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A unique luminescent lanthanide metal-organic framework (LnMOF)-based fluorescence detection platform was utilized to achieve sensitive detection of vomitoxin (VT) and oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCL) without the use of antibodies or biomolecular modifications. The sensor had a fluorescence quenching constant of 9.74 × 10 6  M -1 and a low detection limit of 0.68 nM for vomitoxin. Notably, this is the first example of a Tb-MOF sensor for fluorescence detection of vomitoxin. We further investigated its response to two mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A, and found that their Stern-Volmer fluorescence quenching constants were lower than those of VT. In addition, the fluorescence sensor realized sensitive detection of OTC-HCL with a detection limit of 0.039 μM. In conclusion, the method has great potential as a sensitive and simple technique to detect VT and OTC-HCL in water., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Teleost fishes, which are the largest and most diverse group of living vertebrates, have a rich history of ancient and recent polyploidy. Previous studies of allotetraploid common carp and goldfish (cyprinids) reported a dominant subgenome, which is more expressed and exhibits biased gene retention. However, the underlying mechanisms contributing to observed 'subgenome dominance' remains poorly understood. Here we report high-quality genomes of twenty-one cyprinids to investigate the origin and subsequent subgenome evolution patterns following three independent allopolyploidy events. We identify the closest extant relatives of the diploid progenitor species, investigate genetic and epigenetic differences among subgenomes, and conclude that observed subgenome dominance patterns are likely due to a combination of maternal dominance and transposable element densities in each polyploid. These findings provide an important foundation to understanding subgenome dominance patterns observed in teleost fishes, and ultimately the role of polyploidy in contributing to evolutionary innovations., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Tryptophan is one of important amino acids in the human body, therefore its detection is particularly important. The 3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-4-amino-1,2,4-triazole (BPAT) organic molecule was designed to be used as fluorescence detectors to detect tryptophan molecules for the interaction between the host and the guest. BPAT shows good sensitivity and selectivity towards tryptophan compared with other amino acid molecules. The limit of detection obtained from formula 3δ/K SV is considered to be 5.43 × 10 -7  mol/L. We speculated that this change is mainly caused by the hydrogen bond between tryptophan and the host molecule BPAT. This conjecture was verified by the controlled experiments with other host molecules., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: Peripheral blood immune cell profiling of atopic dermatitis patients before and after treatment by single-cell RNA sequencing technique has not been reported. To study the immune Cell Profiling of Atopic Dermatitis Patients Before and After Treatment with Halometasone Cream Wet-Wrap Therapy., Methods: We used single cell sequencing to detect the proportion change and gene expression change of immune cells in 2 patients before and after treatment, and then used real-time PCR to confirm the mRNA level of differential genes., Results: In this study, scRNA-seq in two patients with severe AD before and after halometasone cream wet-wrap therapy showed that in the mild severity of AD after treatment, Th2 cells were significantly decreased (41.2% vs 13.4%), Th1 and Th17 cells were increased (23.3% vs 43.7%, 2.3% vs 4.8% respectively). The proportion of Th22 cells did not change much (1.3% vs 1.9%). Tregs were significantly increased also (1.5% vs 5.0%). In the regulatory T cells, the expression of IL-27, PD-1, CD103, CTLA-4, ZNF-66, IL-β, CD7 gene was specifically increased after treatment, and CD39, P21, TOX2, CD151, CD79A, S100A12, TRAP1 gene was specifically decreased after treatment. In the TH2 cells, the expression of CD27, CD68, EZH1, RAD1, EGFR, CCR10, BCL11A, KLF4 gene was specifically increased after treatment and CCL26, CD180, IL-31, CCL22, LEF1, OX40 gene was specifically decreased after treatment., Conclusions: These genes may be new target for further study., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Dermatology.)

Background: Thoracoscopic-assisted Nuss repair is a commonly used method for treating pectus excavatum, which has always been performed under tracheal intubation and general anesthesia. However, general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation can produce intubation and anesthetic drug related complications. In non-intubation anesthesia, laryngeal mask is used instead of tracheal intubation without muscle relaxants and small doses of sedative and analgesic drugs. Therefore, non-intubation anesthesia can reduce complications and speed up postoperative recovery. This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical impact of these two anesthesia methods on thoracoscopic-assisted Nuss repair for the treatment of pectus excavatum., Methods: A total of 115 pectus excavatum patients who underwent thoracoscopic-assisted Nuss procedure repair in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Yunnan First People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2022 were included. All subjects in this study underwent thoracoscopic assisted Nuss repair in the same thoracic surgical team. According to different anesthesia methods, they were divided into non-intubation anesthesia group (n=62) and intubation anesthesia group (n=53). The intubation time, intraoperative mean heart rate, postoperative complications, postoperative first oral food intake, water intake, ambulation, defecation time, postoperative blood drawing results, postoperative hospital stay and total hospitalization cost were compared between the two groups., Results: There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics and preoperative examination indexes between the two groups, which were comparable. Compared with the intubation anesthesia group, the non-intubation anesthesia group had less anesthesia intubation time, lower intraoperative mean heart rate, less postoperative complications, such as pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and lung infection. In the non-intubation anesthesia group, the first time to eat, drink, get out of bed, and defecate were all earlier. Routine blood results 24 h after surgery indicated that the non-intubation anesthesia group had lower white blood cell, neutrophil and lymphocyte, an earlier postoperative discharge time, and lower total hospitalization expenses., Conclusions: Non-intubation anesthesia in thoracoscopic-assisted Nuss procedure for the repair of pectus excavatum can make the postoperative recovery of patients faster and has better safety and efficacy., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-22-1150/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2022 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to investigate the correlation of platelet parameters and C-reactive protein (CRP) with depression., Methods: The clinical data of 61 patients with depression and 30 healthy control subjects were collected to compare the platelet parameters, CRP levels, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores of the two groups for correlation analysis., Results: The results revealed that the body mass index (BMI) of patients with depression was lower (P < 0.05) than that of the healthy control subjects, and that this difference was more significant in women than in men. Patients with severe depression showed an increased mean platelet volume (MPV) (P < 0.05). In the patients with depression, MPV was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with HAMD scores for work and interest, gastrointestinal symptoms, hopelessness, the anxiety/somatization factor, and the hopelessness factor. Platelet count (PLT) was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with HAMD scores for hypochondriasis, and plateletcrit (PCT) was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with HAMD scores for middle insomnia and hypochondriasis. Platelet distribution width (PDW) was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with HAMD scores for gastrointestinal and systemic symptoms as well as hopelessness. Higher CRP levels (P < 0.05) were found in the patients with depression than in the healthy control subjects. Furthermore, in the patients with depression, CRP levels were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with HAMD scores for guilt and the cognitive impairment factor., Conclusion: Classical platelet parameters (PLT, MPV, PCT, PDW) and CRP were shown to be associated with specific depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment factors, including sleep, gastrointestinal symptoms, hypochondriasis, losing interest in work, and despair. These results suggest that both platelet parameters and CRP could be suitable biomarkers for predicting the occurrence and prognosis of depression, thus providing a new target for its treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2022 Wang et al.)

