilayer skin provides the physical resistance and strength against the environmental attacks, and consequently plays a significant role in maintaining the mammalian health. Currently, optical microscopy (OM) is the most common method for the research related to skin tissues while with the drawbacks including the possibility of changing the native morphology of the sample with the addition of the chemical or immunological staining and the restricted resolution of images for the direct observation of the tissue structures. To investigate if the function of each tissue is structure-dependent and the how the injured skin returns to the intact condition, we applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the sectioned mice-skin to reveal the tissue structures with a nanoscale resolution. From the outermost stratum to the inner layer of the skin tissue, the respectively laminated, fibrous, and brick-like structures were observed and corresponded to various functions. Due to the mechanical differences between the tissue constituents and their boundaries, the sizes and arrangements of the components were characterised and quantified by the mechanical mapping of AFM, which enabled the analytical comparisons between tissue layers. For the wound model, the skin tissues were examined with the initial formation of blood vessels and type-I collagen, which agreed with the stage of healing process estimated by OM but showed more detail information about the evolution of proteins among the skin. In conclusion, the characterisation of the components that consist of skin tissue by AFM enables the connection of the tissue function to the corresponded ultrastructure.

Detection and study of plasma D-dimer change in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The purpose of this study was to observe the change in plasma D-dimer of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The patients were divided into three groups, i.e., AECOPD group, stable COPD group (COPD kept stable after treatment) and a healthy control group. The content of plasma fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer of all research subjects was detected and the difference between groups was analyzed. Moreover, pulmonary functions of patients in the AECOPD group and the stable COPD group, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%) and forced vital capacity rate of 1 second (FEV1/FVC), and blood gas (oxygen partial pressure (PO₂) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), were detected; and the differences between the two groups and the possible correlation were analyzed. Compared to the COPD stable group and the control group, the AECOPD group had a statistically significant higher content of plasma FIB and D-dimer (p less than 0.05); the content of plasma FIB and D-dimer of the COPD stable group was much higher than that of the healthy control group, but the difference had no statistical significance (p > 0.05); the content of D-dimer of AECOPD patients was in a negative correlation with FEV1 and PO₂ (p smaller than 0.05) and in a positive correlation with PCO₂ (p smaller than 0.05). It can be concluded that D-dimer is correlated to the severity of AECOPD; hence, it can be used as an evaluation index for the severity of AECOPD.

Biological control of Botrytis cinerea on tomato plants using Streptomyces ahygroscopicus strain CK-15

We developed a real-time PCR assay to specifically detect and quantify the efficacy of a biological fungicide from Streptomyces ahygroscopicus var. wuyiensis on tomato leaves. This fungicide, the natural secondary metabolite wuyiencin, is an antifungal agent against Botrytis cinerea. Specific primers were designed based on the β-actin gene sequences, which were used to detect a 303 bp fragment from B. cinerea isolates. Our assay is highly sensitive and can be used to reliably detect and quantify as little as 1·75 pg of B. cinerea DNA. We used this detection method to monitor the progression of B. cinerea infection in inoculated plant material under preventive (wuyiencin) and nonpreventive treatment. After 5 days, plants under preventive treatment exhibited a sharp decrease in fungal biomass and no symptoms, whereas plants under nonpreventive treatment displayed severe disease symptoms. The results demonstrate that wuyiencin has significant effects on B. cinerea in tomato plants and that real-time PCR is a reliable method for evaluating the effects of Streptomyces wuyiensis CK-15 on B. cinerea.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Botrytis cinerea commonly produces latent or nonsymptomatic infection on and within plant tissues, which can develop into symptomatic infection when triggered by changes in environmental conditions or host plant physiology. In this study, we develop a specific, sensitive real-time PCR assay for detecting and quantifying B. cinerea on tomato leaves to determine the control efficacy of Streptomyces ahygroscopicus var. wuyiensis as a biological fungicide. Our findings demonstrate that wuyiencin has significant effects on B. cinerea in tomato plants and that real-time PCR is a reliable method for evaluating the effects of biological fungicides on plant pathogens.

[Construction and immunogenicity analysis of recombinant replication-defective human adenovirus type 5 bearing the porcine circovirus type 2 Cap protein gene]

