[Current status of pubertal sexual characteristics development of 2 704 girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing]

Objective: To understand the current status of pubertal sexual characteristics development of girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing and to compare the differences in sexual characteristics development among girls characterized as thin, normal, overweight, and obese. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2 844 girls aged 6-18 years in Tongzhou District of Beijing from September 2022 to July 2023. The developmental stages of breast and pubic hair were assessed on site, and menarche status was inquired. Weight and height were measured. The girls were subsequently characterized into thin, normal, overweight and obese groups. Basic information (including family and personal history) was obtained through questionnaires. Probit probability unit regression was applied to calculate the age of each Tanner stage of sexual characteristics development and the age of menarche. The χ2 test was applied to compare the counting data between two or multiple groups. Results: A total of 2 844 girls were surveyed and 2 704 girls met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a valid response rate of 95.1%. Among these girls, 1 105 (40.9%) were aged 6-9 years, 1 053 (38.9%) were aged 10-13 years, and 546 (20.2%) were aged 14-18 years. The of height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), and body mass index-for-age Z-score (BAZ) were 0.46(-0.23,1.16), 0.69(-0.16,1.67), and 0.67(-0.27,1.73) respectively. The prevalences of thin, overweight, and obesity were respectively 1.7% (45/2 704), 17.3% (467/2 704), and 19.9% (538/2 704), respectively. There were 45 girls in the thin group, 1 654 girls in the normal weight group, 1 005 girls in the overweight and obesity group. The age of Tanner stage breast 2 (B2), Tanner stage pubic hair 2 (P2), and menarche was 9.0 (95%CI 8.9-9.1), 10.5 (95%CI 10.4-10.6), and 11.4 (95%CI 11.3-1.5) years, respectively. The current status of breast and pubic hair maturity in girls with pubertal development shows that 64.6% (1 211/1 874) of these girls had breast development preceding pubic hair development, 32.4% (607/1 874) had concurrent breast and pubic hair development, and 3.0% (56/1 874) had pubic hairs development preceding breast development. The interval age between B2 and B5 was 4.7 (95%CI 4.6-4.8) years, between P2 and P5 was 4.5 (95%CI 4.4-4.6) years, and between B2 and menarche was 2.4 (95%CI 2.3-2.5) years. The ages of sexual characteristics development in overweight and obese groups were earlier than that in normal and thin groups. The ages of B2 in thin, normal, overweight, and obese groups were 10.0 (95%CI 9.5-10.6), 9.3 (95%CI 9.2-9.4), and 8.6 (95%CI 8.4-8.7) years, respectively. The age of menarche in thin, normal, overweight, and obese groups were 13.1 (95%CI 12.4-13.7), 11.6 (95%CI 11.4-11.7), and 11.1 (95%CI 11.0-11.2) years, respectively. The interval ages between B2 and B5 and between P2 and P5 was 4.5 and 4.1 years, respectively in the overweight and obese groups, and those in normal group and thin group was 4.7 and 4.5 years, 4.6 and 4.7 years, respectively. Conclusions: The ages of sexual characteristics development and menarche tend in Tongzhou District of Beijing to be earlier than that being reported of Beijing's survey 20 years ago. Girls characterized as overweight and obese not only start puberty at an earlier age than girls of normal weight, but also have a shorter developmental process.

Effect of biosolids amendment on the fate and mobility of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in a field-based lysimeter cell study

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used globally to treat and prevent illness. Biosolids change physico-chemical characteristics of soil and can affect the mobility of NSAIDs. A field-based lysimeter study evaluated the effect of three rates (0, 7, and 28 Mg ha^-1) of alkaline treated biosolids (ATB) on the leaching potential of naproxen (NPX), ibuprofen (IBF), and ketoprofen (KTF) over 34 days in a sandy loam textured soil. Although all three NSAIDs in the lysimeter cells vertically migrated to deeper soil depths after spiking, the sum of all NPX, IBF, and KTF detected in the leachate samples from all treatments were only 0.03%, 0.02%, and 0.04% of the initial spiking mass to the surface soil, respectively. A mass balance analysis indicated a low accumulation of these compounds in the soil at the end of the study (Day 34) from all treatments with only 4.8%, 0.5%, and 0.7% of initial spiked NPX, IBF, and KTF, respectively. Application of ATB significantly increased soil pH and organic matter (OM) content of the soils but did not impact retention of the compounds in the soil profile. Overall, all three NSAIDs in the present study presented low mobility in the loamy sand textured agricultural soil.

Heparin-Binding Protein Levels at Admission and Within 24 h Are Associated with Persistent Organ Failure in Acute Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Identification of patients at risk for persistent organ failure (POF) early in the course of acute pancreatitis (AP) is critical for early intervention. Heparin-binding protein (HBP) levels are closely related to inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between HBP levels and POF in patients with AP.

METHODS

This observational cohort study analyzed 66 patients with AP and 14 healthy volunteers between June 2019 and December 2019. Baseline characteristics, laboratory data, and severity scores of patients with different degrees of AP were compared. Levels of HBP were measured by ELISA. Serum HBP levels were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves to identify POF in AP.

RESULTS

Concentrations of serum HBP in healthy volunteers, MAP, MSAP, and SAP groups were 3.9 (range: 3.4-5) ng/ml, 5.2 (3.9-6.8) ng/ml, 5.9 (4.6-7.7) ng/ml, and 11 (8.0-13.8) ng/ml, respectively. The level of HBP in SAP patients was significantly elevated compared to the other groups (P < 0.01). HBP levels ≥ 7 ng/ml showed a specificity of 74%, a sensitivity of 90%, and an AUC of 0.82 for predicting POF.

CONCLUSIONS

HBP levels in patients with POF were significantly elevated. HBP is a useful marker for predicting severe AP.

Relationship between viral load, infection-to-delivery interval and mother-to-child transfer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load and infection-to-delivery interval with maternal and cord serum concentrations of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and transplacental transfer ratio in pregnant women with active or recovered SARS-CoV-2 infection.

METHODS

This was a prospective case series of consecutive pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between 27 March 2020 and 24 January 2021. We collected information regarding deep throat saliva or nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results, serial cycle threshold (Ct) values at and after diagnosis, demographic, clinical and outcome data, and neonatal NPS RT-PCR results. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of IgG and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was performed in maternal and cord blood serum samples obtained at delivery. Correlation of maternal Ct values, infection-to-delivery interval, infection duration and viral load area under the curve (AUC) with gestational age (GA) at diagnosis, maternal and cord serum IgG concentrations and transplacental transfer ratio of IgG were evaluated using Pearson's correlation.

RESULTS

Twenty pregnant women who consented to participate and who had delivered their babies by 31 January 2021 were included in the study, comprising 14 who had recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and six with active infection at delivery. The median GA at clinical manifestation was 32.7 (range, 11.9-39.4) weeks. The median infection-to-delivery interval and infection duration were 41.5 (range, 2-187) days and 10.0 (range, 1-48) days, respectively. The median GA at delivery was 39.1 (range, 32.4-40.7) weeks and the median seroconversion interval was 14 (range, 1-19) days. Of 13 neonates born to seropositive mothers with recovered infection at delivery, 12 tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG. All neonatal NPS samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 and all cord sera tested negative for IgM. The median transplacental transfer ratio of IgG was 1.3 (interquartile range, 0.9-1.6). There was a negative correlation between infection-to-delivery interval and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations in maternal (r = -0.6693, P = 0.0087) and cord (r = -0.6554, P = 0.0068) serum and a positive correlation between IgG concentration in maternal serum and viral load AUC (r = 0.5109, P = 0.0310). A negative correlation was observed between transfer ratio and viral load AUC (r = -0.4757, P = 0.0409).

