Individualized Use of 6-Mercaptopurine in Chinese Children with ALL: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Continuous 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) dose titration is necessary because of its narrow therapeutic index and frequently encountered dose-limiting hematopoietic toxicity. However, evidence-based guidelines for gene-based 6-MP dosing have not been established for Chinese children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This multicenter, randomized, open-label, active-controlled clinical trial randomly assigned Chinese children with low- or intermediate-risk ALL in a 1:1 ratio to receive TPMT-NUDT15 gene-based dosing of 6-MP (N = 44, 10 to 50 mg/m2 /day) or standard dosing (N = 44, 50 mg/m2 /day) during maintenance therapy. The primary end point was the incidence of 6-MP myelosuppression in both groups. Secondary end points included frequencies of 6-MP hepatotoxicity, duration of myelosuppression and leukopenia, event-free survival, and steady-state concentrations of active metabolites (6-thioguaninenucleotides and 6-methylmercaptopurine nucleotides) in erythrocytes. A 2.2-fold decrease in myelosuppression, the primary end point, was observed in the gene-based-dose group using ~ 50% of the standard initial 6-MP dose (odds ratio, 0.26, 95% confidence interval, 0.11 to 0.64, P = 0.003). Patients in the gene-based-dose group had a significantly lower risk of developing thiopurine-induced myelosuppression and leukopenia (P = 0.015 and P = 0.022, respectively). No significant differences were observed in the secondary end points of the incidence of hepatotoxicity and steady-state concentrations of active metabolites in erythrocytes between the two groups. TPMT- and NUDT15-based dosing of 6-MP will significantly contribute toward further reducing the incidence of leukopenia in Chinese children with ALL. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrial.gov as #NCT04228393.

[Value of radiomics models based on MRI diffusion weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules]

Objective: To investigate the value of radiomics models based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Methods: A cross-sectional study. Clinical data of 148 thyroid nodules (50 benign, 98 malignant) from 140 patients who underwent thyroid MRI examination in Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The nodules were used as the study units, and a leave-one-out method was used to randomly divide the nodules into a training set and a test set at a 7∶3 ratio. Region of interest was segmented and radiomics features were extracted from the DWI and ADC images. In the training set, feature selection was performed using inter-observer agreement analysis, U-test, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm, and correlation analysis. Four classifiers, including support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbors (KNN) and logistic regression (LR) were used to build models with the selected features, including the DWI models, ADC models, and combined models. The models were independently tested in the test set. The performance of the radiomics models in distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, with pathological results as the gold standard. Results: Of the 140 patients, there were 40 males and 100 females, with a mean age of (38.4±12.2) years. After feature selection, 11 DWI features and 11 ADC features were used to build the models. In the training set, the AUC values of the combined models were higher than those of the corresponding DWI and ADC models. In the test set, the SVM combined model showed the best predictive performance, with an AUC of 0.873 (95%CI:0.740-0.954), accuracy of 75.6%, sensitivity of 46.7%, specificity of 90.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 70.0% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.1%, while the RF combined model had an AUC of 0.836 (95%CI:0.695-0.929), accuracy of 77.8%, sensitivity of 40.0%, specificity of 96.7%, PPV of 85.7% and NPV of 76.3%, the KNN combined model had an AUC of 0.832 (95%CI:0.691-0.927), accuracy of 77.8%, sensitivity of 33.3%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100% and NPV of 75.0%, the LR combined model had an AUC of 0.813 (95%CI:0.669-0.914), accuracy of 77.8%, sensitivity of 60.0%, specificity of 86.7%, PPV of 69.2% and NPV of 81.3%. Conclusions: Radiomics models based on DWI and ADC image features can effectively distinguish benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The SVM combined model had the best prediction performance.

Enantioselective effect of the chiral fungicide tebuconazole on the microbiota community and antibiotic resistance genes in the soil and earthworm gut

Tebuconazole, consisting of two enantiomers, has a high detectable rate in the soil. The residue of tebuconazole in the soil may cause risk to microbiota community. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are considered as emerging environmental contaminants, and they can be transferred vertically and horizontally between microbiota community in the soil. Until now, the enantioselective effect of tebuconazole on the microbiota community and ARGs in the soil and earthworm gut has remained largely unknown. Tebuconazole enantiomers showed different bioconcentration behaviors in earthworms. The relative abundances of bacteria belonging to Actinobacteriota, Crenarchaeota and Chloroflexi in R-(-)-tebuconazole-treated soil were higher than those in S-(+)-tebuconazole-treated soil at same concentrations. In the earthworm gut, bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota exhibited different relative abundances between the S-(+)-tebuconazole and R-(-)-tebuconazole treatments. The numbers and abundances of ARGs in the soil treated with fungicides were higher than those in the control. In earthworm gut, the diversities of ARGs in all treatments were higher than that in the control, and the relative abundances of Aminoglycoside, Chloramphenicol, Multidrug resistance genes and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in R-(-)-tebuconazole-treated earthworm gut were higher than those in S-(+)-tebuconazole-treated earthworm gut. Most of ARGs showed a significantly positive correlation with MGEs. Based on network analysis, many ARGs may be carried by bacteria belonging to Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria. These results provide valuable information for understanding the enantioselective effect of tebuconazole on the microbiota community and ARGs.

Engineering Cu/NiCu LDH Heterostructure Nanosheet Arrays for Highly-Efficient Water Oxidation

The development of stable and efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction is of great significance for electro-catalytic water splitting. Bimetallic layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising OER catalysts, in which NiCu LDH has excellent stability compared with the most robust NiFe LDH, but the OER activity is not satisfactory. Here, we designed a NiCu LDH heterostructure electrocatalyst (Cu/NiCu LDH) modified by Cu nanoparticles which has excellent activity and stability. The Cu/NiCu LDH electrocatalyst only needs a low over-potential of 206 mV and a low Tafel slope of 86.9 mV dec^-1 at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 and maintains for 70 h at a high current density of 100 mA cm^-2 in 1M KOH. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that there was a strong electronic interaction between Cu nanoparticles and NiCu LDH. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the electronic coupling between Cu nanoparticles and NiCu LDH can effectively improve the intrinsic OER activity by optimizing the conductivity and the adsorption energy of oxygen-containing intermediates.

Soil conditions and the plant microbiome boost the accumulation of monoterpenes in the fruit of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi'

BACKGROUND

The medicinal material quality of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' differs depending on the bioactive components influenced by the planting area. Environmental factors, such as soil nutrients, the plant-associated microbiome and climatic conditions, play important roles in the accumulation of bioactive components in citrus. However, how these environmental factors mediate the production of bioactive components of medicinal plants remains understudied.

RESULTS

Here, a multi-omics approach was used to clarify the role of environmental factors such as soil nutrients and the root-associated microbiome on the accumulation of monoterpenes in the peel of C. reticulata 'Chachi' procured from core (geo-authentic product region) and non-core (non-geo-authentic product region) geographical regions. The soil environment (high salinity, Mg, Mn and K) enhanced the monoterpene content by promoting the expression of salt stress-responsive genes and terpene backbone synthase in the host plants from the core region. The microbial effects on the monoterpene accumulation of citrus from the core region were further verified by synthetic community (SynCom) experiments. Rhizosphere microorganisms activated terpene synthesis and promoted monoterpene accumulation through interactions with the host immune system. Endophyte microorganisms derived from soil with the potential for terpene synthesis might enhance monoterpene accumulation in citrus by providing precursors of monoterpenes.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study demonstrated that both soil properties and the soil microbiome impacted monoterpene production in citrus peel, thus providing an essential basis for increasing fruit quality via reasonable fertilization and precision microbiota management. Video Abstract.