To construct a recombinant replication-defective human adenovirus type 5 expressing Cap protein of PCV2 and test the immunological efficacy in mice. In this study, the recombinant replication-defective human adenovirus type 5, named as rAd5-Cap (wt-rAd5), was constructed through homologous recombination internally in the HEK293AD cells after co-transfection of the Pac I-linearized backbone plasmid and the shuttle plasmid pacAd5CMV-Cap containing the open reading frame (ORF2) of the porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) cap protein or pacAd5CMV without inserted fragment. Furthermore, the rAd5-Cap could induce the expression of PCV2 cap protein in the HEK293AD cells with high efficacy evaluated by the RT-PCR and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The virus titer of rAd5-Cap could reach up to 10(8.5) TCID50/mL similarly to that of wt-rAd5, indicating that there was little affect on the virus proliferation after the insertion of PCV2 cap protein gene. The humeral immune responses could be activated and detected 14 days after the inoculation of the mice with 10(7) TCID50 rAd5-Cap intramuscularly, and constantly in crease in another 14 days. These molecular biological and animal experiments results demonstrated that the PCV2 cap protein could be efficiently expressed by the recombinant adenovirus rAd5-Cap in eukaryotic cells and induce robust immune responses in mice, which laid a good foundation for the development of new type vaccine against porcine circovirus.

p53 mediates autophagy activation and mitochondria dysfunction in kainic acid-induced excitotoxicity in primary striatal neurons

The present study sought to investigate if p53 mediates autophagy activation and mitochondria dysfunction in primary striatal neurons in kainic acid (KA)-induced excitotoxicity. The excitotoxic model of primary striatal neurons was established with KA. The levels of p53, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), Beclin1, and p62 were examined by Western blot and immunostaining. Autophagy activation was also determined with electron microscope. To evaluate the contribution of p53 to autophagy activation and mitochondria dysfunction in KA-induced excitotoxicity, the protein levels of LC3, Beclin1, and p62, the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the mitochondrial Reactive oxygen species (ROS) after pretreatment with the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-alpha (PFT-α) and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) were analyzed. Excitotoxic neuronal injury was induced after KA treatment as demonstrated by increases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and was significantly inhibited by PFT-α. Western blot and immunostaining showed that the induction of p53 protein occurred in the cytosol and the nucleus. Increases in autophagic proteins LC3 and Beclin1 were observed, whereas the protein levels of p62 decreased after KA treatment. Electron microscope analysis showed increased autophagosomes in the cytoplasm. The changes in LC3, Beclin1, and p62 levels were blocked by PFT-α, PFT-μ, 3-MA, and E64d but not Z-DEVD-FMK. JC-1 staining showed the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential after excitotoxic insult. Mito-tracker and RedoxSensor Red CC-1 staining showed an increased production of mitochondrial ROS after excitotoxic insult. These effects were significantly suppressed after pretreatment with PFT-α and 3-MA. This study suggests that p53 mediates KA-induced autophagy activation and mitochondrial dysfunction in striatal neurons.

Differential gene expression between the porcine morula and blastocyst

The survival and development of pre-implantation embryos are determinant factors affecting the outcome of animal reproduction. It is essential to transfer the expression of the genetic material from maternal sources, that is the ovum to the zygote before implantation to ensure successful development. Differentiation and transformation of blastomeres initiated during the morula and blastocyst stages is an important step of the embryonic development prior to implantation. We collected morula and early blastocyst samples from pure-bred Landrace pigs in vivo to study the differential gene expression patterns at these two stages. Total RNA was extracted from individual embryos and two rounds of amplification were employed. Two micrograms of antisense RNA, targets, were prepared and hybridized with each of four custom made oligo microarrays representing 24,000 porcine genes. The analyses of replicate hybridizations showed that among the 24,000 genes, 162 genes were expressed fivefold or greater in the morula compared to early blastocysts and 2126 genes were expressed fivefold or greater in early blastocysts compared to the morula. Of these differentially expressed genes, 1429 genes were functionally annotated with related human Gene Ontology terms. In addition to basic metabolic processes, genes related to signal transduction, transportation and cell differentiation were found in both stages and were up-regulated as embryo development proceeded. Real time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to quantify 12 genes differentially expressed in the 2 embryonic stages and validated the reliability of major evidences shown in microarrays. In conclusion, we have obtained a preliminary landscape of genes differentially expressed during the transition from morula to early blastocysts in pigs and showed a generally increased transcriptional activity, perhaps in preparation for implantation. Our results provide an opportunity to study the functions of these genes in relation to the development and survival of pre-implantation porcine embryos.

