Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic applications of huaier in breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer is one of the most common female malignant tumors today and represents a serious health risk for women. Although the survival rate and quality of life of patients with breast cancer are improving with the continuous development of medical technology, metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance of breast cancer remain a significant problem. Huaier, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) fungus, is a type of Sophora embolism fungus growing on old Sophora stems. The polysaccharides of Trametes robiniophila Murr (PS-T) are the main active ingredient of Huaier. There is increasing evidence that Huaier has great potential in breast cancer treatment, and its anti-cancer mechanism may be related to a variety of biological activities, such as the inhibition of cell proliferation, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, the promotion of cancer cell death, and regulation of tumor-specific immunity. There is growing evidence that Huaier may be effective in the clinical treatment of breast cancer. This review systematically summarizes the basic and clinical studies on the use of Huaier in the treatment of breast cancer, providing useful information to guide the clinical application of Huaier and future clinical studies.

Identification of potential diagnostic biomarkers associated with periodontitis by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth, including the gums and the bones supporting the teeth. Early detection and intervention are crucial for effective management of periodontitis. Our study aims to identify a diagnostic biomarker for periodontitis and explore the pathways associated with the occurrence and development of periodontitis. The expression of gingival tissue from periodontitis and healthy control were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to analyze module genes associated with periodontitis and DESeq2 were performed to identify differently expressed genes (DEGs) between periodontitis and healthy control. Then the candidate genes were obtained by intersecting the genes from interest modules and DEGs. Functional enrichment analysis was performed using gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of gene and genomes, followed by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The hub genes were identified by the cytoCNA plugin in Cytoscape. Finally, immunohistochemical staining of the hub genes was performed to validate the findings. WGCNA analysis found that the expression of the MEblack module was significantly higher in individuals with periodontitis compared to those in the healthy control group. A total of 888 DEGs, including 750 upregulated and 138 downregulated genes, were identified. Finally, 427 candidate genes were identified potentially associated with periodontitis after intersecting the DEGs and the black module genes. Several critical signaling pathways were identified associated with periodontitis by functional enrichment analysis, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, Staphylococcus aureus infection, and Interleukin-17 signaling pathway. The PPI network analysis revealed that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CXCL6) could play an important role in the process of periodontitis. The gene expression level of CXCL5 and CXCL6 detected using immunohistochemical verified the findings. In conclusion, we found that CXCL5 and CXCL6 are closely associated with the occurrence of periodontitis. Our present pilot study suggests that CXCL5 and CXCL6 have the potential to be used as a diagnostic biomarker of periodontitis.

Research progress of biomimetic materials in oral medicine

Biomimetic materials are able to mimic the structure and functional properties of native tissues especially natural oral tissues. They have attracted growing attention for their potential to achieve configurable and functional reconstruction in oral medicine. Though tremendous progress has been made regarding biomimetic materials, significant challenges still remain in terms of controversy on the mechanism of tooth tissue regeneration, lack of options for manufacturing such materials and insufficiency of in vivo experimental tests in related fields. In this review, the biomimetic materials used in oral medicine are summarized systematically, including tooth defect, tooth loss, periodontal diseases and maxillofacial bone defect. Various theoretical foundations of biomimetic materials research are reviewed, introducing the current and pertinent results. The benefits and limitations of these materials are summed up at the same time. Finally, challenges and potential of this field are discussed. This review provides the framework and support for further research in addition to giving a generally novel and fundamental basis for the utilization of biomimetic materials in the future.

[Analysis of clinicopathological and molecular abnormalities of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinicopathological features, molecular changes and prognostic factors in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL).

METHODS

Sixty-one cases AITL diagnosed by Department of Pathology of Peking University Cancer Hospital were collected with their clinical data. Morphologically, they were classified as typeⅠ[lymphoid tissue reactive hyperplasia (LRH) like]; typeⅡ[marginal zone lymphoma(MZL)like] and type Ⅲ [peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not specified (PTCL-NOS) like]. Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate the presence of follicular helper T-cell (TFH) phenotype, proliferation of extra germinal center (GC) follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), presence of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS)-like cells and large B transformation. The density of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) + cells was counted with slides stained by Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization on high power field (HPF). T-cell receptor / immunoglobulin gene (TCR/IG) clonality and targeted exome sequencing (TES) test were performed when necessary. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Morphological subtype (%): 11.4% (7/61) cases were classified as type Ⅰ; 50.8% (31/61) as type Ⅱ; 37.8% (23/61) as type Ⅲ. 83.6% (51/61) cases showed classical TFH immunophenotype. With variable extra-GC FDC meshwork proliferation (median 20.0%); 23.0% (14/61) had HRS-like cells; 11.5% (7/61) with large B transformation. 42.6% (26/61) of cases with high counts of EBV. 57.9% (11/19) TCR⁺/IG^-, 26.3% (5/19) TCR⁺/IG⁺, 10.5% (2/19) were TCR^－/IG^－, and 5.3% (1/19) TCR^－/IG⁺. Mutation frequencies by TES were 66.7% (20/30) for RHOA, 23.3% (7/30) for IDH2 mutation, 80.0% (24/30) for TET2 mutation, and 33.3% (10/30) DNMT3A mutation. Integrated analysis divided into four groups: (1) IDH2 and RHOA co-mutation group (7 cases): 6 cases were type Ⅱ, 1 case was type Ⅲ; all with typical TFH phenotype; HRS-like cells and large B transformation were not found; (2) RHOA single mutation group (13 cases): 1 case was type Ⅰ, 6 cases were type Ⅱ, 6 cases were type Ⅲ; 5 cases without typical TFH phenotype; 6 cases had HRS-like cells, and 2 cases with large B transformation. Atypically, 1 case showed TCR^－/IG^－, 1 case with TCR^－/IG⁺, and 1 case with TCR⁺/IG⁺; (3) TET2 and/or DNMT3A mutation alone group (7 cases): 3 cases were type Ⅱ, 4 cases were type Ⅲ, all cases were found with typical TFH phenotype; 2 cases had HRS-like cells, 2 cases with large B transformation, and atypically; (4) non-mutation group (3 cases), all were type Ⅱ, with typical TFH phenotype, with significant extra-GC FDC proliferation, without HRS-like cells and large B transformation. Atypically, 1 case was TCR^－/IG^－. Univariate analysis confirmed that higher density of EBV positive cell was independent adverse prognostic factors for both overall survival (OS) and progression free survival(PFS), (P=0.017 and P=0.046).

CONCLUSION

Pathological diagnoses of ALTL cases with HRS-like cells, large B transformation or type Ⅰ are difficult. Although TCR/IG gene rearrangement test is helpful but still with limitation. TES involving RHOA, IDH2, TET2, DNMT3A can robustly assist in the differential diagnosis of those difficult cases. Higher density of EBV positive cells counts in tumor tissue might be an indicator for poor survival.

