Long noncoding RNA BBOX1-AS1 increased radiotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancer by stabilizing and activating PFK1

PURPOSE

Our study explored the effect of long noncoding RNA BBOX1-AS1 on colorectal cancer (CRC) radiosensitivity in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs in CRC were screened using a bioinformatics database and an online prediction website. The expression of BBOX1-AS1 in tissue samples was analyzed via real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Subcellular localization of BBOX1-AS1 in CRC cells was analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The correlation between BBOX1-AS1 and PFK1 expression levels in CRC tissues was analyzed via Pearson's correlation coefficient. The effect of BBOX1-AS1 on PFK1 stability was investigated using RNA and protein stability testing. RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays were used to confirm the binding of BBOX1-AS1 to PFK1.

RESULTS

BBOX1-AS1 was highly expressed in CRC and associated with poor prognosis. Similarly, it was highly expressed in CRC tissues and CRC cell lines. In addition, BBOX1-AS1 promoted the proliferation, invasion, migration, and glycolysis of CRC cells and inhibited apoptosis. RIP and RNA pull-down experiments confirmed that BBOX1-AS1 bound to PFK1. RNA stability and protein stability experiments showed that BBOX1-AS1 affected the stability of PFK1 mRNA and protein. Furthermore, we confirmed that BBOX1-AS1 increased radiation resistance through the regulation of PFK1 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

BBOX1-AS1 promoted the proliferation, invasion, migration, and glycolysis of CRC cells through stabilization of the expression of PFK1. BBOX1-AS1 also inhibited CRC cell apoptosis and increased radiotherapy resistance in CRC cells.

[Evaluation of thermal environment and human thermal comfort in 8 types of public places from 2019 to 2021]

Objective: To evaluate the thermal environment of different types of public places and the thermal comfort of employees, so as to provide scientific basis for the establishment of microclimate standards and health supervision requirements. Methods: From June 2019 to December 2021, 50 public places (178 times) of 8 categories in Wuxi were selected, including hotels, swimming pools (gymnasiums), bathing places, shopping malls (supermarkets), barber shops, beauty shops, waiting rooms (bus station) and gyms. In summer and winter, microclimate indicators such as temperature and wind speed were measured in all kinds of places, combined with the work attire and physical activity of employees in the places. Fanger thermal comfort equation and center for the built environment (CBE) thermal comfort calculation tool were used to evaluate the predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percent dissatisfied (PPD) and standard effective temperature (SET) according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 55-2020. The modification effects of seasonal and temperature control conditions on thermal comfort were analyzed. The consistency of GB 37488-2019 "Hygienic Indicators and Limits in Public Places" and ASHRAE 55-2020 evaluation results on thermal environment was compared. Results: The thermal sensation of hotel, barber shop staff and the gym front-desk staff were moderate, while the thermal sensation of swimming place lifeguard, bathing place cleaning staff and gym trainer were slightly warm in summer and winter. Waiting room (bus station) cleaning and working staff, shopping mall staff felt slightly warm in summer and moderate in winter. Service staff in bathing places felt slightly warm in winter, while staff in beauty salons felt slightly cool in winter. The thermal comfort compliance of hotel cleaning staff and shopping mall staff in summer was lower than that in winter (χ(2)=7.01, 7.22, P=0.008, 0.007). The thermal comfort compliance of shopping mall staff in the condition of air conditioning off was higher than that in the condition of air conditioning on (χ(2)=7.01, P=0.008). The SET values of front-desk staff in hotels with different health supervision levels were significantly different (F=3.30, P=0.024). The PPD value and SET value of the front-desk staff, and the PPD value of cleaning staff of hotels above three stars were lower than those of hotels below three stars (P<0.05). The thermal comfort compliance of front-desk staff and cleaning staff in hotels above three stars was higher than that in hotels below three stars (χ(2)=8.33, 8.09, P=0.016, 0.018). The consistency of the two criteria was highest among waiting room (bus station) staff (100.0%, 1/1) and lowest among gym front-desk staff (0%, 0/2) and waiting room (bus station) cleaning staff (0%, 0/1) . Conclusion: There are different degrees of thermal discomfort in different seasons, under the condition of air conditioning and health supervision, and the microclimate indicators can not fully reflect the thermal comfort of human body. The health supervision of microclimate should be strengthened, the applicability of health standard limit value should be evaluated in many aspects, and the thermal comfort of occupational group should be improved.

[Efficacy of a recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor gel for the treatment of moderate dry eye: a multicenter randomized double-blind parallel controlled clinical trial]

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of a recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor (rb-bFGF) gel and a gel matrix in the treatment of moderate dry eye. Methods: It was a prospective random double-blind controlled study. One hundred patients diagnosed as moderate dry eye in Eye Institute and Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from August 2015 to April 2019 were divided into two groups: experimental group and control group. Two groups of patients were allocated to receive either a rb-bFGF gel or a gel matrix 4 times per day for 4 weeks. Subjective symptoms, break-up time of the tear film (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠt) and corneal fluorescein sodium staining were assessed at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Bulbar impression cytology was evaluated at baseline and 4 weeks after treatment. Irritation of the rb-bFGF gel and the gel matrix was estimated after treatment. T test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative data, and Chi-square test was used for enumerative data. Results: Eighty-four subjects were included for statistical analyses after the exclusion of 16 subjects who were lost for followup, with an age of 43±14 years. There were 42 cases in the experimental group and the control group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in demographic baseline characteristics before treatment (P>0.05). The total score of subjective symptoms was 7.17±3.60 and 5.95±3.25 at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were lower than 9.48±3.88 before treatment (t=6.226, 6.563; both P<0.05); in the control group, it was 7.01±3.25 and 6.32±3.85 at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, with a significant reduction in comparison with that before treatment (9.15±3.58; t=4.693, 4.726; both P<0.05). The median (lower quartile, upper quartile) BUT was 4.00 (2.40, 5.00) s and 4.64 (3.00, 5.00) s at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were longer than 3.72 (2.00, 4.39) s before treatment (Z=-2.485, -3.152; both P<0.05). The BUT was 4.41 (2.79, 5.12) s at 2 weeks after therapy in the control group, which was of no statistical difference compared with 3.89 (2.09, 4.25) s before treatment (Z=-1.953, P>0.05). The BUT was 5.21 (3.00, 5.02) s at 4 weeks after therapy in the control group, which was longer than that before treatment (Z=-2.485, P<0.05). The SⅠt score was 7.31 (3.75, 10.00) mm and 8.50 (4.00, 11.00) mm at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were significantly higher than 6.69 (2.00, 8.13) mm before treatment (Z=-2.031, -2.236; both P<0.05); in the control group, it was 6.82 (2.00, 8.25) mm and 6.86 (3.00, 9.25) mm at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy, which were not significantly increased compared with 6.50 (2.00, 7.75) mm before treatment (Z=-0.179, -1.161; both P>0.05). The corneal fluorescein sodium staining points were 5.00 (2.00, 5.00) and 3.71 (0.00, 5.00) at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which were significantly lower than 7.10 (5.00, 7.00) before treatment (t=-2.895, -4.639; both P<0.05); those in the control group were 5.52 (0.00, 7.00) and 6.19 (0.75, 6.25) at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, with a significant reduction in comparison with 8.90 (5.00, 10.50) before treatment (t=-2.776, -1.991; both P<0.05). The differences in the average total score of subjective symptoms, BUT, SIt, and corneal fluorescein sodium staining points between both groups were not statistically significant at each time point. The impression cytology grade was decreased from 1.72 (1.00, 2.00) before treatment to 0.94 (0.00, 2.00) at 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group (Z=-2.803, P<0.05). The staining grade of conjunctival imprinted cells in the control group was 1.42 (1.00, 2.00) at 4 weeks, which showed no statistical significance compared with 1.56 (1.00, 2.00) before treatment (Z=1.195, P>0.05). The impression cytology grade was significantly reduced in the experimental group compared with the control group at 4 weeks after treatment (Z=-3.308, P<0.05). The number of goblet cells was 10.90 (5.00, 20.00) at 4 weeks after therapy in the experimental group, which was significantly higher than 6.30 (5.00, 8.00) before treatment (Z=-2.383, P<0.05); in the control group, it was 8.36 (4.00, 12.00) at 4 weeks after treatment, with no significant increase in comparison with that before treatment [7.55 (5.00, 11.00)] (Z=-0.095, P>0.05). The number of goblet cells was not significantly increased in the experimental group compared with the control group at 4 weeks after treatment (Z=-1.162, P>0.05). Most patients indicated that the drug was non-irritating, and no patient had intolerable irritation affecting daily lives at 4 weeks after therapy; there was no difference between the two groups (Z=-0.290, P>0.05). Conclusions: Both the rb-bFGF gel and the gel matrix can effectively improve the symptoms and signs of moderate dry eye. However, compared with the gel matrix, the rb-bFGF gel shows obvious advantages in promoting conjunctival epithelial cell repair and increasing the number of goblet cells. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 930-938).