Visfatin regulates genes related to lipid metabolism in porcine adipocytes

Visfatin is a visceral adipose tissue-specific adipocytokine that plays a positive role in attenuating insulin resistance by binding to the insulin receptor. Visfatin has been suggested to play a role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammation; however, the mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of visfatin on the regulation of gene expression in cultured porcine preadipocytes and differentiated adipocytes. In preadipocytes, the mRNA abundance of lipoprotein lipase and PPARgamma were significantly increased by visfatin or insulin treatment after 8 d (all P < 0.05). In the presence of insulin, the mRNA abundance of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein was 24.7-fold greater than in the untreated group (P < 0.05), whereas visfatin alone had no effect on adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein mRNA abundance. Adipocyte differentiation was induced by insulin treatment for 8 d. In differentiated porcine adipocytes, exposure to insulin or visfatin for 24 h increased (P < 0.05) fatty acid synthase mRNA abundance but had no effect on the expression of sterol regulatory element binding-protein 1c mRNA. We also found a 5.8-fold upregulation of IL-6 expression in porcine adipocytes after 24 h of treatment with visfatin (P < 0.05). These results demonstrated that visfatin upregulated lipoprotein lipase expression in preadipocytes, potentially facilitating lipid uptake, and increased the gene expression of fatty acid synthase in differentiated adipocytes to potentially enhance lipogenic activity. Furthermore, visfatin can upregulate IL-6 expression in differentiated porcine adipocytes. The information presented in this study provides insights into the roles of visfatin in lipid metabolism in pigs.

Fasting regulates the expression of adiponectin receptors in young growing pigs

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived hormone that can improve insulin sensitivity. Its functions in regulating glucose utilization and fatty acid metabolism in mammals are mediated by 2 subtypes of adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2). This study was conducted to determine the effect of fasting on the expression of adiponectin and its receptors. The expression of adiponectin was not affected in s.c. adipose tissue, but adiponectin expression increased in visceral adipose tissue after fasting. In contrast, expression of both AdipoR mRNA was increased in the liver and s.c. adipose tissue of 24-h-fasted pigs compared with fed pigs, but the mRNA in muscle and visceral adipose tissue was not affected by fasting. A third putative adiponectin receptor, T-cadherin, was cloned and the mRNA expression was determined. T-Cadherin has been recognized to act as a vascular adiponectin receptor in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Our data showed that the expression of T-cadherin was decreased in the muscle of fasted pigs, suggesting that the expression of T-cadherin can be regulated by feeding status. In summary, in young pigs, adiponectin mRNA was up-regulated by fasting in visceral, but not s.c., adipose tissue, whereas AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mRNA were increased in s.c., but not visceral, adipose tissue. The adiponectin receptor, T-cadherin, was expressed in s.c. and visceral adipose tissue and in muscle, but only muscle mRNA expression was decreased by fasting.

Identification of unique and common low abundance tumour-specific transcripts by suppression subtractive hybridization and oligonucleotide probe array analysis

Most human cancers are characterized by genetic aberrations accompanied by altered expression and function of numerous genes. Applying genome-wide, microarray gene expression analysis to identify deregulated genes in different tumour types can provide potential gene candidates as diagnostic and prognostic tools and promising targets for drug development. However, the detection of deregulated genes with low levels of expression remains a major challenge. In this study, we have designed a strategy, termed modified suppression subtractive hybridization (mSSH), to identify genes encoding rare transcripts. The strategy entails incorporating the T(7)-promoter sequence at the 5' end of the noncoding cDNA strand during first strand cDNA synthesis to generate unidirectional antisense RNA from the resultant cDNA following conventional SSH. These transcripts are subsequently analysed by Affymetrix oligonucleotide gene arrays. Here, we have used five hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), five breast carcinoma and four nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biopsies separately as testers and their corresponding normal biopsies as drivers to enrich for low abundance tumour type-specific transcripts. The total detectable number of probe sets following mSSH was reduced almost 10-fold in comparison to those detected for the same resected tumour tissues without undergoing subtraction, thus yielding a subtraction efficacy of over 90%. Using this experimental approach, we have identified 48 HCC-specific, 45 breast carcinoma-specific, and 83 NPC-specific genes. In addition, 115 genes were upregulated in all the three cancer types. When compared to gene-profiling data obtained without mSSH, the majority of these identified transcripts were of low abundance in the original cancer tissues. mSSH can therefore serve as a comprehensive molecular strategy for pursuing functional genomic studies of human cancers.

Porcine peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma induces transdifferentiation of myocytes into adipocytes

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 (PPARgamma) is a nuclear transcription factor that regulates adipocyte differentiation and lipogenic genes during adipogenesis. The activity of rodent PPARgamma is regulated by phosphorylation of serine 112. The current experiment was designed to study the ability of porcine PPARgamma to stimulate transdifferentiation of myoblasts to adipocytes by overexpressing wild-type PPARgamma or mutated PPARgamma (serine 112 was mutated to alanine) in mouse myoblast cells. The expression of adipogenic marker genes (adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, lipoprotein lipase, and glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase) in cells stably expressing mutated porcine PPARgamma was greater than in cells with wild-type PPARgamma, indicating that the mutated PPARgamma has greater adipogenic capability than the wild-type PPARgamma. Under treatment with a ligand, both wild-type and mutant porcine PPARgamma-expressing C2C12 myoblasts differentiated into adipocytes in 10 d. The expression of myogenic marker genes (myogenin, myogenic regulatory factor-4) was suppressed in cells transfected with the mutated PPARgamma or wild-type PPARgamma. Moreover, wild-type and mutant PPARgamma were able to inhibit myogenesis without addition of a ligand. Our results suggest that porcine wild-type PPARgamma and mutated PPARgamma can both convert myoblast cells into adipocytes, and also that the ability to transdifferentiate was greater in cells containing the mutated PPARgamma than in cells containing the wild-type PPARgamma. Therefore, the existence of serine 112 in PPARgamma may have a role in regulating adipocyte differentiation.