Background: The merits of spontaneous ventilation video-assisted thoracic surgery (SV-VATS) are still controversial. Our team retrospectively evaluated the intraoperative and postoperative advantages of this surgical approach, comparing with mechanical ventilation video-assisted thoracic surgery (MV-VATS)., Methods: We did a single center retrospective study at the First Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan Province. 244 patients were eventually assigned to the SV-group and MV-group, and their intraoperative indicators and thoracic surgery postoperative data were included in the comparison., Results: The SV-group exhibited markedly less intraoperative bleeding and postoperative thoracic drainage, and the bleeding volume was correlated with the volume and duration of drainage. Further analysis showed that, patients undergoing SV-VATS had less activation of white blood cells and neutrophils after surgery, but they also had lower serum albumin concentrations. Risks of short-term postoperative complications, including inflammatory reactions, malignant arrhythmias, constipation, and moderate or more pleural effusions, were also significantly reduced in the SV-group. Additionally, hospitalization cost was lower in the SV-group than that in the MV-group., Conclusions: SV-VATS is suitable for various types of thoracic surgery, and effectively reduce intraoperative bleeding and postoperative thoracic drainage. With less postoperative inflammatory response, it reduces the risk of short-term postoperative complications. It is also able to help to reduce the financial burden of patients., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://dx.doi.org/10.21037/atm-21-2297). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)

The roles of RNA m6A modification in carcinogenesis have attracted much interest recently. However, the dysregulation of RNA m6A regulators (writers, readers, and erasers) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has never been reported. In this study, we showed that METTL3, one of the writers, was upregulated in NPC. Functional studies revealed that METTL3 promoted the migration and invasion of NPC cells. However, METTL3 knockdown reversed this effect and inhibited the migration, invasion and metastasis of NPC cells. METTL3 activated the luciferase activity of TOPflash (a reporter for beta-catenin/TCF signaling), and downregulation of METTL3 inhibited the expression of beta-catenin/TCF target genes vimentin and N-cadherin, which are two regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Moreover, dominant negative beta-catenin blocked the migration and invasion of NPC cells. Further mechanistic studies showed that METTL3 silencing decreased the m6A methylation and total mRNA levels of Tankyrase, a negative regulator of axin. Moreover, Tankyrase overexpression abrogated the repressive effects of METTL3 silencing on the migration of NPC cells. Collectively, our study demonstrates the oncogenic roles of METTL3 in NPC, and suggests that METTL3 might be a therapeutic target for NPC., (© 2020 The Authors. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia on behalf of Kaohsiung Medical University.)

Background: In recent years, visual quality has been extensively investigated in various conditions. In this community-based population study, we analyzed the effects of aging, refraction, and Lens Opacification Classification System III (LOCSIII) score on retinal imaging quality in healthy Chinese adults., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on sub-group subjects from The Handan Eye Study between October 2012 and January 2013. Healthy subjects over 30-years-old with logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) less than 0 were included. Retinal image quality was measured by optical quality analysis system (OQAS) and recorded as modulation transfer function cutoff frequency (MTFcutoff), OQAS value (OV) 100%, OV20%, OV9%, Strehl ratio (SR), and objective scatter index (OSI). The correlation between age, spherical equivalent refraction (SE), LOCSIII score, and optical quality parameters were investigated by multivariate analysis., Results: Among 1108 verified subjects, 690 subjects (1380 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. Their age ranged from 30 to 76 years, SE ranged from -4.75 to 2.75 D. They were divided into five age groups (30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and ≥70 years) for further analysis. After multivariate analysis by mixed-effect linear model, SR (t =  -3.03, P = 0.002), OV20% (t = -2.39, P = 0.017), and OV9% (t = -3.16, P = 0.001) significantly decreased with the increasing age, whereas logMAR BCVA (t = 4.42, P < 0.001) and OSI (t = 4.46, P < 0.001) significantly increased with age. As SE increased, SR (t = 2.74, P = 0.01), OV20% (t = 2.31, P = 0.02), and OV9% (t = 2.79, P = 0.005) significantly elevated, and OSI (t = -3.38, P < 0.001) significantly decreased. With the increase in cortical opacity score, all optical quality parameters except for SR significantly decreased, including MTFcutoff (t = -2.78, P = 0.01), OV100% (t = -2.78, P = 0.005), OV20% (t = -2.60, P = 0.009), and OV9% (t = -2.05, P = 0.040). As posterior sub capsular opacity score increased, MTFcutoff (t = -2.40, P = 0.02) and OV100% (t = -2.40, P = 0.01) significantly decreased, while OSI (t = 7.56, P < 0.001) significantly increased., Conclusions: In healthy Chinese adult population, optical quality-related parameters significantly decrease with the increasing age, and OSI significantly increases with age. In normal BCVA subjects, optical quality is significantly impacted by cortical and posterior sub capsular opacity rather than by nuclear opacity.

Ancherythroculter nigrocauda is a cyprinid fish endemic of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China, where it is an important aquaculture and commercial species. It is also a threatened species as a result of overfishing, dam construction and water pollution. In this study, a chromosome-level genome assembly of A. nigrocauda is reported and built using PacBio sequencing and the Hi-C technology. The 1.04-Gb sequenced genome of A. nigrocauda contained 2,403 contigs, with an N50 length of 3.12 Mb. Then, 1,297 contigs, which represented 54.0% of all contigs and 97.2% of the whole content of the genome nucleotide base, were assembled into 24 chromosomes. Combined with transcriptome data from 10 tissues, 27,042 (78.5%) genes were functionally annotated out of 34,414 predicted protein-coding genes. Interestingly, high expression of many positively selected genes and expanded gene families in the brain suggested that these genes might play important roles in brain development in A. nigrocauda. Finally, we found tissue-specific expression of 10,732 genes. Functional analyses showed that they were mainly composed of genes related to (a) environmental information processing, (b) the circulatory system, and (c) development, suggesting they might be important for adaptation to different environments and for development of A. nigrocauda. The high-quality genome obtained in this study not only provides a valuable genomic resource for future studies of A. nigrocauda populations and conservation, but is also an important resource for further functional genomics studies of fishes., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Horizontal transfer of transposable elements (HTT) is an important process shaping eukaryote genomes, yet very few studies have quantified this phenomenon on a large scale or have evaluated the selective constraints acting on transposable elements (TEs) during vertical and horizontal transmission. Here we screen 307 vertebrate genomes and infer a minimum of 975 independent HTT events between lineages that diverged more than 120 million years ago. HTT distribution greatly differs from null expectations, with 93.7% of these transfers involving ray-finned fishes and less than 3% involving mammals and birds. HTT incurs purifying selection (conserved protein evolution) on all TEs, confirming that producing functional transposition proteins is required for a TE to invade new genomes. In the absence of HTT, DNA transposons appear to evolve neutrally within genomes, unlike most retrotransposons, which evolve under purifying selection. This selection regime indicates that proteins of most retrotransposon families tend to process their own encoding RNA (cis-preference), which helps retrotransposons to persist within host lineages over long time periods.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-associated mortality globally. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts with a length of >200 nucleotides, which are not translated into proteins. Growing evidence has indicated that certain lncRNAs are associated with various biological processes in cancer. However, the functions of KCNK15 and WISP2 antisense RNA 1 (KCNK15-AS1) in lung cancer carcinogenesis and progression have remained elusive. The present study indicated that KCNK15-AS1 was overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues compared with paracancerous normal tissues, and the high expression of KCNK15-AS1 was significantly associated with poor prognosis compared with the patients with low expression (P<0.001). Furthermore, the knockdown of KCNK15-AS1 was performed in A549 and H460 lung cancer cells with small interfering RNA, resulting in a significant inhibition of the proliferation, a decrease in the mRNA and protein expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in addition to the phosphorylation of protein kinase B, with a concomitant increase in the expression of microRNA (miR)-202 and miR-370 compared with negative control group. Rescue experiments demonstrated that the inhibition of miR-202 or miR-370 partially recovered the EGFR and CCND1 expression and the proliferation rates, which were reduced by KCNK15-AS1 silencing. In conclusion, these results suggested that KCNK15-AS1 functions as an oncogene via regulating the miR-202/miR-370/EGFR axis in lung cancer and may provide a potential target for lung cancer treatment., (Copyright: © Peng et al.)

