Search

Microbial fertilizer is a kind of live bacteria preparation that can make plants obtain specific fertilizer effect. With the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides caused by a series of problems, people began to pay more and more attention to the research and use of microbial fertilizer. This paper describes the application of microbial fertilizer in food crops, vegetables, fruit trees and so on. The mechanism of microbial fertilizer was explained from five aspects: improving soil fertility, promoting plant growth, biological control, improving plant product quality and improving environmental conditions.

Aim: Cloud computing has been a hot topic in recent years, yet its technology trend is rarely comprehensively studied in peer-reviewed publications. Owing to a great number of professional and technical terms and the increasing volume of technical data presented in patents, it is difficult to analytically identify the timeframe of technological development. Methods: To remedy this problem, this study uses a sequential pattern method and social network analysis to develop the technological context of cloud computing. Results & Discussion: The analysis of relative patent position, technology quality, and technology life cycle was incorporated. Conclusion: This study proposes a method of patent portfolio analysis on the technological level to assist managers of cloud computing enterprises in developing competitive research and development (R&D) strategies.

Fusarium is a variety of species, which is difficult to distinguish in morphology. Traditionally, identification of pathogenic fusarium requires the separation of pathogenic bacteria, purification of pathogenic bacteria, separation and purification after tieback, sequencing and other processes, which are time-consuming and laborious. Molecular detection technology can make pathogen identification more efficient. Fusarium control mainly includes cultivating disease-resistant varieties, chemical control, physical control, biological control and crop rotation. In recent years, various root rot bacteria caused by Fusarium have shown an increasing trend. By reviewing the previous relevant research results, this study summarized the research progress of molecular detection and prevention measures of root rot caused by the soilborne disease fungus Fusarium, and explored the current research status and existing problems of fusarium. In order to provide theoretical reference for further study of soil-borne pathogenic fungi.

Many Berberis species have been identified as alternate hosts for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. Importantly, susceptible Berberis species are determined to play an important role in the occurrence of sexual reproduction, generation of new races of the rust pathogen. However, little is known about Mahonia serving as alternate hosts for P. striiformis f. sp. tritici and their role to commence sexual reproduction of the rust fungus under natural conditions. Herein, three Mahonia species or subspecies, Mahonia fortunei, M. eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis, and M. sheridaniana, were identified as alternate hosts for P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, and seven Mahonia species were highly resistant to the rust pathogen. We recovered seven samples of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici from naturally rusted Mahonia cardiophylla plants. Totally, 54 single uredinium (SU) isolates, derived from the seven samples, generated 20 different race types, including one known race type, and 19 new race types. SNP markers analysis showed that all SU isolates displayed high phenotype diversity (H = 0.32) with a high Shannon’s information index (I = 0.49). Analysis of linkage disequilibrium indicated an insignificant rbarD value (rbarD = 0.003, P < 0.1). As a result, all SU isolates are sexually produced, suggesting that P. striiformis f. sp. tritici parasitizes susceptible Mahonia to complete sexual reproduction under natural conditions. The role of Mahonia in occurrence of wheat stripe rust are needed to study for management of the disease.

Mucosal healing, the result of endoscopic remission, is associated with prolonged clinical remission and delayed deterioration of Crohn's disease, which is significant and accompanied by reduced hospitalizations and surgeries. Currently, the relationship between ultrasonic parameters and mucosal healing remains controversial. To establish an ultrasonic regression model to evaluate mucosal healing, we conducted this preliminary study using multiple parameters from B-mode ultrasonography, colour Doppler flow imaging and shear wave elastography systematically.This study consisted of two single-centre investigations based on development and validation populations who received endoscopies (as the gold standard) and ultrasound. The involved bowel segments were divided into mucosal healing (MH) and nonmucosal healing (NMH) groups according to endoscopic results. Eight ultrasonic parameters were observed, including bowel wall thickness (BWT), mesenteric fat thickness (MFT), median modulus of elasticity (Emean), average shear wave velocity (SWV), Limberg scoring (LG), bowel wall stratification (BWS), ascites (AS) and lymph node enlargement (LN). We developed an ultrasonic regression model in the development phase to evaluate segmental mucosal healing and undertook prospective validation of this model.A total of 124 patients with 380 involved bowel segments from the development and validation cohorts were evaluated. Eight ultrasonic parameters were significantly different between the two groups (P0.05) in the development phase. Four significant parameters with better AUC performance were selected to establish an ultrasonic regression model to predict mucosal healing. The AUCs of this ultrasonic model were 0.975 and 0.942 in the development and validation cohorts, respectively.The multimodal ultrasonic model has the potential to evaluate segmental mucosal healing in Crohn's disease.

