Re­examining the mechanism of eccentric exercise­induced skeletal muscle damage from the role of the third filament, titin (Review).

Intense and unaccustomed eccentric exercise has been extensively studied for its ability to induce muscle damage. However, the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon still requires further clarification. This knowledge gap arises from the need for explanation of the eccentric contraction through the sliding filament theory. The two-filament sarcomere model, which is consisted of thin and thick filaments, forms the basis of the sliding filament theory. The mechanisms of concentric and isometric contractions at the cellular and molecular levels are effectively described by this model. However, when relying solely on the cross-bridge swing, the sliding filament theory fails to account for specific observations, such as the stability of the descending limb of the force-length relationship curve. Recent evidence indicated that titin and the extracellular matrix (ECM) may play a protective role by interacting with the thick and thin filaments. During an eccentric contraction, titin serves as a third filament in the sarcomere, which helps regulate changes in passive force. The two-filament sarcomere model has limitations in explaining eccentric contraction, thus this compensates for those shortcomings. The present review explored the potential of replacing the two-filament sarcomere model with a three-filament sarcomere model, incorporating thin filaments, thick filaments and titin. This revised model offers a more comprehensive explanation of eccentric contraction phenomena. Furthermore, the sliding filament theory was investigated in the context of the three-filament sarcomere model. The double-layer protection mechanism, which involves increased titin stiffness and the ECM during eccentric contraction was explored. This mechanism may enhance lateral force transmission between muscle fibers and the ECM, resulting in sarcolemma and ECM shear deformation. These findings provided insight into the mechanism of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage. Considering the three-filament sarcomere model and the double-layer protection mechanism, the present review offered a more logical and comprehensive understanding of the mechanism behind eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage.

The mechanism of oxidative stress in keloid fibroblasts and the experimental study of early application of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor after inducing oxidative stress on keloid fibroblasts. Methods Primary keloid fibroblasts were isolated and cultured by enzyme digestion combined with the tissue adhesion method in vitro, and the third to fifth generations of cells were selected for the experiment. For 24 hours, keloid fibroblasts were treated with different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Different concentrations of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor were added to the keloid fibroblast culture medium, and then the cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours. Results With the increase of hydrogen peroxide concentration, the growth of keloid fibroblasts was inhibited and the levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and reactive oxygen species increased gradually, accompanied by an increase in the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and collagen I mRNA. The expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase-mRNA in keloid fibroblasts and the formation of reactive oxygen species in keloid fibroblasts were induced by different concentrations of angiotensin II, and the most significant effect was at 10-5 mmol/mL. The effects of diphenyleneiodonium chloride (NOX inhibitor), N-acetylcysteine (reactive oxygen species inhibitor) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH oxidase) RNA treatment on angiotensin II-induced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and collagen I increased significantly. Hydrogen peroxide and angiotensin II alone or combined can induce NADPH oxidase and reactive oxygen species expression in keloid fibroblasts. When the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor was added, the expression of NADPH oxidase and reactive oxygen species in keloid induced by hydrogen peroxide and angiotensin II could be inhibited. Conclusion Oxidative stress can lead to increased expression of reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase and collagen I in keloid fibroblasts, suggesting oxidative stress mediates the migration of human keloid fibroblasts and extracellular matrix synthesis.