Although DNA transposons often generated internal deleted derivatives such as miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements, short internally deleted elements (SIDEs) derived from nonlong terminal-repeat retrotransposons are rare. Here, we found a novel SIDE, named Persaeus, that originated from the chicken repeat 1 (CR1) retrotransposon Zenon and it has been found widespread in Lepidoptera insects. Our findings suggested that Persaeus and the partner Zenon have experienced a transposition burst in their host genomes and the copy number of Persaeus and Zenon in assayed genomes are significantly correlated. Accordingly, the activity though age analysis indicated that the replication wave of Persaeus coincided with that of Zenon. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that Persaeus may have evolved at least four times independently, and that it has been vertically transferred into its host genomes. Together, our results provide new insights into the evolution dynamics of SIDEs and its partner non-LTRs., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a new method of combined ultrasound elastography (UE) and thyroid imaging-reporting and data system (TI-RADS) in the differential diagnosis of small thyroid nodules., Methods: Ultrasonography(US), TI-RADS, Elasticity Imaging (EI), Virtual Touch Tissue Imaging (VTI) and Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) features of 142 thyroid nodules (maximum diameter ≤10 mm according to conventional ultrasound measurement) confirmed by surgery or FNA were retrospectively analyzed. Different elastographic methods in small benign and malignant thyroid nodules were compared. The diagnostic efficiency of three adjustment methods of conventional ultrasound TI-RADS classification and ultrasound elastography (VTI and/or VTQ) were compared., Results: The pathological examination showed that 70 thyroid nodules were benign and 72 were malignant. The differential ability of UE to diagnose the small benign and malignant thyroid nodules alone is not better than that of conventional ultrasound TI-RADS classification. The sensitivity of conventional ultrasound TI-RADS classification were higher than that of VTI and equal to VTQ(91.67% vs83.33%、91.67%), while the specificity of VTI was much higher than that of TI-RADS and VTQ(91.43% vs 75.71%、60.00%). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of TI-RADS classification plus UE (VTI + VTQ) were 94.44% and 87.14% respectively. TI-RADS classification combined with UE (VTI + VTQ) was the highest diagnostic efficiency., Conclusion: Conventional ultrasound TI-RADS classification is the basis for the diagnosis of small thyroid nodules. The combination of TI-RADS with VTI and VTQ can significantly improve the differential diagnosis of small benign and malignant thyroid nodules. It may provide a new and reliable method for the clinical diagnosis of small thyroid nodules., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transposable elements (TEs) are common and often present with high copy numbers in cellular genomes. Unlike in cellular organisms, TEs were previously thought to be either rare or absent in viruses. Almost all reported TEs display only one or two copies per viral genome. In addition, the discovery of pandoraviruses with genomes up to 2.5-Mb emphasizes the need for biologists to rethink the fundamental nature of the relationship between viruses and cellular life., Results: Herein, we performed the first comprehensive analysis of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) in the 5170 viral genomes for which sequences are currently available. Four hundred and fifty one copies of ten miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) were found and each MITE had reached relatively large copy numbers (some up to 90) in viruses. Eight MITEs belonging to two DNA superfamilies ( hobo/Activator/Tam3 and Chapaev-Mirage-CACTA ) were for the first time identified in viruses, further expanding the organismal range of these two superfamilies. TEs may play important roles in shaping the evolution of pandoravirus genomes, which were here found to be very rich in MITEs. We also show that putative autonomous partners of seven MITEs are present in the genomes of viral hosts, suggesting that viruses may borrow the transpositional machinery of their cellular hosts' autonomous elements to spread MITEs and colonize their own genomes. The presence of seven similar MITEs in viral hosts, suggesting horizontal transfers (HTs) as the major mechanism for MITEs propagation., Conclusions: Our discovery highlights that TEs contribute to shape genome evolution of pandoraviruses. We concluded that as for cellular organisms, TEs are part of the pandoraviruses' diverse mobilome., Competing Interests: Not applicableNot applicableThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported to have effects on kidney diseases; however, a link between NAFLD and urinary calculi remains to be confirmed. This study was conducted on a male population based on our previous Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey in Guangxi, China in order to estimate the frequency of urinary calculi and assess the association between NAFLD and urinary calculi while controlling for possible confounders., Materials and Methods: This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Fangchenggang region in Guangxi, China. The diagnoses of NAFLD and urinary calculi were made by ultrasonography. Clinical and laboratory findings were analyzed to investigate whether NAFLD was a risk factor for urinary calculi., Results: A total of 3719 men were enrolled (age range, 17 to 88 years). Slightly more than a quarter (26.5%) of the participants were diagnosed with NAFLD. The percentage of urinary calculi in all participants was 6.9%, and the percentage of NAFLD patients with urinary calculi (8.4%) was significantly higher than that among patients without NAFLD (6.4%, P < .05). Advanced age; high body mass index; elevated levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; low education; lower or higher physical activity; and NAFLD were independent risk factors for urinary calculi (P < .05)., Conclusions: Our results showed that NAFLD was associated with a higher incidence of urinary calculi in this cohort and NAFLD might represent a risk factor for urinary calculi.

Background: Currently, some studies have demonstrated that miR-34a could serve as a suppressor of several cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previously, we discovered that miR-34a was downregulated in HCC and involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC; however, the mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to estimate the expression of miR-34a in HCC by applying the microarray profiles and analyzing the predicted targets of miR-34a and their related biological pathways of HCC., Methods: Gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets were conducted to identify the difference of miR-34a expression between HCC and corresponding normal tissues and to explore its relationship with HCC clinicopathologic features. The natural language processing (NLP), gene ontology (GO), pathway and network analyses were performed to analyze the genes associated with the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC and the targets of miR-34a predicted in silico. In addition, the integrative analysis was performed to explore the targets of miR-34a which were also relevant to HCC., Results: The analysis of GEO datasets demonstrated that miR-34a was downregulated in HCC tissues, and no heterogeneity was observed (Std. Mean Difference(SMD) = 0.63, 95% confidence intervals(95%CI):[0.38, 0.88], P < 0.00001; P heterogeneity  = 0.08 I 2  = 41%). However, no association was found between the expression value of miR-34a and any clinicopathologic characteristics. In the NLP analysis of HCC, we obtained 25 significant HCC-associated signaling pathways. Besides, we explored 1000 miR-34a-related genes and 5 significant signaling pathways in which CCND1 and Bcl-2 served as necessary hub genes. In the integrative analysis, we found 61 hub genes and 5 significant pathways, including cell cycle, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, notching pathway, p53 pathway and focal adhesion, which proposed the relevant functions of miR-34a in HCC., Conclusion: Our results may lead researchers to understand the molecular mechanism of miR-34a in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of HCC. Therefore, the interaction between miR-34a and its targets may promise better prediction and treatment for HCC. And the experiments in vivo and vitro will be conducted by our group to identify the specific mechanism of miR-34a in the progress and deterioration of HCC.

Background/aims: Current practical advances in high-throughput data technologies including RNA-sequencing have led to the identification of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) for potential clinical application against bladder urothelial cancer (BLCA). However, most previous studies focused on the clinical value of individual lncRNAs, which has limited the potential for future clinical application., Methods: In this study, RNA-sequencing data of lncRNAs was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Risk score was constructed based on survival-associated lncRNAs identified using differential expression analysis as well as univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan-Meier curve analyses were employed to evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of risk scores. Bioinformatics analyses were used to investigate the potential mechanisms of newly identified lncRNAs., Results: Among 2,127 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), four new lncRNAs (AC145124.1, AC010168.2, MIR200CHG, and AC098613.1) showed valuable prognostic effects in BLCA patients. More importantly, the four-DEL-based risk score had the potential to become an independent marker for the survival status prediction of BLCA patients. Distinct co-expressed genes and signaling pathways were identified when BLCA was categorized into low- and high-risk groups. Furthermore, a protein-coding gene, HIST4H4 was found only 68 bp from the AC010168.2 DEL. HIST4H4 expression level was evidently up-regulated and positively correlated with AC010168.2 in BLCA patients., Conclusion: This in silico investigation pioneers the future investigation of the utility of prognostic lncRNAs for BLCA., (© 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. The purpose of the study was to observe the features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and the combination with Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of conventional ultrasound for assessing small breast lesions., Objectives: The study was to explore the small breast lesions' features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and the combination with Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of conventional ultrasound, in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy of early breast cancer., Methods: 105 lesions were subject to conventional US (ultrasound) and CEUS before operations or biopsies. Among 105 breast lesions, six patient diagnoses were established by thick core-needle biopsy, while the rest were all confirmed by surgery and pathology., Results: Significant differences were found between benign and malignant lesions in qualitative and quantitative indexes (peak) of CEUS (P < 0.05). The qualitative features of malignant small breast lesions were as follows: (1) enhanced intensity within the lesion was not uniform (61/61,100%); (2) the speed of wash-in was earlier than the surrounding tissue (58/61, 95.1%); (3) lesion interior and the surrounding tissues had contrast vessel performance (61/61,100%). Peak of malignant lesions (35.77±11.45) was higher than that of benign lesions (31.96±10.76) (P < 0.05). The diagnostic performance of BI-RADS-US plus qualitative indexes (method one) in terms of area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were the highest (i.e., AUROC = 0.817), in comparison with other combined diagnostic methods. The associated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 78.69%, 84.09% and 80.95%, respectively. With method one, however, was similar with US-BI-RADS in specificity, 11 malignant breast lesions were regarded as a higher classification of BI-RADS and classified into malignant group, which were identified as benign on US-BI-RADS originally., Conclusions: CEUS was useful to differentiate benign from malignant small breast lesions, and the combination of CEUS and BI-RADS-US can improve the early diagnosis of breast cancers.

