Crohn's disease treatment and memory T-cell subset changes: insights from a case series.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with significant morbidity, affecting millions worldwide. The intricacies of immune responses in CD, especially post-treatment, remain a vital area of exploration. While memory T (Tm)-cell subsets play a pivotal role in adaptive immunity, their specific function in patients with CD after treatment is not well-understood. This study aims to investigate the effect and function of Tm-cell subsets in these patients, addressing a crucial knowledge gap in the context of CD therapeutics. Methods: A total of eight patients diagnosed with CD were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. All patients were treated with either anti-inflammatory agents, immunosuppressive drugs, or a combination of both. For comparison, healthy donors were enrolled based on exclusion of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and lymphocytes were isolated from blood and lymph node tissue respectively. The phenotype and cytokine production of T lymphocytes from both CD patients and healthy donors were analyzed using flow cytometry. Statistical comparisons of the outcomes between CD patients and healthy donors were made using Mann-Whitney test (two-tailed) and Student t-test. Results: Post-treatment CD patients exhibited an altered T cell distribution with a notable increase in CD8+ T cells in PBMCs (P=0.0005), and altered frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). Tm cells showed decreased interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production, with significant alterations in the frequency of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ stem cell-like Tm (Tscm) cells in lesions of the MLNs from patients with CD (CD-M-Lys) compared to healthy MLNs from patients with CD (N-M-Lys) (P=0.0152). Differences in tissue-resident Tm (Trm)-cell subset frequencies were observed between the MLNs and small intestinal mucosa in CD patients. Conclusions: The treatments with anti-inflammatory agents and/or immunosuppressive drugs have a significant effect on the frequency and function of Tm-cell subsets. Clinically, these findings suggest a potential therapeutic avenue in modulating Tm-cell responses, which might be particularly beneficial for conditions where immune response modulation is crucial. Further clinical studies are warranted to explore the full therapeutic implications of these findings.

Integrated machine learning-driven disulfidptosis profiling: CYFIP1 and EMILIN1 as therapeutic nodes in neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Neuroblastoma (NB), a prevalent pediatric solid tumor, presents formidable challenges due to its high malignancy and intricate pathogenesis. The role of disulfidptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, remains poorly understood in the context of NB. METHODS: Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-identified disulfidptosis-related molecular subtypes in NB, differential gene analysis, survival analysis, and gene set variation analysis were conducted subsequently. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) selected modular genes most relevant to the disulfidptosis core pathways. Integration of machine learning approaches revealed the combination of the Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Random Survival Forest (RSF) provided optimal dimensionality reduction of the modular genes. The resulting model was validated, and a nomogram assessed disulfidptosis characteristics in NB. Core genes were filtered and subjected to tumor phenotype and disulfidptosis-related experiments. RESULTS: GMM clustering revealed three distinct subtypes with diverse prognoses, showing significant variations in glucose metabolism, cytoskeletal structure, and tumor-related pathways. WGCNA highlighted the red module of genes highly correlated with disulfide isomerase activity, cytoskeleton formation, and glucose metabolism. The LASSO and RSF combination yielded the most accurate and stable prognostic model, with a significantly worse prognosis for high-scoring patients. Cytological experiments targeting core genes (CYFIP1, EMILIN1) revealed decreased cell proliferation, migration, invasion abilities, and evident cytoskeletal deformation upon core gene knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: This study showcases the utility of disulfidptosis-related gene scores for predicting prognosis and molecular subtypes of NB. The identified core genes, CYFIP1 and EMILIN1, hold promise as potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers for NB.

miR-375-3p targets YWHAB to attenuate intestine injury in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis.