[A multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of compound wild chrysanthemum eye masks for mild and moderate dry eye]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of compound wild chrysanthemum eye masks for mild and moderate dry eye. Methods: In this double-masked, multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, middle-aged and elderly patients with mild and moderate dry eye were enrolled from six hospitals (Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hebei Eye Hospital). The patients were assigned to the compound wild chrysanthemum eye mask group and the eye mask simulator group based on the random number table. Subjective symptoms of dry eye, visual acuity, break-up time (BUT), Schirmer Ⅰ test, and corneal fluorescent staining were evaluated in all patients before treatment and at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. All adverse reactions during the treatment and follow-up were recorded. Results: A total of 120 patients were enrolled. Among them, 112 subjects were included for statistical analyses after the exclusion of 8 subjects who were lost for follow-up or had an adverse event, with an age of (54.26±7.44) years. All the indicators were equally comparable between the two groups. Before treatment and at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment, the median (lower quartile, upper quartile) of total score of questionnaires in the eye mask group was 14.50 (10.00, 19.00), 9.00 (5.00, 14.00) and 7.00 (4.00, 10.00), respectively, and that in the control group was 14.00 (9.00, 22.50), 12.00 (6.00, 20.00) and 10.00 (3.50, 17.00), respectively. The score decreased significantly in both groups after 1 week (t=9.1604, S=398.00; P<0.01) and 2 weeks (S=681.00, 575.50; P<0.05) of treatment. The total score of questionnaires in the eye mask group was significantly lower than that in the control group (Z=3.27, 2.81; P<0.05) after treatment. After 1 week of treatment, the average BUT of the eye mask group was (5.71±2.31) s, which was significantly longer than that before treatment (5.06±2.00) s (S =208.50, P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the control group (S=150.00, P>0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, there was statistically significant difference in BUT between the two groups (S=407.00, t=3.07; P<0.01). After 1 week of the treatment, the amount of tear secretion in the eye mask group [(6.88±4.78) mm] was significantly larger than that before treatment (S=196.50, P<0.05), while the control group [(6.80±5.85) mm] showed no significant difference (S=55.00, P<0.05). After 2 weeks of the treatment, the amount increased significantly to (7.43±4.86) mm and (7.29±4.56) mm, respectively, in both groups (t=-3.29, -2.26; P<0.05). The difference in the average BUT, Schirmer Ⅰ test result and corneal fluorescent staining between both groups was not statistically significant at each time point. Five mild adverse events occurred, including 2 adverse events (2 times, 3.51%) in the eye mask group and 3 adverse events (4 times, 5.36%) in the control group. Conclusions: Compound wild chrysanthemum eye masks can effectively improve the symptoms and physical signs of mild and moderate dry eye and can be used as an auxiliary treatment. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 601-607).

Dietary Patterns and Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, and Physical Performance in the Elderly: A 3-Year Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Nutritional support effectively prevents and treats sarcopenia; however, the influence of overall dietary patterns on sarcopenia parameters is less investigated. This study aimed to determine the association between adherence to Mediterranean-style diet (MD), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top (JFG-ST), and modified JFG-ST (mJFG-ST) and muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in community-dwelling Japanese elderly.

DESIGN AND SETTINGS

This prospective cohort study recruited individuals aged over 60 years from a community college in Nagoya, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS

A total of 666 participants were followed up annually from 2014 to 2017. Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and sarcopenia parameters including walking speed (WS), hand grip strength in the dominant hand (HGS), and skeletal mass index (SMI) were recorded. Self-recall dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire comprising 29 food groups. Adherence to MD, DASH, JFG-ST, and mJFG-ST was determined by tertiles.

RESULTS

At baseline, the mean age of all participants (56.5% women) was 69.4±4.4 years. WS, HGS, and SMI were 1.4±0.2 (m/s), 28.9±8.1 (kg), and 6.7±1.0 (kg/m2), respectively. In longitudinal analysis, participants with higher JFG-ST adherence scores were more likely to have higher SMI (Q3 vs. Q1: mean difference, 0.048; p=0.04) after adjustment, and its benefits were more evident in men (Q2 vs. Q1: mean difference, 0.098; p=0.047; Q3 vs. Q1: mean difference, 0.091; p=0.017) than in women. WS and HGS were not associated with any type of dietary pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to JFG-ST was positively associated with SMI in Japanese community-dwelling elderly adults aged over 60 years, specifically in men. The country-specific dietary recommendations are required to be developed for sarcopenia prevention.

Modifiable factors related to 7-year renal outcomes in subjects with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease stage 3

Background and Aims

Subjects with diabetes are prone to a rapid decline in renal function and major adverse cardiovascular events when they reach chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3. This study aimed to identify modifiable risk factors associated with the progression of CKD in this population.

Settings and Design

An observational cohort study.

Methods and Materials

A total of 320 type 2 diabetic patients with CKD stage 3 registered in the shared-care-system in our hospital in 2010 were regularly followed up for 7 years. Demographic, laboratory, medication, and fundus examination data of these subjects were collected and analyzed.

Statistical Analysis Used

Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with changes in CKD stage.

Results

During the 7-year follow-up period, 204 cases (63.7%) remained at CKD stage 3 while 79 cases (24.7%) progressed to stage 4 or 5 and 37 cases (11.6%) improved to stage 1 or 2. The change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the first 2 years and variations in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) over 7 years were independent factors of both progression (hazard ratio (HR) 1.098 and 1.710, respectively) and improvement (HR 0.919 and 0.231, respectively) of CKD stage. Variations in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was also found as an independent factor for progression of renal function (HR 1.052).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that fluctuations in HbA1c and SBP, and changes in eGFR during the first 2 years of treatment were associated with the long-term renal outcomes in type 2 diabetic patients with CKD stage 3.

SiRNA targeting PFK1 inhibits proliferation and migration and enhances radiosensitivity by suppressing glycolysis in colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

This study explored the effects of phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1) on the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer (CRC) in vivo and in vitro and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Tissue samples from 48 patients with rectal cancer who had received neoadjuvant radiotherapy followed by surgery were analyzed. The expression of PFK1 in tissue samples was semi-quantitated by immunohistochemistry, and its relationship with clinicopathological features was analyzed. The effects of PFK1 knockdown on the survival, apoptosis, migration, and radiosensitivity of CRC cells were evaluated. Glycolysis-related indicators were used to examine glycolytic activity. The effects of PFK1 on the radiosensitivity of CRC in vivo were assessed by measuring tumor formation in nude mice.

RESULTS

PFK1 was overexpressed in rectal cancer and was higher in radiation-resistant tumors than in radiation-sensitive tumors. SiRNA-induced PFK1 silencing increased apoptosis and inhibited migration and proliferation of CRC cells. Knockdown of PFK1 made the CRC cells sensitive to ionizing radiation in vivo. Oligomycin partially restored the expression of PFK1, enhanced glycolysis, and reversed the enhanced radiosensitivity of CRC cells induced by siRNA-PFK1. Downregulation of PFK1 combined with irradiation inhibited growth of nude mice xenografts, which was related to an increase in apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that high expression of PFK1 is negatively correlated with radiosensitivity in CRC and likely accelerates the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. Downregulation of PFK1 may enhance the radiosensitivity of CRC cells in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting glycolysis.

Combined Impact of Physical Frailty and Social Isolation on Rate of Falls in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the combination of physical frailty and social isolation on falling in community-dwelling older adults.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study of data obtained at registration in a randomized control trial.