Background: Atosiban is administered to women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, the results of this treatment were controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to investigate whether atosiban improves pregnancy outcomes in the women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)., Methods: Databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China BioMedicine, and Google Scholar were systematically searched. Meta-analyses were performed to investigate whether atosiban improves pregnancy outcomes in the women undergoing IVF., Results: Our results showed that atosiban was associated with higher implantation (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.17-2.27; P = 0.004) and clinical pregnancy (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.31-2.57; P < 0.001) rates. However, atosiban showed no significant association with the miscarriage, live birth, multiple pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy rates. When a further subgroup analysis was performed in the women undergoing repeated implantation failure (RIF), implantation (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.45-2.57; P < 0.001), clinical pregnancy (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.70-3.64; P <0.001) and the live birth (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.78-4.67; P < 0.001) rates were significantly higher in the case group. Nevertheless, no significant difference was detected in the miscarriage and multiple pregnancy rates between the case and control groups., Conclusion: Atosiban may be more appropriate for women undergoing RIF and play only a limited role in improving pregnancy outcomes in the general population of women undergoing IVF. These conclusions should be verified in large and well-designed studies.

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between quantitative parameters on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and pathological prognostic factors in patients with breast invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs)., Materials and Methods: 102 patients with pathologically proven IDCs were retrospectively enrolled and all were preoperatively evaluated by CEUS. Quantitative analysis was conducted using the SonoLiver® software. On the parametric imaging, the data of rise time (RT), time to peak (TTP), mean transit time (mTT) and maximum intensity (IMAX) were recorded. Pathological prognostic factors, including histological grade, tumor diameter, lymph node status, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), C-erb-B2 and Ki-67 expression were evaluated. Correlation of enhancement parameters with pathological prognostic factors was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and operator consistency was evaluated., Results: The RTs and TTPs for lower grade IDCs (grade I or II) and higher histological grade IDCs (grade III) were 9.3 s±3.9 vs. 11.4 s±5.4 (p = 0.016), 11.6 s±6.1 vs. 14.7 s±7.7 (p = 0.028), respectively. The RTs for positive-C-erbB-2 expression and negative-C-erbB-2 expression IDCs were 10.1 s±4.5 vs. 11.9 s±6.0 (p = 0.047). The IMAX showed statistical difference between IDCs with negative-ER and those with positive-ER (p = 0.003), as well as IDCs with negative-PR and those with positive-PR (p = 0.019). The ROC analysis showed that, for the differentiation ER expression, the cut-off point for IMAX was 648.8% with an Az value of 0.718 (95% CI: 0.599-0.836), and the sensitivity and specificity were 63.6% and 70.2% respectively. The intra-operator consistency of the RT, TTP, mTT and IMAX were excellent with an overall ICC of 0.893, 0.858, 0.984 and 0.800, respectively (all p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Quantitative analysis of CEUS may be a useful and objective method in predicting pathological prognostic factors in breast IDCs.

We report a Danio rerio transposon named DrTRT, for D. rerio Transposon Related to Tc1 The complete sequence of the DrTRT transposon is 1,563 base pairs (bp) in length, and its transposase putatively encodes a 338-amino acid protein that harbors a DD37E motif in its catalytic domain. We present evidence based on searches of publicly available genomes that TRT elements commonly occur in vertebrates and protozoa. Phylogenetic and functional domain comparisons confirm that TRT constitutes a new subfamily within the Tc1 family. Hallmark features of having no premature termination codons within the transposase, the presence of all expected functional domains, and its occurrence in the bony fish transcriptome suggest that TRT might have current or recent activity in these species. Further analysis showed that the activity of TRT elements in these species might have arisen about between 4 and 19 Ma. Interestingly, our results also implied that the widespread distribution of TRT among fishes, frog, and snakes is the result of multiple independent HT events, probably from bony fishes to snakes or frog. Finally, the mechanisms underlying horizontal transfer of TRT elements are discussed., (© The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

Background: Studies have been reported that cyclin-dependent kinase5 (CDK5) was associated with the development of several cancers. However, the relationship between CDK5 level and clinicopathological factors is still poorly understood in cervical diseases. The aim of the current study was to investigate the expression of CDK5 and its clinical significance in variant cervical lesions., Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect CDK5 expression in 54 cases of chronic cervicitis, 42 cases of condyloma acuminate (CA), 38 cases of carcinoma in situ, and 360 cases of cervical cancers [adenocarcinoma, n = 63; squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), n = 263; adenosquamous carcinoma, n = 34]. The clinicopathological characteristics in relation to CDK5 were examined by Pearson's Chi-square test., Results: The positive rates of CDK5 were 27.8, 31.0, 50, 54.0, 58.8, and 62.7 % in chronic cervicitis, CA, carcinoma in situ, adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma and SCC, respectively. Statistically analysis showed that CDK5 expression in cervical cancer tissues was higher than non-cervical cancer tissues (inflammation and CA) (P < 0.001). The overexpression of CDK5 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (r = 0.317; P < 0.001), histological type (r = 0.198; P < 0.001), FIGO stage (r = 0.358; P < 0.001), TNM stage (r = 0.329; P < 0.001) and pathological grade (r = 0.259; P < 0.001) in cervical lesions evaluated by Pearson's Chi-square test. Furthermore, the positive relationships were found between CDK5 and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), FIGO stage (P < 0.001), TNM stage (P < 0.001) and pathological grade (P < 0.001) in SCC. CDK5 was positively interrelated to TNM stage (P = 0.017) in adenosquamous carcinoma., Conclusions: CDK5 may play a vital role in the development of cervical cancer, which may be a marker for the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of cervical cancer.

Background: Angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors play an important role in tumor biology and tumor recurrence after surgical resection. Antiangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-receptor 1 (sVEGFR1) and sVEGFR2, two soluble form receptor proteins of VEGF, are critical for angiogenesis. VEGF can be sequestered by soluble forms of these receptors, which result in decreasing VEGF amount available to bind to its receptor on vascular endothelial cell surface. This study aimed to investigate the influences of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy and open by thoracotomy for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on postoperative circulating sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 levels., Methods: Forty-eight lung cancer patients underwent lobectomy through either VATS (n=26) or thoracotomy (n=22). Blood samples were collected from all patients preoperatively and postoperatively on days 1, 3 and 7. ELISA analysis was used to determine the plasma levels of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2. Data are reported as means and standard deviations, and were assessed with the Wilcoxon signed-Rank test (P<0.05)., Results: For all patients undergoing lobectomy, postoperative sVEGFR1 levels on days 1 and 3 were markedly increased, while postoperative sVEGFR2 levels on days 1 and 3 were significantly decreased. Moreover, VATS group had significantly higher plasma level of sVEGFR2 postoperative in comparison with open thoracotomy (OT) on day 1 (VATS 6,953±1,535 pg/mL; OT 5,874±1,328 pg/mL, P<0.05)., Conclusions: Major pulmonary resection for early stage NSCLC resulted in the increased sVEGFR1 and decreased sVEGFR2 productions. VATS is associated with enhanced anti-angiogenic response with higher circulating sVEGFR2 levels compared with that with OT. Such differences in anti-angiogenic response may have an important effect on cancer biology and recurrence after surgery.