PURPOSE: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a significant contributor to neonatal mortality. This study aimed to investigate the role of high levels of miR-375-3p in breast milk in the development of NEC and elucidate its mechanism. METHODS: Differential expression of miR-375-3p in the intestines of breast-fed and formula-fed mice was confirmed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NEC mice models were established, and intestinal injury was assessed using HE staining. RT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to examine the expression of miR-375-3p, tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein ß (YWHAB), as well as the inflammatory in IEC-6 cells, and intestinal tissues obtained from NEC mice and patients. Flow cytometry and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) were employed to elucidate the impact of miR-375-3p and YWHAB on cell apoptosis and proliferation. RESULTS: Breastfeeding increases miR-375-3p expression in the intestines. The expression of miR-375-3p in NEC intestinal tissues exhibited a significant decrease compared to the healthy group. Additionally, the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was higher in the NEC group compared to the control group. Down-regulation of miR-375-3p inhibited IEC-6 cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and elevated secretion of inflammatory factors. Bioinformatics revealed that YWHAB may be a target of miR-375-3p. RT-PCR and Western blot indicated a down-regulation of YWHAB expression in intestines of NEC patients and mice. Furthermore, YWHAB was found to be positively connected with miR-375-3p. Knockdown miR-375-3p down-regulated YWHAB expression in cells. Inhibition of YWHAB exhibited similar effects to miR-375-3p in IEC-6 cells. YWHAB plasmid partially reverse cellular functional impairment induced by miR-375-3p knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding elevated miR-375-3p expression in intestines in neonatal mice. MiR-375-3p leads to a decrease in apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells, an increase in cell proliferation, and a concomitant reduction in the expression of inflammatory factors partly through targeting YWHAB.

Circular RNA MTCL1 targets SMAD3 by sponging miR-145-5p for regulation of cell proliferation and migration in Hirschsprung's disease.

BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is a congenital disorder resulting from abnormal development of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Given the complexity of its pathogenesis, it is important to investigate the role of epigenetic inheritance in its development. As Circ-MTCL1 is abundant in brain tissue and colon tissue, whether it has a significant part in the development of ENS is worth exploring. This study clarifies its role in HSCR and identifies the specific molecular mechanisms involved. METHODS: Diseased and dilated segment colon tissues diagnosed as HSCR were collected for the assessment of gene expression levels using RT-PCR. EdU and CCK-8 assays were adopted to evaluate cell proliferation, and Transwell assay was adopted to assess cell migration. The interaction between Circ-MTCL1, miR-145-5p and SMAD3 was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter gene analysis, RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Circ-MTCL1 was down-regulated in the aganglionic colon tissues. The decreased expression of Circ-MTCL1 associated with a reduction in cell migration and proliferation. Bioinformatics analysis and cellular experiments confirmed its role might have been associated with the inhibition of miR-145-5p. MiR-145-5p was up-regulated in HSCR diseased segment colon tissues, exhibiting a negative correlation with Circ-MTCL1. Overexpression of miR-145-5p reversed the inhibition of cell migration and proliferation associated with Circ-MTCL1 down-regulation. The expression of SMAD3 was inhibited by miR-145-5p. The overexpression of SMAD3 eliminated the miR-145-5p-associated inhibition of cell migration and proliferation. Overexpression of miR-145-5p reversed the inhibitory effects of Circ-MTCL1 down-regulation-associated inhibition of cell migration and proliferation, while suppressing SMAD3 expression. Conversely, overexpression of SMAD3 counteracted the miR-145-5p-associated inhibition of cell migration and proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Circ-MTCL1 may function as a miR-145-5p sponge, regulating the expression of SMAD3 and influencing cell migration and proliferation, thus participating in the development of HSCR.

Activation of CREB-binding protein ameliorates spinal cord injury in tabersonine treatment by suppressing NLRP3/Notch signaling.

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) alters the integrity of the spinal cord, which leads to loss of multiple organs' function including locomotor function. The present study evaluates the protective effect of tabersonine against SCI. Material and methods: SCI was induced by traumatic injury and animals were treated with tabersonine 20 and 40 mg/kg, intraperitoneally for the period of 10 days. Tabersonine's effect was determined by estimating locomotor and neurological function in spinal cord injured rats. Moreover, mediators of inflammation were estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the effect of tabersonine on Notch/inflammasome signaling was estimated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot assay and immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis of neuronal cells was estimated by staining with Nissl stain on spinal cord tissue in SCI rats. Results: Data of the study suggest that neurological and motor functions were improved in the tabersonine treated group compared to the spinal cord injured (SI) group. There was a decrease in the mediators of inflammation in the spinal cord tissue of the tabersonine treated group compared to the SI group. Treatment with tabersonine ameliorates the altered expression of NICD, Nestin and Hes-1 protein and mRNA expression of Notch-1 and Hes-1 in the SCI rats. It was also observed that the tabersonine treated group showed activation of CREB and inhibition of the NLRP-3 pathway in SCI rats. Moreover, apoptosis of neuronal cells was reduced in the tabersonine treated group compared to the SI group. Conclusions: Data of the investigation suggest that tabersonine protects against spinal cord injury by activating CREB and reducing NLRP3/Notch signaling.

