Transcriptomic analysis of reproductive organs of pregnant mice post toxoplasma gondii infection reveals the potential factors that contribute to poor prognosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite of phylum Apicomplexa that poses a huge threat to pregnant hosts, and induces tragic outcomes for pregnant hosts, fetuses and newborns. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the tragic consequences caused by T. gondii remains to be revealed. In the present study, we applied RNA-seq to study the transcriptomic landscape of the whole reproductive organ of pregnant mice post T. gondii infection, aiming to reveal the key altered biological characters of reproductive organs of pregnant mice that could contribute to the tragic outcomes caused by T. gondii infection. The results of the present study showed that the transcriptome of reproductive organs of pregnant mice was significantly altered by T. gondii infection. A total of 2,598 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 1,449 upregulated genes and 1,149 downregulated genes. Enrichment analysis of the DEGs showed that the significantly altered features of reproductive organs of pregnant mice were excessive inflammatory responses, downregulated metabolism processes, and congenital diseases. The chemotaxis of immune cells in the reproductive organs of infected pregnant mice could also be reshaped by 19 differentially expressed chemokines and 6 differentially expressed chemokine receptors that could contribute to the damages of reproductive organ in pregnant mice. Overall, the findings of present study may help to understand the pathogenic mechanism of the acute T. gondii infection in reproductive organs of pregnant mice, and it could also help to improve toxoplasmosis therapeutics for pregnant individuals.

Prevalence and multilocus genotyping of Giardia duodenalis in Holstein cattle in Yunnan, China.

Giardia duodenalis is an important zoonotic protozoon, which can infect a variety of animals, causing diarrhea and even death of animals or humans. Dairy cattle have been implicated as important sources of human G. duodenalis. However, the information about the prevalence and genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in dairy cattle in China's Yunnan Province remains limited. This study investigated the occurrence and multilocus genotyping of G. duodenalis of Holstein cattle in Yunnan Province, China. A total of 524 fresh fecal samples of Holstein cattle were randomly collected from 8 farms in Yunnan. In this study, 27.5% (144/524) of tested samples were positive for G. duodenalis infection. The highest infection ratio was found in preweaned calves (33.7%), and the infection rates of postweaned calves, growing cattle, and adult cattle were 24.5%, 23.0%, and 17.3%, respectively. The sequence analysis of SSU rRNA gene showed that the predominant assemblage of G. duodenalis in this study was assemblage E (97.9%, 141/144), whereas assemblage A was identified only in three samples (2.1%, 3/144). All G. duodenalis-positive samples were further assayed with nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting ß-giardin (bg), triosephosphate isomerase (tpi), and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) genes, and 87, 41, and 81 sequences were obtained, respectively. Mixed infection of assemblages A and E of G. duodenalis was detected in three samples. Multilocus genotyping yielded 23 multilocus genotypes (MLGs). This is the first study that reveals the prevalence data of G. duodenalis in Holstein cattle in Yunnan Province, and the results of this study provided baseline data for the prevention and control of G. duodenalis infection in Holstein cattle in Yunnan Province, China.

[Reliability of three dimensional CT measurement of glenoid track in patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of shoulder].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and repeatability of three-dimensional (3D)-CT measurement of glenoid track. METHODS: Glenoid and Hill-Sachs bone defects in 60 patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the unilateral shoulder were evaluated by 3D-CT and analyzed by three independent observers(shoulder orthopedists) according to the Di Giacomo method. These injuries were classified to formulate a surgical protocol. All the patients were repeatedly measured 1 week later. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (COV) were used for reliability analysis. RESULTS: Interobserver reliability was "very good" for both measurements of glenoid diameter and glenoid bone defects, and "good" for measurements of Hill-Sachs interval. Interobserver agreement was high on the assessment of the extent of the glenoid defect, and poor on track/off track assessment of the Hill-Sachs lesion. Intraobserver reliability for measurements of glenoid diameter, glenoid defect, and Hill-Sachs interval was "very good". The COV was 4.1% for glenoid diameter, 4.4% for glenoid defect, and 21.1% for Hill-Sachs interval. CONCLUSION: The reliability and reproducibility of 3D-CT measurements of glenoid bone defects are good, but the assessment of humeral head bone defects shows large variability with poor reliability.

