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This study aims to evaluate the in vitro and clinical effects of topical acetylhexapeptide-8 (AH8) on the appearance of oily skin.In vitro SEB-1 human sebocyte cell lines were exposed to different concentrations of AH8, then the lipid content of the sebocytes was measured. For the randomized, controlled, split-face clinical study, participants received AH8 10% lotion formulated in Cetaphil Moisturizing Facial Lotion on one side of their face and the control vehicle lotion on the other side of their face. Facial oiliness was assessed by a trained physician using a three-point grading system, high-resolution digital photographs, and a sebumeter (SM815). Participants also filled out self-assessments of their skin oiliness.The in vitro experiments showed that sebocyte lipid content significantly decreased after AH8 treatment (p 0.05 at 0.00005% AH8, p = 0.09 at 0.0005% AH8, p 0.05 at 0.005% AH8, and p 0.001 at 0.025% AH8). In the clinical study, participants trended towards a 10% reduction (p = 0.16) in sebum production after AH8 treatment in comparison to the vehicle treatment.AH8 inhibits the accumulation of lipids in sebocytes in vitro without altering cell proliferation or SREBP-1 expression. Topical AH8 trended towards decreased sebum production in human participants. The use of AH8 may serve as a promising agent to reduce sebocyte lipid production and the appearance of oily skin. RÉSUMÉ: Objectif Cette étude vise à évaluer les effets in vitro et cliniques de l'acétylhexapeptide-8 (AH8) topique sur l'aspect de la peau grasse. Méthode Des lignées cellulaires de sébocytes humains SEB-1 in vitro ont été exposées à différentes concentrations d'AH8, à la suite de quoi la teneur en lipides des sébocytes a été mesurée. Pour l'étude clinique randomisée, contrôlée, en hémi-visage, les participants ont reçu une lotion AH8 10 % formulée dans la lotion hydratante pour le visage Cetaphil d'un côté de leur visage et la lotion témoin de l'autre côté de leur visage. Le sébum du visage a été évalué par un médecin formé à l'aide d'un système de classification à trois points, de photographies numériques à haute résolution et d'un sébumètre (SM815). Les participants ont également rempli des auto-évaluations du sébum de leur peau. Résultats Les expériences in vitro ont montré que la teneur en lipides des sébocytes diminuait significativement après le traitement par AH8 (p 0.05 à 0.00005 % AH8, p = 0.09 à 0.0005 % AH8, p 0.001 à 0.025 % AH8). Dans l'étude clinique, les participants avaient tendance à voir leur production de sébum diminuer de 10 % (p = 0.16) après le traitement par AH8, par rapport au traitement par excipient. Conclusion L'AH8 inhibe l'accumulation de lipides dans les sébocytes in vitro sans altérer la prolifération cellulaire ou l'expression de SREBP-1. L'AH8 topique tendait à diminuer la production de sébum chez les participants humains. L'utilisation d'AH8 peut servir d'agent prometteur pour réduire la production de lipides sébocytaires et l'apparence de peau grasse.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory dermatosis that has multiple contributing factors including genetic, immunologic and environmental. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) has long been associated with exacerbation of AD. SA produces many virulence factors that interact with the human skin and immune system. These superantigens and toxins have been shown to contribute to adhesion, inflammation and skin barrier destruction. Recent advances in genome sequencing techniques have led to a broadened understanding of the multiple ways SA interacts with the cutaneous environment in AD hosts. For example, temporal shifts in the microbiome, specifically in clonal complexes of SA, have been identified during AD flares and remission. Herein, we review mechanisms of interaction between the cutaneous microbiome and SA and highlight known differences in SA clonal complexes that contribute to AD pathogenesis. Detailed knowledge of the genetic strains of SA and cutaneous dysbiosis is becoming increasingly relevant in paving the way for microbiome-modulating and precision therapies for AD.