SETTING

Community-based study of participants recruited from Toyota, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

380 community-dwelling older adults (47.9% women, mean age = 72.3 ± 4.6 years).

MEASUREMENTS

Participants were categorized as non-frail or pre-frail/frail based on the Fried frailty criteria (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, low activity, and weight loss). Social isolation was examined using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), and scores lower than 12 points indicated social isolation. Participants were divided into four groups depending on pre-frail/frail status and social isolation, and experiences of multiple falls over the past year were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Participants were classified into robust (n = 193), physical frailty (PF; n = 108), social isolation (SI; n = 43), and PF with SI (PF+SI; n = 36) groups. A total of 38 (10.0%) participants reported multiple falls. Logistic regression analysis showed that PF and SI groups were not independently associated with falling (PF: OR 1.64, 95% CI 0.65-4.16, SI: OR 2.25, 95% CI 0.77-6.58), while PF+SI group was significantly associated with falling compared with the robust group (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.00-9.34, p = 0.049) after controlling for confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the assertion that coexistence with physical frailty and social isolation were associated with falling in the older adults.

Prognostic role of RECK in pathological outcome-dependent buccal mucosa squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Buccal mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (BMSCC) is an aggressive oral cancer. Moreover, reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) is a well-known tumor suppressor in many cancers. Our aim was to investigate the association of RECK expression with prognosis in BMSCC patients with different clinicopathological features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression level of RECK was determined by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays containing specimens from 193 BMSCC patients. The association of RECK expression with outcomes in BMSCC patients stratified by different clinicopathological features was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

The low expression level of RECK was associated with shorter disease-specific survival, especially in patients with age >40 years, moderate or poor cell differentiation, advanced pathological stage, and history of postoperative radiotherapy. However, the low expression level of RECK was not associated with poor disease-free survival, except in BMSCC patients with age ≦40 years, advanced pathological stage and lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, RECK-knockdowned cells showed higher cell viability and abilities of invasion/migration, indicating that RECK might be a tumor suppressor for tumor progression in oral cancer.

CONCLUSION

The low expression of RECK might be a potential prognostic biomarker for pathological outcome-dependent BMSCC patients.

[Gender difference in clinical manifestations and comorbidities in the patients with spondyloarthritis]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine whether there was gender difference in clinical manifestations and comorbidities in the patients with Spondyloarthritis (SpA) in China. Methods: 346 patients fulfilling ASAS criteria for SpA were recruited from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, including 280 males and 66 females. A comparison was conducted in terms of age at onset, disease course, family history, HLA-B27 positivity, clinical manifestations, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), the bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and AS disease activity score (ASDAS), and comorbidities between male and female patients. Results: Compared with female patients, male patients were younger at disease onset (22±7 vs 27±9, P<0.001),had higher rates of morning stiffness (74.3%), and higher scores of CRP and ASDAS-CRP (P<0.010, P=0.014). However, no significant gender difference was observed in other clinical parameters like clinical manifestations, family history, HLA-B27 positivity, BASDAI, and BASFI and treatment. Male SpA patients had a higher prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (26.2%) than that of female patients (8.3%), and a higher prevalence of osteoporosis (30.5% vs 14.3%,P<0.01), especially with a lower lumbar T score. Logistic regression analysis reviewed that limited weight (OR=0.94, P<0.001), high ASDAS-CRP (OR=1.58, P=0.006) and male (OR=8.02, P=0.004) are more inclined to have osteoporosis. Conclusion: Compared with female patients, male patients were younger at disease onset and higher scores of CRP and ASDAS-CRP. No significant gender difference was observed in clinical manifestations, family history, HLA-B27 positivity, BASDAI, and BASFI and treatment. Male SpA patients had a higher prevalence of HBV infection and osteoporosis than female patients. Comorbidities should be paid more attention in the patients with SpA.

[Clinical effects of adjacent fasciocutaneous flaps in repairing small wounds with bone or steel plate exposure in anterior tibia]

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of adjacent fasciocutaneous flaps in repairing small wounds with bone or steel plate exposure in anterior tibia. Methods: Twelve patients with small wounds of bone or steel plate exposure in anterior tibia covering area of 2 cm×2 cm to 5 cm×3 cm were admitted to our unit from January 2014 to December 2016. A circular or elliptical adjacent fasciocutaneous flap was designed on the normal skin located at the inside or outside of the wound according to the size of wound after thorough debridement. The pedicle of the flap was located at the proximal end and transferred through the subcutaneous tunnel to cover the wound. The sizes of flaps were 3 cm×3 cm to 6 cm×4 cm. Flaps were fixed with interrupted sutures and drainage rubber sheets were placed under the flaps. The drainage rubber sheets were removed within 24 to 48 hours. The donor area was repaired by medium-thickness skin graft collected from homolateral outer thigh. Results: All the flaps of 9 patients survived. Two patients had necrosis at the distal end of the flaps and were cured by changing dressing. One patient had tension blisters on the flap and was cured by removing blisters and improving microcirculation. All patients were followed up for 3 months, and the flaps were good in blood supply, appearance, and color, with hypaesthesia. Conclusions: Repair of small wounds with bone or steel plate exposure in anterior tibia by adjacent fasciocutaneous flap is simple in surgical procedure and does not damage the well-known blood vessels, and the appearance, texture, and thickness of flaps are close to the skin of anterior tibia region. It is a good choice for repairing this kind of wounds and worth promoting in clinic.

[The transformation of microcystin-LR during tap water treatment process and analysis of its degradation products]

Objective: To establish a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the determination of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in drinking water, investigate its removal efficiency during tap water advanced treatment process and analyze its degradation products in the tap water. Methods: Two parallel water samples were collected from each point of tap water advanced treatment process in September 2015, November 2015 and January 2016, respectively, and treated by mixing, filtration, concentration, elution, nitrogen blow and re-dissolvement. The samples were analyzed by LC/MS/MS to determine the MC-LR concentration and its removal efficiency during treatment process. The combination of actual water enrichment (including source water enrichment of 50 times and 1 500 times concentrated, finished water enrichment of 50 times and 2 500 times concentrated) and laboratory simulated water (including the mixture of MC-LR and liquid chlorine in the mass ratio of 1∶10, 1∶20, 1∶100 and 1∶1 000, respectively) were used to qualitative analyze the MC-LR degradation products by Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Results: The linearity of MC-LR ranged from 2 to 200 μg/L with the detection limit of 0.007 9 μg/L and the limit of quantification of 0.026 3 μg/L. The recovery rate of MC-LR from different contration in drinking water were from 94.88%-101.47%. The intra-day precision was 2.51%-7.93% and the intra-day precision was 3.24%-8.41%. The average concentration of MC-LR in source water was (0.631±0.262) μg/L, 94.0% of which can be removed by ozone exposure while the concentrate was (0.038±0.016) μg/L, biological pre-treatment and chlorination. The remaining can hardly be removed by sand filtration, ozone exposure, activated carbon, ultrafiltration and other processes. The MC-LR average concentration in the finished water maintained at about (0.036±0.016) μg/L. Degradation products including hydroxy-microcystin, methyl-hydroxy-microcystin, methyl-microcystin were identified in the laboratory simulated water of the mixture of MC-LR and liquid chlorine in the mass ratio of 1∶10. Conclusion: The established MC-LR detection method can be well applied to the monitoring of MC-LR in drinking water due to its simple pre-treatment process and good methodological validation parameters. The degradation products of treatment processes was different.

Development, characterization and virus susceptibility of a continuous cell line from the caudal fin of marbled eel (Anguilla marmorata)

A continuous cell line consisting mostly of epithelioid cells was established from the caudal fin of marbled eels (Anguilla marmorata) and designated as marbled eel caudal fin (MECF)-1. The cells multiplied well in Leibovitz's L-15 medium containing 2% to 15% foetal bovine serum at temperatures of 20°C to 35°C and were subcultured for >90 passages during a 5-year period from 2012 to 2017. Transcripts of ictacalcin, keratin 13, cd146, nestin, ncam1 and myod1 were demonstrated in the cells using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that MECF-1 was composed of epidermal and mesenchyme stem and progenitor cells including myoblasts. MECF-1 was susceptible to Japanese eel herpesvirus HVA980811, marbled eel polyoma-like virus (MEPyV), aquabirnavirus MEIPNV1310 and aquareovirus CSV. By contrast, MECF-1 was noted refractory to megalocytiviruses RSIV-Ku and GSIV-K1 infection. Moreover, the cells were resistant to betanodavirus infection. In conclusion, MECF-1 derived from marbled eel is suitable for studies on anguillid viruses and interaction with host cells.