CONCLUSIONS

In pregnant women who have recovered from COVID-19, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations at delivery increased with increasing viral load during infection and decreased with increasing infection-to-delivery interval. The median transplacental transfer ratio of IgG was 1.3 and it decreased with increasing viral load during infection. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Biodegradation kinetics of individual and mixture non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in an agricultural soil receiving alkaline treated biosolids

Land application of biosolids is one potential source of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) into agricultural soils. Degradation is an important natural attenuation pathway that affects the fate and transport of PPCPs in the soil system and biosolids application could alter the process. The present study assessed the effect of individual and mixture compound environments on the biodegradation rate and half-life of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), naproxen (NPX), ibuprofen (IBF), and ketoprofen (KTF), in a loamy sand textured agricultural soil receiving an alkaline treated biosolid (ATB) amendment. A prolonged half-life of the target NSAIDs was determined for sterile soils and shorter half-lives in unsterile soils, indicating the loss of target compounds in all treatments was mainly attributed to biodegradation and followed first-order kinetics. IBF and NPX showed low to moderate persistence in soil and ATB amended soil, with half-lives ranging from 4.9 to 14.8 days, while KTF appeared to be highly persistent with an average half-life of 33 days. The order in which the target NSAIDs disappeared in both soil and ATB amended soil was: IBF > NPX > KTF, for both individual and mixture compound treatments. Soils that received the ATB amendment demonstrated inhibited degradation of NPX in all treatments, as well as IBF and KTF in individual compound treatment over the 14-day incubation study. We also observed an inhibition effect from the ATB amendment in sterile soil treatments. In mixture compound treatments, IBF degradation was inhibited in both soil and ATB amended soil. The degradation rate of KTF in mixture compound environment in soil was lower, while the opposite effects were observed in ATB amended soils. For NPX, the degradation was enhanced in mixture compound environment in ATB amended soil, while the same degradation rate of NPX was calculated in soil.

[Association of blood pressure and left ventricular mass in children from the PROC cohort study]

Objective: To explore the association between blood pressure (BP) and the left ventricular mass (LVM) in children aged 6-8 years. Methods: The participants were from the community-based census-like design child cohort on sensitization, puberty, obesity and cardiovascular risk (PROC) conducted in six public non-boarding primary schools in Shunyi District, Beijing. Repeated three measurements on anthropometrical, M-mode and 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic imaging (2D/M ECHO) and blood biochemical assay, and BP measurements were carried out at baseline and follow-up from October 2018 to June 2019. A total of 1 659 children who had repeated BP measurements and cardiac structure information were included in this study. The average value of last two measurements of BP was determined as BP value for analysis. Formula recommended by Devereux was used to calculate the mass of left ventricle. Robust linear regression models were used to explore the association between BP and LVM in different groups. Results: The average age of all patients was (7.10±0.29) years old, including 832 boys (50.15%). Of all, 83.54% (1 386/1 659) were grouped as normal BP with average LVM (58.54±13.33) g, and 16.46% (273/1 659) as elevated BP group with LVM (63.84±15.78) g (P<0.001). The LVM of the normal BP group was lower than elevated BP group in overall participants, boys and girls (P<0.005). Univariate analysis showed that systolic BP was associated with LVM in overall, boys and girls (P<0.001) respectively. While diastolic BP was associated with LVM in overall and girls (P<0.03). Multivariable analysis indicated that the associations between systolic BP and LVM were observed in overall, boys and girls (P<0.05) with the β (95%CI)=0.14 (0.08, 0.21), 0.18 (0.08, 0.27) and 0.12 (0.03, 0.22), respectively. However, the associations of diastolic BP and LVM were not significant. Conclusion: Systolic BP is highly associated with LVM and elevated BP could increase the LVM in children. Boys with elevated BP present a larger LVM and might indicate higher risk of left ventricular hypertrophy in adulthood.

[Association between trunk fat index and carotid intima-media thickness among children aged 6-8 years old in Beijing]

Objective: The study is to explore the association between trunk fat index (TFI) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) among children aged 6-8 years old in Shunyi District, Beijing. Methods: The participants were enrolled from the child cohort on sensitization, puberty, obesity and cardiovascular risk (PROC) conducted in Shunyi District, Beijing from October 2018 to June 2019. The PROC used a community-based census-like design, and all eligible first-grade children from six public non-boarding primary schools in urban area were approached. Finally, a total of 1 503 children with written informed consent from parents and had complete data of TFI and cIMT were included for the present study. Sequential baseline surveys including anthropometric measurements, laboratory testing and ultrasonography measurement were conducted to collect the data on height, weight, body composition, blood pressure, serum lipids and cIMT. Linear regression was used to determine the predictors of cIMT, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cut-off value of TFI to identify children with high cIMT, and analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the post-consistency classification of cIMT by TFI. Results: The age of 1 503 participants was (6.7±0.3) years, and 752 boys accounted for 50.0%. The average cIMT was (0.358±0.024) and (0.355±0.023) mm, and the M (P₂₅, P₇₅) of TFI was 0.70 (0.22, 1.78) and 0.74 (0.23, 1.52) kg/m² for boys and girls, respectively. The detection rates for boys and girls of high cIMT were 2.1% and 3.3%, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that height, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TFI were positively correlated with cIMT in boys (P values<0.05). And height, SBP, triglyceride (TG), TFI were positively correlated with cIMT, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was negatively correlated with cIMT in girls (P values<0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that the best cut-off values for TFI to identify children with high cIMT were 1.78 and 1.14 kg/m², at P₇₅ and P₆₆ for boys and girls, respectively. After grouped with the cut-off value of TFI and adjusted for age, height, SBP, DBP, TG, HDL-C, multivariable covariance analysis showed a consistent cut-off of inter-group cIMT mean by TFI groups (P values<0.005). Conclusion: TFI is associated with cIMT, which underscore its application potential in identifying early vascular structural damage.

