[Analysis on the ultrasonic characteristics of tonsillar lymphoma].

Objective: To analyze the ultrasonic features of tonsillar lymphoma to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Methods: The clinical, pathological and ultrasonic data of nine patients with tonsillar lymphoma confirmed by pathology at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital during June 2015 and June 2022 were analyzed retrospectively, and the characteristics of their ultrasonic images were summarized. Results: All 9 cases of tonsil lymphoma were unilateral tonsil disease, including 4 cases on the left side and 5 cases on the right side. The average maximum diameter of tonsil lymphoma in 9 cases was 4.32 cm. There were 3 cases with simultaneous involvement of tonsil and cervical lymph nodes, all of which were ipsilateral lymph nodes. Gray scale ultrasound showed that the lesions were hypoechoic, with clear boundaries in 7 cases and unclear boundaries in 2 cases. The shape was full and irregular in 5 cases and oval in 4 cases. The echo was uniform in 7 cases and uneven in 2 cases. Color Doppler ultrasonography showed abundant internal blood flow signal in 1 case, a little dotted linear internal blood flow signal in 5 cases, and no obvious internal blood flow signal in 3 cases. Conclusions: The ultrasonic features of tonsillar lymphoma include hypoechoic area, clear boundary, full shape, irregular and uniform internal echo, no or low linear signal of internal blood flow. Ultrasonography is of great value in the diagnosis of this disease and can help clinical decision-making.

Medical expenses of patients with severe mental disorders in Beijing, China.

OBJECTIVES: Mental health has become a significant public health problem that impacts both economic and social development, with severe mental disorders (SMDs) being the top priority. Over recent years, Beijing, China, has introduced several policies to reduce the economic burden on patients with mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the current status and composition of patients' medical expenses following the introduction of multiple medical policies, explore the factors that may impact the utilisation of medical services and provide a reference and basis for subsequent policy improvements. STUDY DESIGN: Multistage sampling was used to select a representative study population. A retrospective survey was used to collect patient information and data on medical expenses in 2019. METHODS: Descriptive statistics were applied to analyse the current status of patients' medical expenses, and a two-part model was used to examine the factors influencing healthcare utilisation and to model predicted expenses. RESULTS: Among 4940 participants, the average outpatient expenses of patients with SMD who incurred medical expenses were 8373.61 Yuan, and the average hospitalisation expenses were 81,594.05 Yuan. The out-of-pocket expenses were 29.22% of outpatient expenses and 8.13% of inpatient expenses. Factors such as age, household status, economic status, marital status, participation in the Community Free-Medication Service (CFMS) and the type of disease diagnosed influenced the differences in medical expenses and utilisation of services. CONCLUSIONS: The medical expenses of patients with SMD in Beijing are high, but a number of introduced policies have effectively reduced these costs for patients. Future studies should focus on the impact of factors such as age, economic status, participation in the CFMS and the type of disease diagnosed on medical expenses.

Modular gene analysis reveals distinct molecular signatures for subsets of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with clinical sequelae such as itching, dyspigmentation and scarring. OBJECTIVES: We applied a previously described modular analysis approach to assess the molecular heterogeneity of patients with CLE. METHODS: Whole-blood transcriptomes of RNA sequencing data from a racially and ethnically diverse group of patients with CLE (n = 62) were used to calculate gene co-expression module scores. An unsupervised cluster analysis and k-means clustering based on these module scores were then performed. We used Fisher's exact tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare characteristics between patient clusters. RESULTS: Six unique clusters of patients with CLE were identified from the cluster analysis. We observed that seven inflammation modules were elevated in two clusters of patients with CLE. Additionally, these clusters were characterized by interferon, neutrophil and cell-death signatures, suggesting that interferon-related proteins, neutrophils and cell-death processes could be driving the inflammatory response in these subgroups. Three different clusters had a predominant T-cell signature, which were supported by lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a diverse molecular profile in CLE that further adds to the clinical variations of this skin disease, and may affect disease course and treatment selection. Future studies with a larger and diverse cohort of patients with CLE are warranted to confirm these findings.

