Interaction of tetracycline and copper co-intake in inducing antibiotic resistance genes and potential pathogens in mouse gut

The widespread use of copper and tetracycline as growth promoters in the breeding industry poses a potential threat to environmental health. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, the potential adverse effects of copper and tetracycline on the gut microbiota remain unknown. Herein, mice were fed different concentrations of copper and/or tetracycline for 6 weeks to simulate real life-like exposure in the breeding industry. Following the exposure, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), potential pathogens, and other pathogenic factors were analyzed in mouse feces. The co-exposure of copper with tetracycline significantly increased the abundance of ARGs and enriched more potential pathogens in the gut of the co-treated mice. Copper and/or tetracycline exposure increased the abundance of bacteria carrying either ARGs, metal resistance genes, or virulence factors, contributing to the widespread dissemination of potentially harmful genes posing a severe risk to public health. Our study provides insights into the effects of copper and tetracycline exposure on the gut resistome and potential pathogens, and our findings can help reduce the risks associated with antibiotic resistance under the One Health framework.

Analysis of the Genomic Sequences and Metabolites of Bacillus velezensis YA215

Discovering more novel antimicrobial compounds has become a keen research problem. In this study, YA215 genome was sequenced by the Illumina HiSeq + PacBio sequencing platform. Genome assembly was performed by Unicycler software and the gene clusters responsible for secondary metabolite biosynthesis were predicted by antiSMASH. The genome comprised 3976514 bp and had a 46.56% G + C content. 3809 coding DNA sequences, 27 rRNAs, 86 tRNAs genes, and 79 sRNA were predicted. Strain YA215 was re-identified as Bacillus velezensis based on ANI and OrthoANI analysis. In the COG database, 23 functional groups from 3090 annotations were predicted. In the GO database, 2654 annotations were predicted. 2486 KEGG annotations linked 41 metabolic pathways. Glycosyl transferases, polysaccharide lyases, auxiliary activities, glycoside hydrolases, carbohydrate esterases, and carbohydrate-binding modules were predicted among the 127 annotations in the CAZy database. AntiSMASH analysis predicted that B. velezensis YA215 boasted 13 gene clusters involved in synthesis of antimicrobial secondary metabolites including surfactin, fengycin, macrolactin H, bacillaene, difficidin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, and plantazolicin. Three of the gene clusters (gene cluster 5, gene cluster 9, and gene cluster 10) have the potential to synthesize unknown compounds. The research underscore the considerable potential of secondary metabolites, identified in the genomic composition of B. velezensis YA215, as versatile antibacterial agents with a broad spectrum of activity against pathogenic bacteria.

[The effect of Ba Duan Jin on the balance of community-dwelling older adults: a cluster randomized control trial]

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test. Results: A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95%CI: 2.23-3.88) points (P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95%CI: 4.03-5.37) points (P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Improving Catalytic Activity, Acid-Tolerance, and Thermal Stability of Glutathione Peroxidase by Systematic Site-Directed Selenocysteine Incorporation

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an important antioxidant enzyme. Selenocysteine (Sec)-containing GPxs (Sec-GPxs) are usually superior to their conventional cysteine-containing counterparts (Cys-GPxs), which make up the majority of the natural GPxs but display unsuitable activity and stability for industrial applications. This study first heterologously expressed and characterized a Cys-GPx from Lactococcus lactis (LlGPx), systematically exchanged all the three Cys to Sec and introduced an extra Sec. The results showed that the insertion of Sec at the active site could effectively increase the enzyme activity and confer a lower optimal pH value on the mutants. The double mutant C36U/L157U increased by 2.65 times (5.12 U/mg). The thermal stability of the C81U mutant was significantly improved. These results suggest that site-directed Sec incorporation can effectively improve the enzymatic properties of LlGPx, which may be also used for the protein engineering of other industrial enzymes containing catalytic or other functional cysteine residues.

Global biogeographic distribution of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils

Bathyarchaeota, known as key participants of global elements cycling, is highly abundant and diverse in the sedimentary environments. Bathyarchaeota has been the research spotlight on sedimentary microbiology; however, its distribution in arable soils is far from understanding. Paddy soil is a habitat similar to freshwater sediments, while the distribution and composition of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils have largely been overlooked. In this study, we collected 342 in situ paddy soil sequencing data worldwide to illuminate the distribution patterns of Bathyarchaeota and explore their potential ecological functions in paddy soils. The results showed that Bathyarchaeota is the dominant archaeal lineage, and Bathy-6 is the most predominant subgroup in paddy soils. Based on random forest analysis and construction of a multivariate regression tree, the mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature are identified as the factors significantly influencing the abundance and composition of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils. Bathy-6 was abundant in temperate environments, while other subgroups were more abundant in sites with higher rainfall. There are highly frequent associations between Bathyarchaeota and methanogens and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. The interactions between Bathyarchaeota and microorganisms involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism imply a potential syntrophy between these microorganisms, suggesting that members of Bathyarchaeota could be important participants of geochemical cycle in paddy soils. These results shed light on the ecological lifestyle of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils, and provide some baseline for further understanding Bathyarchaeota in arable soils.IMPORTANCEBathyarchaeota, the dominant archaeal lineage in sedimentary environments, has been the spotlight of microbial research due to its vital role in carbon cycling. Although Bathyarchaeota has been also detected in paddy soils worldwide, its distribution in this environment has not yet been investigated. In this study, we conducted a global scale meta-analysis and found that Bathyarchaeota is also the dominant archaeal lineage in paddy soils with significant regional abundance differences. Bathy-6 is the most predominant subgroup in paddy soils, which differs from sediments. Furthermore, Bathyarchaeota are highly associated with methanogens and ammonia-oxidizing archaea, suggesting that they may be involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycle in paddy soil. These interactions provide insight into the ecological functions of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils, which will be the foundation of future studies regarding the geochemical cycle in arable soils and global climate change.

[The expression and function of PD-L1 in CD133(+) human liver cancer stem-like cells]

