Effectiveness of concentrated growth factor and laser therapy on wound healing, inferior alveolar nerve injury and periodontal bone defects post-mandibular impacted wisdom tooth extraction: A randomized clinical trial.

The extraction of wisdom teeth with mandibular impact frequently results in complications including damage to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and malformations of the bone. The objective of this research endeavour was to assess the efficacy of low-level laser therapy and concentrated growth factor (CGF) in facilitating nerve recovery and wound healing in such instances. A total of thirty-one patients (mean age 27.52 ± 5.79 years) who presented with IAN injury after extraction were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control group (which received oral mecobalamin), CGF group (which received CGF gel applied to the extraction sockets) and laser group (which received low-level lasers (808 nm, 30 mW, 10 J/cm2 )) at the extraction site. Patients' recovery from IAN paresthesia was evaluated seven times over the course of 14 days utilizing visual analogue scale (VAS) and the pinprick test (PP). At multiple intervals following surgery, periodontal probing and bone level measurements were utilized to assess the recovery of both soft and hard tissues. The findings revealed that, compared with the control group, both the CGF and laser treatment groups exhibited a markedly greater improvement in VAS scores and wound healing of soft tissues, as well as in PP results (p < 0.001), indicating enhanced wound healing processes. Despite these improvements, there was no significant difference in wound healing outcomes between the CGF and laser groups. Notably, the CGF group showed a statistically significant improvement in healing bone defects at 30 and 90 days post-treatment compared with the control group (p = 0.003 and p = 0.004, respectively), underscoring its effectiveness in bone healing as a critical aspect of the overall wound healing process. However, in terms of other wound healing comparisons, no significant differences were observed. CGF and laser therapy significantly enhanced the healing of wounds, including soft tissue and bone recovery, in addition to accelerating the recovery of IAN injuries following mandibular wisdom tooth extraction. Although both treatments were equally effective in nerve recovery, CGF notably excelled in promoting bone healing, suggesting its pivotal role in comprehensive wound healing. This highlights that both CGF and laser therapy are viable options for not only nerve recovery but also for overall wound healing in such dental procedures.

Application effect of gastrointestinal bundle nursing on the protection of gastrointestinal function in patients with gastric cancer.

Evidence-based nursing practice was used to formulate the enhanced recovery surgery bundle nursing strategy and apply it to patients with gastric cancer, to explore its safety, effectiveness and feasibility in perioperative gastrointestinal function protection in patients with gastric cancer. Selected the clinical medical records of 100 gastric cancer patients treated in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 as the research objects, and divided them into the control group and the observation group with 50 cases in each group according to the random number table. Among them, the control group was given routine nursing measures for nursing intervention, and the observation group was given gastrointestinal enhanced recovery surgery cluster nursing on the basis of the control group. The differences in stress response, gastrointestinal function protection, negative emotions and pain scores of gastric cancer patients before and after nursing were compared between the 2 groups. The postoperative bowel sounds recovery time, first anal exhaust, and first defecation time in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). Before nursing, there was no significant difference in the scores of stress response changes between the 2 groups (P > .05). After nursing, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (E2) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). The pain scores of the 2 groups were significantly improved at different time points, and the observation group was significantly less than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). Gastrointestinal enhanced recovery surgery bundle nursing can effectively improve the gastrointestinal function of patients with gastric cancer, improve the emotional response and stress response of patients, and has certain reference value for the nursing of patients with gastric cancer.

Two-Dimensional Pb Square Nets from Bulk (RO)nPb (R = Rare Earth Metals, n = 1,2).

All two-dimensional (2D) materials of group IV elements from Si to Pb are stabilized by carrier doping and interface bonding from substrates except graphene which can be free-standing. The involvement of strong hybrid of bonds, adsorption of exotic atomic species, and the high concentration of crystalline defects are often unavoidable, complicating the measurement of the intrinsic properties. In this work, we report the discovery of seven kinds of hitherto unreported bulk compounds (RO)nPb (R = rare earth metals, n = 1,2), which consist of quasi-2D Pb square nets that are spatially and electronically detached from the [RO]δ+ blocking layers. The band structures of these compounds near Fermi levels are relatively clean and dominantly contributed by Pb, resembling the electron-doped free-standing Pb monolayer. The R2O2Pb compounds are metallic at ambient pressure and become superconductors under high pressures with much enhanced critical fields. In particular, Gd2O2Pb (9.1 µB/Gd) exhibits an interesting bulk response of lattice distortion in conjunction with the emergence of superconductivity and magnetic anomalies at a critical pressure of 10 GPa. Our findings reveal the unexpected facets of 2D Pb sheets that are considerably different from their bulk counterparts and provide an alternative route for exploring 2D properties in bulk materials.