Patients with isolated posterior cruciate ligament rupture had a higher posterior intercondylar eminence.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the anatomic geometry of the posterior intercondylar eminence and its association with PCL injury risk. METHODS: Patients who underwent primary PCL reconstruction from 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The control group included inpatients diagnosed with ACL rupture because of a sports-related accident during the same period, matched by age, gender, height, weight, and side of injury. Measurements of the height of the apex of the posterior intercondylar eminence (HPIE), the slope length (SLPIE) and the slope angle (SAPIE) of the posterior intercondylar eminence were performed using conventional MRI scans assessed by 2 blinded, independent raters. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) was used to evaluate the consistency of measurement results. Independent sample t tests, Chi-square tests, and logistic analyses were used to compare the two group, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients with PCL rupture met the inclusion criteria and 55 PCL-intact matched controls were included. There were no significant differences between the groups in gender (P = 1.000), limb side (P = 0.848), age (P = 0.291), BMI (P = 0.444) or height (P = 0.290). Inter-observer reproducibility was excellent agreement in HPIE, SLPIE and SAPIE of case and control groups (ICC: HPIE = 0.81, SLPIE = 0.77, SAPIE = 0.85). Patients with PCL rupture had significantly greater HPIE, SAPIE (both P < 0.001), and SLPIE (P < 0.05) than PCL-intact patients. The multivariable analysis showed that HPIE (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.24-2.11], P < 0.001) and SAPIE (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.05-1.31], P < 0.001) were independent factors associated with PCL rupture. CONCLUSION: Through this retrospective observational study, we found that patients with PCL rupture may have a higher posterior intercondylar eminence compared to PCL-intact patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Exploring the determinants of influenza A/H7N9 control intervention efficacy in China: Disentangling the effect of the '1110' policy and poultry vaccination.

The influenza A virus of the H7N9 subtype (FLUAV H7N9) emerged in Eastern China provinces in 2013 causing illness in both poultry and humans. Most reported FLUAV H7N9 human cases were related to those associated with the live poultry market chain. From 2013 to 2017, there were five epidemic waves of human infections, and from the end of 2016, the number of human cases increased sharply. To control FLUAV H7N9 in the market chain, the so-called '1110' policy at live poultry markets and a national vaccination programme were implemented. The relative efficacy of these two measures on the number of poultry and human infections has not been quantified and compared. To explore their efficacy, a cross-sectional study was conducted in six provinces of China, and the vaccination and surveillance data of H7N9 were analysed. Our survey data showed that poultry vendors were not widely aware of and did not accept the '1110' policy. For subjective and objective factors, some measures of the '1110' policy were not implemented in live bird markets (LBMs). However, the national vaccination programme achieved good immune effects and sharply decreased poultry FLUAV H7N9 infections. The detection rates of FLUAV H7N9 in LBMs and farms gradually decreased since the vaccination programme was implemented. Our analysis also indicated that human infections were closely related to poultry virus carriage rates; therefore, controlling FLUAV H7N9 circulation in poultry was an effective measure to control FLUAV H7N9 infections in humans. Although LBMs play a significant role in human infections, the management measures may not be implemented efficiently; hence, we need to conduct more investigations before developing related policies.

Mutation spectrum analysis of DMD gene in Indonesian Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are allelic disorders caused by mutations in the DMD gene. The full mutation spectrum of the DMD gene in Indonesian patients is currently unknown. Mutation-specific therapies are currently being developed, such as exon skipping or stop codon read-through therapy. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying the mutation spectrum of the DMD gene in Indonesia to guide future development and application of feasible therapeutic strategies. Methods: This study is a cross sectional study that enrolled 43 male patients with a clinical suspicion of DMD or BMD. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) reaction was performed to screen for the common mutations in the DMD gene. Results: Out of 43 subjects, deletions accounted for 69.77% (n=30) cases, while duplications were found in 11.63% (n=5) cases. One novel duplication spanning exons 2 to 62 was identified. Deletion mutations clustered around the distal (66.67%) and proximal (26.67%) hot spot regions of the DMD gene while duplication mutations were observed solely at the proximal region. Two false positive cases of single exon deletion detected through MLPA were attributed to sequence mutations affecting primer ligation sites, confirming the need to validate all single exon deletions when using this screening method. Analysis of available maternal DNA samples showed that the rate of de novo mutations (48.15%) appears higher than expected in this population. Out of 31 patients who were classified as DMD based on clinical and genotype characterizations, 60.47% (n=26) of cases were suitable for exon skipping therapy. Conclusion: This is the first comprehensive study showing the feasibility of implementing the MLPA method for routine screening of DMD patients in Indonesia. This is also the first study showing the potential applicability of exon skipping therapy in the majority of DMD cases in the country.