A Review of Filtration Performance of Protective Masks

Masks are essential and effective small protective devices used to protect the general public against infections such as COVID-19. However, available systematic reviews and summaries on the filtration performance of masks are lacking. Therefore, in order to investigate the filtration performance of masks, filtration mechanisms, mask characteristics, and the relationships between influencing factors and protective performance were first analyzed through mask evaluations. The summary of filtration mechanisms and mask characteristics provides readers with a clear and easy-to-understand theoretical cognition. Then, a detailed analysis of influencing factors and the relationships between the influencing factors and filtration performance is presented in. The influence of the aerosol size and type on filtration performance is nonlinear and nonconstant, and filtration efficiency decreases with an increase in the gas flow rate; moreover, fitness plays a decisive role in the protective effects of masks. It is recommended that the public should wear surgical masks to prevent COVID-19 infection in low-risk and non-densely populated areas. Future research should focus on fitness tests, and the formulation of standards should also be accelerated. This paper provides a systematic review that will be helpful for the design of masks and public health in the future.

Chan-Lam Reaction and Lewis Acid Promoted 1,3-Rearrangement of N-O Bonds to Prepare N-(2-Hydroxyaryl)pyridin-2-ones

We describe the difunctionalization of arylboronic acids to prepare various N-(2-hydroxyaryl)pyridin-2-ones in good yields using N-hydroxypyridin-2-ones as the oxygen and nitrogen sources through a copper(II)-catalyzed Chan-Lam reaction and subsequent BF₃-promoted selective 1,3-rearrangement of N-O bond in a one-pot procedure. Mechanistic studies reveal that the 1,3-rearrangement selectivity is controlled by the formation of the key aryloxypyridinium salt. The obtained products are easily converted to various useful pyridin-2-one scaffolds.

[Standardized management of targeted drugs for rheumatism]

In recent years, with the continuous in-depth research on the pathogenesis of rheumatism and the rapid development of biopharmaceutical technology, the development of targeted drugs for rheumatism is in full swing. In order to better standardize the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatism and the rational application of targeted drugs, the Chinese Rheumatology Association will introduce the targeted drugs for rheumatism that have been approved by the China National Medical Products Administration so far, and provide clinicians with standardized diagnosis and treatment reference.

Seasonal and vegetational variations of culturable bacteria concentrations in air from urban forest parks: a case study in Hunan, China

It is important to investigate the airborne bacterial air quality in urban forest parks as tree bacteriostasis practices are being increasingly advocated as measures to improve the air quality and public health in urban green spaces around the world. The aim of the study was to quantitatively investigate airborne culturable bacteria (ACB) concentration levels based on field measurements in every season in five selected forest communities and the uncovered space in an urban forest park, as well as the effects of several factors on the culturability of airborne bacteria. Results suggested that the airborne bacterial levels of all the forest communities reached the clean air quality standard with regard to the airborne bacteria content, with the highest concentration of ACB showing in the uncovered space (1658 ± 1298 CFU/m³) and the lowest showing in the mixed community (907 ± 567 CFU/m³). The temporal distribution analysis showed that the airborne bacteria were mostly concentrated in summer, as well as in the morning and afternoon. The bacteriostatic rates of the mixed community were significantly different with seasonal variation (p < 0.05). Spearman's correlations revealed that the concentration of ACB was significantly positively correlated with the season, wind speed (WS), temperature (T), ultraviolet light (UV), negative air ion (NAI), and total suspended particles (TSP) (p<0.05) but significantly negatively correlated with the forest community type (p < 0.05). Overall, the selection of tree species plays a key role in shaping the forest structure and improving air quality, and the urban forest highlights key priorities for future efforts toward a cleaner, healthier, and more diverse regional forest environment.

[A case of atypical iris corneal endothelial syndrome]

Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome is a rare ophthalmic disease, most of which are unilateral and common in women. The rate of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis is relatively high due to its various clinical manifestations. In this case, the patient presented uncontrollable high intraocular pressure, corneal edema leading to difficult observation of corneal endothelium morphology, and accompanied by a small amount of iris neovascularization. No clearly diagnosis was made before glaucoma surgery. Further examination was performed after corneal clearance, and the final diagnosis was iris corneal endothelial syndrome (Chandler syndrome).

Growth performance, digestibility, blood metabolites, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial communities in response to the inclusion of gallic acid in the starter feed of preweaning dairy calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding gallic acid on the growth, nutrient digestibility, plasma metabolites, rumen fermentation, and bacterial community in the rumen fluid and feces of preweaning calves. Thirty-six female Holstein calves with similar ages (means ± SD; 3.1 ± 1.39 d) and body weights (40.8 ± 2.87 kg) were randomly assigned to receive 3 treatments. Calves were fed 1 of 3 treatments as follows: basal diet with no gallic acid (control), 0.5 g/kg gallic acid in starter diet (low), and 1 g/kg gallic acid in starter diet (high). The results showed that feeding gallic acid increased growth by improving the starter intake and average daily gain of the calves. The fecal score tended to decrease in a linear manner with the addition of gallic acid. Total-tract apparent protein digestibility tended to increase linearly with feeding gallic acid. Feeding gallic acid led to a linear increase in the plasma total protein and β-hydroxybutyrate levels. In addition, feeding gallic acid linearly increased catalase and total antioxidant capacity levels and decreased malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations. The concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, propionate, butyrate, and valerate in the rumen fluid increased linearly with the addition of gallic acid, resulting in a linear pH reduction. Feeding gallic acid linearly increased the relative abundances of Prevotella_1, Saccharofermentans, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 and linearly decreased the relative abundance of Prevotella_7 in the rumen fluid. The Shannon index of ruminal bacterial communities linearly increased by feeding gallic acid. Feeding gallic acid linearly increased the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, Bacteroides, and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group in the feces. In summary, feeding gallic acid improved growth, antioxidant function, and rumen fermentation and altered the bacterial community in the rumen fluid and feces of preweaning dairy calves.

Overexpression of Twist1 in vascular endothelial cells promotes pathological retinal angiogenesis in mice

Retinal angiogenesis is a critical process for normal retinal function. However, uncontrolled angiogenesis can lead to pathological neovascularization (NV), which is closely related to most irreversible blindness-causing retinal diseases. Understanding the molecular basis behind pathological NV is important for the treatment of related diseases. Twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1) is a well-known transcription factor and principal inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in many human cancers. Our previous study showed that Twist1 expression is elevated in pathological retinal NV. To date, however, the role of TWIST1 in retinal pathological angiogenesis remains to be elucidated. To study the role of TWIST1 in pathological retinal NV and identify specific molecular targets for antagonizing pathological NV, we generated an inducible vascular endothelial cell (EC)-specific Twist1 transgenic mouse model ( Tg-Twist1 iEC+ ). Whole-mount retinas from Tg-Twist1 iEC+ mice showed retarded vascular progression and increased vascular density in the front end of the growing retinal vasculature, as well as aneurysm-like pathological retinal NV. Furthermore, overexpression of Twist1 in the ECs promoted cell proliferation but disturbed cell polarity, thus leading to uncontrolled retinal angiogenesis. TWIST1 promoted pathological NV by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and inducing the expression of NV formation-related genes, thereby acting as a 'valve' in the regulation of pathological angiogenesis. This study identified the critical role of TWIST1 in retinal pathological NV, thus providing a potential therapeutic target for pathological NV.

Biodegradation mechanism of chloramphenicol by Aeromonas media SZW3 and genome analysis

The overuse of chloramphenicol (CAP) due to its low price is detrimental to ecological safety and human health. An earthworm gut content dwelling bacterium, Aeromonas media SZW3, was isolated with capability of CAP biodegradation, and the CAP degradation efficiency reached 55.86% at day 1 and 67.28% at day 6. CAP biodegradation kinetics and characteristic of strain SZW3 determined the factors that affect CAP biodegradation. Thirteen possible biodegradation products were identified, including three novel biodegradation products (CP1, CP2 and CP3), and three potential biodegradation pathway were proposed. Biodegradation reactions include amide bond hydrolysis, nitro group reduction, acetylation, aminoacetylation, dechlorination and oxidation. Genome analysis suggested that the coding gene of RarD (CAP resistance permease), CAP O-acetyltransferase, nitroreductase and haloalkane dehalogenase may be responsible for CAP biodegradation. The proposed complete biodegradation pathway and genome analysis by strain SZW3 provide us new insight of the transformation route and fate of CAP in the environment.

