Identification of six novel mutations in EDA from 20 hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia families.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic causes of 22 patients with clinically high suspicion of X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia from 20 unrelated Chinese families, expand the spectrum of ectodysplasin-A mutations, and provide more evidence for variants of uncertain significance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing was performed and potentially pathogenic variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Western blotting, real-time PCR and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to investigate the preliminary functions of the candidate variants. RESULTS: Nineteen ectodysplasin-A variants were identified, six of which were not previously reported. Among these variants, we identified a patient who carried two mutations in ectodysplasin-A and exhibited more severe phenotypes. Additionally, mutant protein expression levels decreased, whereas mRNA transcription levels increased. Cellular sublocalisation of the variants located in the tumour necrosis factor homologous domain showed that the proteins accumulated in the nucleus, whereas wild-type proteins remained in the cell membrane. A rare indel variant and two classical splicing variants that lead to exon 7 skipping were detected. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides definitive diagnoses for 20 families with suspected X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia and additional information on clinical heterogeneity and genotype-phenotype relationships.

Focusing on cyclin-dependent kinases 5: A potential target for neurological disorders.

Cyclin-dependent kinases 5 (Cdk5) is a special member of proline-directed serine threonine kinase family. Unlike other Cdks, Cdk5 is not directly involved in cell cycle regulation but plays important roles in nervous system functions. Under physiological conditions, the activity of Cdk5 is tightly controlled by p35 or p39, which are specific activators of Cdk5 and highly expressed in post-mitotic neurons. However, they will be cleaved into the corresponding truncated forms namely p25 and p29 under pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases and neurotoxic insults. The binding to truncated co-activators results in aberrant Cdk5 activity and contributes to the initiation and progression of multiple neurological disorders through affecting the down-stream targets. Although Cdk5 kinase activity is mainly regulated through combining with co-activators, it is not the only way. Post-translational modifications of Cdk5 including phosphorylation, S-nitrosylation, sumoylation, and acetylation can also affect its kinase activity and then participate in physiological and pathological processes of nervous system. In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of Cdk5 and its roles in a series of common neurological disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, anxiety/depression, pathological pain and epilepsy.

Xiaoaiping injection combined with chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Xiaoaiping injection combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer by meta-analysis. Methods: Seven databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, were searched by computer for randomized controlled clinical trials of Xiaoaiping injection combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of gastric cancer. Risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.3 software. Results: There were 16 articles that met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1,236 patients, 617 in the observation group and 619 in the control group. The results of meta-analysis showed that the observation group was better than chemotherapy alone control group in RR [OR = 1.86, p < 0.00001]; disease control rate (DCR) [OR = 2.45, p < 0.00001]; Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score [OR = 3.21, p < 0.00001] or [MD = 7.73, p = 0.001]. In terms of biochemical indicators, Xiaoaiping significantly reduced inflammation factors level, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) [MD = -15.00, p < 0.00001]; interleukin-6 (IL-6) [MD = -13.00, p < 0.00001]; C-reaction protein (CRP) [MD = -5.80, p < 0.00001]. Xiaoaiping could enhance immune function, significantly reducing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) [MD = -6.20, p < 0.00001] and Treg [MD = -1.70, p < 0.00001]. Xiaoaiping injection combined with chemotherapy could significantly decrease tumor markers, including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) [MD = -11.64, p < 0.00001]; CA199 [MD = -33.57, p = 0.02]; CA242 [MD = -20.66, p < 0.00001]; CA125 [MD = -12.50, p = 0.0005]. In the comparison of adverse reactions, the incidence rate of Xiaoaiping injection group was significantly lower than that of control group. The funnel plot showed that the left and right sides are basically symmetrical, and it can be considered that there is no obvious publication bias. Conclusion: Xiaoaiping injection combined with chemotherapy has better curative effect and less adverse reactions in the treatment of gastric cancer. However, limited by the quality of the included studies, more high-quality studies are still needed to be verified. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022353842], identifier [CRD42022353842].

Focusing on Formononetin: Recent Perspectives for its Neuroprotective Potentials.

