[A study on the dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among adolescents in Shandong Province]

Objective: To understand the current status and its associated factors of dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among adolescents in Shandong Province and explore the reasons for dual use behavior. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted among 7 999 middle school students who were selected by stratified multi-stage cluster sample method. Data were weighted and analyzed by the SPSS 25.0 complex program. Results: In Shandong Province, the prevalence rates of attempting and current dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among adolescents appeared as 7.7% and 1.3%, respectively. Male, friends smoking, and secondhand smoke exposure in the past 7 days were risk factors for dual use. Compared with cigarette smokers, dual users have no differences in cognition and behavior in quitting smoking (P>0.05). The main reason for dual users to smoke e-cigarettes was curiosity. Conclusions: Dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes is common among adolescents in Shandong Province, and its influencing factors are similar to traditional cigarettes. Dual use is not a transitional stage for smoking cessation. Dual users are more likely to continue smoking in the future, which should be paid attention and concern.

[Efficacy of adjuvant programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody immunotherapy in Chinese patients with resected stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ melanoma]

Objective: To explore the efficacy of adjuvant programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody immunotherapy in Chinese patients with resected stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ melanoma. Methods: A total of 296 patients who underwent radical surgery for stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ cutaneous orlimb melanoma at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Shanghai Electric Power Hospital between 2017 and 2021 and received adjuvant PD-1 monoclonal antibody immunotherapy, low-dose interferon (IFN), or observational follow-up were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group (164 cases) and the IFN or observation group (IFN/OBS group, 132 cases) based on postoperative adjuvant treatment methods. Patients' disease recurrence and survival were observed. Results: Among the 296 patients, 77 had cutaneous melanoma and 219 had limb melanoma; 110 were stage Ⅱ and 186 were stage Ⅲ. Among stage Ⅱ patients, the median recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group (46 cases) did not reach, while the median RFS in the IFN/OBS group (64 cases) was 36 months. The 1-year RFS rates were 85.3% and 92.1% and the 2-year RFS rates were 71.9% and 63.7% in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group and the IFN/OBS group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P=0.394). Among stage Ⅲ patients, the median RFS rates in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group (118 cases) and the IFN/OBS group (68 cases) were 23 and 13 months, respectively. The 1-year RFS rates were 70.0% and 51.8% and the 2-year RFS rates were 51.8% and 35.1%in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group and the IFN/OBS group, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.010). Stratified analysis showed that the advantage of PD-1 monoclonal antibody adjuvant therapy in improving RFS persisted in the subgroups of primary ulceration (HR=0.558, 95% CI: 0.348-0.893), lymph node macroscopic metastasis (HR=0.486, 95% CI: 0.285-0.828), stage ⅢC (HR=0.389, 95% CI: 0.24-0.63), and the subgroup without BRAF/c-Kit/NRAS gene mutations (HR=0.347, 95% CI: 0.171-0.706). In terms of recurrence patterns, in stage Ⅱ patients, the recurrence and metastasis rate was 15.2% (7/46) in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group, significantly lower than the IFN/OBS group [43.8% (28/64), P=0.002]. In stage Ⅲ melanoma patients, the recurrence and metastasis rate was 42.4% (50/118) in the PD-1 monoclonal antibody group, also lower than the IFN/OBS group [63.2% (43/68), P=0.006]. Conclusions: In real-world settings, compared with patients receiving low-dose IFN adjuvant therapy or observational follow-up, PD-1 monoclonal antibody immunotherapy can reduce the recurrence and metastasis rate of cutaneous and limb melanoma, and prolong the postoperative RFS of stage Ⅲ cutaneous and limb melanoma patients. Patients with a heavier tumor burden benefit more from immunotherapy.

Hypoxia-induced upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 increases basement membrane degradation by downregulating collagen type IV alpha 1 chain

Hypoxia can cause basement membrane (BM) degradation in tissues. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is involved in various human cancers as well as BM degradation by downregulating type IV collagen (COL4). This study investigated the role of MMP-9 in hypoxia-mediated BM degradation in rat bone marrow based on its regulation of collagen type IV alpha 1 chain (COL4A1). Eighty male rats were randomly divided into four groups based on exposure to hypoxic conditions at a simulated altitude of 7,000 m, control (normoxia) and 3, 7, and 10 days of hypoxia exposure. BM degradation in bone marrow was determined by transmission electron microscopy. MMP-9 levels were assessed by western blot and real-time PCR, and COL4A1 levels were assessed by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Microvessels BMs in bone marrow exposed to acute hypoxia were observed by electron microscopy. MMP-9 expression increased, COL4A1 protein expression decreased, and BM degradation occurred in the 10-, 7-, and 3-day hypoxia groups compared with that in the control group (all P < 0.05). Hypoxia increased MMP-9 levels, which in turn downregulated COL4A1, thereby increasing BM degradation. MMP-9 upregulation significantly promoted BM degradation and COL4A1 downregulation. Our results suggest that MMP-9 is related to acute hypoxia-induced BM degradation in bone marrow by regulating COL4A1.

Spontaneous Ferromagnetism Induced Topological Transition in EuB_{6}

The interplay between various symmetries and electronic bands topology is one of the core issues for topological quantum materials. Spontaneous magnetism, which leads to the breaking of time-reversal symmetry, has been proven to be a powerful approach to trigger various exotic topological phases. In this Letter, utilizing the combination of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy, and first-principles calculations, we present the direct evidence on the realization of the long-sought spontaneous ferromagnetism induced topological transition in soft ferromagnetic EuB_{6}. Explicitly, we reveal the topological transition is from Z_{2}=1 topological insulator in paramagnetic state to χ=1 magnetic topological semimetal in low temperature ferromagnetic state. Our results demonstrate that the simple band structure near the Fermi level and rich topological phases make EuB_{6} an ideal platform to study the topological phase physics.