Aim: To evaluate intra-session repeatability and reproducibility of optical quality parameters measured at objective and subjective best focuses in a double-pass system., Methods: Thirty Chinese healthy adults (19 to 40 years old) meeting our inclusion criterion were enrolled in the study. After a basic eye examination, two methods of optical quality measurement, based on subjective and objective best focuses were performed using the Optical Quality Analysis System (OQAS) with an artificial pupil diameter of 4.0 mm., Results: With each method, three consecutive measurements of the following parameters: the modulation transfer function cutoff frequency (MTFcutoff), the Strehl(2D) ratio, the OQAS values (OVs) at contrasts of 100%, 20%, 9% and the objective scatter index (OSI) were performed by an experienced examiner. The repeatability of each method was evaluated by the repeatability limit (RL) and the coefficient of repeatability (COR). Reproducibility of the two methods was evaluated by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and the 95% limits of agreement (Bland and Altman analysis). Thirty subjects, seven females and twenty three males, of whom 15 right eyes and 15 left eyes were selected randomly for recruitment in the study. The RLs (percentage) for the six parameters measured at objective focus and subjective focus ranged from 8.44% to 15.13% and 10.85% to 16.26%, respectively. The CORs for the two measurement methods ranged from 8.27% to 14.83% and 10.63% to 15.93%, respectively. With regard to reproducibility, the ICCs for the six parameters of OQAS ranged from 0.024 to 0.276. The 95% limits of agreement obtained for the six parameters (in comparison of the two methods) ranged from -0.57 to 42.18 (MTFcutoff), -0.01 to 0.23 (Strehl(2D) ratio), -0.02 to 1.40 (OV100%), -0.10 to 1.75 (OV20%), -0.14 to 1.80 (OV9%) and -1.46 to 0.18 (OSI)., Conclusion: Measurements provided by OQAS with either method showed a good repeatability. However, the results obtained from the two different measurement methods showed a poor reproducibility. These findings suggest that it might be best to evaluate patients' optical quality by OQAS using the best focus as chosen automatically by the instrument.

Objective: To explore the effect of Salvianolate on myosin heavy chain (MHC) in cardiomyocytes of congestive heart failure (CHF) rats., Methods: Sixty male SD rats were divided into 6 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the normal control group (NCG), the model group, the Captopril group (CAG), the low dose Salvianolate group (LSG), the high dose Salvianolate group (HSG), the Captopril and high dose Salvianolate group (CSG), 10 in each group. CHF rat model was established with peritoneal injection of adriamycin in all rats except those in the NCG. Equal volume of normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the NCG, once per week for 6 successive weeks. Corresponding medication was started from the 5th week of injecting adriamycin. Rats in the CAG were administered with Captopril solution at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in the LSG and the HSG were administered with Salvianolate solution at the daily dose of 24.219 mg/kg and 48.438 mg/kg respectively by gastrogavage. Salvianolate was dissolved in 2 mL 5% glucose solution and administered by peritoneal injection. Rats in the CSG were peritoneally injected with high dose Salvianolate solution and administered with Captopril solution by gastrogavage. Two mL normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the model group, once per day for 8 successive weeks. Eight weeks later, the cardiac function and myocardial hypertrophy indices were detected by biological signal collecting and processing system. mRNA expression levels of alpha-MHC and beta-MHC in cardiac muscle were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Expressions of protein kinase C (PKC) in cardiac muscle were detected by Western blot., Results: Compared with the normal control group, heart mass index (HMI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) obviously increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, HMI and LVMI decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). It was more obviously lowered in the CSG group than in the CAG group (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCG, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle decreased, the mRNA expression level of p-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle was increased, and the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle were decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was statistical difference between the CSG group and the CAG group (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Salvianolate could up-regulate the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC, and down-regulate the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC in cardiac muscle. Its mechanism might be related to decreasing the expression of PKC.

Background: Horizontal transfer (HT) of transposable elements (TEs) into a new genome is considered as an important force to drive genome variation and biological innovation. However, most of the HT of DNA transposons previously described occurred between closely related species or insects., Results: In this study, we carried out a detailed analysis of four DNA transposons, which were found in the first sequenced twisted-wing parasite, Mengenilla moldrzyki. Through the homology-based strategy, these transposons were also identified in other insects, freshwater planarian, hydrozoans, and bats. The phylogenetic distribution of these transposons was discontinuous, and they showed extremely high sequence identities (>87%) over their entire length in spite of their hosts diverging more than 300 million years ago (Mya). Additionally, phylogenies and comparisons of transposons versus orthologous gene identities demonstrated that these transposons have transferred into their hosts by independent HTs., Conclusions: Here, we provided the first documented example of HT of CACTA transposons, which have been so far extensively studied in plants. Our results demonstrated that bats had continuously acquired new DNA elements via HT. This implies that predation on a large quantity of insects might increase bat exposure to HT. In addition, parasite-host interaction might facilitate exchanging of their genetic materials.

Segmental resection is a useful procedure to preserve respiratory function. A 56-year-old woman presented with a finding of a left upper lobe lesion on CT scanning. She was performed video-assisted thoracoscopic left upper lobe apical trisegmentectomy with the Harmonic scalpel. Video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS) segmentectomy is associated with safe and feasible procedure. With the Harmonic scalpel dissection, blood loss is minimal and this speeds patient recovery.

Background: Optical Quality Analysis System II (OQAS, Visiometrics, Terrassa, Spain) that uses double-pass (DP) technique is the only commercially available device that allows objective measurement of ocular retinal image quality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of spectacle lenses on the ocular optical quality parameters and the validity of the optometer within OQAS., Methods: Seventy eyes of healthy volunteers were enrolled. Optical quality measurements were performed using OQAS with an artificial pupil diameter of 4.0 mm. Three consecutive measurements were obtained from spectacle correction corresponding to subjective refraction and from the OQAS built-in optometer separately. The modulation transfer function cutoff frequency, the Strehl ratio, the width of the point spread function (PSF) at 10% of its maximal height (PSF10), and the width of the PSF at 50% of its maximal height (PSF50) were analyzed., Results: There was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the spectacle correction and the optometer correction (all P > 0.05, paired t-test). A good agreement was found between both the methods and a good intraobserver repeatability in both the correction methods. Difference in best focus between two methods was the only parameter associated significantly with optical quality parameter differences. Best focus difference, built-in optometer correction with or without external cylindrical lens, and age were associated significantly with PSF10 difference. No linear correlation between refractive status and optical quality measurement difference was observed. A hyperopic bias (best focus difference of (0.50 ± 0.44) D) and a relatively better optical quality using spectacle correction in high myopia group were found., Conclusions: OQAS based on DP system is a clinically reliable instrument. In patients with high myopia, measurements using built-in optometer correction should be considered and interpreted with caution.

Premise of the Study: Microsatellite loci were developed for Prunus sibirica to investigate genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and marker-assisted selection of late-blooming cultivars in the breeding of P. sibirica. •, Methods and Results: Using a magnetic bead enrichment strategy, 19 primer pairs were developed and characterized across 40 individuals from three P. sibirica wild populations and six individuals of P. armeniaca. The number of alleles per locus varied from three to 11 and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.063 to 0.917 and 0.295 to 0.876, respectively, in the three P. sibirica wild populations. All primer pairs could be successfully amplified in six individuals of P. armeniaca. •, Conclusions: These microsatellite primer pairs should be useful for population genetics, germplasm identification, and marker-assisted selection in the breeding of P. sibirica and related species.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of polypoid lesions of gallbladder (PLG) among the health examinees in the Shanghai region, China., Methods: A total of 11,816 subjects who underwent health examinations in our hospital between August 2010 and February 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, there were 7174 men and 4642 women. PLG was diagnosed by the real-time ultrasonography. Those with the body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 were considered to be obese. Blood biochemical indices were detected with the fully automatic biochemical analyzer and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was tested by the automated enzyme immunoassay. The correlations between the prevalence of PLG and age, sex, BMI, serum cholesterol (T-Cho), triglycerides (TG), blood sugar, HBsAg, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), gallstone and fatty liver were investigated. After univariate analysis of 11 variables, stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the risk factors of PLG., Results: There was a significant difference in sex, T-Cho, HBsAg, HDL-C, LDL-C and fatty liver between the PLG-positive group and the PLG-negative group (332/163 vs 6842/4479, P = 0.003; 22/473 vs 295/11,026, P =0.013; 92/403 vs 993/10,328, P = 0.001; 47/448 vs 332/10,989, P = 0.001; 32/463 vs 381/10,940, P = 0.001; 83/412 vs 3260/8061, P = 0.001). No significant difference was found in the age, BMI, TG, blood sugar and gallstone between the two groups (47.3 ± 26 vs 45.1 ± 33, P = 0.173; 59/436 vs 1097/10,224, P = 0.102; 52/443 vs 982/10,339, P = 0.158; 17/478 vs 295/11,026, P = 0.26; 24/471 vs 395/10,926, P = 0.109). Logistic regression analysis showed that the sex, HBsAg and HDL-C were independent risk factors for the development of PLG in a descending order of HDL-C > HBsAg > sex., Conclusion: In healthy people, the male gender, positive HBsAg, and low HDL-C confer higher risks of PLG development.