Nervous system is the most complex system of the human body, hence, the neurological diseases often lack effective treatment strategies. Natural products have the potential to yield unique molecules and produce integrative and synergic effects compared to standard therapy. Mounting evidence has shown that isoflavonoids contained in traditional medicinal plant or dietary supplementation may play a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases due to their pronounced biological activities correlating to nervous system. Formononetin, a non-steroidal isoflavonoid, is a bioactive constituent of numerous medicinal plants such as red clover (Trifolium pratense) and Astragalus membranaceus. Emerging evidence has shown that formononetin possesses considerable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. This review intends to analyze the neuropharmacological potential of formononetin on the therapy of nervous system disorders. The neuroprotective properties of formononetin are observed in multiple neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, cerebral ischemia, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and depression. The beneficial effects of formononetin are achieved partially through attenuating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress via the related signaling pathway. Despite its evident effects in numerous preclinical studies, the definite role of formononetin on humans is still less known. More well-designed clinical trials are required to further confirm the neuroprotective efficacy and safety profile of formononetin before its application in clinic.

Noradrenergic innervations of the medial prefrontal cortex mediate empathy for pain in rats via the α1 and ß receptors.

Empathy involves integrated affective and cognitive processes to share the emotional state of others. This evolutionarily conserved ability has also been identified in nonhuman primates and rodents. Our previous work demonstrated that social interaction with a cagemate rat in pain induces mechanical pain hypersensitivity in cagemate observer (CO) rats. Moreover, we also demonstrated that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system are involved in this process. The LC sends noradrenergic innervations throughout the brain, and its innervation of the prefrontal cortex plays important roles in working memory and attention. The present study seeks to study the roles of the LC-to-mPFC pathway in pain empathy in rats. Selective ablation of the noradrenergic innervations of the mPFC through bilateral injections of the axonally transported catecholamine immunotoxin, saporin-conjugated antiserum to dopamine-ß-hydroxylase into the mPFC diminished mechanical pain hypersensitivity in CO rats. Bilateral intra-mPFC applications of the adrenergic α1 receptor antagonist prazosin and the ß receptor antagonist propranolol, but not the adrenergic α2 antagonist yohimbine, eliminated mechanical pain hypersensitivity in CO rats. In contrast, intra-mPFC applications of prazosin, yohimbine or propranolol did not affect the mechanical pain sensitivity of rats per se. Our results indicate that noradrenergic innervations in the mPFC mediate empathy for pain in rats via the α1 and ß receptors.