[Sex difference in height growth and blood pressure change among Beijing school-age children and adolescents: a ten-year longitudinal study]

Objective: To explore sex difference in height growth and blood pressure (BP) change among Beijing school-age children and adolescents. Methods: Using physical examination data of 70 769 school-age children and adolescents from primary to high school during 2009-2018 in Shunyi District, a longitudinal dataset was formed with completed anthropometrical measurements of height and blood pressure (BP) after individual information linkage. Age-specific height, BP, growth rate of height and BP as well BP growth rate based on age at peak height velocity (PHA) were calculated. Linear mixed-effects model was used to identify sex disparity in the growth rates of height and BP. Results: Height and BP increased with age in both boys and girls, and the mean height and BP of boys were always higher than those of girls, except age group from 10 to 11 years. Sex disparity existed in growth rates of height and BP (P<0.001), which was demonstrated by the interaction item of"sex x age"in linear mixed-effects model. The PHA of boys was 12 years old, which was 2 years later than that of girls, about 10 years old. The curves of BP growth rate with age showed double peaks in both boys and girls. Boys reached the peak BP velocity at 13 years old, 3 years lagging behind that of girls who reached the peak at 10 years old. However, the peak of height and BP velocity of boys were higher than that of girls. The change of BP was highly synchronized in time with the increase of height, after adjusting for the growth rate of height by PHA. BP velocity increased with age before onset of puberty till PHA and then declined. Conclusion: Sex disparity in height growth and BP change among school-age children and adolescents is persistent and significant and the change of BP is highly synchronized in time with the increase of height.

[Using text mining to identify gap in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome related information dissemination between the official channel delivery and the needs of adolescents]

Objective: The study intends to identify gap in HIV/AIDS awareness dissemination between the official channel delivery and the needs of adolescents. Methods: We crawled all the HIV/AIDS queries from "Baidu zhidao" till June 11st, 2018. "Baidu zhidao" inquiry and information form official public service announcement (abbreviated for "official delivery" hereafter) were the data source for comparative analysis. We categorized the text data into four kinds, "prevention", "testing and treatment", "symptoms and infection" and "legalization and policies" according to official categorization. Word segmentation was used for text mining and word frequency statistics, as well word cloud was used for word frequency visualization (all based on a comparison after removing the useless words). Results: Of the official delivery, the proportion of prevention category accounted for 32.3% (n=162) (ranks 1^st), and the proportion of legalization and policies category was 14.1% (n=71). While among the "Baidu zhidao" inquiry information, the proportion of testing and treatment category accounted for 51.7% (n=51 264), and the proportion of prevention category accounted for 11.4% (n=11 272). The frequencies of same terms/ repeated terms of two channels accounted for 60% (59.3%-63.9%) of each category among the official delivery, of which, the proportion of interest terms comparatively less and more diverse in "Baidu zhidao" inquiries. The proportion of the terms frequency of each category was about 45% in "prevention, testing and treatment", 34.3% (n=14 781) in "symptoms and infection" and 17.0% (n=5 744) in "legalization and policies", respectively. Conclusion: A big gap was identified between the available official source and inquiries' term, especially word frequency discrepancy between "legalization and policies" and "prevention" categories. It underscore the necessity for the official channel to address the needs and interests of adolescents in the future.

[Meta-analysis of asthma prevalence of children aged 0-14 in surveillance cities of China]

Objective: To understand the prevalence of asthma and its variation over time in children aged 0-14 years in China. Methods: The studies on the prevalence of asthma in children in China were systematically retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP) and PubMed databases. The search time was up to June 2019, and the study site was located in the asthma surveillance cities. Random effect model was used to calculate the combined prevalence of asthma and its 95% confidence interval (CI). The subgroup analysis was conducted by period, sex and region. All analyses were performed by using Stata 15.1 and R Studio software. Results: Among 2 624 articles, 67 met the eligibility criteria, and the survey time was from 1989 to 2015. A total of 1 661 076 children were involved and 40 737 asthma cases were confirmed from 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. The prevalence of asthma varied greatly among different studies, ranging from 0.5% to 9.82%. Meta-analysis showed that the combined prevalence of asthma in Chinese children aged 0-14 was 2.6% (95%CI: 2.1%-3.1%), about 3.2% (95%CI: 2.6%-3.8%) for boys and 1.9% (95%CI: 1.6%-2.3%) for girls. The subgroup analysis showed a significant variation of the prevalence over different years, genders and regions (P<0.05). The prevalence of asthma in boys was consistently higher than that of girls. The overall prevalence of asthma showed an upward trend. Before 2010, the prevalence of asthma in the eastern region was higher than that in the central and western regions. The prevalence of asthma across regions showed a significant change and the prevalence of asthma in the central region was significantly higher than that in the eastern and western regions from 2010 to 2015 (P<0.05). Conclusion: The asthma prevalence of children aged 0-14 in China is generally increasing, and the prevalence rate of boys is higher than that of girls. The prevalence rate in the central region is significantly higher than that in the eastern region from 2010 to 2015, suggesting that those regions should strengthen the early prevention and intervention of asthma and implement a sex-specific information dissemination strategy.

Initially elevated arterial lactate as an independent predictor of poor outcomes in severe acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between arterial lactate levels and outcomes in severe acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

The study retrospectively analyzed the medical data of 329 patients with severe acute pancreatitis from January 2014 to February 2019. We compared baseline characteristics, laboratory data, severity scores, types of persistent organ failure, and primary and secondary outcomes of patients with and without elevated arterial lactate levels at admission. A multivariate logistic regression analysis model and receiver operating characteristic curve were adopted to evaluate the value of arterial lactate ≥4 mmol/L for identifying high-risk patients. Trends in arterial lactate levels were compared between patients in the survivor and nonsurvivor groups over a period of 7 days.

RESULTS

Compared to normal arterial lactate levels, patients with elevated arterial lactate levels show significantly higher incidences of multiple persistent organ failure (3% vs 30%, P < 0.01), death (2% vs 11%, P < 0.01), septic shock (4% vs 24%, P < 0.01), pancreatic infection (12% vs 37%, P < 0.01), abdominal compartment syndrome (3% vs 20%, P < 0.01), pancreatic necrosis (41% vs 63%, P < 0.01), and a need for ventilator support (26% vs 54%, P < 0.01). For predicting mortality, arterial lactate levels ≥4 mmol/L had a high hazard ratio (10, 95% CI; 3.7-27; P < 0.01) and the highest area under the curve (0.78).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that initially elevated arterial lactate is independently associated with poor outcomes and death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis and may serve as an early high-risk stratification indicator.

PRDX2 plays an oncogenic role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via Wnt/β-catenin and AKT pathways

PURPOSE

To investigate the role of PRDX2 in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA).

METHODS

The expression of PRDX2 was detected in ESCA tissues. And PRDX2 expression in two ESCA cell lines was knocked down. Cell proliferation, metastasis and invasion were detected in these cells.

RESULTS

Here, we found that PRDX2 expression was significantly increased in ESCA tissues and was associated with a poor prognosis in ESCA patients. In addition, PRDX2 expression was significantly associated with pathological grading, infiltration degree and 5-year survival time in ESCA patients. Next, we knocked down PRDX2 expression by PRDX2-shRNA transfection in two ESCA cell lines, Eca-109 and TE-1. Proliferation analysis indicated that in vitro PRDX2 knockdown decreased growth and clone formation of ESCA cells. Scratch and transwell assays indicated that cell migration and invasion were significantly inhibited by PRDX2 knockdown. In addition, PRDX2 knockdown inhibited cell cycle of ESCA cells and down-regulated Cyclin D1-CDK4/6. Moreover, PRDX2 knockdown regulated proteins involved in mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, including increased Bax and Caspase9/3 and decreased Bcl2. Mechanism investigation indicated that PRDX2 knockdown led to inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin and AKT pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that PRDX2 may function as an oncogene in the development of ESCA via regulating Wnt/β-catenin and AKT pathways. Our study fills a gap in the understanding of the role of PRDX2 in ESCA and provides a potential target for ESCA treatment.