[Clinicopathological features and prognosis of anorectal melanoma: A report of 68 cases]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of anorectal mucosal melanoma (ARMM), and to evaluate the prognostic factors.

METHODS

A total of 68 primary ARMM surgical specimens from 2010 to 2018 were retrospectively studied. Slides were reviewed to evaluate pathological features. Slingluff staging method was used for staging.

RESULTS

(1) Clinical features: The median age at diagnosis in this group was 61.5 years, with a male-to-female ratio 1 ∶1.62. The most common complaint was blooding (49 cases). For anatomic site, anorectum was the prevalent (66.2%), followed by rectum (20.6%). At the time of diagnosis, 28 cases were stage Ⅰ (localized stage, 41.2%), 25 cases were stage Ⅱ (regional lymph node metastasis, 36.8%), and 15 cases were stage Ⅲ (distant metastasis, 22.1%). Five patients underwent wide local excision, the rest abdominoperineal resection, and 48 patients received adjuvant therapy after surgery. (2) Pathological features: Grossly 88.2% of the tumors were exophytic polypoid masses, with the median tumor size 3.5 cm and the median tumor thickness 1.25 cm. Depth of invasion below lamina muscularis mucosae ranged from 0-5.00 cm (median 1.00 cm). The deepest site of tumor invasion reached muscular layer in 27 cases, and perirectal tissue in 16 cases. Melanin pigmentation was absent or not obvious in 67.6% of the cases. The predominant cytology was epithelioid (45 cases, 66.2%). The rate for ulceration, necrosis, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion was 89.7%, 35.3%, 55.9%, and 30.9%, respectively. The median mitotic count was 18/mm². The positive rate of S100, HMB-45 and Melan-A were 92.0%, 92.6% and 98.0%, respectively. The median of Ki-67 was 50%. The incidences of mutations within CKIT, BRAF and NRAS genes were 17.0% (9 cases), 3.8% (2 cases) and 9.4% (5 cases), respectively. (3) Prognosis: Survival data were available in 66 patients, with a median follow-up of 17 months and a median survival time of 17.4 months. The 1-year, 2-year and 5-year overall survival rate was 76.8%, 36.8% and 17.2%, respectively. The rate of lymphatic metastasis at diagnosis was 56.3%. Forty-nine patients (84.5%) suffered from distant metastasis, and the most frequent metastatic site was liver. Univariate analysis revealed that tumor size (>3.5 cm), depth of invasion below lamina muscularis mucosae (>1.0 cm), necrosis, lymphovascular invasion, BRAF gene mutation, lack of adjuvant therapy after surgery, deep site of tumor invasion, and high stage at diagnosis were all poor prognostic factors for overall survival. Multivariate model showed that lymphovascular invasion and BRAF gene mutation were independent risk factors for lower overall survival, and high stage at diagnosis showed borderline negative correlation with overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The overall prognosis of ARMM is poor, and lymphovascular invasion and BRAF gene mutation are independent factors of poor prognosis. Slingluff staging suggests prognosis effectively, and detailed assessment of pathological features, clear staging and genetic testing should be carried out when possible. Depth of invasion below lamina muscularis mucosae of the tumor might be a better prognostic indicator than tumor thickness.

[Fecal rotavirus and adenovirus antigen detection and clinical analysis of children with acute gastroenteritis in a hospital of Beijing City from 2019 to 2022]

As a single-center retrospective study, we analyzed the results of rotavirus and human adenovirus antigens in stool samples with colloidal gold immunochromatography method in children with acute gastroenteritis under the age of five who were treated in our hospital from 2019 to 2022. After excluding nonconforming cases and duplicate cases, 2 896 cases were included, of which 559 cases were detected with at least one viral antigen. According to the test results, they were divided into RV positive group, HAdV positive group and RV & HAdV double positive group. The gender, age, seasonal distribution, clinical symptoms and related laboratory tests were compared and analyzed with χ² test, analysis of variance and nonparametric test. Among the single samples from 2 896 children, the positive rate of RV antigen was 6.21% (180/2 896), the positive rate of HAdV antigen was 10.91% (316/2 896), and the double positive rate of RV & HAdV was 2.18% (63/2 896). The positive rate of HAdV antigen in 2021 was 16.11%, a significant increase compared with 6.20% in 2020. RV infection has obvious seasonality, and spring and winter are the seasons with high incidence of infection (χ²=74.018, P<0.001), while HAdV infection has no obvious seasonality (χ²=2.110, P=0.550), showing sporadic infection throughout the year. The proportions of fever and vomiting symptoms in children with RV infection were significantly higher than those in the HAdV infection group (χ²=40.401, P<0.001; χ²=32.593, P<0.001), but the positive rate of white blood cells in the stool was significantly lower than that in the HAdV infection group (χ²=13.741,P<0.01). In summary, paying attention to the epidemiological changes of RV and HAdV is of great significance for clinical diagnosis and treatment and disease prevention and control.

[Corrosive sclerosing cholangitis after surgical treatment of hepatic cystic echinococcosis: a case report]

Corrosive sclerosing cholangitis is a rare postoperative complication of hepatic cystic echinococcosis. Although corrosive sclerosing cholangitis is rare, it progresses rapidly and lacks effective treatments, which usually results in a poor prognosis. This case report retrospectively analyzed the treatment and diagnosis of a case with corrosive sclerosing cholangitis following surgical treatment of hepatic cystic echinococcosis, so as to provide insights into the diagnosis and treatment of corrosive sclerosing cholangitis.

[Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder: report of 5 cases]

The clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging results, diagnosis and treatment and prognosis of 5 patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder were analyzed. It was found that the clinical characteristics of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder were very similar to that of gallbladder malignant tumor, and it was difficult to differentiate. Ultrasound guided gallbladder needle biopsy can confirm the diagnosis before surgery. Surgery is still the first choice of treatment. Since laparoscopic surgery has obvious advantages over open surgery, it is recommended to be preferentially used. If the tumor is under T2 stage and has no aggressive metastasis, the prognosis is generally good.

Huaier polysaccharides suppress triple-negative breast cancer metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by inducing autophagic degradation of Snail

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, and the targeted therapies are lacking for this type of cancer. We previously demonstrated that Huaier effectively improve 5-year OS and DFS in stage III TNBC patients, and the polysaccharides of Huaier (PS-T) have been identified as the major components of Huaier. However, the mechanisms of anti-tumor action of PS-T is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PS-T on TNBC cell invasion and migration.

Results

This study showed that PS-T inhibited cell invasion and migration both in vitro and in vivo by inducing autophagy to suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Autophagy inhibitor LY294002 or knockdown of ATG5 suppressed the inhibitory effects of PS-T. In addition, as a key transcription factor controlling EMT initiation, Snail was found to be degraded by PS-T induced autophagy. In addition, overexpression of Snail reversed the inhibitory effects of PS-T. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the expression of Snail was inversely correlated with LC3 and associated with poor prognosis using immunohistochemistry and TCGA database analysis, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that PS-T could inhibit EMT in breast cancer cells by inducing autophagy to degrade Snail protein, thus improving the prognosis of TNBC, offering potential treatment alternatives for TNBC patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-021-00682-6.