Nonylphenol regulates TL1A through the AhR/HDAC2/HNF4α pathway in endothelial cells to promote the angiogenesis of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide. Nonylphenol (NP) is an endocrine-disruptor chemical and plays an important role in the development of cancers. However, the effects of NP on CRC remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms of NP in the pathogenesis of CRC. METHODS: The levels of AhR, TL1A and HDAC2 in CRC tissues and endothelial cells were assessed by RT-qPCR or western blot. CHIP and dual luciferase reporter assays were used to confirm the interaction between AhR and HDAC2, or HNF4α and TL1A. The CCK8, would healing and tube formation assays were conducted to evaluate the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Western blot determined HNF4α protein and HNF4α acetylation levels. The secreted TL1A protein was detected by ELISA. The angiogenesis-related factor CD31 was tested by IHC. RESULTS: The expression level of AhR was significantly up-regulated in CRC tissues and endothelial cells. Moreover, NP activated the AhR pathway mediated colorectal endothelial cell angiogenesis and proliferation, while TL1A overexpression resisted these effects caused by NP. Besides, NP was found to modulate HNF4α deacetylation through AhR/HDAC2 to inhibit TL1A. Furthermore, in vivo experiments proved that NP regulated CRC growth and angiogenesis via AhR/HDAC2/HNF4α/TL1A axis. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that NP promoted CRC growth and angiogenesis through AhR/HDAC2/HNF4α/TL1A pathway and could be a new therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Efficacy of gecko polysaccharide on suppressed immune response induced by cyclophosphamide in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of gecko polysaccharide on the cyclophosphamide-induced suppressed immune response in mice. METHODS: Polysaccharides were extracted from fresh gecko for the first time using an orthogonal method and protein was removed using Sevag reagent (chloroform:N-butanol, 5:1, v/v). The gecko polysaccharide (GPCE) content was determined by the phenol-concentrated sulfuric acid method. An immunocompromised mouse model was established by intraperitoneally injecting cyclophosphamide at 100 mg/kg into 48 mice. The effects of GPCE on immune regulation in mice were assessed by a thymus-spleen index, serum hemolysin levels, and the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes. Spleen cell CD4+, CD8+, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio were evaluated by flow cytometry and the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The optimal extraction process for gecko polysaccharide included a 1:20 ratio of material to liquid (v/v), an extraction temperature of 60 ℃ and a time of 2 h. The polysaccharide content of the extract was 65.74%. GPCE was analyzed by HPLC and primarily contained glucose and small amounts of mannose, rha, and gal. Compared with the model, the thymus index, the spleen index were indices for GPCE increased with dose, whereas the high and medium groups exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Higher doses of GPCE increased serum TNF-α levels and there was a significant difference between the medium and high GPCE doses and the model (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); The number of CD4+ cells and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the gecko polysaccharide group were increased (P < 0.05) and there was no statistical difference in the number of CD8+ cells in the gecko polysaccharide group (P > 0.05); The high GPCE dose significantly increased the level of serum hemolysin (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Gecko polysaccharide significantly improved the suppressed immune response induced by cyclophosphamide in mice and promoted the secretion of tumor necrosis factor. The mechanism of gecko polysaccharide as an antitumor agent warrants further study.

Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 is essential for survival and proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cell line but dispensable for normal hematopoiesis.

BACKGROUND: Zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 (Zbtb46) is a transcription factor identified in classical dendritic cells, and maintains dendritic cell quiescence in a steady state. Zbtb46 has been reported to be a negative indicator of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We found that Zbtb46 was expressed at a relatively higher level in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) compared to mature cells, and higher in AML cells compared to normal bone marrow (BM) cells. However, the role of Zbtb46 in HSPCs and AML cells remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to elucidate the effect of Zbtb46 in normal hematopoiesis and AML cells. METHODS: We generated Zbtb46 and Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice. The deletion of Zbtb46 in Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of double-stranded poly (I). poly (C) (poly(I:C)), and referred as Zbtb46 cKO. After confirming the deletion of Zbtb46, the frequency and numbers of HSPCs and mature blood cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serial intraperitoneal injection of 5-fluorouracil was administrated to determine the repopulation ability of HSCs from Zbtb46 and Zbtb46 cKO mice. The correlation between Zbtb46 expression and prognosis was analyzed using the data from the Cancer Genome Atlas. To investigate the role of Zbtb46 in AML cells, we knocked down the expression of Zbtb46 in THP-1 cells using lentiviral vectors expressing small hairpin RNAs targeting Zbtb46. Cell proliferation rate was determined by cell count assay. Cell apoptosis and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The percentages and absolute numbers of HSPCs and mature blood cells were comparable in Zbtb46 cKO mice and its Zbtb46 littermates (Zbtb46vs. Zbtb46 cKO, HPC: 801,310 ±â€Š84,282 vs. 907,202 ±â€Š97,403, t = 0.82, P = 0.46; LSK: 86,895 ±â€Š7802 vs. 102,210 ±â€Š5025, t = 1.65, P = 0.17; HSC: 19,753 ±â€Š3116 vs. 17,608 ±â€Š3508, t = 0.46, P = 0.67). The repopulation ability of HSCs from Zbtb46Mx1-Cre mice was similar to those from Zbtb46 control (P = 0.26). Zbtb46 had elevated expression in AML cells compared to total BM cells from normal control. Knockdown of Zbtb46 in THP-1 cells led to a significant increase in cell apoptosis and reduced cell growth and proliferation. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our data indicate that Zbtb46 is essential for survival and proliferation of AML cells, but dispensable for normal hematopoiesis.