Long non-coding RNA FOXP4-AS1 acts as an adverse prognostic factor and regulates proliferation and apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. In The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, the expression level of lncRNA forkhead box P4 antisense RNA 1 (FOXP4-AS1) is higher in NPC samples than in normal samples. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression level of RNA and protein. Luciferase reporter assay ran to test the interactions between FOXP4-AS1 and miR-423-5p and STMN1. Subcellular fractionation assay was used to determine the subcellular localization of FOXP4-AS1. The tumor-promotion functions of FOXP4-AS1 were determined by both in vitro and in vivo assays. RESULTS: The expression of FOXP4-AS1 was up-regulated in 80 cases with NPC, and these patients with a poor prognosis. Functionally, high expression of FOXP4-AS1 in NPC was connected with promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. Moreover, FOXP4-AS1 is located in the cytoplasm of CNE1 (NPC cell lines). Mechanistically, FOXP4-AS1 up-regulated STMN1 on post-transcriptional regulation by means of miR-423-5p. CONCLUSIONS: Our present study demonstrated that high expression of FOXP4-AS1 in NPC portended poor outcomes. FOXP4-AS1upregulated STMN1 by interacting with miR-423-5p as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to promote NPC progression.

[The pH-Sensitive Potassium Channel TASK-1 Is a Chemosensor for Central Respiratory Regulation in Rats].

TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channel-1 (TASK-1) is a "leak" potassium channel sensitive to extracellular protons. It contributes to setting the resting potential in mammalian neurons. TASK-1 channels are widely expressed in respiratory-related neurons in the central nervous system. Inhibition of TASK-1 by extracellular acidosis can depolarize and increase the excitability of these cells. Here we describe the distribution of TASK-1 in the rat brainstem and show that TASK-1 mRNAs are present in respiratory-related nuclei in the ventrolateral medulla, which have been proposed as neural substrates for central chemo-reception in rats. After inhalation of 8% CO2 for 30 and 60 min, TASK-1 mRNA levels in positive-expression neurons were remarkably upregulated. Injection of the TASK-1 blocker anandamide (AEA) into the rat lateral cerebral ventricle, showed a significant excitement of respiratory at 10 min posttreatment, with a marked decrease in inspiratory and expiratory durations and an increased frequency of respiration. We suggest that TASK-1 channel may serve as a chemosensor for in central respiration and may contribute to pH-sensitive respiratory effects. TASK-1 channel might be an attractive candidate for sensing H^(+)/CO2 in several respiratory-related nuclei in the brainstem. It is likely that TASK-1 participates in pH-sensitive chemical regulation in the respiratory center under physiological and pathological conditions.

[Evaluation of influenza vaccine effectiveness in 2017-2018 influenza season based on community children cohort study].

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in children aged 6-72 months. Methods: The cohort study was conducted based on community child vaccination clinics in Yiwu and Yongkang counties of Zhejiang province. From October 2017 to December 2017, a total of 1 752 children aged 6-72 months were enrolled from 10 child vaccination clinics. The questionnaire survey was conducted after the written consents were obtained from the parents or legal guardians of the children. Then, a follow up was conducted for enrolle children until 30 April 2018, the influenza vaccination status and the number of influenza-like illness (ILI) cases, hospital visit due to ILI, self-medication due to ILI were observed and recorded every month. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated by using the generalized linear model (GLM) where dependent variables were the number of ILI cases, hospital visit and self-medication respectively. Results: Of the 1 752 children, 925 (52.80%) were boys and the median age was 30.00 months. The cumulative observation was 308 166 person days at the end of 2017-2018 season, with 5.27 ILI cases per 1 000 person days, 3.41 hospital visit due to ILI per 1 000 person days, 1.45 self-medication due to ILI per 1 000 person days. Of the 1 752 children, 643 received the influenza vaccination in 2017-2018 season. Compared with unvaccinated children, the VE was 23.5% against ILI case number (95%CI: 15.1%-31.1%), 19.3% against hospital visit due to ILI (95%CI: 8.2%-29.1%) and 25.8% against self-medication due to ILI (95%CI: 9.3%- 39.3%). Modeling splitting 643 children with 2017-2018 vaccination into those before and after vaccination, the influenza VE was 31.9% against ILI case number (95%CI: 12.7%-46.9%), 32.6% against hospital visit due to ILI (95%CI: 8.6%-50.3%) and 44.3% against self-medication due to ILI (95%CI: 11.9%-64.8%) in children aged 36-72 months. However, the children aged 6-35 months showed no significant VEs. For the VE analysis in children with different vaccination status, the VEs were significant if they received vaccination in both 2016-2017 season and 2017-2018 season or only in 2017-2018 seasons. The VE was not demonstrated among the children who were immunized only in 2016-2017 season. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination is moderate effective in preventing the incidence of ILI and hospital visit and self-medication in children in influenza season, the protection effect in children aged 36-72 months is better than that in children aged 6-35 months.