Objective: To investigate the expression of programmed death protein-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in liver cancer stem-like cells (LCSLC) and its effect on the characteristics of tumor stem cells and tumor biological function, to explore the upstream signaling pathway regulating PD-L1 expression in LCSLC and the downstream molecular mechanism of PD-L1 regulating stem cell characteristics, also tumor biological functions. Methods: HepG2 was cultured by sphere-formating method to obtain LCSLC. The expressions of CD133 and other stemness markers were detected by flow cytometry, western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect the expressions of stemness markers and PD-L1. The biological functions of the LCSLC were tested by cell function assays, to confirm that the LCSLC has the characteristics of tumor stem cells. LCSLC was treated with cell signaling pathway inhibitors to identify relevant upstream signaling pathways mediating PD-L1 expression changes. The expression of PD-L1 in LCSLC was down regulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of stem cell markers, tumor biological functions of LCSLC, and the changes of cell signaling pathways were detected. Results: Compared with HepG2 cells, the expression rate of CD133 in LCSLC was upregulated [(92.78±6.91)% and (1.40±1.77)%, P<0.001], the expressions of CD133, Nanog, Oct4A and Snail in LCSLC were also higher than those in HepG2 cells (P<0.05), the number of sphere-formating cells increased on day 7 [(395.30±54.05) and (124.70±19.30), P=0.001], cell migration rate increased [(35.41±6.78)% and (10.89±4.34)%, P=0.006], the number of transmembrane cells increased [(75.77±10.85) and (20.00±7.94), P=0.002], the number of cloned cells increased [(120.00±29.51) and (62.67±16.77), P=0.043]. Cell cycle experiments showed that LCSLC had significantly more cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase than those in HepG2 [(54.89±3.27) and (32.36±1.50), P<0.001]. The tumor formation experiment of mice showed that the weight of transplanted tumor in LCSLC group was (1.32±0.17)g, the volume is (1 779.0±200.2) mm(3), were higher than those of HepG2 cell [(0.31±0.06)g and (645.6±154.9)mm(3), P<0.001]. The expression level of PD-L1 protein in LCSLC was 1.88±0.52 and mRNA expression level was 2.53±0.62, both of which were higher than those of HepG2 cells (P<0.05). The expression levels of phosphorylation signal transduction and transcription activation factor 3 (p-STAT3) and p-Akt in LCSLC were higher than those in HepG2 cells (P<0.05). After the expression of p-STAT3 and p-Akt was down-regulated by inhibitor treatment, the expression of PD-L1 was also down-regulated (P<0.05). In contrast, the expression level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in LCSLC was lower than that in HepG2 cells (P<0.01), there was no significant change in PD-L1 expression after down-regulated by inhibitor treatment (P>0.05). After the expression of PD-L1 was knockdown by siRNA, the expressions of CD133, Nanog, Oct4A and Snail in LCSLC were decreased compared with those of siRNA-negative control (NC) group (P<0.05). The number of sphere-formating cells decreased [(45.33±12.01) and (282.00±29.21), P<0.001], the cell migration rate was lower than that in siRNA-NC group [(20.86±2.74)% and (46.73±15.43)%, P=0.046], the number of transmembrane cells decreased [(39.67±1.53) and (102.70±11.59), P=0.001], the number of cloned cells decreased [(57.67±14.57) and (120.70±15.04), P=0.007], the number of cells in G(0)/G(1) phase decreased [(37.68±2.51) and (57.27±0.92), P<0.001], the number of cells in S phase was more than that in siRNA-NC group [(30.78±0.52) and (15.52±0.83), P<0.001]. Tumor formation in mice showed that the tumor weight of shRNA-PD-L1 group was (0.47±0.12)g, the volume is (761.3±221.4)mm(3), were lower than those of shRNA-NC group [(1.57±0.45)g and (1 829.0±218.3)mm(3), P<0.001]. Meanwhile, the expression levels of p-STAT3 and p-Akt in siRNA-PD-L1 group were decreased (P<0.05), while the expression levels of p-ERK1/2 and β-catenin did not change significantly (P>0.05). Conclusion: Elevated PD-L1 expression in CD133(+) LCSLC is crucial to maintain stemness and promotes the tumor biological function of LCSLC.

Isolation and purification of antibacterial lipopeptides from Bacillus velezensis YA215 isolated from sea mangroves

The increasing burden and health risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pose a great threat to society overall. Lipopeptides exhibit great potential as novel and safe alternatives to traditional antibiotics. In this study, the strain YA215, which was isolated from the mangrove area in Beibu Gulf, Guangxi, China, was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Then, YA215 lipopeptide extracts (YA215LE) from B. velezensis was found to exhibit a wide spectrum of antibacterial and antifungal activities. Additionally, YA215LE was identified and found to contain three groups of lipopeptides (surfactin, iturin, and fengycin). Furthermore, one separation fraction (BVYA1) with significant antibacterial activity was obtained. Additionally, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of BVYA1 showed three molecular ion peaks ([M + H]⁺: m/z 980.62; 994.66; 1008.66) corresponding to conventional surfactin homologs. By MS/MS analysis, BVYA1 was identified as sufactin with the precise amino acid sequence Glu-Leu/Ile-Leu-Val-Asp-Leu-Leu/Ile and hydroxyl fatty acids with 11-13 carbons. [M + H]⁺ at m/z 980.62 was detected for the first time in B. velezensis, which demonstrates that the strain corresponds to a new surfactin variant. In particular, BVYA1 showed antibacterial activity with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 7.5-15 μg/ml. Finally, the preliminary mechanism of inhibiting E. coli treated with BVYA1 showed that BVYA1 effectively permeabilized the cytoplasmic membrane and disrupted the morphology of targeted bacterial cells. In conclusion, this study suggests that the YA215LE from B. velezensis YA215 might be a potential candidate for a bactericide.

MicroRNA-375 represses tumor angiogenesis and reverses resistance to sorafenib in hepatocarcinoma

Sorafenib was originally identified as an inhibitor of multiple oncogenic kinases and remains the first-line systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play critical roles in the initiation, progression, and drug resistance of HCC. In this study, we aimed to identify sorafenib-induced miRNAs and demonstrate their regulatory roles. First, we identified that the expression of the tumor-suppressive miRNA miR-375 was significantly induced in hepatoma cells treated with sorafenib, and miR-375 could exert its antiangiogenic effect partially via platelet-derived growth factor C (PDGFC) inhibition. Then, we demonstrated that sorafenib inhibited PDGFC expression by inducing the expression of miR-375 and a transcription factor, achaete-scute homolog-1 (ASH1), mediated the induction of miR-375 by sorafeinb administration in hepatoma cells. Finally, we verified that the expression of miR-375 was reduced in sorafenib-resistant cells and that the restoration of miR-375 could resensitize sorafenib-resistant cells to sorafenib partially by the degradation of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1). In conclusion, our data demonstrate that miR-375 is a critical determinant of HCC angiogenesis and sorafenib tolerance, revealing a novel miRNA-mediated mechanism underlying sorafenib treatment.

miR‑125/CDK2 axis in cochlear progenitor cell proliferation

Hearing loss ranks fourth among the principal causes of disability worldwide, and manipulation of progenitor cells may be a key strategy for hair cell regeneration. The present study investigated the role and mechanism of miR‑125 on the proliferation of cochlear progenitor cells (CPCs). CPCs were isolated from the cochleae of neonatal rats, and their morphology was observed. Furthermore, the differentiation ability of CPCs was determined by assessing the expression of 5‑bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), nestin and myosin VII by immunofluorescence. The expression levels of miR‑125 and cyclin‑dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) as well as the cell proliferation of CPCs were assessed. In addition, following gain‑ and loss‑of‑function assays, the cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of miR‑125, CDK2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and nestin were determined by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting. The binding sites between miR‑125 and CDK2 were predicted by TargetScan and identified by the dual luciferase reporter assay. The results demonstrated that different types of progenitor spheres were observed from CPCs with positive expression of BrdU, nestin and myosin VII. Following in vitro incubation for 2, 4 and 7 days, the spheres were enlarged, and CPC proliferation gradually increased and reached a plateau after further incubation for 3 days. Furthermore, the expression levels of nestin and PCNA in CPCs increased and then decreased during in vitro incubation for 2, 4 and 7 days. Following this incubation, the expression levels of miR‑125 in CPCs decreased; thereafter, its expression increased, and the expression pattern was different from that of CDK2. In addition, miR‑125 overexpression in CPCs decreased the expression of CDK2 and the number of cells in the S phase. Different expression patterns were found in CPCs in response to the miR‑125 knockdown. In addition, miR‑125 directly targeted CDK2. Simultaneous knockdown of miR‑125 and CDK2 enhanced CPC proliferation compared with CDK2 knockdown alone. Taken together, the findings from the present study suggested that miR‑125 may inhibit CPC proliferation by downregulating CDK2. The present study may provide a novel therapeutic direction for treatment of hearing loss.