The risk of early mortality of patients who start dialysis urgently is high; however, in patients with diabetes undergoing urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (USPD), the risk of, and risk factors for, early mortality are unknown.To identify risk factors for mortality during high-risk periods in patients with diabetes undergoing USPD.This retrospective cohort study enrolled 568 patients with diabetes, aged ≥ 18 years, who underwent USPD at one of five Chinese centers between 2013 and 2019. We divided the follow-up period into two survival phases: The first 6 mo of USPD therapy and the months thereafter. We compared demographic and baseline clinical data of living and deceased patients during each period. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated for all-cause mortality according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify risk factors for mortality within the first 6 mo and after 6 mo of USPD.Forty-one patients died within the first 6 mo, accounting for the highest proportion of mortalities (26.62%) during the entire follow-up period. Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of mortality within 6 mo (26.83%) and after 6 mo (31.86%). The risk of mortality not only within the first 6 mo but also after the first 6 mo was higher for patients with obvious baseline heart failure symptoms than for those with mild or no heart failure symptoms. Independent risk factors for mortality within the first 6 mo were advanced age [hazard ratio (HR: 1.908; 95%CI: 1.400-2.600;To reduce the risk of mortality within the first 6 mo of USPD in patients with diabetes, controlling the serum phosphorus level and improving cardiac function are recommended.

The genetic events occurring in recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC) are poorly understood. Here, we performed whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing in 55 patients with rNPC and 44 primarily diagnosed NPC (pNPC), with 7 patients having paired rNPC and pNPC samples. Previously published pNPC exome data were integrated for analysis. rNPC and pNPC tissues had similar mutational burdens, however, the number of clonal mutations was increased in rNPC samples. TP53 and three NF-κB pathway components (TRAF3, CYLD, and NFKBIA) were significantly mutated in both pNPC and rNPC. Notably, mutations in TRAF3, CYLD, and NFKBIA were all clonal in rNPC, however, 55.6% to 57.9% of them were clonal in pNPC. In general, the number of clonal mutations in NF-κB pathway–associated genes was significantly higher in rNPC than in pNPC. The NF-κB mutational clonality was selected and/or enriched during NPC recurrence. The amount of NF-κB translocated to the nucleus in samples with clonal NF-κB mutants was significantly higher than that in samples with subclonal NF-κB mutants. Moreover, the nuclear abundance of NF-κB protein was significantly greater in pNPC samples with locoregional relapse than in those without relapse. Furthermore, high nuclear NF-κB levels were an independent negative prognostic marker for locoregional relapse-free survival in pNPC. Finally, inhibition of NF-κB enhanced both radiosensitivity and chemosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, NF-κB pathway activation by clonal mutations plays an important role in promoting the recurrence of NPC. Moreover, nuclear accumulation of NF-κB is a prominent biomarker for predicting locoregional relapse-free survival.Significance:This study uncovers genetic events that promote the progression and recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and has potential prognostic and therapeutic implications.See related commentary by Sehgal and Barbie, p. 5915