[Investigation of laryngopharyngeal reflux prevalence and risk factors in otolaryngology].

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and related risk factors of laryngopharyngeal reflux in otolaryngology. Method:During January 2019 to March 2019, the inpatients in otolaryngology were investigated by the questionnaire of reflux symptom index scale and the laryngopharyngeal reflux related risk factors were analyzed. Result:Among the 227 patients, 33 patients with suspected LPR contained 19 patients（20.7%） of 92 patients in the laryngopharyngeal group, 10 patients（16.1%） of 62 patients in the nasal group, and 4 patients（5.5%） of 73 patients in the ear group. LPR prevalence in the laryngopharyngeal group was statistically different from that in the ear group（P<0.05）. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, smoking, drinking and BMI were risk factors of LPR（P<0.01）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that BMI was an independent risk factor of LPR（P<0.01）. Conclusion:LPR had a high prevalence rate in otolaryngology related diseases, and appropriate synergistic anti-LPR treatment could be carried out while treating otolaryngology related diseases.

[Evaluation of the influenza vaccine effectiveness among children aged 6 to 72 months based on the test-negative case control study design].

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine among children aged 6 to 72 months. Methods: The test-negative case control study was conducted based on available surveillance data which was from China Influenza Surveillance Information system (CSIS). From October 2016 to April 2017 and from October 2017 to April 2018,1 161 cases aged 6-72 months with influenza-like illness in Yongkang and Yiwu city, were selected as the study subjects, and the cases with influenza test-positive were selected as the case group (403 cases). Test-negative subjects were selected as control group (758 cases). The etiology and immunization data of the subjects were obtained from CSIS and Immune Information and Management System (IIMS) respectively. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated using multivariate logistic regression model,and the mixed effects of non-randomized control in TNCC study were equalized by using the propensity score (PS) method in the statistical analysis. Results: The age of the subjects was (2.44±1.60) years,and there were 681 boys (58.66%). The age of case group was (2.62±1.58) years, and there were 246 boys (61.04%). The case group was including of 237 cases (58.81%) of influenza A (H3N2), 92 cases (22.83%) of influenza A (H1N1) pmd09, 62 cases (15.38%) of influenza B(Victoria) lineage, 11 cases (2.73%) of influenza B (Yamagata) lineage and one case (0.25%) co-infection of influenza [A(H(3)N(2))+B (Victoria)]. The mean age of the control group was (2.35±1.61) years,and there were 435 boys (57.39%). Overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) against all type influenza for two seasons combined was 58% (95%CI: 31%-74%). An analysis by age groups showed 68% (95%CI:41%-82%) of the VE estimate among children aged 36-72 months while it was 28%(95%CI:-80%-71%)of the VE estimate among children aged 6-35 months. The VE estimate value was 54% (95%CI:16%-75%) against all type influenza and 65% (95%CI:24%-83%) against influenza A (H(3)N(2)) during the 2016-2017 season. During the 2017-2018 season, the VE estimate value was 69% (95%CI:18%-88%) against all type influenza. Conclusion: Influenza vaccine is effective in preventing influenza virus infection during the flu season,especially the effect among children aged 36-72 months is higher compared to that among children aged 6-35 months.