Clinical application of combined detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody and nucleic acid

BACKGROUND

The global outbreak of human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection represents an urgent need for readily available, accurate and rapid diagnostic tests. Nucleic acid testing of respiratory tract specimens for SARS-CoV-2 is the current gold standard for diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the diagnostic accuracy of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid may be lower than optimal. The detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies should be used as a serological non-invasive tool for the diagnosis and management of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

AIM

To investigate the diagnostic value of SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG and nucleic acid detection in COVID-19.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 652 suspected COVID-19 patients, and 206 non-COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Integrated TCM and Western Medicine Hospital. Data on SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests and serum antibody tests were collected to investigate the diagnostic value of nucleic acid RT-PCR test kits and immunoglobulin (Ig)M/IgG antibody test kits. The χ2 test was used to compare differences between categorical variables. A 95% confidence interval (CI) was provided by the Wilson score method. All analyses were performed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States).

RESULTS

Of the 652 suspected COVID-19 patients, 237 (36.3%) had positive nucleic acid tests, 311 (47.7%) were positive for IgM, and 592 (90.8%) were positive for IgG. There was a significant difference in the positive detection rate between the IgM and IgG test groups (P < 0.001). Using the RT-PCR results as a reference, the specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of IgM/IgG combined tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection were 98.5%, 95.8%, and 97.1%, respectively. Of the 415 suspected COVID-19 patients with negative nucleic acid test results, 366 had positive IgM/IgG tests with a positive detection rate of 88.2%.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that serological IgM/IgG antibody combined test had high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and can be used in combination with RT-PCR for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SmbHLH53 is relevant to jasmonate signaling and plays dual roles in regulating the genes for enzymes in the pathway for salvianolic acid B biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors play essential roles in myriad regulatory processes, including secondary metabolism. In this study with Salvia miltiorrhiza, we isolated and characterized SmbHLH53, which encodes a bHLH family member. Expression of this gene was significantly induced by wounding and multiple hormones, including methyl jasmonic acid; transcript levels were highest in the leaves and roots. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that SmbHLH53 clusters withAtbHLH17 and AtbHLH13, two negative regulators of jasmonate (JA) responses, and is localized in the nucleus and cell membrane. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescent complementation assays indicated that SmbHLH53 forms a homodimer as well as a heterodimer with SmbHLH37. It also interacts with both SmJAZs1/3/8 and SmMYC2, the core members of the JA signal pathway. Unexpectedly, we noted that overexpression of SmbHLH53 did not significantly influence the concentrations of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B in transgenic plants. Results from yeast one-hybrid assays showed that SmbHLH53 binds to the promoters of SmTAT1, SmPAL1, and Sm4CL9, the key genes for enzymes in the pathway for phenolic acid synthesis. Assays of transient transcriptional activity demonstrated that SmbHLH53 represses the promoter of SmTAT1 while activating the promoter of Sm4CL9. Thus, the present work revealed that SmbHLH53 may play dual roles in regulating the genes for enzymes in the pathway for Sal B biosynthesis.

Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) Regulated by NRF-2/MicroRNA-1 Regulatory Axis Enhances Drug Resistance and Promotes Tumorigenic Properties in Sorafenib-Resistant Hepatoma Cells

Sorafenib, a multityrosine kinase inhibitor, is a standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the clinical response to sorafenib is seriously limited by drug resistance. Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is one of the most important inhibitory molecules involved in tumor immune evasion. Recently, it has been reported that PD-L1 could play crucial roles in drug resistance of many kinds of cancers. However, the expression, function, and regulation of PD-L1 in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells remain unclear. In this study, we reported that PD-L1 was overexpressed in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells, and shRNA-mediated PD-L1 depletion attenuated drug resistance and suppressed the migration, invasion, colony formation, and tumorigenesis in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations indicated that loss of microRNA-1 (miR-1), a tumor-suppressive microRNA, contributed to the PD-L1 upregulation in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells, and PD-L1 was a direct regulatory target of miR-1. Further study revealed that an oncogenic transcriptional factor, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF-2), was induced in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells and inhibited expression of miR-1 in vitro. From molecular mechanism insight back to the functional verification, we eventually demonstrated that miR-1 executed its tumor-suppressive effects on drug resistance and other malignant properties in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells partially by PD-L1 inhibition in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggested that a NRF-2/miR-1/PD-L1 regulatory axis contributed to the development and maintenance of drug resistance and other tumorigenic properties in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells and provided a potential therapeutic target for overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC.

[Soil moisture dynamics and productivity of poplar plantations under drip and furrow irrigation managements]

A 9-year-old poplar plantation was cultivated by drip irrigation and furrow irrigation in the sandland of ancient Yongding River in Daxing District of Beijing. Soil moisture sensors were set up in main soil layers (20, 40, 60 and 80 cm) with most roots distributed. The intelligent collector was used to monitor soil moisture in real time to investigate soil moisture dynamics and forest productivity under different irrigation patterns. The results showed that after a single effective drip irrigation and furrow irrigation, the vertical depth of wet body formed along the tree row was 72 cm and 143 cm, and the cross-sectional area of wet body was 0.41 and 2.71 m², respectively. The amount of irrigation was 79.20 and 776.47 m³·hm^-2 respectively, with the latter being 9.8 times of the former. The duration was almost the same (11 d) when soil moisture went down to the level of slight water deficit (the soil moisture content=70% of field moisture carrying capacity) in the 0-40 cm layer where poplar absorption roots mainly distributed. From April to October 2019, total irrigation amount of three times furrow irrigation in May, July and September was 2329.41 m³·hm^-2, and that of drip irrigation was 1425.60 m³·hm^-2, 18 times in total. There were 109 days during which poplar trees suffered moderate water deficit (the soil moisture content ≤60% of field moisture carrying capacity) under furrow irrigation, whereas no moderate water deficit happened under drip irrigation during the whole growing season. Annual increment of standing volume was 38.92 m³·hm^-2 under drip irrigation, which was 1.5 times of that under furrow irrigation (25.43 m³·hm^-2). Our results suggested that different irrigation resulted in significant difference in productivity of poplar plantation.

[Epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly in urban and rural areas in Shanghai]

Objective: To understand the epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly in Shanghai, as well as the differences between urban and rural areas, and provide evidence for targeted fall prevention and intervention. Methods: From January to March in 2017, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the elderly aged 60 or above selected from 7 urban communities and 6 rural communities in Shanghai to understand the epidemiologic characteristics of fall in the elderly and analyze the gender and urban-rural differences. Results: In urban area, a total of 3 386 elderly people were surveyed, in whom 441 (13.0%) had fall and 261 (7.7%) were injured after fall. In rural area, a total of 2 826 elderly people were surveyed, in whom 320 (11.3%) had fall and 169 (6.0%) were injured after fall. Fall risk in women were higher than that in men in both urban and rural areas with OR of 1.62 (95%CI: 1.42-1.86) and 1.16 (95%CI: 1.38-1.98) respectively, but the differences of fall related injury were not significant. Compared with urban areas, fall risk and fall related injury risk were both lower in rural areas with OR of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.73-0.99) and 0.74 (95%CI: 0.56-0.99). Compared with urban areas, men had lower risk for fall, and women had lower risk for fall related injury with OR of 0.68 (95%CI: 0.51-0.90) and 0.66 (95%CI: 0.47-0.93) respectively. Fall mainly occurred at home. Fall in urban area more frequently occurred on stairs, and fall in rural area more frequently occurred during farming. More than 60% of the falls had environmental risk factors. Slippery ground and uneven ground were main reasons. The incidence of fracture resulted from fall was high indicated by 89 fracture cases in urban areas (28.2%) and 64 fracture cases in rural areas (36.1%). Conclusions: The risk for fall in Shanghai had gender and urban-rural differences. Targeted intervention should be conducted according to the characteristics of fall in the elderly.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A2 and human digestive system neoplasms

Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A2 (eIF5A2), as one of the two isoforms in the family, is reported to be a novel oncogenic protein that is involved in multiple aspects of many types of human cancer. Overexpression or gene amplification of EIF5A2 has been demonstrated in many cancers. Accumulated evidence shows that eIF5A2 initiates tumor formation, enhances cancer cell growth, increases cancer cell metastasis, and promotes treatment resistance through multiple means, including inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition, cytoskeletal rearrangement, angiogenesis, and metabolic reprogramming. Expression of eIF5A2 in cancer correlates with poor survival, advanced disease stage, as well as metastasis, suggesting that eIF5A2 function is crucial for tumor development and maintenance but not for normal tissue homeostasis. All these studies suggest that eIF5A2 is a useful biomarker in the prediction of cancer prognosis and serves as an anticancer molecular target. This review focuses on the expression, subcellular localization, post-translational modifications, and regulatory networks of eIF5A2, as well as its biochemical functions and evolving clinical applications in cancer, especially in human digestive system neoplasms.

[Effects of preoperative secretions on dry ears after the surgery for chronic suppurative otitis media and cholesteatoma]

Objective: To investigate the influences of preoperative secretions of the patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and/or middle ear cholesteatoma on the time to have dry ears after the operations. Method: The study enrolled 228 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and/or middle ear cholesteatoma who received modified radical mastoidectomies and tympanoplasty. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether there were secreions in the surgical ear before the operations. The time to have dry ears after surgeries were compared between the two groups. Result: The time to have dry-ear postoperatively was significantly different between patients with different preoperative microbial types of surgical ear secretions(P<0.05). The dry ear time was(2.24±1.83) months in the secretion-free group, (2.22±1.96) months in the normal bacteria group of oral cavity and skin,(3.00±2.51) months in the single non-resistant bacteria group, (3.82±2.78) months in the fungal group and (6.82±1.83) months in the compound or multi-drug resistant bacteria group. The dry ear time of compound bacteria group or multi-drug resistant bacteria group was significantly longer than that of the other groups(P<0.05). The time to have dry ears of the fungus group was longer than that of the non-drug resistant bacteria, the normal oral and skin flora and the secretion free group(P<0.05). Chi-square test results showed that there was a significant difference in postoperative dry ear rate among patients with different preoperative secretions classification(P<0.05). Conclusion: The presence of secretion and microorganism type in ear before operation is an important influencing factor of postoperative time to have dry ears. Microbiological culture and appropriate medication based on the drug sensitivity tests are beneficial for the postoperative recovery of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and/or middle ear cholesteatoma.

[A multi-center cross-sectional survey of medicine application in patients with osteoarthritis in China]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics, the medicine application and to evaluate the disease activity in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in China.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. Totally 1 066 cases of OA from 40 hospitals in China from April to October 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, medicine application, and joint function were evaluated. All the data were analyzed by SPSS software 19.0. t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

In the 1 066 cases, the male-to-female ratio was 1:3.6 and the average age was (61.9±11.0) years, with an age range from 36 to 94 years. The incidence of knee OA, hip OA, and hand OA were respectively 81.9% (873/1 066), 14.1% (150/1 066), and 36.3% (387/1 066). In the study, 242 (22.7%) cases had two kinds of joint areas involved and three joint areas were involved in 51 cases (4.8%), and 56.6% (603/1 066) of the patients used more than one kind of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while 61.2% (652/1 066) used disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs), including glucosamine (37.5%, 400/1 066), chondroitin sulfate (2.0%, 21/1 066), diacetate (5.9%, 63/1 066), and the combination of these drugs (15.8%, 168/1 066). 8.6% (92/1 066) patients only took analgesics to relieve the pain, not using any kind of NSAIDs or DMOADs. And 232 patients (21.7%) had intra-articular injections, including 9.2% (98/1 066) sodium hyaluronate, 4.5%(48/1 066) glucocorticoid, and 8.1% (86/1 066) combination of the two drugs. The proportion of the patients taking topical drugs accounted for 26.5% (283/1 066) and physical therapy accounted for 15.8% (168/1 066). Compared with those who suffered from knee OA, the patients who suffered from hip OA had more severe disease assessment. Moreover, there were significant differences in pain (Z=-7.625, P<0.001), morning stiffness (Z=-6.229, P<0.001), and joint function (Z=-6.777, P<0.001) between the two groups of the patients who suffered from knee or hip OA with The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index. Furthermore, patients with hip OA took more analgesics (χ²=24.838, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Oral NSAIDs and DMOADs are wildly used in patients with OA in China. However, the treatment of some patients still need to be improved. Patients with hip OA are more seriously ill and require aggressive treatment.