Transcriptome profiling reveals the genes involved in tuberous root expansion in Pueraria (Pueraria montana var. thomsonii).

BACKGROUND: Pueraria is a dry root commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine or as food and fodder, and tuberous root expansion is an important agronomic characteristic that influences its yield. However, no specific genes regulating tuberous root expansion in Pueraria have been identified. Therefore, we aimed to explore the expansion mechanism of Pueraria at six developmental stages (P1-P6), by profiling the tuberous roots of an annual local variety "Gange No.1" harvested at 105, 135, 165, 195, 225, and 255 days after transplanting. RESULTS: Observations of the tuberous root phenotype and cell microstructural morphology revealed that the P3 stage was a critical boundary point in the expansion process, which was preceded by a thickening diameter and yield gain rapidly of the tuberous roots, and followed by longitudinal elongation at both ends. A total of 17,441 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing the P1 stage (unexpanded) against the P2-P6 stages (expanded) using transcriptome sequencing; 386 differential genes were shared across the six developmental stages. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs shared by P1 and P2-P6 stages were mainly involved in pathways related to the "cell wall and cell cycle", "plant hormone signal transduction", "sucrose and starch metabolism", and "transcription factor (TF)". The finding is consistent with the physiological data collected on changes in sugar, starch, and hormone contents. In addition, TFs including bHLHs, AP2s, ERFs, MYBs, WRKYs, and bZIPs were involved in cell differentiation, division, and expansion, which may relate to tuberous root expansion. The combination of KEGG and trend analyses revealed six essential candidate genes involved in tuberous root expansion; of them, CDC48, ARF, and EXP genes were significantly upregulated during tuberous root expansion while INV, EXT, and XTH genes were significantly downregulated. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide new insights into the complex mechanisms of tuberous root expansion in Pueraria and candidate target genes, which can aid in increasing Pueraria yield.

Superatomic-Charge-Density-Wave in Cluster-Assembled Au6Te12Se8 Superconductors.

Superatomic crystals are a class of hierarchical materials composed of atomically precise clusters assembled via van der Waals or covalent-like interactions. Au6Te12Se8, an all-inorganic superatomic superconductor exhibiting superatomic-charge-density-wave (S-CDW), provides the first platform to study the response of its collective quantum phenomenon to the external pressure in superatomic crystals. We reveal a competition between S-CDW and superconductivity in an ultra-narrow pressure range. Distinct from conventional CDW ordering, S-CDW shows the lowest threshold (0.1 GPa) toward external pressure that is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than other atomic compounds. Prominently, a second superconducting phase emerges above 7.3 GPa with a threefold enhancement in the transition temperature (Tc) to 8.5 K, indicating a switch of the conduction channel from the a- to b-axis. In situ synchrotron diffractions and theoretical calculations reveal a pressure-mediated mesoscopic slip of the superatoms and a 2D-3D transition of the Fermi surface topology, which well explains the observed dimensional crossover of conductivity and re-entrant superconductivity.