Stimulated emission as a result of multiphoton interference

By performing an experiment on stimulated emission by two photons in the parametric amplification process and comparing it to a three-photon interference scheme, we present evidence in support of the idea that the underlying physics of stimulated emission is simply the constructive interference due to photon indistinguishability. So the observed signal enhancement upon the input of photons can be interpreted as a result of multiphoton interference of the input photons and the otherwise spontaneously emitted photon from the amplifier.

Four-photon interference with asymmetric beam splitters

Two experiments of four-photon interference are performed with two pairs of photons from parametric downconversion with the help of asymmetric beam splitters. The first experiment is a generalization of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference effect to two pairs of photons while the second one utilizes this effect to demonstrate a four-photon de Broglie wavelength of lambda/4 by projection measurement.

GAL4-NF-kappaB fusion protein augments transgene expression from neuronal promoters in the rat brain

Targeted gene expression mediated by a mammalian cellular promoter is desirable for gene therapy in the brain, where there are a variety of different neuronal phenotypes, several types of supportive cells, and blood vessels. However, this approach can be hampered by weak activity of some cellular promoters. In view of the potency of the transcription factor NF-kappaB in regulating neuronal gene expression, we have assessed whether it can be used to enhance the strength of neuron-specific promoters. Our approach was to use a neuronal promoter to drive expression of a chimeric transactivator, which consisted of a part of the transcriptional activation domain of the NF-kappaB p65 protein fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 protein from yeast. The second copy of the neuronal promoter was modified by introducing the unique GAL4 binding sequences at its 5' end and used to drive the expression of a transgene. Binding of the chimeric transcriptional activator upstream of the second promoter was expected to potentiate its transcriptional activity. In this study, the approach was applied to the platelet-derived growth factor beta chain and synapsin-1 neuron-specific promoters and tested in vitro and in vivo using plasmid, lentiviral, and baculoviral vectors. We observed up to a 100-fold improvement in reporter gene expression in cultured neurons and 20-fold improvement in the rat brain in vivo. Moreover, the cell-type specificity of the two tested promoters was well preserved and restricted to neurons. Finally, the expression driven by the new lentiviral vectors with the p65-potentiated synapsin-1 promoter showed no signs of decline or cell damage 4 weeks after injection. This approach should be suitable for constructing powerful and stable gene expression systems based on weak cell-specific promoters in neuronal phenotypes.

Cloning and expression of porcine adiponectin and adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 genes in pigs

In mice, adiponectin receptors (AdipoR) have been found to mediate the effect of adiponectin in muscle and liver in regulation of glucose and fatty acid metabolism. The purposes of this study were to clone these receptors from pig tissues by reverse transcription PCR using mRNA from skeletal muscle and adipose tissue and to investigate the expression of these genes in various pig tissues. Sequences of adiponectin, AdipoR1, and AdipoR2 were determined and found to be highly homologous to those of the human and mouse. The AA sequences predicted for the full-length cDNA of porcine adiponectin, AdipoR1, and AdipoR2 were similar to those of the human and mouse, ranging from 81 to 97% homology, suggesting similar functions of these genes in pigs as in other species. Transcripts for adiponectin were abundant in s.c. adipose tissue in Lee-Sung pigs and in crossbred pigs. Transcripts for AdipoR1 were abundant in heart and skeletal muscle and also detected to a lesser extent (P < 0.05) in adipose tissue, liver, and spleen of the Lee-Sung pigs. Transcripts for AdipoR2 were abundant in s.c. adipose tissue and present to a lesser extent (P < 0.05) in the liver, heart, skeletal muscle, and spleen. These results indicate that the effect of adiponectin may be mediated through these receptors in various porcine tissues. Fasting for 8 h did not have a significant effect on the expression of adiponectin and AdipoR1 mRNA, but it increased (P < 0.05) the AdipoR2 mRNA in the s.c. adipose tissue of crossbred pigs. These results indicate that the AdipoR2-mediated fatty acid oxidation may be responsible at least in part for the fasted state fatty acid oxidation in porcine adipose tissues. The successful cloning of pig adiponectin and adiponectin receptors will enhance the understanding of the involvement of these genes in regulating energy metabolism in pigs.