[Screening of hot-spot deafness gene mutations among 277 cochlear implantation patients in Sichuan province]

Objective:To investigate the spectrum and incidence of the hot-spot deafness gene mutations of 277 patients with cochlear implantation in Sichuan province, and to provide information of the prevention and treatment for clinical application. Method: The data of the hotspot deafness gene mutations screening of 277 patients with cochlear implantation was analyzed retrospectively. A deafness related gene mutations detection kit was used to detect 9 mutation sites in four deafness-associated genes,including GJB2(35delG,176del16,235delC,299delAT), GJB3(538C＞T),SLC26A4(2168A＞G, IVS7-2A＞G), Mitochondrial 12SrRNA(1494C＞T, 1555A＞G). Result: ① A total of 122 patients with hot-spot Deafness Gene Mutations were detected in 277 cochlear implantation patients(44.04%),among which there were 39 patients were GJB2235delC homozygous mutation(14.08%), 23 patients were GJB2 235delC heterozygous mutation(8.30%), 1 patient was GJB2 299delAT homozygous mutation(0.36%), 2 patients were GJB2 176del16& 235delC compound heterozygous mutation(0.72%), 13 patients were GJB2 235delC& 299delAT compound heterozygous mutation(4.69%), 2 patients were SLC26A4 2168A＞G heterozygous mutation(0.72%), 16 patients were SLC26A4 IVS7-2A＞G homozygous mutation(5.78%), 22 patient were SLC26A4 IVS7-2A＞G heterozygous mutation(7.94%), 1 patients was SLC26A4 2168A＞G& IVS7-2A＞G compound heterozygous mutation(0.36%), 2 patients were mitochondrial 12SrRNA gene 1555A＞G homogenous mutation(0.72%), 1 patient carried both GJB2 235delC homozygous mutation and SLC26A4 IVS7-2A＞G heterozygous mutation(0.36%). ②A total of 49 patients with LVAS were found in 277 cochlear implantation patients: including 15 patients with IVS7-2A＞G homozygous mutation(30.61%), 22 patients with IVS7-2A＞G heterozygous mutation(44.90%), 1 patient with 2168A＞G heterozygous mutation(2.04%), 1 patient with complex heterozygosis mutations of 2168A＞G and IVS7-2A＞G(2.04%), 1 patient with GJB2 235delC homozygous mutation(2.04%) and 1 patient with GJB2 235delC&299delAT compound heterozygous mutation(2.04%), and no hotspot deafness gene mutations were found in 8 patients. ③There were 40 out of 277 cochlear implantation patients with definite family history.There was no statistic difference of the detection rate of hot-spot deafness gene mutations between in patients with family deafness history (57.50%) and in patients without family deafness history (41.77%). ④A total of 273 patients with profound binaural deafness were found among 277 cochlear implantation patients. Three patients with profound deafness in right ear and severe deafness in left ear were found among 277 cochlear implantation patients.Two patients of three were SLC26A4 IVS7-2A＞G heterozygosis mutations, and one patient of three was GJB2 235delC heterozygosis mutations; 1 patient with profound deafness in left ear and severe deafness in right ear was found among 277 cochlear implantation patients,and was GJB2 235delC heterozygosis mutations. Conclusion:① The detection rate of hotspot deafness gene mutations in 277 cochlear implantation patients is 44.04%(122/277). GJB2 Mutation is the most common, SLC26A4 mutation takes the second place, mitochondrial 12SrRNAgene mutation is not common and GJB3 mutation is not found in this study.② SLC26A4 mutation may not be the sole pathogenic factor of LVAS. ③ The results of this study suggest that the genetic background of cochlear implants patients has little effect on the data of the hotspot deafness gene mutations screening.

Research on the cause of death for severe stroke patients

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To explore the characteristics of mortality among severe stroke patients, analyse their causes of death and provide evidence for improving the survival rate of stroke patients.

BACKGROUND

Stroke is an important fatal and disabling disease that poses a large burden on its patients, and its high death rates have caused substantial concern to the World Health Organization.

DESIGN

A retrospective case-control study.

METHODS

A total of 188 patients who died of stroke in the neurological intensive care unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012-December 2015 were selected as cases. Additionally, 188 stroke survivors from the same neurological intensive care unit were randomly selected as paired cases. The clinical characteristics of the severe stroke patient deaths were analysed, and a univariate analysis was conducted to determine potential mortality risk factors. A logistic regression analysis was then conducted to determine the independent risk factors of mortality.

RESULTS

We investigated a total of 231 cases of death in neurological intensive care unit patients, 188 of whom died of stroke. Therefore, the death rate from stroke accounted for 81.3% of the total population, with ischaemic, haemorrhagic and mixed strokes accounting for 47.19%, 26.84% and 7.36% of the patients, respectively. The leading cause of death was central nervous system-related causes (central respiratory and circulatory failure, brain herniation), followed by multisystemic causes. The independent risk factors of death among the neurological intensive care unit patients were as follows: brain herniation (OR = 18.15), multiple organ failure (OR = 13.12), dyslipidemia (OR = 4.64), community-acquired lung infection (OR = 4.15), use of mechanical ventilation (OR = 3.37), hypoproteinemia (OR = 2.29), history of hypertension (OR = 2.03) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (OR = 1.75).

CONCLUSIONS

The most common cause of death in stroke patients was damage to the central nervous system. Independent risk factors were brain herniation, multiple organ failure, dyslipidemia, community-acquired lung infection, the use of mechanical ventilation, hypoproteinemia, a history of hypertension and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Clinicians should be aware of the presence and possible effects of these conditions. Early prevention, monitoring and intervention to modify controllable risk factors will improve patient prognosis.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Clinicians should be aware of the multiple independent risk factors of death and implement timely treatment measures to reduce the incidence of death in severe stroke patients.

Influence of KLF17 overexpression on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion of SW480 colorectal cancer cells

AIM

To assess the impact of KLF17 overexpression on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasive ability of SW480 colorectal cancer cells.

METHODS

The recombinant KLF17 expression plasmid with EGFP was transfected into SW480 cells, and non-transfected SW480 cells and SW480 cells transfected with the empty vector were used as controls. The changes in KLF17 mRNA and protein expression were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot at 48 h after transfection with the recombinant KLF17 expression plasmid. The changes in the expression of epithelial and mesenchymal makers in SW480 cells were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. Transwell chamber invasion assay was used to investigate the effect of KLF17 gene transfection on the invasive potential of SW480 cells.

RESULTS

The expression levels of KLF17 mRNA and protein in SW480 cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid (2.5087 ± 0.0288; 0.6100 ± 0.0579) were significantly increased compared with those in non-transfected SW480 cells (1.0000 ± 0.0198; 0.3543 ± 0.0340) (P < 0.01 for both). The expression levels of E-cadherin mRNA and protein in SW480 cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid (2.0704 ± 0.0620; 0.5446 ± 0.0245) were significantly higher than those in non-transfected SW480 cells (1.0000 ± 0.0106; 0.3952 ± 0.0430) (P < 0.01 for both), while the expression levels of vimentin mRNA and protein in SW480 cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid (0.4622 ± 0.0279; 0.3290 ± 0.0367) were significantly lower than those in non-transfected SW480 cells (1.0000 ± 0.0780; 0.5229 ± 0.0496) (P < 0.01 for both). After transfection with the recombination KLF17 expression plasmid, the invasive ability of SW480 cells (86.67 ± 10.97) was significantly lower than that of non-transfected SW480 cells (145.30 ± 11.37) and SW480 cells transfected with the empty vector (135.33 ± 12.66) (P < 0.01 for both).

CONCLUSION

KLF17 may inhibit SW480 cancer cell invasion by inhibiting EMT.