Background Reports from resource-poor countries have associated thionamide- and para-aminosalicylate sodium (PAS)-based treatment of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) with the development of hypothyroidism. Aim To identify predictors and assess the cumulative proportions of hypothyroidism in patients treated for MDR-TB with these agents in Australia. Methods Retrospective multicentre study of MDR-TB patients from five academic centres covering tuberculosis (TB) services in Victoria, Australia. Patients were identified using each centre's pharmacy department and cross checked with the Victorian Tuberculosis Program. Hypothyroidism was categorised as subclinical if the thyroid-stimulating hormone was elevated and as overt if free thyroxine (fT4) was additionally reduced on two separate occasions. Our main outcome measured was the cumulative proportion of hypothyroidism (at 5 years from treatment initiation). Results Of the 29 cases available for analysis, the cumulative proportion of hypothyroidism at 5 years was 37% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0-57.8%). Eight of the nine affected cases developed hypothyroidism within the first 12 months of treatment. Hypothyroidism was marginally (P = 0.06) associated with higher prothionamide/PAS dosing and was reversible with cessation of the anti-tuberculosis medication. Conclusions Prothionamide/PAS treatment-associated hypothyroidism is common in MDR-TB patients in Australia, emphasising the importance of regular thyroid function monitoring during this treatment. Thyroid hormone replacement, if initiated, may not need to be continued after MDR-TB treatment is completed.

A central question in cell biology is how cells respond to stress signals and biochemically regulate apoptosis. One critical pathway involves the change of mitochondrial function and release of cytochrome c to initiate apoptosis. In response to apoptotic stimuli, we found that maspin—a noninhibitory member of the serine protease inhibitor superfamily—translocates from the cytosol to mitochondria and binds to cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Biolayer interferometry assay revealed that recombinant maspin binds cardiolipin with an apparent K(d),of ∼15.8 μM and competes with cytochrome c (apparent K(d) of ∼1.31 μM) for binding to cardiolipin-enriched membranes. A hydrophobic, lysine-rich domain in maspin consists of 27 aa, is located at position 268–294, and is responsible for the interaction of this protein with cardiolipin. Depletion of cardiolipin in cells significantly prevents maspin binding to the inner mitochondrial membrane and decreases cytochrome c release and apoptosis. Alteration to maspin’s cardiolipin binding domain changes its ability to bind cardiolipin, and tumor cells expressing this mutant have a low frequency of apoptosis. We propose a model of apoptosis in which maspin binds to cardiolipin, displaces cytochrome c from the membrane, and facilitates its release to the cytoplasm.—Mahajan, N., Hoover, B., Rajendram, M., Shi, H. Y., Kawasaki, K., Weibel, D. B., Zhang, M. Maspin binds to cardiolipin in mitochondria and triggers apoptosis.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has prioritized skin cancer prevention efforts in 2018, as photoprotection measures adopted by the general public remain suboptimal. A large proportion of patients lack understanding of primary prevention methods for skin cancer, and mistruths in advertising may contribute significantly to this deficit. Sunscreen labels are often stacked with multiple claims of seemingly high significance, making it difficult for patients to differentiate their validity when selecting a sunscreen. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published its monograph in 2011 to address these controversies in sunscreen labeling, but the reliability of several other claims remain unclear. In this article, we discuss several claims commonly made on sunscreen labels, and address the truths and mistruths surrounding them.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of epidemiologic and physician‐diagnosed pollen‐induced AR (PiAR) in the grasslands of northern China and to study the impact of the intensity and time of pollen exposure on PiAR prevalence. Methods A multistage, clustered and proportionately stratified random sampling with a field interviewer‐administered survey study was performed together with skin prick tests (SPT) and measurements of the daily pollen count. Results A total of 6043 subjects completed the study, with a proportion of 32.4% epidemiologic AR and 18.5% PiAR. The prevalence was higher in males than females (19.6% vs 17.4%, P = .024), but no difference between the two major residential and ethnic groups (Han and Mongolian) was observed. Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence of PiAR than rural areas (23.1% vs 14.0%, P

The characteristics and functions of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been well defined in murine and human systems. However, the interaction or crosstalk between CD4+ CD25+ Tregs and dendritic cells (DCs) remains controversial. In this study, the effects of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) CD4+ CD25+ Tregs on the maturation and function of monocyte-derived DCs were examined. The results showed that CD4+ CD25+ render the DCs inefficient as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) despite prestimulation with CD40 ligand. This effect was marginally reverted by applying neutralizing antibodies (Abs) to IL-10 and TGF-β. There were an increased IL-10 and TGF-β secretion and reduced expression of costimulatory molecules in DC. Thus, in addition to a direct suppressor effect on CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD25+ may modulate the immune response through DCs in CHB patients.