[Analysis of factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury caused by stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To analyze the factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury after receiving Cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: 278 cases with primary hepatocellular carcinoma from July 2016 to April 2019 were prospectively enrolled. Stereotactic radiosurgery with a prescription dose of 48-55gy/5-8 times were given. Liver function, coagulation function, Child-Pugh score, and liver imaging changes were dynamically observed before and after treatment to evaluate the occurrence of radiation-induced liver injury. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing radiation-induced liver injury. Results: Among 278 cases, 3 cases of tumor progression were excluded, and a total of 275 cases were included for analysis. The overall survival rate after 8 months of treatment was 100%. Among them, 22 cases were diagnosed as radiation-induced liver injury, with an incidence rate of 8%, and all cases were recovered after symptomatic treatment. Multivariate analysis result suggested that the peripheral white blood cell count was factors influencing the occurrence of radiation-induced liver injury. Conclusion: Cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy has a low incidence of radiation-induced liver injury in patients with liver cancer, and it is a relatively safe treatment method. Patients with low peripheral white blood cell counts before treatment should be closely monitored for early detection and treatment.

Digestibility, lactation performance, plasma metabolites, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial communities in Holstein cows fed a fermented corn gluten-wheat bran mixture as a substitute for soybean meal

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with a fermented corn gluten-wheat bran mixture (FCWM) on nutrient digestibility, lactation performance, plasma metabolites, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial communities in Holstein cows. Nine healthy multiparous (parity = 3) Holstein cows with similar body weights (624 ± 14.4 kg), days in milk (112 ± 4.2), and milk yields (31.8 ± 1.73 kg; all mean ± standard deviation) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 periods of 28 d. Cows were fed 1 of 3 dietary treatments in which FCWM replaced SBM as follows: basal diet with no replacement (0FCWM); 50% replacement of SBM with FCWM (50%FCWM); and 100% replacement of SBM with FCWM (100%FCWM). The diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The results showed that the total-tract digestibility of dry matter and crude protein increased linearly with increased dietary FCWM, and we found a trend for increased total-tract neutral detergent fiber and potentially digestible NDF digestibility. Milk yield tended to increase in a linear manner as more FCWM was consumed, and energy-corrected milk production was significantly increased with FCWM supplementation as a result of increased milk protein and lactose yields. Plasma glucose and IgG concentrations increased linearly with increasing FCWM supplementation, but plasma malondialdehyde concentration decreased linearly. Concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and propionate showed a linear increase with increasing FCWM supplementation, leading to a linear decrease in pH. The relative abundance of ruminal Prevotellaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Prevotella 1 increased linearly with increasing FCWM supplementation, and the relative abundance of ruminal Succinivibrionaceae and Muribaculaceae decreased linearly. The relative abundance of fecal Ruminococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 increased linearly with increasing FCWM supplementation, but the relative abundance of fecal Peptostreptococcaceae decreased linearly. Overall, the replacement of SBM with FCWM altered the composition of the ruminal bacterial community and improved nutrient digestibility, lactation performance, and ruminal fermentation in cows, providing a data reference for the use of FCWM in dairy production.

Mechanisms of the enhanced DDT removal from soils by earthworms: Identification of DDT degraders in drilosphere and non-drilosphere matrices

The remediation of soil contaminated by 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) remains an important issue in environmental research. Although our previous studies demonstrated that earthworms could enhance the degradation of DDT in soils, the underlying mechanisms and microorganisms involved in these transformation processes are still not clear. Here we studied the transformation of DDT in sterilized/non-sterilized drilosphere and non-drilosphere matrices and identified DDT degraders using the technique of DNA-stable isotope probing. The results show that DDT degradation in non-sterilized drilosphere was quicker than that in their non-drilosphere counterparts. Earthworms enhance DDT removal mainly by improving soil properties, thus stimulating indigenous microorganisms rather than abiotic degradation or tissue accumulating. Ten new genera, including Streptomyces, Streptacidiphilus, Dermacoccus, Brevibacterium, Bacillus, Virgibacillus, were identified as DDT ring cleavage degrading bacteria in the five matrices tested. Bacillus and Dermacoccus may also play vital roles in the dechlorination of DDTs as they were highly enriched during the incubations. The results of this study provide robust evidence for the application of earthworms in remediating soils polluted with DDT and highlight the importance of using combinations of cultivation-independent techniques together with process-based measurements to examine the function of microbes degrading organic pollutants in drilosphere matrices.

Facultative methanotrophs - diversity, genetics, molecular ecology and biotechnological potential: a mini-review

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) play a vital role in reducing atmospheric methane emissions, and hence mitigating their potent global warming effects. A significant proportion of the methane released is thermogenic natural gas, containing associated short-chain alkanes as well as methane. It was one hundred years following the description of methanotrophs that facultative strains were discovered and validly described. These can use some multi-carbon compounds in addition to methane, often small organic acids, such as acetate, or ethanol, although Methylocella strains can also use short-chain alkanes, presumably deriving a competitive advantage from this metabolic versatility. Here, we review the diversity and molecular ecology of facultative methanotrophs. We discuss the genetic potential of the known strains and outline the consequent benefits they may obtain. Finally, we review the biotechnological promise of these fascinating microbes.

[Deep learning indications for high tibial osteotomy]

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis. With the application of bi-planer open wedge osteotomy high tibial osteotomy and new angular stable locking plates, HTO has become more accuracy, minimally invasive and standard, achieved satisfactory long-term treatment outcome. The indications of HTO are expanding. We need to comprehensively consider whether the patient has varus deformity, the location and severity of the deformity, the stage of osteoarthritis, age and the demand of activity, as well as individual factors such as weight, gender, bone condition and joint activity, and strive to give the best individualized treatment to osteoarthritis patients in different stages.

[Relationship between smoking and the severity of OSA]

Objective:To explore the relationship between smoking and the severity of OSA. Method:There were 719 patients included in the study, who were accompanied by snoring, daytime sleepiness and other symptoms. Laboratory-based polysomnographic variables （including AHI, oxygen desaturation index and microarousal index, etc.）, and anthropometric measurements （including weight, neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference etc.） were collected for all participants. The severity of OSA was determined by AHI. No OSA was defined as AHI<5, mild OSA as AHI of 5 to 15，moderate OSA as AHI of >15 to 30, and severe OSA as AHI of >30. Smoking severity was determined by the smoking index （SI）. Light smoke was defined as SI<200, moderate smoke was as SI 200 to 400, and severe smoke as SI>400. Result:There were 138 cases of non-OSA and 581 cases of OSA. There were 381 non-smokers, 279 smokers and 59 quit smokers. The smoking rate of OSA group was significantly higher than that of non-OSA group （41.5% vs. 27.5%,P<0.01）. After excluding 59 quit smokers, the remaining 660 subjects were divided into four groups according to the severity of smoking, then each group was further divided into four groups according to OSA severity. Unadjusted analysis showed that OSA severity positively correlated with smoking severity （r=0.203,P<0.01）. The positive correlation remained significant after further adjustment for age, BMI and waist-hip ratio. In addition, logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-smokers, the odd ratios for OSA in moderate smokers were 1.72 （95%CI 1.08-2.75） and in severe smokers were 2.68 （95%CI 1.61-4.46）, after adjustment for age, BMI and waist-hip ratio. Conclusion:The severity of smoking significantly correlated with the severity of OSA. There was increased risk of OSA in patients with severe smoke. The correlation was independent of some confounders such as age and obesity.