[Research advances in diabetic retinopathy telescreening systems]

Diabetic retinopathy has become the main cause of the sight impairment and blindness among the adult population. Early detection of diabetic retinopathy helps to prevent and reduce the damage to eyesight. The development of diabetic retinopathy telescreening systems has been rapid. The operation modes, key technologies, economic benefits and new progression of diabetic retinopathy telescreening systems are reviewed. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 868-871).

Expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Foxp3 in peripheral blood of patients with gastric carcinoma

The aim of this research was to study the clinical significance and expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and p3Forkhead transcription factor-3 (Foxp3) in peripheral blood of patients with gastric carcinoma (GC) and to investigate the effects in the occurrence and development process of GC, to further comprehend their clinical values and provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and immunotherapy of GC. The expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in GC patients, at TNM staging, differentiated degree, lymphatic metastasis, cancer sites and cancer diameter of GC, were analyzed within the groups. The comparison of the expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in peripheral blood between the GC group and the healthy control group showed a statistically significant difference. At TNM staging within the groups, pairwise comparisons of the expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs indicated that differences among the stage I+II group, stage III group and stage IV group were statistically significant. The expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs are closely relative to the occurrence and development of GC, providing theoretical bases and evidence for the early diagnosis, prognosis evaluation and immunotherapy of GC.

Tilt engineering of exchange coupling at G-type SrMnO3/(La,Sr)MnO3 interfaces

With the recent realization of hybrid improper ferroelectricity and room-temperature multiferroic by tilt engineering, "functional" octahedral tilting has become a novel concept in multifunctional perovskite oxides, showing great potential for property manipulation and device design. However, the control of magnetism by octahedral tilting has remained a challenging issue. Here a qualitative and quantitative tilt engineering of exchange coupling, one of the magnetic properties, is demonstrated at compensated G-type antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic (SrMnO3/La2/3Sr1/3MnO3) interfaces. According to interfacial Hamiltonian, exchange bias (EB) in this system originates from an in-plane antiphase rotation (a(-)) in G-type antiferromagnetic layer. Based on first-principles calculation, tilt patterns in SrMnO3 are artificially designed in experiment with different epitaxial strain and a much stronger EB is attained in the tensile heterostructure than the compressive counterpart. By controlling the magnitude of octahedral tilting, the manipulation of exchange coupling is even performed in a quantitative manner, as expected in the theoretical estimation. This work realized the combination of tilt engineering and exchange coupling, which might be significant for the development of multifunctional materials and antiferromagnetic spintronics.

[Determination the Change of Main Trace Elements in the Ovary with Self- and Cross-Pollination of Chinese Chestnut by ICP-MS]

Castanea mollissima Blume has potential as an non-wood forest trees that have been cultivated for thousands of years in China. In order to elucidate the trace elements of chestnut ovary, the major trace elements of self- and cross-pollination chestnut ovary were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results showed that self- and cross-pollination 5-50 d, six trace elements trends showed fluctuations. After cross-pollination 20 d, the content of Ca was up to 6.50 mg x g(-1), while the self-pollination 10 d, the content of Ca reached up to 7.77 mg x g(-1). After cross- and self-pollination pollination 30 d, the content of Mg were highest, 4.19 and 4.69 mg x g(-1), respectively. After cross-pollination 5 d, the content of Zn reached the highest, 0.038 7 mg x g(-1), while self-pollination 10d the content of Zn was 0.039 9 mg x g(-1). After self- and cross-pollination 35 d, the content of Fe were 0.022, 0.019 mg x g(-1), respectively. After cross- and self-pollination 20 d, the content of Cu were 0.056, 0.045 mg x g(-1), respectively. After self-pollination 40d, the content of Mn reaching the highest was 1.204 mg x g(-1), while cross-pollination 30 d, the content of Mn reached its maximum 0.845 mg x g(-1). The results can provide a reference for spraying fertilizer on the ovary development, thereby improving chestnut production.

ALDH1 Expression and the Prognosis of Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been identified as a putative cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in lung cancer. However, the clinicopathological and prognostic value of this protein in lung cancer patients remains controversial. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the clinical and prognostic significance of ALDH1 expression in lung cancer.

METHODS

An identification and review of publications assessing clinical or prognostic significance of ALDH1 expression in lung cancer until September 1, 2014 was undertaken. A meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association between ALDH1 expression and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 14 publications met the criteria and comprised 1926 cases. Analysis of these data showed that ALDH1 expression was not significantly associated with the patient age (OR = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45-1.50, P=0.52), tumour size (OR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.22-2.06, P=0.49), smoking status (OR=1.37, 95% CI: 0.85-2.22, P=0.19), or tumour grade (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 0.83-3.26, P=0.15). However, in the identified studies, ALDH1 expression was highly correlated with lymph node metastasis (OR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.16-3.34, P=0.01), tumour TNM staging (OR=1.68, 95% CI 1.28-2.22, P=0.0002), decreased overall survival (relative risk [RR]: 1.97,95% CI: 1.16-3.34, P =0.01) and decreased disease free survival (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.01-2.64, P=0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis shows ALDH1 expression in lung cancer is connected with decreased overall and disease free survival and thus marks a worse prognosis.

Genetic variations in microRNA genes and susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma

We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to investigate the effect of the miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a Chinese population. This study was 1:1 matched case-control study consisting of 184 HCC patients and 184 control subjects. miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Multivariate regression analyses showed that subjects carrying the miR-146a G allele and miR-499 G allele were associated with a non-significant increased risk of HCC compared with subjects with the homozygous allele, with adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 1.38 (0.97-1.84) and 1.40 (0.99-2.08), respectively. Moreover, subjects carrying the miR-499 A allele showed a greatly increased risk of HCC in subjects infected with HBV compared with subjects carrying the miR-499 A allele, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.53 (1.34-2.41). In conclusion, the miR-146aG>C and miR-499A>G polymorphisms do not have a role in the genetic susceptibility to HCC.

Tuning the entanglement between orbital reconstruction and charge transfer at a film surface

The interplay between orbital, charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom is at the core of correlated oxides. This is extensively studied at the interface of heterostructures constituted of two-layer or multilayer oxide films. Here, we demonstrate the interactions between orbital reconstruction and charge transfer in the surface regime of ultrathin (La,Sr)MnO₃, which is a model system of correlated oxides. The interactions are manipulated in a quantitative manner by surface symmetry-breaking and epitaxial strain, both tensile and compressive. The established charge transfer, accompanied by the formation of oxygen vacancies, provides a conceptually novel vision for the long-term problem of manganites—the severe surface/interface magnetization and conductivity deterioration. The oxygen vacancies are then purposefully tuned by cooling oxygen pressure, markedly improving the performances of differently strained films. Our findings offer a broad opportunity to tailor and benefit from the entanglements between orbit, charge, spin, and lattice at the surface of oxide films.