Hoeflea prorocentri sp. nov., isolated from a culture of the marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum mexicanum PM01

A Gram-stain negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, yellow-pigmented and non-spore-forming bacterial strain, designated PM5-8^T, was isolated from a culture of a marine toxigenic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum mexicanum PM01. Strain PM5-8^T grew at 15-35 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C) and pH 6-11 (optimum, 7.5-8). Cells required at least 1.5% (w/v) NaCl for growth, and can tolerate up to 7.0% with the optimum of 4%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the strain PM5-8^T is closely related to members of the genus Hoeflea, with high sequence similarities with Hoeflea halophila JG120-1^T (97.06%) and Hoeflea alexandrii AM1V30^T (97.01%). DNA-DNA hybridization values between the isolate and other type strains of recognized species of the genus Hoeflea were between 11.8 and 25.2%, which is far below the value of 70% threshold for species delineation. The DNA G + C content was 50.3 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acids of the strain were identified as summed feature 8 (C_16:1 ω7c and/or C_16:1 ω6c; 51.5%), C_18:1 ω7c 11-methyl (20.7%), C_16:0 (17.2%) and C_18:0 (5.7%). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10. Polar lipids profiles contained phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol, phosphatidylmono- methylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine and four unidentified lipids. On the basis of the polyphasic taxonomic data presented, strain PM5-8^T (= CCTCC AB 2016294^T = KCTC 62490^T) represents a novel species of the genus Hoeflea, for which the name Hoeflea prorocentri sp. nov. is proposed.

An unusual cause of food-induced anaphylaxis in mothers

BACKGROUND

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are prebiotics added to commercial milk formula of infants and mothers. In recent years, cases of allergy related to GOS in atopic children have been reported in the South East Asian region.

CASE PRESENTATIONS

We describe a series of pregnant (n = 4) and lactating mothers (n = 2) who developed anaphylactic reactions after consumption of maternal milk formula containing GOS. All six subjects had pre-existing atopy and a positive skin prick test to GOS and 5/5 of the subjects who were tested had positive basophil activation tests to GOS. All of the mothers and their babies had normal neonatal outcomes after the reactions.

CONCLUSIONS

The supplementation of GOS into milk and beverages in the Asian region should take into account the rare chance of allergenicity of GOS in the atopic population.

Derivation of exemption formulas for air quality regulatory applications

The regulatory agencies and the industries have the responsibility for assessing the environmental impact from the release of air pollutants, and for protecting environment and public health. The simple exemption formula is often used as a criterion for the purpose of screening air pollutants. That is, the exemption formula is used for air quality review and to determine whether a facility applying for and described in a new, modified, or revised air quality plan is exempted from further air quality review. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) air quality regulations are used to regulate air emissions and air pollutants released from the oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. If a facility is not exempt after completing the air quality review, a refined air quality modeling will be required to regulate the air pollutants. However, at present, the scientific basis for BOEM's exemption formula is not available to the author. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide the theoretical framework and justification for the use of BOEM's exemption formula. In this paper, several exemption formulas have been derived from the Gaussian and non-Gaussian dispersion models; the Gaussian dispersion model is a special case of non-Gaussian dispersion model. The dispersion parameters obtained from the tracer experiments in the Gulf of Mexico are used in the dispersion models. In this paper, the dispersion parameters used in the dispersion models are also derived from the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. In particular, it has been shown that the total amount of emissions from the facility for each air pollutant calculated using BOEM's exemption formula is conservative.

IMPLICATIONS

The operation of offshore oil and gas facilities under BOEM's jurisdiction is required to comply with the BOEM's regulations. BOEM's air quality regulations are used to regulate air emissions and air pollutants released from the oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. The exemption formulas have been used by BOEM and other regulatory agencies as a screening tool to regulate air emissions emitted from the oil and gas and other industries. Because of the BOEM's regulatory responsibility, it is important to establish the scientific basis and provide the justification for the exemption formulas. The methodology developed here could also be adopted and used by other regulatory agencies.

Decrease of hyperglycemia by syringaldehyde in diabetic rats

Syringaldehyde is one of the active principles from the stems of Hibiscus taiwanensis (Malvaceae) that has been mentioned to lower hyperglycemia. However, the potential mechanisms for this action of syringaldehyde remain obscure. In the present study, we used streptozotocin to induce diabetic rats (STZ-diabetic rats) as type 1-like diabetic rats and fed fructose-rich chow to rats as type 2-like diabetic rats. Then, we performed the postprandial glucose test and applied the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp to investigate the actions of syringaldehyde. Also, the changes of gene expressions of enzyme relating to glucose homeostasis in muscle and liver were characterized. Syringaldehyde significantly decreased the postprandial plasma glucose in rats, while the plasma insulin was not modified by syringaldehyde. The glucose infusion rate (GIR) in fructose chow-fed rats using hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp was markedly improved by syringaldehyde. Additionally, repeated administration of syringaldehyde for 3 days in STZ-diabetic rats resulted in a marked reduction of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression in liver and an increased expression of glucose transporter subtype 4 (GLUT 4) in skeletal muscle. Our results suggest that syringaldehyde may increase glucose utilization to lower hyperglycemia in diabetic rats.

Research on testing the nonlinear optical performance of nonlinear optical materials based on the effect of second-harmonic generation

In the present paper the authors report a research on testing the nonlinear optical performance of optical materials in visible and infrared band. Based on the second order nonlinear optic principle and the photoelectric signal detection technology, the authors have proposed a new testing scheme in which a infrared OPO laser and a method for separating the beams arising from frequency matching and the light produced by other optical effects were used. The OPO laser is adopted as light source to avoid the error of measurement caused by absorption because the double frequency signal of the material is in the transmittance band Our research work includes testing system composition, operational principle and experimental method. The experimental results of KTP, KDP, AGS tested by this method were presented. In the experiment several new infrared non-linear materials were found. This method possesses the merits of good stability and reliability, high sensitivity, simple operation and good reproducibility, which can effectively make qualitative and semi-quantitative test for optical material's nonlinear optical properties from visible to infrared. This work provides an important test -method for the research on second order nonlinear optical materials in visible, infrared and ultraviolet bands.

Thermal response of a dental tissue induced by femtosecond laser pulses

This paper reports a theoretical and experimental study for thermal transport in a thin slice of human tooth induced by a 120 fs, 800 nm pulse laser at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The surface reflectivity of enamel and the convection heat transfer coefficient were determined using an inverse heat transfer analysis. Instead of a fully three-dimensional modeling, two simplified two-dimensional (2D) planar and axisymmetric heat conduction models were proposed to simulate the temperature fields. The temperature responses obtained from the 2D planar and axisymmetric model agree well with the experimental measurements. On the other hand, the one-dimensional (1D) result significantly differs from the 2D axisymmetric one, suggesting that care should be taken when a 1D thermal model is considered for estimating temperature response.

CHAPERONIN 20 mediates iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) activity independent of its co-chaperonin role in Arabidopsis chloroplasts

Iron superoxide dismutases (FeSODs; FSDs) are primary antioxidant enzymes in Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts. The stromal FSD1 conferred the only detectable FeSOD activity, whereas the thylakoid membrane- and nucleoid-co-localized FSD2 and FSD3 double mutant showed arrested chloroplast development. FeSOD requires cofactor Fe for its activity, but its mechanism of activation is unclear. We used reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gel filtration chromatography, LC-MS/MS, protoplast transient expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) analyses to identify and characterize a factor involved in FeSOD activation. We identified the chloroplast-localized co-chaperonin CHAPERONIN 20 (CPN20) as a mediator of FeSOD activation by direct interaction. The relationship between CPN20 and FeSOD was confirmed by in vitro experiments showing that CPN20 alone could enhance FSD1, FSD2 and FSD3 activity. The in vivo results showed that CPN20-overexpressing mutants and mutants with defective co-chaperonin activity increased FSD1 activity, without changing the chaperonin CPN60 protein level, and VIGS-induced downregulation of CPN20 also led to decreased FeSOD activity. Our findings reveal that CPN20 can mediate FeSOD activation in chloroplasts, a role independent of its known function in the chaperonin system.

