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With an attempt to economically and efficiently improve the water resistance of defatted soya bean flour (DSF)-based wood adhesives, DSF was subjected to thermal treatment at various temperatures (65°C, 80°C, 95°C, 110°C and 125°C) for 30 min. The effects of thermal treatment temperature onto the chemical structure, crystalline degree, water-insoluble content and acetaldehyde value of the thermally treated DSF (T-DSF) were investigated. The thermal stabilities and bonding properties of soya bean adhesives prepared from T-DSF and cross-linker epichlorohydrin-modified polyamide (EMPA) were also investigated. Test results indicated that both the water-insoluble content and the acetaldehyde value of T-DSF increased after thermal treatment, reaching the highest values of 27.28% and 26.81 mg g -1 , respectively. All plywood bonded with the T-DSF-based adhesive withstood a 28 h boiling-dry-boiling accelerated ageing treatment, while plywood bonded with the DSF-based adhesive delaminated after 4 h of water boiling, demonstrating the significantly improved water resistance of the T-DSF-based adhesives. Related analyses also confirmed that this improvement was due to: (i) the formation of insoluble cross-linked structures of T-DSF resulting from protein-protein self-cross-linking reactions and the protein-carbohydrate Maillard reaction and (ii) increased cross-linking efficiency between T-DSF and cross-linker EMPA owing to more T-DSF-reactive groups being released after thermal treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of shackling and wing flapping on stress, postmortem metabolism, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and quality of broiler pectoralis major. Before slaughter, a total of 80 Arbor Acres broilers was randomly categorized into 2 replicate pens (40 broilers per pen) and each pen randomly divided into 2 groups (shackling, T; control, C). Corticosterone, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase were determined on blood plasma parameters. Pectoralis major were removed after evisceration and used for determination of energy metabolism, meat quality, and AMPK phosphorylation. In this study, shackling and wing flapping increased (P < 0.05) plasma corticosterone level, creatine kinase activity, and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Shackling and wing flapping increased (P < 0.05) AMPKα(Thr172) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, followed by rapid glycolysis and accumulation of lactic acid, and leading to a fast pH decline in the initial postmortem meat. Shackling and wing flapping have an adverse effect on final meat quality, which increased (P < 0.05) muscle lightness, drip loss, and cooking loss. The results indicate that antemortem shackling and wing flapping increased stress and AMPKα(Thr172) phosphorylation, which may accelerate glycolysis and lead to a low water-holding capacity of broiler meat.

In this study, efficacy and safety of two different dosages of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG) combined with cyclosporine (CsA) in treating children with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) were compared. The clinical data of 122 SAA children treated by r-ATG/CsA between Jan 2005 and Jan 2017 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively analyzed. The r-ATG dose of 55 cases was 2.5mg/(kg·d, group 1), and in the other 67 cases it was 3.5 mg/(kg·d, group 2). r-ATG was continuously administered for 5 days. In the 3rd and 6th month after treatment, the efficacy rate of group 2 was higher than that of group 1 (45.5% vs 26.4%, P=0.032; 54.5% vs 35.8%, P=0.042). In the 9th and 12th month after treatment, the efficacy rates of both groups were similar (71.2% vs 54.9%, P=0.077; 75.9% vs 68.6%, P=0.399). The incidence rates of serum diseases (74.5% vs 79.1%, P=0.551), short-term infection rates (76.4% vs 62.7%, P=0.105), early mortality (3.6% vs 1.5%, P=0.447), and 3-year overall survival rates (89.5% vs 90.1%, P=0.932) of both groups showed no significant differences. The r-ATG/CSA therapy was safe and effective towards SAA. The final efficacies and safety of the two r-ATG dosages were equal. However, the follow-up period in this study was relatively short, so the intergroup comparison of the long-term complications and survival rates needed to be further followed up.

Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is implicated in tumorigenesis, but its exact impact on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is not clear. The aim of the present study was to explore the specific effect of IL-35 on patient prognosis. Additionally, we formulated an effective prognostic nomogram for ICC patients after curative resection. Immunohistochemistry was applied to explore IL-35 expression as well as IL-35 receptor (IL-35R) in 102 ICC patients. Results showed that IL-35 was highly expressed in ICC tumor tissues and was positively associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM), TNM stage and vascular invasion and was an independent prognostic factor for patients' overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). High expression of IL-35R (gp130 and IL-12Rβ2) was also observed in ICC cancer tissues, but only gp130 was an independent prognostic factor for OS and RFS and was indispensable in IL-35-mediated ICC clinical prognosis. The nomogram comprising carcinoembryonic antigen, LNM, IL-35 and gp130 expression achieved better predictive accuracy compared with TNM stage for OS. Our data support that high IL-35 expression correlates with ICC aggressiveness and emerges as a valuable biomarker for evaluating ICC progression and prognosis in clinical work., (© 2018 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.)

Hyperthermia (HT) enhances the anti-cancer effects of radiotherapy (RT), but the precise biochemical mechanisms involved are unclear. This study was aim to investigate if mild HT sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to RT through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inducing autophagic cell death in a mice model of HCT116 human colorectal cancer. HCT116 mice model were randomly divided into five groups: mock group, hyperthermia group (HT), radiotherapy group (RT), HT + RT group, and HT + RT +N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) group (HT + CT + NAC). After four weeks of treatment, cancer growth inhibition, rate and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured with MTT and JC-1 assays, respectively, while ROS were estimated fluorimetrically. The relationship of these parameters to expressions of autophagy-related genes Beclin1, LC3B, and mTOR was analyzed. Gene expression was measured by Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). There were significant increases in ROS levels and mitochondrial membrane potential in the HT + RT group. ROS levels in the HT + RT group increased more significantly than in any other group. In contrast, ROS levels in the HT + RT + NAC group were significantly decreased relative to the HT + RT group. The number of autophagic bodies in HT + RT group was higher than that of mock group. There were significant increases in the expression of Beclin1 and LC3B genes, while mTOR expression was significantly decreased in the HT + CT group. Treatment with NAC reversed the pattern of these changes. These results indicate that HT enhances the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to RT through ROS inducing autophagic cell death., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: PEG-rhG-CSF reduces neutropenia and improves chemotherapy safety. In China's registration trial (CFDA: 2006L01305), we assessed its efficacy and safety against rhG-CSF, and prospectively explored its value over multiple cycles of chemotherapy., Methods: In this open-label, randomized, multicenter phase 3 study, breast cancer patients (n = 569) were randomized to receive PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg, PEG-rhG-CSF 6 mg, or rhG-CSF 5 µg/kg/d after chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycle 1. Secondary endpoints included the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycles 2-4, the incidence of febrile neutropenia, and the safety., Results: A once-per-cycle PEG-rhG-CSF at either 100 µg/kg or 6 mg was not different from daily injections of rhG-CSF for either incidence or duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Interestingly, a substantial difference was noted during cycle 2, and the difference became bigger over cycles 3-4, reaching a statistical significance at cycle 4 in either incidence (P = 0.0309) or duration (P = 0.0289) favoring PEG-rhG-CSF. A significant trend toward a lower incidence of all-grade adverse events was noted at 129 (68.98%), 142 (75.53%), and 160 (82.47%) in the PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg and 6 mg and rhG-CSF groups, respectively (P = 0.0085). The corresponding incidence of grade 3/4 drug-related adverse events was 2/187 (1.07%), 1/188 (0.53%), and 8/194 (4.12%), respectively (P = 0.0477). Additionally, PFS in metastatic patients preferred PEG-rhG-CSF to rhG-CSF despite no significance observed by Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 49, P = 0.153)., Conclusions: PEG-rhG-CSF is a more convenient and safe formulation and a more effective prophylactic measure in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

This review discusses the occurrence, impact, analysis and treatment of metformin and guanylurea in coastal aquatic environments of Canada, USA and Europe. Metformin, a biguanide in chemical classification, is widely used as one of the most effective first-line oral drugs for type 2 diabetes. It is difficult to be metabolized by the human body and exists in both urine and faeces samples in these regions. Guanylurea is metformin's biotransformation product. Consequently, significant concentrations of metformin and guanylurea have been reported in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and coastal aquatic environments. The maximum concentrations of metformin and guanylurea in surface water samples were as high as 59,000 and 4502ngL -1 , respectively. Metformin can be absorbed in non-target organisms by plants and in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Guanylurea has a confirmed mitotic activity in plant cells. Analysis methods of metformin are currently developed based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The removal of metformin from aquatic environments in the target regions is summarized. The review helps to fill a knowledge gap and provides insights for regulatory considerations. The potential options for managing these emerging pollutants are outlined too., (© 2018 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.)