The influence of timing of oocytes retrieval and embryo transfer on the IVF-ET outcomes in patients having bilateral salpingectomy due to bilateral hydrosalpinx.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate whether the sequence of oocyte retrieval and salpingectomy for hydrosalpinx affects pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) patients. Study Design: There were 1,610 bilateral hydrosalpinx patients who underwent laparoscopy salpingectomy and IVF-ET/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from January 2009 to December 2018. They were divided into two groups: oocyte retrieval first group: 235 accepted oocyte retrieval before salpingectomy; operation first group: 1,375 accepted oocyte retrieval after salpingectomy. The basic information and pregnancy outcomes of the two groups were compared. The pregnancy outcomes and influencing factors were analyzed among patients at different starting times of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) or oocyte retrieval after the salpingectomy. Results: Patients in the oocyte retrieval first group had higher levels of basal follicle stimulating hormone and lower anti-Mullerian hormone levels (P < 0.05). There were no cases of pelvic infection or oocyte and embryo contamination after oocyte retrieval in the oocyte retrieval first group. In the frozen cycle, the clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates of the oocyte retrieval first group were lower than those in the operation first group (P < 0.05), while the live birth rate was not significantly different (P > 0.05). The live birth rates of patients ≥35 years old in the operation first group and the oocyte retrieval first group were not significantly different (29.3% vs. 23.3%, P = 0.240). After adjusting for age and antral follicle count (AFC), oocyte retrieval 4-6 and 7-12 months after the operation had higher accumulated pregnancy rates [OR 1.439 (1.045-1.982), P = 0.026; OR 1.509 (1.055-2.158), P = 0.024] and higher accumulated live birth rates [OR 1.419 (1.018-1.977), P = 0.039; OR 1.544 (1.068-2.230), P = 0.021]. No significant difference was observed in the pregnancy outcomes of frozen embryo transfer at different times after salpingectomy (P > 0.05). Conclusion: No contamination of the embryo or infection was observed in patients who underwent oocyte retrieval before the operation. The interval between the operation and frozen embryo transfer did not affect the pregnancy outcomes. After adjusting for age and AFC, patients who underwent oocyte retrieval 4-6 and 7-12 months after the operation had higher accumulated pregnancy rates and live birth rates.

Colchicine for Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of colchicine administration for coronary heart disease remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of colchicine administration versus placebo on treatment efficacy for coronary heart disease. METHODS: We have searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases through May 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of colchicine administration versus placebo in patients with coronary heart disease. This meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. RESULTS: Six RCTs involving 6,321 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control groups for coronary heart disease, colchicine intervention can significantly reduce major adverse cardiovascular events (odds ratio [OR] 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59 to 0.92; P = .006), but revealed no obvious impact on mortality (OR=0.93; 95% CI=0.63 to 1.36; P = .69), serious adverse events (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.31 to 1.61; P = .41), or restenosis (OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.64; P = .95). CONCLUSIONS: Colchicine treatment may be effective to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease.

Exchange bias and Verwey transition in Fe5C2/Fe3O4 core/shell nanoparticles.

This report presents new findings of exchange bias and related structural and magnetic properties in iron carbide/magnetite (Fe5C2/Fe3O4) core/shell nanoparticles. The exchange bias emerges from an energetic landscape, namely a first-order phase transition-the Verwey transition at 125 K, during which the Fe3O4 shell changes from the cubic to monoclinic structure. The phase transition leads to the exchange bias because it results in abrupt changes in magnetocrystalline anisotropy and exchange coupling. Another unique phenomenon identified in this composite system is enhanced magnetic coercivity due to the uniaxial anisotropy of the monoclinic phase. An analysis of the correlations between the observed phenomena is given based on the temperature dependence of the coercivity, the exchange bias field values, and the Verwey transition temperature.