Plasma exosomal miR-199a-3p downregulates cell proliferation and migration in Hirschsprung's disease by targeting mTOR.

BACKGROUND: Plasma exosomal microRNAs have been suggested to be potential biomarkers of disease. However, the exosomal microRNAs in Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) are still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the miRNA profiles of HSCR and elucidated the mechanism of the selected miR-199a-3p in the development of HSCR. METHODS: Plasma exosomes were isolated, and exosomal miRNA high-throughput sequencing was performed to obtain differentially expressed miRNAs. CCK-8 and Transwell assay were used to determine the function of the most differentially expressed miRNA, which was confirmed in tissue specimen. Thereafter, target genes of the selected miRNAs were predicted by the databases. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) analysis, and protein-protein interaction network (PPI) construction of possible target genes were used to perform enrichment analysis and interaction. Finally, the PCR, Western blot and recovery experiment were used to confirm the function of target gene, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), in vitro. RESULTS: The expression of miR-199a-3p was upregulated in plasma exosomes and diseased colonic tissues of patients with HSCR. In vitro, miR-199a-3p can inhibit cell proliferation and migration. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that mTOR might be a potential target of miR-199a-3p in HSCR. mTOR was discovered to be downregulated by miR-199a-3p in vitro. The negative connection between mTOR and miR-199a-3p was confirmed in tissue samples. mTOR can partially reverse the effect of miR-199a-3p on cell proliferation and migration function in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: miR-199a-3p suppresses cell growth and motility, partially by targeting mTOR. Plasma exosomal miR-199a-3p, a diagnostic marker, is crucial for the development of HSCR.

Whole exome sequencing applied to 42 Han Chinese patients with posterior hypospadias.

Hypospadias, a malformation of male external genitalia, is characterized by an aberrant opening of the urethra on the ventral side of the penis. It is considered a complex disorder with both environmental and genetic factors involved in its pathogenesis. To identify the genetic abnormality involved in the pathogenesis of hypospadias, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) analysis in 42 hypospadias patients with karyotype 46, XY in the Nanhai Meternity&Child Health Hospital of Foshan. All the likely pathogenic variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing and assessed by Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT), PROVEAN, PolyPhen2, ClinPred, LRT, Mutation Assessor, FATHMM, and GERP software. We discovered 27 gene mutations in 20 patients, including eight cases of the SRD5A2 gene, 4 cases of the AR gene, 3 cases of the CYP17A1 gene, 1 case of the WT1 gene, 1 case of the ANOS1 gene, 1 case of the NR5A1 gene, 1 case of the FGFR1 gene, and one case of the DHX37 gene. Our study is the first to describe six novel missense mutations, AR(c.302G > A, c.2593G > T, and c.1705G > T), CYP17A1(c.1298 T > C), FGFR1 (c.995C > T) and DHX37(c.923G > A). In summary, genetic defect detection was useful for early diagnosis of severe hypospadias in the Han Chinese population. Nevertheless, most cases remain unexplained, and the exact pathogenesis of hypospadias still needs further study.

Failure Analysis of a C-276 Alloy Pipe in a Controlled Decomposition Reactor.