Seasonal variation and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Miaoli city, Taiwan

The ambient PAHs levels in the downtown area of a traditional small city were analyzed for winter and summer seasons. A total of 16 PAHs in gaseous and particulate phase were quantified. The average gaseous PAHs were 2,189 ± 1,194 and 623.8 ± 545.1 ng/m(3) in winter and summer seasons, respectively. For the PAHs in particulate phase, they were 40.32 ± 12.15 and 11.99 ± 5.63 ng/m(3) in winter and summer seasons, respectively. These values were comparable to those reported for large cities or even higher. The estimated BaPeq was 12.32 ± 6.34 ng/m(3). As low-molecular-weight PAHs primarily existed in gaseous phase, high-molecular-weight PAHs in particulate phase became a significant fraction of total particulate phase PAHs. Particulate phase PAHs was significantly inversely associated with the ambient temperature for each individual PAHs species. However, this relationship did not exist for high-molecular-weight PAHs in gaseous phase. The results indicated the photo-degradation of high-molecular-weight PAHs should warrant a further thoughtfully investigation.

Beyond-limit light focusing in the intermediate zone

We experimentally verify that a new nanolens of a designed plasmonic aperture can focus visible light to a single line with its width smaller than the limit of half the wavelength in the intermediate zone. The experimental measurement indicates that while the near field plays a role to increase the spot size in the near zone, it is negligible at the beyond-limit focused region; i.e., the focused light is dominated by the radiative fields. The image taken by the optical microscope shows that the fields focused have propagated to the far zone. Besides being of academic interest, the nanolens capable in achieving a lower diffraction limit in the intermediate zone is important for application possibilities.

Motivations and decision-making dilemmas of overseas liver transplantation: Taiwan recipients' perspectives

PURPOSE

This study sought to explore the motivation and dilemmas in the decision-making process encountered by Taiwan overseas orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used an exploratory qualitative research method on a sample of transplant recipients. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were performed with a semistructured interview guide. Data were evaluated by qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

We interviewed 15 patients including 11 males and 4 females aged between 41 and 68 years (mean = 57.3) including 14 who received OLT in China and one in the United States. The most important motivations were saving lives from end-stage liver disease and avoiding a hopeless sense of their residual lives with the psychological torture of a waiting death. Their decision-making process leading to overseas OLT could be divided into several phases among which the phase of transplant data evaluation and decision was the most critical one. Nevertheless, every stage and phase had its unique contents, factors, and dilemmas.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that patients encountered various dilemmas at different phases in the decision-making process of considering overseas OLT. This information is important for care providers and policy makers in dealing with patients who consider overseas OLT.

Ultrasound-assisted percutaneous catheterization of the axillary vein for totally implantable venous access device

BACKGROUND

Placing a totally implantable venous access device (TIVAD) using the classical subclavian vein puncture method carries the risk of certain complications including hemothorax, pneumothorax and pinch-off syndrome. We set out to determine whether percutaneous axillary vein catheterization can decrease the incidence of these complications.

METHOD

This is a prospective, observational, uni-institutional study. We analyzed the outcome of 113 TIVADs performed by ultrasound-assisted percutaneous axillary vein catheterization from Jun. 2008 to Dec. 2008. Junior residents novice to subclavian and axillary vein catheterization performed the procedures. Insertion and indwelling catheter complications were recorded.

RESULT

In our study population, 100% of TIVAD placements were successful. 27 patients (23.9%) required 3 or more repeated punctures; only one patient (0.9%) had clinically insignificant pneumothorax. Neither arterial puncture nor brachial plexus injury was recorded in our study.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-assisted percutaneous axillary vein catheterization for TIVAD is a safe and relatively simple method for inexperienced operators.

Measurement and source characteristics of carbonyl compounds in the atmosphere in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan

The concentrations of eighteen atmospheric carbonyls species were measured by the LpDNPH-Cartridge and the microcomputer air sampling device at Nan-Chie (northern part) and Hsiung-Kong (southern part) sites in Kaohsiung city, southern Taiwan. These samples were then analyzed using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Measurements showed that the highest concentrations of carbonyls were formaldehyde (18.33 and 18.74 microg m(-3)) at the Nan-Chie and Hsiung-Kong site, followed by acetaldehyde (14.90 and 15.71 microg m(-3)). The concentrations of total carbonyls were higher at Hsiung-Kong site (66.96 microg m(-3)) than at Nan-Chie site (60.41 microg m(-3)). The concentrations of total carbonyls at Nan-Chie site (or Hsiung-Kong site) were 74.06 microg m(-3) (89.99 microg m(-3)) in summer and 37.14 microg m(-3) (46.50 microg m(-3)) in winter, due to the fact that photochemical activities are stronger in summer than in winter. The results of principal component analysis (PCA)/absolute principal component scores (APCS) suggest that the primary pollution sources at Nan-Chie were vehicle exhausts (gasoline and diesel engines), stationary emissions (petrochemical and food industry) and restaurant emissions, and the primary pollution sources at Hsiung-Kong were vehicle exhausts (gasoline and diesel engines), stationary emissions (metal assembly and petrochemical industry) and restaurant emissions.

DEPRESSION OF ANAEROBIC GLYCOLYSIS OF EMBRYONIC TISSUE BY WESTERN STRAIN OF EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS. PREVENTION OF THIS EFFECT BY SPECIFIC IMMUNE SERUM

Studies were made on the effect of mixing the Western strain of equine encephalomyelitis virus (W.E.E.) and embryonic tissue on the rate of anaerobic glycolysis of the tissue. Whole chick embryo, chick embryo from which brain and spinal cord had been removed, and embryonic skeletal muscle were employed. 1. W.E.E. virus depressed the rate of anaerobic glycolysis of embryonic tissues within 2 days after its addition to the tissue. The decrease in anaerobic glycolysis varied from 17 to 82 per cent and was apparent 2 to 4 days after the addition of the virus. No significant effect of the virus was observed 4 hours and 6 days after mixing it with the tissue. 2. Anti-W.E.E. immune serum prevented the inhibiting action of W.E.E. virus on the anaerobic glycolysis of embryonic skeletal muscle.

FURTHER STUDIES ON THE TITRATION AND NEUTRALIZATION OF THE WESTERN STRAIN OF EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS IN TISSUE CULTURE

1. Titration and neutralization of the Western strain of equine encephalomyelitis virus can be carried out in vitro by means of tissue culture. 2. The in vitro titration test as presented is a more sensitive method than animal inoculation. 3. Tissue culture may be better than animal inoculation for the detection of small amounts of virus. 4. The neutralization obtained in tissue culture is 100 to 1,000 times greater than that observed in the intracerebral test in mice and is comparable to the potency obtained by the intraperitoneal route of inoculation. 5. The possibility of applying this method to the study of other viruses, known and unknown, is discussed. 6. Further applications of the method described above to evaluation and standardization of bacterial toxins and antitoxins and to the testing of the toxicity of biological and chemical products are suggested. 7. Evidence for the reactivation in vitro as well as in vivo of virus in neutral mixtures by dilution is presented.