Improved outcomes using unmanipulated haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells combined with third-party umbilical cord blood transplantation for non-malignant diseases in children: The experience of a single center.

BACKGROUND: Unmanipulated haploid HSCT for SAA has resulted in improved outcomes over recent years. However, studies related to unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation for other types of NMD are rare. Accordingly, we present the outcomes of 109 pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD undergoing unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation. PROCEDURE: We retrospectively investigated 109 pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD treated with unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB transplantation in a single center. RESULTS: The median days of neutrophil and platelet engraftment were +13 and +22 days, respectively. None of the cases experienced PGF. The incidence rates for grade I-II, III-IV aGVHD and cGVHD were 44.9%, 24.8%, and 9.3%, respectively. The incidence rates of CMV and EBV viremia were 46.7% and 39.4%, respectively. The median follow-up duration was 997 days. In total, 106 patients survived, including 104 cases with FFS and 2 cases with SGF. Three patients died. The 5-year TRM, OS, and FFS were 2.8%, 97.2%, and 96.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of unmanipulated haploid HSCs combined with tp-UCB in pediatric patients with life-threatening NMD were promising. However, further research is now needed to determine specific factors that might influence the engraftment of HSCs.

Transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach for excising large pineal region tumors extending into the third ventricle: experience in 15 pediatric cases.

Pineal region is deep located and tightly connected with surrounding important nerves, blood vessels, and other critical structure. Tumors in the regions are more commonly observed in children with complex pathology, difficult surgery, and poor prognosis. However, excision surgery on large tumor in the pineal region and extending into the third ventricle is characterized by high difficulty and uneasy treatment. Related experience and knowledge about excising large tumor in children pineal region which extending into the third ventricle by transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach was described in the paper. Clinical data of 15 children patients with large tumors in pineal region which extending into the third ventricle treated by our group from 2011 to 2015 was retrospectively analyzed (< 15 years of age, tumor size > >3 × 3 × 3 cm3). Fifteen cases underwent tumor excision with surgery by transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach including 11 male patients and 4 female patients with average age of 9.1 years and tumor volume from 3 × 3 × 3 to 5 × 6 × 7 cm3. They were assessed according to postoperative clinical symptom remission rate, blood loss during surgery, tumor removal rate, postoperative recurrence rate, etc. as indicators. Five cases belonged to germ cell tumors, 4 for teratoma, 1 for malignant teratoma, 2 for glioma, 2 for meningioma, and 1 for pineocytoma. Surgical total excision rate was 100%, while the mean intraoperative blood loss was about 300 ml. No case was dead due to surgery, and all cases had good postoperative recovery. Children patients are characterized by less blood than adults, larger volume size during surgery treatment, poor postoperative anti-infectious ability, etc. High requirements are proposed on surgery treatment, by long-term clinical exploration and experience accumulation. Our group believes that surrounding structures such as veins and dome are stretched and stimulated rarely in excision of children in large and medium tumor in pineal region which extending into the third ventricle by transcallosal-lateral ventricle-choroid fissure approach; thereby, the tumor can be completely excised, and larger veins and other important structures can be well-preserved with fewer complications, high full cut rate, and rapid recovery.