Low interferon-gamma release in response to phytohemagglutinin predicts the high severity of diseases

A clinically useful immune biomarker could potentially assist clinicians in their decision making. We stimulated T-cell proliferation to secret interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by phytohemagglutinin, and then measured the production of IFN-γ (mitogen value [M value]). We aimed to determine the relationship between the M value, clinical severity, and outcomes of diseases.In all, 484 patients admitted to intensive care units were enrolled in this retrospective study. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were collected within the first 24 hours. M value, C-reaction protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and routine blood tests were analyzed and collected during the study.When APACHE II scores were greater than 15 and M values were less than 6, the hospital mortality rose in a straight line. There was an inverse correlation between APACHE II score and M value (rs = -0.212, P < .001). There was a positive correlation between M value and lymphocyte numbers (b' = 0.249, P < .001); however, there was an inverse correlation between M value and WBC (b' = -0.230, P < .001), and ESR (b' = -0.100, P = .029). Neurological diseases had the greatest influence on APACHE II scores (b' = 10.356, P < .001), whereas respiratory diseases had the greatest influence on M value (b' = 1.933, P < .001). Furthermore, in the respiratory system, severe pneumonia had a greater influence on M value. Taking the APACHE II score as the gold standard, the area under the curve of M was 0.632 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.575-0.690, P < .001), PCT was 0.647 (95% CI 0.589-0.705, P < .001), CRP was 0.570 (95% CI 0.511-0.629, P = .022), and ESR was 0.553 (95% CI 0.494-0.612, P = .078). Divided by M value = 5, the positive predictive value of the M value is 37.22% (115/309) and negative predictive value is 75.43% (132/175).The results show that the M values, PCT, and CRP were better than ESR to predict the severity of diseases. The number and proportion of lymphocytes also affected the result of the M value. To a certain extent, the M value may be a clinically useful immune biomarker, which may help clinicians objectively evaluate the severity of diseases, especially in the respiratory system.

Removal of persistent DDT residues from soils by earthworms: A mechanistic study

Earthworms have been reported to enhance DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane) removal from soils, but the mechanism underlying is still poorly understood. This study therefore worked on the links between DDT transformation in drilosphere and non-drilosphere matrices and the properties of these matrices in sterile and non-sterile soil columns with and without earthworms to reveal related mechanisms. The results show that earthworms shortened the half-time of DDT in soils from over 14 weeks to about 8 weeks; DDT residues were lower (p < 0.05) and its transformation products were higher (p < 0.05) in drilosphere matrixes than those in their non-drilosphere counterparts; DDD and DDMU was higher (p < 0.05) in the gut, and DDE was higher (p < 0.05) in the burrow; and the bioaccumulation of DDT in earthworm tissues only contributed less than 0.03% to the DDT removal enhanced by earthworms. The results further demonstrate that drilosphere is the hotspot of soil DDT transformation with oxidative degradation dominant in the burrow and reductive dechlorination in the gut, and earthworms enhanced DDT removal mainly by digesting and promoting the microbial degradation of DDT by indigenous microorganisms via improving soil properties. Knowledge of the mechanisms of DDT transformation by earthworms will support the use of earthworms in remediating DDT-contaminated soils.

Nitrogen inputs are more important than denitrifier abundances in controlling denitrification-derived N2O emission from both urban and agricultural soils

Cities are increasingly being recognized as important contributors in global warming, for example by increasing atmospheric nitrous oxide (N₂O). However, urban ecosystems remain poorly understood due to their functional complexity. Further, few studies have documented the microbial processes governing the N₂O emissions from urban soils. Here, a field study was performed to assess in situ N₂O emissions in an urban and agricultural soil located in Xiamen, China. The mechanisms underlying the difference in N₂O emission patterns in both soils were further explored in an incubation experiment. Field investigations showed that N₂O emission (3.5-19.0 μg N₂O-N m^-2 h^-1) from the urban soil was significantly lower than that from the agricultural soil (25.4-18,502.3 μg N₂O-N m^-2 h^-1). Incubation experiments showed that the urban soil initially emitted lower denitrification-derived N₂O because of the lower nirS (encoding nitrite reductases) abundances, whereas overall N₂O accumulation during the incubation was mainly controlled by the initial nitrate content in soil. Nitrate addition in a short period (5 days) did not change the total bacterial and denitrifier abundances or the soil bacterial community composition, but significantly altered the relative distribution of some key genera capable of denitrification. Although the urban soil exhibited lower N₂O emission than its agricultural counterpart in this study, the expanding urban green areas should be taken into account when building N₂O emission reduction targets.

Earthworms stimulate nitrogen transformation in an acidic soil under different Cd contamination

In acidic Cd-contaminated soils, soil nitrogen conversion is inhibited and usually block nitrogen supply for plants. Earthworms are well known for improving soil properties and regulating various soil biogeochemical processes including nitrogen cycling. To figure out the effect and mechanisms of earthworms on soil nitrogen transformation in Cd-contaminated soil, ten treatments with and without A. robustus in five soil Cd concentration gradients were established. The tolerant concentration of A. robustus to Cd in the acidic soil is about 6 mg kg^-1. The potential ammonia oxidation of the acidic soils was very low, ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 µg NO₂^--N g^-1 d^-1. Although AOA was more abundant in the acidic soil than AOB, AOA was inhibited by Cd pollution, while AOB showed some increase under Cd-stress. AOA may play a dominant role in ammonia oxidation in acidic soil, but the recovery of nitrification in Cd-contaminated acidic soil was probably due to the effect of AOB. Earthworms significantly increased soil pH, DOC, ammonium and PAO, thus promoted soil ammonification and potential nitrification, but had no significant effect on soil net nitrification. Correlation analysis results demonstrate that earthworms may promote soil PAO by increasing soil pH, NH₄⁺-N content, and AOB abundance. This study could provide a theoretical basis for solving the problem of nitrogen-cycling-functional degradation and nitrogen supply in the process of phytoremediation of heavy metals-contaminated soils.

ROR2 modulates neuropathic pain via phosphorylation of NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B in rats

BACKGROUND

Neuropathic pain, a type of chronic pain as a result of direct central or peripheral nerve damage, is associated with significant quality of life and functional impairment. Its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated whether ROR2, a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor (ROR) family, participates in modulation of neuropathic pain.

METHODS

Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were measured using radiant heat and von Frey filament testing. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect expression of ROR2 in neuronal nuclei. Fos expression was determined by immunocytochemistry. Phosphorylation status was detected by western blot and immunoprecipitation. Small interfering RNA was used to knock down ROR2 expression.

RESULTS

ROR2 was upregulated and activated in spinal neurones after chronic constriction injury (CCI) in mice [1.3 (0.1) to 2.1 (0.1)-fold of sham, P<0.01] from Day 1-21. CCI induced significant demethylation of the CpG island in the ROR2 gene promoter [0.37 (0.06) vs 0.12 (0.03)% CpG methylation, P<0.001]. Knockdown of ROR2 in the spinal cord prevented and reversed CCI-induced pain behaviours and spinal neuronal sensitisation [Fos expression: 130 (12) vs 81 (8) cells, P<0.05; 120 (11) vs 70 (7) cells, P<0.05]. In contrast, activation of spinal ROR2 by intrathecal injection of Wnt5a induced pain behaviours and spinal neuronal sensitisation [Fos expression: 11 (1) vs 100 (12) cells, P<0.001] in wild-type mice. Furthermore, ROR2-mediated pain modulation required phosphorylation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B subunit (GluN2B) at Ser 1303 and Tyr1472 by pathways involving protein kinase C (PKC) and Src family kinases. Intrathecal injection of GluN2B, PKC, or Src family kinase-specific inhibitors significantly attenuated Wnt5a-induced pain behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

ROR2 in the spinal cord regulates neuropathic pain via phosphorylation of GluN2B, suggesting a potential target for prevention and relief of neuropathic pain.

EgoNet identifies differential ego-modules and pathways related to prednisolone resistance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PURPOSE

To extract feature ego-modules and pathways in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) resistant to prednisolone treatment, and further to explore the mechanisms behind prednisolone resistance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

EgoNet algorithm was used to identify candidate ego-network modules, mainly via constructing differential co-expression network (DCN); selecting ego genes; collecting ego-network modules; refining candidate modules. Afterwards, statistical significance was calculated for these candidate modules. Biological functions of differential ego-network modules were identified using Reactome database. To verify this proposed method can lead to truly positive findings in clinical settings, support vector machine (SVM) was utilized to compute the AUC values for each significant pathway using 3-fold cross-validation method. To predict the reliability of our findings, another established method (attract) was used to identify the differential attractor modules using the same microarray profile.