[Sagittal Balance Parameters Correlate with Resorption of the Lumbar Disc Extrusion: Results of a Retrospective Study].

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study was designed to explore the relationship between the satittal spinopelvic alignment in patients with lumbar disc extrusion and spontaneous resorption. METHODS: From May 2010 to March 2019, referring to NASS evidence-based clinical guidelines, patients with lumbar disc extrusion were enrolled in this retrospective study, according to the degree of herniation size during the follow-up, the patients were divided into two groups: resorption (group R: the herniated disc completely disappeared or the herniation size was grade 1 according to Michgan State University (MSU) classification) and nonresorption (group N: the herniated disc remain unchanged or the herniation size overpass grade 1), spinopelvic parameters (including the pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis (LL)) were determined on standing profile radiographs of the lumbar spine and pelvis, and mean values were compared using the multi-factor analysis of variance. RESULTS: This study included 67 patients with lumbar disc extrusion. There were 37 in group R (the average age was 42.6 years), 21 males and 16 females, 13 cases at L 4-5 level and 24 cases at L 5-S 1 level, follow-up 22 months, and 30 in group N (the average age was 40.8 years), 19 males and 11 females, 12 cases at L 4-5 level and 18 cases at L 5-S 1 level, follow-up 21 months, at the follow up time, there symptoms were all satisfactorily relieved. There were no signifcant differences in age, gender, smoking history, chronic medical history, prominent segmnet, MSU classification, follow up time and other baseline conditions between two groups ( P>0.05). At the follow-up, in group R, all 30 cases of sagittal displaced disc disappeared, the herniated disc changed from the initial MSU classification of grade 2 in 19 cases and grade 3 in 18 cases to the post-absorption residual disc, which were limited to grade 1; in group N, 20 cases of sagittal displaced disc reduced to 14 cases, the herniated disc changed from the initial MSU classification of grade 2 in 21 cases and grade 3 in 9 cases to grade 2 in 27 cases and grade 3 in 3 cases. There was no significant difference in spinopelvic parameters between the two groups before the treatment ( P>0.05). At the follow-up, there was no significant difference in PI between the two groups ( P>0.05); the SS and LL in group R were bigger than those in group N, the PT in group R was smaller than that in group N, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Compared within the same group, before treatment and follow-up, there were no significant differences in PI, SS and PT in group R, but a bigger LL ( P<0.05); no significant differences in all the parameters in group N were found. CONCLUSION: Resorption may result in pinopelvic parameter changes, which suggest that the lumbar spine is better at cushioning against load, reducing the disc pressure, and leading to resorption of the herniated disc.

Thalidomide results in diminished ovarian reserve in reproductive age female IBD patients.

The effectiveness of thalidomide in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been widely recognized. Meanwhile, many serious adverse drug reactions have been observed, but no know reports on ovarian reserve function.Female patients, ranging in age between 18 and 40, were referred to our institution to undergo sex hormone detection and ultrasonic scanning for ovarian function assessment, between February 1, 2016 and September 31, 2016.Thirty-three patients treated with thalidomide (group A), 73 patients without thalidomide (group B), and 78 healthy women as control were studied. Menstrual disorder was higher in group A than group B (78.8% vs 57.2%, P < 0.05), and both groups were higher than control group 33.3%, P < 0.05. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and antral follicle count (AFC) in group A were lower than group B, P < 0.05, while estradiol (E2) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were no different between 2 groups. Crohn Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) and thalidomide were the independent risk factors in diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), and when dose reached 75 mg/day, 5 g total, or when treatment time reached 10 months respectively. These influence may increasing (P < 0.05), but they may recover after stopping (P < 0.05).Thalidomide was an independent risk factor leading to DOR in female IBD patients, the influence may increasing when daily dose and accumulated dose reached 75 mg/day and 5 g total dose, but may be reversed by stopping.