Emerging contaminants (ECs) may pose adverse effects on the marine ecosystem and human health. Based on the analysis of publications filed in recent years, this paper provides a comprehensive overview on three prominent groups of ECs, i.e., brominated flame retardants, microplastics, and biocides. It includes detailed discussions on: (1) the occurrence of ECs in seawater, sediment, and biota; (2) analytical detection and monitoring approaches for these target ECs; and (3) the biological impacts of the ECs on humans and other trophic levels. This review provides a summary of recent advances in the field and remaining knowledge gaps to address, to enable the assessment of risk and support the development of regulations and mitigation technologies for the control of ECs in the marine environment., (© 2018 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.)

Background/aims: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a prolonged kidney condition characterized by decreased kidney function that can eventually develop into total kidney failure. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) helps to regulate the balance between human bodily fluids and electrolytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a prostacyclin analogue (beraprost sodium [BPS]) on the expression of key factors associated with local RAS activities in the renal tissues of rats with CRF., Methods: After a CRF rat model was successfully established, the levels of BUN, SCr, phosphorus, and calcium were detected by an automatic biochemistry analyzer. Furthermore, the activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in rat renal tissues were measured using a colorimetric method, while the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was determined by ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry. In situ hybridization was employed to determine the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT). Finally, the positive expression rates of cells expressing important apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bcl-2) were determined, and the protein and mRNA levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (AKT) and key factors involved in the RAS (AT1, AT2, angiotensin ACE and angiotensinogen [AGT]) were evaluated by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis., Results: Initial observations revealed that treatment with BPS decreased the levels of BUN, SCr and phosphorus but increased calcium levels in the renal tissues of CRF rats. Additionally, BPS reduced the levels of MDA while increasing the levels of SOD, ACE activity, and AT1 expression in the renal tissues of CRF rats. BPS inhibited glomerular hypertension and hyperfiltration; increased the mRNA and protein levels of AKT and AT2; and decreased the mRNA and protein levels of AT1, AGT, and ACE in the renal tissues of CRF rats., Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that BPS, a PGI2 analogue, inhibits the expression of key factors involved in the local RAS, resulting in a delay in the occurrence and development of CRF. The key findings of the present study ultimately highlight the potential of this PGI2 analogue as a promising therapeutic strategy for treating CRF., (© 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Defects of the growth arrest DNA damage-inducible gene 45β (Gadd45β) play an important role in the progression of tumor and confer resistance to chemotherapy. However, the role of Gadd45β in the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is still not clear. Purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Gadd45β on the apoptosis of liver cancer cells, and the possible mechanism was examined., Result: In this study, we first confirmed the decreased expression of Gadd45β in human liver cancer tissues and human liver cancer cell lines, when compared to the peri-tumor liver tissue and normal liver cells. And, it was found that Gadd45β could inhibit the stemness of liver cancer cells, enhancing the apoptosis of cancer cells induced by chemotherapy. Furthermore, the results showed that HCC tissues and cell lines showed a higher methylation status in Gadd45β promoter than that in peri-tumor tissues and normal liver cells. Methylation was then reversed by pretreatment of SMMC-7721 and Hep-3B with 5-azacytidine which is the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. And the 5-azacytidine decreased the stemness of SMMC-7721 and Hep-3B, enhanced the sensitivity of SMMC-7721 and Hep-3B to cisplatin., Conclusions: Methylation mediated Gadd45β expression inhibited the stemness of liver cancer cells, promoting the chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Thus Gadd45β may be the potential target for enhancing the chemosensitivity of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a first-line option for the treatment of small liver cancers, but the recurrence remains a problem affecting long-term survival. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity is associated with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the significance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in HCC recurrence after curative RFA treatment in HBV-related small HCC.We enrolled 404 HBV-related patients with small HCC (≤3 cm) who underwent curative RFA. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to investigate the baseline levels of HBsAg, in addition to other known risk factors for HCC recurrence, for association with HCC tumor recurrence after curative RFA.The overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 75%, 50%, and 34%, respectively. The median recurrence-free time was 25 months. The level of HBsAg was an independent risk factor for recurrence in patients with lower HBV-DNA levels. In hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year RFS rates were 79%, 64%, and 44%, respectively, for that with low HBsAg levels, compared with 73%, 50%, and 37%, respectively, for that with high HBsAg levels (P = .039).HBsAg might serve as a valuable marker to evaluate the risk of HCC recurrence in HBeAg-negative patients with low HBV viral load., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Fu Fan Huang Dai Pian(RIF) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) regimens for treatment of children with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and to explore the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients., Methods: The clinical data of 45 newly diagnosed APL children admitted in our hospital from January 2004 to May 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Among 45 APL children, 25 children were treated by chemotherapetic regimen including RIF (RIF group), another 20 children were treated by chemotherapeutic regimen including ATO (ATO group). The follow-up was performed in all APL children. The prognosis and incidence of side reactions from drugs in 2 groups were compared, and the high risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients were analyzed., Results: The median follow-up time was 49.8% months. In RIF group, no early death occured in 25 APL children; 5 cases did not achieve complete remission (CR) after induction therapy, CR rate was 88%. Out of 25 cases 2 caes relapsed, 3 cases died, 20 cases maintained contined CR (CCR), 2 cases failed to be followed-up. In ATO group, 2 cases suffered from early death, 5 cases did not achieve CR after induction therapy, CR rate was 90%, 2 caese relapsed and died, 15 cases maintained CCR, the follow-up failed in 1 caes. The 5 year- OS and EFS rate in all the patients were predicted as (82.2±6.2)% and (76.4±6.6)% respectively. The OS and EFS rate in RIF group were (86.1±7.4)% and (78.4±8.6)% respectively, which were significantly different from OS and EFS rate (76.4%±10.6%) and (74.0%±10.1%) respectively in ATO group (all P>0.05). As for the side reaction from drug, except for the cardiac damage (P<0.05), incidence of other side reactions was not significantly different between 2 groups (P>0.05). In addition, the 5 year-OS and EFS rates in APL children with CNSL were significantly lower than those in APL children without CNSL (all P<0.05), the 5 year OS and EFS rate in APL children did not reache M1 and with high risk were significantly lower than those in APL children reached M1 after induction therapy and with low and standerd risk (P<0.05 and P<0.05); the 5 year-OS and EFS rates did not correlate with age and sex., Conclusion: The Fu Fang Huang Dai Pian shows the therapeutic efficacy on APL children same as ATO, moreover, no obvious enhancement in incidence of side reactions is observed, therefore, the Fu Fang Huang Dai Pian is effective and safe for treatment of APL children. The CNSL, poor respond to treatment, high risk in clinical stratification are high risk factors affecting prognosis of patients.