Effect of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid on the expression of adipocyte determination and differentiation-dependent factor 1 in differentiating porcine adipocytes1

Adipocyte determination and differentiation-dependent factor 1 (ADD1) drives the expression of several lipogenic genes in mammals. Polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease ADD1 mRNA abundance in differentiating porcine adipocytes. The current study was designed to explore the mechanisms by which PUFA inhibit the expression of ADD1 in porcine adipocytes. Porcine preadipocytes were differentiated for 24 h with 0 or 100 microM of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and mixtures of different concentrations of antioxidants to investigate the effect of DHA and antioxidants on the ADD1 mRNA abundance. We found the relative mRNA abundance was decreased by the addition of 100 microM DHA to the medium for porcine differentiating adipocytes, and adding an antioxidant mixture to the medium prevented part of the decrease in ADD1 mRNA abundance. These data suggest that DHA decreased the steady-state transcription factor ADD1 mRNA through a mechanism related to fatty acid peroxidation. Indeed, adding 7.5 microM vitamin E (a natural antioxidant) also restored the concentrations of ADD1 and fatty acid synthase mRNA, which were decreased by DHA treatment; however, the DHA or the antioxidant treatment did not change the expression of antioxidation genes (superoxide dismutase 1 and glutathione peroxidase 1) in porcine stromal vascular cells. When supplemented with the eicosanoid synthesis pathway inhibitors, the inhibition of the expression of ADD1 by arachidonic acid was partially recovered. These results suggest that the mechanism by which PUFA decrease ADD1 mRNA is due to the metabolic product of eicosanoids and peroxidation of these PUFA.

CMV enhancer/human PDGF-beta promoter for neuron-specific transgene expression

Using cell-type-specific promoters to restrict expression of therapeutic genes to particular cells is an attractive approach for gene therapy, but often hindered by inefficient transcriptional activities of the promoters. Knowing the enhancer for the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early gene improves activities of several cell-type- or tissue-type-specific promoters, we set out to investigate whether it improves neuronal transgene expression driven by a neuron-specific promoter, the platelet-derived growth factor B-chain (PDGF-beta) promoter. A hybrid promoter was constructed by appending a 380-bp fragment of the CMV enhancer 5' to the PDGF-beta promoter. The plasmid containing the promoter was complexed with polyethylenimine for in vitro and in vivo gene transfer. In cultured cells, the plasmid with the hybrid promoter significantly augmented expression of a luciferase reporter gene, providing expression levels 8- to 90-fold and 7- to 178-fold higher than those from two baseline constructs containing the PDGF-beta promoter alone and the CMV enhancer alone, respectively. In particular, the activities of the hybrid promoter in two neural cell lines were close to or higher than that of the CMV immediate-early gene enhancer/promoter, a transcriptional control element that has been considered to be the most robust one identified thus far. After stereotaxic injection into the hippocampus and striatum in rats, the hybrid promoter displayed a neuronal specificity, driving gene expression almost exclusively in neurons. Transgene expression in the brain driven by the hybrid promoter was detectable 24 h after injection, being 10-fold higher than that driven by the PDGF-beta promoter alone. The expression peaked around 5 days at 1.5 x 10(5) relative light units per brain and lasted for at least 4 weeks. This differed strikingly from the expression driven by the PDGF-beta promoter, which was no longer detectable on day 3. The new gene regulatory construct reported in this study will be useful to improve neuronal transgene expression required for gene therapy of neurological disorders and functional studies of the nervous system.

The effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid on the expression of porcine lipid metabolism-related genes1

To study the effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the expression of adipocyte determination and differentiation-dependent factor 1 (ADD1) mRNA in pig tissues, weaned, crossbred pigs (30 d of age) were fed either 2% (as-fed basis) tallow or DHA oil for 18 d. Body weight of the pigs was not affected by different dietary fatty acid (FA) compositions. The plasma and liver FA composition reflected the composition of the diet. The adipose tissue and skeletal muscle FA composition only partially reflected the diet, indicating either a slower FA turnover or that a greater proportion of the FA in these tissues is from endogenous FA synthesis. The ADD1 is an important transcription factor that modulates transcription of FA synthase to regulate the endogenous FA synthesis in the liver and adipose tissue. The ADD1 mRNA was decreased (P < 0.05) in the liver of DHA-treated pigs compared with that of the tallow-treated pigs. The diets did not have an effect on the ADD1 mRNA in pig adipose tissue. The ADD1 transcript was not detected in pig skeletal muscle. These results indicate that significant enrichment of liver DHA content inhibits the expression of ADD1 mRNA. Such an effect is similar to that reported in porcine differentiating adipocytes cultured with DHA. The liver and muscle acyl CoA oxidase mRNA concentration was increased (P < 0.05) by DHA oil treatment, suggesting that DHA treatment may increase peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation in these two tissues. Our present observations demonstrate that dietary DHA enrichment not only affects tissue DHA concentration but also mildly modifies the expression of genes related to fatty acid metabolism in the porcine liver and skeletal muscle.