[Correlation between the expression of STOX1 in placenta of patients with early onset preeclampsia].

Objective: To investigate the relationship of STOX1expression and pathogenesis of early onset preeclampsia. Methods: 65 cases of preeclampsia women who delivered in Shanghai Pudong Hospital from October 2015 to June 2018, were recruited, which included 31 cases with early onset preeclampsia (early onset group, gestational week<34 weeks) and 34 patients with late onset preeclampsia (late onset group, gestational week ≥34 weeks). 34 cases women who received caesarean section because of pelvic structural deformities, breech presentation, macrosomia and social factors were included as the control group(gestational week ≥34 weeks) were selected as control group.The expression and localization of STOX1 mRNA and protein in placenta of three groups of maternal were evaluated by immunohistochemistry SP, RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Results: (1) The expression of STOX1 in placenta mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of placental syncytiotrophoblasts, cytotrophoblasts, vascular endothelial and mesenchymal cells, a few in the cell nucleus.The staining intensity of STOX1 in early onset group was significantly stronger than that in late onset group, the staining intensity of the late onset group was similar to that of the control group. The positive expression rates of STOX1protein in early onset group, late onset group and control group were 96.8%(30/31), 70.6%(24/34), 67.6%(23/34) respectively, which was higher in early onset group than that in late onset group(P=0.005). There was no statistical difference of STOX1 level between the late onset group and the control group(P=0.793). (2)Relative expression of STOX1 mRNA in early onset group, late onset group and control group were 0.054 3±0.003 5,0.037 5±0.000 7,0.035 2±0.000 4 respectively, which was significantly higher in early onset group than that in late onset group(P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference between the late onset group and the control group(P>0.05).(3)Relative expression level of STOX1 protein in early onset group, late onset group and control group were 0.78±0.04,0.59±0.020 and 0.54±0.018 respectively, which is higher in early onset group than that in late onset group(P<0.05). There was no statistical difference of STOX1 level between the late onset group and the control group(P>0.05). Conclusions: The pathogenesis of early onset and late onset preeclampsia may be different. Up-regulated expression of STOX1 in placenta may be associated with the pathogenesis of early onset preeclampsia.

[Expression and significance of STOX1 in villi and placenta at different stages of normal gestation].

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of STOX1 in different stages of gestation villi and placenta. Methods: Totally 137 cases of normal villi and placenta of pregnant women were collected from the Department of Obstetrics of Shanghai Pudong Hospital from October 1(st) 2015 to February 28(th) 2018, including 64 cases of early pregnancy (early pregnancy group) which consists of 32 cases of 5-7(+6) weeks gestation (early pregnancy group A) and 32 cases of 8-11(+3) weeks gestation (early pregnancy group B), 28 cases of 14-26 weeks gestation(middle pregnancy group) and 45 cases of 37-41 weeks gestation (late pregnancy group). The expression and localization of STOX1 mRNA and protein in placenta were evaluated by RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: (1)STOX1 was positively expressed in the cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts as well as interstitial and vascular endothelial cells of all groups. (2)STOX1 mRNA expression in each group was significantly different (P<0.05), the lowest was in the early pregnancy group A(0.007 8±0.000 4), which increased along with the progression of gestational age(P<0.05),and reached the highest level in the third trimester(0.064 4±0.001 3). (3)The protein level of STOX1 in different stages of normal pregnancy was 0.53±0.20 in early pregnancy group A;0.62±0.37 in early pregnancy group B;0.70±0.03 in middle pregnancy group and 0.81±0.04 in late pregnancy group respectively; which was positively related with the progression of gestational age (P<0.05). Conclusion: The expressions of STOX1 is gradually increasing along with the normal pregnancy progression, suggesting that it might be involved in proliferation, differentiation and infiltration and (or) apoptosis of trophoblast cells and the development of the placenta.

[Screening different HPV genotypes infection and type-specific in cervical exfoliated cells of women in Yili area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China].