Pie and doughnut charts nicely convey the part–whole relationship and they have become the most recognizable chart types for representing proportions in business and data statistics. Many experiments have been carried out to study human perception of the pie chart, while the corresponding aspects of the doughnut chart have seldom been tested, even though the doughnut chart and the pie chart share several similarities. In this paper, we report on a series of experiments in which we explored the effect of a few fundamental design parameters of doughnut charts, and additional visual cues, on the accuracy of such charts for proportion estimates. Since mobile devices are becoming the primary devices for casual reading, we performed all our experiments on such device. Moreover, the screen size of mobile devices is limited and it is therefore important to know how such size constraint affects the proportion accuracy. For this reason, in our first experiment we tested the chart size and we found that it has no significant effect on proportion accuracy. In our second experiment, we focused on the effect of the doughnut chart inner radius and we found that the proportion accuracy is insensitive to the inner radius, except the case of the thinnest doughnut chart. In the third experiment, we studied the effect of visual cues and found that marking the centre of the doughnut chart or adding tick marks at 25% intervals improves the proportion accuracy. Based on the results of the three experiments, we discuss the design of doughnut charts and offer suggestions for improving the accuracy of proportion estimates.

Introduction Precise cytological diagnosis of pelvic high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) in ascites is important for tumour staging, therapeutic decision-making and prognostic evaluation. However, it can often be difficult to distinguish metastatic HGSC cells from reactive mesothelial cells based on morphology alone. Immunocytochemical analysis of ascites cell blocks has been used to obtain accurate diagnosis and provide a reliable basis for treatment decisions in the clinic. This study was performed to determine whether a panel of antibodies is necessary to achieve high specificity and sensitivity for the identification of HGSC cells. Methods Ascites samples from 70 cases (70/253, 27.7%) of histologically confirmed HGSC were postoperatively collected from 2012 to 2015 and were immunocytochemically analysed. Results The sensitivity and specificity of Ber-EP4 (a marker of HGSC) for detecting HGSC was 85.7% and 82.1%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity and specificity of HBME-1 for identifying mesothelial cells was 100% and 68.3%, respectively. To improve the rate of detection further of HGSC, 29 cases of ascites were also stained for E-cadherin (a marker of HGSC) and calretinin (a marker of mesothelial cells). The combination of Ber-EP4 and E-cadherin as markers of adenocarcinoma cells increased the sensitivity and specificity for HGSC detection to 100% and 88.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, the sensitivity and specificity for mesothelial cell identification increased to 100% and 90%, respectively, when HBME-1 and calretinin were combined. Conclusion This panel of complementary biomarkers is valuable and ideal for the differential diagnosis of HGSC based on ascites cytology.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an obstacle to the electrocatalytic water splitting due to its unique four-proton-and-electron-transfer reaction process. Many methods, such as engineering heterostructure and introducing oxygen vacancy, have been used to improve the catalytic performance of electrocatalysts for OER. Herein, the above two kinds of regulation are simultaneously realized in a catalyst by using unique ion irradiation technology. A nanosheet structured NiO/NiFe2 O4 heterostructure with rich oxygen vacancies converted from nickel-iron layered double hydroxides by Ar+ ions irradiation shows significant enhancement in both OER and hydrogen evolution reaction performance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the construction of NiO/NiFe2 O4 can optimize the free energy of O* to OOH* process during OER reaction. The oxygen vacancy-rich NiO/NiFe2 O4 nanosheets have an overpotential of 279 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a low Tafel slope of 42 mV dec-1 . Moreover, this NiO/NiFe2 O4 electrode shows an excellent long-term stability at 100 mA cm-2 for 450 h. The synergetic effects between NiO and NiFe2 O4 make NiO/NiFe2 O4 heterostructure have high conductivity and fast charge transfer, abundant active sites, and high catalytic reactivity, contributing to its excellent performance.

Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a rare, cutaneous vasculitis of uncertain origin. EED can present clinically as chronic bilateral, symmetrical, periarticular papules, plaques and nodules. We report here an unusual case of EED presenting as multiple, densely fibrosing nodules on the feet of a 60-year-old human immunodeficiency virus positive woman. The initial evaluation of the patient was complicated by the strong histologic resemblance of multiple lesions to sclerotic fibroma, a cutaneous manifestation of Cowden disease. Our case highlights the important features that distinguish these 2 pathologic entities.