Effect of total secondary carotenoids extracts from Chlorococcum sp on Helicobacter pylori-infected BALB/c mice

Helicobacter pylori is a human pathogen associated with type B gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. A high intake of carotenoids has been suggested to prevent development of gastric malignancies. Microalgae Chlorococcum sp. could accumulate secondary carotenoids under stress conditions. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether dietary cell extract of Chlorococcum sp. could affect the bacterial load of H. pylori infected BALB/c mice and whether it could induce modulation of cytokine production. BALB/c mice were infected with H. pylori three times at 2-day intervals. Two weeks later, they were orally fed with cell extract of Chlorococcum sp. for the following 2 weeks. Animals were killed at the end of the experiments. Stomachs were removed and paraffin sections were stained for histology examination. Splenocytes were obtained and cultured in vitro with H. pylori sonicate to evaluate induction of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) secretion. Mice treated with carotenoids-rich algal meal showed significantly reduced bacterial load and gastric inflammation. These changes were associated with a shift of the T-lymphocytes response from a predominant T helper type 1 (Th1) response dominated by IFN-gamma to a Th1/Th2 response with IFN-gamma and IL-4.

Repeated intrathecal administration of plasmid DNA complexed with polyethylene glycol-grafted polyethylenimine led to prolonged transgene expression in the spinal cord

Gene delivery into the spinal cord provides a potential approach to the treatment of spinal cord traumatic injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and spinal muscular atrophy. These disorders progress over long periods of time, necessitating a stable expression of functional genes at therapeutic levels for months or years. We investigated in this study the feasibility of achieving prolonged transgene expression in the rat spinal cord through repeated intrathecal administration of plasmid DNA complexed with 25 kDa polyethylenimine (PEI) into the lumbar subarachnoid space. With a single injection, DNA/PEI complexes could provide transgene expression in the spinal cord 40-fold higher than naked plasmid DNA. The transgene expression at the initial level persisted for about 5 days, with a low-level expression being detectable for at least 8 weeks. When repeated dosing was tested, a 70% attenuation of gene expression was observed following reinjection at a 2-week interval. This attenuation was associated with apoptotic cell death and detected even using complexes containing a noncoding DNA that did not mediate any gene expression. When each component of the complexes, PEI polymer or naked DNA alone, were tested in the first dosing, no reduction was found. Using polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted PEI for DNA complexes, no attenuation of gene expression was detected after repeated intrathecal injections, even in those rats receiving three doses, administered 2 weeks apart. Lumbar puncture is a routine and relatively nontraumatic clinical procedure. Repeated administration of DNA complexed with PEG-grafted PEI through this less invasive route may prolong the time span of transgene expression when needed, providing a viable strategy for the gene therapy of spinal cord disorders.

Dense genetic linkage maps of three Populus species (Populus deltoides, P. nigra and P. trichocarpa) based on AFLP and microsatellite markers

Populus deltoides, P. nigra, and P. trichocarpa are the most important species for poplar breeding programs worldwide. In addition, Populus has become a model for fundamental research on trees. Linkage maps were constructed for these three species by analyzing progeny of two controlled crosses sharing the same female parent, Populus deltoides cv. S9-2 x P. nigra cv. Ghoy and P. deltoides cv. S9-2 x P. trichocarpa cv. V24. The two-way pseudotestcross mapping strategy was used to construct the maps. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers that segregated 1:1 were used to form the four parental maps. Microsatellites and sequence-tagged sites were used to align homoeologous groups between the maps and to merge linkage groups within the individual maps. Linkage analysis and alignment of the homoeologous groups resulted in 566 markers distributed over 19 groups for P. deltoides covering 86% of the genome, 339 markers distributed over 19 groups for P. trichocarpa covering 73%, and 369 markers distributed over 28 groups for P. nigra covering 61%. Several tests for randomness showed that the AFLP markers were randomly distributed over the genome.

Inhibitory effects of RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate on benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P)-induced forestomach carcinogenesis in female mice

AIM

To study the inhibitory effects of VES (RRR-alpha-tocopheryl Succinate, VES),a derivative of natural Vitamin E, on benzo(a)pyrene(B(a)P)-induced forestomach tumor in female mice.