Objective: To investigate the infection status and genotype distribution of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) in women of different ethnic groups and different ages in Yili, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang). Methods: By using the convenient sampling method, 54 760 women from November 2015 to May 2017 seeking for service in gynecological clinics in a general hospital in Yili, Xinjiang, were selected as the research subjects, and 3 445 samples of cervical mucous exfoliative cells were collected, and the social information of their ethnic and age was collected at the same time. The inclusion criteria were those with sexual life, cervical integrity, and ethnic groups for Han or Uygur or Kazak. PCR-reverse dot blot hybridization was used to detect HPV genotyping in exfoliated cells, and chi-square test was used to compare the difference of HPV positive rate among different ethnic groups. Then, according to ethnicity and age, the differences in positive rates of different ages and ethnic groups were compared in each layer. Results: The positive rate of HPV was 25.6% (882 cases), of which the Han, Uygur and Kazakh were 27.9% (564 cases), 22.9% (196 cases) and 21.6% (122 cases), and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=13.80, P=0.001). The most prevalent high-risk genotypes of Han women were HPV16/52/58, accounting for 24.8% (140 cases), 17.7% (100 cases) and 9.8% (55 cases), respectively. The most prevalent high-risk genotypes of Uygur women were HPV16/52/53, accounting for 34.2% (67 cases), 12.8% (25 cases), 9.2% (18 cases), respectively. The most prevalent high-risk genotypes of Kazak were HPV16/52/53, accounting for 37.7% (46 cases), 17.2% (21 cases), 12.3% (15 cases), respectively. The highest rate of HPV in Uygur patients aged ≥61 years was 41.5% (22 cases), and the lowest in group 36-40 years old, 15.9% (21 cases), the difference between different age groups was statistically significant (χ(2)=35.01, P<0.001). Conclusion: The positive rate of HPV infection among Han, Uygur and Kazak in Yili Prefecture of Xinjiang was different, and the HPV positive genotype differs among different ethnic groups.

A meta-analysis to predict the concentration of standardized ileal digestible amino acids in distillers dried grains with solubles for poultry.

High variability in amino acid (AA) content and digestibility among sources of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) create challenges for nutritionists when using it in precision nutrition feeding programs. The objective of this meta-analysis was to develop prediction equations for standardized ileal digestible content (SIDC) of AA in DDGS for poultry. A meta-analysis based on 86 observations from 19 publications was conducted to develop equations for predicting SIDC of AA based on chemical composition in DDGS. A mixed model was used to develop prediction equations for SIDC of AA, and a backward selection of variables was conducted based on chemical composition of DDGS. Each total AA content was the best predictor of SIDC for all indispensable AA. The prediction equations for SIDC of Met and Lys were y = -0.12 + 1.05 × Met (R2 = 0.899) and y = -0.22 + 0.91 × Lys (R2 = 0.870), respectively. The prediction equations for SIDC of Met and Lys using data from broiler chick assays were y = -0.16 + 1.12 × Met (R2 = 0.809) and y = -0.24 + 0.90 × Lys (R2 = 0.731), respectively, and equations derived from rooster assay data for Met and Lys were y = -0.05 + 0.97 × Met (R2 = 0.996) and y = -0.20 + 0.97 × Lys (R2 = 0.982), respectively. For all the prediction equations, the intercept (=0) and slope (=1) were not different (P > 0.10) between predicted and observed SID AA values, indicating high accuracy of the models. In conclusion, equations for predicting SIDC of AA in DDGS were developed and showed that total concentration of each AA was the best predictor of SDIC. These prediction equations can be used by animal nutritionists to more accurately estimate SIDC of AA among DDGS sources in diet formulations for precision poultry nutrition feeding programs.