All Supplementary Tables in one file. Supplementary Table 1. Clinical data on the rNPC and pNPC for whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing. Supplementary Table 2.Clinical characteristics of rNPC and pNPC FFPE samples. Supplementary Table 3. The correspondence between sample ID in the manuscript and sample alias in the database (HRA000053) Supplementary Table 4. Summary of WES/WGS on 55rNPC and 44pNPC. Supplementary Table 5. Summary of mutation in 55 rNPC and 44 pNPC cases. Supplementary Table 6. Somatic SNVs and indels of coding regions in 55 rNPC and 44 pNPC cases. Supplementary table 7. Validation of somatic mutations in rNPC and pNPC. Supplementary Table 8. Summary of WES in 7 paired rNPC and pNPC samples. Supplementary table 9. Somatic SNVs and indels of coding regions in pired rNPC and pNPC cases. Supplementary Table 10. Overlapped somatic SNVs and indels of coding regions in 7 paired rNPC and pNPC cases. Supplementary table 11. Summary of CNVs and SVs in 55 rNPC and 44 pNPC cases. Supplementary Table 12. Summary of survival analyses by multivariate Cox proportional hazards model by overall survival. Supplementary Table 13. Summary of survival analyses by multivariate Cox proportional hazards model by loco-regional relapse-free survival.

OBJECTIVE Previous study suggested that estradiol (E2) plays an important role in otolith shedding by regulating the expression of otoconin 90 (OC90). The purpose of this article is to provide further data on the effect and mechanism of E2 on the morphology of otolith. METHODS The rats receiving bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) were used as animal models. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to observe the relationship between estrogen receptor (ER) and estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα). The morphology of otolith was observed under the scanning electron microscopy. Western blotting and qPCR were used for quantitative analysis of the roles of ER and ERRα in regulating OC90 expression. RESULTS The looser otoliths were observed in rats receiving bilateral OVX, which could be reversed by supplementation with E2. The level of ERRα was decreased in bilateral OVX rats. ER and ERRα interacted with each other on the regulation of the expression of OC90. CONCLUSION Our results suggest ER and ERRα are both important downstream receptors involved in regulating OC90 expression in utricles of rats, and ERRα probably functions by interacting with ER. This provides evidence for the mechanism of otolith shedding. And it may be significant for future studies of targeted prevention and therapies for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Background Elastography has not been widely applied to the gastrointestinal tract. The bowel wall's normal elasticity values are still unknown and are necessary for studies of gastrointestinal diseases. This study explores the feasibility of using shear wave elastography (SWE) to measure the terminal ileum wall stiffness in healthy subjects and establish the corresponding normal ranges of elasticity values. Methods This observational study recruited 139 healthy adult volunteers from April to July 2020. All examinations were performed in the anterior terminal ileum wall. Shear wave velocity (SWV) and Young's modulus (E) values were measured in the midline on longitudinal sections and replicated different operators' obtained data. Also, bowel wall thickness (BWT) and depth were recorded. Subgroups were classified according to the volunteers' gender, age, body mass index (BMI), BWT, and depth. The intra-class correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze inter- and intra-operator consistency, and independent t-tests and one-way analysis of variance were used to explore the differences in variables. Results The inter- and intra-operator agreements were good to excellent by different operators and in the replicated measurements (intra-operator consistency: 0.963; inter-operator consistency: 0.842). In all volunteers, the mean SWV was 1.08±0.25 m/s, the mean E value was 3.84±1.84 kPa, and the median BWT was 2 mm. SWV and E did not show significant differences according to gender (P=0.589), age (P=0.738), BMI (P=0.678), depth (P=0.375), or BWT (P=0.410). BWT did not show significant differences according to age (P=0.142), BMI (P=0.863), or depth (P=0.368). Conclusions SWE can be used in terminal ileum wall stiffness measurements with good reliability, and the SWE values do not appear to vary significantly according to different physiological factors. The corresponding elasticity ranges of the terminal ileum in normal adults were acquired.