Objective: To compare the refractive results between open-field auto ref/keratometer and conventional autorefractor, and to investigate the effect of cycloplegic to this difference., Methods: Three hundred and four primary and secondary school students were consecutively enrolled in Beijing Tongren Hospital. Non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic objective refractions were performed for each subject by conventional autorefractor (Accuref-K9001, Shin Nippon, Japan) and binocular, open-field auto ref/keratometer (Grand Seiko Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan). The coincidence rate of sphere, spherical equivalent (SE) and axis (defined as difference of diopter ≤ 0.50 D, difference of axis degree ≤ 20°) were calculated; Bland-Altman and distribution analysis were performed according to mean and difference of SE., Results: The coincidence rate of sphere, SE and axis were 77.3%, 78.6% and 66.0% before cycloplegic and increased to 94.4%, 95.1% and 69.5% after cycloplegic, respectively. The difference (95%CI) of SE before cycloplegic between these two refractometers was 0.12 (-1.04 to 1.29) D and was positively correlated with the mean of SE (after cycloplegic) (r(pearson) = 0.21, P < 0.001). The difference (95%CI) of SE after cycloplegic was -0.08 (-0.60 to 0.45) D. The difference (95%CI) of SE of K9001 autorefractor before and after cycloplegic was larger than that of WAM autorefractor [0.51 (-0.83 - 1.84) D and 0.31 (-0.66 to 1.28) D, P < 0.001]. Before cycloplegic, SE measured by WAM autorefractor showed myopic more than 0.25 D than K9001 (group 1) was found in 51 (16.8%) subjects; difference within 0.25 D was found in 160 (52.6%) subjects; hyperopic more than 0.25 D (group 3) was found in 93 (30.6%) subjects. After cycloplegic, 69 (22.7%) subjects were found in group 1, and subjects increased to 213 (70.1%) and decreased to 22 (7.2%) in group 2 and group 3, respectively., Conclusion: The binocular, open-field auto ref/keratometer provides more hyperopic readings than conventional autorefractor. It will be useful in both clinical screening and scientific research because it produces less instrument myopia than that of conventional autorefractor.

Aim: To analyze the retinal modulation transfer function between amblyopes whose visual acuity was corrected to 5.0 and normal subjects at the same age., Methods: RM-800 used to detect contrast sensitivity was adopted to measure MTF of 96 amblyopes (96 eyes) whose visual acuity was corrected to 5.0 and 80 normal controls (80 eyes) at the same age under six interference fringes (IVA=0.06, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8)., Results: The functional values of amblyopes were significantly lower than those of normal subjects in every fringe (P<0.01), especially in medium and high frequency., Conclusion: For amblyopes, MTF was still abnormal after stopping the treatments.

Y2O3 powders doped with rare-earth ions were synthesized by sol-gel combustion synthesis. Effects of different calcinating temperatures, Er+ doping concentration and Yb3+ doping concentration were investigated. It was shown that the single well crystallized Y2O3 powders could be obtained at 800 degrees C; as the calcinating temperature increased, the crystallinity and upconversion luminescence intensity were higher; the particle size was uniform around 1 microm at 900 degrees C; when Er3+ doping concentration was 1 mol%, the green upconversion luminescence intensity reached the maximum, but for red upconversion luminescence, when Er3+ doping concentration was 4 mol%, its luminescence intensity reached the maximum; as the ratio of Yb3+ to Er3+ was 4:1, the green emission intensity reached the maximum, while the red emission intensity was always increasing as Yb3+ doping concentration increased.

Hypertension has been recognized to be closely related to plasma homocysteine levels (tHcy). Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are used widely for hypertension research, but it is unclear whether hypertension is related to high levels of tHcy in rat plasma. To test whether hyperhomocysteinemia occurs in SHR we dynamically measured plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) in SHR by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This analytical method has good linearity within the range of 1-100 micromol/L for tHcy in rat plasma with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.9975. After dynamic monitoring (12 weeks) on the plasma tHcy in SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats, we found that there was no significant difference in tHcy level between SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats, which was 6.98 +/- 1.82 micromol/L and 8.04 +/- 1.64 micromol/L, respectively. And there was no significantly high level of plasma tHcy in SHR.

A strictly aerobic, Gram-negative, non-pigmented bacterial strain, designated LMEB 39(T), was isolated from a seawater sample collected from the Yangtze River estuary near the East China Sea and was examined physiologically, chemotaxonomically and phylogenetically. The novel isolate was motile by a single polar flagellum and positive for nitrate reduction and decomposition of casein, gelatin, Tween 20 and Tween 80, but negative for indole production. Chemotaxonomic analysis revealed ubiquinone-8 as the predominant respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as major polar lipids. The major fatty acids were C(16 : 1) ω 7c/iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH, C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1) ω 7c, C(12 : 0) 3-OH, C(17 : 1)ω 8c and C(17 : 0). The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.3 mol%. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belongs to the genus Pseudoalteromonas. Strain LMEB 39(T) exhibited the closest phylogenetic affinity to Pseudoalteromonas byunsanensis JCM 12483(T) (97.4 % sequence similarity). The DNA-DNA reassociation values between strain LMEB 39(T) and P. byunsanensis JCM 12483(T) and Pseudoalteromonas undina DSM 6065(T) (97.2 % sequence similarity) were 31.7 and 30.3 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data, strain LMEB 39(T) represents a novel species of the genus Pseudoalteromonas, for which the name Pseudoalteromonas lipolytica sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is LMEB 39(T) (=CGMCC 1.8499(T)=JCM 15903(T)).

Objective: To explore the influence of histamine H3 receptor agonist, IMETIT and simultaneous use of IMETIT and H1-receptor antagonist, Loratadine, on the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) and substance P(SP) secretion and expression of SP receptor (SP-R) mRNA in AR model in guinea pigs., Methods: Guinea pigs were divided randomly into 4 groups: AR group (group A), IMETIT group (group B), Loratadine group (group C) and IMETIT+Loratadine group (group D). The severity of AR was assessed by determining the extent of three markers of allergic symptoms (sneezing, nasal rubbing and nose blocking). The changes in the nasal mucosa were studied by pathological methods. The expression of positive cell of SP was detected by immunohistochemistry. SP-R mRNA expression in nasal mucosa was used to do reverse transcriptive-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Statistical analysis was performed using a SPSS 13.0 software., Results: In Group B, the mean (x ± s) number of sneeze [(15.0 ± 1.3) times], scratching nose [(16.5 ± 2.3) times] and respiratory frequency [(76.3 ± 4.1) times/min] were significantly improved than those in group A [(23.5 ± 2.6) times, (26.1 ± 4.1) times and (66.5 ± 5.8) times/min, respectively), P value were 0.000, 0.000 and 0.001, respectively]. The numbers of SP-positive cells [(11.6 ± 3.6)/HP] and SP-R mRNA expression (0.64 ± 0.04) in group B were reduced significantly compared to group A [(27.1 ± 9.7)/HP, (0.83 ± 0.03), P value were 0.000, 0.000, respectively]. Sneeze [(10.0 ± 2.3) times], scratching nose [(11.8 ± 1.7) times] and respiration [(90.0 ± 5.0) times/min] in Group D were improved significantly than those in group B (P value were 0.000, 0.002 and 0.000, respectively). SP-positive cells [(2.0 ± 1.7)/HP] and SP-R mRNA expression (0.52 ± 0.06) in Group D compared with group B were also significantly reduced (P value were 0.012 and 0.000, respectively). Pathological changes in guinea pig nasal mucosa in group B, group D were alleviated than those in group A. The combination of IMETIT and Loratadine had a synergistic effect on these effects (F value were 11.59, 8.28, 5.61, 5.48, 6.50, respectively, P value were 0.002, 0.008, 0.025, 0.027, 0.017)., Conclusions: IMETIT and the combination of IMETIT with Loratadine can effectively relieve the symptoms of AR in guinea pigs, its mechanism may be relevant to reduce SP secretion and the expression of SP-R mRNA, and the two has a synergistic effect. It may be useful as a novel therapeutic approach in nasal allergy.