Objective The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of uterine artery embolization (UAE) followed by curettage for conservative management of cervical pregnancy. Design Retrospective review. Setting Peking University First Hospital. Sample Patients with cervical pregnancy diagnosed by trans-vaginal ultrasound at Peking University First Hospital between January 2003 and December 2014. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical background and outcomes of patients with cervical pregnancy who underwent UAE followed by curettage for prevention of massive vaginal bleeding and removal of gestational tissue from the cervix. We also reviewed the literature on the role of UAE in the treatment of cervical pregnancy. Main outcome measures Clinical assessments included gestational age, gravidity, endocervical canal mass, serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-HCG) level, blood loss, hospitalisation stay and expenses, time of resumption of menstruation and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Results A total of 19 patients with cervical pregnancy treated with UAE followed by curettage were identified. Curettage was performed 24–72 hours after UAE in 16 patients, within 24 hours after UAE in three patients. None of the patients underwent a hysterectomy as a result of cervical pregnancy. Of the nine patients with available follow-up information (median follow-up time 59 months), eight resumed normal menstruation and one had a term pregnancy with a normal vaginal delivery. Quick regression of serum β-HCG level, low blood loss and short hospital stay were observed. Conclusion UAE combined with curettage is a safe, effective and fertility-sparing choice for treatment of patients with cervical pregnancy. Tweetable abstract A serial of 19 patients with cervical pregnancy treated with UAE followed by curettage showed a good prognosis.

A plane strain elastic–viscoplastic-based finite element model is developed to simulate a composite system with sinusoidal corrugated cores under tensile loading conditions. Numerical study shows that the rate sensitivity in the reinforced core provides a positive impact on loading capacity, the necking strain retardation, and improvement in the ductility of a composite. By carefully selecting the reinforced sinusoidal core geometric parameters, extra margin can be gained in improving the uniform elongation without comprising the loading capacity of a composite system. For a given volume fraction of reinforced core, an optimized reinforcement arrangement is found to achieve an improved ductility for a plate with sinusoidal corrugated core.

This paper focuses on the characterization of materials from fragmented pieces of an imperial lacquer plate in the Luozhuang Han tomb, which dates to the early Western Han dynasty. Various non-invasive and minimally invasive techniques were performed, including optical and electron microscopy, XRF, Raman spectromicroscopy, FT–IR, XRD and THM-Py–GC/MS. The lacquerware pieces consist of a five-layer structure, which includes (from the top): a red pigmented layer, two lacquer finish layers, a ground layer and a canvas/wood foundation layer. The red layer consists of ground cinnabar mixed with urushi. The lacquer finish layers are made of urushi mixed with perilla or tallow tree oil, without any pigment. The ground layer is a mixture of organic materials including urushi, tree oil and amorphous carbon (possibly burned ashes) and inorganic fillers such as quartz, albite and potassium feldspar. Urushi was also identified in the canvas/wood foundation layer. Though highly degraded, the canvas is probably made of hemp (bast fibres). The identification of high concentration of drying oil indicates an intentional addition of oil into the urushi to retard the rate of hardening and to increase gloss.

Background We evaluated our experience with ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation in children and young adults. Methods A total of 64 patients underwent VAD implantation in two centres. The mean age was 15 ± 7.2 years. Thirty-five (55%) patients were under 18 years of age. Devices implanted included the Thoratec Paracorporeal in 30 (47%) patients, Berlin Heart EXCOR in 11 (17%) and VentrAssist in 14 (22%). The diagnosis was cardiomyopathy in 53, congenital heart disease in 11, and graft failure in four patients. Results There were 10 (16%) in-hospital deaths. Mortality was higher in patients

Nutrition plays a critical role in the manifestation and management of inflammatory pilosebaceous disorders. There is rich potential for insight into the impact of dietary effects on the pathophysiology of inflammatory pilosebaceous disorders including acne vulgaris, hidradenitis suppurativa, rosacea, and the closely related seborrhoeic dermatitis. Acne vulgaris and hidradenitis suppurativa are thought to have similar diet-modulating pathogenic pathways. Western diet influences Acne vulgaris and hidradenitis suppurativa by increasing insulin and modulating FOX01/mTOR, resulting in over-expression of cytokeratins, hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, and hypercornification of the follicular wall. Key receptors in rosacea are alternatively activated by UV radiation, hot beverages, spicy foods, vanilla, cinnamon, caffeine, alcohol, cold temperatures, and niacin- and formalin-containing foods, to increase oedema and flushing, resulting in erythema, telangiectasia, and warmth, characteristic features of the condition. Seborrhoeic dermatitis, while not a follicular disorder, is closely related, and can be modulated by dietary influences, such as biotin and probiotics. This overview summarizes the role that nutrition plays on these disorders, and identifies dietary modifications as potential adjunctive therapies.