Study of the dynamic performance of a thrust stand for small-thrust liquid-pulsed thrusters.

Small-thrust liquid-pulsed thrusters can achieve higher efficiency and more accurate control when operating in pulsed mode. However, the pulsed characteristic makes it challenging to measure the thrust. This paper describes a thrust stand for directly measuring the pulsed thrust from small-thrust liquid-pulsed thrusters. The proposed stand is based on a unique piezoelectric dynamometer on which the thruster is mounted through a connecting frame. A thrust experiment is conducted by applying a trapezoidal pulsed force, similar to the thrust generated by small-thrust liquid-pulsed thrusters, to the thrust stand. The experimental results show that the thrust stand can quickly trace the input trapezoidal force signal, although its output waveform exhibits obvious oscillations. Based on the experimental frequency response data, a thrust stand transfer function model is constructed, and this model is used to analyze the dynamic response performance of the thrust stand. The step response and trapezoidal pulse response of the thrust stand are obtained, and the influence of the damping ratio on the dynamic performance of the thrust stand is analyzed. A damping compensation transfer function is established to improve the dynamic measurement performance of the thrust stand. Compensated results are obtained by using the raw output from the thrust stand as the input to the damping compensation transfer function. The damping compensation method does not change the natural frequencies of the thrust stand, does not need any additional filtering process, effectively eliminates the waveform oscillations of the thrust stand output, and ensures good consistency between the input and output signals.

Retracted Publications in the Biomedical Literature from Open Access Journals.

The number of articles published in open access journals (OAJs) has increased dramatically in recent years. Simultaneously, the quality of publications in these journals has been called into question. Few studies have explored the retraction rate from OAJs. The purpose of the current study was to determine the reasons for retractions of articles from OAJs in biomedical research. The Medline database was searched through PubMed to identify retracted publications in OAJs. The journals were identified by the Directory of Open Access Journals. Data were extracted from each retracted article, including the time from publication to retraction, causes, journal impact factor, and country of origin. Trends in the characteristics related to retraction were determined. Data from 621 retracted studies were included in the analysis. The number and rate of retractions have increased since 2010. The most common reasons for retraction are errors (148), plagiarism (142), duplicate publication (101), fraud/suspected fraud (98) and invalid peer review (93). The number of retracted articles from OAJs has been steadily increasing. Misconduct was the primary reason for retraction. The majority of retracted articles were from journals with low impact factors and authored by researchers from China, India, Iran, and the USA.

PQQ ameliorates D-galactose induced cognitive impairments by reducing glutamate neurotoxicity via the GSK-3ß/Akt signaling pathway in mouse.

Oxidative stress is known to be associated with various age-related diseases. D-galactose (D-gal) has been considered a senescent model which induces oxidative stress response resulting in memory dysfunction. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a redox cofactor which is found in various foods. In our previous study, we found that PQQ may be converted into a derivative by binding with amino acid, which is beneficial to several pathological processes. In this study, we found a beneficial glutamate mixture which may diminish neurotoxicity by oxidative stress in D-gal induced mouse. Our results showed that PQQ may influence the generation of proinflammatory mediators, including cytokines and prostaglandins during aging process. D-gal-induced mouse showed increased MDA and ROS levels, and decreased T-AOC activities in the hippocampus, these changes were reversed by PQQ supplementation. Furthermore, PQQ statistically enhanced Superoxide Dismutase SOD2 mRNA expression. PQQ could ameliorate the memory deficits and neurotoxicity induced by D-gal via binding with excess glutamate, which provide a link between glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity, inflammation and oxidative stress. In addition, PQQ reduced the up-regulated expression of p-Akt by D-gal and maintained the activity of GSK-3ß, resulting in a down-regulation of p-Tau level in hippocampus. PQQ modulated memory ability partly via Akt/GSK-3ß pathway.