Failure analysis was carried out on a ruptured C-276 pipe heated externally at 1050 °C, which had been used for a few months in a controlled decomposition reactor (CDR) system. To catch the decomposed perfluorinated compounds (PFCs, e.g., CF4, SF6, NF3, C3F8 and C4F8) present in the exhaust gas, the C-276 reactor was periodically purged with water mist, which caused a temperature gradient from the external to the inner surface of the pipe. The precipitation of large amounts of intermetallic compounds along the grain boundaries were found to be corroded preferentially. The internal surface of the used pipe was covered with many fine cracks. The corrosion and cracking of grain boundary precipitates accounted for the short service life of the C-276 pipe. Compositional measurements by electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and phase identification by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) confirmed the presence of δ and µ phases in the ruptured pipe. The coarse intergranular precipitates were the δ phase (Mo7Ni7), which were enriched in Mo and Cr. Moreover, the fine precipitates dispersed intergranularly and intragranularly were the µ phase (Mo6Ni7), which were abundant in Mo and W. The numerous precipitates present in the matrix and along the grain boundaries were responsible for an obvious loss in the strength and ductility of the used C-276 pipe.

Comprehensive analysis of a new immune-related prognostic signature for esophageal cancer and its correlation with infiltrating immune cells and target genes.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of esophageal cancer (ESCA) is increasing rapidly, and the 5-year survival rate is less than 20%. This study provides new ideas for clinical treatment by establishing a prognostic signature composed of immune-related genes (IRGs), and fully analyzing its relationship with target genes and the tumor microenvironment (TME). METHODS: We downloaded the ESCA expression matrix and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differential expression genes (DEGs) were identified with the edgeR package and crossed with the IRGs we obtained from the ImmPort database to obtain differential IRGs (DEIRGs). The prognostic signature was then obtained through univariate Cox, LASSO-Cox, and multivariate Cox analyses. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the prediction effect of the model. The immune cell infiltration abundance obtained by ssGSEA and therapeutic target genes was used to perform sufficient correlation analysis with the obtained prognostic signature and related genes. RESULTS: A total of 173 samples were obtained from TCGA database, including 162 tumor and 11 normal samples. The 3,033 differential genes were used to obtain 254 DEIRGs by intersections with 2,483 IRGs (IRGs) obtained from the ImmPort Database. Finally, multivariate Cox regression analysis identified eight prognostic DEIRGs and established a new prognostic signature (HR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.68-3.67; P<0.001). Based on the expression of the eight genes, the cohort was then divided into high and low risk groups and Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves were plotted with the log-rank test P<0.0001 and 1-, 3-year area under the curve (AUC) >0.7. The K-M curves grouped according to high and low risks performed well in the two subgroup validation cohorts, with log-rank test P<0.05. There were differences in the degree of infiltration of 16 kinds of immune cells in tumor and normal samples, and the infiltration abundance of 12 kinds of immune cells was different in the high and low-risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: An effective and validated prognostic signature composed of IRGs was established and had a strong correlation with immune cells and target genes of drug therapy.

Comparative analysis of clinical, treatment, and survival characteristics of signet ring cell and adenocarcinoma of esophagus.

BACKGROUND: Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) is a rare pathological subtype of mucinous adenocarcinoma (AC). Clinical features, prognosis, and especially treatment methods between SRC and AC of the esophagus remain controversial. Thus, we conducted this study to explore the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and treatment modalities between SRC and AC of the esophagus. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program database was conducted. Patients diagnosed with SRC or AC not otherwise specified (NOS) were selected between 2004 and 2018. We investigated the prognosis of SRC and AC in terms of overall survival (OS). A subgroup analysis was performed according to the stage and different treatment methods. RESULTS: A total of 24,987 patients were enrolled, including 1,147 with SRC and 23,840 with AC. In the multivariate Cox analysis of the whole cohort, SRC, tumor site, differentiation, metastases, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 6th edition staging, treatment, tumor size, lymph nodes examined, and positive lymph nodes were independent risk factors. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that surgery alone was associated with better OS for AC at the early stage, but was not significantly different for SRC (P=0.896). Surgery plus adjuvant therapy was the best treatment for SRC and AC at the late stage. In the multivariate Cox analysis, the treatment of surgery plus adjuvant therapy had a tendency towards better OS at the early stage [hazard ratio (HR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39-1.1, P=0.08]. CONCLUSIONS: SRC is an independent risk factor, with a higher grade of differentiation, later stage, larger tumor size, more positive lymph nodes, and poorer prognosis compared with AC. Surgery plus adjuvant therapy seems to be useful for SRC at the early stage, but further research is needed.