[Combined application of field epidemiology and laboratory etiology analysis in the investigation of a foodborne disease outbreak in Xinjiang uygur Autonomous Region, 2016]

Objectives: To analyze the causes of a foodborne outbreak in rural areas of Xinjiang between April 2 and April 5 in 2016. Methods: Cases and the relevant background information were obtained by consulting outpatient records of local health centers and regional people's hospitals and interviewing doctors and residents. All samples were collected by the laboratory test through epidemiological and food hygiene investigations. The χ² test (Fisher's exact probability method) was used to compare differences in incidence rates. Molecular typing, virulence genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) were analyzed by using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS). Results: A total of 142 cases were found in this study, with incidence rate at 5.7‰ (142/24 979). Among all cases, the main symptoms were nausea (94%), vomiting (92%) and abdominal pain (67%), and the incubation period was about 2 h (1-7.5 h). There were 16 Staphylococcus aureus isolates identified and all of them could produce A+C+E mixed enterotoxin. PFGE showed 100% homology. WGS further revealed that there were 9 and 1 strains contained by Sequence Type 1 (ST1) and ST5405, respectively. All ST1 strains were in the same clade on the genome tree. Among these, 7 strains shared close proximity (74 SNPs) and 2 strains shared close relationships as well (127 SNPs). The S. aureus isolates that caused the outbreak were introduced by a mutant isolate from the milk supply station. Conclusions: This foodborne outbreak was mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

Geolocation Inference of Forensic Individual Origin by Soil Metagenomic Analysis

Abstract

Objective To preliminarily discuss the feasibility of geolocation inference of forensic individual origin by soil metagenomic analysis. Methods The 33 soil samples from Heilongjiang, Qinghai and Tibet were collected, total bacterial DNA in the samples were extracted, and universal primers were used to amplify the V3 and V4 hypervariable region of bacterial 16S rDNA. The region was sequenced by high-throughput sequencing （HTS） with the MiSeq sequencer. Bioinformatics analysis such as species composition and sample comparison was performed on sequencing data. The richness index and diversity index were calculated based on operational taxonomic unit （OTU） results. Results A total of 2 720 149 sequences were generated by sequencing. Those sequences were clustered into 114 848 OTUs. The Chao1 indexes of soil microorganisms in Heilongjiang, Qinghai, and Tibet were 797.45, 745.11 and 535.98, respectively, and Shannon indexes were 6.46, 6.36 and 6.25, respectively. The number of bacterial species and the community diversity in the soil from high to low were Heilongjiang > Qinghai > Tibet. The composition of soil bacteria in three provinces at various classification levels were obtained, the dominant genuses in Heilongjiang were Chthoniobacteraceae DA101 and an unannotated genus of Thermogemmatisporaceae; the dominant genuses in Qinghai were an unannotated genus of Cytophagaceae and an unannotated genus of Nocardioidaceae; the dominant genuses in Tibet were an unannotated genus of Comamonadaceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae Luteolibacter. The results of principal co-ordinates analysis demonstrated that, according to the weighted UniFrac analysis, the three principle components represented 56.36% of the total variable, and according to the unweighted UniFrac analysis, the three principle components represented 34.81% of the total variable. The samples from the same province could be clustered together, and the species and content of soil microorganisms from different provinces were significantly different. Conclusion Based on the metagenomic analysis method, soil samples from different regions can be effectively distinguished, which has potential application value in geolocation inference of forensic individual origin in the future.

Performance of the BL03U beamline at SSRF

The vacuum ultraviolet beamline BL03U with a photon energy range from 7 eV upwards has been constructed at the 3.5 GeV Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Equipped with an APPLE-Knot undulator, this beamline is dedicated to angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. An energy-resolving power of higher than 4.6 × 10⁴ has been achieved in the photon energy range 21.6-48 eV, which is almost the same as the theoretical estimation.

[Efficacy of minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration in preterm infants with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: a multicenter clinical trial]

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Methods: In this multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial, 92 preterm infants with gestation age ≤30 weeks and diagnosed with NRDS were enrolled in 8 level Ⅲ neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region from 1(st) July 2017 to 31(st) December 2018. They were randomly assigned to minimally invasive surfactant administration (MISA) group or endotracheal intubation surfactant administration (EISA) group according to random number generated by computer. Infants in both groups received calf pulmonary surfactant preparation at a dose of 70-100 mg/kg. The data of demography, perinatal situation, medication administration, complications, clinical outcomes in the two groups were compared with Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test. Results: Among the 92 preterm infants, 53 were males, 39 were females; 47 were in the MISA group (25 males), and 45 were in the EISA group (28 males). The gestational age and birth weight were (29.5±1.2) weeks and (1 271±242) g in all patients, (29.5±1.4) weeks and (1 285±256) g in the MISA group, and (29.6±0.9) weeks and (1 255±227) g in the EISA group. The duration of surfactant infusion and the length of whole procedure in the MISA group were significantly longer than that in the EISA group (60 (18, 270) s vs. 50 (30, 60) s, Z=3.009, P=0.003; 90 (60, 300) s vs. 60 (44, 270) s, Z=3.365, P=0.001). For the outcomes, the incidence of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were lower in the MISA group than in the EISA group (36% (17/47) vs. 67% (30/45), χ(2)=8.556, P=0.003; 26% (12/47) vs. 47% (21/45), χ(2)=4.464, P=0.035). Conclusions: Minimally invasive surfactant administration is applicable in preterm infants ≤30 weeks gestational age with NRDS. Although the length of whole procedure is longer than route endotracheal administration, the benefit of decreasing the incidences of hsPDA and BPD outweighs this demerit.

Photoemission Spectroscopic Evidence for the Dirac Nodal Line in the Monoclinic Semimetal SrAs_{3}

Topological nodal-line semimetals with exotic quantum properties are characterized by symmetry-protected line-contact bulk band crossings in the momentum space. However, in most of identified topological nodal-line compounds, these topological nontrivial nodal lines are enclosed by complicated topological trivial states at the Fermi energy (E_{F}), which would perplex their identification and hinder further applications. Utilizing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we provide compelling evidence for the existence of Dirac nodal-line fermions in the monoclinic semimetal SrAs_{3}, which possesses a simple nodal loop in the vicinity of E_{F} without the distraction from complicated trivial Fermi surfaces. Our calculations revealed that two bands with opposite parities were inverted around Y near E_{F}, resulting in the single nodal loop at the Γ-Y-S plane with a negligible spin-orbit coupling effect. The band crossings were tracked experimentally and the complete nodal loop was identified quantitatively, which provide a critical experimental support for the existence of nodal-line fermions in the CaP_{3} family of materials. Hosting simple topological nontrivial bulk electronic states around E_{F} and without complication from the trivial states, SrAs_{3} is expected to be a potential platform for topological quantum state investigation and applications.