First Report of Capsicum chlorosis virus Infecting Amaryllis and Blood Lily in Taiwan

Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV), a thrips-transmitted, tentative species in the genus Tospovirus, family Bunyaviridae, was first identified in solanaceous crops, but also infects several ornamental crops such as orchid (4), gloxinia (3), and calla lily (1). From 2005 to 2007, virus-like yellow ringspots were observed on the leaves of amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum Hort.) and blood lily (Haemanthus multiflorus Martyn.) plants cultured in screenhouses and a private garden, respectively. Three of several hundred amaryllis plants in screenhouses from two places were observed as showing yellow ringspot symptoms and one of six blood lily plants was observed as showing similar yellow ringspot symptoms. Sap extracts from symptomatic leaves were inoculated to Chenopodium quinoa Willd. and the resulting local lesions were passaged three successive times to C. quinoa for virus isolation. Using the tospovirus genus-specific primers gL3637 and gL4435c designed from the conserved region in the L RNA (2), DNA fragments of the expected size of 800 bp were amplified by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR from field samples and local lesions from C. quinoa. Extracts from the diseased plants and local lesions of C. quinoa reacted strongly with antiserum against the nucleocapsid (N) protein of CaCV in ELISA and western blotting. To confirm the identity of this virus, we amplified the N gene from three amaryllis and one blood lily source using primer pair WN2328 and WN3534 designed from the S RNA of Watermelon silver mottle virus (1), and these products were cloned and sequenced. The sequence from each virus isolate was determined from three independent clones. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of N genes for the blood lily isolate (GenBank Accession No. EF101344) and three amaryllis isolates (GenBank Accession Nos. EF101343, EF137177, and FJ185170) had identities greater than 97% with that of a CaCV isolate infecting Capsicum spp. found in Australia (GenBank Accession No. AY036057). Phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony showed that these sequences clustered with CaCV. These results show that the virus identified from amaryllis and blood lily that were expressing yellow ringspot symptoms are isolates of CaCV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CaCV naturally infecting amaryllis and blood lily and it could become an important threat to ornamental production in Taiwan. References: (1) C. C. Chen et al. Plant Dis. 91:1201, 2007. (2) F. H. Chu et al. Phytopathology 91:361, 2001. (3) H. T. Hsu et al. J. Gen. Plant Pathol. 66:167, 2000. (4) Y. X. Zheng et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 120:199, 2008.

Lack of association between AKT1 variances versus clinical manifestations and social function in patients with schizophrenia

The elucidation of genotype-phenotype relationships in psychiatric research is at an early stage. V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT1) is a serine/threonine kinase known as protein kinase B. Emerging studies have implicated the role of AKT1 in pathogenesis of schizophrenia; however, the findings have not been consistent. This study aims to examine the association of AKT1 polymorphisms with drug-free and post-treatment symptomatology and social function in patients with schizophrenia. One hundred and twenty newly hospitalised patients with acutely exacerbated schizophrenia who had never been treated by atypical antipsychotics were recruited. They received optimal treatment of risperidone for up to 42 days in the inpatient research unit. Clinical manifestations were monitored by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and social function by Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatients Evaluation (NOSIE). Patients were genotyped for eight AKT1 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs), which have been previously investigated for association with schizophrenia. At drug-free status and after best possible treatment of risperidone, genotypes of each SNP did not influence performances in NOSIE, PANSS-total, -positive, -negative and -general psychopathology profiles. These results suggest that AKT1 does not play a significant role in clinical and functional manifestations in patients with schizophrenia who receive risperidone treatment. Future research should also focus on the relationships between genotypes of other susceptibility genes and phenotypes or functional outcomes of schizophrenia.

Combination of passivated Si anode with phosphor doped organic to realize highly efficient Si-based electroluminescence

Silicon light source plays a key role in silicon optoelectronics, but its realization is an extremely challenging task. Although there are longterm intensive efforts to this topic, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the silicon-based electroluminescence is still no more than 1%. In this present report, a highly efficient silicon light source has been achieved. The device structure is p-Si (5 Omegacm)/ SiO2(approximately 2 nm)/ NPB / CBP: (ppy)(2)Ir(acac) / Bphen /Bphen: Cs2CO3 / Sm / Au. The SiO2 passivated Si is the anode having a suitably high hole-injection ability, and CBP: (ppy)(2)Ir(acac) is a highly efficient phosphor doped organic material. The device turn-on voltage is 3.2 V. The maximum luminance efficiency and maximum luminous power efficiency reach 69 cd/A and 62 lm/W, respectively, corresponding to a maximum PCE of 12% and an external quantum efficiency of 17%.

[Serum types of enterovirus and clinical characteristics of 237 children with hand, foot and mouth disease in Shenzhen]

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics and the serum types of enterovirus of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children.

METHODS

The RT-nPCR method was established with universal primers within 5' untranslated region of enterovirus and VP1 region of Coxsackievirus A16 (CAV16) and enterovirus 71 (EV 71). Enteroviruses were detected with RT-nPCR in 237 children with HFMD. Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics and serum types of enterovirus of the patients with HFMD were studied.

RESULTS

The patients'age ranged from 7 months to 11 years (mean 4.2 +/- 0.5 years). The majority (94.5%) were less than 6 years old. HFMD was mostly seen in spring and winter (67.9%). Oral mucosal pox or ulcer as well as hand and foot rashes were observed in all 237 patients. Fever occurred in 141 patients (59.5%). Of the 237 patients, 133 (56.1%) were RT-nPCR positive. Of the 133 cases, 38 were positive for EV71, 64 were positive for CAV16, and 31 were negative for both EV71 and CAV16. The patients infected by different types of enteroviruses had similar clinical characteristics. Gene colon and sequence analysis for 12 strains of enteroviruses PCR positive products presented as EV71 (n=5), CAV16 (n=5), ECHO13 (n=1), and CAV5 (n=1).

CONCLUSIONS

HFMD tends to occur in younger children less than 6 years old. The majority are affected in spring and winter. EV71 and CAV16 are common pathogens of HFMD. There is no relationship between clinical characteristics and serum types of enteroviruses in HFMD patients.

Effect of ropivacaine on endothelium-dependent phenylephrine-induced contraction in guinea pig aorta

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that ropivacaine has biphasic vascular effects, causing vasoconstriction at low concentrations and vasorelaxation at high concentrations. This study was designed to examine the role of the endothelium during accidental intravascular absorption of ropivacaine, and to elucidate the mechanisms responsible.

METHODS

Isolated guinea pig aortic rings were suspended for isometric tension recording. The effects of ropivacaine on endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings were assessed. Endothelium-intact aortic rings were pre-contracted with phenylephrine before being exposed to ropivacaine and acetylcholine, in order to generate and compare concentration-response curves. In the absence and presence of yohimbine, propranolol, atropine, indometacin, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) or methylene blue, the contractile response induced by ropivacaine was assessed on endothelium-intact aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine.

RESULTS

Ropivacaine (3 x 10(-4) to 10(-2) mol/l) produced vasoconstriction in endothelium-denuded aortic rings, whereas no such response was observed in aortic rings with intact endothelium. In phenylephrine pre-contracted intact aortic rings, ropivacaine induced a greater degree of vasorelaxation than did acetylcholine. Yohimbine, propranolol and atropine all failed to affect the relaxation responses induced by ropivacaine. However, pre-treatment with indometacin (cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor), l-NAME (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), methylene blue (soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor) or ODQ (soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor), significantly decreased the ropivacaine-induced relaxation of endothelium-intact aortic rings (3 x 10(-4) to 10(-2) mol/l).

CONCLUSIONS

Ropivacaine elicits an endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in phenylephrine pre-contracted aortic rings via the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate pathway and the prostaglandin system.

First Report of Capsicum chlorosis virus Causing Yellow Stripes on Calla Lilies in Taiwan

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and Calla lily chlorotic spot virus (CCSV) are two recognized species of the Tospovirus genus in the family Bunyaviridae infecting calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.). During 2005, 15 virus isolates were collected from different calla lily plants exhibiting yellow stripes on their leaves in Ho-Li, a major calla lily-production township in Taiwan. After three successive local lesion passages on Chenopodium quinoa Willd., diseased leaf tissues individually infected by these isolates were preserved in liquid nitrogen and used for subsequent identification studies. Using the tospovirus genus-specific primers gL3637 and gL4435c designed from the L RNA, an 800-bp DNA fragment was amplified in reverse transcription-PCR from all 15 isolates. Moreover, leaf extracts of the diseased calla lilies and the C. quinoa plants inoculated with the 15 virus isolates reacted with antisera against the nucleocapsid proteins (NP) of Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV)-gloxinia and Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV), but not to monoclonal antibodies against the NP of TSWV, CCSV, Peanut chlorotic fan-spot virus (PCFV), or Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) in indirect ELISA. These results indicate that the 15 virus isolates are tospoviruses belonging to the WSMoV serogroup. Additionally, we amplified and sequenced the full-length N gene from these tospovirus isolates using primers WN2328 (5'-CCATTGGTTTGCCTCCG-3') and WN3534 (5'-CGTCGACAGAGCAATCGAGGC-3') designed from the S RNA of WSMoV. The deduced amino acid sequences of the N protein from these 15 tospovirus isolates showed a greater than 92% identity to that of CaCV (GenBank Accession No. NC-008301). Furthermore, results of phylogenetic analysis of the 15 isolates on the basis of amino acids sequences, both genetic distance and parsimony trees indicated that they were all genetically clustered within CaCV using INSV, TSWV, and WSMoV as outgroups. The results indicate that the virus causing yellow stripes in calla lilies is a strain of CaCV. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that CaCV can naturally infect calla lilies and cause yellow stripe symptoms. Reference: (1) F.-H. Chu et al. Phytopathology 91:361, 2001.