Background: Drug resistance is one of the major concerns in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the present study was to determine whether aberrant high expression of the inhibitor of differentiation 1(ID1) confers oxaliplatin-resistance to HCC by activating the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP)., Methods: Aberrant high expression of ID1 was detected in two oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines MHCC97H-OXA(97H-OXA) and Hep3B-OXA(3B-OXA). The lentiviral shRNA or control shRNA was introduced into the two oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines. The effects of ID1 on cell proliferation, apoptosis and chemoresistance were evaluated in vitro and vivo. The molecular signaling mechanism underlying the induction of HCC proliferation and oxaliplatin resistance by ID1 was explored. The prognostic value of ID1/G6PD signaling in HCC patients was assessed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database., Results: ID1 was upregulated in oxaliplaitin-resistant HCC cells and promoted HCC cell proliferation and oxaliplatin resistance. Silencing ID1 expression in oxaliplaitin-resistant HCC cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and sensitized oxaliplaitin-resistant cells to death. ID1 knockdown significantly decreased the expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a key enzyme of the PPP. Silencing ID1 expression blocked the activation of G6PD, decreased the production of PPP NADPH, and augmented reactive oxygen and species (ROS), thus inducing cell apoptosis. Study of the molecular mechanism showed that ID1 induced G6PD promoter transcription and activated PPP through Wnt/β-catenin/c-MYC signaling. In addition, ID1/G6PD signaling predicted unfavorable prognosis of HCC patients on the basis of TCGA., Conclusions: Our study provided the first evidence that ID1 conferred oxaliplatin resistance in HCC by activating the PPP. This newly defined pathway may have important implications in the research and development of new more effective anti-cancer drugs.

Grazing is the primary land use in the Hulunber meadow steppe. However, the quantitative effects of grazing on ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) fluxes in this zone remain unclear. A controlled experiment was conducted from 2010 to 2014 to study the effects of six stocking rates on CO 2 flux, and the results showed that there were significant differences in CO 2 fluxes by year, treatment, and month. The effects of light and intermediate grazing remained relatively constant with grazing year, whereas the effects of heavy grazing increased substantially with grazing duration. CO 2 flux significantly decreased with increasing grazing intensity and duration, and it was significantly positively correlated with rainfall, soil moisture (SM), the carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio), soil available phosphorus (SAP), soil NH 4 + -N, soil NO 3 - N, aboveground biomass (AGB), coverage, height, and litter and negatively correlated with air temperature, total soil N (TN) and microbial biomass N (MBN). A correspondence analysis showed that the main factors influencing changes in CO 2 emissions under grazing were AGB, height, coverage, SM, NH 4 + -N and NO 3 - N. Increased rainfall and reduced grazing resulted in greater CO 2 emissions. Our study provides important information to improve our understanding of the role of livestock grazing in GHG emissions.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of a Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), Xiangsha Liujunzi granules, in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD)., Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with patients from three centers. Two hundred and sixteen subjects diagnosed with FD according to ROME III criteria and confirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and spleen-deficiency and Qi-stagnation syndrome were selected to receive Xiangsha Liujunzi granules or placebo for 4 wk in a 2:1 ratio by blocked randomization. The subjects also received follow-up after the 4-wk intervention. Herbal or placebo granules were dissolved in 300 mL of water. Participants in both groups were administered 130 mL (45 °C) three times a day. Participants were evaluated prior to and following 4 wk of the intervention in terms of changes in the postprandial discomfort severity scale (PDSS) score, clinical global impression (CGI) scale score, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score, traditional Chinese medicine symptoms score (SS), scores of various domains of the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), gastric emptying (GE) and any observed adverse effects., Results: Compared with the placebo group, patients in the CHM group showed significant improvements in the scores of PDSS, HADS, SS, SF-36 and CGI scale ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). They also showed the amelioration in the GE rates of the proximal stomach and distal stomach ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Xiangsha Liujunzi granules offered significant symptomatic improvement in patients with FD., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Neither the funding agency nor any outside organization has a role in study design or manuscript preparation.

An Au(i)-catalyzed cyclization/1,2-rearrangement/aromatization cascade of 3-yne-1,2-diols has been successfully realized. This reaction not only provides a new and efficient strategy for the synthesis of substituted cycloalka[b]furan compounds as well as their derivatives, but might also facilitate related biological studies.

Purpose: This study aimed to construct two prognostic nomograms to predict survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) using a novel set of clinical parameters., Patients and Methods: Two nomograms were developed, using a retrospective analysis of 5384 NSCLC and 647 SCLC patients seen during a 10-year period at Xiang Ya Affiliated Cancer Hospital (Changsha, China). The patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the prognostic factors needed to establish nomograms for the training cohort. The model was internally validated via bootstrap resampling and externally certified using the validation cohort. Predictive accuracy and discriminatory capability were estimated using concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, and risk group stratification., Results: The largest contributor to overall survival (OS) prognosis in the NSCLC nomogram was the therapeutic regimen and diagnostic method parameters, and in the SCLC nomogram was the therapeutic regimen and health insurance plan parameters. Calibration curves for the nomogram prediction and the actual observation were in optimal agreement for the 3-year OS and acceptable agreement for the 5-year OS in both training datasets. The C-index was higher for the NSCLC cohort nomogram than for the TNM staging system (0.67 vs. 0.64, P = 0.01) and higher for the SCLC nomogram than for the clinical staging system (limited vs. extensive) (0.60 vs. 0.53, P = 0.12)., Conclusion: Treatment regimen parameter made the largest contribution to OS prognosis in both nomograms, and these nomograms might provide clinicians and patients a simple tool that improves their ability to accurately estimate survival based on individual patient parameters rather than using an averaged predefined treatment regimen., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors disclose no potential conflicts of interest.

This study was designed to compare the effects of different stunning frequencies of pulsed direct current on meat quality of broilers. This was achieved by investigating plasma parameters, blood loss, carcass damage, meat water-holding capacity, meat color, meat shear value, muscle pH, and protein solubility. A total of 400 broilers was divided into 5 treatment groups and stunned with 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 Hz at 15 V for 10 seconds. Blood samples were collected immediately after cutting the neck. Pectoralis major muscles were removed from the carcass after chilling and placed in ice. Breast muscle pH and meat color were determined at both 2 and 24 h postmortem. Drip loss, cooking loss, pressing loss, and cooked breast meat-shear values were determined at 24 h postmortem. Treatment at 500 and 900 Hz significantly increased (P < 0.05) blood plasma corticosterone and lactate concentrations compared with the 700 Hz group. The wing damage of carcasses was significantly serious in the 500, 800, and 900 Hz groups. The Pectoralis minor damage of carcesses in the 700 Hz group was significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared to the other stunning groups. The pH at 2 h postmortem in the 500 and 900 Hz groups was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in other groups. However, the final pH and meat color were not affected by stunning frequency. In the 500 and 900 Hz groups, the protein solubility and shear force values were significantly lower (P < 0.05) and drip loss was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in the 700 Hz group. This study indicates that the waveform of the pulsed direct current is acceptable for stunning broilers at a stunning frequency of 700 Hz., (© 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.)

A Zn(OTf) 2 -promoted cyclization reaction of tosylhydrazones with 2-(dimethylamino)malononitrile has been successfully developed providing an efficient strategy for the synthesis of substituted 1-tosyl-1H-pyrazoles.