[Progress of researches on novel diagnostic markers for alveolar echinococcosis]

Imaging and serological approaches play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of alveolar echinococcosis; however, they also suffer from some problems during their applications in clinical practices, which urges the identification of potential diagnostic markers. Novel serological, genomics and proteomics diagnostic markers alone or in combination may increase the sensitivity and specificity in early diagnosis of alveolar echinococcosis, which play vital roles in monitoring of disease courses and prognostic evaluation. This review mainly presents the advances in the studies on novel diagnostic markers for alveolar echinococcosis.

[Cystic echinococcosis of the waist and hip: a case report]

A patient with cystic echinococcosis was presented with primary lesions in the waist and hip. The case was misdiagnosed as subcutaneous abscess at initial diagnosis, and then definitively diagnosed as echinococcosis by means of imaging examinations and anti-Echinococcus antibody test. This case was reported with aims to improve the awareness of cystic echinococcosis among clinical physicians to avoid and reduce the misdiagnosis and missing diagnosis.

[Morphological classification of acute isolated pontine infarction and it's clinical relevance]

Objective: To investigate a diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)-based morphological classification for acute isolated pontine infarcts (AIPI) and to assess differences in clinical characteristics, risk factors and functional outcomes among the different morphologies. Methods: All participants from SMART cohort with DWI-proven AIPI were included and categorized into 3 groups: basilar artery branch disease (BABD) group, small artery disease (SAD) group and large-artery-occlusive disease (LAOD) group, according to lesion extent of the transverse axial plane and basilar artery atherosclerosis severity. The clinical characteristics, vascular risk factors and 6-month's functional outcome was analyzed among 3 groups. Results: Of the 1 129 patients enrolled, 175 had AIPI. BABD was the most frequent subtype of AIPI (46.3%), followed by SAD (36.0%) and LAOD (17.7%). Neurological impairment on admission was more severe in the LAOD and BABD group than SAD group (P<0.001). In terms of risk factors, the percentage of hypertension was significant different among three groups (P<0.05). The average National Institute of Health stroke scale was 3.49 for SAD group, 5.93 for LAOD group, 5.97 for BABD group, and the differences were significant (P<0.001). The Poor outcome (mRS>2) was found in only 13.7% of patients at 6-month post-stroke and there was no difference among 3 groups. Conclusions: According to the morphological classification, BABD is the most frequent subtype of AIPI. The differences of the clinical characteristics and risk factors among three groups indicate that differences observed in morphology might have distinct pathophysiologic mechanisms. AIPI can be reliably classified based on morphology using clinical magnetic resonance images.

[Prevalence and risk factors of perivascular space in the population of Shunyi Study]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence on imaging, topographic distribution and risk factors of perivascular space (PVS) in community population. Methods: This study was based on the population of Shunyi Study in China from June 2013 to September 2016. One thousand two hundred and thirty-two stroke free participants older than 35 years, who completed cerebral MRI, were included. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed by interview, physical examination and blood sample tests. PVS were evaluated on high-resolution 3-dimensional-T1WI, T2WI and FLAIR sequences. On T1WI, PVS were detected according to 3D imaging criteria. The number and anatomic location of large PVS (≥3 mm) were recorded. And severity of PVS was then semiquantitatively graded in both white matter (WM) and basal ganglia (BG). Associations between risk factors and PVS were analyzed by multinominal Logistic regression models and adjusted for age, gender and relevant confounders. Results: Perivascular spaces were observed in the BG or WM in every subject, aged (55±10) years and 37.3% male. Large PVS were detected in 19.0% (460/1 232) of participants. Severity of PVS was found to be strongly associated with age in both basal ganglia (severe versus mild: OR=1.81; 95%CI 1.45-2.27, P<0.01) and white matter (OR=1.39; 95%CI 1.13-1.71, P<0.01), and the proportion of subjects with hypercholesterolemia decreased with the severity of PVS in BG (OR=0.58, P=0.01) . The present of large PVS was found to be associated with age(present versus absent: OR=1.03, 95%CI 1.02-1.05, P<0.01) and ApoE ε4 carrier genotype(OR=1.53, 95%CI 1.01-2.23, P=0.04). Conclusions: Perivascular spaces are always detected in the BG or WM in elderly people, and large PVS are also prevalent in community-based population. The risk factors are different due to distribution and size, and may depend on anatomic or pathologic characteristics.

[Preliminary application of endonasopharyngeal ultrasound-guided transnasopharyngeal needle aspiration in the diagnosis of submucosal nasopharyngeal carcinoma]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety and clinical value of endonasopharyngeal ultrasound-guided transnasopharyngeal needle aspiration (ENUS-TNNA) in the diagnosis of submucosal nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Clinical data of 9 patients from Sichuan Cancer Hospital with submucosal nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing ENUS-TNNA between December 2013 and January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The feasibility and safety were analyed. All 9 patients were all males with a mean age of (49.2±10.9) years. Results: Needle puncture biopsies were successfully performed in all cases, and sufficient tissue sample for histopathological examination was obtained from each of the 9 patients. No major bleeding or persistent bleeding occurred during and after puncture procedures. There were 5 patients with undifferentiated nonkeratinizing carcinoma and 4 patients poorly differentiated carcinoma. Conclusion: ENUS-TNNA is a safe, feasible and effective technique to provide a diagnosis of submucosal growth type of nasopharyngeal neoplasms, which has some clinical value.

Self-adjusting antibacterial properties of Ag-incorporated nanotubes on micro-nanostructured Ti surfaces

The bactericidal activity of a silver loading platform in the “release” mode during the early phase and “contact” mode thereafter.