Inhibition of Human Sulfotransferases by Phthalate Monoesters.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the inhibition of human important phase II metabolic enzyme sulfotransferases (SULTs) by phthalate monoesters, which are important metabolites of phthalate esters (PAEs). Method: Recombinant SULT-catalyzed metabolism of p-nitrophenol (PNP) was employed as the probe reactions of SULTs to investigate the inhibition of 8 kinds of phthalate monoesters towards SULT isoforms. An in vitro incubation system was utilized for preliminary screening, and 100 µM of phthalate monoesters was used. Inhibition kinetics were carried out to determine the inhibition of SULTs by phthalate monoesters. Result: Multiple phthalate monoesters have been demonstrated to exert strong inhibition potential towards SULT1A1, SULT1B1, and SULT1E1, and no significant inhibition of phthalate monoesters towards SULT1A3 was found. The activity of SULT1A1 was strongly inhibited by mono-hexyl phthalate (MHP), mono-octyl phthalate (MOP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBZP), and mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP). Monobutyl phthalate (MBP), MHP, MOP, mono-cyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), and MEHP significantly inhibited the activity of SULT1B1. MHP, MOP, and MEHP significantly inhibited the activity of SULT1E1. MOP was chosen as the representative phthalate monoester to determine the inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki) towards SULT1B1 and SULT1E1. The inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki) were calculated to be 2.23 µM for MOP-SULT1B1 and 5.54 µM for MOP-SULT1E1. In silico docking method was utilized to understand the inhibition mechanism of SULT1B1 by phthalate monoesters. Conclusions: All these information will be beneficial for understanding the risk of phthalate monoester exposure from a new perspective.

Novel Two-Dimensional ABX3 Dirac Materials: Achieving a High-Speed Strain Sensor via a Self-Doping Effect.

The pristine semimetal property of two-dimensional (2D) Dirac materials has limited their practical applications in today's electronic devices. Here we report a new type of 2D Dirac material, termed ABX3 (A = F, Cl, Br, or I; B = P or As; X = C or Si) monolayers. We demonstrate that 14 ABX3 monolayers possess good stability and high Fermi velocities. The FPC3, ClPC3, BrPC3, and FAsC3 monolayers exhibit a pristine n-type self-doping Dirac cone due to the interactions of electrons between the A-B units and C6 rings, which is beneficial for realizing high-speed carriers. Interestingly, the ClPSi3 monolayer exhibits remarkable responses to strain because a self-doping Dirac cone can be induced by relatively small in-plane biaxial strains (-5%), and the current-voltage (I-V) curves verified that the response strength is 11.57 times that of the graphene-based strain sensor at a bias of 1.10 V, indicating that the ClPSi3 monolayer could be used as a potential excellent strain sensor.

Molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying boron-induced alleviation of cadmium toxicity in rice seedlings.

Both cadmium (Cd) contamination and boron (B) deficiency in farmland soils pose a threat to the yield and quality of crops in Southern China. The present study investigated the mechanisms by which B reduces Cd accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. Boron supplementation partially restored the decline in shoot and root biomass caused by Cd treatment (26% and 33%, respectively), with no significant difference between the B+Cd and control groups. We also found that B significantly reduced shoot and root Cd concentrations (by 64% and 25%, respectively) but increased Cd concentration (by 43%) and proportion (from 38% to 55%) in root cell walls. Transcriptome analysis and biochemical tests suggested that B supplementation enhanced lignin and pectin biosynthesis, pectin demethylation, and sulfur and glutathione metabolism. Moreover, B decreased the expression of some Cd-induced transporter-related genes (i.e., HMA2, Nramp1, and several ABC genes). These results indicate that B relieved Cd toxicity and reduced Cd accumulation in rice seedlings by restraining Cd uptake and translocation from root to shoot by improving Cd tolerance and chelation ability. These novel findings would benefit further investigations into how B influences Cd uptake, translocation, detoxification, and accumulation in crops.

Predicted stable Li5P2 and Li4P at ambient pressure: novel high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-rich phosphides have recently attracted considerable attention due to their potential application as high-capacity and high-rate anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, there is still short of the promising candidate thus far because of the poor electrical conductivity or huge volume change in the already known Li-P compounds. In this work, we report two novel Li-P states, Li5P2 and Li4P, stabilized under high pressures that are predicted to be quenchable down to ambient conditions by first-principles swarm structure calculations. The predicted P3m1 Li5P2 shows interesting features as a p-type semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 0.787 eV, possessing significant anisotropy properties in electrical transport, while R3[combining macron]m Li4P acts as a typical electride with metallic behavior at pressures of 0-82 GPa. More importantly, our calculations reveal that the theoretical capacities of Li5P2 and Li4P are predicted to reach 2164 and 3462 mA h g-1, respectively. Combined with the good electrical transport properties, the calculated volume expansion of Li5P2 (130%) is found to be much smaller than those of the previously reported Li-P compounds, indicating its potential as a high performance anode material for LIBs.

Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) exert strong inhibitory effects towards human carboxylesterases (CESs).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been reported to pose a severe risk towards human health, and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) were potential substances basis for PCBs' toxicity. This study aims to determine the inhibition of OH-PCBs towards human carboxylesterases (CESs), including CES1 and CES2. For phenotypic analysis of CES1 and CES2 activity, we used the hydrolysis metabolism of 2-(2-benzoyl3-methoxyphenyl) benzothiazole (BMBT) and fluorescein diacetate (FD) catalyzed by human liver microsomes (HLMs) as the probe reactions. Preliminary inhibition screening showed that the inhibition potential of OH-PCBs towards CES1 and CES2 increased with the increased numbers of chlorine atoms in OH-PCBs. Both 2'-OH-PCB61 and 2'-OH-PCB65 showed concentration-dependent inhibition towards both CES1 and CES2. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that 2'-OH-PCB61 and 2'-OH-PCB65 exerted non-competitive inhibition towards CES1 and competitive inhibition towards CES2. The inhibition kinetics parameters (Ki) were 6.8 µM and 7.0 µM for 2'-OH-PCB61 and 2'-OH-PCB65 towards CES1, respectively. The inhibition kinetics parameters (Ki) were 1.4 µM and 1.0 µM for 2'-OH-PCB61 and 2'-OH-PCB65 towards CES2, respectively. In silico docking methods elucidate the contribution of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts towards the binding of 2'-OH-PCB61 and 2'-OH-PCB65 with CES1 and CES2. All these results will provide a new perspective for elucidation of toxicity mechanism of PCBs and OH-PCBs.

[Correlation of IgG Levels at Initial Diagnosis with Clinical Efficacy and Prognosis in 66 Patients with IgG Multiple Myeloma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the IgG levels of newly diagnosed IgG-type multiple myeloma (MM) patients and analyze the relationship between the IgG levels and clinical efficacy and prognosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 66 newly diagnosed IgG-type MM patients in our hospital from September 2012 to October 2018 were collected. These 66 patients were divided into group A (IgG≤64 g/L, n=41), and group B (IgG ＞64 g/L, n=25), then the MM patients in 2 groups were divided into 2 subgroups thalidomide (TM)-treated group (n=35) and bortezomib (BTZ)-treated group (n=25) according to therapeutic regimens. The climical efficacy, PFS and OS time as well as the factors affecting prognosis of patients were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The overall response rate (ORR) and CR+VGPR rate in group A were better than those in group B (P=0.008, P=0.036), the ORR of BTZ-treated group in group B was significantly better than that of TM-treated group (P=0.028), while the ORR of TM-treated group in group A was better than that of TM-treated group in group B (P=0.048), the CR+VGPR rate was better than that of TM-treated group in group B (P＜0.05). The number of patients with high risk cytogenetics (HRC) in group B was much more than that in group A (P=0.022). Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum IgG levels negatively correlated with albumin (r=-0.449，P=0.000) and hemoglobin (r=-0.608，P=0.000), and positively correlated with bone marrow plasma cells (r=0.328，P=0.007). Survival analysis showed that the PFS in group A was significantly better than that in group B (P=0.015), and the OS in group A was better than that in group B (P=0.049), but there was no significant difference in PFS and OS between TM group and BTZ group (PFS: P=0.695, OS: P=0.3250). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that the ≥VGPR and standard-risk cytogenetics were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: IgG＞64g/L in patients with newly diagnosed IgG-type MM is a poor prognostic factor affecting PFS and OS. The higher level of serum IgG at the initial diagnosis, the higher the risk of HRCs, and the worse clinical efficacy and prognosis of patients.

Ginsenoside Rg1 Inhibits Glucagon-Induced Hepatic Gluconeogenesis through Akt-FoxO1 Interaction.