Association of Serum Levels of Silent Information Regulator 1 with Persistent Organ Failure in Acute Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Early assessment is a key factor for adequate and comprehensive treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP). Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) plays an important role in inflammation. The aim was to explore the relationship between serum SIRT1 and persistent organ failure (POF) in patients with AP.

METHODS

Thirty-seven healthy controls (HCs) and 113 patients with AP were recruited for this study. All 113 patients whose blood samples were collected on the first morning after admission were within 48 h of the onset of AP symptoms. The concentration of serum SIRT1 protein was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The serum SIRT1 protein levels were 1495.7 ± 185.9, 2098.3 ± 153.6, 2498.4 ± 198.2, and 3674.3 ± 170.8 pg/ml in the HCs, mild AP, moderately severe AP, and severe AP groups, respectively. Obvious differences were observed between HCs and patients with AP (P < 0.05). Significant increases were observed in SIRT1 concentrations in patients with POF compared with non-POF patients (P < 0.05). When the cut-off of the SIRT1 concentration was 4065.4 pg/ml, the serum SIRT1 concentration had an area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.825 (95% CI 0.744-0.906) for predicting POF, with a sensitivity of 61.4% and specificity of 92.8%. Combining serum SIRT1 and bedside index for severity acute pancreatitis (BISAP) achieved 0.931 (95% CI 0.882, 0.980) of AUC for the predication of POF.

CONCLUSIONS

High serum SIRT1 levels may serve as an early predictive marker for POF. Combining the serum SIRT1 concentration with BISAP increased the ability to predict outcomes.

[Application of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with pulmonary complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for pulmonary complications in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and its safety. Methods: Patients with pulmonary complications after allo-HSCT underwent BAL. Microbiological smears, culture, PCR of CMV-DNA, EBV-DNA and TB-DNA, macro genomes new generation sequencing (mNGS) techniques were performed to detect pathogens in BAL fluid (BALF) . Results: A total of 73 allo-HSCT patients with 86 times of pulmonary complications enrolled this prospective study. They underwent 132 times of BAL procedures. The clinical diagnoses of 88.4% cases were made based on BALF analysis. Of them, 67 cases (77.9%) had infectious pulmonary complications, including 29 cases (33.7%) of fungal infection, 18 cases (20.9%) of mixed infection, 11 cases (12.8%) of viral infection and 9 cases (10.5%) of bacterial infection. The other 9 cases (10.5%) of non-infectious pulmonary complications included 8 cases (9.3%) of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS) and 1 case (1.2%) of pulmonary infiltration of lymphoma. The diagnoses of the remaining 10 cases (11.6%) were not determined. The platelet counts of 33 patients were less than 50×10(9)/L before BAL. None of them developed severe bleeding complications during or after BAL. Transient fever occurred in 10 patients after BAL. Blood cultures showed staphylococcal bacteremia in them and anti-infection therapies were effective. No life-threatening complications occurred in all of the patients during or after BAL. Conclusion: BALF analysis was informative for the diagnosis of pulmonary complication and safe for patients with pulmonary complications after allo-HSCT.

Elevated arterial lactate level as an independent risk factor for pancreatic infection in moderately severe acute pancreatitis

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to research the relationships between arterial lactate levels and pancreatic infection in moderately severe acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed data from 503 patients with moderately severe acute pancreatitis from January 1, 2013, to March 31, 2018. The baseline characteristics on admission were compared between patients with and without elevated arterial lactate levels. The parameters and laboratory data were compared between patients with and without pancreatic infections at admission. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the value of elevated arterial lactate levels for identifying high-risk patients. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 49 (9.2%) patients were diagnosed with pancreatic infections. Compared with patients without pancreatic infections, pancreatic infection patients had significantly increased arterial lactate levels at admission (1.5 ± 0.7 vs. 2.5 ± 0.9; P < 0.01). Multivariate logic analysis still showed that higher arterial lactate levels in moderately severe acute pancreatitis was an independent risk factor for developing pancreatic infections (hazard ratio: 6.31, 95% CI 3.01-13.24; P < 0.01). Arterial lactate level ≥2.1 mmol/L and procalcitonin level ≥0.5 ng/mL at admission had area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.83 and 0.72, with sensitivity of 67.2% and 87%, and specificity of 82.0% and 60%, respectively, for the prediction of pancreatic infection in moderately severe acute pancreatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that a higher arterial lactate level is independently associated with pancreatic infection in patients with moderately severe acute pancreatitis and may be used as a tool to identify high-risk patients.

The joint impact of smoking plus alcohol drinking on treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, smoking, and alcohol drinking are major public health and social issues worldwide. We investigated the joint effect of smoking plus alcohol drinking on TB treatment. Retrospective study was conducted among TB patients in 49 units from eight provinces in China. All patients enrolled were classified into four groups according to their smoking and/or alcohol status. Current smokers plus drinkers belonged to group 1; ex-smokers plus ex-drinkers were in group 2; current smokers and ex-drinkers, current smokers and never drinkers, ex-smokers and current drinkers, ex-smokers and never drinkers, never smokers and current drinkers, and never smokers and ex-drinkers belonged to group 3; while the never smokers plus never drinkers were in group 4. We used a chi-square test to compare adverse drug reaction, lesions absorption and cavities of lung, sputum culture at the end of the second month, and treatment outcomes among the four groups. Among the 1256 participants enrolled in the study, 6.1% (76/1256) were current smokers plus drinkers; 25.9% (325/1256) were ex-smokers plus drinkers; 29.1% (366/1256) were current/never/ex-smokers and/or drinkers, and 38.9% (489/1256) were never smokers plus drinkers, respectively. Compared to the never smokers and drinkers, smoker plus drinker TB patients were more likely to experience adverse drug reaction (x² = 8.480, P = 0.037), less proportion of lesions absorption in lungs (x² = 10.330, P = 0.016), lower proportion of culture conversion (x² = 18.83, P = 0.04), and more unfavorable outcomes. Smoking plus alcohol drinking adversely affect response against TB treatment, which increase adverse drug reactions, sputum culture-positive rate at the end of the second month, and failure rate of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

[The effectiveness of individualized treatment regimen on smear-positive retreatment pulmonary tuberculosis with mono- and poly-drug resistance]