Clinical efficacy and safety of autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of stem cells for the treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant published clinical studies. A computerized search was conducted for randomized controlled trials of stem cell therapy for STEMI. RESULTS: Twenty-eight randomized controlled trials with a total of 1,938 STEMI patients were included in the present meta-analysis. Stem cell therapy resulted in an improvement in long-term (12 months) left ventricular ejection fraction of 3.15% (95% confidence interval 1.01-5.29, P<0.01). The 3-month to 4-month, 6-month, and 12-month left ventricular end-systolic volume showed favorable results in the stem cell therapy group compared with the control group (P≤0.05). Significant decrease was also observed in left ventricular end-diastolic volume after 3-month to 4-month and 12-month follow-up compared with controls (P<0.05). Wall mean score index was reduced significantly in stem cell therapy group when compared with the control group at 6-month and 12-month follow-up (P=0.01). Moreover, our analysis showed a significant change of 12-month infarct size decrease in STEMI patients treated with stem cells compared with controls (P<0.01). In addition, no significant difference was found between treatment group and control in adverse reactions (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Overall, stem cell therapy is efficacious in the treatment of patients with STEMI, with low rates of adverse events compared with control group patients.

Room temperature polariton lasing vs. photon lasing in a ZnO-based hybrid microcavity.

We report on the room temperature polariton lasing and photon lasing in a ZnO-based hybrid microcavity under optical pumping. A series of experimental studies of the polariton lasing (exciton-photon detunings of δ = -119 meV) in the strong-coupling regime are discussed and compared to a photon lasing (δ = -45 meV) in the weak-coupling regime obtained in the same structure. The measured threshold power density (31.8 kW/cm2) of polariton lasing is one order of magnitude lower than that of the photon lasing (318.2 kW/cm2). In addition, the comparison between polariton lasing and photon lasing is done in terms of the linewidth broadening, blue-shift of the emission peak, and polarization.

Room temperature current injection polariton light emitting diode with a hybrid microcavity.

The strong light-matter interaction within a semiconductor high-Q microcavity has been used to produce half-matter/half-light quasiparticles, exciton-polaritons. The exciton-polaritons have very small effective mass and controllable energy-momentum dispersion relation. These unique properties of polaritons provide the possibility to investigate the fundamental physics including solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics, and dynamical Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). Thus far the polariton BEC has been demonstrated using optical excitation. However, from a practical viewpoint, the current injection polariton devices operating at room temperature would be most desirable. Here we report the first realization of a current injection microcavity GaN exciton-polariton light emitting diode (LED) operating under room temperature. The exciton-polariton emission from the LED at photon energy 3.02 eV under strong coupling condition is confirmed through temperature-dependent and angle-resolved electroluminescence spectra.

Characteristics of exciton-polaritons in ZnO-based hybrid microcavities.

Wide bandgap semiconductors are promising materials for the development of polariton-based optoelectronic devices operating at room temperature (RT). We report the characteristics of ZnO-based microcavities (MCs) in the strong coupling regime at RT with a vacuum Rabi splitting of 72 meV. The impact of scattering states of excitons on polariton dispersion is investigated. Only the lower polariton branches (LPBs) can be clearly observed in ZnO MCs since the large vacuum Rabi splitting pushes the upper polariton branches (UPBs) into the scattering absorption states in the ZnO bulk active region. In addition, we systematically investigate the polariton relaxation bottleneck in bulk ZnO-based MCs. Angle-resolved photoluminescence measurements are performed from 100 to 300 K for different cavity-exciton detunings. A clear polariton relaxation bottleneck is observed at low temperature and large negative cavity detuning conditions. The bottleneck is suppressed with increasing temperature and decreasing detuning, due to more efficient phonon-assisted relaxation and a longer radiative lifetime of the polaritons.

Development of a real-time PCR method for the detection of bacterial colonization in rat models of severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Techniques for the fast and accurate detection of bacterial infection are critical for early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of bacterial translocation in clinical severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). In this study, the availability of a real-time PCR method in detection of bacterial colonization in SAP rat models was investigated. METHODS: Samples of blood, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), pancreas and liver from 24 specific pathogen-free rats (8 in a control group, 16 in a SAP group) were detected for bacterial infection rates both by agar plate culture and a real-time PCR method, and the results were made contrast. RESULTS: Bacterial infection rates of the blood, MLN, pancreas and liver in the SAP group and the control group by the two different methods were almost the same, which were 5/16, 12/16, 15/16, 12/16 in the SAP group compared with 0/8, 1/8, 0/8, 0/8 in the control group by agar plate culture, while 5/16, 10/16, 13/16, 12/16 and 0/8, 1/8, 0/8, 0/8 respectively by a real-time PCR method. Bacterial number was estimated by real-time PCR, which showed that in the same mass of tissues, the pancreas contained more bacteria than the other three kinds of organs in SAP rats (P < 0.01), that may be due to the edema, necrosis and hemorrhage existing in the pancreas, making it easier for bacteria to invade and breed. CONCLUSION: Fast and accurate detection of bacterial translocation in SAP rat models could be carried out by a real-time PCR procedure.