First Report of Basella rugose mosaic virus Infecting Four O'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) in China

Four o'clock (Mirabilis jalapa) and M. himalaica var. chinensis are members of the family Nyctaginaceae and are widely distributed weeds in Yunnan Province, China. In 2009, mosaic and malformation symptoms were observed on leaves of the four o'clock on the campus of Yunnan Agricultural University and in the Black Dragon Pool Park in Kunming City, China. More than 30% of the four o'clock plants showed symptoms of the disease. Sap from leaves of symptomatic four o'clock plants caused local chlorotic and necrotic lesions in inoculated Chenopodium amaranticolor after 7 to 10 days and systemic mosaic symptoms in C. quinoa and Nicotiana benthamiana after 10 to 12 days. No symptoms were observed following inoculation of sap from asymptomatic plants. A pure virus isolate (MJ) was obtained after three successive single-lesion transfers from C. amaranticolor. Following mechanical inoculation of the MJ isolate, seedlings of indicator plants, N. benthamiana, displayed mosaic symptoms. Moreover, back transmission to healthy four o'clock seedlings by leaf extracts from systemically infected N. benthamiana plants caused similar mosaic and malformation symptoms. Flexuous, filamentous particles (650 to 700 nm long and 13 nm wide) and cytoplasmic laminar aggregates and pinwheel inclusions typical of members of the genus Potyvirus were observed in infected four o'clock leaves by electron microscopy. No other virus particles were observed. Serological testing of 10 symptomatic and healthy plants using a monoclonal antibody specific for Potyvirus group members in an indirect ELISA (Agdia Inc., Elkhart, IN) also resulted in positive reactions in infected leaves, however, all healthy seedlings tested were negative. Total RNAs were extracted from infected four o'clock leaves with the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) and the 3'-terminal portion of the viral genome (including part of the NIb polymerase, the entire coat protein (CP), and 3'-UTR) was then amplified by reverse transcription-PCR with a universal Potyviridae primer Sprimer/M4 and an M4T as the initial primer (2). A fragment of 1,720 nucleotides long were separated, purified, and cloned and three independent clones were sequenced (GenBank Accession No. JN250997). Nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis of the putative CP gene, respectively, revealed 75.1 to 76.3% and 80.3 to 82.1% identity with the Basella rugose mosaic virus (BaRMV) (GenBank Accession Nos. DQ821938, DQ394891, and DQ821939), 77.4 and 81.0% identity with Peace lily mosaic virus (GenBank Accession No. DQ851494), and 76.0 and 81.7% identity with the Phalaenopsis chlorotic spot virus (GenBank Accession No. HM021142). However, on the basis of the CP gene sequence analyses, these three viruses shared high (>88.5 and >94.3%) CP nucleotide and amino acid identity and should be classified as the same Potyvirus species. According to the species demarcation criteria for the Potyviridae (1), the pathogen causing mosaic and malformation symptoms on four o'clock was BaRMV (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of BaRMV in four o'clock. References: (1) M. J. Adams et al. Arch. Virol. 150:459, 2005. (2) J. Chen et al. Arch. Virol. 146:757, 2001. (3) C. H. Hung and Y. C. Chang. Plant Pathol. 55:819, 2006.

Interaction between synchronous bilateral prophylactic oophorectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy in female patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer

AIM

In this study we explored the prognostic impact of synchronous bilateral prophylactic oophorectomy in female patients with primary colorectal cancer undergoing radical surgery.

METHOD

From 1991 to 2000, 267 female patients with stage II or stage III colorectal cancer, who had undergone curative resection, were retrospectively reviewed. In 224 patients, the ovaries were preserved. The other 43 patients underwent synchronous bilateral prophylactic oophorectomy. Univariate and multivariate analyses (Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression, respectively) were used to evaluate the effect of prophylactic oophorectomy and other clinical factors on the prognosis of patients.

RESULTS

Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor stage and adjuvant chemotherapy were the only two significant clinical factors that affected the 5-year overall survival of patients (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the 5-year overall survival between patients who had, or had not, undergone prophylactic oophorectomy (75%vs 73%, P > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis by adjuvant chemotherapy, the 5-year overall survival in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy was similar between nonoophorectomy and oophorectomy groups. However, in patients without adjuvant chemotherapy, the oophorectomy group was shown to have a significantly better 5-year overall survival than the nonoophorectomy group (76%vs 51%, P = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic oophorectomy may improve the overall survival of female patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer without adjuvant chemotherapy, but its survival benefit vanished in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. The role of prophylactic oophorectomy may be substituted by adjuvant chemotherapy, which makes prophylactic oophorectomy unnecessary during surgery for locally advanced colorectal cancer.

Dynamic changes in functional gene copy numbers and microbial communities during degradation of pyrene in soils

This study investigates the dynamics of pyrene degradation rates, microbial communities, and functional gene copy numbers during the incubation of pyrene-spiked soils. Spiking pyrene to the soil was found to have negligible effects on the bacterial community present. Our results demonstrated that there was a significant difference in nidA gene copy numbers between sampling dates in QZ soil. Mycobacterium 16S rDNA clone libraries showed that more than 90% mycobacteria detected were closely related to fast-growing PAH-degrading Mycobacterium in pyrene-spiked soil, while other sequences related to slow-growing Mycobacterium were only detected in the control soil. It is suggested that nidA gene copy number and fast-growing PAH-degrading Mycobacterium could be used as indicators to predict pyrene contamination and its degradation activity in soils.

[The role of octahedral montone in colonic barrier protection in severe acute pancreatitis rat model.]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective mechanism of octahedral montone in rats with acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

Seventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation (SO) group, a severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group and a treatment with octahedral montone group. Retrograde pancreatic ductal injection of 5% cholate sodium in rats was used to establish SAP models. Sham operation was done with intraperitoneal injection of normal saline. In the treated group octahedral montone was given through enema half hour before inducing SAP model. Then, we evaluate the pancreatic injury and detect the level of TNF-alpha, diamine oxidase (DAO) and endotoxin. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to determine the expressions of the tight junction protein occludin in the endothelial cells of intestinal mucosa at the time of hour 3, 6, 12 after operation.

RESULTS

(1) The pathological scores of pancreatitis were significantly higher in the SAP group than those in the treatment group and SO group (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the SO group, the level of TNF-alpha in the SAP group and the treatment group was much higher (P < 0.05), but the level in the treatment group was lower than that in the SAP group (P < 0.05). (3) The serum concentration of DAO and endotoxin was significantly increased in the SAP group, and the concentration in treatment group was higher than that in the SO group (P < 0.01), but lower than that in the SAP group (P < 0.01). The occludin protein and mRNA expression in the SAP group was the lowest and the expression in the treatment group was higher than that in the SAP group (P < 0.01), but lower than that in the SO group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Octahedral montone can improve the colonic barrier function, reduce the endotoxemia, and ameliorate the inflammation during acute pancreatitis.

[Lymphoplasmapheresis for Guillain-Barre syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect and security of lymphoplasmapheresis (LPE) for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).

METHODS

Sixty-six GBS patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the therapy group (33 patients) were treated with LPE in addition to the medical treatment; the control group (33 patients) only accepted the medical treatment. The therapeutic effect was evaluated with the initial recovery time of myodynamia and the myodynamia score difference, and the side effect of the therapy group was observed.