Non-linear dose-response relation between urinary levels of nicotine and its metabolites and cognitive impairment among an elderly population in China.

BACKGROUND: Active smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may be related to cognitive function decline. We assessed the associations of urinary levels of nicotine and its metabolites with cognitive function. METHODS: A total of 553 elder adults at high risk of cognitive impairment and 2212 gender- and age-matched individuals at low risk of cognitive impairment were selected at a ratio of 1: 4 from the remained individuals (n = 6771) who completed the baseline survey of the Shenzhen Ageing-Related Disorder Cohort, after excluding those with either Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's syndrome or stroke as well as those with missing data on variables (including active and passive smoking status, Mini-Cog score). Urinary levels of nicotine and its metabolites and cognitive function for all individuals were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and assessed using the Mini-Cog test, respectively. Associations of urinary levels of nicotine and its metabolites with cognitive function were analyzed by conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: Individuals in the highest tertile of urinary OHCotGluc (OR: 1.52, 95%CI: 1.19-1.93) or NNO (OR: 1.50, 95%CI: 1.16-1.93) levels as well as in the second tertile of urinary ∑Nic level (OR: 1.43, 95%CI: 1.13-1.82) were at higher risk of cognitive impairment compared with those in the corresponding lowest tertile. Restricted cubic spline models revealed the non-linear dose-response relationships between urinary levels of OHCotGluc, NNO or ∑Nic and the risk of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary levels of OHCotGluc, NNO or ∑Nic exhibited a non-linear dose-response relationship with cognitive function in the urban elderly.

Numerical simulation of bypass evaporation system treating FGD wastewater using high temperature flue gas.

A novel zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) technology for desulfurization wastewater treatment is put forward in this paper. A ZLD reconstruction project performed on 2 × 320 MW desulfurization system was taken as the research object, to study the evaporator structure and the key factors affecting spray evaporation through CFD numerical simulation. The result shows that when the evaporator diameter is 2.4 m, the central density difference and the temperature difference of evaporator outlets are 0 kg/L and 0°C, under this condition, the wall sticking can be avoided effectively, and the uniformity of evaporator's outlet flow field is improved. As for the same amount of wastewater, small atomized particle size, high flue gas flow rate and high flue gas temperature are conducive to complete evaporation, and the optimum atomized particle size is 100-150 µm, flue gas velocity is 3-4 m/s and flue gas temperature is 250-260°C. In order to reduce adverse impact on the main flue duct, the optimized design scheme that extracting flue gas before and after the air preheater is put forward in the purpose of energy saving.

[Epidemic situation of imported malaria and diagnostic capabilities of medical institutions in Wuhan City from 2008 to 2017].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria and the control and diagnostic capacities of the medical institutions in Wuhan City, so as to offer the evidence for formulating the surveillance and control strategies. METHODS: From 2008 to 2017, the epidemiological data of imported malaria were collected. The information including gender, age, distribution, vocational background, positive rate of fever patients, and time of final diagnosis was analyzed with the descriptive statistic method. The Plasmodium species composition and infection source were analyzed by chi square test. The initial and confirmed diagnosis abilities of medical institutions were analyzed by rank sum test. RESULTS: Totally, 424 imported malaria cases were reported, including 301 falciparum malaria cases (70.99%). The male population aged 20 to 49 years was the main morbidity group, and the incidence was not related to seasons. For the parasite species, there was a significant difference between African countries and Southeast Asian countries (χ2 = 205.83, P < 0.01). Plasmodium ovale and P. malariae were all imported from sub-Saharan Africa. For diagnostic capacities of the medical institutions at different levels, the initial diagnosis (Z = -3.89, P < 0.01) and confirmed diagnosis (χ2 = 53.88, P < 0.01) were significantly different, respectively. The ability of malaria diagnosis was improved rapidly in the clinical laboratory after 2008 and achieved to 100% in 2010. The detection rate within 24 hours increased to at least 90% and the detection rate within 6 days decreased to 0 in 2016. CONCLUSIONS: Although the medical institutions in Wuhan City have strong ability to treat imported malaria, they are still faced with a serious situation for malaria control and elimination. The capacity building should be strengthened constantly.