METHODS

The model of B(a)P-induced forestomach tumor was established according to the methods of Wattenberg with slight modify-cations. One hundred and eighty female mice (6 weeks old) were divided into six groups equally; negative control (Succinic acid), vehicle control (Succinate+B(a)P),positive control(B(a)P), high VES(2.5 g/kg.b.w+B(a)P), low VES(1.25 g/kg.b.w+B(a)P)ig as well as VES by ip (20 mg/kg.b.w+B(a)P). Except the negative control group, the mice were administrated with B(a)P ig. and corresponding treatments for 4 weeks to study the anti-carcinogenetic effect of VES during the initiation period. The experiment lasted 29 weeks, in which the inhibitory effects of VES both on tumor incidence and tumor size were tested.

RESULTS

The models of B(a)P-induced forestomach tumor in female mice were established successfully. Some were cauliflower-like, others looked like papilla, even a few were formed into the ulcer cavities. VES at 1.25 g/kg.b.w, 2.5 g/kg.b.w. by ig and 20 mg/kg.b.w. via ip could decrease the number of tumors per mouse (1.7 plus minus 0.41, 1.6 plus minus 0.34 and 1.1 +/- 0.43), being lower than that of B(a)P group (5.4 +/- 0.32, P<0.05). The tumor incidence was inhibited by 18.2%, 23.1% and 50.0%. VES at 1.25 g/kg.b.w., 2.5 g/kg.b.w. by ig and 20 mg/kg.b.w. via ip reduced the total volume of tumors per mouse (54.8 +/- 8.84, 28.4 8 +/- 8.32 and 23.9 8 +/- 16.05), being significantly lower than that of B(a)P group (150.2 8 +/- 20.93, P < 0.01). The inhibitory rates were 63.5%, 81.1% and 84.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

VES has inhibitory effects on B(a)P-induced forestomach carcinogenesis in female mice, especially by ip and it may be a potential anti-cancer agent in vivo.

Monitoring of microcystin-protein phosphatase adduct formation with immunochemical methods

Using anti-microcystin-LR monoclonal antibodies, an immunoblotting procedure was developed to monitor the formation of microcystin-protein phosphatase adducts in vitro and in vivo. The detection limits for the covalent binding of MCYST-LR with the recombinant protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and rabbit liver cytosol proteins were found to be 0.1 ng and 0.3 ng per assay, respectively. MCYST-PP1 adducts were detected 30 s after the addition of MCYST-LR into the reaction mixture. Reduction of the methyldehydroalanine (Mdha) residue of MCYST-LR with ethanethiol totally abolished the covalent binding of the toxin to PP1, but retained its inhibitory toxicity on PP1. Immunoblotting analyses and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay showed that between 5 min to 16 h after i.p. injection of single dose (35 microg/kg) of MCYST-LR into mice, approximately 0-27% of the injected toxin was found covalently bound while 0.2-9.2% existed as free form in liver cytosol.

Role of reynolds stress-induced poloidal flow in triggering the transition to improved ohmic confinement on the HT-6M tokamak

Time and space resolved measurements of electrostatic Reynolds stress, radial electric field E(r), and plasma rotations have been performed across the transition to improved Ohmic confinement in the Hefei Tokamak-6M (HT-6M). The first experimental evidence of the correlation between the enhanced Reynolds stress gradient and the poloidal flow acceleration in the edge plasma is presented. The results indicate that the turbulence-induced Reynolds stress might be the dominant mechanism to create the sheared poloidal flow and E(r), which may further trigger the transition.

[Parapharyngeal space neoplasms]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the diagnose and management of parapharyngeal space (PPS) neoplasms.

METHOD

Records of 48 patients with PPS neoplasms operated from 1988 to 1998 were reviewed.

RESULT

Neurogenic tumors were the most common neoplasma in primary PPS neoplasms. CT and MRI could provide clinically informations such as their size, shape, extent and site. Tumor vessels could be clearly seen by carotid arteriography. The majority of PPS tumors were resected by a transcervical approach.

CONCLUSION

CT and/or MRI are essential for diagnose and presurgical planning, Arteriography can be used only when CT or MRi suggest a glomous tumor, or possible involvement of carotid artery, or when those tumors put the carotid artery at a risk for surgical injury. Transoral approach may be used for small tumors and transparotid approach may be especially indicated for removing deep lobe parotid tumors with extention to the PPS. When there is a significant risk for injury the internal carotid artery radiological evidence are necessary for infratemporal approach.

Characterization of Aspergillus spores by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The intact fungal spores of several strains of four Aspergillus species, Aspergillus flavus, A. oryzae, A. parasiticus, and A. sojae, were directly analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Very simple MALDI mass spectra are obtained by directly mixing spores with a matrix such as alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid or sinapinic acid. The mass spectra are obtained from the ablation of cell walls of spores owing to the acidity of the matrix solution. The MALDI results show that aflatoxigenic strains and non-aflatoxigenic strains have different mass peak profiles. Furthermore, the MALDI results of non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus and A. parasiticus spores resemble those of the closely related A. oryzae and A. sojae spores, respectively.