To optimize the formability and strength of hot-rolled Fe-10Mn-0.4C-2Al-0.6 V medium Mn steel, intercritical quenching and tempering processes were carried out. The strength of the steel was enhanced, and the Ludders platform was eliminated. The higher strength of the steel was attributed to the occurrence of a complex twinning effect, martensitic transformation and V-carbide precipitation during tensile deformation. In particular, the twin martensite structure retained after the quenching-tempering process served as another previous twin to accelerate the generation of nanomechanical twins in recrystallized austenite grain. The occurrence of transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) of austenite with poor stability in non-recrystallized regions stimulated the TRIP and twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) effects in austenite with high stability in recrystallized regions. Therefore, two pathways to improve the formability and optimize the mechanical properties of medium Mn steel by adjusting the quenching and tempering processes were proposed in this paper: (1) Manufacturing more martensite twin structures and (2) regulating the balance of austenite stability in both recrystallized and non-recrystallized regions.

Background Rectal subepithelial lesions (SELs) are commonly seen in endoscopic examination, generally manifested as bumps with a smooth surface. Precise preoperative diagnoses for rectal SELs are difficult because abnormal tissues are not easily to be obtained by regular endoscopic forceps biopsy. Traditional guidance modalities of preoperative biopsy, including endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography, and transabdominal ultrasound, are often unsatisfactory. An updated, safe, and effective biopsy guidance method is required. We herein report a new biopsy guidance modality-endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Case summary A 32-year-old woman complained of a mass inside the rectovaginal space for 9 years, which became enlarged within 1 year. A rectal SEL detected by endoscopy was suspected to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor or exophytic uterine fibroid. Pathological diagnosis was difficult because of unsuccessful transabdominal core needle biopsy with insufficient tissues, as well as vaginal hemorrhage. A second biopsy was suggested after multiple disciplinary treatment discussion, which referred to a transperineal core needle biopsy (CNB) guided by ERUS combined with CEUS. Adequate samples were procured and rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor was proved to be the pathological diagnosis. Imatinib was recommended for first-line therapy by multiple disciplinary treatment discussion. After the tumor shrunk, resection of the rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor was performed through the posterior vaginal wall. Adjuvant therapy was applied and no recurrence or metastasis has been found by the last follow-up on December 13, 2019. Conclusion Transperineal CNB guided by ERUS and CEUS is a safe and effective preoperative biopsy of rectal SELs yet with some limitations.

Sn-based metal oxides and composites have been widely investigated as candidate anodes for lithium-ion batteries. However, continuous capacity fade caused by serious volumetric expansion and crystal pulverization is often noticed during lithiation and alloying processes. In this study, we design a novel heterogeneous structural composite by constructing sandwich-structured graphene hollow spheres limited Mn2SnO4/SnO2 heterostructures (Mn2SnO4/SnO2@SG), of which infiltration of Mn source promotes the dissolution-redeposition of SnO2 in hollow-spherical graphene (SnO2@SG) and their in-situ transformation into Mn2SnO4; and the uniform distributed Mn2SnO4 and SnO2 nanoparticles are adjacent each other to form heterostructure within the sandwiched graphene hollow spheres. By comparing with the single metal oxide SnO2@SG material, the influence of the microstructure, chemical composition, element valence state and electrochemical properties of the heterostructured Mn2SnO4/SnO2@SG is investigated. The results show that the construction of Mn2SnO4/SnO2 heterostructure dramatically improves electronic/ionic transport kinetics and increases lithium storage reversibility, therefore leading to distinctly superior rate capability (823.8 mAh g−1 at 5 C) and cycling capacity. An ultra-high discharge capacity of 1180.4 mA h g−1 is maintained up to 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1. The promising electrochemical performances can be attributed to the sandwiched-structure hollow graphene spherical skeleton and the formation of unique Mn2SnO4/SnO2 heterostructures.