Palladium(II)/cationic 2,2'-bipyridyl system as a highly efficient and reusable catalyst for the Mizoroki-Heck reaction in water.

A water-soluble and air-stable Pd(NH3)2Cl2/cationic 2,2'-bipyridyl system was found to be a highly-efficient and reusable catalyst for the coupling of aryl iodides and alkenes in neat water using Bu(3)N as a base. The reaction was conducted at 140 degrees C in a sealed tube in air with a catalyst loading as low as 0.0001 mol % for the coupling of activated aryl iodides with butyl and ethyl acrylates, providing the corresponding products in good to excellent yields with very high turnover numbers. In the case of styrene, Mizoroki-Heck coupling products were obtained in good to high yields by using a greater catalyst loading (1 mol %) and TBAB as a phase-transfer agent. After extraction, the residual aqueous solution could be reused several times with only a slight decrease in its activity, making the Mizoroki-Heck reaction "greener".

A simple taurocholate-induced model of severe acute pancreatitis in rats.

AIM: To investigate gut barrier damage and intestinal bacteria translocation in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), a simple rat model of SAP was induced and studied. METHODS: Pancreatitis was induced by uniformly distributed injection of 3.8% Na taurocholate (1 mL/kg) beneath the pancreatic capsule. Rats in the control group were injected with normal saline in the identical location. RESULTS: Serum amylase, plasma endotoxin, intestinal permeability, and pancreatitis pathology scores were all markedly higher in the pancreatitis group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The bacterial infection rate was significantly higher in the SAP group than in the control group (P < 0.01), observed in parallel by both bacterial culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Acute damage of the pancreas was observed histologically in SAP rats, showing interstitial edema, leukocyte infiltration, acinar cell necrosis and hemorrhage. The microstructure of the intestinal mucosa of SAP rats appeared to be destroyed with loose, shortened microvilli and rupture of the intercellular junction, as shown by electron microscopy. CONCLUSION: Significant gut barrier damage and intestinal bacterial translocation were definitely observed with few potential study confounders in this SAP rat model, suggesting that it may be an appropriate animal model for study of gut barrier damage and bacterial translocation in SAP.

The temperature-dependent physical and electrical characteristics of a polymer/RAFT-polymer stabilized nanoparticle system for organic nonvolatile memory.

We have fabricated and investigated organic memory diodes, comprising a single polymer layer and Au nanoparticles stabilized by the same polymer material utilizing a reversible addition-fragmentation transfer technique to suppress phase separation. The organic memory diodes exhibit well reproducible and prominent current bistability and good charge retention characteristics free from phase separation issues. Nondestructive spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to characterize the physical properties of the polymer/nanoparticle composites, such as the polymer's effective dielectric function/layer thickness and the Au nanoparticle's effective volume fraction, which are important parameters for gaining insightful information on charge transport in this system. Temperature-dependent analysis of the read/write current behaviors suggests that charge transport in such a polymer/Au nanoparticle composite is dominated by carrier hopping via shallow-level traps at the high field regime.

Effects of chicken extract on plasma antioxidative status and lipid oxidation in healthy rats.

Chicken extract has been consumed in oriental countries for centuries for improving body conditions such as recovery from fatigue. It is a rich source of antioxidant dipeptides. The in vivo antioxidative abilities were evaluated. Diets mixed with 4 different amounts of chicken extract were investigated for in vivo antioxidation ability using healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Total antioxidant status (TAS), thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), iron content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathion peroxidase (GPx) activity and uric acid content were determined. In healthy rats, most of the indexes were not affected by intake of chicken extract significantly. However, plasma TBARS in the chicken extract-fed groups increased at the end of the experiment, which could be due to some pro-oxidative minerals in the extract. In conclusion, we found no significant or minor changes on the activities of antioxidative enzymes, antioxidant conditions, or lipid oxidation in healthy rats from consuming chicken extract, which may be the result of a balanced body condition. However, because of its high content of dipeptides, we suggest that it should have liver protecting effects if oxidative stresses are introduced.