Discovery of HLA-DRB1*0331 in a Taiwanese marrow donor and the importance of sequence-based typing in a rare or previously unrecognized allele

We describe here a novel HLA-DRB1* allele, DRB1*0331, observed from a Taiwanese bone marrow donor using DNA sequence-based typing (SBT) method. The 'new' allele differs from DRB1*0306 and DRB1*0325 by one nucleotide at positions 196 and 227, respectively. Nucleotide mutations caused amino acid substitutions from N to Y at codon 37 and from F to Y at codon 47, as compared with amino acid sequence encoded by the DRB1*030101 allele. The donor was first typed as DRB1*0403/0406/0439/0441/0446/0451/0452 (NMDP code DRB1*04XX) and DRB1*0304/0323/0325 (NMDP code DRB1*03APDA) by sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) typing kit. Subsequent typing of the donor by high-resolution sequence-specific primer (SSP) protocol indicated DRB1*0403 and DRB1*0306. The anomalous result of DRB1*03 was resolved by SBT and recognized as DRB1*0331. We concluded that SSP or SSO alone may mistype a precedent unrecognized allele and that two different typing techniques or SBT may have to be employed to safe guard true HLA typing when rare alleles are encountered at the first time.

Computer-aided diagnosis system for acute stroke using diffusion weighted images with volume calculation

The diffusion weighted image (DWI) technique is routinely used for diagnosis and treatment of early stroke due to its superior performance, especially when it is compared with conventional magnetic resonance image (MRI) for detection of acute ischemic stroke. Using DWI examination, This work has proposed a computer-aided diagnosis system, which can effectively calculate the volume size of a lesion and provide clinical doctor the 3D reconstruction data of the lesion. The potential benefits of using our system include the higher accuracy of acute stroke lesion definition, the reduced time and procedure of calculating the volume of a lesion, and providing 3D reconstruction image of stroke patients, which can effectively assist doctors in making more accurate diagnoses and treating patients in a more convenient way. Compared with the traditional method, the experimental results have shown the superior performance of this proposed system.

Clinicopathologic evaluation of prognostic factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the prognostic significance of clinicopathologic variables on the survival rate for squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa (BMSCC). We analyzed the outcomes of surgical therapy for this aggressive cancer and compared these results with those in the literature.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical charts of 172 patients treated in our institution between 1990 and 2005. There were 22 patients excluded from our studies: 20 patients with advanced tumors who received no treatment or palliative treatment, and 2 patients who had received preoperative radiotherapy (RT). The remaining 150 patients were treated with surgeries and among them, 56 patients had undergone postoperative RT. The influence of clinicopathologic factors on the survival rate was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was assessed with Cox's regression model.

RESULTS

There were 148 males and 2 females, with a mean age of 53.5 years. The prevalence rate of habitual betel quid chewing documented in charts among 113 patients was 75%. The 5-year overall survival rate and disease-specific survival rate for all patients were 64% and 69%, respectively. For patients with stages I, II, III, and IV disease, the 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 90%, 77%, 52%, and 47%, respectively (p<0.001). According to the multivariate analysis, the pathologic staging and histologic grading of the tumor were independently the important prognostic factors affecting survival rate. There were 80 patients who developed locoregional recurrence in lymph nodes in the follow-up diagnoses. Distant metastases occurred in 14 patients, with 11 of them also having locoregional recurrence. The distant metastases were found in the lungs (8/14), T-spine (3/14), liver (2/14) and brain (1/14).

CONCLUSION

Pathologic stage and histologic grade are the most important prognostic factors.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms in Chinese patients with psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that cytokine gene polymorphisms may confer susceptibility to psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether genetic polymorphisms of the cytokine genes might influence the development of psoriasis in Chinese patients in Taiwan.

METHODS

DNA samples were obtained from 170 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV), 102 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and 210 control subjects. Using direct sequencing and microsatellite genotyping, we examined 28 polymorphisms in 11 cytokine genes including the interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12B, IL-13, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, TNF-beta and interferon-gamma genes. Genotypes of HLA-Cw*0602, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes and major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA) were also determined in patients with PsA.

RESULTS

The patients with PV were more likely to carry the +4496G allele of the IL-12B gene (59.4% vs. 49.3%, P = 0.0067, P(c) = 0.033). However, no significantly different allelic and genotypic distributions of the other analysed genes including IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, KIR genes and MICA were found between the PV/PsA patients and controls. Moreover, no association was observed with disease onset, gender, peripheral arthritis or joint erosion. With regards to HLA-Cw*0602, its allele frequency was significantly increased in patients with early-onset PV (25.3% vs. 4.8%, P < 10(-7)), but not in patients with PsA.

CONCLUSIONS

The IL-12B gene polymorphism conferred a risk for PV in our Chinese population, although the effect was more minor than that of HLA-Cw*0602. Cw*0602, KIR2DS1/S2 and MICA-A9 were unlikely to be risk alleles in our patients with PsA. The other analysed genetic polymorphisms of cytokine genes do not appear to be associated with susceptibility to PV and PsA in Chinese patients in Taiwan.

The potential role of phagocytic capacity in the osteolytic process induced by polyethylene wear particles

Osteolysis induced by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear particles is the major cause of long-term failure of artificial joints. We examined the effects of wear particles on bioactivity by analysing the biophysical aspects of particle phagocytosis. We estimated the maximum number of internalized particles (the phagocytic capacity) for particles of various sizes and shapes. We demonstrated that elongated particles had a smaller phagocytic capacity than spherical particles of the same volume. A review of the literature showed that the ratio of particle concentration (number of particles/number of cells) to phagocytic capacity is critical for particle-induced biological responses. When this ratio was < 1, the biological response was approximately proportional to the ratio itself. When this ratio was > 1, limited changes in the biological response were observed. The saturation level of the phagocytic capacity for a particle population appears to reflect the degree of polyethylene particle-induced biological response.

Assessment of seasonal variations in surface water quality

Assessment of seasonal changes in surface water quality is an important aspect for evaluating temporal variations of river pollution due to natural or anthropogenic inputs of point and non-point sources. In this study, surface water quality data for 16 physical and chemical parameters collected from 22 monitoring stations in a river during the years from 1998 to 2001 were analyzed. The principal component analysis technique was employed to evaluate the seasonal correlations of water quality parameters, while the principal factor analysis technique was used to extract the parameters that are most important in assessing seasonal variations of river water quality. Analysis shows that a parameter that is most important in contributing to water quality variation for one season may not be important for another season except for DOC and electrical conductance, which were always the most important parameters in contributing to water quality variations for all four seasons.

Psoriasis vulgaris in Chinese individuals is associated withPSORS1C3andCDSNgenes

BACKGROUND

Besides the HLA-Cw*0602 allele, the psoriasis susceptibility 1 candidate 3 (PSORS1C3) and corneodesmosin (CDSN) genes are two probable psoriasis susceptibility genes in the PSORS1 locus. The -79C, -26C and +246A alleles of the PSORS1C3 gene, the CDSN*971T allele, CDSN*TTC (619T-1236T-1243C) and CDSN*5 (619T-1240G-1243C) are strongly associated with psoriasis in the caucasian population. Until now, no haplotype study of the PSORS1C3 and CDSN genes has been documented in Chinese patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine whether genetic polymorphisms of the PSORS1C3 and CDSN genes were associated with an increased risk of psoriasis vulgaris in Chinese patients in Taiwan.

METHODS

We investigated the PSORS1C3 and CDSN genes for disease association by direct sequencing in 178 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 203 control subjects. Genotyping for HLA-Cw*0602, alpha-helix coiled-coil rod homologue (HCR) gene and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) n.9 was also carried out using a sequence-based typing method.