Purification and characterization of 40-kDa sterigmatocystin O-methyltransferase involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis

Sterigmatocystin-O-methyltransferase (ST-OMTase), an enzyme catalyzing O-methylation of sterigmatocystin with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by immunoaffinity chromatography. A novel spectrofluorometric method was established to quantitatively determine the enzymatic activity of ST-OMTase. The purified protein, with a molecular weight of 40 kDa by SDS-PAGE, was sensitive to thiol reagents and low concentrations of heavy metal ions. Using a nutritional shift assay, the expression patterns for ST-OMTase and the transcripts of its corresponding gene, omtA, correlated well with that for aflatoxin B(1) formation. Neither methyltransferase activity nor omtA, mRNA was detected in the fungal cultures of nonaflatoxigenic isolates, including A. flavus, A. sojae, A. nidulans and A. versicolor under optimal growing conditions for aflatoxin B(1) production.

Construction of an AFLP genetic map with nearly complete genome coverage in Pinus taeda

De novo construction of complete genetic linkage maps requires large mapping populations, large numbers of genetic markers, and efficient algorithms for ordering markers and evaluating order confidence. We constructed a complete genetic map of an individual loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers segregating in haploid megagametophytes and PGRI mapping software. We generated 521 polymorphic fragments from 21 AFLP primer pairs. A total of 508 fragments mapped to 12 linkage groups, which is equal to the Pinus haploid chromosome number. Bootstrap locus order matrices and recombination matrices generated by PGRI were used to select 184 framework markers that could be ordered confidently. Order support was also evaluated using log likelihood criteria in MAPMAKER. Optimal marker orders from PGRI and MAPMAKER were identical, but the implied reliability of orders differed greatly. The framework map provides nearly complete coverage of the genome, estimated at approximately 1700 cM in length using a modified estimator. This map should provide a useful framework for merging existing loblolly pine maps and adding multiallelic markers as they become available. Map coverage with dominant markers in both linkage phases will make the map useful for subsequent quantitative trait locus mapping in families derived by self-pollination.

Regulation of aflR and its product, AflR, associated with aflatoxin biosynthesis

We studied the role of the regulatory gene aflR and its product, AflR, in the biosynthesis of aflatoxin in Aspergillus. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyses revealed that aflatoxin B1 accumulation was directly related to AflR expression and was regulated by various environmental and nutritional conditions, including temperature, air supply, carbon source, nitrogen source, and zinc availability. Expression of an aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway structural gene, omtA, was regulated by the presence of AflR. Induction patterns for aflR mRNA and AflR were correlated with that for omtA mRNA in an aflatoxin-producing strain of Aspergillus parasiticus. Analysis of non-aflatoxin-producing strains of A. flavus, A. sojae, and A. oryzae grown in medium suitable for aflatoxin B1 production showed that both aflR mRNA and AflR production were present; however, omtA mRNA production was not detected in any of these examined strains. AflR in the A. oryzae strain was regulated by carbon source and temperature in a manner similar to that seen with A. parasiticus.

Sampling distributions, biases, variances, and confidence intervals for genetic correlations

Genetic correlations (rho ( g )) are frequently estimated from natural and experimental populations, yet many of the statistical properties of estimators of rho ( g ) are not known, and accurate methods have not been described for estimating the precision of estimates of rho ( g ). Our objective was to assess the statistical properties of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), restricted maximum likelihood (REML), and maximum likelihood (ML) estimators of rho ( g ) by simulating bivariate normal samples for the one-way balanced linear model. We estimated probabilities of non-positive definite MANOVA estimates of genetic variance-covariance matrices and biases and variances of MANOVA, REML, and ML estimators of rho ( g ), and assessed the accuracy of parametric, jackknife, and bootstrap variance and confidence interval estimators for rho ( g ). MANOVA estimates of rho ( g ) were normally distributed. REML and ML estimates were normally distributed for rho ( g ) = 0.1, but skewed for rho ( g ) = 0.5 and 0.9. All of the estimators were biased. The MANOVA estimator was less biased than REML and ML estimators when heritability (H), the number of genotypes (n), and the number of replications (r) were low. The biases were otherwise nearly equal for different estimators and could not be reduced by jackknifing or bootstrapping. The variance of the MANOVA estimator was greater than the variance of the REML or ML estimator for most H, n, and r. Bootstrapping produced estimates of the variance of rho ( g ) close to the known variance, especially for REML and ML. The observed coverages of the REML and ML bootstrap interval estimators were consistently close to stated coverages, whereas the observed coverage of the MANOVA bootstrap interval estimator was unsatisfactory for some H, rho ( g ), n, and r. The other interval estimators produced unsatisfactory coverages. REML and ML bootstrap interval estimates were narrower than MANOVA bootstrap interval estimates for most H, rho ( g ), n, and r.