Rhein-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside inhibited high glucose-induced apoptosis of human mesangial cells by regulating the lincRNA ANRIL/let-7a/TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of most frequent complications of diabetes, and is the major cause of end-stage disease in diabetic patients. The present study investigated the roles and mechanisms of Rhein-8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (Rg) protecting human mesangial cells (HMCs) from high glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis. Using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay the proliferation of HMCs was analyzed, and flow cytometry was applied to detect apoptosis. The apoptosis-associated protein Bcl-2, caspase-3 and members of the transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/Smad signaling pathway were analyzed using a western blotting assay. HG significantly induced HMC apoptosis, and Rg markedly attenuated the HG-induced apoptosis. HG decreased the Bcl-2 expression and increased the caspase-3 expression, and Rg treatment recovered the expressions of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 affected by HG. The underlying mechanisms were further analyzed, and it was demonstrated that HG significantly upregulated the long intervening non-coding RNA (lincRNA) ANRIL expression level, downregulated let-7a expression and activated the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway; Rg treatment recovered the expressions of lincRNA ANRIL and let-7a, and inhibited the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway in the condition of HG. In conclusion, the present results suggested that Rg attenuated HG-induced apoptosis of HMCs by regulating the lincRNA ANRIL/let-7a/TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway.

Adaptive selection in the evolution of programmed cell death-1 and its ligands in vertebrates.

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and its ligands, particularly PD-L1 and PD-L2, are the most important proteins responsible for signaling T-cell inhibition and arbitrating immune homeostasis and tolerance mechanisms. However, the adaptive evolution of these genes is poorly understood. In this study, we aligned protein-coding genes from vertebrate species to evaluate positive selection constraints and evolution in the PD1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 genes conserved across up to 166 vertebrate species, with an average of 55 species per gene. We determined that although the positive selection was obvious, an average of 5.3% of codons underwent positive selection in the three genes across vertebrate lineages, and increased positive selection pressure was detected in both the Ig-like domains and transmembrane domains of the proteins. Moreover, the PD1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 genes were highly expressed in almost all tissues of the selected species indicating a distinct expression pattern in different tissues among most species. Our study reveals that adaptive selection plays a key role in the evolution of PD1 and its ligands in the majority of vertebrate species, which is in agreement with the contribution of these residues to the mechanisms of pathogen identification and coevolution in the complexity and novelties of vertebrate immune systems.

The long-term survival of patients with III-IVb stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with IMRT with or without Nimotuzumab: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: To assess the efficacy of Nimotuzumab in combination with first-line chemoradiotherapy treatment in Chinese patients with primary III-IVb stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: Patients with primary locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy between January 2008 and December 2013 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Group A received at least 6 doses of Nimotuzumab, while Group B did not receive Nimotuzumab. A propensity score matching method was used to match patients from each group in a 1:3 ratio. RESULTS: In total, 730 eligible patients were propensity matched, with 184 patients in Group A and 546 patients in Group B. Significant differences were not observed in the patient and tumor characteristics between Group A and Group B. At a median follow-up of 74.78 months (range 3.53-117.83 months), locoregional recurrence, distant failure and death were observed in 10.68, 11.10 and 16.03% of all patients, respectively. The estimated 5-year locoregional relapse-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, progression-free survival and overall survival in the Group A versus Group B were 85.34% versus 89.79% (P = 0.156), 93.09% versus 85.61% (P = 0.012), 79.96% versus 77.99% (P = 0.117) and 88.91% versus 78.30% (P = 0.006), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This nimotuzumab-containing regimen resulted in improved long-term survival of III-IVb stage NPC patients and warrants further prospective evaluation.

Plasticity without dislocations in a polycrystalline intermetallic.

Dislocation activity is critical to ductility and the mechanical strength of metals. Dislocations are the primary drivers of plastic deformation, and their interactions with each other and with other microstructural features such as grain boundaries (GBs) lead to strengthening of metals. In general, suppressing dislocation activity leads to brittleness of polycrystalline materials. Here, we find an intermetallic that can accommodate large plastic strain without the help of dislocations. For small grain sizes, the primary deformation mechanism is GB sliding, whereas for larger grain sizes the material deforms by direct amorphization along shear planes. The unusual deformation mechanisms lead to the absence of traditional Hall-Petch (HP) relation commonly observed in metals and to an extended regime of strength weakening with grain refinement, referred to as the inverse HP relation. The results are first predicted in simulations and then confirmed experimentally.