Experimental and model research on chloride ion gas-solid distribution in the process of desulfurization wastewater evaporation.

In this paper, research on chloride ion gas-solid distribution in the process of desulfurization wastewater evaporation was carried out. The factor analysis of temperature, pH, and concentrations of Cl- Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ was explored by orthogonal experiments. Results show that the distribution coefficient increases with increasing temperature and Mg2+ concentration and decreasing pH, but decreases with increasing concentrations of Cl-, Ca2+ and Na+; The interaction and significance of each factor were compared and analyzed, and the order of influence significance on the chloride ion gas-solid distribution coefficient is listed as: temperature (0.781) > pH (0.611) > Cl- concentration (0.366 ) > Mg2+ concentration (0.211) > Ca2+ concentration (0.079) > Na+ concentration (0.03). A chloride ion gas-solid phase distribution coefficient model ranging from 180 °C to 380 °C was built based on phase equilibrium theory and state equations. The study clarifies the gas phase transformation mechanism of chloride ions, and achieves the quantification and prediction of chloride ion volatilization under different environmental and water quality parameters; an important theoretical and practical reference for the application of high temperature flue gas evaporation technology is provided through the research.

RAP1B, a DVL2 binding protein, activates Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

RAP1B is a small GTPase, which regulates multiple cellular processes. Up-regulation of RAP1B has been observed in several cancer types. Although previous study has shown that miR-518 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells possibly by targeting RAP1B, the expression pattern and the functions of RAP1B in ESCC are not fully understood. Here, we have fund that the expression of RAP1B was up-regulated in ESCC clinical samples. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that RAP1B promoted the growth, migration and metastasis of the ESCC cells. Moreover, the mechanism study showed that RAP1B interacted with DVL2, an important upstream regulator for beta-catenin/TCF signaling, and activated beta-catenin/TCF signaling. Taken together, our study demonstrated the oncogenic roles of RAP1B in ESCC, and suggested that RAP1B might be a therapeutic target.

[Practice of engineering management and its effect on schistosomiasis control in Hankou marshland, Wuhan City].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the Oncomelania hupensis snail control effect of schistosomiasis control engineering in marshland within Wuhan City. METHODS: The engineering measures including surface barrier removal, molluscicide, flatting surface, topsoil stripping, topsoil covering and ditch renovation were applied to transform Hankou marshland. Then the corresponding technical parameters of engineering measures were put forward. The situation of snails was analyzed before and after the transform project. RESULTS: The total length and area of the project were 6 015 m and 87.21 hm2, respectively, including 17.44 hm2 of topsoil landfill, 52.08 hm2 of topsoil covering and 23 new ditches. After the transformation, the average length of the new groove, the groove top width, groove depth, height difference, and the average values of slopes and ditch bottom slope were all increased, while the average values of the width and height of the ditch were decreased. At the same time, the marshland beach surface had a new slope that the embankment was higher than the river and no living O. hupensis snails were found then. CONCLUSIONS: The snail breeding environment in Hankou marshland has been effectively changed by the project. However, the constant monitoring and engineering management are still needed to consolidate the effect.

Insights into enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of C60 modified g-C3N4 hybrids: the role of nitrogen.

Recent experiments have shown that the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 can be greatly enhanced by C60 modification, however, a fundamental understanding of its mechanistic operation is still lacking. Using first-principles calculations, the interfacial effects of C60/g-C3N4 nanocomposites on the electronic properties, charge transfer and optical response have been explored in detail. For different stacking patterns, the two constituents are always linked by van der Waals (vdW) forces without any exception, and form type-II heterojunctions in most cases. The valence band maximum and conduction band minimum of these heterostructures are dominated by the unsaturated nitrogen (N2) atoms and C60 molecule, respectively, which strongly interact with each other, resulting in strong charge transfer between the two involved constituents and an obvious bending of the g-C3N4 sheets. The unsaturated N2 atoms included in the interfaces have a significant influence on promoting the photocatalytic performance, while the existence of saturated nitrogen (N1 and N3) atoms lying in the interfaces will weaken the interfacial interactions between C60 molecules and the g-C3N4 monolayers. Moreover, the sensitive optical response and satisfactory type-II band alignment clearly show that the C60/g-C3N4 heterostructure is an outstanding photocatalyst for hydrogen production. We proposed a deep insight (the role of nitrogen) into understanding the improved photocatalytic ability of the C60/g-C3N4 nanocomposites, which may contribute to the rational design of both C60/g-C3N4 and g-C3N4-based nanocomposite photocatalysts.