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is the causal agent of wheat stripe rust that causes severe yield losses all over the world. As a macrocyclic heteroecious rust fungus, it is able to infect two unrelated host plants, wheat and barberry. Its urediniospores infect wheat and cause disease epidemic, while its basidiospores parasitize barberry to fulfill the sexual reproduction. This complex life cycle poses interesting questions on the different mechanisms of pathogenesis underlying the infection of the two different hosts. In the present study, transcriptomes of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici during the initial infection of wheat and barberry leaves were qualitatively and quantitatively compared. As a result, 142 wheat-specifically expressed genes (WEGs) were identified, which was far less than the 2,677 barberry-specifically expressed genes (BEGs). A larger proportion of evolutionarily conserved genes were observed in BEGs than that in WEGs, implying a longer history of the interaction between P. striiformis f. sp. tritici and barberry. Additionally, P. striiformis f. sp. tritici differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between wheat at 1 and 2 days postinoculation (dpi) and barberry at 3 and 4 dpi were identified by quantitative analysis. Gene Ontology analysis of these DEGs and expression patterns of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici pathogenic genes, including those encoding candidate secreted effectors, cell wall–degrading enzymes, and nutrient transporters, demonstrated that urediniospores and basidiospores exploited distinct strategies to overcome host defense systems. These results represent the first analysis of the P. striiformis f. sp. tritici transcriptome in barberry and contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary processes and strategies of different types of rust spores during the infection process on different hosts. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Nodular fasciitis (NF) rarely occurs in infants aged < 2 years although cranial fasciitis develops predominantly in this age group. Histologically, NF may present high cellularity and brisk mitoses, but atypical forms are generally absent. Here, we report a NF in a 22-month-old Chinese boy. Microscopically, the lesion was manifested as cellular variant of NF. Notably, atypical mitotic figures including multipolar form were identified. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells showed strong positivity for smooth muscle actin. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed an unbalanced rearrangement of USP6, along with the USP6 increased copies. Subsequent next-generation sequencing-based technology revealed a novel PAFAH1B1-USP6 fusion gene as well as unusual fusion point on USP6 (exon 9). To the best of our knowledge, this is the only reported case with overt atypical mitosis. This case is also the first published example of genetically confirmed infant NF. Additionally, PAFAH1B1-USP6 fusion has never been described in NF.

BACKGROUND The number of end-stage renal disease patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who are undergoing peritoneal dialysis is increasing. Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (PDAP) is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis leading to technical failure and increased mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. The profile of clinical symptoms, distribution of pathogenic organisms, and response of PDAP to medical management in the subset of end-stage renal disease patients with DM have not been reported previously. Discrepant results have been found in long-term prognostic outcomes of PDAP in patients with DM. We inferred that DM is associated with bad outcomes in PDAP patients. AIM To compare the clinical features and outcomes of PDAP between patients with DM and those without. METHODS In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we enrolled patients who had at least one episode of PDAP during the study period. The patients were followed for a median of 31.1 mo. They were divided into a DM group and a non-DM group. Clinical features, therapeutic outcomes, and long-term prognostic outcomes were compared between the two groups. Risk factors associated with therapeutic outcomes of PDAP were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. A Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to examine the influence of DM on patient survival and incidence of technical failure. RESULTS Overall, 373 episodes occurred in the DM group (n = 214) and 692 episodes occurred in the non-DM group (n = 395). The rates of abdominal pain and fever were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). The DM group had more infections with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and less infections with Escherichia coli (E. coli) as compared to the non-DM group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no association between the presence of diabetes and rates of complete cure, catheter removal, PDAP-related death, or relapse of PDAP (P > 0.05). Patients in the DM group were older and had a higher burden of cardiovascular disease, with lower level of serum albumin, but a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (P < 0.05). Cox proportional hazards model confirmed that the presence of diabetes was a significant predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio = 1.531, 95% confidence interval: 1.091-2.148, P < 0.05), but did not predict the occurrence of technical failure (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION PDAP patients with diabetes have similar symptomology and are predisposed to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus but not E. coli infection compared those without. Diabetes is associated with higher all-cause mortality but not therapeutic outcomes of PDAP.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment of