RESULTS

The PSORS1C3*582A allele, an SNP in the 3'-untranslated region of the PSORS1C3 gene, was a major psoriasis vulgaris susceptibility allele in the Chinese population, and the association was much stronger in patients with early-onset psoriasis vulgaris (22.3% vs. 6.9%, odds ratio = 3.87, P(c) =0.0000072). The frequencies of CDSN*TTC and CDSN*971T were also significantly increased in patients with early-onset psoriasis vulgaris. Moreover, PSORS1C3*582A, SNP n.9*C, Cw*0602 and HCR*WWCC were in near complete linkage disequilibrium (LD) with each other; in contrast, the LD with the CDSN gene was not so strong. SNP n.9*C-Cw*0602-PSORS1C3*582A-HCR*WWCC was a major susceptibility haplotype in patients with early-onset psoriasis vulgaris (P < 10(-7)) and this risk haplotype also carried CDSN*TTC and CDSN*971T.

CONCLUSIONS

The PSORS1C3 and CDSN genes are important psoriasis susceptibility genes in Chinese patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

Induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against hepatitis B virus by hepatitis B virus antigen gene-modified dendritic cells

AIM: To explore whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen gene-modified dendritic cells (DCs) are able to induce a specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response.

METHODS: Three recombinant adenoviruses, Ad-HBs, Ad-HBe and Ad-HBc (carrying HBsAg, HBeAg and HBcAg genes respectively), were prepared and transfected into DCs generated from cord blood. The efficacy of transfection was observed through the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in DCs and the expression of HBV antigen were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HBV antigen gene-modified DCs were co-cultured with T lymphocytes from cord blood and the proliferation of T cells were detected using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay was carried out to assess the killing ability of CTL cells against HepG₂22.1.5 cells.

RESULTS: HBV antigen genes were expressed in DCs with a high efficacy by recombinant adenoviral vector. EGFP were observed in 90% transfected DCs and DCs kept their typical forms after transfection. The titers (absorbance) of HBsAg and HBeAg were 0.919 and 0.328, respectively, in the culture supernatant 72 h after transfection. The result of MLR showed that HBV gene-modified DCs effectively stimulated naive T lymphocytes to proliferate. There was no significant difference among Ad-HBs, Ad-HBe, Ad-HBc transfection group and normal group (F = 1.194, P = 0.389). The specific CTL cells generated by HBV antigen gene-modified DCs had obvious cytotoxity against HepG₂22.1.5 cells, and the cytotoxity in Ad-HBs, Ad-HBe, Ad-HBc transfection group was significantly higher than that in normal group (all P < 0.001). The cytotoxity in Ad-HBc transfected group was the strongest.

CONCLUSION: HBV gene-modified DCs are able to effectively stimulate naive T lymphocytes to proliferate and enhance the specific CTL response at the same time, showing its promising future for developing anti-viral vaccine.

No association of cytokine gene polymorphisms in Chinese patients with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronically relapsing skin disease associated with the activation of T-helper 2 cells. Recent studies have shown that polymorphisms in the genes for interleukin (IL)-4, the IL-4 receptor, IL-13, and signal transducer and activator 6 (STAT6) may contribute to susceptibility of AD. To date, no cytokine gene polymorphism study has been conducted on Chinese patients with AD.

AIMS

To determine whether genetic polymorphisms of the cytokine genes might influence the development of AD.

METHODS

DNA samples were obtained from 94 patients and 186 control subjects. Using direct sequencing and microsatellite genotyping, we examined 22 polymorphisms in eight cytokine genes including the genes for IL-4, -10, -12B and -13, the IL-4 receptor, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, STAT6, and interferon (IFN)-gamma.

RESULTS

No significantly different allelic and genotypic distributions of the cytokine gene polymorphisms could be found between patients and controls. Moreover, no association was observed with disease onset, gender, the presence of elevated serum total IgE level or blood eosinophilia.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that the analysed genetic polymorphisms of cytokine genes do not appear to be associated with AD susceptibility in our Chinese population.

Rh proteins vs Amt proteins: an organismal and phylogenetic perspective on CO2 and NH3 gas channels

Rh (Rhesus) proteins are homologues of ammonium transport (Amt) proteins. Physiological and structural evidence shows that Amt proteins are gas channels for NH(3), but the substrate of Rh proteins, be it CO2 as shown in green alga, or NH3/NH4+ as shown in mammalian cells, remains disputed. We assembled a large dataset generated of Rh and Amt to explore how Rh originated from and evolved independently of Amt relatives. Analysis of this rich data implies that Rh was split from Amt first to emerge in archaeal species. The Rh ancestor underwent divergence and duplication along speciation, leading to neofunctionalization and subfunctionalization of the Rh family. The characteristic organismal distribution of Rh vs. Amt reflects their early separation and subsequent independent evolution: they coexist in microbes and invertebrates but do not in fungi, vascular plants or vertebrates. Rh gene-duplication was prominent in vertebrates: while epithelial RhBG/RhCG displayed strong purifying selection, erythroid Rh30 and RhAG experienced different episodes of positive selection in each of which adaptive evolution occurred at certain time points and in a few codon sites. Mammalian Rh30 and RhAG were subject to particularly strong positive selection in some codon sites in the lineage from rodents to human. The grounds of this adaptive evolution may be driven by the necessity to increase the surface/volume ratio of biconcave erythrocytes for facilitative gas diffusion. Altogether, these results are consistent with Rh proteins not being the orthologue of Amt proteins but having gained the function for CO2/HCO3- transport, with important roles in systemic pH regulation.

Characterization of glutathione S-transferase from dust mite, Der p 8 and its immunoglobulin E cross-reactivity with cockroach glutathione S-transferase

BACKGROUND

Sensitization to mite and cockroach allergens is common, and diagnosis and therapy of allergy can be further complicated by the presence of allergen isoforms and panallergens. Purified recombinant and native allergens are useful for studies to resolve such problems.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the allergenicity of native and recombinant mite glutathione S-transferase (GST) (Der p 8) and study the IgE cross-reactivity between Der p 8 and cockroach GST.

METHODS

Der p 8 cDNA encoding a new isoform was isolated and expressed in yeast. Native Der p 8 was affinity purified from mite extract. IgE reactivity to native and recombinant Der p 8 was assessed by ELISA using sera from allergic subjects from Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. IgE cross-reactivity between Der p 8 and cockroach GST was examined by IgE inhibition assays.

RESULTS

Our Der p 8 cDNA encoded a basic isoform (pI=8.5) containing six polymorphic residues located at positions 46, 106, 149, 160, 167 and 184. At least 8 isoforms of native Der p 8 were detected by two-dimensionalgel and immunoblot analyses. Sera from Taiwanese asthmatics showed 96% and 84% IgE reactivity to native Der p 8 and recombinant Der p 8, respectively. Native Der p 8 showed 75% and 65% IgE reactivity with sera from Malaysia and Singapore, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A high frequency of sensitization to mite GST among allergic subjects was observed but the titres of IgE reactivity were low. The IgE cross-reactivity between mite and cockroach GST suggests that GST is a panallergen.

The effects of continuous epidural analgesia on Doppler velocimetry of uterine arteries during different periods of labour analgesia

BACKGROUND

The transient effects of epidural bupivacaine 0.25-0.5% on the Doppler velocimetry of umbilical and uterine arteries had been reported, but the effects of continuous lower dose epidural bupivacaine (0.05-0.1%) infusion for labour analgesia have never been reported. In this study, we evaluated the effects of continuous epidural bupivacaine 0.075% on the Doppler velocimetry of uterine arteries.

METHODS

Twenty pregnant women for labour analgesia received continuous epidural bupivacaine 0.075% infusion. We used a 4-MHz continuous-wave Doppler probe (Multigon 500A) with a 200 Hz thump filter to detect uterine blood flow velocity. We recorded the velocimetry data for uterine relaxation and contraction during five time periods: pre-epidural insertion, 1, 2, and 4 h post-epidural infusion, and after delivery of fetus.

RESULTS

Our data showed that the velocimetric indices of uterine vascular resistance were significantly increased 1, 2, and 4 h after epidural infusion when compared with the pre-epidural level; these returned to the baseline after delivery.

CONCLUSION

Continuous epidural analgesia with bupivacaine 0.075% increases the resistance of uterine artery and therefore possibly reduces the uterine blood flow.