Interleukin-19 (IL-19) plays an important role in asthma by stimulating T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokine production. Interestingly, IL-4, a key Th2 cytokine, in turn up-regulates IL-19 expression in bronchial epithelial cells, so forming a positive feedback loop. In atopic dermatitis (AD), another Th2 disease closely related to asthma, IL-19 is up-regulated in the skin. We propose to use IL-4 transgenic (Tg) mice and human keratinocyte culture to delineate the molecular mechanisms involved in the up-regulation of IL-19 in AD. IL-19 is similarly up-regulated in the skin of IL-4 Tg mice as in human AD. Next we show that IL-4 up-regulates IL-19 expression in keratinocytes. Interestingly, the up-regulation was suppressed by a pan-Janus kinase (Jak) inhibitor, suggesting that the Jak–signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) pathway may be involved. Dominant negative studies further indicate that STAT6, but not other STATs, mediates the up-regulation. Serial 5′ deletion of the IL-19 promoter and mutagenesis studies demonstrate that IL-4 up-regulation of IL-19 in keratinocytes involves two imperfect STAT6 response elements. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay studies indicate that IL-4 increases the binding of STAT6 to its response elements in the IL-19 promoter. Taken together, we delineate the detailed molecular pathway for IL-4 up-regulation of IL-19 in keratinocytes, which may play an important role in AD pathogenesis.

A low-noise amplifier (LNA) for 3–10 GHz ultrawideband applications is realized in 65-nm CMOS technology. A self-biased resistive feedback structure with inductive peaking topology is used to achieve wideband matching as well as flat gain, and the current reuse technique is used to reduce power consumption. Furthermore, a series source negative feedback resistor is introduced to achieve a significant input matching improvement for the purpose of saving chip area. The LNA exhibits 13.2-dB power gain, 4.38-dB minimum noise figure, and 6.54-mW power consumption under a 1.2-V supply voltage. Moreover, only two inductors are used in the circuit, occupying a silicon area of 0.072 mm2. It is able to achieve functionality with a small silicon area and a low-power consumption among recently published CMOS-based wideband LNAs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:293–295, 2016

In the present study, fatigue behaviours of spot welded joints of aluminium alloys 6111-T4 and 5754 have been experimentally investigated. Fatigue results indicate that fatigue strength of spot weld primarily depends on specimen loading type and gauge thickness. Effects of base material and load ratio on fatigue resistance of welded specimen are insignificant. An equivalent stress based fatigue damage parameter is derived to consolidate empirical data and develop predictive capabilities for automobile designers. The fatigue damage parameter defined in this study is proven effective in consolidating a large amount of fatigue data into a narrow band and is especially suitable for the comparative fatigue strength evaluation of components and specimens.

Transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) is a rapidly developing technique with the capability of nanoscale three dimensional (3D) real-space imaging. Combined with the wide range in energy tunability from synchrotron sources, TXM enables the retrieval of 3D microstructural information with elemental/chemical sensitivity that would otherwise be inaccessible. The differential absorption contrast above and below absorption edges has been used to reconstruct the distributions of different elements, assuming the absorption edges of the interested elements are fairly well separated. Here we present an "Absorption Correlation Tomography" (ACT) method based on the correlation of the material absorption across multiple edges. ACT overcomes the significant limitation caused by overlapping absorption edges, significantly expands the capabilities of TXM, and makes it possible for fully quantitative nano-scale 3D structural investigation with chemical/elemental sensitivity. The capability and robustness of this new methodology is demonstrated in a case study of an important type of rare earth magnet (Nd₂Fe₁₄B).