Quantitative assessment of the effects of human activities on phytoplankton communities in lakes and reservoirs

Global algal blooms have been severely threatening safety of drinking water and development of socio-economy. Effective prevention and accurate control of algal blooms require a quantitative assessment of the influence of human activities and identification of priority areas. However, previous studies on the quantitative assessment of the effects of human activities on algal communities are lacking, severely hindering the effective and precise control of algal blooms. This paper proposes a quantitative assessment model to evaluate the impact intensity of human activities on phytoplankton. Applications showed that the proliferation of phytoplankton were more limited by nutrients such as total phosphorus and ammonia where waters are less influenced by human activities, yet were less limited by these nutrients where there are highly intensive human activities. The density of phytoplankton in waters increased with an increase in human activity intensity, particularly in concentrated agricultural areas, which are priority areas for the prevention and control of algal blooms. The methodologies can clearly identify key areas for algal bloom prevention and control and can provide scientific evidence for water and nutrient management throughout the world, reducing the risk of algal blooms and ensuring aquatic ecosystem health and potable water safety.

SPHK2 protein expression, Ki-67 index and infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in human glioma

INTRODUCTION

Sphingosine kinases (SPHKs), the Ki-67 index and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with diverse human malignancies, including glioma. SPHK2, a subtype of SPHKs, has not been assessed in glioma or correlated with the Ki-67 index or TAM infiltration. We tested the hypothesis that expression of SPHK2 correlates with the Ki-67 index and TAM infiltration in patients with glioma.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Western blot analysis was performed on protein lysates prepared from human astrocyte (HA) and glioma cell lines. Immunofluorescence was used to determine the subcellular location of SPHK2 protein in glioma cells. Next, immunohistochemistry was employed to analyze the correlations among SPHK2, Ki-67, CD68, and CD206 in 11 non-neoplastic brain tissues and 60 glioma tissues. All slides were evaluated under ×400 magnification, and the ratio of positively stained cells to the total number of cells was calculated for analysis.

RESULTS

SPHK2, CD68 and CD206 were all increased in glioma tissues compared to non-neoplastic brain tissues, but there were no differences between WHO grades of glioma. Ki-67 was highest in WHO grade IV tumors and lowest in non-neoplastic brain tissues, and all between-group differences were statistically significant. Moreover, SPHK2 expression was positively correlated with the Ki-67, CD68 and CD206 indexes. Finally, the CD68 and CD206 indexes were both associated with the Ki-67 index.

CONCLUSION

SPHK2 protein expression, the Ki-67 index and TAM infiltration in human glioma tissue were reported in this study for the first time. SPHK2 was positively associated with TAM infiltration and glioma proliferation. Mechanistically, SPHK2 may promote glioma growth by stimulating TAMs to polarize M2-type macrophages.

Fungal Denitrification Activity in Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands as Impacted by Plant Species Richness, Carbon, Nitrogen and pH Amendments

To control potential fungal denitrification rate (PFDR) in vertical flow simulated wetlands (VFSW) microcosms, thirty VFSW microcosms were established and planted with three plant species richness levels (i.e. unplanted, monoculture, and four-species polyculture treatment), and effects of carbon, nitrogen and pH amendments on the PFDR were investigated using a room-incubating method. Among seven carbon compounds, sodium citrate, glycerol, glucose and sodium succinate were more effective in enhancing PFDRs. These enhanced effects were dependant on a given species richness level. Sodium nitrite mostly stimulated PFDRs to a greater extent than the other three nitrogen compound amendments at any richness level. Treatments with pH 5.6 or 8.4 had significantly greater PFDRs than the treatment with pH 2.8 in the three species richness levels. However, no effect of plant species richness on the PFDR was observed among any carbon, nitrogen and pH amendments. Current results suggest carbon, nitrogen and pH factors should be considered when mediating fungal denitrification in VFSW microcosms.

[Association between single nucleotide polymorphism of BARD1 gene and BRCA1 gene mutation in epithelial ovarian cancer]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of BARD1 gene and BRCA1 gene in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods: Nineteen EOC patients with BRCA1 gene mutation and 50 EOC cases without BRCA1 gene mutation between January 2016 and October 2016 were collected, and all EOC were diagnosed by pathological method. BARD1 gene variants were detected by next generation sequencing (NGS). The SNP of BARD1 gene was analyzed by Pearson linear correlation. Logistic regression analysis was used to research the clinicopathologic features and BRCA1 gene mutation associated with BARD1 gene SNP. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze the association between BARD1 gene Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser with different clinicopathologic features and BRCA1 gene mutation risk. Results: (1) Eight BARD1 gene variants were found in 69 ovarian cancer patients, in which Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser were common variants, and the rate of mutation were all 54% (37/69). (2) There was a significant linear correlation among Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser (all P<0.01). (3) Obvious differences were found in Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser of BARD1 gene between BRCA1(+) and BRCA1(-) (all P<0.05) . (4) No differences were found between BARD1 gene Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser and the clinicopathologic features (all P>0.05), while obvious differences were found in BRCA1 gene mutation compared to the controls group. The risk of BRCA1 mutation in Val507Met and Arg378Ser were more evident in subjects with negative family history, positive menopause history, negative tubal ligation, onset age (≤60 years old) and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy in EOC (all P<0.05), while Pro24Ser was only more evident in positive menopause history of EOC (P<0.05). Conclusions: BARD1 Val507Met, Arg378Ser and Pro24Ser are the common genotypes, which are associated with BRCA1 mutation in EOC. The family history, menopause history, tubal ligation, onset age and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy have effects on BARD1 SNP in the risk of BRCA1 gene mutation.

Combination therapy of orally administered glycyrrhizin and UVB improved active-stage generalized vitiligo

Glycyrrhizin has been used clinically for several years due to its beneficial effect on immunoglobulin E (IgE)-induced allergic diseases, alopecia areata and psoriasis. In this study, glycyrrhizin, ultraviolet B light (UVB) or a combination of both were used to treat active-stage generalized vitiligo. One hundred and forty-four patients between the ages of 3 and 48 years were divided into three groups: group A received oral compound glycyrrhizin (OCG); group B received UVB applications twice weekly, and group C received OCG+UVB. Follow-ups were performed at 2, 4, and 6 months after the treatment was initiated. The Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) and the Vitiligo Disease Activity (VIDA) instrument were used to assess the affected body surface, at each follow-up. Results showed that 77.1, 75.0 and 87.5% in groups A, B and C, respectively, presented repigmentation of lesions. Responsiveness to therapy seemed to be associated with lesion location and patient compliance. Adverse events were limited and transient. This study showed that, although the three treatment protocols had positive results, OCG and UVB combination therapy was the most effective and led to improvement in disease stage from active to stable.