[Comparison of efficacy between sorafenib and sunitinib as first-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma and analyze prognostic factors for survival]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and drug related adverse reactions of sorafenib and sunitinib as first-line tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and analyze the clinical prognostic factor for survival. Methods: The data of 271 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who had complete clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed, including 174 cases in sorafenib group and 97 cases in sunitinib group, to access patients' overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Prognostic values of all characteristics were determined by using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Results: The objective response rates (ORR) of the sorafenib and sunitinib groups were 14.9% and 19.6%, respectively, and the disease control rates (DCR) were 85.1% and 88.6%, respectively. No significant difference was found between the sorafenib and sunitinib group in ORR (P=0.325) or DCR (P=0.408). The most common grade 3 to 4 adverse events in the sorafenib group were hand-foot syndrome (6.7%), diarrhea (2.3%), and rash (2.3%). The most common grade 3 to 4 adverse events in the sunitinib group were neutropenia (6.2%), hand-foot syndrome (6.2%), and thrombocytopenia (4.6%). During the follow-up, 97 cases death occurred and 81 cases disease progression occurred in sorafenib group. The median PFS was 12 months (95% CI: 9-15 months), and the median OS was 25 months (95% CI: 21-29 months) in sorafenib group. While 74 cases death occurred and 40 cases disease progression occurred in sunitinib group, the median PFS was 12 months (95% CI: 10-12 months) and the median OS was 23 months (95% CI: 20-32 months) in sunitinib group. No significant difference was found between the sorafenib and the sunitinib group in PFS (P=0.771) or OS (P=0.548). Multivariate analysis showed Fuhrman grades (HR=1.358, 95%CI: 1.004-1.835), number of metastatic sites (HR=1.550, 95%CI: 1.143-2.101) and MSKCC risk grade (Intermediate risk group: HR=1.621, 95%CI: 1.117-2.232; Poor risk group: HR=2.890, 95%CI: 1.942-4.298) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Fuhrman grades (HR=2.135, 95%CI: 1.533-2.974), number of metastatic sites (HR=1.774, 95%CI: 1.279-2.461) and MSKCC risk grade (Intermediate risk group: HR=1.415, 95%CI: 1.002-1.998; Poor risk group: HR=3.161, 95%CI: 2.065-4.838) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that sorafenib and sunitinib are both effective as the first-line TKIs for mRCC patients and sorafenib has comparable efficacy to sunitinib. But they have differences in the incidence of adverse effects. Fuhrman grades, number of metastatic sites and MSKCC risk grade are independent prognostic factors for mRCC patients.

[Clinical analysis of paraneoplastic neurological syndrome associated with thymoma]

Objectives: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of antibody mediated paraneoplastic neurological syndrome associated with thymoma. Methods: From 2012 to 2017, the paraneoplastic antibody and neuron antibody were tested from both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in consecutive patients clinically suspected with neurological paraneoplastic syndromes/unknown encephalitis in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.The clinical data, lab results, electrophysiological examinations, imaging features, treatment and clinical prognosis were collected.In this study, the patients who met the diagnostic criteria of both thymoma and neurological paraneoplastic syndrome were retrospectively analyzed.The functional severity was assessed by modified Rankin score(mRS). Results: Six patients (4 female and 2 male) were included for the analysis.Of them, 4 patients presented with limbic encephalitis, 1 with peripheral neuropathy accompanying with myasthenia gravis and 1 with spinal and cerebella degeneration.Three patients were in severe condition (mRS=5). Positive α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-iso xazolepropionic acid receptor, antibody (AMPAR) was identified in 3 patients(2 in blood and CSF, 1 in blood), CV2 plus acetylcholine receptor antibody (ACH-Ab) positive in blood was seen in 1 patient and positive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in blood and CSF in 1 patient. Brain MRI showed abnormalities in 2 patients.The CT scan revealed thymoma in all 6 patients.All patients received intravenous immunogloblin (IVIG) and/or glucocorticoid immediately after diagnosis.Furthermore, thymectomy was performed in 5 patients. All the patients were remarkably improved with mRS 0-1 at discharge.Five patients were clinical stable within follow-up of 1-2.5 years.However, one patient who refused thymectomy experienced several clinical recurrencs. Conclusions: Antibodies mediated paraneoplastic neurological syndrome/autoimmune encephalitis can occur in patients with thymoma with typical characteristics. The correlated antibody test and chest CT might be important in patients clinically suspected with neurological paraneoplastic syndrome or encephalitis with unknown reason. Surgical thymectomy combining with active immunological treatment may play a role in the favorable prognosis, even in those clinical severe patients.

[Expression of CD137 in tumor cells of Hodgkin lymphoma from Northern China and its application in pathological differential diagnosis]

目的

明确CD137在北方地区经典型霍奇金淋巴瘤（cHL）中的表达，探讨其作为cHL辅助病理鉴别诊断新指标的可能应用价值。

方法

收集54例cHL患者资料，以55例伴有“HRS样细胞”的非cHL患者为对照。在病理组织标本中选取“HRS细胞”或“HRS样细胞”丰富的区域制作组织芯片；以“HRS细胞”或“HRS样细胞”为观察对象，cHL组应用CD30、CD15、CD20、PAX5、CD3免疫组织化学染色；同时对两组患者标本进行CD137（BBK-2）抗体免疫组织化学染色及采用EBV编码的小RNA（EBER）原位杂交法检测EBV感染状态。

结果

54例cHL患者均为淋巴结内原发，中位年龄45.5（22.0~68.0）岁；男女比例1.7∶1；对照组患者结内54例，结外（皮肤）1例，中位年龄50.0（12.0~81.0）岁；男女比例1.9∶1。54例cHL患者均表达CD30，HRS细胞主要诊断相关免疫标志物CD30、CD15、CD20、CD3阳性表达率依次为100.0%、70.4%、18.5％和0，可见PAX5弱至中等强度表达，阳性率70.4%；EBV感染阳性率25.9%（对照组阳性率21.8%）。cHL组CD137阳性率57.4%，对照组阳性率14.5%，差异有统计学意义（P<0.001）。将cHL组及对照组按照患者年龄（≥60/<60岁）、性别、有无EBV感染、组织学亚型以及主要诊断相关标志物的表达与否进行分组，CD137阳性率差异均无统计学意义（P值均> 0.05）。以2013年为界进行分组，2013年前后两组cHL患者的CD137阳性率差异有统计学意义（39.4%对85.7%，P=0.001），对照组差异无统计学意义（12.5％对16.1%，P=0.705）；2013以后存档的标本中cHL组与对照组患者CD137阳性率差异有统计学意义（85.7％对16.1%，P<0.001）。

结论

通过研究初步证实北方地区大多数cHL患者的HRS细胞表达CD137，而对照组患者“HRS样细胞”CD137阳性率较低。保存期3年以内较保存期3年以上的cHL患者标本CD137阳性率高，更适于进行CD137免疫组织化学染色检测。CD137有望作为辅助cHL病理鉴别诊断的新指标。

Corrosion resistance and biological properties of a micro–nano structured Ti surface consisting of TiO2 and hydroxyapatite

A micro–nanostructured Ti surface consisting of TiO₂ and HA was prepared by MAO, and showed improved corrosion resistance and biological properties.