Qian lie an suppository (prostant) for chronic prostatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Chronic prostatitis (CP) is an inflammation of the prostate gland that seriously affects the quality of life of patients. The existing evidence of antibiotics and α-blockers for the treatment of CP is limited. OBJECTIVES: This review evaluated the effectiveness and safety of Qian Lie An Suppository (Prostant) in treating CP. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials comparing Prostant (alone or plus the control) with placebo, conventional drugs, or nonpharmaceutical therapies for CP were included in this article through searching from 6 databases. Data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. Meta-analysis was performed when the clinical or statistical heterogeneity was found acceptable among trials. Estimate effects were present with risk ratio (RR) or mean difference and their 95% confidence interval (CI) for dichotomies or continuous variables. Quality of the evidence for each primary outcome was assessed using GRADE criteria. RESULTS: Totally 21 trials involving 3359 participants were included. There were 2 included trials had unclear risk of bias, and the remaining trials had high risk of bias. Meta-analyses showed the number of cured patients in the Prostant group was 2 times more than that of the placebo (RR 2.05, 95%CI 1.10 to 3.81) or antibiotics (RR 1.95, 95%CI 1.18 to 3.23) groups. Similar results were found when Prostant in combination with antibiotics or hyperthermia compared with the antibiotics (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10-2.89) or hyperthermia (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.23-2.40) alone. However, there was no difference in the number of cured patients between Prostant and α-blockers or hyperthermia therapy. No severe adverse event was reported in all included trials. The main adverse events in Prostant group were reported (in 8 included trials) as diarrhea and anal discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: Low-quality evidence showed that the Prostant may have add-on effect for patients with CP on increasing the number of cured patients, relieving pain, and improving the quality of life. There is not sufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness and safety of Prostant for the treatment of CP compared with placebo, antibiotics, α-blockers or the hyperthermia therapy.

First principles calculation of the nonhydrostatic effects on structure and Raman frequency of 3C-SiC.

For understanding the quantitative effect of nonhydrostatic stress on properties of material, the crystal structure and Raman spectra of 3C-SiC under hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic stress were calculated using a first-principles method. The results show that the lattice constants (a, b, and c) under nonhydrostatic stresses deviate those under hydrostatic stress. The differences of the lattice constants under hydrostatic stress from nonhydrostatic stresses with differential stress were fitted by linear equation. Nonhydrostatic stress has no effect on density of 3C-SiC at high pressure, namely the equations of state of 3C-SiC under hydrostatic stress are same as those under nonhydrostatic stress. The frequencies and pressure dependences of LO and TO modes of 3C-SiC Raman spectra under nonhydrostatic stress are just same as those under hydrostatic stress. Under nonhydrostatic stress, there are four new lines with 361, 620, 740, and 803 cm-1 appeared in the Raman spectra except for the LO and TO lines because of the reduction of structure symmetry. However the frequencies and pressure dependences of the four Raman modes remain unchanged under different nonhydrostatic stresses. Appearance of new Raman modes under nonhydrostatic stress and the linear relationship of the differences of lattice constants under hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic stresses with differential stress can be used to indicate state of stress in high pressure experiments. The effect of nonhydrostatic stress on materials under high pressure is complicated and our calculation would help to understanding state of stress at high pressure experiments.