The endocannabinoid system regulates synaptic transmission in nucleus accumbens by increasing DAGL-α expression following short-term morphine withdrawal.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is involved in pathways that regulate drug addiction and eCB-mediated synaptic plasticity has been linked with addictive behaviours. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in eCB-dependent synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) following short-term withdrawal from repeated morphine treatment. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Conditioned place preference (CPP) was used to evaluate the rewarding effects of morphine in rats. Evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents of medium spiny neurons in NAcc were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Changes in depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) in the NAcc were assessed to determine the effect of short-term morphine withdrawal on the eCB system. To identify the potential modulation mechanism of short-term morphine withdrawal on the eCB system, the expression of diacylglycerol lipase α (DGL-α) and monoacylglycerol lipase was detected by Western blot analysis. KEY RESULTS: Repeated morphine administration for 7 days induced stable CPP. Compared with the saline group, the level of DSI in the NAcc was significantly increased in rats after short-term morphine withdrawal. Furthermore, this increase in DSI coincided with a significant increase in the expression of DGL-α. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Short-term morphine withdrawal potentiates eCB modulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the NAcc. We also found that DGL-α expression was elevated after short-term morphine withdrawal, suggesting that the eCB 2-arachidonyl-glycerol but not anandamide mediates the increase in DSI. These findings provide useful insights into the mechanisms underlying eCB-mediated plasticity in the NAcc during drug addiction. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Endocannabinoids. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.7/issuetoc.

Diagnosis of overt disseminated intravascular coagulation in critically Ill adults by Sonoclot coagulation analysis.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) diagnosis is hampered by the limited availability of reliable clinical or laboratory tests. Currently available tests are time consuming and expensive. We investigated whether coagulation and platelet function analyses using the Sonoclot system were suitable for overt DIC diagnosis in critically ill adults. This was an observational diagnostic study performed in 498 patients presenting with an underlying disorder associated with DIC. Overt DIC patients were identified according to an International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) score of >5. Coagulation and platelet parameters were analyzed using the Sonoclot system, and compared with ISTH as the gold standard. Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curves were used to evaluate the value of the Sonoclot parameters. There were no differences for age or gender between the groups. Significant correlations were observed between activated clotting time (ACT) and ISTH score (r = 0.7; P < 0.001), clot rate (CR) and ISTH score (r = 0.5; P < 0.001), platelet function (PF) and ISTH score (r = -0.6; P < 0.001), and PF and platelet count (r = 0.5; P < 0.001). An ACT cut-off value of 213.5 s alone or combined with CR presented good sensitivity (76.7 and 86.8 %, respectively) and specificity (96.2 and 93.3 %, respectively). Sonoclot analysis can be performed using a point-of-care device that effectively discriminates low and high ISTH scores, and that effectively predicts coagulation dysfunction in patients with overt DIC.

Increased expression of cannabinoid receptor 1 in the nucleus accumbens core in a rat model with morphine withdrawal.

Relapse is a major clinical problem and remains a major challenge in the treatment of drug addiction. There is strong evidence that the endocannabinoid system of the nucleus accumben core (NAcc) is involved in drug-seeking behavior, as well as in the mechanisms that underlie relapse to drug use. To reveal the mechanism that underlies this finding, we examined the expression pattern of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1-R) in the NAcc of SD rats that had been undergoing morphine withdrawal (MW) for 1 day, 3 days and 3 weeks (acute, latent and chronic phases, respectively). Morphine exposure induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats. Significant increase of CB1-R expression in NAcc was observed in animals in the 1 day, 3 days and 3 weeks morphine withdrawal compare to the control group. Immunofluorescence labeling showed axonal fibers or terminals by fluorescence microscope observation. Immunoelectron microscopy detection showed silver-gold particles located in the presynaptic membranes that mainly give rise to symmetrical synapses. Quantitative electron microscopy showed an increase in number of CB1-R-positive terminals in the morphine withdrawal groups and the number of immunogold particles was significantly increased at these inhibitory terminals. We also confirmed that infusions of the CB1-R antagonist rimonabant into the NAcc attenuated the CPP during morphine withdrawal. Our present data have thus indicated that increasing pattern of CB1-R expression in the NAcc during above morphine withdrawal phases, which might underlie the relapse associated drug seeking behavior after morphine withdrawal.