Many

Purpose: To investigate the antiproliferative effect of carboplatin-loaded surface-modified poly(lactide-co-glycolide) on retinoblastoma cells. Methods: Carboplatin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) with or without sodium alginate surface modification was prepared using sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide). The zeta potential and carboplatin release behavior were investigated. The cellular uptake of the released drug was observed in the retinoblastoma cell line Y79. The inhibitory effect of carboplatin-loaded nanoparticles against the Y79 cell line was evaluated using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay and western blot. Native carboplatin and void nanoparticles without carboplatin loading were used as controls. Results: The zeta potential was -(26.1 ± 3.1) mV for carboplatin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and-(43.1 ± 8.1) mV for carboplatin-loaded sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide). The burst release percentages of carboplatin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) were (40.0% ± 8.2%) and (18.9% ± 4.3%) at 24 hours, respectively. A significant difference was identified regarding drug release between carboplatin-loaded sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and carboplatin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide). Fluorescence detection revealed that intense uptake of carboplatin into the cytoplasm of the Y79 cell line that was exposed to carboplatin-loaded sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide). Carboplatin-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) or sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) exposure inhibited proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in Y79 cells on day 3. Extension of exposure to day 5 revealed that the sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) surface modification was superior to that of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) in terms of proliferating cell nuclear antigen inhibition. The cell viability test using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium revealed a similar inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the carboplatin-loaded nanoparticles of lower concentration inhibited cell viability more strongly than native carboplatin of higher concentration in methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Conclusions: Carboplatin-loaded sodium alginate-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) inhibited retinoblastoma cell proliferation with superior effect as compared with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and native carboplatin. Sodium alginate surface modification offers a potential strategy for the sustained carboplatin release system. RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar o efeito antiproliferativo de poli (lactídeo-coglicolídeo) com superfície modificada carregada com carboplatina contra células de retinoblastoma. Métodos: Preparou-se poli (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) carregado com carboplatina com ou sem alginato de sódio para modifição da superfície, poli com alginato de sódio (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) e poli (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo). O potencial zeta e o comportamento de liberação de carboplatina foram investigados. A captação celular do fármaco liberado foi observada na linha celular de retinoblastoma Y79. O efeito inibitório das nanopartículas carregadas com carboplatina contra a linha celular Y79 foi avaliado através do ensaio de metiltiazol tetrazólio e Western-blot. Carboplatina nativa e nanopartículas vazias sem carga de carboplatina serviram como controles. Resultados: O potencial zeta de poli carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) foi - (26,1 ± 3,1) mV versus - (43,1 ± 8,1) mV em poli com alginato de sódio carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo). A percentagem de libertação de explosão de poli carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) e poli com alginato de sódio (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) foram (40,0 ± 8,2)% e (18,9 ± 4,3)% às 24 horas, respectivamente. Uma diferença significativa foi identificada em relação à liberação de fármaco entre poli com alginato de sódio carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) e poli carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo). A detecção de fluorescência revelou que a carboplatina foi assimilada intensamente no citoplasma da linha celular Y79 que foi exposta ao poli com alginato de sódio carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo). A exposição de poli carregada com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) ou poli com alginato de sódio (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) inibiu a expressão de antígeno nuclear de proliferação celular em células Y79 no 3º dia. A extensão da exposição no 5º dia revelou que poli com alginato de sódio (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) para modificação da superfície foi superior a poli (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) em termos de inibição do antígeno nuclear de proliferação celular. O teste de viabilidade celular via metiltiazol tetrazólio mostrou um efeito inibitório semelhante. Além disso, as nanopartículas carregadas com carboplatina de concentração mais baixa inibiram a viabilidade celular mais fortemente em comparação com a carboplatina nativa de concentração mais alta no ensaio de metiltiazol tetrazólio. Conclusões: Poli com alginato de sódio carregado com carboplatina (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) inibiu a proliferação de células de retinoblastoma com efeito superior em contraste com poli (lactídeo-co-glicolídeo) e carboplatina nativa. O alginato de sódio para modificação da superfície oferece uma estratégia potencial para o sistema de liberação de carboplatina sustentada.