[Clinical evaluation value of visual analogue scale combined with C-reactive protein for the prognosis of peritonsillar abscess]

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical value of visual analogue scale combined with serum C-reactive protein in evaluating the prognosis of peritonsillar abscess. Method:Thirty-one patients be hospitalized with peritonsillar abscess were enrolled in this study, who were treated by puncture and antibiotic from January 2016 to February 2017. VAS and CRP level were detected on the 1, 3, 5 day of hospitalization for all the patients. Result:Twenty-five patients were cured after 5 days. The 1, 3, 5 day's VAS of forty-seven patients were 8.20±1.25, 4.42±1.05, 1.41±0.55, respectively, and the CRP level were (62.41±8.61), (20.46±5.32), (5.41±1.95)mg/L, respectively (P<0.05) in the three days. The 1, 3 day's VAS of six patients were 8.41±1.44, 7.37±1.15, respectively, and the CRP level were (59.85±8.35), (45.33±7.46)mg/L, with no significant difference (P>0.05) in the two days. But the fifth day' VAS was 1.55±0.65, and the CRP level was 10.24±2.57 mg/L, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05)) compared with the first day. Conclusion:Subjective evaluation used by VAS and objective evaluation used by CRP level to assess the prognosis of peritonsillar. Therefore, VAS score combined with C-reactive protein detection is more accurate for the prognosis of tonsil abscess evaluation..

[Oxidative stress and autophagy in SK-N-SH cells induced by manganese chloride or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium: a comparative analysis]

Objective: To investigate the effect of manganese chloride (MnCl(2)) or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP (+)) on oxidative stress and autophagy in human neuroblastomaSK-N-SH cells and the mechanism of the neurotoxicity of manganese. Methods: SK-N-SH cells were treated with MnCl(2) or MPP(+) at doses of 0.062 5, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mmol/L for 24 hours, and MTT assay was used to measure cell viability. The cells weretreated with MnCl(2) or MPP(+) at doses of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mmol/L for 24 hours, and flow cytometry was used to measure the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, a laser scanning confocal microscope was used to observe autophagosome in cells, and Western blot was used to measure the expression of autophagy-related proteins P62 and LC3-II/LC3-I. Results: Compared with the control group, the 0.0625-2.0 mmol/L MnCl(2) and 0.125-2.0 mmol/L MPP (+) treatment groups had significant reductions in the viability of SK-N-SH cells, and the 0.25-2.0 mmol/L MnCl(2) treatment groups had significantly lower viability than the groups treated with the same doses of MPP(+) (all P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the 0.125-0.25 mmol/L MnCl(2) and 0.125-0.5 mmol/L MPP(+) treatment groups had significant increases in the content of ROS, and the 0.25-0.5 mmol/L MPP(+) treatment groups had significantly higher content of ROS than the groups treated with the same doses of MnCl(2) (all P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the 0.25-0.5 mmol/L MnCl(2) andMPP(+) treatment groups had significant increases in autophagy-related proteins LC3-II/LC3-I and significant reductions in P62 expression; the 0.125-0.5 mmol/L MPP(+) treatment groups had significantly higher LC3-II/LC3-I than the groups treated with the same doses of MnCl(2), and the 0.125 and 0.25 mmol/L MPP (+) treatment groups had significantly lower P62 expression than the groups treated with the same doses of MnCl(2) (all P<0.05) . Conclusion: Both MnCl(2) and MPP(+) can induce oxidative stress and autophagy in SK-N-SH cells, and MPP(+) has a significantly greater inductive effect on autophagy of SK-N-SH cells than MnCl(2).

[Clinical significance and distribution of BRCA genes mutation in sporadic high grade serous ovarian cancer]

Objective: To investigate the mutations of BRCA genes in sporadic high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and study its clinical significance. Methods: Sixty-eight patients between January 2015 and January 2016 from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were collected who were based on pathological diagnosis of ovarian cancer and had no reported family history, and all patients firstly hospitalized were untreated in other hospitals before. (1) The BRCA genes were detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS) method. (2) The serum tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA(125), CA(199), and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) were detected by the chemiluminescence methods, and their correlation was analyzed by Pearson linear correlation. Descriptive statistics and comparisons were performed using two-tailed t-tests, Pearson's chi square test, Fisher's exact tests or logistic regression analysis as appropriate to research the clinicopathologic features associated with BRCA mutations, including age, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, platinum-based chemotherapy sensitivity, distant metastases, serum tumor markers (STM) . Results: (1) Fifteen cases (22%, 15/68) BRCA mutations were identified (BRCA1: 11 cases; BRCA2: 4 cases), and four novel mutations were observed. (2) The levels of CEA, CA(199), and HE4 were lower in BRCA mutations compared to that in control group, while no significant differences were found (P>0.05), but the level of CA(125) was much higher in BRCA mutation group than that in controls (t=-3.536, P=0.003). Further linear regression analysis found that there was a significant linear correlation between CA(125) and HE4 group (r=0.494, P<0.01), and the same correlation as CEA and CA(199) group (r=0.897, P<0.01). (3) Single factor analysis showed that no significant differences were observed in onset age, FIGO stage, distant metastasis, and STM between BRCA(+) and BRCA(-) group (P>0.05), while significant differences were found in CA(125) and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy between the patients with BRCA mutation and wild type (P<0.05). The multiple factors analysis showed that the high level of CA(125) was a independent risk factor of BRCA mutations in sporadic HGSOC (P=0.007). Conclusion: The combination of CA(125) with BRCA have great clinical significance, the mutation of BRCA gene could guild the clinical chemotherapy regiments.