RESULTS

The therapy group were treated with LPE for 48 times,1.5 times per person. The average initial recovery time was quicker in the therapy group compared with that in the control group [(6.45+/-3.01) vs (8.36+/-3.83) days]. The difference of limb myodynamia score between pre-treatment and post-treatment in the therapy group was more than that in the control group. The improved number in the therapy group was more than that in the control group, but the ineffective number in the therapy group was not as many as that in the control group. The total effective rate in the therapy group was higher than that in the control group (51.5% vs 27.7%); the average hospital day in the therapy group was shorter than that in the control group [(19.42+/-7.25) vs (24.00+/-8.64) days]; and the difference had statistical significance(P<0.05). The average myodynamia score after the first LPE increased, but the difference had no statistical significance (P>0.05). After the second and the third LPE, the average myodynamia score continued to rise, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The incidence rate of side effects in the therapy group was 12.5%. Urticaria and hypotension were the major side effects, but they were light and could be relieved by symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSION

The therapeutic effect of LPE is definite, and the side effect is scarce. LPE is safe and effective, and it is worth of generalization and applying in clinical practice.

Effect of system of feeding and watering on performance of lactating sows

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of ad libitum access to feed and water and the option to mix feed and water, all in the same feeder, on the performance of multiparous lactating sows. Feed and water were made available to sows using a self-fed wet/dry (SFWD) or a hand-fed (HF) feed-water system. In the SFWD system, feed and water were dropped into a common trough area of the feeder. The sow determined when and how much of each was dropped. With feed falling onto the flat area of the bottom of the SFWD feeder trough and water falling into the shallow bowl area, and with the 2 areas seamlessly connected, the sow also determined the wetness of the feed consumed. In the HF system, sows were given dry feed twice daily in a J-shaped feeder that was independent of the sow's water source. Sows (n = 114) were assigned to treatments based on parity and genotype. Total feed disappearance per sow during lactation (20 +/- 0.2 d) was greater (P < 0.01) with the SFWD system than with the HF system (120 vs. 110 +/- 4.1 kg, respectively). The SFWD sows had greater (P < 0.01) BW gains during lactation than HF sows (6.2 vs. 0.6 +/- 1.85 kg, respectively). Backfat depth change during lactation did not differ (P = 0.37) between treatments. Likewise, percentage of sows displaying estrus by d 11 post-weaning did not differ (P = 0.51). Piglet weaning BW was greater (P < 0.01) with the SFWD system than with the HF system (6.63 vs. 6.12 +/- 0.22 kg, respectively). Sow average daily water intake and total feed wastage during lactation did not differ (P > 0.66) between treatments. However, sows with the SFWD system wasted less water (P < 0.01) than those with the HF system (15 vs. 232 +/- 12 L, respectively). From a commercial swine production perspective, the difference in waste water volume would result in a significant variation in costs associated with manure storage and distribution. In conclusion, use of a SFWD feed-water system in lactation, which provides sows choices of when to eat, how much to eat, and if dry feed should be mixed with water during consumption, enhances sow appetite, improves litter growth performance, and wastes less water than a HF feed-water system.

[The application radionuclide bone imaging in the treatment of hallux valgus]

Radionuclide bone imaging (RNBI) was performed by means of 99mTc-MDP on both 20 health subjects (40 feet) and 20 patients with hallux valgus (26 feet). The results showed that radioactivity intake were increased in second (or third) metatarsal of 26 feet of hallux valgus. The ratio of radioactivity of the lesion and contralateral normal site (D/N) had statistical difference (P < 0.01). Both the patient and normal groups RNBI is a highly sensitive study and valuable for the classification of diagnosis. It help for selection of surgical treatment, as to evaluate the results of the treatment.

[Changes of plasma motilin concentration in pregnancy and early postpartum period]

Plasma motilin concentration were determined by radioimmunoaction from 180 women during pregnancy and early postpartum period as compared with 20 healthy non-pregnant women. The results showed that mean plasma motilin concentration (384.40 +/- 110.30 ng/L) was higher in the first trimester of pregnancy than that of healthy non-pregnant women (366.12 +/- 96.23 ng/L), however, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). The mean plasma motilin concentration (323.90 +/- 125.10 ng/L) was lower in the second trimester of pregnancy than in the first trimester of pregnancy (P < 0.05), while the mean plasma motilin concentration in the third trimester of pregnancy (121.04 +/- 27.00 ng/L) was significantly lower than in second (P < 0.01) and the mean plasma motilin concentration in 3-5 d after delivery (443.05 +/- 140.79 ng/L) reached an even higher value (P < 0.01). Our results suggests that pregnancy appears to have a profound inhibitory effect on plasma motilin and this may in part be responsible for the gastrointestinal hypomotility during pregnancy.

[30 years' experience of obstetric hysterectomy]

Sixty-eight cases of obstetric hysterectomy were performed in our hospital from 1960 to 1989, an incidence of 27.63/10,000. The maternal mortality was 8.82% (6/68). Forty-four hysterectomies were done at end of cesarean sections and twenty-four performed after vaginal deliveries. Uterine rupture (48.53%) was the chief indication for emergent hysterectomies and placental disorders came next in frequency. The most common indication for nonemergency hysterectomies was uterine leiomyoma. The emergence of placenta accreta as major indication for hysterectomy is an obvious change since the past decade. Twelve of these patients (17.65%) underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and fifty-six (82.35%) subtotal hysterectomy. The operative indications, conditions and problems are discussed.

[Anesthesia for the low body weight neonates]

58 newborns weighting under 2500 gm were collected, who received surgery in the past five years (1985-1989) in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, and followed up the survivors until April 1990. We classified these 58 cases by physical status that 31 cases (53%) were in ASA II, 26 (45%) in ASA III, 1 (2%) in ASA IV; by body weight that 9 cases (16%) were under 1500 gm, 17 (29%) between 1501 and 2000 gm, 32 (55%) over 2000 gm; by gestational age that 26 cases (45%) were in term pregnancy, 14 (24%) in borderline prematurity, 16 (28%) in moderate prematurity, 2 (3%) in extreme prematurity. All these 58 cases were under endotracheal general anesthesia, the majority of surgery (32 cases) were abdominal procedures. They were all sent to pediatric intensive care unit after operation. The mortality rate was 42% (25 cases), 4 cases of those were dead within the post-operative 24 hours. In this study, the change of temperature during operative procedures was significantly correlative to the neonatal mortality (p less than 0.005).

Radiologic evaluation of the liver in the alcoholic patient

It has been well documented that long-term abuse of alcohol leads to dysfunction of multiple organ systems of the body. The liver, which is the primary organ responsible for alcohol metabolism, is also a major target for damage. Cirrhosis of the liver is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. The radiologist plays an important role in the evaluation and possibly in the treatment of the conditions which result from alcohol abuse. The advantages and limitations of various radiologic diagnostic modalities in the evaluation of alcoholic liver disease are presented and discussed.

The disposable umbrella catheter: an alternative to the standard balloon enema catheter

The authors describe the use of a new catheter for barium enema examination that eliminates the hazards of the straight and balloon type catheters.