Please cite this paper as: Shi VY, Bao L, Chan LS. Inflammation-driven dermal lymphangiogenesis in atopic dermatitis is associated with CD11b+ macrophage recruitment and VEGF-C up-regulation in the IL-4-transgenic mouse model. Microcirculation 19: 567–579, 2012. Abstract Objective: To investigate the presence and extent of inflammatory lymphangiogenesis in AD and determine the role of IL-4 in lymphatic proliferation in both K14-IL-4 Tg mouse model of AD and cultured human epidermal cells. Methods: Skin tissues from Tg mice were collected for immunostaining against PDPN, LYVE-1, CD11b and VEGF-C. The regulation of specific lymphatic biomarkers and growth factors were determined using qPCR and Western Blot analyses. Dermal lymphatic uptake and drainage were assessed using intradermal EB dye micro-injections. Total RNA from IL-4-stimulated HaCaT cells was analyzed in a PCR array to evaluate the regulation of lymphangiogenic-related genes. Results: Prominent dermal microvascular lymphangiogenesis occurs in the Tg mice, characterized by a significant increase in number and caliber of the vasculature. The extent of both lymphatic proliferation and drainage parallels the progression of lesion severity, as does the up-regulation of pro-lymphangiogenic factors VEGF-C, VEGFR-3, ANG-1, and ANG-2. IL-4-stimulated HaCaT cells express high levels of MCP-1, a strong macrophage chemo-attractant. Additionally, Tg mice show significantly increased number of dermal CD11b+ macrophages expressing VEGF-C in the skin. Conclusions: Our results provide the first demonstration of inflammation-mediated lymphangiogenesis in AD and that IL-4 triggered macrophage recruitment may be closely linked to this phenomenon.

Objective: Coronary artery bypass grafting using arterial conduits may improve survival and minimise harvest site complications. However, in diabetes, the outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting performed exclusively using arterial conduits are uncertain. We reviewed our experience with this approach. Methods: From 1996 to 2008, 400 patients with diabetes (managed with oral hypoglycaemics, insulin or both) underwent primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting for triple vessel coronary disease. In 246 (61.5%), total arterial revascularisation was achieved using single or bilateral internal thoracic arteries supplemented by one or more radial arteries (arterial group), while in the remaining 154 (38.5%), at least one venous conduit was used (mixed conduits group: mean 1.5 veins per patient). Propensity-score matching was used to adjust for bias. Results: Total arterial revascularisation patients were more likely to be younger (arterial: 63 10 years vs mixed: 67 10 years, P 0.99) and major morbidities, except the arterial group who experienced less stroke (0.4% vs 3.2% vs P = 0.04) and harvest site infections (0.4% vs 4%, P = 0.016). Mean follow was 7.8 3.7 years. Estimated survival at 12-year survival in the arterial group was 80% 3.2% vs 54% 5.5% (P 0.99) and major morbidities were similar, as was an estimated 12-year survival (69% 6.1% vs 59% 6.5%, P > 0.99). Conclusions: The use of veins to supplement arterial conduits did not deleteriously affect survival. However, the significant number of patients receiving arterial grafts in both groups may have masked any potential difference. Greater numbers and longer follow-up will reveal the potential of this approach.

Summary As a complement to chemotherapy and other control approaches, the development of an effective vaccine is necessary to combat Schistosomiasis japonica that remains a serious public health problem in China. In the present study, mice were vaccinated with purified recombinant protein LHD-Sj23-GST (large hydrophilic domain of 23 kDa antigen of S. japonicum fused with Sj26GST) emulsified with Freund’s adjuvant (FA), Montanide ISA 206 and Montanide ISA 70M and challenged with cercariae, the protective efficacy induced by the recombinant protein was evaluated, and the LHD-Sj23-GST-specific IgG and its subtypes were determined. The result revealed that a significant worm burden reduction (58.8%, 26.3% and 54.3%; P

T helper 17(Th17) cell is a new subset of CD4(+) T cells that produce a proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17). Th17 cells have recently been shown to play a critical role in many autoimmune diseases that had previously been thought to be Th1 dominant. Although Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) was thought to be a Th1-type disease, the contributions of Th17 cells to the pathogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of Th1/Th17 cell-associated factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma from patients with HT by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results showed that the expression levels of Th1 cells-related T-bet and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) mRNA in PBMC from HT significantly decreased. However, the mRNA of Th17 coherent retinoic acid-related orphan nuclear receptor gamma t (RORgammat) and IL-17 in patients with HT increased. In addition, a negative correlation between T-bet and RORgammat mRNA expression was found in patients with HT, and the similar phenomena also appeared on the levels of mRNA and plasma concentration between IFN-gamma and IL-17. It suggested that Th17 cells rather than Th1 cells predominated among patients suffering from HT, and Th17 cells might be involved in the pathogenesis of HT.