Characterizing the correlations between local phase fractions of gas-liquid two-phase flow with wire-mesh sensor

Understanding of flow patterns and their transitions is significant to uncover the flow mechanics of two-phase flow. The local phase distribution and its fluctuations contain rich information regarding the flow structures. A wire-mesh sensor (WMS) was used to study the local phase fluctuations of horizontal gas-liquid two-phase flow, which was verified through comparing the reconstructed three-dimensional flow structure with photographs taken during the experiments. Each crossing point of the WMS is treated as a node, so the measurement on each node is the phase fraction in this local area. An undirected and unweighted flow pattern network was established based on connections that are formed by cross-correlating the time series of each node under different flow patterns. The structure of the flow pattern network reveals the relationship of the phase fluctuations at each node during flow pattern transition, which is then quantified by introducing the topological index of the complex network. The proposed analysis method using the WMS not only provides three-dimensional visualizations of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, but is also a thorough analysis for the structure of flow patterns and the characteristics of flow pattern transition. This article is part of the themed issue 'Supersensing through industrial process tomography'.

Roles of oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head

An animal model of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (SANFH) was established to investigate the role of oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells in SANFH. Forty-five-month-old Japanese white rabbits (male or female, 2.5 ± 0.5 kg) were randomly divided into groups A (methylprednisolone + Escherichia coli endotoxin), B (methylprednisolone alone), C (E. coli endotoxin alone), and D (blank control). The animals were sacrificed two and four weeks after administration of the last dose (N = 5 each group and each time). Left and right femoral heads were fixed and decalcified. Empty lacunae were counted by hematoxylin and eosin staining and oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells was detected by immunohistochemistry. At week 2, the rate of oxidative DNA damage in bone marrow hematopoietic cells was significantly higher in group A than in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference between groups B, C, and D. At week 4, the rate of oxidative DNA damage in bone marrow hematopoietic cells was significantly higher in group A than in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference among groups B, C, and D. Thus, oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells appears to play an important role in SANFH.

Roles of osteocyte apoptosis in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head

An animal model of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) was established to investigate the roles of osteocyte apoptosis in this process. Forty five-month-old male and female Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into groups A (hormone + endotoxin), B (hormone alone), C (endotoxin alone), and D (blank control). Animals were sacrificed two and four weeks following the final treatment (N = 5 for each group at each time point). Bilateral femoral heads were fixed and decalcified, and empty lacunae were counted by hematoxylin staining. At weeks 2 and 4, the empty lacunae percentage was significantly higher in group A than that in groups B, C, or D (P < 0.01), while no significant difference was observed between these latter three. At week 2, all osteocyte apoptosis indexes were within normal ranges in all the groups, which therefore did not significantly differ in this respect (P > 0.05). However, at week 4, the apoptotic index was significantly higher in group A than that in groups B, C, or D (P < 0.01), comparisons between which revealed no such differences. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the percentage of empty lacunae and the apoptotic index at week 4 in group A (r = 0.893). We conclude that osteocyte apoptosis plays an important role in SANFH.

Correlation among RKIP expression, NF-κB p65 levels, and T-lymphocyte subsets in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study was to characterize variations in Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) expression and related signaling molecules in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Cancerous and precancerous tissues were collected from patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma and normal tissue was collected from healthy controls. RKIP expression was detected in these tissues and the serum levels of NF-κB p65 and T-lymphocyte subsets were measured. Positive RKIP expression was higher in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma tissues than in precancerous tissues. The serum level of total NF-κB p65 was higher in patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma than in healthy controls. Levels of NF-κB p65 did not correlate with positive and negative expression of RKIP, but were higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without it. The cellular immune function of the gastric cardia adenocarcinoma group was lower than in normal controls, particularly in cases with negative RKIP expression. RKIP is downregulated in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma tissues, which is related to the occurrence, progression, invasion, and metastasis of tumors. The possible mechanism for this may be the inhibition of NF-κB activity and cellular immune function, which allows for the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance.

Association between XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and risk of osteosarcoma in a Chinese population

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common bone malignancies in adolescents, and hereditary factors may influence its susceptibility. We assessed the association between XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and susceptibility to osteosarcoma in a Chinese population. Between May 2012 and May 2014, a total of 136 osteosarcoma patients and 136 healthy control subjects were included in our study. The XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism was analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. By multiple logistic regression analysis, individuals carrying the Met/Met genotype of XRCC3 Thr241Met were at significantly increased risk of osteosarcoma when compared with the Thr/Thr (OR = 2.50, 95%CI = 1.13-5.66). The Thr/Met+Met/Met genotype of XRCC3 Thr241Met was furthermore found to be correlated with an elevated increased risk of osteosarcoma when compared with the Thr/Thr genotype (OR = 1.71, 95%CI = 1.03-2.87), and Met/Met genotype of XRCC3 Thr241Met was associated with an increased risk of osteosarcoma compared to the Thr/Thr (OR = 3.50, 95%CI = 1.51-8.79). In conclusion, our study firstly reports that XRCC3 Thr241Met gene polymorphism is associated with an elavated risk of osteosarcoma.

Expression and regulation of osteopontin in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

BACKGROUND

Osteopontin (OPN) has been proposed to be associated with airway inflammation including asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). This study sought to evaluate the expression and regulation of the OPN in CRSwNP patients.

METHODS

Nasal polyp (NP) tissues and normal tissues were collected from 30 CRSwNP patients and 16 control subjects. The expression and regulation of OPN, as well eosinophil (EOS) accumulation and activation, were examined in nasal tissues using DNA microarray, immunohistochemical (IHC), immunofluorescent (IF) staining and qPCR analysis. Moreover, the regulation of OPN in nasal epithelial cells and its effects on migration and activation of EOS were evaluated in vitro using flow cytometry, ELISA, qPCR and Western blot, etc.

RESULTS

DNA microarray analysis identified OPN as one of the 19 upregulated genes in polyp tissues. The mean number of OPN(+) cells in polyp tissues was found to be significantly increased compared with the normal controls (P < 0.01), and OPN(+) cells in polyp tissues significantly correlated with tissue eosinophilia [major basic protein (MBP)(+) cells; r = 0.51, P < 0.01]. Accordingly, the mRNA and protein levels of OPN in NP tissues were significantly higher than those in normal controls (P < 0.01). Poly I:C, flagellin and TLR-9 agonist CpG ODN, as well as TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17A and TGF-β, significantly increased OPN mRNA expression in cultured PECs and NECs (P < 0.05). Recombinant human OPN significantly promoted the migration of EOS, as well as enhanced EOS cationic protein (ECP) production, in an in vitro dispersed NP cells (DNPCs) culture system (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

OPN promotes eosinophilic nasal inflammation in CRSwNP patients, which may represent a promising therapeutic target.