Clinical outcomes after decompressive laminectomy for symptomatic ossification of ligamentum flavum at the thoracic spine.

Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a rare disease that causes acquired thoracic spinal canal stenosis and thoracic myelopathy. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical outcomes of symptomatic thoracic OLF treated using posterior decompressive laminectomy. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 22 patients who underwent posterior decompressive laminectomy for symptomatic thoracic OLF. The surgical results were evaluated using the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system and Hirabayashi recovery rate. The intensity of pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). The mean duration of follow-up was 35.6months. The mean JOA score was significantly improved at final follow-up (9.18±standard deviation of 1.53 points [range, 6-11 points]) compared with before surgery (5.64±2.04 points [range, 3-9 points]) (P<0.001). The mean Hirabayashi recovery rate was 65.49% (range, 20-100%). Recovery outcomes were excellent in nine patients, good in eight patients, fair in four patients and unchanged in one patient. No patient was classified as deteriorated. The VAS scores were 2.82±3.08 before surgery and 0.59±1.05 at final follow-up (P=0.001). Surgical complications, which resolved after appropriate and prompt treatment, included dural tear in five patients, cerebrospinal fluid leakage in one patient, immediate postoperative neurologic deterioration in one patient, epidural hematoma in one patient, and wound infection in one patient. Our findings suggest that posterior decompressive laminectomy is an effective treatment for symptomatic thoracic OLF and provides satisfactory clinical improvement, but surgery for thoracic OLF is associated with a relatively high incidence of complications.

[Preparation of anti-SEA egg yolk immunoglobulin and its preliminary application].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) against soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum, and explore its feasibility for schistosomiasis screening in endemic areas. METHODS: The urine samples of indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) positives from endemic areas and healthy people from non-endemic areas were collected. The Anti-SEA IgY was obtained through immunization by subcutaneous injection of SEA into Laihang hen, and its molecular weight was determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) . The circulating soluble egg antigen (CSEA) in the urine of IHA positives and healthy people were detected by ELISA-double antibody sandwich method with the Anti-SEA IgY as the capture antibody. RESULTS: Anti-SEA IgY was prepared and purified successfully. Totally 48 urine samples of IHA positives were detected by ELISA and 26 of them were CSEA positives (54.17%); 10 urine samples of healthy people were detected, and all of them were negative. CONCLUSIONS: The CSEA in human urine can be detected effectively by ELISA based on IgY. As a convenient and atraumatic method, it could be applied in schistosomiasis screening.

XRCC2 as a predictive biomarker for radioresistance in locally advanced rectal cancer patients undergoing preoperative radiotherapy.

XRCC2 has been shown to increase the radioresistance of some cancers. Here, XRCC2 expression was investigated as a predictor of preoperative radiotherapy (PRT) treatment response in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). XRCC2 was found to be overexpressed in rectal cancer tissues resected from patients who underwent surgery without PRT. In addition, overall survival for LARC patients was improved in XRCC2-negative patients compared with XRCC2-positive patients after treatment with PRT (P < 0.001). XRCC2 expression was also associated with an increase in LARC radioresistance. Conversely, XRCC2-deficient cancer cells were more sensitive to irradiation in vitro, and a higher proportion of these cells underwent cell death induced by G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. When XRCC2 was knocked down, the repair of DNA double-strand breaks caused by irradiation was impaired. Therefore, XRCC2 may increases LARC radioresistance by repairing DNA double-strand breaks and preventing cancer cell apoptosis. Moreover, the present data suggest that XRCC2 is a useful predictive biomarker of PRT treatment response in LARC patients. Thus, inhibition of XRCC2 expression or activity represents a potential therapeutic strategy for improving PRT response in LARC patients.