Rationale: Glucagon is involved in hepatic gluconeogenesis, playing a key role in type 2 diabetes. Ginsenosides are reported to have antidiabetic activities. Ginsenoside Rg1 is a major propanaxatriol-type saponin in ginseng. This study aims to investigate the regulatory effects of Rg1 on glucagon-induced hepatic glucose production. Methods: The effects of Rg1 were investigated in high-fat-diet (HFD)-fed mice and glucagon-challenged C57BL/6J mice. Glucose metabolism was evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test and pyruvate tolerance test. The role of Rg1 on the regulation of Akt-FoxO1 interaction was performed using immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, siRNA silencing, pharmacological inhibitor and active-site mutant in primary hepatocytes or HepG2 cells. Results: Abnormally elevated fasting glucagon levels were observed in HFD-fed mice, contributing significantly to increased fasting plasma glucose levels. Inappropriate fasting glucagon secretion inactivated Akt and promoted hepatic glucose production via upregulation of FoxO1 activity. Rg1 preserved glucagon-impaired Akt activation partly by binding to Akt at Ser473 site. Rg1 also promoted Akt binding to FoxO1 and inactivated FoxO1 by phosphorylation. Consequently, Rg1 decreased the hepatic glucose production through a decrease in transcription of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase). Both siRNA silencing of Akt and Akt inhibitor triciribine attenuated the effects of Rg1 in response to fasting hormone glucagon. Conclusion: Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 by ginsenoside Rg1 is critical for its gluconeogenesis-lowering effect, suggesting a potential for pharmaceutical intervention in response to fasting hormone glucagon.

Meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing the effectiveness of on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass.

BACKGROUND: The growing enthusiasm for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is emerging, but the role of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) in clinical practice remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in the incidences of stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), and myocardial infarction (MI) between OPCAB and conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CCABG) by meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials. METHODS: A literature search for the period before March 2010 supplemented with manual bibliographic review was performed for all Chinese or English publications in Medline, the Science Citation Index Expanded, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CBMdisc. A systematic overview (meta-analyses) of randomized clinical trials was conducted to evaluate the differences between OPCAB and CCABG in the incidences of stroke, AF, and MI. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5 software. RESULTS: Forty-three randomized clinical trials were selected for meta-analysis after screening a total of 356 references, with 8104 patients in the OPCAB group and 8724 cases in the CCABG group. The meta-analyses of these trials showed no significant difference between OPCAB and CCABG in the incidences of stroke (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.52 - 1.22, P = 0.30) and MI (OR = 0.73, 95%CI = 0.52 - 1.02, P = 0.06). However, we found a significantly reduced risk of AF (OR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.52 - 0.82, P = 0.0002) in off-pump patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analyses suggest that OPCAB reduces the risk of postoperative AF compared with CCABG, but there is no significant difference in the incidences of stroke and MI between OPCAB and CCABG.

XAF1 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in squamous cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP)-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is a new tumor suppressor. Low expression of XAF1 is associated with poor prognosis of human cancers. However, the effect of XAF1 on lung cancer remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression of XAF1 and its role in squamous cell lung cancer. METHODS: Cancer tissues, cancer adjacent tissues and normal lung tissues were collected from 51 cases of squamous cell lung cancer. The expression of XAF1 mRNA was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of XAF1 protein was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. Ad5/F35-XAF1 virus was generated. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and flow cytometry (FACS), respectively. RESULTS: The levels of XAF1 protein and mRNA in cancer tissues were significantly lower than those in cancer adjacent and normal lung tissues (P < 0.05). The low expression of XAF1 was associated with tumor grade, disease stage, differentiation status and lymph node metastasis in squamous cell lung cancer patients. The restoration of XAF1 expression mediated by Ad5/F35-XAF1 virus significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: XAF1 is a valuable prognostic marker in squamous cell lung cancer and may be a potential candidate gene for lung cancer therapy.