Objective: To investigate the potential of siRNAs targeting sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 (SMPD1) in protecting the oocytes from apoptosis, and explore new approaches to female fertility preservation., Methods: Chemically synthesized siRNA targeting SMPD1 were introduced into mouse oocytes retrieved by hyperstimulation, and the cell apoptosis was analyzed by comic assay 48 and 72 h later., Results: In the oocytes without any siRNA injection, oocyte DNA damage occurred after 24 h, and large amount of DNA fragments migrated from the cells 48 h later. In oocytes injected with siRNA003, DNA migration decreased significantly as compared with the control and the other two groups injected with siRNA001 and siRNA002 (P<0.01)., Conclusion: siRNA targeting SMPD1 may protect the oocytes from apoptosis, and has the potential for use in future female fertility preservation.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, neutrophilic, coccoid bacterium, strain E4A9T, was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample collected from the East Pacific polymetallic nodule region. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the isolate was related to the type strain of Altererythrobacter epoxidivorans (96.0% sequence similarity). Lower 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities were observed with other members of the genera Altererythrobacter (94.7%), Erythrobacter (94.0-95.4%), Erythromicrobium (94.8%) and Porphyrobacter (94.6-95.1%) of the family Erythrobacteraceae. Phylogenetic analysis including all described species of the family Erythrobacteraceae and several members of the family Sphingomonadaceae revealed that the isolate formed a distinct phylogenetic lineage with the family Erythrobacteraceae. Chemotaxonomic analysis revealed ubiquinone-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C14:0 and iso-C15:0 as major fatty acids, and phosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipid. The DNA G+C content was 71.5 mol%. The isolate contained carotenoids, but no bacteriochlorophyll a. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data presented in this study, strain E4A9T represents a novel species in a new genus in the family Erythrobacteraceae for which the name Croceicoccus marinus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is E4A9T (=CGMCC 1.6776T=JCM 14846T).

Aim: To examine the human hepatic parenchymal and stromal components in rat liver and the phenotypic changes of human cells in liver of human-rat chimera (HRC) generated by in utero transplantation of human cells during partial hepatectomy (PHx)-induced liver regeneration., Methods: Human hepatic parenchymal and stromal components and phenotypic changes of human cells during liver regeneration were examined by flow cytometry, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry., Results: ISH analysis demonstrated human Alu-positive cells in hepatic parenchyma and stroma of recipient liver. Functional human hepatocytes generated in this model potentially constituted human hepatic functional units with the presence of donor-derived human endothelial and biliary duct cells in host liver. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP)(+), CD34(+) and CD45(+) cells were observed in the chimeric liver on day 10 after PHx-induced liver regeneration and then disappeared in PHx group, but not in non-PHx group, suggesting that dynamic phenotypic changes of human cells expressing AFP, CD34 and CD45 cells may occur during the chimeric liver regeneration. Additionally, immunostaining for human proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) showed that the number of PCNA-positive cells in the chimeric liver of PHx group was markedly increased, as compared to that of control group, indicating that donor-derived human cells are actively proliferated during PHx-induced regeneration of HRC liver., Conclusion: HRC liver provides a tool for investigating human liver regeneration in a humanized animal model.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, neutrophilic and rod-shaped bacterium, strain Shh49(T), was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample collected from the East Pacific polymetallic nodule region. The strain was able to grow within a temperature range of 4-35 degrees C and tolerated up to 7.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain Shh49(T) was characterized chemotaxonomically by having MK-12 and MK-13 as predominant isoprenoid quinones, anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(16 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0) as major fatty acids and ornithine as cell-wall diamino acid. The genomic DNA G+C content was 66.8 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, the closest phylogenetic neighbours were the type strains of Microbacterium phyllosphaerae (98.3 %) and Microbacterium keratanolyticum (98.0 %), but strain Shh49(T) could be clearly distinguished from its phylogenetic relatives with reference to a broad range of physiological and biochemical markers. DNA-DNA relatedness of strain Shh49(T) with M. phyllosphaerae DSM 13468(T) and M. keratanolyticum DSM 8606(T) was 56 and 31 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data presented in this study, strain Shh49(T) represents a novel species of the genus Microbacterium, for which the name Microbacterium profundi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Shh49(T) (=CGMCC 1.6777(T) =JCM 14840(T)).

Objective: To develop a tight tetracycline-controlled HCV-C double transgenic mouse model., Methods: By crossbreeding of ApoE-rtTA-tTS transgenic mice with TRE-HCV-C transgenic mice, the double transgenic mice were produced in the F1 generation. The presence of HCV-C and tTS gene in the F1 generation was confirmed by PCR, followed by further identification and quantification of the transgene using Southern blot hybridization. The expression of HCV-C in the liver of the mouse model was detected immunohistochemically., Results and Conclusion: Two transgenic mice were obtained, which contained ApoE-rtTA-tTS and TRE-HCV-C genes in the genome. Five founders contained HCV-C gene as confirmed by PCR and Southern blot hybridization. The tight tetracycline-controlled system may facilitate further study of HCV-C gene expression and gene therapy of hepatic cellular carcinoma.

The traditional light sources in the diagnostic method of tongue collection such as daylight or even candles are easily affected by weather and environment. It isn't favorable for doctors to obtain the accurate information of the tongue condition. The authors' introduce the electric light sources to compensate or replace daylight to obtain stable and real tongue image and scientific results. Lighted by lamps with different radiation spectrum power distribution property, various color rendition and color temperature, the same object will indicate different colors. In this study, spectrum analysis is carried out on four fluorescent lamps and the research is based on iamge identification techniques of tongue color. Applying the methods of spectrum analysis, choose the best one in four illuminants with their specific spectrum by testing instruments and comparing with the results using several spectrum parameters and chromatic coordinates tolerance ellipses. Result showed PHILIPS YPZ220/18-3U. RR. D (with the correlative color temperature 6 500 K) lamp which has the most similar spectrum property with daylight can be used as standard lamp. The research provides the theoretic and experimental basis for choosing electric light sources to replace daylight.

We took advantage of the proliferative and permissive environment of the developing pre-immune fetus to develop a noninjury human-rat xenograft small animal model, in which the in utero transplantation of low-density mononuclear cells (MNCs) from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) into fetal rats at 9-11 days of gestation led to the formation of human hepatocyte-like cells (hHLCs) with different cellular phenotypes, as revealed by positive immunostaining for human-specific alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), cytokeratin 19 (CK19), cytokeratin 8 (CK8), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), and albumin (Alb), and with some animals exhibiting levels as high as 10.7% of donor-derived human cells in the recipient liver. More interestingly, donor-derived human cells stained positively for CD34 and CD45 in the liver of 2-month-old rat. Human hepatic differentiation appeared to partially follow the process of hepatic ontogeny, as evidenced by the expression of AFP gene at an early stage and albumin gene at a later stage. Human hepatocytes generated in this model retained functional properties of normal hepatocytes. In this xenogeneic system, the engrafted donor-derived human cells persisted in the recipient liver for at least 6 months after birth. Taken together, these findings suggest that the donor-derived human cells with different cellular phenotypes are found in the recipient liver and hHLCs hold biological activity. This humanized small animal model, which offers an in vivo environment more closely resembling the situations in human, provides an invaluable approach for in vivo investigating human stem cell behaviors, and further in vivo examining fundamental mechanisms controlling human stem cell fates in the future.