RESULTS

After eliminating the modules with classification accuracy < 0.9 and node number < 15, only ego-network module 30 was eligible. After significance calculation, module 30 was significant. Module 30 was enriched in APC/C-mediated degradation of cell cycle proteins. The AUC for the significant pathway of APC/C-mediated degradation of cell cycle proteins was 0.915. Although the attract method obtained more modules, the module identified by our proposed method owned more gene nodes, and had more classification ability (AUC = 0.915).

CONCLUSION

One differential ego-network module identified in childhood ALL resistance to prednisolone based on DCN and EgoNet, might be helpful to reveal the mechanisms underlying prednisolone resistance in childhood ALL.

[Clinical study of aged patients with secondary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and evaluate the efficacy of manual reduction in treatment of age patients with secondary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (s-BPPV). Methods: Thirty-two cases of aged patients ( the s-BPPV group: including 19 cases of female and 13 males, age from 60 to 86 years old)with secondary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo from Jul. 2013 to Sep. 2015 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The results were compared with 121 patients( the primary group: including 82 cases of female and 39males, aged from 60 to 86 years old)with aged primary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(p -BPPV). All the patients were followed up for 12 months. Statistical data analysis was carried out with SPSS 19.0. Results: 20.92%(32/153)of all the observed elderly patients with BPPV was the aged s-BPPV. The sex ratio and onset age had no significant difference between the two groups(χ(2)=0.79, P>0.05; t=0.37, P>0.05). The rate of two or more semicircular canal involvement in the secondary group(21.88%) was higher than that in primary group(6.61%)(χ(2)=6.67, P<0.05). Bilateral semicircular canals were involved in 5 of the 32 cases in secondary group(15.63%) and 4 of the 121 cases in aged primary group(3.31%), The difference was significant(χ(2)=6.94, P<0.05). The effective rate after first manual reduction was 57.50%(23/40)in secondary group and 82.31%(107/130)in primary group, the difference was significant(χ(2)=10.46, P<0.05). The total effective rate were 87.50%(35/40) after more than once manual reduction in secondary group and 91.54%(119/130) in primary group, the difference was not significant(χ(2)= 0.59, P>0.05). The numbers of circulation of the first successful manual reduction management were (3.9±1.3)times in secondary group and (2.1±1.1)times in primary group, the difference was significant(t=3.15, P<0.05). The recurrence rate was 37.50%(15/40) in the secondary group and 16.15%(21/130)in primary group after during follow-up for 12 months, the difference was statistically significant(χ(2)=8.35, P<0.05). Conclusions: It's shown that the aged patients with secondary BPPV is not rare in clinical practice, sudden deafness and head trauma are frequent more than other reasons. The aged patients with secondary BPPV are prone to injury in multi-semicircular and bilateral canal compared with the primary BPPV. The effective rate after first manual reduction of secondary BPPV is lower than primary BPPV, it's needed more circulation of first success in manual reduction management. The total effective rates are not significant in two groups and recurrence rate is relatively high in secondary group.

Liuwei Dihuang Pill () Treats Postmenopausal Osteoporosis with Shen (Kidney) Yin Deficiency via Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Signal Pathway by Up-regulating Cardiotrophin-Like Cytokine Factor 1 Expression

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the mechanism of Liuwei Dihuang Pill (, LDP) in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) with Shen (Kidney) yin deficiency.

METHODS

In this study, 205 cases of PMOP were divided into the PMOP Shen-yin deficiency group (Group A), PMOP Shen-yang deficiency group (Group B), PMOP without Shen deficiency group (Group C), and control group (Group N). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot techniques were used to observe the effects of LDP treatment on the cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1), ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing 1 (ASB1), and prokineticin 2 (PROK2) genes and the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway.

RESULTS

The mRNA (P<0.05) and protein (P<0.01) expression levels of the CLCF1 gene in Group A were significantly lower than the corresponding levels in Group N. After LDP treatment for 3 months, the mRNA expression levels of the CLCF1 gene were obviously up-regulated (P<0.01). After 6-month treatment, the expression levels of CLCF1 mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated (both P<0.01), and the average bone density of the top femur had significantly increased (P<0.05). In vitro, CLCF1 overexpression resulted in a significant increase in the total protein and phosphorylated protein levels of JAK2 and STAT3.

CONCLUSIONS

The CLCF1 gene is an important gene associated with PMOP Shen-yin deficiency and the therapeutic effects of LDP may be mediated by up-regulation of CLCF1 gene expression and activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.

[Preliminary analysis of influencing factors on source of snoring sound]

Objective:To investigate the main factors affecting the source of snoring sound of snoring patients.Method:Seventy-three patients with either simple snoring or obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrom(AHI≤40) underwent routine ENT examination,CT scanning(in awake condition) and drug-induced sleep endoscopy.The sources of snoring sound were observed.The neck circumference,body mass index and CT data were measured.Result:The sources of snoring sound of the 73 cases were divided into three types in general: palatal fluttering based group(Group Ⅰ),lateral wall vibration based group(Group Ⅱ) and palatal fluttering together with vibration of lateral wall based group(Group Ⅲ).The minimum lateral caliber of retropalatal region and retroglossal region,the ratio of minimum anteroposterior/ lateral caliber of the two regions,the thickness of pharyngeal lateral wall had statistical differences.The main influencing factors on the source of snoring sound between Group Ⅱ and Group Ⅰ were the ratio of minimum anteroposterior/lateral caliber of retropalatal region and the mean thickness of pharyngeal lateral wall.The influencing factor between Group Ⅲ and Group Ⅰ was the mean thickness of pharyngeal lateral wall.Conclusion:The ratio of minimum anteroposterior/lateral caliber of retropalatal region and the mean thickness of pharyngeal lateral wall are the main factors affecting the source of snoring sound of snoring patients.

[The application of matrix metalloproteinase-3 and 7 joints ultrasonic score in assessment of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the significance of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and joint ultrasonography in assessing the activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing MMP-3 level and the ultrasonic 7 joints (US7) score in RA patients.

METHODS

Serum MMP-3 level and US7 score were measured in 133 RA patients by immune turbidity and Doppler ultrasound. Synchronous 53 healthy subjects were recruited as controls. Clinical data were collected. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum level of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) and disease activity score 28 (DAS28) were measured. The level of disease activity is interpreted as remission(DAS28<2.6), low(DAS 28≥2.6-<3.2), moderate(DAS 28≥3.2-<5.1), high(DAS28≥5.1). The discriminating validity of MMP-3 and US7 score in disease was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with DAS28 as the reference standard.

RESULTS

Compared with that in healthy controls [35.20(25.90, 48.90) μg/L] and remission patients[33.40(22.60, 678.40) μg/L], the MMP-3 level in moderate [105.1(61.70, 172.70) μg/L] and high [363.1(161.50, 475.90) μg/L] groups increased dramatically. US7 score in patients with high disease activity was significantly higher than that in other groups. The level of MMP-3 was significantly correlated with DAS28, HAQ, US7 score, yet did not have correlation with anti-CCP antibody. Serum level of MMP-3 was positively correlated with US7 score(r=0.566, P<0.001). In evaluating the disease activity, US7 score combined with MMP-3 (AUC 0.863 2) was not superior to MMP-3 alone (AUC 0.854 3), but significantly better than single US7 score (AUC 0.764 3, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MMP-3 is an effective and simple index in evaluating RA disease activity. The combination of MMP-3 and US7 score does not further improve the efficacy to evaluate disease activity than MMP-3 alone in patients with RA.