Long non-coding RNA ELFN1 antisense RNA 1 (ELFN1-AS1) has been reported as a cancer driver in many human malignancies. This study was conducted to investigate the function of ELFN1-AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) and its mechanism of action. Bioinformatics analysis revealed increased expression of ELFN1-AS1 in GC, and abundant expression of ELFN1-AS1 was observed in the acquired GC cell lines. Knockdown of ELFN1-AS1 in GC cells weakened cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and resistance to apoptosis. ELFN1-AS1 was mainly localized in the nuclei of GC cells. ELFN1-AS1 recruited DNA methyltransferases to the promoter region of ZBTB16 and induced transcriptional repression of ZBTB16 through methylation modification. Furthermore, downregulation of ZBTB16 activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway and restored the proliferation and invasiveness of GC cells. In vivo, downregulation of ELFN1-AS1 reduced the growth rate of xenograft tumors in mice. In summary, this study demonstrates that ELFN1-AS1 recruits DNA methyltransferases to the promoter region of ZBTB16 to induce its transcriptional repression, which further augments the development of GC by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Li[Ni0.80Co0.15Al0.05]O2 is considered as a promising cathode material due to its high specific capacity. Nevertheless, the irreversible formation of electrochemically inactive NiO phase on the surface of the particles would significantly deduce impedance rise and power decrease during cycling. Herein, a thin-layer AlF3-coated Li[Ni0.80Co0.15Al0.05]O2 has been synthesized via a facile solution method, and the optimized coating content has been confirmed. Compared with the pristine sample, the 0.5% AlF3−coated Li[Ni0.80Co0.15Al0.05]O2 composite exhibits significantly improved cycling stability and high-temperature performance. The improved electrochemical properties can be attributed to that the thin AlF3 layer can stabilize the surface structure of active material and a LiAlO2 phase with high ionic conductivity is formed on the surface of the particles during cycling.

BACKGROUND Fistulas are common complications of Crohn’s disease (CD). Gastrocolic fistulas (GFs) are rare, occult and potentially life-threatening complications. Few cases of GFs have been reported. Oral agent contrast-enhanced ultrasound (OA-CEUS) is a novel technique of ultrasound (US) for gut. Contrast agent made by Chinese yam is taken orally to dilate the lumen of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the impediment of gas inside gastrointestinal tract is removed and a good acoustic window is provided for gastroin-testinal tract scanning. This paper describes a case of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS when it was missed by endoscopy and computed tomography (CT). To our knowledge, this is the first report of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS up to date. CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old woman with a 6-year history of CD was admitted to our hospital for abdominal pain and diarrhea for 5 months without obvious predisposing causes. Initial gastroscopy failed to show any evidence of lesions. Colonoscopy revealed multiple erosions, mucosal nodularity, linear ulcers and a cobblestone appearance. A CT scan of her abdomen showed a complex multilocular structure adherent to the greater curvature of the stomach in her left lower abdomen, with fluid, gas and significant surrounding inflammation. CT also demonstrated an abdominal abscess, which was later treated with US-guided drainage. Colonoscopy, gastroscopy and CT missed the presence of a GF. OA-CEUS was performed. A contrast agent made from Chinese yam was taken orally to dilate the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. A good acoustic window was provided for gastrointestinal tract scanning and the impediment of gas inside the gastrointestinal tract was removed. With the aid of the “window”, a canal with hypoechoic wall was identified connecting the greater curvature of stomach to the splenic colon flexure in free sections. We also observed the hyperechoic gas flowing dynamically inside the canal. Thus, a GF was suspected. US is the first imaging modality taking GF into account. At the same time, OA-CEUS identified the site of the fistula and its two orifices. Gastroscopy was performed again, revealing a small ulcer approximately 5 mm in diameter, which was considered as an orifice. On the basis of OA-CEUS and other examinations, the patient was diagnosed with a GF secondary to CD. Then, laparoscopic exploration, partial stomach resection, transverse colostomy and abdominal abscess drainage were performed. The patient recovered uneventfully. CONCLUSION GFs are rare, occult and potentially life-threatening complications in CD. US is one of the first-line modalities to evaluate CD and its complications. OA-CEUS, a novel technique of US for gut, may be helpful in reducing the possibility of a missed diagnosis of GF.