[Value of modified TI-RADS in the diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the value of modified thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) in the sonographic diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and to evaluate the sonographic differences among MTC, papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and benign nodules in order to improve the ultrasound diagnostic accuracy of MTC. Methods: 646 cases of thyroid lesions confirmed by pathology in our hospital were divided into the MTC group (64 cases), PTC group (414 cases) and benign group (168 cases). The ultrasonographic characteristics of these groups were retrospectively analyzed. All of the 646 cases were classified by modified TI-RADS grading criteria. The diagnostic accuracy of MTC and ultrasonic manifestations of MTC, PTC and benign nodular were assessed. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of modified TI-RADS for MTC were 87.5%, 89.9%, 72.6%, 88.8%, and 67.2%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of modified TI-RADS for PTC were 96.1%, 59.5%, 85.4%, 86.2% and 85.6%. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of three different physicians for thyroid nodules was 0.983 by the modified TI-RADS. MTC were mostly located in middle and upper parts of the thyroid (85.9%, 55/64), hypoechoic or extremely hypoechoic (89.1%, 57/64), with relatively smooth margin (35.9%, 23/64), aspect ratio<1 (53.1%, 34/64), abundant blood flow (31.2%, 20/64), and high lymph node metastasis rate (51.6%, 33/64). These differences were statistically significant when compared to PTC (P<0.05). Conclusions: Repeatability of modified TI-RADS for MTC was high, and is slightly lower than that for PTC. MTC had specific features: mostly located in middle and upper parts of the thyroid, hypoechoic or extremely hypoechoic, relatively smooth margin, aspect ratio<1, abundant blood flow and high lymph node metastasis rate.

Prevention of Escherichia coli infection in broiler chickens with Lactobacillus plantarum B1.

Two studies were performed to assess the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum B1 in prevention of pathogenic Escherichia coli K88 gastrointestinal infection in broilers. In an in vitro study, L. plantarum B1 showed resistance to acid and bile and inhibited the growth of E. coli K88. Additionally, L. plantarum B1 exhibited high ability to adhere to broiler embryo ileal epithelium. In an animal trial, 240 broilers at 1 d of age were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatment arms: negative control (NC) broilers fed a basal diet and not challenged; positive control (PC) broilers fed a basal diet and challenged with E. coli K88; L. plantarum (LP) treatment broilers fed a basal diet containing 2 × 109 cfu/kg L. plantarum B1 and challenged with E. coli K88; and antibiotic treatment (Anti) broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with colistin sulfate (20 mg/kg) and challenged with E. coli K88. Broilers fed L. plantarum B1 had greater (P ≤ 0.05) BW than those in the PC treatment on d 14 and 28. Dietary L. plantarum B1 decreased (P < 0.05) E. coli counts in the cecal contents on d 10 and 14, and increased (P < 0.05) cecal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on d 8, 10, 14, and 28 compared with the PC treatment. Dietary supplementation of L. plantarum B1 increased (P < 0.05) the ileal mucosal secretory IgA concentration and reduced (P < 0.05) IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in the ileum. Overall, these results suggest dietary supplementation of L. plantarum B1 promotes growth performance, lowers cecal E. coli counts, and increases the population of cecal LAB, as well as improves intestinal mucosal immunity in E. coli K88-challenged broilers.

Superconductivity Bordering Rashba Type Topological Transition.

Strong spin orbital interaction (SOI) can induce unique quantum phenomena such as topological insulators, the Rashba effect, or p-wave superconductivity. Combining these three quantum phenomena into a single compound has important scientific implications. Here we report experimental observations of consecutive quantum phase transitions from a Rashba type topological trivial phase to topological insulator state then further proceeding to superconductivity in a SOI compound BiTeI tuned via pressures. The electrical resistivity measurement with V shape change signals the transition from a Rashba type topological trivial to a topological insulator phase at 2 GPa, which is caused by an energy gap close then reopen with band inverse. Superconducting transition appears at 8 GPa with a critical temperature TC of 5.3 K. Structure refinements indicate that the consecutive phase transitions are correlated to the changes in the Bi-Te bond and bond angle as function of pressures. The Hall Effect measurements reveal an intimate relationship between superconductivity and the unusual change in carrier density that points to possible unconventional superconductivity.

Investigation of JAKs/STAT-3 in lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal epithelial cells.