Antibiotic resistome and its association with bacterial communities during sewage sludge composting

Composting is widely used for recycling of urban sewage sludge to improve soil properties, which represents a potential pathway of spreading antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes to soils. However, the dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the underlying mechanisms during sewage sludge composting were not fully explored. Here, we used high-throughput quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA gene based illumina sequencing to investigate the dynamics of ARGs and bacterial communities during a lab-scale in-vessel composting of sewage sludge. A total of 156 unique ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were detected encoding resistance to almost all major classes of antibiotics. ARGs were detected with significantly increased abundance and diversity, and distinct patterns, and were enriched during composting. Marked shifts in bacterial community structures and compositions were observed during composting, with Actinobacteria being the dominant phylum at the late phase of composting. The large proportion of Actinobacteria may partially explain the increase of ARGs during composting. ARGs patterns were significantly correlated with bacterial community structures, suggesting that the dynamic of ARGs was strongly affected by bacterial phylogenetic compositions during composting. These results imply that direct application of sewage sludge compost on field may lead to the spread of abundant ARGs in soils.

Psora-4, a Kv1.3 Blocker, Enhances Differentiation and Maturation in Neural Progenitor Cells

AIM

The self-repair ability of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) has been found to be activated and protected in several therapies helpful in multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS. As a potential therapeutic target in MS, the role of the ion channel Kv1.3 in NPC self-repair has received limited attention. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a selective Kv1.3 blocker on NPC neuronal differentiation and maturation.

METHODS

A small-molecule selective blocker for Kv1.3, Psora-4, was added to the differentiation medium of cultured mouse NPCs to assess its effect on NPC differentiation efficiency. Both a polypeptide Kv1.3 blocker and Kv1.3-specific RNA interference were used in parallel experiments. Further, the maturity of newborn neurons in the presence of Psora-4 was measured both by morphological analysis and by whole-cell patch clamping.

RESULTS

Psora-4 induced a significant increase in the percentage of neurons. Knockdown of Kv1.3 in NPCs also promoted neuronal differentiation. Both morphological and electrophysiological analyses suggested that NPC-derived neurons in the presence of Psora-4 were more mature.

CONCLUSION

Our studies reveal a crucial role for the ion channel Kv1.3 in the regulation of NPC differentiation and maturation, making Psora-4 a promising candidate molecule for MS treatment.

Long-term nitrogen fertilization of paddy soil shifts iron-reducing microbial community revealed by RNA-(13)C-acetate probing coupled with pyrosequencing

Iron reduction is an important biogeochemical process in paddy soils, yet little is known about the microbial coupling between nitrogen and iron reduction. Here, we investigated the shift of acetate-metabolizing iron-reducers under long-term nitrogen fertilization using (13)C-acetate-based ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-stable isotope probing (SIP) and pyrosequencing in an incubation experiment, and the shift of putative iron-reducers in original field samples were investigated by 16S rRNA gene-based pyrosequencing. During SIP incubations, in the presence of iron(III) oxyhydroxides, more iron(II) formation and less methane production were detected in nitrogen-fertilized (N) compared with non-fertilized (NF) soil. In (13)C-rRNA from microcosms amended with ferrihydrite (FER), Geobacter spp. were the important active iron-reducers in both soils, and labeled to a greater extent in N (31% of the bacterial classified sequences) than NF soils (11%). Pyrosequencing of the total 16S rRNA transcripts from microcosms at the whole community level further revealed hitherto unknown metabolisms of potential FER reduction by microorganisms including Pseudomonas and Solibacillus spp. in N soil, Dechloromonas, Clostridium, Bacillus and Solibacillus spp. in NF soil. Goethite (GOE) amendment stimulated Geobacter spp. to a lesser extent in both soils compared with FER treatment. Pseudomonas spp. in the N soil and Clostridium spp. in the NF soil may also be involved in GOE reduction. Pyrosequencing results from field samples showed that Geobacter spp. were the most abundant putative iron-reducers in both soils, and significantly stimulated by long-term nitrogen fertilization. Overall, for the first time, we demonstrate that long-term nitrogen fertilization promotes iron(III) reduction and modulates iron-reducing bacterial community in paddy soils.

First Report of Anthracnose of Malva sylvestris Caused by Colletotrichum trifolii in China

Common mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) is a perennial medicinal plant in the Malvaceae family, which is native to Asia, Europe, and North Africa. In July 2012, typical symptoms of anthracnose disease, with a disease incidence of ~70%, were observed on common mallow in the Medicinal Herb Garden of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Liaoning, China. The fungus mainly infected the stalks and leaves of M. sylvestris. Pinpoint, brownish lesions initially appeared at the flowering stage and the disease spread within the field. The lesions on stems gradually enlarged and became dark brown, elliptical, and slightly concave. Concurrently, acervuli and mucilaginous conidial masses of the pathogen appeared on lesions under moist conditions. Conidia were hyaline, one-celled, cylindrical with both ends rounded, and measured 10.0 to 12.5 × 2.5 to 4.0 μm (mean 11.3 × 3.3 μm). The fungus was isolated from symptomatic tissues. Small pieces from leaves and stems were surface disinfested with 70% ethanol and 1.5% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min, then rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C. The colonies on PDA had initially white aerial mycelia, and later became greenish black with regularly whorled rings. To confirm Koch's postulates, five 3-month-old plants of M. sylvestris were inoculated with a conidial suspension (10⁵ conidia/ml) prepared from PDA cultures incubated for 14 days. Five non-inoculated plants served as controls. The plants were maintained in the greenhouse at 22 to 25°C and about 75% relative humidity under natural daylight. Typical symptoms on inoculated plants were reproduced after ~10 to 14 days, whereas control plants remained asymptomatic. The pathogen was successfully recovered from symptomatic tissues and re-identified, completing Koch's postulates. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit -28S (LSU) region of rDNA was amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4 and NL1/NL4, respectively, and sequenced. Phylogenetic trees (ITS and LSU) that were obtained using MEGE3.1 with the neighbor-joining method showed that both of the isolates fall in the Colletotrichum trifolii clade. The representative sequences (ITS and LSU) were deposited in GenBank (Accession Nos. KJ155692 and KJ920935). The fungus isolated from symptomatic tissues was identified as C. trifolii on the basis of morphological, cultural characteristics, and sequence analysis (2). According to previous references, C. orbiculare and C. malvarum on Malvaceae were respectively described in America and Europe (1,3,4). However, the isolate from M. sylvestris significantly differed from those of C. orbiculare and C. malvarum in cultural characteristics and sequence analysis. In this paper, the results showed that M. sylvestris is a new host of C. trifolii. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mallow anthracnose caused by C. trifolii in China. References: (1) J. A. Bailey et al. Phytopathology 86:1076, 1996. (2) U. Damm et al. Fungal Divers. 61:29, 2013. (3) K. Hyde et al. Fungal Divers. 39:147, 2009. (4) L. Tosi et al. Plant Dis. 88:425, 2004.

Biochar impacts soil microbial community composition and nitrogen cycling in an acidic soil planted with rape

Biochar has been suggested to improve acidic soils and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. However, little has been done on the role of biochar in ameliorating acidified soils induced by overuse of nitrogen fertilizers. In this study, we designed a pot trial with an acidic soil (pH 4.48) in a greenhouse to study the interconnections between microbial community, soil chemical property changes, and N2O emissions after biochar application. The results showed that biochar increased plant growth, soil pH, total carbon, total nitrogen, C/N ratio, and soil cation exchange capacity. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that biochar application increased α-diversity significantly and changed the relative abundances of some microbes that are related with carbon and nitrogen cycling at the family level. Biochar amendment stimulated both nitrification and denitrification processes, while reducing N2O emissions overall. Results of redundancy analysis indicated biochar could shift the soil microbial community by changing soil chemical properties, which modulate N-cycling processes and soil N2O emissions. The significantly increased nosZ transcription suggests that biochar decreased soil N2O emissions by enhancing its further reduction to N2.