Wang T, Shi Y, Li Y, Song Y & Darmency H (2010). Population growth rate of Setaria viridis in the absence of herbicide: resulting yield loss in foxtail millet Setaria italica. Weed Research50, 228–234. Summary Setaria viridis (green foxtail) is a common weed and is the putative ancestor of foxtail millet (Setaria italica). Population densities of S. viridis and its effect on foxtail millet yield were studied for 4 years in two locations, with three cultivars, under monoculture and no use of selective herbicide. Each year the density of S. viridis plants increased in all fields at a population growth rate λ = 1.13. The stability of the λ estimate in monoculture could serve as a reference value to predict the fate of a weed population in multi-year demographic models, using corrective factors to account for specific effects of given crop rotation and cropping practices. The low λ value was due to a very low reproduction rate, around 6 10−4 adults per seed, which suggests high dormancy and seed predation. The yield of millet decreased linearly as the infestation increased, with the same slope whatever the cultivars. The yield loss was 0.58 tonne ha−1 for each additional plant m−2, indicating high sensitivity to competition from the wild relative. The close relationship between the weed and the crop, which could lead to similar biological responses to environmental conditions, could explain these results.

Development and evaluation of introgression lines have become one of the promising approaches to understanding genetic mechanisms of important traits in crops. In this study, three sets of drought tolerance (DT) selected backcross populations in maize, including two BC2S1 populations and one BC3S1 population, from a cross of Qi319 and Huangzaosi (recurrent parent) were developed by selecting for short anthesis-silking interval (ASI) under the condition of serious water stress at flowering stage. The introgression of chromosome segments was identified using microsatellite markers. The results showed that the marker allele introgression frequencies in the three DT populations significantly increased compared with the expected value under no selection. There was a notable increase of introgression frequency for the most of these markers which were located on all chromosomes except chromosome 8, but most concentrated on some chromosomes, especially on chromosomes 4 and 5. For example, chromosome 4 harboured the largest number of introgression regions, on which five segments were detected. The ASI in the DT populations significantly shortened compared with the initial BC2 population.

To obtain the composite with a function of corrosion resistance in seawater and microbial environment, we apply low toxic electrolyte which contained Cr 3+ instead of Cr 6+ as a chromium source to produce Ni-P-Cr/TiO 2 , Ni-P-Cr/ZrO 2 nanocomposite coatings, and Ni-P-Cr/TiO 2 microcomposite coating using direct current (DC) electrodeposits technique. The surface morphology, texture, and composition of the composite coatings are characterized by SEM, XRD, and EDX measurements, respectively. The corrosion behavior of the composite coatings is evaluated by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results with more positive-shifting E corr , lowest i corr , and relatively high value of polarization resistance (R p ) proved that compared with other composite coatings, Ni-P-Cr/TiO 2 nanocomposite coating with its better passive film and unique antibacterial activity caused by TiO 2 nanoparticles incorporated, displayed excellent antibacterial and corrosion resistance property, consistent to the phenomenon that corrosion of this nanocomposite coating in SRB culture medium is not observed.

Five gynogenetic progeny groups of silver crucian carp Carassius auratus gibelio were produced and sex ratios (males:total progeny) of each of the progeny groups were analysed. About 110 males and 366 females were genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci for comparison with their parents to (1) verify the gynogenesis status of Fangzheng C. auratus gibelio, (2) detect the incorporation of paternal genetic material into the offspring and (3) study the possible association of genetic exchange at microsatellite loci with the existence of sex. The sex ratios in progenies of five groups were highly variable, but all had significant female bias. The sex ratio ranged from 0 to 0·37. Significant differences in the sex ratio within and between groups were also found. Microsatellite genotyping at 15 loci showed that 100 and 97% of the progeny shared the same genotype with the mother in four groups and in one group, respectively, confirming that gynogenesis is the general mechanism of reproduction in C. auratus gibelio. However, 0·63% of all offspring did show incorporation of paternal genetic material. No single loci tested were associated with the occurrence of male progeny, indicating unknown genetic mechanisms for sex determination in C. auratus gibelio.