Objective: To analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of individualized treatment regimen in the therapy of smear-positive retreatment pulmonary tuberculosis with mono-and poly-drug resistance, and therefor to provide information on how to develop rational individualized regimen for retreatment tuberculosis cases with drug resistance. Methods: This was a multi-centered, prospective cohort study. Totally 254 cases of sputum positive tuberculosis with previous treatment history during the period from July 1, 2009 to August 30, 2016 were included in the analysis. All the cases were randomly divided into 3 groups and received therapy after randomization into treatment groups. After 3 months, cases with multidrug resistant tuberculosis, extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infection and those with smear-positive but culture-negative tuberculosis were excluded according to result of sputum culture and drug susceptibility test (DST). In treatment group A (individualized treatment group), 86 cases with an average age of (42.1±13.7) years for men and (38.5±12.8) years for women, were treated with individualized regimen, which allowed drug replacement on the basis of standard regimen (2SHRZE/6HRE) according to DST result. Treatment duration was recalculated after drug replacement and the total length should be 12 months or more. If the DST result did not show drug resistance, the patients would continue the 8 months' standard treatment. In treatment group B (intensified retreatment regimen group), 86 cases with an average age of (43.2±14.2) years for man and (37.9±14.1) years for women, received intensified retreatment regimen (2HL(2)EZS/2HL(2)EZS(3)/4HL(2)E). The dose for H was 0.3 g/d for patients with body weight <50 kg, and 0.4~0.5 g/d for higher body weight (≥50 kg); The doses for L(2,)E and Z were 0.6 g, 2/w; 0.75, 1/d and 0.5g, 3/d. In treatment group C (standard treatment group), 82 cases with an average of (42.5±11.9) years for man and (38.6±12.8) years for women, were treated with standardized regimen recommended by national tuberculosis program (2HREZS/6HRE). In both group B and C, the total treatment duration was 8 months and the drugs were not replaced for mono-and poly-drug resistance. Treatment outcomes of the 3 groups were analyzed, the status of drug replacement in group A was analyzed, and the adjustment of dose of H and R according to patients' body weight was observed. SPSS 19.0 was used for data analysis. Results: The treatment cure rates for group A, B and C were 73.3%(63/86), 76.7%(66/86) and 50%(41/82), and the treatment success rates were 80.2%(69/86), 84.9%(73/86) and 62.2%(51/82) respectively. Treatment failure was 8.1%(7/86), 4.7%(4/86) and 19.5%(16/82) in 3 groups. There were significant differences in the above indicators for group A and B in comparison with group C(χ(2)=13.127, P=0.001). However, there was no difference observed between group A and B(χ(2)=0.646, P=0.422). In group A, tuberculosis specialized hospitals using regular doses for R was only 38.7%(12/31). After 3 years' follow-up, no-relapse-success for group A was 66.7% (10/15). Conclusions: Inappropriate individualized treatment would increase treatment failure for retreatment tuberculosis. Higher doses of H and R and prolonged extensive therapy phase could contribute to increased treatment success.

[Relationship between the weight of hospitalized patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and the oral dose of isoniazid]

Objective: To study the relationship between the weight change trend of initial treatment patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and the dose change trend of isoniazid, and therefore to analyze the appropriate dose of isoniazid. Methods: Data of initial treatment inpatients with pulmonary tuberculosis from May 1955 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis and those with complications were excluded from the study. The time period was separated as 20th century 1950s to 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 21th century 2000s and 2010s. Samples were selected in each year and month between 1950s to 1960s and 1970s. After 1980s, samples of 1 year were taken from each 5 years. The sex, age and weight for every patient were collected, as well as the dose of isoniazid of every inpatient on a day in therapeutic regimen. Meanwhile, the weight change trend of the patients in different ages and the dose change trend of isoniazid were compared. The total number of cases was 1 398, with 924 males and 474 females, averaging (36.7±14.4) years old. Results: The weight of the patients increased when it was compared between that in 1950s to 1960s, 1970s or 1980s and that in 2000s, with a increasing weight of 3 kg, 3.5 kg and 3 kg respectively. The difference showed statistical significance (P<0.003). The difference was also significant when the weight in 70s was compared with that in 2010s (P=0.002). The therapeutic dose of isoniazid remained invariable regardless of the weight change. At 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, the dose of isoniazid per kilogram of body weight would reduce to 0.005 4 g, 0.005 2 g and 0.0054 g relative to patients' weight increase, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: The weight of pulmonary tuberculosis inpatients increased in recent 60 years. The weight has a close relation with the dose of isoniazid. A fixed dose of isoniazid (0.3 g/d) regardless of the weight change could result in low blood drug concentration . To avoid tolerance of isoniazid and increase the cure rates of pulmonary tuberculosis, the dosage of isoniazid should be increased based on the weight increase of patients.

[Status and related factors of self-reported pain among working-age population in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region]

Objective: To describe the status and related factors of self-reported pain among working-age population in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data was from the Inner Mongolia fifth health services survey. SPSS 19.0 software package was used for data analysis and χ² test was to compare the prevalence of self-reported pain in population with different characteristics. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors on self-reported pain. Results: A total of 11 480 working-age population was involved in this survey, with prevalence of self-reported pain among working age population as 12.3%. The prevalence rates of moderate and severe pain were 11.6% and 0.7%, respectively. Results from the unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that, in the economically poor population, the risk of self-reported pain was 1.718 times of the relatively rich people (OR=1.718, 95%CI: 1.381-2.831). In the rural areas, the risk of self-reported pain was higher than that in the urban population (OR=2.506, 95%CI: 2.030-3.092) and people with chronic illnesses had 2.880 times higher risk than those who did not have the diseases (OR=2.880, 95% CI: 2.474-3.352). There was an interaction noticed between gender and age. Women at or above 45 years old were more likely to develop self-report pain (OR=1.300, 95% CI: 1.072-1.577). Again, factors as people who were current or former smokers, who were suffering from anxiety or depression, being skinny etc. appeared as independently related to the self-reported pain. Conclusion: In working age population of Inner Mongolia, a high prevalence of self-reported pain was seen. Data showed that people who were poor, age at 45 or older, having history of smoking, with chronic diseases and anxiety/depression were risk factors related to self-reported pain.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate opposes HBV-induced incomplete autophagy by enhancing lysosomal acidification, which is unfavorable for HBV replication

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, exhibits diverse beneficial properties, including antiviral activity. Autophagy is a cellular process that is involved in the degradation of long-lived proteins and damaged organelles. Recent evidence indicates that modulation of autophagy is a potential therapeutic strategy for various viral diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effect of EGCG on hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and the possible involvement of autophagy in this process. Our results showed that HBV induced autophagosome formation, which was required for replication of itself. However, although EGCG efficiently inhibited HBV replication, it enhanced, but not inhibited, autophagosome formation in hepatoma cells. Further study showed that HBV induced an incomplete autophagy, while EGCG, similar to starvation, was able to induce a complete autophagic process, which appeared to be unfavorable for HBV replication. Furthermore, it was found that HBV induced an incomplete autophagy by impairing lysosomal acidification, while it lost this ability in the presence of EGCG. Taken together, these data demonstrated that EGCG treatment opposed HBV-induced incomplete autophagy via enhancing lysosomal acidification, which was unfavorable for HBV replication.