[TNFAIP3 deletion status in classical Hodgkin lymphoma and its relation to Epstein-Barr virus]

Objective: To investigate the TNFAIP3/A20 abnormalities and its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL). Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded tissue blocks of 54 CHL patients were collected and subjected to the construction of tissue microarray (TMA) for further analyses. EBV status was evaluated by in situ hybridization (ISH) for EBER1/2 and immunohistochemistry (IHC) with anti-LMP-1 antibody. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and IHC were performed to determine the copy number alterations of TNFAIP3 and A20 protein expression respectively. Results: The concordance rate of IHC for LMP-1 and ISH for EBER1/2 was100%, and 25.9% (14/54) cases were identified with EBV infection. Immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated 27.8% (15/54) cases with A20 expression deficiency. Of the 54 cases tested for A20 expression, 49 cases were simultaneously analyzed by FISH, which showed 10 (20.4% ) cases harboring TNFAIP3 deletion. However, discrepancy was observed between the results of A20 by IHC and TNFAIP3 deletion by FISH. Only 1 case with TNFAIP3 deletion demonstrated complete loss of A20 immunoreactivity. In addition, comparison of the frequency of either A20 expression loss or TNFAIP3 deletion between EBV-positive and-negative cases did not reveal any significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: TNFAIP3 deletion could be observed in both EBV-positive and - negative CHL cases. A20 expression by IHC could not confirm TNFAIP3 deletion by FISH, which might be related to the technical issues.

Regulation of size and uniformity of In2O3 nanooctahedra

Rational regulation of the size and uniformity of nanoparticles has drawn great interests and shown widespread application, but this cannot be simply achieved by the vapor route. In this work, by adopting a chemical vapor deposition approach, the growth process was intricately regulated to guide the reagent supersaturation, and the large-scale growth of uniform-sized In2O3 nanooctahedra was realized. A one-time nucleation and synchronous growth mode controlled by the reagent supersaturation ratio is proposed to be responsible for the uniformity of size. Furthermore, a series of comparative experiments were conducted to study the size dependence on reaction duration, and temperature difference between the heating and depositing zones. This study demonstrates a feasible approach to prepare uniform-sized nanoparticles through precisely controlling the crystal growth process, and the developed growth strategy could be generalized to synthesize uniform-sized nanostructures of other material systems.

Cavernosum smooth muscle relaxation induced by Schisandrol A via the NO-cGMP signaling pathway

To evaluate the effect of Schisandrol A on rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and elucidate the potential mechanism. Penises were obtained from healthy male New Zealand White rabbits (2.5-3.0 kg). The pre-contracted penis with phenylephrine (Phe, 10 µM) was treated with accumulative concentrations of Schisandrol A (10-7, 10-6, 10-5 and 10-4 M). The change in intracavernosum pressure (ICP) and tension was recorded, cyclic nucleotides in the cavernosum tissue were measured by radioimmunoassay, mRNA level and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) were measured by real time PCR and western blot respectively. The corpus cavernosum smooth muscle relaxation induced by Schisandrol A was in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with NOS inhibitor (Nω nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester, L-NAME) or guanylyl cyclase inhibitor (1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one, ODQ) significantly diminished the relaxation. The cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) level was significantly increased in the cavernosum tissue. Real time PCR and western blot showed the mRNA level and expression of eNOS and nNOS was also upregulated. Schisandrol A relaxes the cavernosum smooth muscle by activating NO-cGMP signaling pathway. It may be a new promising treatment for erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

Analysis of genetic diversity and population structure of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) from China and Malaysia based on species-specific simple sequence repeat markers

Genetic diversity and patterns of population structure of the 94 oil palm lines were investigated using species-specific simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We designed primers for 63 SSR loci based on their flanking sequences and conducted amplification in 94 oil palm DNA samples. The amplification result showed that a relatively high level of genetic diversity was observed between oil palm individuals according a set of 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.3683 and 0.4035, with an average of 0.3859. The Ho value was a reliable determinant of the discriminatory power of the SSR primer combinations. The principal component analysis and unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averaging cluster analysis showed the 94 oil palm lines were grouped into one cluster. These results demonstrated that the oil palm in Hainan Province of China and the germplasm introduced from Malaysia may be from the same source. The SSR protocol was effective and reliable for assessing the genetic diversity of oil palm. Knowledge of the genetic diversity and population structure will be crucial for establishing appropriate management stocks for this species.

First Report of Alternaria alternata Causing Leaf Spots of Tea (Camellia sinensis) in China

Tea is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage crop in the world, which originated in China and has been cultivated in over 45 countries. In recent years, a leaf spot disease of unknown etiology has been observed on young leaves of tea trees (Camellia sinensis) grown in Luotian county, Hubei Province, China. Observed symptoms display grayish brown to white spots (about 1 cm in diameter) surrounded by brown edges. Over 20% of the young leaves were affected on surveyed trees. To identify the pathogen, six symptomatic tea leaves were collected from six individual tea trees of unknown variety in August 2012. A thin section (3 to 5 mm) of symptomatic tissue was sterilized in a bleach solution of 3% hypochlorite and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium at 25°C in darkness for isolation. Six fungal colonies displaying gray-brown and gray-white aerial mycelia were consistently recovered from lesions of the six leaves, termed as T1 to T6, respectively. Conidia produced on the colonies were olive brown, obpyriform, short conical beak at the tip, 0 to 3 vertical and 1 to 6 transverse septa, and length × width of 7.1 to 31.7 (avg. 20.1) × 2.9 to 12.7 (avg. 7.2) μm. T1 to T6 were identified as Alternaria alternata on the basis of morphological characterization, respectively (2). Confirmation of the species identification was obtained by molecular characterization of their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) regions amplified from the genomic DNAs using the universal primers (1). The results revealed identical sequences of ITS (GenBank Accession No. KF699530) and GAPDH among the six isolates. BLAST searches showed that they had the highest similarity with A. alternata strains, with 98.3% for ITS (AJ276055) and 96.2% for GAPDH (EF513205), deposited in fungus database ( http://www.mycobank.org/ ). Pathogenicity tests were conducted on the detached leaves expanding for 10 to 20 days of two tea varieties (cvs. Fudingdabai and Taicha No. 12) in triplicate by placing 4 mm diameter discs from 5-day-old PDA plates of T3 and T6, which were incubated in an incubator at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod for 7 days. All inoculated leaves with or without wound treatment developed brown spots similar to the original ones at 7 days post inoculation (dpi) while the control leaves inoculated with non-colonized PDA plugs remained asymptomatic. Isolates recovered from diseased samples were of the same morphology and ITS sequence as the inoculated ones. Alternaria alternata had been described on C. sinensis in China (3), but it was only reported as a severe foliar fungal pathogen of tea in North Bengal, India (1), and to our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spots on tea leaves (C. sinensis) in China. In addition to quantity loss, the species may result in a decrease of quality of tea crop considering that it can produce Alternaria toxins related to animal and public health. The etiologic identification of the disease is expected to provide useful information for its control. References: (1) B. N. Chakraborty et al. Plant Pathol. 55:303, 2006. (2) E. G. Simmons. Page 1 in: Alternaria Biology, Plant Diseases and Metabolites. J. Chelchowski and A. Visconti, eds. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1992. (3) F. L. Tai. Page 1527 in: Sylloge Fungorum Sinicorum. eds. Sci. Press Acad. Sin. Beijing, 1979. (4) B. S. Weir et al. Stud. Mycol. 73:115, 2012.