[Key microbial processes in nitrous oxide emissions of agricultural soil and mitigation strategies]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful atmospheric greenhouse gas, which does not only have a strong influence on the global climate change but also depletes the ozone layer and induces the enhancement of ultraviolet radiation to ground surface, so numerous researches have been focused on global climate change and ecological environmental change. Soil is the foremost source of N2O emissions to the atmosphere, and approximately two-thirds of these emissions are generally attributed to microbiological processes including bacterial and fungal denitrification and nitrification processes, largely as a result of the application of nitrogenous fertilizers. Here the available knowledge concerning the research progress in N2O production in agricultural soils was reviewed, including denitrification, nitrification, nitrifier denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, and the abiotic (including soil pH, organic and inorganic nitrogen, organic matter, soil humidity and temperature) and biotic factors that have direct and indirect effects on N2O fluxes from agricultural soils were also summarized. In addition, the strategies for mitigating N2O emissions and the future research direction were proposed. Therefore, these studies are expected to provide valuable and scientific evidence for the study on mitigation strategies for the emission of greenhouse gases, adjustment of nitrogen transformation processes and enhancement of nitrogen use efficiency.

Alterations of microbial populations and composition in the rhizosphere and bulk soil as affected by residual acetochlor

Acetochlor is a widely used herbicide in maize fields; however, the ecological risk of its residue in the soil-plant system remains unknown. We investigated the dissipation dynamics of field dose acetochlor and clarified its impact on microbial biomass and community structure both in the rhizosphere and bulk soil over 1 month after its application. Soil microbial parameters such as quantities of culturable bacteria and fungi represented by colony-forming units, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB(C)), and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were determined across different sampling times. The results showed that the dissipation half-lives of acetochlor were, respectively, 2.8 and 3.4 days in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, and 0.02-0.07 μg/g residual acetochlor could be detected in the soil 40 days after its application. Compared to the bulk soil, microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil were inclined to be affected by the application of acetochlor: SMB(C) content and bacterial growth were most likely to be increased; however, fungal growth was prone to be inhibited. The principal component analysis of PLFAs, as well as the comparisons of fungi/bacteria and cy17:0/C16:1ω9c ratios between different treatments over sampling time, revealed that the soil microbial community composition was significantly affected by acetochlor at its early application stage (at day 15); thereafter, the effects of acetochlor were attenuated or even could not be detected. Our results suggested that residual acetochlor did not confer a long-term impairment on viable bacterial groups in the rhizosphere and bulk soil.

First Report of Sclerotinia Rot of Chinese Atractylodes Caused by Sclerotinia nivalis in China

Chinese atractylodes (Atractylodes japonica Koidz.ez Kitam.) is a perennial herb in the Compositae family, and is widely distributed in China. The dried rhizomes of the plant are used in traditional Chinese medicine. During the summer of 2011, typical signs and symptoms of Sclerotinia rot were observed on Chinese atractylodes in a production field of Liaoning Province of China. Symptoms were observed in plants at the flowering stage, distributed in patches throughout the rows, and with a disease incidence of approximately 10 to 15%. The lower mature leaves of infected plants first became yellow and wilted, basal stem areas showed a black-brown rot at the same time under conditions of high humidity, and white cottony mycelium formed along the basal stem and soil surfaces. Ultimately, the basal stem and roots rotted and the plants wilted and died quickly. Black, irregular sclerotia (average 0.8 to 6.9 mm in diameter) were also observed within the pith cavity of split stems and rotted roots. The pathogen was isolated from symptomatic tissues and sclerotia, surface disinfested with 2% sodium hypochlorite, and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) (1). The fungus was mesophilic, with an optimum temperature for mycelial growth in culture of about 20°C. Colonies on PDA produced masses of white aerial mycelium, with small white flocci distributed among sclerotia. After 2 weeks, sclerotia 0.5 to 4.5 mm in diameter were produced near the margin in a uniform distribution. Sclerotia were spherical, elongated, or fused to form irregular shapes and tightly attached to the agar surface by their under surface, which could be seen through the bottom of the petri dishes. DNA sequences of five replicates were obtained using the TianGen DNA secure plant kit. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. BLAST analysis of the 513-bp segment showed high similarity (99%) with a sequence of Sclerotinia nivalis (GenBank Accession No. AB516670). A representative sequence was deposited in GenBank (Accession No. JX294862). The fungus isolated from symptomatic tissues was identified as S. nivalis Saito on the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics (2,3) and ITS sequence analysis. Symptoms were reproduced in the greenhouse by inoculating the basal stem and roots of 15 atractylodes plants at the 7- to 10-leaf stage. Inoculum was prepared by macerating 14-day-old PDA cultures of the fungus in a blender and placing the mixture (approximately 20 g) into the potting medium of each plant. Sterile PDA was used to inoculate the five control plants. Plants were maintained in a greenhouse at 22 to 25°C and about 75% relative humidity. After 7 to 10 days, symptoms were similar to those in the fields. Lower leaves of inoculated plants became yellow and wilted, and infected plants died 2 weeks after inoculation, whereas control plants remained healthy. The pathogen was successfully recovered from symptomatic tissues, completing Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sclerotinia rot of Chinese atractylodes. Given its wide host range, S. nivalis has great potential to become an economically important plant pathogen. References: (1) W. G. Kim and W. D. Cho. Mycobiology 30:41, 2002. (2) G. Q. Li et al. Mycol. Res. 104:232, 2000. (3) I. Saito. Mycoscience 38:227, 1997.

The use of cell culture for subchromosomal introgressions of barley yellow dwarf virus resistance from Thinopyrum intermedium to wheat

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) resistance has been transferred to wheat from a group 7 chromosome of Thinopyrum (Agropyron) intermedium. The source of the resistance gene was the L1 disomic addition line, which carries the 7Ai-1 chromosome. The resistance locus is on the long arm of this chromosome. BYDV resistant recombinant lines were identified after three or more generations of selection against a group 7 Th. intermedium short arm marker (red coleoptile) and selection for the presence of BYDV resistance. One recombinant line produced by ph. mutant induced homoeologous pairing and 14 recombinant lines induced by cell culture have been identified. Resistance in seven of the cell culture induced recombinants has been inherited via pollen according to Mendelian segregation ratios for up to eight generations. Meiotic analysis of heterozygotes indicates that the alien chromatin in the cell culture induced recombinants is small enough to allow regular meiotic behaviour. The ph-induced recombinant was less regular in meiosis. A probe, pEleAcc2, originally isolated from Th. elongatum and that hybridizes to dispersed repeated DNA sequences, was utilised to detect Th. intermedium chromatin, which confers resistance to BYDV, in wheat backgrounds. Quantification of these hybridization signals indicated that the translocations involved a portion of alien chromatin that was smaller than the complete long arm of 7Ai-1. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed the loss of the short arm of 7Ai-1 and indicated the retention of segments of the long arm of 7Ai-1. Two 7Ai-1L DNA markers always assorted with the BYDV resistance. A third 7Ai-IL DNA marker was also present in seven of eight recombinants. In all recombinants except TC7, the 7Ai-1L markers replaced the 7DL markers. None of the wheat group 7 markers was missing from TC7. It is concluded that all the resistant lines are the result of recombination with wheat chromosome 7D, except line TC7, which is the result of recombination with an unidentified nongroup 7 chromosome.

The preparation of HL-60 cells vaccine expressing BCG heat shock protein 70 and detection of its immunogenicity in vitro

Gene-modified cell vaccines are the best way to achieve the immunotherapy for all types of acute leukemia. In this study, the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector (pDisplay-HSP70) of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) was constructed by amplifying the whole BCG HSP70 gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sub-cloning into the polyclone endonuclease sites in pDisplay. Then the HL-60 cell vaccine expressing the protein onto the cell surface was prepared by lipofectamine transfection and its anti-tumor effect and mechanism were further studied. Results showed that the fragment of BCG HSP70 was consistent with Mycobacterium tuberculosis HSP70 gene published in GeneBank. DNA sequencing showed that the recombinant vector was correctly constructed and named pDisplay-HSP70. After BCG HSP70 gene transfection, the yellow-green fluorescence on the HL-60 cells surface was observed under a fluorescence microscope. The immunogenicity of HSP70-transfected HL-60 cells exhibited upregulated proliferation of lymphocytes, increased cytokine secretion (IFN-γ) and enhanced killing activity. These results suggested that gene transfection of BCG HSP70 could significantly enhance the immunogenicity of HL-60 cells. It may be used as a suitable candidate gene-modified cell vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.