[Relationship between early coagulability parameters at admission and outcome in patients with severe heatstroke].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the relationship between early coagulability parameters at admission in patients with severe heatstroke and their outcome. METHODS: The data from 176 patients with severe heatstroke admitted to Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command from January 1st, 2002 to August 31st, 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into survival group (n=150) and non-survival group (n=26) according to the outcome. The incipient values of coagulability function indexes within 24 hours after admission were collected, and prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and platelet count (PLT) were compared between two groups to assess the statistically significant indexes for the analysis of the relationship between coagulability parameters and outcome with receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve). RESULTS: Compared with those in survival group, PT and APTT were significantly prolonged in non-survival group [PT: 34.0 (18.8, 45.6) s vs. 18.4 (13.8, 18.0) s, Z=-6.09, P=0.000; APTT: 79.7 (41.0, 91.2) s vs. 60.8 (33.4, 41.0) s, Z=-5.08, P=0.000]. The PLT counts were significantly lower in the non-survival group than those in survival group [ 60.8(4.7, 95.3) × 109/L vs. 128.4(79.8, 180.8) × 109/L, Z=-4.34, P=0.000]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under ROC curve (AUC) for PT in predicting the death of patients with severe heatstroke was 0.874, with standard error of 0.028 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of 0.819-0.927 (P=0.000). The best cut-off was 18.5 s, with sensitivity of 76.9% and specificity of 20.0%. AUC for APTT in predicting the death of patients with severe heatstroke was 0.812, with standard error of 0.047 and 95%CI of 0.740-0.903 (P=0.000). The best cut-off was 46.55 s, with sensitivity of 69.2% and specificity of 14.0%. AUC for PLT in predicting the death of patients with severe heatstroke was 0.767, with standard error of 0.040 and 95%CI of 0.688-0.845 (P=0.000). The best cut-off was 86.5 × 109/L, with sensitivity of 68.0% and specificity of 36.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Early prolonged PT and APTT and reduced PLT count are associated with increased risk of death, and it can predict a poor outcome in patients with severe heatstroke.

[Efficacy evaluation of acupoints massage on asthenopia of video display terminal under different exposure dose].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy differences of acupoints massage for asthenopia of video display terminal (VDT) under different exposure dose. METHODS: One hundred and two cases (204 eyes) were divided into a low exposure group and a high exposure group, fifty-one cases in each group. The same intervention of acupoints massage on Cuanzhu (BL 2), Jingming (BL 1), Sizhukong (TE 23), Sibai (ST 2) and Taiyang(EX-HN 5) were given to the two groups, one acupoint for 5 min and once everyday, one month of which made a course. The symptom score, tear film break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer I test(SIT) were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: (1) The correlation coefficient of cubic curve model of the exposure dose was the biggest with symptom improvement index (P = 0.000), which indicated that the lower VDT exposure index was, the more obvious the symptom improved. The symptom improvement indices of low exposure group and high exposure group, which were (52.31 +/- 16.65)% and (28.93 +/- 13.35)% respectively, were statistical significant difference (P = 0.000). (2) Compared to before treatment, the levels of BUT and SIT in the two groups were both significantly higher (P < 0.05). Compared with the high exposure group, the levels of BUT and SIT in the low exposure group were increased by 0.826 s (P = 0.022) and 1.029 mm (P = 0.033), respectively, after the impact of BUT and SIT was corrected before the research. CONCLUSION: The acupoints massage can improve the symptoms and ocular physiology for patients with VDT asthenpia, and it is more effective for the low exposure cases.

TAT-mediated oral subunit vaccine against white spot syndrome virus in crayfish.