Stochastic simulations of ErbB homo and heterodimerisation: potential impacts of receptor conformational state and spatial segregation

ErbB overexpression is linked to carcinogenesis. It is hypothesised that this is due to increased receptor density and receptor clustering, leading to increased receptor dimerisation and activation. Herein, spatial stochastic simulations have been performed to shed light receptor dimerisation processes. First, ligand-independent homodimerisation, is considered, based upon constitutive oligomerisation estimates (14%) in A431 cells that overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). When autocrine stimulation is blocked, ligand-independent EGFR activation is demonstrated by persistent, low levels of phosphorylation. The possibility that ligand-independent signalling is due to the fluctuation of EGFR conformation is considered. The agent-based model predicts the frequency (expressed as a probability) that uniformly distributed receptors would need to flux to the open conformation to reach 14% EGFR dimers at high receptor density. Simulations suggest that ligand-independent EGFR homodimerisation is highly density dependent, since collisions between 'open', dimerisation-competent receptors are a rare event at low receptor levels. Simulations that incorporate receptor clustering lower the threshold for homodimerisation of unoccupied receptors as well as the estimate of the probability for fluxing to the dimer-competent conformation. The impact of ErbB receptor clustering patterns on hetero and homodimerisation rates is also considered, using immunoelectron microscopy data derived from SKBR3 breast cancer cells that express ErbB2>>EGFR>ErbB3. Partial spatial segregation of ErbB receptors has a profound effect on simulated heterodimerisation rates. Despite the general assumption that ErbB2 is a preferred heterodimerising partner for other ErbBs, it is predicted that most ErbB2 will form homodimers. Overall, it is proposed that both receptor density and membrane spatial organisation contribute to the carcinogenesis process.

Pigmentation in Black-boned sheep (Ovis aries): association with polymorphism of the MC1R gene

Variations in vertebrate skin and hair color are due to varied amounts of eumelanin (brown/black) and phaeomelanin (red/yellow) produced by the melanocytes. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a regulator of eumelanin and phaeomelanin production in the melanocytes, and MC1R mutations causing coat color changes are known in many vertebrates. We have sequenced the entire coding region of the MC1R gene in Black-boned, Nanping indigenous and Romney Marsh sheep populations and found two silent mutation sites of A12G and G144C, respectively. PCR-RFLP of G144C showed that frequency of allele G in Black-boned, Nanping indigenous and Romney Marsh sheep was 0.818, 0.894 and 0, respectively. Sheep with GG genotype had significantly higher (P < 0.05) tyrosinase activity than sheep with CC genotype in the all investigated samples. Moreover, there was significant effect of MC1R genotype on coat color, suggesting that MC1R gene could affect coat color but not black traits. There would be merit in further studies using molecular techniques to elucidate the cause of black traits in these Black-boned sheep.

The bone morphogenic protein antagonist gremlin regulates proximal-distal patterning of the lung

The proximal-distal patterning of lung epithelium involves a complex series of signaling and transcriptional events resulting in the programmed differentiation of highly specialized cells for gas exchange and surfactant protein expression essential for postnatal lung function. The BMP signaling pathway has been shown to regulate cellular differentiation in the lung as well as other tissues. In this report, we show that the can family of related BMP antagonists, including gremlin, cer-1, PRDC, and Dan are expressed in the lung during embryonic development with gremlin expression observed in the proximal airway epithelium. The role of gremlin in lung development was explored by overexpressing it in the distal lung epithelium of transgenic mice using the human SP-C promoter. SP-C/gremlin transgenic mice exhibited a disruption of the proximal-distal patterning found in the airways of the mammalian lung. Expanded expression of the proximal epithelial cell markers CC10 and HFH-4 (Foxj1) was observed in the distal regions of transgenic lungs. Furthermore, smooth muscle alpha-actin expression was observed surrounding the distal airways of SP-C/gremlin mice, indicating a proximalization of distal lung tubules. These data suggest that gremlin plays an important role in lung morphogenesis by regulating the proximal-distal patterning of the lung during development.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 is a basement membrane-associated protein that is significantly decreased in human colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

The balance between local levels of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases is believed to play a key role in tumor invasion and metastases. Because tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 suppresses tumorigenicity and tumor invasion in vitro, the aim of this study was to determine its expression in human colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Thirty-nine human colorectal cancer specimens, three adenomas, and matched normal adjacent mucosa from 39 colorectal cancer patients were analyzed. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 ribonucleic acid and protein expression were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and Western blot analysis, respectively. The cellular localizations of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 ribonucleic acid and protein were determined by in situ hybridization and immunolocalization.

RESULTS

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 ribonucleic acid expression was increased in colorectal cancer compared with paired normal mucosa. In contrast, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 protein level was higher in normal mucosa than in the corresponding colorectal cancer. In addition, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 protein levels progressively decreased with advancing colorectal cancer stages. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 protein tumor to normal mucosa ratio was 0.74 +/- 0.12, 0.51 +/- 0.18, 0.48 +/- 0.12, and 0.45 +/- 0.2 for Dukes A (n = 8), B (n = 9), C (n = 9), and D (n = 13) stages, respectively. Both tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 messenger ribonucleic acid and protein were located predominantly within spindle-shaped and round stromal cells. Furthermore, in colonic epithelium, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 and type IV collagen protein were similarly concentrated in the basal region.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide the first detailed description of the cellular expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 in colorectal cancer and identify it as a basement membrane-associated protein. This is an important observation, because the presence of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 protein near the basement membrane supports its role in preventing proteolytic degradation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis.

Characterization of a New Subfamily of Winged-helix/Forkhead (Fox) Genes That Are Expressed in the Lung and Act as Transcriptional Repressors

Epithelial gene expression in the lung is thought to be regulated by the coordinate activity of several different families of transcription factors including the Fox family of winged-helix/forkhead DNA-binding proteins. In this report, we have identified and characterized two members of this Fox gene family, Foxp1 and Foxp2, and show that they comprise a new subfamily of Fox genes expressed in the lung. Foxp1 and Foxp2 are expressed at high levels in the lung as early as E12.5 of mouse development with Foxp2 expression restricted to the airway epithelium. In addition, Foxp1 and Foxp2 are expressed at lower levels in neural, intestinal, and cardiovascular tissues during development. Upon differentiation of the airway epithelium along the proximal-distal axis, Foxp2 expression becomes restricted to the distal alveolar epithelium whereas Foxp1 expression is observed in the distal epithelium and mesenchyme. Foxp1 and Foxp2 can regulate epithelial lung gene transcription as was demonstrated by their ability to dramatically repress the mouse CC10 promoter and, to a lesser extent, the human surfactant protein C promoter. In addition, GAL4 fusion proteins encoding subdomains of Foxp1 and Foxp2 demonstrate that an independent and homologous transcriptional repression domain lies within the N-terminal end of the proteins. Together, these studies suggest that Foxp1 and Foxp2 are important regulators of lung epithelial gene transcription.

[Acid producing potential of a lead/zinc mine tailings at Lechang, Guangdong Province]

The acid producing potential of a Pb/Zn mine tailings at Lechang City, Guangdong Province were studied using both net acid generation (NAG) and net acid production potential (NAPP) methods. The pyritic and total sulfur contents of the tailings were 12.57% and 18.68% respectively. The NAG and NAPP values were H2SO4 220 kg.t-1 and 326 kg.t-1, and both the NAG and NAPP results indicated that the tailings had high acid forming potential. NAG was more accurate than NAPP in predicting acid forming potential of the tailings due to the uncompleted oxidization of pyritic sulfur. Analysis of samples from two profiles test indicated that the acidification major occurred on the surface (0-20 cm) of the tailings because of limited oxygen diffusion and had little effects on the tailings at lower horizons. pH values were negatively related to EC, indicated that the acid released accelerate dissolution of the solid matrix and increase in both cations and actions in solution, the extractable Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd at the acidifying tailings surface.