Influence of nanostructures on the biological properties of Ti implants after anodic oxidation

Anodic oxidation was applied to produce nanostructures on the surface of titanium (Ti) implants. The bioactivity of the Ti implants was evaluated by simulated body fluid soaking test. The biocompatibility was investigated by in vitro cell culture test. The results showed that bone-like apatite was formed on the anodized Ti surface, but not on the as-polished Ti surface after immersion in simulated body fluid for 2 weeks. Cells cultured on the anodized Ti surface showed enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation, compared to those cultured on the as-polished Ti surface. Based on these results, it can be concluded that anodic oxidation improved the bioactivity and biocompatibility of Ti surface, which was attributed to the formation of nanostructures as well as the nanostructure induced high surface roughness and hydrophilicity.

Successful endovascular treatment of carotid aneurysms in a patient with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

BACKGROUND

Patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) can develop internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. Any surgical procedure is hazardous and often unrewarding because of fragile blood vessels. Endovascular treatment may be an alternative approach to the treatment of ICA aneurysms in patients with vascular EDS.

CASE

A 23-year-old woman with vascular EDS developed a cervical right ICA aneurysm and a left petrous ICA aneurysm, which were successfully treated with endovascular interventions without major complications.

CONCLUSION

This case report suggests that endovascular treatment of ICA aneurysms is feasible and can be achieved in patients with vascular EDS.

Effects of sulfur forms on heavy metals bioleaching from contaminated sediments

The use of recyclable forms of sulfur will exclude the risk of sediment reacidification and reduce the cost of bioleaching process. Three different forms of sulfur (namely sulfur powder, prills and pieces) were used to examine the utilization and recycle of sulfur, used as energy substrate for sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in the bioleaching of heavy metal-contaminated sediments. The results showed that despite their relatively smaller surface areas, the efficiency of metal bioleaching with sulfur prills and pieces were comparable to that with sulfur powder. After 13 days of bioleaching, 71-74% of Zn, 58-62% of Cu, and 22-31% of Cr could be leached from the sediments, respectively. During bioleaching, most of the oxidizable and reducible forms of metals were transformed to acid soluble, posing a favorable condition for final metals removal. Sulfur recycling experiments showed that the recovered sulfur prills and pieces were as the same effective in pH reduction as fresh sulfur, revealing the feasibility of eventual reuse of the recycled sulfur in the bioleaching process. Further studies are required to testify the performance of these recyclable forms of sulfur in future large-scale bioleaching reactor.

Removal of Cr from tannery sludge by indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria

The aim of the present study was to examine Cr removal from tannery sludge by bioleaching method using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria with special emphasis on the influence of bioleaching process on sludge settleability. Chemical leaching with sulfuric acid was designed as the control. The results showed that the inoculation of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and the addition of elemental sulfur were effective in removing Cr from tannery sludge. After 144 hours of bioleaching, 98% of Cr could be leached. Although it took only 8 hours to reduce the sludge pH from 7.8 to about 2.0 by chemical leaching as compared to 144 hours for bioleaching treatment, chemical leaching removed only 91% of the total Cr. Regardless of bioleaching and chemical leaching treatments, sludge settleability improved considerably with a decrease in sludge pH. Bioleaching treatment performed better than chemical leaching in terms of the percentage of settled sludge and the effluent suspended solids (ESS) content in sludge supernatant. Nevertheless, further work should be carried out to investigate the precise mechanisms leading to such enhanced sludge settleability during sludge bioleaching process.

Bioleaching of Cr from tannery sludge: the effects of initial acid addition and recycling of acidified bioleached sludge

A technologically feasible process called bioleaching was used to remove Cr from tannery sludge with Acidithiobacilli TS6 bacteria in this study. The buffering capacity of tannery sludge and municipal sewage sludge were compared. The effects of initial sulfuric acid addition on bioleaching process and influences of recycle rate of acidified bioleached sludge on subsequent bioleaching reaction were examined. The quantities of initial sulfuric acid addition ranged from 0 to 0.185 ml g(-1) dry sludge. Recycle rate (V(beleached/V(total)) was controlled at 1/3, 1/2, 3/5 and 2/3. We found that tannery sludge had a higher buffering capacity than sewage sludge. The results showed that there was an increase in the rates of pH reduction and Cr solubilization with the increase of initial sulfuric acid addition. The suitable quantity of sulfuric acid addition was 0.185 ml g(-1) dry sludge at the beginning of the first bioleaching process. After 10 days of bioleaching, pH reached 1.5 and almost 100% of Cr could be leached in this case. Besides, an evidently dividing point pH 2.0 was found to be the threshold value for considerable Cr solubilization during the leaching reaction. Recycle experiments confirmed that the application of the method by recycling acidified sludge to launch subsequent bioleaching is feasible. The optimal recycle rate of acidified sludge for consecutive leaching of Cr from tannery sludge is 2/3.

Bioleaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge using FeS2 as an energy source

The effect of using FeS2 as an energy source, on the bioleaching of heavy metals (Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni) and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from anaerobically digested sludge using isolated indigenous iron-oxidizing bacteria was investigated in this paper. Addition of FeS2 in the range of 0.5-4.0 g l(-1) accelerated the acidification of sludge and raised the oxidation-reduction potential of sludge medium with an inoculation of 15% (v/v) of active bacteria, thus resulting in an overall increase in metal dissolution efficiency. After 16 days of bioleaching at 28 degrees C and an initial pH of 3.0, up to 99% of Zn, 65% of Cr, 74% of Cu, 58% of Pb and 84% of Ni can be removed from the sludge. In contrast, only 94% of Zn, 12% of Cr, 21% of Cu, 32% of Pb and 38% of Ni were leached out in the control without inoculation of iron-oxidizing bacteria and the addition of FeS2. Less than 15% of nitrogen and 6% of phosphorous were lost after 16 days of bioleaching when using FeS2 as the energy source. Comparing to 39% and 45% loss respectively for these two nutrients when using FeSO4.7H2O as the energy source, FeS2 appears to be a more suitable energy source for preserving nutrients in sludge while removing heavy metals from sludge.

Sorption and biodegradability of sludge bacterial extracellular polymers in soil and their influence on soil copper behavior

Bacterial extracellular polymers (BEP) affect the translocation and fate of organic and inorganic pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In this study, BEP from activated sludge was compared with sludge dissolved organic matter (DOM) in terms of behavior and effects on the mobilization and bioavailability of Cu in a well-aged Cu-contaminated orchard sandy loam. Addition of sludge BEP (10-200 mg dissolved organic carbon [DOC] L(-1)) to the soil resulted in 1.6- to 12.8-fold-higher soil soluble Cu concentration over the control and 1.3- to 2.2-fold over sludge DOM of the same concentration. Consequently, the Cu uptake by the ryegrass (Lolium perenne L., cv. Target) grown in the soil was increased by 31% due to interval watering of 100 mg DOC L(-1) of sludge BEP solution in a 35-d period. The influence of sludge BEP on mobilizing soil Cu could be maintained as long as 60 d or more, depending on BEP biodegradation status. The findings that sludge BEP promoted Cu mobilization and bioavailability could be attributed to less adsorption of BEP by soil, slow degradation, and higher affinity with Cu. For example, after 3 wk of aerobic incubation, the soluble Cu present in the sludge DOM-treated soil was reduced to about the level of the control, while the concentration of soluble Cu in BEP-treated soil was 6.2 times higher than that in the control. Therefore, sludge BEP could act as a facilitated-transport carrier of Cu. The environmental risk of Cu should receive much attention if BEP is incorporated into soils.