BACKGROUND The effects of PPI are variable owing to the CYP2C19 polymorphisms. However, whether the polymorphisms could affect the Hp eradication efficacy of triple therapy is still not clear. The present study aimed to assess the effects of CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms on proton pump inhibitor (PPI), amoxicillin, and levofloxacin triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication. MATERIAL AND METHODS We randomly assigned 160 Hp-positive patients with chronic gastritis to 2 groups to receive either 20 mg bid omeprazole (OAL group, n=80) or 10 mg bid rabeprazole (RAL group, n=80), combined with 1000 mg bid amoxicillin and 500 mg qd levofloxacin. The 2 groups were treated for 10 days. The CYP2C19 genotypes included wild-type, M1 mutant gene (*2, the mutation of exon 5), and M2 mutant gene (*3, the mutation of exon 4) identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFIP). According to CYP2C19 genotype combinations, the patients were divided into extensive metabolizer (EM), intermediate metabolizer (IM), and poor metabolizer (PM) subgroups. The eradication efficacy of Hp was evaluated by 14C-UBT at 28 days after treatment. RESULTS The trial was completed by 155 patients. Hp eradication rates in OAL and RAL groups were 78.2% and 88.3%, respectively, on per-protocol (PP) analysis, indicating no significant difference (P>0.05). Regarding CYP2C19 genotypes, eradication rates of 60.7%, 84.2%, and 100% were obtained for EM, IM, and PM subgroups, respectively, of the OAL group. EM group eradication rates were significantly lower than IM and PM group values (P<0.05). In the RAL group, no such difference was observed (P>0.05). Hp eradication rates were significantly lower in the EM subgroup of the OAL group compared with that of the RAL group. CONCLUSIONS Hp eradication rates were higher in the RAL group than in OAL-treated patients. Interestingly, omeprazole-based therapy was significantly affected by the CYP2C19 genotype, unlike the rabeprazole-based therapy.

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) is located within the Down syndrome critical region of chromosome 21. DSCAM is a broadly expressed neurodevelopmental protein involved in synaptogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and axon guidance. We previously demonstrated DSCAM overexpression in the cortex of amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice, suggesting possible regulatory interactions between APP and DSCAM. APP mice exhibit deficits in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. In this preliminary study, we examined age-related changes in DSCAM expression within the hippocampus in 16 APP transgenic mice (1, 3, 6 and 12 months old). Hippocampus-dependent spatial memory was assessed in APP mice and age-matched wild type littermates (WTs) using the Morris water maze (MWM). The cellular distribution of hippocampal DSCAM and total expression at both mRNA and protein levels were measured by immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and western blotting, respectively. APP mice exhibited spatial memory deficits in the MWM. Intense DSCAM immunoreactivity was observed in the dentate gyrus granule cell layer and hippocampal stratum pyramidale. Total hippocampal DSCAM mRNA and protein expression levels were substantially higher in APP mice than WTs at 1 and 3 months of age. Expression decreased with age in both groups but remained higher in APP mice. DSCAM is overexpressed in the hippocampus over the first 12 months of life in APP mice, but especially during maturation to adulthood. In conclusion, these results suggest an association between DSCAM and APP mice, which is characterized by neuropathology and behavioral deficits. These results provide some clues for future studies on the role of DSCAM overexpression in the precocious cognitive decline observed in APP transgenic mice.

The debate around the potential superiority of quantum annealers over their classical counterparts has been ongoing since the inception of the field. Recent technological breakthroughs, which have led to the manufacture of experimental prototypes of quantum annealing optimizers with sizes approaching the practical regime, have reignited this discussion. However, the demonstration of quantum annealing speedups remains to this day an elusive albeit coveted goal. We examine the power of quantum annealers to provide a different type of quantum enhancement of practical relevance, namely, their ability to serve as useful samplers from the ground-state manifolds of combinatorial optimization problems. We study, both numerically by simulating stoquastic and non-stoquastic quantum annealing processes, and experimentally, using a prototypical quantum annealing processor, the ability of quantum annealers to sample the ground-states of spin glasses differently than thermal samplers. We demonstrate that (i) quantum annealers sample the ground-state manifolds of spin glasses very differently than thermal optimizers (ii) the nature of the quantum fluctuations driving the annealing process has a decisive effect on the final distribution, and (iii) the experimental quantum annealer samples ground-state manifolds significantly differently than thermal and ideal quantum annealers. We illustrate how quantum annealers may serve as powerful tools when complementing standard sampling algorithms.

Objective: Non-syndromic orofacial cleftings (NSOCs) are considered as complex trait, which results from genetic and/or environmental modifiers. Current findings could only explain small portion of the NSOCs. SOX9 gene plays an important role during craniofacial development in animal models and the Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). However, its role in non-syndromic clefts remains unknown., Design: In this study, we selected eight SNPs in and around SOX9 gene to make maximum coverage, and genotyped them by using RFLP-PCR and ligase detection reaction (LDR) methods to test its associations among 151 NSOCs (53 NSCLP, 52 NSCLO and 46 NSCPO) from Western Han Chinese population., Results: Allelic TDT results showed that G allele at rs12941170 of SOX9 was under-transmitted among NSOCs (p=0.00014, OR=0.55 and 95%CI: 0.40-0.75), which could indicate that the G allele is protective against NSOCs; parent-of-origin effect analysis showed that G allele at rs12941170 was maternally under-transmitted (p=0.002), while there was no statistically difference between the maternal and paternal transmission of it. To test if the adjacent SNPs travel together from parents to the affected individual, we carried out the sliding window haplotype analysis, it is interesting to find that the haplotypes carrying the G allele at rs12941170 also was under-transmitted for NSOCs, NSCL/P, NSCLP and NSCPO (lowest p=0.00033)., Conclusions: This study suggested that G allele at rs12941170 was protective, which could decrease the risk for NSOCs from Western Han Chinese population, and it will provide new reference for future research and genetic counseling in NSOCs., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Choline kinase α (CHKA) catalyzes conversion of choline to phosphocholine and can contribute to carcinogenesis. Little is known about the role of CHKA in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Methods: We performed whole-exome and transcriptome sequence analyses of 9 paired HCC and non-tumor-adjacent tissues. We performed tissue chip analyses of 120 primary HCC and non-tumor-adjacent tissues from patients who received surgery in Shanghai, China from January 2006 through December 2009; 48 sets of specimens (HCC and non-tumor-adjacent tissues) were also analyzed. CHKA gene copy number was quantified and findings were validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. CHKA messenger RNA and protein levels were determined by polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical, and immunoblot analyses. CHKA was examined in 2 hepatocyte cell lines and 7 HCC-derived cell lines, and knocked down with small interfering RNAs in 3 HCC cell lines. Cells were analyzed in proliferation, wound healing, migration, and invasion assays. Cells were injected into tail veins of mice and tumor growth and metastasis were quantified. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays were conducted to determine interactions between CHKA and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2., Results: Levels of CHKA messenger RNA were frequently increased in HCC tissues compared with nontumor tissues; increased expression was associated with amplification at the CHKA loci. Tumors that expressed high levels of CHKA had more aggressive phenotypes, and patients with these tumors had shorter survival times after surgery compared to patients whose tumors expressed low levels of CHKA. HCC cell lines that stably overexpressed CHKA had higher levels of migration and invasion than control HCC cells, and formed larger xenograft tumors with more metastases in mice compared to HCC cells that did not overexpress CHKA. CHKA was required for physical interaction between EGFR and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2. This complex was required for HCC cells to form metastatic xenograft tumors in mice and to become resistant to EGFR inhibitors., Conclusions: We found levels of CHKA to be increased in human HCCs compared to nontumor tissues, and increased expression to be associated with tumor aggressiveness and reduced survival times of patients. Overexpression of CHKA in HCC cell lines increased their invasiveness, resistance to EGFR inhibitors, and ability to form metastatic tumors in mice by promoting interaction of EGFR with mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2., (Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The traditional, retrocolic/antegastric Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy is technically complicated, and the incidence of postoperative complications remains high. Here we report the outcome of 59 consecutively treated patients ( study group , SG) that underwent a new choledochojejunostomy method in which the jejunal loop is passed behind the antrum pyloricum (retrogastric route). A retrospective comparison was made between this group of patients and 187 patients ( control group , CG) that underwent conventional Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy (antegastric route). Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were similar in both groups, except for the BMI, which was significantly higher in the SG. The time spent on constructing the anastomosis, as well as overall postoperative complications, did not differ between groups. Compared with the CG, the incidence of postoperative delayed gastric emptying was decreased in the SG, and the time elapsed before the patients' first postoperative liquid food consumption was shorter. We ascribe these beneficial effects to the superiority of the modified, retropyloric choledochojejunostomy approach, and propose that this surgical technique is particularly suitable for obese patients, especially those with a short ascending bowel loop., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a major option for postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with recurrence risk factors. However, individualized predictive models for subgroup of these patients are limited. This study aimed to develop a prognostic nomogram for patients with HCC underwent adjuvant TACE following curative resection.A cohort comprising 144 HCC patients who received adjuvant TACE following curative resection in the Zhongshan Hospital were analyzed. The nomogram was formulated based on independent prognostic indicators for overall survival (OS). The performance of the nomogram was evaluated by the concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) and compared with the conventional staging systems. The results were validated in an independent cohort of 86 patients with the same inclusion criteria.Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), hyper-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), incomplete tumor encapsulation, and double positive staining of Cytokeratin 7 and Cytokeratin 19 on tumor cells were identified as independent predictors for OS. The C-indices of the nomogram for OS prediction in the training cohort and validation cohort were 0.787 (95%CI 0.775-0.799) and 0.714 (95%CI 0.695-0.733), respectively. In both the training and validation cohorts, the calibration plot showed good consistency between the nomogram-predicted and the observed survival. Furthermore, the established nomogram was superior to the conventional staging systems in terms of C-index and clinical net benefit on DCA.The proposed nomogram provided an accurate prediction on risk stratification for HCC patients underwent adjuvant TACE following curative resection.

The prognosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains poor whereas predictive models for survival prediction in ICC patients following curative resection are limited. Herein, we established a novel inflammation-based score derived from preoperative albumin to gamma-glutamyltransferase ratio (AGR) and evaluated its prognostic significance in ICC patients underwent curative resection. Prognostic value of AGR was retrospectively studied in a cohort comprising 206 ICC patients following curative resection. The predictive performance of AGR was compared with other inflammation-based scores and serological tumor markers in terms of concordance index (C-index). Further, prognostic nomograms incorporating AGR into the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging systems were established to achieve a better discriminatory ability. The optimal cut-off value of AGR was 0.6. Multivariate analysis showed that AGR was an independent predictor for overall survival (OS; P = 0.003) and recurrence-free survival (RFS; P = 0.046). The C-index of AGR was superior to other inflammation-based scores and serological tumor markers in OS and RFS prediction. The established nomograms showed improved predictive accuracy compared with the TNM staging systems alone. These results indicate that AGR is an independent prognostic indicator for ICC underwent curative resection. The incorporation of AGR into the existing TNM staging systems achieved improved predictive accuracy.

Background: Lipoma preferred partner ( LPP ) and T-cell activation Rho GTPase activating protein ( TAGAP ) polymorphisms might influence the susceptibility to celiac disease. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis by identifying relevant studies to estimate the risks of these polymorphisms on celiac disease. Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science and Embase databases were searched (up to October 2016) for LPP rs1464510 and TAGAP rs1738074 polymorphisms. Results: This meta-analysis included the same 7 studies for LPP rs1464510 and TAGAP rs1738074. The minor risk A allele at both rs1464510 and rs1738074 carried risks (odds ratios) of 1.26 (95% CI: 1.22-1.30) and 1.17 (95% CI: 1.14-1.21), respectively, which contributed to increased risks in all celiac disease patients by 10.72% and 6.59%, respectively. The estimated lambdas were 0.512 and 0.496, respectively, suggesting that a co-dominant model would be suitable for both gene effects. Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides robust estimates that polymorphisms in LPP and TAGAP genes are potential risk factors for celiac disease in European and American. Prospective studies and more genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are needed to confirm these findings, and some corresponding molecular biology experiments should be carried out to clarify the pathogenic mechanisms of celiac disease.

Rationale: Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is an autoimmune syndrome associated with neoplasms. The treatment approach principally includes suppressing the immunity, but its therapeutic effect is not satisfying., Patient Concerns: We report a case of paraneoplastic pemphigus linked to chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a 63-year-old man., Diagnoses: At first, the patient was diagnosed with pityriasis rose caused by a viral infection. Biopsies for histology and immunofluorescence showed PNP, was treated with immunosuppressive and antiinfective therapy., Interventions: Immunosuppressive and antiinfective therapy were performed., Outcomes: The skin lesions of PNP were alleviated. However, the infections were aggravated and the disease progressed. The patient died of respiratory failure., Lessons: Treatment for PNP should be adapted to disease severity as early as possible. Antiinfection treatment should be timely and effective because infections are the most common complication that can lead to death.

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain JXJ CY 01 T , was isolated from a mucilaginous sheath of Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-905 collected from Lake Dianchi, south-west China. Taxonomic position of the isolate was determined by polyphasic approaches. Strain JXJ CY 01 T shared 16S rRNA sequence similarities of 98.9 and 98.0% with Microbacterium marinilacus YM11-607 T and Microbacterium paludicola US15 T , and less than 98% with other members of the genus Microbacterium. The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strains JXJ CY 01 T and M. marinilacus JCM 16546 T and M. paludicola JCM 14308 T were 53.5±1.4 and 53.8±2.1%, respectively. l-Ornithine was detected in the cell wall, and rhamnose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, fucose and mannose as signature sugars in the whole-cell hydrolysates. Other chemotaxonomic characteristics determined were MK-12 and MK-11 as predominant menaquinones, anteiso-C 15:0 , iso-C 16:0 , anteiso-C 17:0 and iso-C 17:0 as major cellular fatty acids (>10%), and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids as the polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 70.4 mol%. On the basis of the above taxonomic data, strain JXJ CY 01 T is determined to represent a novel species of the genus Microbacterium, for which the name Microbacterium lacusdiani sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JXJ CY 01 T (= KCTC 29655 T =DSM 29188 T ). The type strain JXJ CY 01 T can solubilize both insoluble inorganic (calcium phosphate) and organic phosphate (l-α-phosphatidylcholine) and is possibly one of the mechanism for enhancement of growth of M. aeruginosa FACHB-905.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) promotes tumor progression in many types of cancer. In this study, we analyzed the prognostic value of this marker in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Using real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry assays, we found that STAT3 is overexpressed in ICC patients. STAT3 expression correlated with several clinicopathological features, including tumor size, pathological satellite, vascular invasion, undifferentiated-type histology, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage in two independent cohorts of ICC patients. Patients with high STAT3 levels had a poor prognosis in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Multivariate survival analysis indicated that STAT3 is an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFS. Furthermore, we observed that STAT3 overexpression promotes the invasion, metastasis and proliferation of ICC cells in vitro and in vivo, and also promotes STAT3 phosphorylation. These findings suggest that STAT3 expression correlated negatively with surgical outcome and inhibition of STAT3 expression may constitute a novel target for the treatment of ICC patients.