Comparison of compensatory sweating and quality of life following thoracic sympathetic block for palmar hyperhidrosis: electrocautery hook versus titanium clip.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracic sympathetic block is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method for treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. The purpose of this study was to decide which one of using electrocautery hook and titanium clip is the appropriate procedure for primary palmar hyperhidrosis by assessing the compensatory sweating (CS) and quality of life (QOL) of patients after sympathetic block. METHODS: Between October 2007 to August 2010, 120 patients with primary palmar hyperhidrosis were randomly divided into two groups, electrocautery hook group (60 patients) and titanium clip group (60 patients). All patients were treated by sympathetic block at T4 level. The CS was graded based on severity and location; the QOL was classified to 5 different levels based upon the summed total scores (range from 20 to 100) before and after surgery. The variables were compared. RESULTS: The postoperative follow-up period was 2 months. All patients were cured. Three patients in electrocautery hook group and 1 patient in titanium clip group had a unilateral pneumothorax on chest X-ray, but none of them was necessary to have chest drainage. Neither perioperative mortality nor serious complications such as cardiac arrhythmia or arrest were observed during the operation. No bradycardia or Horner's syndrome occured. CS was not more common in patients in titanium clip group than in those in electrocautery hook group (P = 0.001). Moderate and severe CS was few in all patients, and there was no significant difference between two groups (P = 0.193). Most of the patients feel a notable improvement of the the QOL; nevertheless, there was no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.588). CONCLUSIONS: Both electrocautery hook and titanium clip used for sympathetic block at the T4 level are effective, safe, and minimally invasive for palmar hyperhidrosis. Because of the lower severity of CS and the similar improvements in the QOL after operation, we prefer to use of titanium clip for treating palmar hyperhidrosis.

[Sensitivity evaluation and key sensitive factors identification of soil erosion around Hangzhou Bay based on RUSLE].

By using GIS and RS techniques and RUSLE, the rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), vegetation and management factor (C), and slope length and steepness factor (LS) around Hangzhou Bay of Zhejiang Province, China were calculated to make a comprehensive sensitivity evaluation of soil erosion in the study area. In the meantime, the contribution of each natural factor, i. e., rainfall, soil texture, slope, and elevation, was analyzed, and a new approach, overlapping and ordering method, was developed to identify the key affecting factors in the given sensitive areas. In the study area, soil erosion was mainly at non-sensitive and low sensitive levels. The percentages of the areas with different soil erosion sensitivity varied with the strength of the affecting factors. Soil erosion sensitivity increased with increasing rainfall and slope, and the percentage of the area with high soil erosion sensitivity was the largest at elevation 200-500 meters. The overlapping and ordering method was a practicable approach in identifying the key affecting factors in given sensitive areas, being helpful to understand the mechanisms causing soil erosion.

Esthesioneuroblastoma methods of intracranial extension: CT and MR imaging findings.

INTRODUCTION: Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is an aggressive neuroectodermal malignancy in the upper nasal cavity with local infiltration and lymphatic or hematogenous metastasis. The purpose of this paper is to document three types of direct intracranial extensions by ENB using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Eleven patients with pathologically confirmed ENB were admitted in our hospital between December 2002 and December 2008. Their magnetic resonance (MR; n = 10) and CT (n = 8) images were retrospectively reviewed, and particular attention was paid to tumor location and extension, enhancement pattern, cervical lymph node metastasis, and Kadish stage. RESULTS: The majority of patients were male (8/11) with Kadish stage C tumor (10/11). Three types of direct intracranial extension by ENBs were put forward according to their MR and CT findings. The primary tumors were well-defined soft-tissue masses centered in the roof of the nasal cavity eroding into the paranasal sinuses (11/11), the contralateral nasal cavity (4/11), the cranial cavity (5/11), and the fossa orbitalis (3/11). The tumor parenchyma were hypointensity on T1-weighted images, heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2-weighted images, and isodensity or slight hyperdensity on CT images with scattered necroses (4/11) and marginal cysts(4/11). Their enhancements were significant and inhomogeneous. Cervical lymph nodes metastases were observed in four patients (4/11), but no pathologically proved distant metastasis was observed. CONCLUSION: Three types of direct intracranial extensions by ENB can be found on CT and MRI: cranio-orbital-nasal-communicating ENB, cranio-nasal-communicating ENB, and orbital-nasal-communicating ENB.

[Synthesis of Gal-BSA-SPIO and magnetic resonance imaging of ASG receptors in rabbits bearing liver VX2 tumor and human liver].

