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Objective: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of death among premature infants, and there is a lack of specific early diagnostic markers. Blood sampling is expected to better reflect pathophysiological and metabolic changes in systematic illness, but there is a risk of iatrogenic anemia, especially in premature infants. Dried blood spots technique seems to have important advantages compared to whole blood sampling as it requires only 12–15 μL as sample volume. This study aimed to investigate the special metabolomics of preterm neonates at high risk of NEC using dried blood spots. Methods: Cases and controls were strictly matched 1:1. Dried blood spots (n = 32, 16 cases–16 controls) from newborn screening were subjected to LC–MS/MS. Metabolomic data were analyzed by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and univariate/multivariate statistical analysis. Results: Compared to the control group, the NEC group had a significant reduction in seven amino acids (glycine, alanine, threonine, proline, ornithine, lysine, and asparagine). Conclusions: The metabolic profile of neonates with NEC differs significantly from that of controls, making possible their separation with the use of targeted (LC–MS/MS) dried blood spots-based metabolomic analysis. Seven specific markers were identified for early detection and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To explore a determination method for cyclone vortex tail, the wall pressures at different axial and radial positions of a cylinder-on-cone cyclone were measured and analyzed by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and probability density analyses in this paper. The cyclone vortex tail was also visualized by a red ink tracer. The results show that the cyclone wall pressure does not change in the cylindrical section and gradually decreases in the conical section. The magnitudes of wall pressure at different azimuths are almost identical, indicating an axisymmetrical wall pressure radial profile in these parts of the cyclone. Whereas in the lower part of the cone and/or the upper part of dipleg, there is a sudden fall of wall pressure and non-axisymmetrical pressure radial profile. The minimum wall pressure occurs at about 270° azimuth in this region. Underneath in the next part of the dipleg, the wall pressure rapidly rises and returns to axisymmetry. These characteristics indicate that the vortex tail is bended to wall, turns around in this region, and can be used as evidences of the vortex tail. The position determined by the pressure measurement is close to the position of the rotating ring observed in the tracing experiment. It is also found that the frequency of the inner vortex is different from that of the outer vortex. The inner vortex flow fluctuates stronger and faster than its outer partner. At the vortex tail zone, the vortex breaks and the inner vortex fluctuation is involved in the wall pressure signal. Therefore, the position and dynamic property of the vortex tail can be well identified from the wall pressure measurement. The pressure measurement could provide some solid experimental basis for assessing relations of natural vortex length. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic cancers. The role of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide-like protein-3G (APCBEC-3G) in cervical cancer has yet to be elucidated. This study intends to explore the effect of APCBEC-3G on cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasion. In vitro, the cervical cancer cell line Hela was transfected by APCBEC-3G plasmid. The mRNA and protein expression levels of APCBEC-3G were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Cervical cancer cell proliferation was determined by MTT. Transwell assay was applied to measure the effect of APCBEC-3G on cell invasion. APCBEC-3G mRNA and protein increased significantly after transfection (P<0.05) and cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasive ability were decreased significantly (P<0.05). APOBEC-3G serves as a suppressor of cervical cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Our research provides theoretical basis for further investigation APOBEC-3G effect in cervical cancer occurrence and development.