Effect of applying Hong Kong biosolids and lime on nutrient availability and plant growth in an acidic loamy soil

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth of Brassica chinensis L. in an acidic loamy soil amended with municipal biosolids with or without lime treatment (750 mg kg(-1)). The soil was amended with one of two municipal biosolids from Tai Po (TP) or Yuen Long (YL) wastewater treatment plants at application rates of 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50% (v/v). Initial NH(+)4-N and PO(3-)4-P concentrations in the amended soil increased with an increase in municipal biosolids loading rates and those with biosolids from TP had a greater increase in nutrients than those from YL. However, initial NO(-)3-N contents in both municipal biosolids amended soils decreased with an increase in biosolids loading rates, particularly for the soil amended with YL. Soluble K, Mg, Na and Ca concentrations in the soil increased with application rates. Municipal biosolids amended soil without lime treatment had higher NH(+)4-N, NO(-)3-N and major cation contents than those with lime. Addition of Tai Po municipal biosolids and lime significantly increased the dry weight yields of B. chinensis L., while YL municipal biosolids increased yields only at the 5% rate with lime amendment. The maximum growth was obtained at municipal biosolids application rates of 5 and 10% for TP and 5% for YL for limed soil. Addition of municipal biosolids increased the total N, P, Zn, Cr and major cation concentrations in the shoot tissue, while lime treatment reduced Zn and Cr contents. The high salt and metal concentrations would likely be factors inhibiting plant growth at high application rates, especially for YL biosolids. Further studies to determine the long-term effects of biosolid application on soil and crop quality are warranted.

Co-composting of pig manure with leaves

The increase in the market price of sawdust makes it a less attractive bulking agent for pig manure composting. Hence, it was the aim of this project to evaluate the feasibility of co-composting pig manure with leaves with special emphasis on its effects on compost maturity and quality. Two piles were prepared with one pile (Pile A) just constituted of pig manureand sawdust at a mixing ratio of 3:2 (w/w, fresh weight), while the other one (Pile B) with pig manure, sawdust and leaves at 3:1:1 ratio (w/w, fresh weight) to achieve a C/N ratio of 30. Each 8 m3 heap was turned and mixed every 3 days to provide sufficient aeration and the moisture content was kept at 60-70% (w/w) throughout the composting period. After 49 days of composting, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), soluble NH4-N(solid), C/N(aqueous) and C/N(aqueous) of pile A decreased to <5%, 400 mgkg(-1), 20 and 6, respectively, indicating a high degree of maturity, while pile B with leaves required only 35days. Seed germination index (GI) of pile A increased to 66.5% at day 49, while pile B to 52.4% at day 35, which was higher than the phytotoxin-free level of 50% recommended for agricultural use. This demonstrated that the addition of leaves enhanced the humification process and shortened the time required for maturation and stabilization of pig manure composting. Therefore, it is recommended to co-compost pig manure with leaves to provide a means to reutilize this waste and in the same time to reduce the dependence on sawdust as a buLking agent.

[Studies on chemical constituents of oligostilbenes from Vitis davidii Foex]

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents of oligostilbenes from Vitis davidii.

METHOD

Compounds were isolated with polystyrene resin RA, silica gel and C18 column chromatography. The structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic evidence.

RESULT

Seven compounds were obtained and identified as resveratrol, heyneanol A, ampelopsin E, amurensin B, (+)-epsilon-viniferin, vitisin A and amurensin G.

CONCLUSION

All the compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Ability of Agrogyron elongatum to accumulate the single metal of cadmium, copper, nickel and lead and root exudation of organic acids

Agrogyron elongatum were grown in nutrient solution containing moderate to high amounts of separate heavy metal of Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb in a greenhouse for a 9-day. Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb generally led to decrease in the elongation of roots although the length of seedlings exposed to Cd and Pb at 0.05 and 0.5 mg/L showed to be slightly greater than that of controls. Of the four metals in the experiment, Pb was absorbed and accumulated to the highest level, with the concentrations of 92,754 mg/kg dry weight (DW) in roots and 11,683 mg/kg DW in shoots. Cd was moderately accumulated in Agrogyron elongatum, but the maximum bioaccumulation coefficients (BCs) for roots and shoots were observed. The patterns for Cu and Ni uptake and distribution in plants differed from those of Pb and Cd, as it was showed that the shoot accumulation of Cu and Ni was significantly higher than in roots. A. elongatum had the highest Ni concentration in shoots (30,261 mg/kg DW) at the external concentration of 250 mg/L. Cu ranked second, with a shoot concentration of 12,230 mg/kg DW when 50 mg/L Cu in solution was applied. For the four trace elements tested, the highest concentrations in shoots decreased by the order of Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd (mg/kg DW), and those in roots were Pb > Cd > Ni > Cu (mg/kg DW). Malic, oxalic and citric acids exuded by roots exposed to 1 and 50 mg/L of the metals were detected. Release of organic acids from plants significantly differed among the metal treatments. Cu was most effectively in inducing root exudation of the three types of organic acids. Cd, and Ni were also the inducers of secretion of malic and oxalic acids. With reference of Pb, a small amounts of malic and oxalic acids were detected in the root exudates, but few quantities of citric acid were found. However, no correlation between alternations in root exudation of organic acids and metal accumulation could be established.

Effect of dissolved organic matter from sludge and sludge compost on soil copper sorption

Interaction of Cu with dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important physicochemical process affecting Cu mobility in soils. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of DOM from anaerobically digested dewatered sludge and sludge compost on the sorption of Cu on an acidic sandy loam and a calcareous clay loam. In the presence of DOM, Cu sorption capacity decreased markedly for both soils, especially for the calcareous soil. The Cu sorption isotherms could be well described by the Freundlich equation (r2 = 0.99), and the binding intensity parameter of soils in the presence of sludge DOM was lower than compost DOM. An increase in DOM concentration significantly reduced the sorption of Cu by both soils. Within the Cu and DOM concentration range studied, the decrease in Cu sorption caused by sludge DOM was consistently greater than that of compost DOM. This might be attributed to the greater amount of hydrophobic fraction of DOM in the compost. Moreover, the reduction of Cu sorption caused by DOM was more obvious in the soil with higher pH. In addition, the sorption of Cu increased with an increase in pH for both soils without the addition of DOM, while Cu sorption in the presence of DOM was unexpectedly decreased with an increase in pH at a pH >6.8. This implied that DOM produced by sludge or other C-enriched organic wastes heavily applied on calcareous soils might facilitate the leaching loss of Cu because of the formation of soluble DOM-metal complexes.