[Influence of crocin on proliferation in vitro and function of dendritic cells derived from bone marrow of children with acute leukemia]

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of crocin on the proliferation in vitro and immune function of dendritic cells (DC) derived from the bone marrow of children with acute leukemia. The mononuclear cells were isolated from bone marrow of leukemia children by Ficoll-Hypaque. The experiment was divided into six groups: blank control group (A), crocin 1.25 mg/ml group (B), cytokines (rhGM-CSF 75 ng/ml+rhIL-4 75 ng/ml+rhTNF-α 50 ng/ml) group (C), cytokines+crocin 0.3125, 1.25 or 5.0 mg/ml groups (D, E, F). The numbers of DC were counted and the phenotypes of DC were determined by flow cytometry on the ninth day of culture. The DC of different groups were mixed with T cells just separated from peripheral blood of another children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and cultured with rhIL-2 200 U/ml for 5 d. The function of DC was detected by mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). The results indicated that the test groups and control group all obtained a certain amount of typical DC, but the DC numbers in test groups were all higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). Cultured for 9 days, the rates of CD1a(+), CD83(+), and HLA-DR(+) in group C, D, E, F were higher than group A (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between A and B groups (P > 0.05). MLR showed that with the increasing of DC, the stimulation index of T cells in group A and B was not rising (P > 0.05); the stimulated index of T cells in group C and E was significantly rising, there was statistically significant difference between them (P < 0.01). When the number of stimulated cells was the same, the stimulation index of T cell in group E was the highest (P < 0.01). It is concluded that the capability of DC proliferation promoted by crocin alone is lower than that of its combination with rhGM-CSF, rhIL-4 and rhTNF-α, but the crocin can synergically promote the maturity of DC cooperating with rhGM-CSF, rhIL-4 and rhTNF-α. The DC induced by crocin can particularly enhance the proliferation of T cells.

[Inhibition of culture supernatant of mesenchymal stem cells on macrophages RAW264.7 activated by soluble egg antigen of Schistosoma japonicum]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the inhibitive effect of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) culture supernatant on macrophages activated by soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum.

METHODS

To select optimal SEA effecting concentration and time, macrophages RAW264.7 were induced by 5, 10, 20 or 40 microg/ml SEA for 12 h, or by 20 microg/ml SEA for 4, 8, 12 or 24 h before examination of TNF-alpha mRNA by RT-PCR. Macrophages were divided into five groups, i.e. negative control group, SEA group, SEA+MSC supernatant group (MSC group), SEA+NRK-52E supernatant group (NRK-52E group) and SEA+DMEM group (DMEM group). Except negative control group, macrophages in other four groups were induced by 20 microg/ml SEA for 12 h. SEA was then removed from MSC group, NRK-52E group and DMEM group and replaced with MSC supernatant, NRK-52E supernatant and DMEM, respectively. Morphology of macrophages in each group was observed by microscope after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. TNF-alpha mRNA in macrophages was detected by real-time quantitative PCR after cultured with supernatant for 12 h and 24 h. TGF-beta1 in macrophages was observed by Western blotting analysis after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. Macrophage proliferation was tested by MTT method after cultured with supernatant for 24 h and 48 h.

RESULTS

The optimal SEA concentration and time for macrophage activation was 20 microg/ml and 12 h, respectively. Compared with SEA group, NRK-52E group, and DMEM group, macrophages in MSC group were round and small with less pseudopodia after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. TNF-alpha mRNA after cultured with MSC supernatant for 12 h and 24 h was (1.0 +/- 0.4) and (1.0 +/- 0.5) fold of negative control group, respectively, significantly less than NRK-52E group [(10.4 +/- 3.9) and (16.5 +/- 5.0) fold] (12 h: P < 0.05; 24 h: P < 0.01) and DMEM group [(6.0 +/- 2.1) and (2.4 +/- 0.7) fold] (P < 0.05). The grey density image analysis of TGF-beta1/GAPDH was 0.31 +/- 0.10 in MSC group, much lower than 0.88 +/- 0.10 in NRK-52E group (P < 0.01) and 0.58 +/- 0.06 in DMEM group (P < 0.05) after cultured with supernatant for 12 h. After 48 h culture, A490 of macrophages in MSC group was 0.22 +/- 0.05, much lower than 0.53 +/- 0.02 in NRK-52E group and 0.31 +/- 0.03 in DMEM group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

MSC supernatant can inhibit activation and proliferation of macrophages which were induced by SEA of S. japonicum.

Quantification of pantoprazole in human plasma using LC-MS/MS for pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence study

A highly sensitive and rapid method for the analysis of pantoprazole in human plasma using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was developed. The procedure involves a simple protein precipitation method with methyl alcohol and separation by RP-HPLC. Detection was performed by positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode, monitoring the transitions m/z 384.1→200.0 and m/z 346.1→198.0, for quantification of pantoprazole and IS, respectively. The standard calibration curves showed good linearity within the range of 5-5,000 ng mL(-1). The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was about 5 ng mL(-1). The extractive recovery of pantoprazole from the biological matrix was more than 77.58% and the matrix effect was complied with relevant provision. The intra-day accuracy of the drug containing serum samples was more than 92.19% with a precision of 0.79-5.36%. The inter-day accuracy was 85.49% or more, with a precision of 0.91-12.67%. Intra and inter-day accuracy of the assay at four concentrations were 97.9-98.2% with a precision of 4.2-13.9%. This method offered good precision and accuracy and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies of 40 mg of enteric-coated pantoprazole in 20 healthy Chinese volunteers.

Cellulase deactivation based kinetic modeling of enzymatic hydrolysis of steam-exploded wheat straw

Applying mass action law and quasi-steady-state theory, two cellulase kinetic models namely Eqs. (5) and (8) were developed on the basis of the first and second order reactions of enzyme deactivation, respectively. The two models are compared according to analysis of experimental data from enzymatic hydrolysis steam-exploded wheat straw. Both simulation and prediction results show Eq. (8) has much higher accuracy than Eq. (5). Analysis of initial hydrolysis rate is also in accordance with Eq. (8) and against Eq. (5). Fitted values of k(2) (the rate constant of product formation), k(de2) (the rate constant of enzyme deactivation) and K(e) (the equilibrium constant) determined from Eq. (8) are 0.4732 h(-1), 0.4011 L/(hg), and 16.8597 g/L, respectively. The higher the enzyme concentration is, the larger the deactivation rate.

[Proliferative inhibition and apoptotic induction effects of crocin on human leukemia HL-60 cells and their mechanisms]

This study was to investigate the proliferative inhibition and apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells induced by crocin and their possible mechanisms. The cell viability was tested by cell counting. The morphology of HL-60 cells was observed by fluorescence microscopy. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of crocin on the growth of HL-60 cells. Flow cytometry was used to measure the cell cycle. RT-PCR was used to detect bcl-2 and bax expression. The results indicated that the growth of HL-60 cells was inhibited remarkably in the dose and time dependent way. When the crocin concentration was higher than 5 mg/ml, the percentage of apoptotic HL-60 cells was not increased, on the contrary this percentage decreased, the cells manifested necrosis. Flow cytometry profiles revealed that cells were blocked in G₀/G₁ phase, the cell proliferation was inhibited obviously at 5 mg/ml. RT-PCR detection revealed that the expression of bcl-2 was down-regulated strikingly and bax was up-regulated. It is concluded that the crocin can inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells effectively, and block cells in G₀/G₁ phase. The mechanisms by which crocin induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells may be related to the inhibition of bcl-2 and activation of bax.