Skin characteristics: normative data for elasticity, erythema, melanin, and thickness at 16 different anatomical locations

BACKGROUND

The clinical use of non-invasive instrumentation to evaluate skin characteristics for diagnostic purposes and to evaluate treatment outcomes has become more prevalent. The purpose of this study was to generate normative data for skin elasticity, erythema (vascularity), melanin (pigmentation), and thickness across a broad age range at a wide variety of anatomical locations using the Cutometer(®) (6 mm probe), Mexameter(®) , and high-frequency ultrasound in a healthy adult sample.

METHODS

We measured skin characteristics of 241 healthy participants who were stratified according to age and gender. Sixteen different anatomical locations were measured using the Cutometer(®) for maximum skin deformation, gross elasticity, and biological elasticity, the Mexameter(®) for erythema and melanin, and high-frequency ultrasound for skin thickness. Standardized measurement procedures were applied for all participants.

RESULTS

The means and standard deviations for each measured skin characteristic for females and males across five different age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-85 years old) are presented. As previously described, there were variations in skin characteristics across age groups, anatomical locations, and between females and males highlighting the need to use site specific, age and gender matched data when comparing skin characteristics.

CONCLUSION

The reported data provides normative data stratified by anatomical location, age, and gender that can be used by clinicians and researchers to objectively determine whether patients' skin characteristics vary significantly from healthy subjects.

Communication: Tracking molecular structure deformation and relaxation in real time

The CH3I structural deformation induced by strong laser fields is revealed by time- and frequency-resolved ro-vibrational spectra. The experimental results show that the CH3I molecule undergoes ultrafast structural deformation of CH3 "umbrella-closing" induced by the strong fs laser field (more than 10(11) W/cm(2)) and followed by a structural relaxation of "umbrella-opening" within an exponential decay time scale of ∼620 fs. This study provides a first glimpse of the immense potential of the time- and frequency-resolved vibrational spectra in studying molecular deformation dynamics.

MicroRNA-195 induced apoptosis in hypoxic chondrocytes by targeting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha

OBJECTIVE

The chondrocytes, the resident cells of cartilage, are maintained and take effects in the whole life upon chronic hypoxic exposure, which hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) play pivotal roles in response to. Dysregulation of some microRNA (miRNAs) have also been identified to be involved in hypoxia-related physiologic and pathophysiologic responses in some tissues or cell lines. However, the mechanism of miRNAs reponse to hypoxia remain largely unknown in chondrocytes, including the microRNA-195 (miR-195). AIM To investigate the effects of microRNAs (miRNAs) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) on chondrocytes in physiologic environment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We compared the expression of miR-195 and HIF-1α mRNA on hypoxia with that on normoxia in ATDC 5 cells by qRT-PCR. Further experiments was performed to confirmed the relationships of miR-195 and HIF-1α by bioinformatics analysis and dual reporter gene assay. we also assessed the effect of miR-195 on apoptosis in hypoxic ATDC 5 cells by transfect with miR-195 mimics.

RESULTS

It was found the downregulated miR-195 and upregulated HIF-1α were present in hypoxic ATDC 5 cells. miR-195 negatively regulated HIF-1α by targeting its 3'-untranslated region. Moreover, the founding indicated miR-195 greatly increased apoptosis and downregulated HIF-1α mRNA occurred simultaneously in hypoxic chondrocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that miR-195 induced apoptosis in hypoxic chondrocytes by directly targeting HIF-1α.

Hyperuricemia and incident atrial fibrillation in a normotensive elderly population in Taiwan

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cardiovascular disease in the elderly. The association between hyperuricemia and AF is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prospective relationship between uric acid and development of AF in a nationally representative cohort of elderly people.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 1485 elderly people (age ≥ 65 yrs) from the Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1999-2000) were without AF on "electrocardiography" at baseline. Incident AF events (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, ICD-9-CM: 427.31) were identified using data from the National Health Insurance Dataset. Hyperuricemia was defined as levels of uric acid >7.0 mg/dL in men and 6.0 mg/dL in women. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the association between hyperuricemia and incident AF. The follow-up period was from 1999 to 2000 to 2008. During the follow-up period (median: 9.16 yrs), 90 AF events occurred (44 in men and 46 in women). Older age, elevated systolic blood pressure, being an ex-smoker, and high uric acid were positively associated with incident AF. Hyperuricemia was positively associated with incident AF in normotensive (age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 2.65 and 95% confidence intervals: 1.05-6.69), but not in (1.20:0.74-1.94) hypertensive individuals (systolic blood pressure ≥130 or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 or using hypertensive medicine). A significant association between hyperuricemia and AF (3.78; 1.24-11.59) remained after adjusting for other potential confounders among normotensive older persons.

CONCLUSION

Hyperuricemia is associated with the development of AF in elderly people with normal blood pressure.

Evaluating the clinical significance of serum HE4 levels in lung cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels could be used as a marker to differentiate lung cancer from pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and as a prognostic indicator in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

DESIGN

HE4 levels were measured in serum samples from 106 healthy controls, 190 lung cancer patients, 114 patients with PTB and 24 patients with pneumonia using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Serum HE4 levels in lung cancer patients were significantly higher than those in patients with PTB and healthy controls (P < 0.001). Using the optimal cut-off value of 94.01 pmol/l, HE4 levels distinguished lung cancer from PTB with a sensitivity of 61.6% and a specificity of 93.0%. After adjusting for age and smoking status, a binary unconditional logistic regression model provided a sensitivity of 67.4% and a specificity of 86.0% for differentiating between these two diseases. In the NSCLC group, serum HE4 levels were significantly higher in patients at advanced stages (Stage I-II vs. Stage III-IV, P = 0.02). Higher levels of serum HE4 (≥ 83.90 pmol/l) were significantly correlated with a worse 3-year survival rate for patients with NSCLC (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Serum HE4 may be used as a potential marker to differentiate lung cancer from PTB and healthy controls. In addition, higher levels of HE4 predict poor prognosis in NSCLC patients.