Antibiotic resistance ofKlebsiella pneumoniae through ß-arrestin recruitment-induced ß-lactamase signaling pathway.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics leads to rapid evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Klebsiella pneumoniae has become the most common pathogenic bacterium accountable for nosocomial infections due to its high virulence factor and general occurrence of resistance to most antibiotics. The ß-lactamase signaling pathway has been suggested to be involved in antibiotic resistance against ß-lactams in Klebsiella pneumoniae. In the present study, the molecular mechanism of the antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae was investigated and the results indicated involvement of the ß-arrestin recruitment-induced ß-lactamase signaling pathway. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae was assessed using automated systems and extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) and ß-arrestin expression levels in Klebsiella pneumoniae were analyzed by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. ß-lactam resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae was determined using ß-lactam agar screening plates. The results demonstrated that ß-arrestin recruitment was increased in Klebsiella pneumoniae with antibiotic resistance (AR-K.P.) compared with that in the native Klebsiella pneumoniae strain (NB-K.P.). Increased production of ESBL was observed in AR-K.P. after treatment with the ß-lactam penicillin. Of note, inhibition of ß-arrestin recruitment significantly suppressed ESBL expression in AR-K.P. and in addition, genes encoding ß-arrestin and ESBL were upregulated in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Restoration of endogenous ß-arrestin markedly increased antibiotic resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae to ß-lactam. Knockdown of endogenous ß-arrestin downregulated antibiotic resistance genes and promoted the inhibitory effects of ß-lactam antibiotic treatment on Klebsiella pneumoniae growth. In conclusion, the present study identified that ß-arrestin recruitment was associated with growth and resistance to ß-lactams, which suggested that ß-arrestin regulating ESBL expression may be a potential target for addressing antibiotic resistance to ß-lactams in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Conductometric Sensor for PAH Detection with Molecularly Imprinted Polymer as Recognition Layer.

A conductometric sensor based on screen-printed interdigital gold electrodes on glass substrate coated with molecularly imprinted polyurethane layers was fabricated to detect polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water. The results prove that screen-printed interdigital electrodes are very suitable transducers to fabricate low-cost sensor systems for measuring change in resistance of PAH-imprinted layers while exposing to different PAHs. The sensor showed good selectivity to its templated molecules and high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.3 nmol/L e.g., for anthracene in water which is lower than WHO's permissible limit.

Consensus Tracking of Heterogeneous Discrete-Time Networked Multiagent Systems Based on the Networked Predictive Control Scheme.

This paper studies the problem of consensus tracking for heterogeneous discrete-time networked multiagent systems (NMASs) with network-induced communication delay. By introducing the networked predictive control scheme, novel consensus tracking protocols are designed to ensure that states of the NMASs follow the external reference signal. One of the agents is defined as the leader agent, all the other agents are defined as the followers, and the external reference signal is always known by the leader agent, both cases where the external reference signal is available and unavailable to the follower agents are discussed in this paper. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the novel consensus tracking protocols are proposed based on algebraic and graph theory. Numerical examples are given to validate the theoretical results.

Appropriate indicated use for IVIG in neonatal infections / Uso indicado y apropiado de la inmunoglobulina G intravenosa para el tratamiento de infecciones neonatales

Infection is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the newborn and preterm neonates due to immuno-incompetence in these patients. Administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) provides immunoglobulin G (IgG) that can protect the body from infection. In theory, morbidity and mortality due to infections in newborns and preterm infants could be reduced by the administration of IVIG. Two meta-analyses were evaluated comparing IVIG to treat various infection versus conventional treatments. The results showed that IVIG is not effective as an adjunctive treatment for suspected or proven infections in neonates.

La infección es la causa principal de la mortalidad y de la morbilidad entre los recién nacidos y los neonatos prematuros debido a la incompetencia inmunológica de estos pacientes. El suministro de inmunoglobulina por vía intravenosa brinda la inmunoglobulina G que protege al cuerpo humano de las infecciones. En términos teóricos, la morbilidad y la mortalidad por infecciones en recién nacidos y en bebés prematuros, podrían reducirse si se administra inmunoglobulina G intravenosa. Se evaluaron dos meta-análisis que comparaban el uso de la inmunoglobulina G intravenosa para tratar diversas infecciones con los tratamientos convencionales. Los resultados demostraron que dicha inmunoglobulina no es eficaz como tratamiento adyuvante para combatir sospechas de infección o infecciones comprobadas en los recién nacidos.