Structural and functional analysis of the HIV gp41 core containing an Ile573 to Thr substitution: implications for membrane fusion

The envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 consists of the surface subunit gp120 and the transmembrane subunit gp41. Binding of gp120 to target cell receptors induces a conformational change in gp41, which then mediates the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. A buried isoleucine (Ile573) in a central trimeric coiled coil within the fusion-active gp41 ectodomain core is thought to favor this conformational activation. The role of Ile573 in determining the structure and function of the gp120-gp41 complex was investigated by mutating this residue to threonine, a nonconservative substitution in HIV-1 that occurs naturally in SIV. While the introduction of Thr573 markedly destabilized the gp41 core, the three-dimensional structure of the mutant trimer of hairpins was very similar to that of the wild-type molecule. A new hydrogen-bonding interaction between the buried Thr573 and Thr569 residues appears to allow formation of the trimer-of-hairpins structure at physiological temperature. The mutant envelope glycoprotein expressed in 293T cells and incorporated within pseudotyped virions displayed only a moderate reduction in syncytium-inducing capacity and virus infectivity, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the proper folding of the gp41 core underlies the membrane fusion properties of the gp120-gp41 complex. An understanding of the gp41 activation process may suggest novel strategies for vaccine and antiviral drug development.

[Leaf decomposition of two species in a mangrove community in Futian of Shenzhen]

Using litter bags, the authors studied the dynamics of dry weight and organic C, N and P of leaves of two species (Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum) in a mangrove community in Shenzhen during their decomposition in situ. Leaves of K. candel degraded more rapidly than those of A. corniculatum. For A. corniculatum, it needed 35 days to lose half initial ash-free dry weights (AFDW) of the leaves, while for K. candel, only 12 days. Despite the difference in loss rate of litter bags with the two species, the dynamics of organic C, N and P of leaf detritus followed the same pattern. During decomposition, the N concentration of leaf detritus of both species rose up sharply, and then decreased gradually from the peak. The P level declined slightly, and then rose up slowly. The concentration of C remained fairly constant throughout the experiment. No significant difference in decomposition rates of the leaves of A. corniculatum was found when they degraded at different positions along tidal gradient within the mangrove ecosystem.

Somatic embryogenesis and ginsenoside production of Panax ginseng in phytohormone-free medium

Embryogenic cultures of Panax ginseng were established without using phytohormones. Somatic embryos developed from the roots of an in vitro seedling and from excised leaf and petiole segments cultured in half-macro-salt strength Murashige and Skoog medium. Excised leaf and petiole segments were obtained from in vitro germinated seedlings. Plantlets were subsequently obtained from developing somatic embryos in phytohormone-free media. Shoot formation from somatic embryos was influenced by light intensity. The rate of growth and frequency of embryogenesis were improved when cut-up embryogenic tissues were inoculated into liquid media in the dark. The ginsenoside contents of a 4 year-old field-cultivated root, seedlings from zygotic embryos, somatic embryos and embryogenic tissues were determined and compared. Somatic embryos contained 1.7 times the amount of ginsenoside Rb1 and 2.3 times the amount of ginsenoside Re compared to seedlings from zygotic embryos. Ginsenoside Rd, which was absent in the seedlings derived from zygotic embryos, was detected in somatic embryos. Higher ginsenosides Rd and Rg1 levels were found in embryogenic tissues grown on solid media than in tissues grown in liquid media. The total ginsenoside yields, including the ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1 levels, of cut-up embryogenic tissues, were higher than those of clump tissues.

High production of ginsenosides by transformed root cultures of Panax ginseng: effect of basal medium and Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains

Successful transformation of Panax ginseng was achieved when petiole segments were infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15834 and MAFF 03-01724. Transformed roots were obtained after galls developed at infected sites. The root morphology, growth and ginsenoside productivity of roots transformed with different bacterial strains differed, and the roots from A. rhizogenes ATCC 15834 grew better and produced much more ginsenosides. Using the ATCC transformed root clone, various liquid culture media were tested to determine the optimum culture medium for ginsenoside production. The root growth was optimum in phytohormone-free Gamborg B5 liquid medium, however highest content of ginsenosides (a total of five ginsenosides 1.88% dry weight) was obtained when the roots were cultured in half-macro-salt strength Gamborg B5 liquid medium. Growth of the roots over a period of 8 weeks showed that their fresh and dry weight continued to increase. The ginsenoside Rb1 content was optimum after 5 weeks of culture. Ginsenoside Rc content began to decrease slightly after the third week of culture. Ginsenosides Rd and Rg1 contents fluctuated, while ginsenoside Re content continued to rise throughout the 8 weeks of culture. Ginsenoside production, however, did not peak within the 8 weeks of culture.

Core structure of the outer membrane lipoprotein from Escherichia coli at 1.9 A resolution

The outer membrane lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli cell envelope has characteristic lipid modifications at an amino-terminal cysteine and can exist in a form bound covalently to the peptidoglycan through a carboxyl-terminal lysine. The 56-residue polypeptide moiety of the lipoprotein, designated Lpp-56, folds into a stable, trimeric helical structure in aqueous solution. The 1.9 A resolution crystal structure of Lpp-56 comprises a parallel three-stranded coiled coil including a novel alanine-zipper unit and two helix-capping motifs. The amino-terminal motif forms a hydrogen-bonding network anchoring an umbrella-shaped fold. The carboxyl-terminal motif uses puckering of the tyrosine side-chains as a unique docking arrangement in helix termination. The structure provides an explanation for assembly and insertion of the lipoprotein molecules into the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and suggests a molecular target for antibacterial drug discovery.

Helical interactions in the HIV-1 gp41 core reveal structural basis for the inhibitory activity of gp41 peptides

The HIV-1 gp41 envelope protein mediates membrane fusion that leads to virus entry into the cell. The core structure of fusion-active gp41 is a six-helix bundle in which an N-terminal three-stranded coiled coil is surrounded by a sheath of antiparallel C-terminal helices. A conserved glutamine (Gln 652) buried in this helical interface replaced by leucine increases HIV-1 infectivity. To define the basis for this enhanced membrane fusion activity, we investigate the role of the Gln 652 to Leu substitution on the conformation, stability, and biological activity of the N34(L6)C28 model of the gp41 ectodomain core. The 2.0 A resolution crystal structure of the mutant molecule shows that the Leu 652 side chains make prominent contacts with hydrophobic grooves on the surface of the central coiled coil. The Gln 652 to Leu mutation leads to a marginal stabilization of the six-helix bundle by -0.8 kcal/mol, evaluated from thermal unfolding experiments. Strikingly, the mutant N34(L6)C28 peptide is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infection, with 10-fold greater activity than the wild-type molecule. This inhibitory potency can be traced to the corresponding C-terminal mutant peptide that likely has greater potential to interact with the coiled-coil trimer. These results provide strong evidence that conserved interhelical packing interactions in the gp41 core are important determinants of HIV-1 entry and its inhibition. These interactions also offer a test-bed for the development of more potent analogues of gp41 peptide inhibitors.