O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase as a promising target for the treatment of temozolomide-resistant gliomas

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an alkylating agent currently used as first-line therapy for gliomas treatment due to its DNA-damaging effect. However, drug resistance occurs, preventing multi-cycle use of this chemotherapeutic agent. One of the major mechanisms of cancer drug resistance is enhanced activity of a DNA repair enzyme, O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), which counteracts chemotherapy-induced DNA alkylation and is a key component of chemoresistance. MGMT repairs TMZ-induced DNA lesions, O(6)-meG, by transferring the alkyl group from guanine to a cysteine residue. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the field, with particular emphasis on the inhibitors of MGMT and underlying mechanisms. Literature search was performed through PubMed and all relevant articles were reviewed, with particular attention to MGMT, its role in TMZ-resistant gliomas, effects of MGMT inhibitors and the underlying mechanisms. Several strategies are currently being pursued to improve the therapeutic efficacy of TMZ via inhibition of MGMT to reduce chemoresistance and improve overall survival. MGMT may be a promising target for the treatment of TMZ-resistant gliomas.

Effect of aerobic exercise on miRNA-TLR4 signaling in atherosclerosis

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-tumor necrosis factor receptor 6 (TRAF6) signaling is activated in atherosclerosis (AS), inducing inflammatory mediators. Because miR-146a, a TLR4 microRNA (miRNA), can regulate TLR4 signaling during inflammatory responses, this study investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on TLR4-targeted miRNAs in AS. Apolipoprotein E-null mice fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks were separated into 3 groups: (i) no treatment (AS), (ii) statin treatment (AD), or (iii) aerobic exercise (AE). Plaques and foam cells were observed in the untreated control and statin groups, respectively, but not in the AE group. Reduced angiotensin II (Ang II) and endothelin 1 (ET1) levels were observed in the AE group. Both treatment groups significantly altered the expression of inflammatory cytokine expression and reduced vascular TLR4 levels. Increased miR-146a and miR-126 and reduced miR-155 levels were observed in both treatment groups (all, P<0.001). miR-146a interacted with the 3' untranslated region of the TRAF6 gene, reducing its expression. Thus, aerobic exercise and statins may induce miR-146a expression, thereby reducing vascular TRAF and TLR4 signaling and vascular inflammatory injury in AS. Further analysis of this pathway may provide insight into the protective effects of aerobic exercise on vascular disease as well as new therapeutic targets.

Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of the Muscovy duck Toll-like receptor 3 (MdTLR3) gene

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) is an important membrane-bound receptor for recognizing double-stranded RNA in innate immunity. In this study, we described the cloning and characterization of the Muscovy duck TLR3 (MdTLR3) gene. The full-length MdTLR3 cDNA (2,836 bp) encoded a polypeptide of 895 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence contained 4 main structural domains: a signal peptide, an extracellular leucine rich repeats domain, a transmembrane domain, and a Toll/IL-1 receptor domain. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that MdTLR3 mRNA was constitutively expressed in all sampled tissues of uninfected Muscovy duck except muscle. Expression of MdTLR3 in brain was significantly upregulated at 24 h (1.94-fold, P < 0.05), reached a peak at 48 h (4.64-fold, P < 0.05), and recovered to normal levels at 72 h postinfection with the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. In contrast, MdTLR3 expression was downregulated during the test period in spleen and lung. These results implicated MdTLR3 was a novel member of the TLR family, which is involved in the early stage of antiviral innate immunity.

Identification of a novel de novo STK11 mutation in a Chinese child with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by gastrointestinal polyposis and mucocutaneous pigmentation. PJS patients have an increased risk of cancer in multiple locations. Germ-line mutations in the STK11 gene have been found to be responsible for most PJS cases. DNA samples were obtained from a Chinese child with PJS, his clinically unaffected parents and 50 unrelated normal individuals, and the exons and flanking intronic sequences of the STK11 gene were analysed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. A novel de novo mutation (c.698_699insG; F234LfsX3) was identified in exon 5 of STK11, that resulted in a translational frameshift leading to termination at codon 236. This mutation was not found in the parents or unrelated individuals. These results enlarge the genotypic spectrum of STK11, particularly with regard to early onset, as observed in the present sporadic PJS case. This study may have important future implications for precise genotype-phenotype correlation research.

Identification of a Novel de Novo STK11 Mutation in a Chinese Child with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by gastrointestinal polyposis and mucocutaneous pigmentation. PJS patients have an increased risk of cancer in multiple locations. Germ-line mutations in the STK11 gene have been found to be responsible for most PJS cases. DNA samples were obtained from a Chinese child with PJS, his clinically unaffected parents and 50 unrelated normal individuals, and the exons and flanking intronic sequences of the STK11 gene were analysed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. A novel de novo mutation (c.698_699insG; F234LfsX3) was identified in exon 5 of STK11, that resulted in a translational frameshift leading to termination at codon 236. This mutation was not found in the parents or unrelated individuals. These results enlarge the genotypic spectrum of STK11, particularly with regard to early onset, as observed in the present sporadic PJS case. This study may have important future implications for precise genotype-phenotype correlation research.

Clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates in elderly Taiwanese patients

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolates in elderly Taiwanese patients. From 2004 through 2008, patients >65 years old with NTM isolation were identified. The definitions of NTM disease followed the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Disease Society of America (ATS/IDSA) criteria. Among the 3,175 NTM isolates, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC; n = 1,118, 35.2%) was the most prevalent species, followed by M. abscessus (n = 545, 17.2%). Among the 1,633 elderly patients with NTM isolates, the most prevalent NTM species were MAC (n = 592, 36.3%) and M. fortuitum complex (n = 311, 19.0%). NTM colonization was found in 1,339 (80.4%) patients and only 326 (19.6%) patients had NTM diseases. During the study period, the annual incidence rates (per 100,000 inpatients and outpatients) of NTM colonization and disease both increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 10.5 to 15.8 and from 2.1 to 4.3, respectively. Isolated pulmonary NTM infections compromised 294 (90.2%) of the 326 elderly cases of NTM disease. In conclusion, this study found an increasing trend in the incidence of both NTM isolates and NTM diseases among elderly Taiwanese patients. MAC and M. abscessus were the most frequent species causing various types of NTM disease.

Prevalence, severity, and time trends of allergic conditions in 6-to-7-year-old schoolchildren in Taipei

BACKGROUND

Atopic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema, are major illnesses among children. Recent studies conducted worldwide have shown diverse trends in the prevalence of asthma, with a steady increase detected in industrialized countries. Other studies, however, have revealed a leveling trend or even a declining prevalence.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current prevalence of allergic conditions in 6-to7-year-old schoolchildren in Taipei, Taiwan, and to analyze time trends.