Aim: To accurately and realistically elucidate human stem cell behaviors in vivo and the fundamental mechanisms controlling human stem cell fates in vivo, which is urgently required in regenerative medicine and treatments for some human diseases, a surrogate human-rat chimera model was developed., Methods: Human-rat chimeras were achieved by in utero transplanting low-density mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood into the fetal rats at 9-11 d of gestation, and subsequently, a variety of methods, including flow cytometry, PCR as well as immunohistochemical assay, were used to test the human donor contribution in the recipients., Results: Of 29 live-born recipients, 19 had the presence of human CD45(+) cells in peripheral blood (PB) detected by flow cytometry, while PCR analysis on genomic DNA from 11 different adult tissues showed that 14 selected from flow cytometry-positive 19 animals possessed of donor-derived human cell engraftment in multiple tissues (i.e. liver, spleen, thymus, heart, kidney, blood, lung, muscle, gut and skin) examined at the time of tissue collection, as confirmed by detecting human beta2-microglobulin expression using immunohistochemistry. In this xenogeneic system, the engrafted donor-derived human cells persisted in multiple tissues for at least 6 mo after birth. Moreover, transplanted human donor cells underwent site-specific differentiation into CK18-positive human cells in chimeric liver and CD45-positive human cells in chimeric spleen and thymus of recipients., Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that we successfully developed human-rat chimeras, in which xenogeneic human cells exist up to 6 mo later. This humanized small animal model, which offers an in vivo environment more closely resembling to the situations in human, provides an invaluable and effective approach for in vivo investigating human stem cell behaviors, and further in vivo examining fundamental mechanisms controlling human stem cell fates in the future. The potential for new advances in our better understanding the living biological systems in human provided by investigators in humanized animals will remain promising.

Aim: To construct a hepatitis B virus (HBV)-based vector with a reporter gene and to establish an HBV infection system to evaluate the availability of the vector., Methods: The HBV-based vectors with green fluorescence protein (GFP) were packaged into the liver of immunodeficient mice through transfer and helper plasmid using hydrodynamic technology. Wild type HBV (wt HBV) was provided by plasmid MC2009. Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) were isolated and infected with recombinant HBV (rHBV) or wt HBV. GFP expression was monitored by confocal and flow cytometry. HBV DNA and HBV surface antigen (HBSAg) were analyzed by PCR and ELISA., Results: 3 x 10(7) wt HBV copies/mL and 5 x 10(6) rHBV copies/mL were collected from mice serum. In the wt HBV infected group, HBV progeny was 2 x 10(7) copies/mL and HBSAg was 770 ng/mL. In the rHBV infected group, GFP fluorescence was detected on d 3 post-infection and over 85% of the parenchymal cells expressed green fluorescence on d 12 post-infection. Compared with wt HBV in the PHH infection system, no rHBV DNA or HBSAg were detected in PHH culture media., Conclusion: An effective HBV based vector was developed, which proved to be a useful HBV infection system. This vector and infection system can be applied to develop a therapeutic vector and study the HBV life cycle and viral pathogenesis.

Objective: To determine whether the surviving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the testis after transplantation can differentiate into quasi-sperm., Methods: (1) Making an animal model with sterilized testes. Forty 4-week old white male BASB/C mice were used to establish an animal model with sterilized testes and divided randomly into an experimental and a control group. (2) Cell preparation. The MSCs from 10 gray male 129-mice were isolated, cultured and purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation combined with the adherent method. When the MSCs grew to an adequate number, they were made into a cell suspension with NS at a concentration of 1 million cells/ml. (3) Xenogeneic transplantation of the MSCs into the testis. The MSC suspension was blindly injected into the testes of the mice in the experimental group and NS into the testes of the controls. (4) Post-transplantation observation. Forty white female BASB/C mice were adopted, each put into a box with a male mouse from the experimental group or the control group, and then observed for pregnancy., Results: In the experimental group, 8 cases of pregnancy (40%) were observed at 31-46 d (38.5 d on average), the offspring all white. In the control group, only 1 case of pregnancy (5%) was seen at 45 d, the offspring all white, too. It was suggested that the MSCs of the 129-mice failed to differentiate into functional quasi-sperm and pass their genes to their offspring, as would expectedly have been presented by a mixture of black and white. The pregnancy rates of the two groups were significantly different (P < 0.05), which indicated that MSCs could promote the healing of the testis damage., Conclusion: MSCs cannot differentiate into quasi-sperm after heterogeneity transplantation into the testis, but can promote the healing of the testis damage.

Objective: To explore the methods of making an animal model with sterilized testes., Methods: (1) X-ray local irradiation. Seventy 8-10-week-old male mice were equally divided into 6 experiment groups and a control group. The testes of the mice in the 6 experiment groups were irradiated sequentially by 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 and 2000 cGy X-ray for 10 minutes, while those in the control group remained untreated. And then the pregnancy test was performed. (2) Cyclophosphamide injection. Forty 4-5-week-old male mice were divided into 3 experiment groups and a control group, the former treated with different doses of Cyclophosphamide via ip and the latter Natiichloridi Saline (N.S.) via i.p., followed by the pregnancy test. (3) Diphereline injection. Twenty 8-10-week-old male mice were equally divided into an experiment group and a control group, the former treated with Diphereline via ip and the latter N.S. via i.p., followed by the pregnancy test. (4) Identification by such pathologic examinations as TUNE1. technology, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining., Results: (1) X-ray local irradiation. The male mice of Group 1 and 2 made their female partners pregnant respectively 10 and 15 days after the X-ray irradiation, but not those of Group 3 and 4 in our 3-month observation, and those of Group 5 and 6 died respectively 2 and 5 days after the X-ray irradiation. By comparison, the controls got their female partners pregnant within 3 days after placed together. (2) Cyclophosphamide injection. The male mice of Group 1 gained weight about 7 g and achieved pregnancy 9-14 days after drug termination, those of Group 2 gained around 4 g but failed to effect pregnancy, and those in Group 3 lost weight and died respective at 3, 4 and 5 weeks during the medication, while the controls all got their female partners pregnant within 3 days after put together. (3) Diphereline injection. The 10 male mice of the experiment group effected pregnancy 3 weeks after drug termination, while the 10 controls achieved the same result with 3 days after placed together. (4) Pathologic identification: TUNEL technology showed that apoptotic cells were occasionally seen (0.71 +/- 0.12)% in the testis tissue of the control group and remarkably increased (10.36 +/- 1.48)% in the model group, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). HE staining revealed normal testis tissues and convoluted seminiferous tubules with large numbers of germ cells in the control group, but atrophied convoluted seminiferous tubules and estranged cell linkage with only Ledig's cells but no germ cells in the model group. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the positive expression rates of CD29, Hsp90alpha and CD117 were respectively (50.30 +/- 5.2)%, (41.6 +/- 3.5)% and (73.6 +/- 3.7)% in the control group, as compared with (1.3 +/- 0.2)%, 0% and (1.6 +/- 0.3)% in the model group, with significant difference (P < 0.01). The positive expression rate of p53 was (19.7 +/- 0.8)% in the control group, significantly different from that of the model group, which was (39.4 +/- 2.9)% (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: The animal model with sterilized testes can be made either by X-ray local irradiation of the testis or by Cyclophosphamide injection via i.p..

Aim: To use the tyrosinase minigene as a visual marker to perform microinjection training and improve the techniques related with transgene to greatly elevate the efficiency of gene transfer., Methods: A mouse tyrosinase minigene, i.e., TyBS, in which the 2.25-kb authentic genomic 5' non-coding flanking sequence of mouse tyrosinase was fused to a mouse tyrosinase cDNA, was introduced into the fertilized eggs of outbred Kunming albino mice., Results: Of the 11 animals that developed from the injected eggs, two mice (P1 and #8) exhibited pigmented hair (P1) and eyes (P1 and #8), as confirmed by PCR analysis for the tyrosinase minigene integrated into the genome. When founder P1 was bred to Kunming male mouse, six progeny out of 11 offspring inherited the transgene and the pigmented-eye phenotype., Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that this minigene encodes the active tyrosinase protein and that its 5' flanking region contains the sequences regulating the expression of mouse tyrosinase gene as expected. We have rescued the albino phenotype by introduction and expression of a functional tyrosinase minigene in the Kunming albino mouse and the transgene can be passed to subsequent generation. These findings also indicate that TyBS can be a useful visual marker gene in the co-transgenic experiments.