Interactions between HIV-1 gp41 core and detergents and their implications for membrane fusion

The gp41 envelope protein mediates entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into the cell by promoting membrane fusion. The crystal structure of a gp41 ectodomain core in its fusion-active state is a six-helix bundle in which a N-terminal trimeric coiled coil is surrounded by three C-terminal outer helices in an antiparallel orientation. Here we demonstrate that the N34(L6)C28 model of the gp41 core is stabilized by interaction with the ionic detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or the nonionic detergent n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (betaOG). The high resolution x-ray structures of N34(L6)C28 crystallized from two different detergent micellar media reveal a six-helix bundle conformation very similar to that of the molecule in water. Moreover, N34(L6)C28 adopts a highly alpha-helical conformation in lipid vesicles. Taken together, these results suggest that the six-helix bundle of the gp41 core displays substantial affinity for lipid bilayers rather than unfolding in the membrane environment. This characteristic may be important for formation of the fusion-active gp41 core structure and close apposition of the viral and cellular membranes for fusion.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infectivity by the gp41 core: role of a conserved hydrophobic cavity in membrane fusion

The gp41 envelope protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) contains an alpha-helical core structure responsible for mediating membrane fusion during viral entry. Recent studies suggest that a conserved hydrophobic cavity in the coiled coil of this core plays a distinctive structural role in maintaining the fusogenic conformation of the gp41 molecule. Here we investigated the importance of this cavity in determining the structure and biological activity of the gp41 core by using the N34(L6)C28 model. The high-resolution crystal structures of N34(L6)C28 of two HIV-1 gp41 fusion-defective mutants reveal that each mutant sequence is accommodated in the six-helix bundle structure by forming the cavity with different sets of atoms. Remarkably, the mutant N34(L6)C28 cores are highly effective inhibitors of HIV-1 infection, with 5- to 16-fold greater activity than the wild-type molecule. The enhanced inhibitory activity by fusion-defective mutations correlates with local structural perturbations close to the cavity that destabilize the six-helix bundle. Taken together, these results indicate that the conserved hydrophobic coiled-coil cavity in the gp41 core is critical for HIV-1 entry and its inhibition and provides a potential antiviral drug target.

Helix capping in the GCN4 leucine zipper

Capping interactions associated with specific sequences at or near the ends of alpha-helices are important determinants of the stability of protein secondary and tertiary structure. We investigate here the role of the helix-capping motif Ser-X-X-Glu, a sequence that occurs frequently at the N termini of alpha helices in proteins, on the conformation and stability of the GCN4 leucine zipper. The 1.8 A resolution crystal structure of the capped molecule reveals distinct conformations, packing geometries and hydrogen-bonding networks at the amino terminus of the two helices in the leucine zipper dimer. The free energy of helix stabilization associated with the hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions in this capping structure is -1.2 kcal/mol, evaluated from thermal unfolding experiments. A single cap thus contributes appreciably to stabilizing the terminated helix and thereby the native state. These results suggest that helix capping plays a further role in protein folding, providing a sensitive connector linking alpha-helix formation to the developing tertiary structure of a protein.

Trimerization specificity in HIV-1 gp41: analysis with a GCN4 leucine zipper model

The envelope glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) consists of a complex of two noncovalently associated subunits, gp120 and gp41. Formation of gp120/gp41 oligomers is thought to be dependent on a 4-3 hydrophobic (heptad) repeat located in the amino-terminal region of the gp41 molecule. We have investigated the role of this heptad repeat in determining the oligomeric structure of gp41 by introducing its buried core residues into the first (a) and fourth (d) positions of the GCN4 leucine-zipper dimerization domain. The mutant peptides fold into trimeric, helical structures, as shown by circular dichroism and equilibrium sedimentation centrifugation. The 2.4 A resolution crystal structure of one such trimer reveals a parallel three-stranded, alpha-helical coiled coil. Thus, the buried core residues from the gp41 heptad repeat direct trimer formation. We suggest that the conserved amino-terminal heptad repeat within the gp41 ectodomain possesses trimerization specificity.

[The experiment research of ginger detoxification to Rhizoma Pinelliae]

The experiment results have shown that Ginger can abate the stimulation of Phizoma Pinelliae on abdominal cavity of mice, reduce the torsion incidence rate of mice because of pain which is resulted to i.p. powder suspension of raw Rhizoma pinelliae. We also observed that Ginger can obviously inhibit the increase of capillary permeatility of abdominal cavity of mice, reduce the PGE2 content of inflammatory foot tissue of mice which is due to inject juice of fresh Pinellia Rhizoma. In addition, Ginger can increase the PGE2 content of mice gastric solution, antegonise the decrease of PGE2 content which is come from administration of raw Pinellia Rhizoma and protect the gastric mucous. Above mentioned results suggested that Ginger have detoxification in vivo. to toxin of Pinellia Rhizoma.

[Effect of diazepam on delayed nausea and vomiting caused by anticancer agents]

We conducted an evaluation of the usefulness of antiemetics (5-Hydroxy-tryptamine 3 receptor antagonism, 5HT3RA) combined with diazepam for delayed nausea and vomiting due to anticancer agents in 17 patients with various malignancies (such as lung Ca, breast Ca, esophagus Ca, gastric Ca, colon Ca, and non Hodgkin's disease) for whom chemotherapy was performed with different regimens in the Dept. of Oncologic Chemotherapy, People's Hospital, Beijing Medical University. Antiemetics (5HT3RA) combined with diazepam were given only to cases that had symptoms of nausea and vomiting induced by anticancer agents in the 1st course and invalidity with antiemetics (5HT3RA) alone in this study. Antiemetic (5HT3RA) agents + Dexamethasone were dosed before chemotherapy and also diazepam 5 mg orally after 24 hours (namely, when nausea was observed). Nausea was reduced and vomiting decreased after the antiemetic treatment with 5HT3RA + Dexamethasone and diazepam. These results indicated that 5HT3RA and diazepam combination therapies were more effective than 5HT3 RA + Dexamethasone alone for delayed nausea and vomiting. Further, the antiemetics had characters that a short adminiter time, few times and a take not over dose. The only side effect related to this antiemetic therapy was light somnolence. Antiemetics combined with diazepam might be a useful therapy against delayed nausea and vomiting induced by anticancer agents.

High frequency production of embryos from liquid flask cultures of oilseed rape

As part of the program to scale-up the production of artificial seeds of winter oilseed rape, Brassica napus ssp. oleifera, we established a liquid flask culture system that enables the high frequency production of freely suspended embryos. As many as 4000 embryos could be obtained from 1 mL packed-cell-volume of cells. For initiation of liquid flask cultures, four different types of callus tissues were used. Among them, the most embryogenic cell suspension cultures were obtained from spontaneous callus developed on the surface of secondary embryos precultured in medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (4.52 microM) and kinetin (0.46 microM) (type B callus). Growth curves of the cell suspension were determined and the cell suspension was able to grow in medium without plant growth regulators. Embryos were observed to developed directly from the cells without going through an obvious callus phase. When subcultured to agar medium containing 44.38 microM benzylaminopurine, about 43% of the embryos developed into plants.