Cognitive deficits have been regarded as one of the most significant clinical symptoms of depressive disorder. Accumulating evidence has shown that apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, which are responsible for inducing neurodegeneration, may be involved in cognitive deficits. This study examines cognitive deficits, and the correlation of serum ApoB levels with cognitive deficits of depressive disorder. 90 depressive patients and 90 healthy controls with matched age and gender were recruited. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients were measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Our results showed that depressive patients had lower scores of cognition including RBANS total score and subscales of language and delayed memory (all, p < 0.001) than healthy controls after controlling for the variables. The differences in cognitive functions also passed Bonferroni corrections. Serum ApoB levels were negatively correlated with delayed memory score in depressive patients (r = -0.30, p = 0.01). Furthermore, stepwise multivariate regression analysis indicated that serum ApoB levels independently contributed to delayed memory in depressive patients (t = -2.68, p = 0.01). Our findings support that serum ApoB levels may be involved in delayed memory decline in depressive patients. Depressive patients also experience greater cognitive deficits, especially in delayed memory and language than healthy controls.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent and malignant type of liver cancer. Besides the high incidence, the resistance to chemotherapy is a major problem that leads to the high mortality of HCC. Recently, aberrant expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been considered as a primary feature of many types of cancer. However, the genome-wide expression pattern and associated functional implications of lncRNAs in chemo-resistant HCC cells remain unknown. In this study, we identified 120 differentially expressed lncRNAs with 61 up-regulated and 59 down-regulated (fold change>2, p<0.05) along with 421 differentially expressed mRNAs with 228 up-regulated and 193 down-regulated (fold change>2, p<0.05) in oxaliplatin-resistant (MHCC97H-OXA) HCC cells, compared to parental oxaliplatin-sensitive (MHCC97H) by microarray. The underlying pathways were related to cell death, proliferation, cellular response to stimulus, including p53 pathway, ErbB pathway and MAPK pathway. Further, 16 lncRNAs were selected for validation of microarray results with quantitative PCR, and a strong correlation was identified between the qPCR results and microarray data. We demonstrated for the first time that ENST00000438347, NR&#95;073453 and ENST00000502804 were up-regulated in MHCC97H-OXA cells as well as chemo-resistant HCC cancerous tissues. Moreover, the expression of ENST00000518376 was significantly associated with the tumor size and differentiation. Overall survival analysis showed that high expression of ENST00000438347 and ENST00000518376 was associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. Taken together, our results reveal that the expression profile in oxaliplatin-resistant HCC is significantly altered including lncRNAs. And a series of de novo lncRNAs play important functions in HCC oxaliplatin resistance and HCC progression., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs are a series of measures being taken during the perioperation to alleviate surgical stress and accelerate the recovery rate of patients. Although several studies reported the efficacy of ERAS in liver surgery, the role of ERAS in laparoscopic hepatectomy is still unclear. This meta-analysis is aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ERAS programs versus traditional care in laparoscopic hepatectomy., Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wang Fang Database and VIP Database for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or clinical controlled trials (CCTs) concerning using ERAS in laparoscopic hepatectomy. Data collection ended in June 1st, 2016. The main end points were intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, operative time, the cost of hospitalization, time to first flatus, the time to first diet after surgery, duration of postoperative hospital stay, total postoperative complication rate, gradeⅠcomplication rate, grade Ⅱ-Ⅴcomplication rate., Results: 8 studies with 580 patients were eligible for analysis. There were 292 cases in ERAS group and 288 cases in traditional perioperative care (CTL) group. Compared with CTL group, ERAS group was associated with significantly accelerated of time to first diet after surgery (SMD = -1.79, 95%CI: -3.19 ∼ -0.38, P = 0.01), time to first flatus (MD = -0.51, 95%CI: -0.91 ∼ -0.12, P = 0.01). Meanwhile, it was associated with significantly decreased of duration of the postoperative hospital stay (MD = -3.31, 95%CI: -3.95 ∼ -2.67, P < 0.00001), cost of hospitalization (MD = -1.0, 95%CI: -1.49 ∼ -0.51, P < 0.0001), total postoperative complication rate (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.15-0.75, P = 0.008), gradeⅠcomplication rate (OR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.22-0.64, P = 0.0003) and gradeⅡ-Ⅴcomplication rate (OR = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.32-0.77, P = 0.002). Whereas there was no significantly difference in intraoperative blood loss (P > 0.05), intraoperative blood transfusion (P > 0.05), operative time (P > 0.05) between ERAS group and CTL group., Conclusion: Application of ERAS in laparoscopic hepatectomy is safe and effective, and it could accelerate the postoperative recovery and lighten the financial burden of patients., (Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain JXJ CY 21 T , was isolated from the culture mass of Microcystis sp. FACHB-905 collected from Lake Dianchi, South-west China. Polyphasic taxonomic study revealed that the isolate should be a member of the genus Citricoccus. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JXJ CY 21 T with the available sequences in the GenBank database showed that the strain is closely related to Citricoccus zhacaiensis FS24 T (97.8 % similarity), Citricoccus parietis 02-Je-010 T (97.7 %), Citricoccus terreus V3M1 T (97.6 %), Citricoccus nitrophenolicus PNP1 T (97.2 %), Citricoccus alkalitolerans YIM 70010 T (97.2 %) and Citricoccus muralis 4-0 T (97.0 %). The DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain JXJ CY 21 T and the related type strains C. zhacaiensis FS24 T and C. parietis 02-Je-010 T were 16.0 ± 2.6 and 5.4 ± 1.7 %, respectively. The peptidoglycan in the cell wall was A4α type containing lysine-glutamic acid-glycine. The major respiratory menaquinone was found to be MK-8 (H 2 ) (98.5 %), while the major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were anteiso-C 15:0 , iso-C 16:0 , iso-C 15:0 and iso-C 14:0 . The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G + C content was determined to be 62.7 mol%. Strain JXJ CY 21 T can solubilize both insoluble inorganic and organic phosphates up to 24.7 and 1.7 mg/l respectively. This property of the novel actinobacterium acts as a modulator for enhancement of growth of Microcystis sp. FACHB-905 in the lake ecosystem where the amount of soluble phosphate is limited. On the basis of the above taxonomic data, strain JXJ CY 21 T represents a novel species of the genus Citricoccus, for which the name Citricoccus lacusdiani sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JXJ CY 21 T (=KCTC 29653 T  = DSM 29160 T ).

Algal bloom is a typical phenomenon of the eutrophication of rivers and lakes and makes the water dirty and smelly. It is a serious threat to water security and public health. Most scholars studying solutions for this pollution have studied the principles of remediation approaches, but few have studied the decision-making and selection of the approaches. Existing research uses simplex decision-making information which is highly subjective and uses little of the data from water quality sensors. To utilize these data and solve the rational decision-making problem, a novel group decision-making method is proposed using the sensor data with fuzzy evaluation information. Firstly, the optimal similarity aggregation model of group opinions is built based on the modified similarity measurement of Vague values. Secondly, the approaches' ability to improve the water quality indexes is expressed using Vague evaluation methods. Thirdly, the water quality sensor data are analyzed to match the features of the alternative approaches with grey relational degrees. This allows the best remediation approach to be selected to meet the current water status. Finally, the selection model is applied to the remediation of algal bloom in lakes. The results show this method's rationality and feasibility when using different data from different sources., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

miR-137, a brain-enriched microRNA, is involved in the control of neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and dendritic arborization, all of which are important for proper neurogenesis and relevant to schizophrenia. miR-137 is also known to regulate many genes implicated in schizophrenia risk. Although reports have associated the miR-137 polymorphism rs1625579 with this disease, their results have been inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between rs1625579 and schizophrenia. Data were obtained from an electronic database, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to test the association using the RevMan 5.3 software. Twelve case-control studies comprising 11,583 cases and 14,315 controls were included. An estimated lambda value of 0.46 was recorded, suggesting that a codominant model of inheritance was most likely. A statistically significant association was established under allelic (T vs G: OR = 1.15, 95%CI = 1.10-1.21, P < 0.001) and homogeneous codominant models (TT vs GG: OR = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.13-1.54, P < 0.001), but no such relationship was detected using the heterogeneous codominant model (GT vs GG: OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.97-1.34, P = 0.11). This meta-analysis demonstrates that the rs1625579 miR-137 genetic variant significantly increases schizophrenia risk.