METHODS

We evaluated the prevalence and severity of asthma and other allergic conditions using a phase I International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood core written questionnaire previously administered in Taipei in 1994 and 2002.

RESULTS

A total of 24 999 first-grade students from 153 elementary schools completed the questionnaire. The proportion of children with wheeze ever and nocturnal cough in the past 12 months was significantly increased in 2007 compared to 1994 and 2002. No significant differences were detected in the prevalence of current wheeze or physician-diagnosed asthma. The prevalence of severe wheezing symptoms in the past 12 months (> or = 4 attacks of wheeze, > or = 1 night of sleep disturbance due to wheeze per week, wheeze-limiting speech, and exercise-induced wheeze) decreased significantly. The prevalence and severity of rhinitis symptoms increased significantly during the 13-year period analyzed. The prevalence of eczema symptoms-defined as recurrent itchy rash and typical atopic eczema distribution in the past 12 months--also increased.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed an increase only in the prevalence and severity of current allergic symptoms in allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema.

Bacteraemia caused by non-freundii, non-koseri Citrobacter species in Taiwan

This study analysed the clinical characteristics of bacteraemia due to unusual Citrobacter species. All non-freundii and non-koseri Citrobacter isolates were identified to species level by two commercial identification methods and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. A total of 306 patients with Citrobacter spp. bacteraemia were identified from January 2000 through December 2009. Four patients (1.3%) had C. braakii bacteraemia, and one had C. amalonaticus and C. sedlakii sepsis, respectively. Misidentification as non-freundii and non-koseri Citrobacter spp., which occurred in eight isolates with the Phoenix automated system PMIC/ID-30 and three with the Vitek II system, occurred in five of six infection episodes. Among the six patients with bacteraemia caused by non-freundii and non-koseri Citrobacter spp., five (83.3%) had healthcare-associated infection and five (83.3%) infections were secondary to intra-abdominal infection. Cancer and liver cirrhosis were the commonest underlying diseases. An attributable mortality was 33.3%. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that the resistance patterns varied among different Citrobacter species. Non-freundii and non-koseri Citrobacter species are difficult to identify and are a rare cause of intra-abdominal infections with secondary healthcare-associated bacteraemia in immunocompromised patients.

Distribution of phthalate esters in soil of e-waste recycling sites from Taizhou city in China

In recent years, increasing concern has surrounded the consequences of improper electric and electronic waste (e-waste) disposal. In this paper, Phthalate esters (PAEs) including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) in the e-waste soils were collected and analyzed from sites Fengjiang, Nanshan and Meishu in Taizhou city. The result showed that the total PAEs concentrations ranged from 12.566 to 46.669 mg/kg in these three sites. DEHP, DBP and DEP were the major phthalates accounting for more than 94% of total phthalates studied. Comparing to the results from other studies, the e-waste soils from Taizhou city were severely contaminated with PAEs.

Cognitive deficits in multiple system atrophy correlate with frontal atrophy and disease duration

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Dementia remains an exclusion criterion in diagnosing multiple system atrophy (MSA). This study aimed to determine the cognitive changes and brain atrophy patterns in the Parkinsonian (MSA-P) and cerebellar (MSA-C) variants of MSA.

METHODS

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuro-psychological tests were applied to 10 MSA-C and 13 MSA-P patients, and compared to 37 age-matched controls. Correlation analyses were performed between cognitive test results and morphometric data extracted from the VBM data.

RESULTS

In neuro-psychological testing, the 23 MSA patients scored lower in the Stroop interference test and took longer in the trail-making test as compared with the controls, whereas MSA-C performed worse than MSA-P in the memory scores, Stroop test, and time to complete the trail-making test. MSA, as a group, showed atrophy in the cerebellum, insular cortex, fusiform gyrus, inferior orbito-frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and caudate nucleus. Memory scores correlated well with pre-frontal lobe atrophy but not in the insular area.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, although dementia is not a typical presenting feature of MSA and is regarded as a sub-cortical movement disorder, frontal atrophy, cognitive changes, and dementia are identifiable as MSA progresses.

Upconversion luminescence of CdTe nanocrystals by use of near-infrared femtosecond laser excitation

We study the steady-state and time-resolved luminescent properties of CdTe nanocrystals by one- and two-photon excitation with a femtosecond laser. We observe that 1208 nm excitation causes a shift of the emission peak of about 20 nm to the infrared compared with 400 nm laser excitation. It is found that upconversion luminescence is composed of a photoinduced trapping and a band edge excitonic state and produces the observation of biexponential decay kinetics. We conclude that the redshift of the emission peak is caused by the relative change in luminescence intensity between excitonic and trapping states.

Two novel mutations and evidence for haploinsufficiency of the ADAR gene in dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria

BACKGROUND

Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria (DSH, MIM 127400) is a dominantly inherited skin disease associated with mutations in ADAR, the gene that encodes a double-stranded RNA-specific adenosine deaminase. We previously reported two novel ADAR mutations (p.Q513X and p.R916W) and confirmed the role of ADAR in Chinese patients with DSH. Both haploinsufficiency and a dominant-negative effect have been suggested as the potential mechanism by which ADAR mutations cause DSH.

OBJECTIVES

To identify ADAR mutations in two additional Chinese DSH families and to obtain insight into the pathogenic mechanism of heterozygous ADAR mutations.

METHODS

For mutation detection, all ADAR exons and their flanking intronic sequences were amplified and sequenced. Mutations were further confirmed by restriction analysis. Direct sequencing of cDNA fragments produced by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative RT-PCR were used to examine the expression of ADAR in peripheral lymphocytes isolated from affected individuals.

RESULTS

A small deletion, c.1555delT (p.C519fs), and a missense mutation, c.3116A>G (p.K1039R), were found in families A and B, respectively. In individuals carrying p.Q513X or p.C519fs, sequencing of cDNA fragments indicated almost total loss of mRNA expression from the mutant alleles, and real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed an approximately 50% reduction of ADAR expression. However, equal abundance of the wild-type and mutant cDNA sequences without reduction of ADAR expression was found in a patient with the missense p.R916W mutation. These results suggest that both the nonsense p.Q513X and frameshift p.C519fs mutations have generated null alleles probably by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay.

CONCLUSIONS

Two novel ADAR mutations were found in Chinese patients with DSH. Evidence for ADAR haploinsufficiency as a mechanism underlying the molecular pathogenesis of DSH was obtained.