A 57-year-old male presenting with spontaneously relieved abdominal cramp and distension was admitted to the West China Hospital. The diagnosis remained unclear after colonoscopy and computed tomography. Double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was then performed and a neoplasm in the small intestine was suspected, supported by a thin-section computed tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography. This was confirmed pathologically after surgery to be a small intestinal G1 neuroendocrine tumor. Surgery was performed to remove approximately 25 cm of small bowel and a 3-cm solid mass located in the mesentery. The patient had a complete recovery and was tumor-free at the final follow-up. Small intestinal tumors including neuroendocrine tumors have always posed a diagnostic challenge. This case indicated that double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is feasible in detection of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors, and it may be an advisable approach assisting diagnosis of small intestinal tumors.

AIM: To investigate the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in human lens epithelium cell (HLEC) line B3 after transfection by liposome-coated small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting CTGF. METHODS: HLECs were transfected with siRNA targeting CTGF, labeled with 5’-fluorescein isothiocyanate (5’-FITC) and coated with lipofectamine. The transfection ratio was evaluated via fluorescence intensity. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to assess cytoviability of both non-transfected and transfected HLECs. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), cell immunochemistry and Western blot analysis were conducted to detect the expression changes of CTGF and α-SMA after transfection. RESULTS: A highly effective transfection ratio was observed in siRNA co-transfected with lipofectamine. The transfection ratio reached 95% at 24h. The proliferation of HLECs was inhibited by siRNA after 72h transfection. The expression of CTGF and α-SMA significantly decreased in HLECs after transfected by CTGF siRNA for 24h. This effect was not found in negative control siRNA. CONCLUSION: siRNA targeting CTGF decrease CTGF and α-SMA expression in HLECs, which is a potential therapeutic strategy for posterior capsular opacification.

Intravascular fasciitis (IVF) is considered a rare variant of nodular fasciitis, which often involves small- and medium-sized blood vessels. Approximately 43 cases of IVF have been reported in the English literature to date. Here, we report an IVF case arising from the common iliac vein of the pelvic cavity in a 19-year-old Chinese man. Histologically, the lesion was confined within the vascular lumen and consisted of regular myofibroblasts immersed in a fibromyxoid stroma. The tumor cells showed a USP6 rearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridization but were negative for MYH9-USP6 fusion by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Subsequent next-generation sequencing identified the CTNNB1-USP6 fusion. To the best of our knowledge, the vessel involved in this case is the largest vein among the reported cases. The present case might be the first example of a USP6-rearranged lesion in this entity, suggesting that IVF should be included in the USP6-induced family.

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses detect genetic variants (SNPs) associated with RNA expression levels of genes. The conventional eQTL analysis is to perform individual tests for each gene-SNP pair using simple linear regression and to perform the test on each tissue separately ignoring the extensive information known about RNA expression in other tissue(s). Although Bayesian models have been recently developed to improve eQTL prediction on multiple tissues, they are often based on uninformative priors or treat all tissues equally. In this study, we develop a novel tissue augmented Bayesian model for eQTL analysis (TA-eQTL), which takes prior eQTL information from a different tissue into account to better predict eQTL for another tissue. We demonstrate that our modified Bayesian model has comparable performance to several existing methods in terms of sensitivity and specificity using allele-specific expression (ASE) as the gold standard. Furthermore, the tissue augmented Bayesian model improves the power and accuracy for local-eQTL prediction especially when the sample size is small. In summary, TA-eQTL's performance is comparable to existing methods but has additional flexibility to evaluate data from different platforms, can focus prediction on one tissue using only summary statistics from the secondary tissue(s), and provides a closed form solution for estimation.