Aim: Accumulating evidence suggests platelets play critical roles in tumor metastasis. Moreover, the role of platelets in metastasis is partially correlated with inflammation. However, evidence regarding the contribution of platelets to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis is lacking. This study investigated the association between platelets and metastatic risk in HCC., Methods: We used huge HCC (diameter over 10 cm), a tumor subgroup with a strong inflammatory background, as a model to evaluate the potential predictive role of platelets and platelet-related biomarkers for metastasis in HCC patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization. A logistic regression model was used to analyze risk factors for metastasis., Results: Patients with huge HCC (n = 178) were enrolled, and 24.7% (44/178) of patients had remote metastases after treatment. Univariate analyses showed high platelet counts (P = 0.012), pretreatment platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios (pre-PLR) of 100 or more (P = 0.018) and post-PLR of 100 or more (P = 0.013) were potential risk factors for metastasis. Furthermore, multivariate analyses showed high platelet counts (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.074-4.443; P = 0.031) and platelet-related biomarkers were independent risk factors for HCC metastasis. Particularly, the risk of metastasis in patients with high post-PLR values was significantly greater than patients with low post-PLR values. For tumor response and survival, patients with high platelet counts had faster disease progression (P = 0.002) and worse survival (P < 0.0001)., Conclusion: High platelet counts increase the extrahepatic metastasis risk of huge HCC undergoing chemoembolization, which supply clinical verification of the association between high platelet counts and HCC metastasis., (© 2016 The Japan Society of Hepatology.)

Objective Both the Chinese herbal compound Songyou Yin (SYY) and swimming exercise have been shown to have protective effects against liver cancer in animal models. In this study, we investigated whether SYY and moderate swimming (MS) have enhanced effect on suppressing progression of liver cancer by immunomodulation. Methods C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with Hepa1-6 murine liver cancer cell lines and received treatment with SYY alone or SYY combined with MS. The green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive metastatic foci in lungs were imaged with a stereoscopic fluorescence microscope. Flow cytometry was used to test the proportion of CD4 +, CD8 + T cells in peripheral blood and the proportions of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + Treg cells in peripheral blood, spleen, and tumor tissues. Cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 level in serum was detected by ELISA. Results SYY plus MS significantly suppressed the growth and lung metastasis of liver cancer and prolonged survival in tumor-burdened mice. SYY plus MS markedly raised the CD4 to CD8 ratio in peripheral blood and lowered the serum TGF-β1 level and the proportions of Treg cells in peripheral blood, spleen, and tumor tissue. The effects of the combined intervention were significantly superior to SYY or MS alone. Conclusion The combined application of SYY and MS exerted an enhanced effect on suppressing growth and metastasis of liver cancer by strengthening immunity., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

An unprecedented nucleophilic addition/cyclization/aromatization cascade of basic chemicals, i.e., aromatic alkenes/alkynes, trimethylsilyl cyanide and N,N-disubstituted formamide, has been developed to give a series of multisubstituted pyrroles in moderate to good yields with high regioselectivities. This reaction not only reveals a new reaction mode for α-aminonitriles, but also provides a new and efficient cyclization pattern for the synthesis of multisubstituted pyrroles as well as their derivatives, which might facilitate related biological studies.

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain JXJ CY 19T, was isolated from a culture mat of Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-905 collected from Dianchi Lake, South-west China. 16S rRNA gene sequences comparison of strain JXJ CY 19T and the available sequences in the GenBank database showed that the strain was closely related to Modestobacter marinus 42H12-1T (99.1% similarity) and Modestobacter roseus KLBMP 1279T (99.0%). The isolate had meso-diaminopimelic in the cell wall with whole-cell sugars of mannose, rhamnose, ribose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose. The menaquinone detected was MK-9(H4), while the major cellular fatty acids include C17:1 ω8c, C15:0 iso, C15:1 iso G and C16:0 iso. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and an unidentified phospholipid. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between strains JXJ CY 19T and the closely related type strains Modestobacter marinus CGMCC 4.5581T and Modestobacter roseus NBRC 108673T were determined to be 50.8 ± 0.8% and 44.1 ± 1.7%, respectively. The DNA G+C content was 71.9 mol%. On the basis of the above taxonomic data and differences in physiological characters from the closely related type strains, strain JXJ CY 19T was recognized as a novel species of the genus Modestobacter, for which the name Modestobacter lacusdianchii sp. nov. (JXJ CY 19T = KCTC 39600T = CPCC 204352T) is proposed. The type strain JXJ CY 19T can solubilize calcium phosphate tribasic (Ca3(PO4)2), phytin and L-α-phosphatidylcholine. The phosphate-solubilizing property of the novel actinobacterium could be a possible factor for the increase in growth of Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-905 in ecosystem where the amount of available soluble phosphate is limited such as Dianchi Lake.

Unlabelled: Copper sulfate (CuSO4) has been widely used as an algicide to control harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) in freshwater lakes. However, there are increasing concerns about this application, due mainly to the general toxicity of CuSO4 to other aquatic species and its long-term persistence in the environment. This study reported the isolation and characterization of two natural algicidal compounds, i.e., tryptamine and tryptoline, from Streptomyces eurocidicus JXJ-0089. At a concentration of 5 μg/ml, both compounds showed higher algicidal efficiencies than CuSO4 on Microcystis sp. FACHB-905 and some other harmful cyanobacterial strains. Tryptamine and tryptoline treatments induced a degradation of chlorophyll and cell walls of cyanobacteria. These two compounds also significantly increased the intracellular oxidant content, i.e., superoxide anion radical (O2 (-)) and malondialdehyde (MDA), but reduced the activity of intracellular reductants, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), of cyanobacteria. Moreover, tryptamine and tryptoline treatments significantly altered the internal and external contents of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a common cyanotoxin. Like CuSO4, tryptamine and tryptoline led to releases of intracellular MC-LR from Microcystis, but with lower rates than CuSO4 Tryptamine and tryptoline (5 μg/ml) in cyanobacterial cultures were completely degraded within 8 days, while CuSO4 persisted for months. Overall, our results suggest that tryptamine and tryptoline could potentially serve as more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative algicides than CuSO4 in controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms., Importance: Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) in aquatic environments have become a worldwide problem. Numerous efforts have been made to seek means to prevent, control, and mitigate CyanoHABs. Copper sulfate (CuSO4), was once a common algicide to treat and control CyanoHABs. However, its application has become limited due to concerns about its general toxicity to other aquatic species and its long-term persistence in the environment. There is a great need for algicides with higher specificity and low environmental impacts. This study reports the isolation and characterization of two natural algicidal compounds from a streptomycete strain, Streptomyces eurocidicus JXJ-0089. Our results suggest that the identified algicides could potentially serve as more efficient and environmentally friendly alternative algicides than CuSO4 in controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms., (Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Physical activity has been shown to suppress tumor initiation and progression. The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) is closely related to movement and exhibits antitumor properties. However, whether the suppressive effects of physical activity on tumors was mediated by the nervous system via increased DA level remains unknowns. Here we show that regular moderate swimming (8 min/day, 9 weeks) raised DA levels in the prefrontal cortex, serum and tumor tissue, suppressed growth, reduced lung metastasis of transplanted liver cancer, and prolonged survival in a C57BL/6 mouse model, while overload swimming (16 and 32 min/day, 9 weeks) had the opposite effect. In nude mice that were orthotopically implanted with human liver cancer cell lines, DA treatment significantly suppressed growth and lung metastasis by acting on the D2 receptor (DR2). Furthermore, DR2 blockade attenuated the suppressive effect of moderate swimming on liver cancer. Both moderate swimming and DA treatment suppressed the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition of transplanted liver cancer cells. At the molecular level, DR2 signaling inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and expression of TGF-β1 in vitro. Together, these findings demonstrated a novel mechanism by which the moderate exercise suppressed liver cancer through boosting DR2 activity, while overload exercise had the opposite effect, highlighting the possible importance of the dopaminergic system in tumor growth and metastasis of liver cancer.

Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the effects of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in monitoring microcirculation after rat liver ischemia-reperfusion injury., Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 36) were divided into sham-operated and ischemia-reperfusion groups. Rats in the ischemia-reperfusion groups underwent normothermic liver ischemia for 15 minutes followed by 1, 6, or 24 hours of reperfusion. At different time points, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed to determine peak intensity in monitoring hepatic microcirculation. In addition, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 1β levels were measured. Histopathologic changes were also observed., Results: One hour after reperfusion, peak intensity values decreased, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 1β increased significantly in the ischemia-reperfusion group compared with the sham-operated group. Histology results showed mild injury. Six hours after reperfusion, peak intensity values decreased continuously, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 1β decreased, and aspartate aminotransferase levels increased. Histology results showed severe injury compared with 1 hour after reperfusion. Twenty-four hours after reperfusion, peak intensity values increased, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels decreased, and histology results showed moderate injury compared with 6 hours after reperfusion. Peak intensity values were negatively correlated to alanine aminotransferase (P < .05; γ = -0.38) and aspartate aminotransferase (P < .01; γ = -0.78) levels., Conclusions: Microcirculation dysfunction after liver ischemia-reperfusion injury can be monitored by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. The perfusion of contrast agents negatively correlates to the severity of injuries.

Non-destructive detection for soluble solids content (SSC) is important to improve watermelon’s internal quality, which attracts more and more attention from consumers. In order to realize the precise detection for SSC of mini watermelon’s whole surface by using Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and reduce the influence of detective position variability on the accuracy of NIR prediction model for SSC, the diffused transmission spectra and soluble solids content were collected from three different detective positions of ‘jingxiu’ watermelon, including the equator, calyx and stem. The prediction models of single detective position and mixed three detective positions for SSC were established with Partial least square (PLS). Successive projections algorithm (SPA) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) were adopted to select effective variables of NIR spectroscopy for SSC of watermelon as well. The results showed that the prediction model of mixed three detective positions was better than the model of single detective position. Meanwhile, 42 characteristic variables of NIR spectroscopy selected with CARS were used to establish PLS prediction model for SSC. The prediction model was simplified significantly and the prediction accuracy for SSC was improved greatly. The correlation coefficient of prediction (RP) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) by CARS-PLS were 0.892, 0.684 °Brix for the equator, 0.905, 0.621 °Brix for the calyx, 0.899, 0.721 °Brix for the stem, respectively. However, the prediction result of SPA-PLS established by 19 characteristic wavelength variables of NIR spectroscopy was bad for the equator, calyx and stem detective positions. The correlation coefficient of prediction (RP) is less than 0.752 and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) is relatively high. It was proposed that the PLS prediction model established by mixed three different detective positions with effective characteristic wavelength variables selected by CARS can improve the prediction accuracy for SSC. And the CARS-PLS prediction model can achieve fast and precise detection for SSC of mini watermelon’s whole surface. The influence of detective position variability on the accuracy of NIR prediction model could be reduced simultaneously. This paper could provide theoretical basis for calibrating NIR prediction model for SSC of mini watermelon. It also could provide reference for developing the portable and non-destructive detection equipment for soluble solids content of mini watermelon’s whole surface.

The aim was to find a nondestructive way to improve the accuracy of detecting the winter wheat aboveground fresh biomass(AGFB). In this study, data fusion technology of the spectroscopy technology and the machine vision technology were used to analyze the AGFB and solve the problem that the accuracy of the prediction model of a single technology is not high. In this experiment, canopy spectra and canopy pictures of 93 samples at seeding stage were collected. Canopy spectra and side images of 200 samples at medium and later growth stage were collected. Spectral reflectance as the spectral absorption parameter was used to construct the AGFB prediction models based on the spectra technology at different stages; The wheat coverage were extracted from canopy pictures and side images by using image processing technology to build the AGFB prediction models. Multivariate regression analysis (MRA) and Partial least-squares regression analysis(PLS) were implemented on the feature variables from the spectral information and image information. The results showed that, compared with the individual image model and spectral model, the AGFB prediction models of PLS based on multi-information at different stages shows better performance. At the seeding stage, the determination coefficient (R2) of PLS models based on multi-information was 0.881，and the RMSE was 0.015 kg. The R2 of PLS models based on multi-information was 0.791, the RMSE was 0.059 kg at middle and final stages. It demonstrated that the precision of model based on multi-information fusion technology, which increased utilization of image and spectral information, was improved for AGFB detecting, which is than the individual image model and spectral model.

An antialgal compound was isolated from the cultured broth of Streptomyces jiujiangensis JXJ 0074(T) by using bioassay methods. Based on the data of (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, ESI-MS, and thin layer chromatography, the active compound was identified as L-valine, which showed antialgal activity mainly against Microcystis. L-valine exhibited greater antialgal activities than both L-lysine and copper sulfate (CuSO4) did on Microcystis aeruginosa lawn. However, M. aeruginosa recovered growth earlier with higher growth rate in L-valine treatment than in L-lysine treatment. L-valine dissipated completely within 2 days, much quicker than L-lysine (6 days), which resulted in the lysing of more than 80 % M. aeruginosa cells and the release of amount of intracellular microcystin-LR (MC-LR) within 2 days. As a resultant, the extracellular MC-LR content was more than twice of the control from day 1 to 5. Exposure to L-valine significantly promoted the synthesis of MC-LR. L-lysine also promoted the release and synthesis of MC-LR with much lesser efficiency than L-valine. L-valine could damage Microcystis severely, causing perforation and collapse of M. aeruginosa cells and decrease of the chlorophyll. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in L-valine-treated cells of M. aeruginosa initially increased with 32.94 ± 3.37 % higher than the control after 36 h and then decreased quickly. However, the increase rate of superoxide anion radical (O2 (-)) was much higher than that of SOD, which resulted in serious lipid peroxidation and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). To our knowledge, this is the first report showing L-valine active against cyanobacteria.

The pathogenesis of celiac disease (CD) has been related to polymorphisms in the regulator of G-protein signaling 1 (RGS1) and interleukin-12 A (IL12A) genes, but the existing findings are inconsistent. Our aim is to investigate the associations of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs2816316 in RGS1 and rs17810546 in IL12A) with CD risk using meta-analysis. We searched PubMed and Web of Science on RGS1 rs2816316 and IL12A rs17810546 with CD risk. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of each SNP were estimated. All statistical analyses were performed on Stata 12.0. A total of seven studies were retrieved and analyzed. The available data indicated the minor allele C of rs2816316 was negatively associated with CD (C vs. A: OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.74-0.80), and a positive association was found for the minor allele G of rs17810546 (G vs. A: OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.31-1.43). The co-dominant model of genotype effect confirmed the significant associations between RGS1 rs2816316/IL12A rs17810546 and CD. No evidence of publication bias was observed. Our meta-analysis supports the associations of RGS1 and IL12A with CD and strongly calls for further studies to better understand the roles of RGS1 and IL12A in the pathogenesis of CD.