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize Gal-BSA-SPIO as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent targeting asialoglycoprotein (ASG) receptors in the liver and observe its role in MRI detection of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). METHODS: Gal-BSA was synthesized by means of reductive amination and mixed with SPIO in ice bath to prepare Gal-BSA-SPIO complex. Twenty rabbits bearing VX2 liver tumor underwent MRI enhanced by SPIO (n=10) and Gal-BSA-SPIO (n=10), and the T2 values of the liver and tumor before and after the contrast imaging were measured. Fresh human normal hepatic tissues (n=3), cirrhotic tissues (n=4) and HCC tissues (n=6) were obtained and incubated with Gal-BSA-SPIO followed by Perl's Prussian blue staining to observe the distribution of ASG receptors. RESULTS: The size of the Gal-BSA-SPIO particles was 34.4 nm. The 20 rabbits bearing VX2 tumor, with tumor size ranging from 3 mm to 12 mm, showed isointense signal in the liver and hypointense signal in the tumor on T1WI, and isointense signal in the liver and slightly hyperintense signal in the tumor on GRE T2*WI. The signal intensity of the liver decreased slightly or moderately after administration of SPIO in the rabbits, and administration Gal-BSA-SPIO resulted in obvious reduction in the signal intensity of the liver. The signal intensities of the tumors did not exhibit obvious changes after the administration of SPIO or Gal-BSA-SPIO. Histological examination revealed numerous blue iron deposits in the Kupffer cells in SPIO group and in the hepatocytes in Gal-BSA-SPIO group, but not in the tumors in either of the groups. The human liver specimens incubated with Gal-BSA-SPIO contained numerous blue iron deposits in the hepatocyte cytoplasm and cell membrane in normal liver tissue, but the deposits were reduced in the cirrhotic tissue and almost absent in the HCC tissue. CONCLUSION: Gal-BSA-SPIO can specifically bind to ASG receptors on hepatocyte membrane to improve the tumor-liver contrast-to-noise ratio.

Japanese encephalitis protein vaccine candidates expressing neutralizing epitope and M.T hsp70 induce virus-specific memory B cells and long-lasting antibodies in swine.

Swine are an important amplifier of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus in the paradomestic environment. In this study, two JE protein vaccine candidates were evaluated for immunogenicity in swine. Both vaccine plasmids are based on a prokaryotic vector pET-32a(+). One plasmid, designated pET-32a(+)-epitope, encode a cassette consisting of a neutralizing epitope on envelope (E) protein of JE virus, whereas the other plasmid, designated pET-32a(+)-epitope-hsp70, express the fusion protein of the epitope and M.T hsp70. Some differences were detected in the immunogenicity of these two proteins in swine. Swine immunized twice with 2000pmol of the neutralizing epitope or the fusion protein developed neutralizing antibody titers of respectively, 154 and 300, and anti-neutralizing epitope antibody titers of 10(4.25) and 10(6.0) by 3 weeks after the second immunization. In addition, swine immunized with the neutralizing epitope emulsified with adjuvant S206 or with imported mineral oil and Tween-80 induced neutralizing antibody titers of 196 and 244, and anti-neutralizing epitope antibody titers of 10(5.25) or 10(5.6) at the same time point. However, swine administered two doses of a commercial JE vaccine (attenuated virus preparation; JEV SA14-14-2 strain) developed less favorable antibody responses with neutralizing antibody titer 40 and anti-neutralizing epitope antibody titers 10(3.7). The anamnestic response was followed by monitoring titers 1 week after boosting with a viral antigen; swine immunized twice with the fusion protein showed a 177-fold increase in anti-neutralizing epitope titer, indicating a strong recall of the antibody response. The animals maintained detectable levels of anti-neutralizing epitope antibody for at least 105 days after two immunizations, indicating that these four protein antigens are able to stimulate virus-specific memory B cells and long-lasting antibodies at higher levels than is achieved using a current commercial attenuated JEV vaccine. The group immunized with the epitope fused to M.T hsp70 made the strongest proliferation of lymphocytes. Through the assay of the amount of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 in the serum, swine immunized with the fusion protein increased IFN-gamma in the serum which showed that M.T hsp70 potentiated Th1 immune response.