Co-composting of soybean residues and leaves in Hong Kong

The goal of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of co-composting of soybean residues and leaves and the effects of turning frequency on compost quality. Soybean residues were mixed with leaves and sawdust in 1:1:3 (w/w wet weight) for achieving a C/N ratio of about 30. Three heaps of about 4 m3 of compost mixtures were prepared receiving a turning frequency of daily (pile A), 3-day (pile B) and weekly (pile C) turning. Different turning frequencies did not significantly affect the changes in pH and volatile solids throughout the composting period. High turning frequency caused a lower electrical conductivity and NH4-N contents as well as a shorter duration of thermophilic phase, because of a high heat loss by evaporation and volatilization of ammonia in the pile. The highest C decomposition of 4% occurred in the pile with a 3-day turning period, which coincided with the higher-nitrogen content in this treatment. All treatments with different turning frequencies reached maturation at 63 days as indicated by the soluble organic carbon, soluble NH4-N, C/N ratio and cress seed germination index. However, increasing the aeration during composting period was beneficial in accelerating the maturation process. Taking into consideration less labour and lower operation costs as compared to daily turning, it can be suggested that a 3-day turning frequency would be more appropriate for reaching acceptable quality of compost and ease in operation.

Fractionation and characterization of sludge bacterial extracellular polymers by FT-IR, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR

Sludge bacterial extracellular (BEP) polymers exhibit a strong affinity with metals in addition to their role in the bioflocculation of activated sludge. It is of utmost importance in elucidating the chemical characterization of sludge BEP prior to a better understanding of its environmental behavior. Sludge BEP extracted from activated sludge was characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR and fractionated into 6 fractions (hydrophilic acid, base, and neutral; and hydrophobic acid, base, and neutral). The results indicated that sludge BEP contained more polysaccharides but fewer amino acids or proteinaceous materials compared to dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from sludge. No aromatic substance was found in sludge BEP as indicated by NMR. Sludge BEP was dominated by hydrophilic fractions, accounting for 65% of total DOC of sludge BEP and hydrophilic neutral constituted about 58% of the hydrophilic fraction. The chemical fraction and characterization indicated that sludge BEP might exhibit a higher capability in enhancing the transport of the associated contaminants through porous media than that of sludge DOM.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Ligustrum obtusifolium Sieb. et Zucc]

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents in the twigs and leaves of Ligustrum obtusifolium.

METHOD

Seven compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of the twigs and leaves by polystyrene resin RA and silica gel column chromatography. The structures were identified by spectral analysis.

RESULT

Of the seven compounds isolated six were identified as luteolin, luteolin-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, (+)-pinoresinol, (+)-pinoresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, (+)-medioresinol and (-)-olivil.

CONCLUSION

luteolin, luteolin-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, (+)-pinoresinol, (+)-medioresionnol and (-)-olivil were isolated from this plant for the first time.

A new stilbene dimer--shegansu B from Belamcanda chinensis

A new dimeric stilbene, named shegansu B (1) was isolated from the ethanolic extract of the roots of Belamtantida chinensis (L.) DC., along with the known compounds isorhapontigenin, resveratol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, iridin, tectoridin, tectorigenin and daucosterol. The structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic evidence including 2D-NMR studies.

Cyclin D1 expression as a prognostic factor in advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) has a poor prognosis. We investigated the expression of cyclin D1 in 34 advanced HPCs, and the value of cyclin D1 expression was evaluated as a predictive marker in terms of the prognosis of HPC, compared with other clinical factors. Using immunohistochemical staining, 20 of 34 patients showed positive immunoreactivity for cyclin D1. The statistical trend of the survival rate was lower in the cyclin D1-positive patients than in the cyclin D-negative ones (p = 0.0805). The predictive factors for the survival rate were effectiveness of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (F = 8.698) (p = 0.0066), cyclin D1 expression (F = 6.244) (p = 0.0191) and N classification (F = 5.037) (p = 0.0335). The cyclin D1-positive patients had approximately four-fold higher mortality than the cyclin D1-negative ones. These data indicate that the expression of cyclin D1, in advanced patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma is a useful marker for prognosis.

[Biological behavior of hypopharyngeal carcinoma]

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (HPC) has an extremely poor prognosis. Characteristics of cell lines of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas including HPC were studied by various methods, e.g., chemosensitivity test and the immunohistochemistry staining method, to determine whether this poor prognosis is due to the biological behavior of this cancer. An HPC cell line was found to be resistant to anti tumor drugs, i.e., PEP, MTX and CPM and moderately sensitive to CDDP, 5-FU and ADM. Thermoresistance to hyperthermatic treatment and weak expression of ICAM-1 on the HPC cell line were observed. DNA synthesis by the HPC cell line was induced by stimulation with a low concentration of EGF and the amount of EGFR on these HPC cells was very high. In addition, cyclinD1 overexpression was found in the HPC cell line. Based on the above findings, further analysis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells and the development of a new treatment modality to control tumor growth and metastatic factors influencing the poor outcome are necessary to improve the prognosis of this cancer.

Metabolism of phenytoin by the gingiva of normal humans: the possible role of reactive metabolites of phenytoin in the initiation of gingival hyperplasia

Gingival hyperplasia is a well-known complication of therapy with cyclosporine, calcium channel blockers, and phenytoin. It is characterized by the presence of inflammation and a marked fibrotic response. The mechanism of this adverse reaction is unknown. We propose that it may be initiated by the metabolic activation of these drugs to form reactive metabolites. These then cause cellular injury and lead to the gingival hyperplasia. To evaluate this hypothesis we examined phenytoin metabolism and the cytochrome P450 contents of gingival tissues from 10 patients undergoing surgery for various periodontal conditions. We found that microsomes obtained from the gingiva show significant phenytoin hydroxylase activity as determined by the production of 5-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (HPPH) (range, 12.8 pmol HPPH/min.mg microsomal protein to 276.9 pmol HPPH/min.mg microsomal protein; rat control, 133.7 +/- 11.5 pmol HPPH/min.mg microsomal protein). We also found that CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4 were present in these microsomes. We detected no CYP2B6 or CYP2D6. We believe that these data support our hypothesis that the proliferative inflammation observed with drugs such as phenytoin, nifedipine, and cyclosporine may be initiated by the formation of reactive metabolites and that the formation of these metabolites may be catalyzed by one or more CYPs found in the gingiva. These metabolites may then cause cellular injury and induce a reactive inflammatory response, followed by fibroblastic proliferation. This proliferation leads to the excess collagen deposition observed with gingival hyperplasia.