White spot syndrome virus is a highly pathogenic virus that infects crayfish and other crustaceans. VP28 is one of its major envelope proteins, and plays a crucial role in viral infection. Cell-penetrating peptides are short peptides that facilitate cellular uptake of various molecular cargoes, and one well known example is TAT peptide from HIV-1 TAT protein. In this study, recombinant plasmids were constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) to express TAT-VP28, VP28, TAT-VP28-EGFP and VP28-EGFP fusion proteins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry methods were used to confirm that TAT fusion proteins can translocate from the intestine to the hemolymph of the crayfish Cambarus clarkii. After immunization, activities of phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase were analyzed, and it was found that rTAT-VP28 produced the most pronounced increase in both C. clarkii were vaccinated by oral administration of rTAT-VP28 and rVP28 for 7 and 14 days, and rTAT-VP28 resulted in the highest relative percent survival (RPS) (63.3% at 7 days, and 67.8% at 14 days), compared with rVP28 (44.4% at 7 days, and 53.6% at 14 days) following challenge with WSSV after the last day of feeding. This study reports the use of TAT-derived peptide as an oral delivery method of a subunit vaccine against WSSV in C. clarkii.

[Distribution and composition of organochlorine pesticides in farmland top soils of Anhui Province].

By using ultrasonic method and GC/ECD, this paper analyzed the distribution and composition of 8 kinds of organochlorine pesticides (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, delta-HCH, op'-DDE, pp'-DDD, alpha-endosulfan, and chlorothalonil) in farmland top soils (0-20 cm) in 19 districts of Anhui Province, East China. The total concentration of the pesticides in the top soils ranged from 0 to 23.75 microg x kg(-1), among which, pp'-DDD and gamma-HCH were the major pollutants, with the mean concentration being 13.83 and 13.49 microg x kg(-1), respectively. As compared with the analyses in 1990, the present mean concentration of HCH had an obvious decreasing trend, but was still higher than that in the top soils in other regions of China and in other countries. The mean concentrations of OCPs, HCHs and pp'-DDD in the test top soils were 48.58, 28.64 and 13.83 microg x kg(-1), respectively, not surpassed the first grade level (< 50 microg x kg(-1)) of the China National Soil Environmental Quality Standards (GB 15618-1995), suggesting that the farmland top soils in these districts of Anhui Province were less polluted.

Thrust stand for low-thrust liquid pulsed rocket engines.

A thrust stand is developed for measuring the pulsed thrust generated by low-thrust liquid pulsed rocket engines. It mainly consists of a thrust dynamometer, a base frame, a connecting frame, and a data acquisition and processing system. The thrust dynamometer assembled with shear mode piezoelectric quartz sensors is developed as the core component of the thrust stand. It adopts integral shell structure. The sensors are inserted into unique double-elastic-half-ring grooves with an interference fit. The thrust is transferred to the sensors by means of static friction forces of fitting surfaces. The sensors could produce an amount of charges which are proportional to the thrust to be measured. The thrust stand is calibrated both statically and dynamically. The in situ static calibration is performed using a standard force sensor. The dynamic calibration is carried out using pendulum-typed steel ball impact technique. Typical thrust pulse is simulated by a trapezoidal impulse force. The results show that the thrust stand has a sensitivity of 25.832 mV/N, a linearity error of 0.24% FSO, and a repeatability error of 0.23% FSO. The first natural frequency of the thrust stand is 1245 Hz. The thrust stand can accurately measure thrust waveform of each firing, which is used for fine control of on-orbit vehicles in the thrust range of 5-20 N with pulse frequency of 50 Hz.

[Effects of endophytic Paenibacillus polymyxa S-7 on photosynthesis, yield, and quality of sugar beet].

This study showed that inoculation of endophytic Paenibacillus polymyxa S-7 could significantly (P < 0.05) promote the photosynthesis of sugar beet. After the inoculation, the leaf net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal limitation (Ls), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) increased by 16.11%, 23.82%, 41.91%, and 34.80%, respectively, while the stomatal intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) decreased by 21.09%. Inoculation of endophytic P. polymyxa S-7 could also increase sugar beet yield and its quality significantly (P < 0.05), with the tuberous root biomass and its sugar content increased by 25.63% and 17.46%, respectively. It was concluded that endophytic P. polymyxa S-7 not only affected the photosynthetic parameters, but also promoted the yield and quality of sugar beet.