Janus-activated kinase (JAKs)-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT-3) signalling play critical roles in immunoregulation and immunopathology, which involve inflammatory responses and enteritis. JAK phosphorylates STAT-3 in response to stimulation by cytokines or growth factors, and then activates or represses the gene expression. STAT-3 is activated persistently in cancer cells and contributes to the malignant progression of various types of cancer and inflammation. To elucidate the different roles of JAKs in the activation of STAT-3, the lipopolysaccharide-induced primary intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) acute inflammatory model was established. Small interference RNAs (siRNAs) were then employed to attenuate the expression levels of JAKs. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (qRT-PCR) revealed that JAK mRNA levels were reduced efficiently by JAK-specific siRNAs. Under the IEC inflammatory model transfected with si-JAK, which equates to effective silencing, qRT-PCR and Western blot assays, suggested that knockdowns of JAK attenuated the JAK-induced down-regulation of STAT-3 at the mRNA or protein levels. In particular, JAK1 played a key role, which was consistent with the RNA-Seq results. Subsequently, the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were down-regulated in the IEC inflammatory model transfected with si-JAK1. JAK1 appears as a direct activator for STAT-3, whereas treatments targeting JAK1 repressed STAT-3 sufficiently pathways in the IEC inflammatory model. Therefore, the control of JAK1 using siRNAs has the potential to be an effective strategy against enteritis.

Effects of dietary Lactobacillus plantarum B1 on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, and short chain fatty acid profiles in broiler chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum B1 on broiler performance, cecal bacteria, and ileal and cecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA). The study also determined whether it was necessary to feed Lactobacillus throughout the entire growth period or if the beneficial effects could be obtained by supplementation during the starter or finisher period only. Experiment 1 was conducted with 72 broilers assigned to 2 treatments (N=6). One treatment was the basal diet (Con), and the other was the basal diet supplemented with 2×10(9) cfu/kg L. plantarum B1 (Wh). In experiment 2, 144 one-day-old broilers were assigned to 4 treatments (N=6) including a basal diet (Con), the basal diet supplemented with 2×10(9) cfu/kgL. plantarum B1 during d one to 21 only (St), the basal diet supplemented with L. plantarum B1 during d 22 to 42 only (Fn), and, finally, the basal diet supplemented with L. plantarum B1 from d one to 42 (Wh). Experiment 1 showed that L. plantarum B1 enhanced broiler average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). In experiment 2, during the starter period, broilers in the Wh and St treatments had higher ADG (P<0.05) than broilers in the Con and Fn, while during the finisher period, broilers in the Wh and Fn had higher ADG (P<0.01) and improved FCR (P<0.01) compared with broilers in the Con and St. On d 42, broilers in the Wh and Fn had decreased E. coli (P<0.05) and increased lactic acid bacteria (P<0.05) in their cecal digesta. L. plantarum B1 also increased (P<0.05) ileal mucosal sIgA as well as ileal and cecal SCFA. However, L. plantarum B1 had no effect on intestinal morphology. In conclusion,L. plantarum B1 plays a positive role in broilers. Supplementation during the finisher period or the entire growth period is superior to supplementation during the starter period only.

The antimicrobial peptide sublancin ameliorates necrotic enteritis induced by Clostridium perfringens in broilers.

Sublancin is an antimicrobial peptide produced by 168 containing 37 amino acids. The objective of this study was to investigate its inhibitory efficacy against both in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro study, we determined that sublancin had a minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 µM against , which was much higher than the antibiotic lincomycin (0.281 µM). Scanning electron microscopy showed that sublancin damaged the morphology of . The in vivo study was conducted on broilers for a 28-d period using a completely randomized design. A total of 252 chickens at 1 d of age were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatments including an uninfected control; an infected control; 3 infected groups supplemented with sublancin at 2.88, 5.76, or 11.52 mg activity/L of water; and an infected group supplemented with lincomycin at 75 mg activity/L of water (positive control). Necrotic enteritis was induced in the broilers by oral inoculation of on d 15 through 21. Thereafter, the sublancin or lincomycin were administered fresh daily for a period of 7 days. The challenge resulted in a significant decrease in ADG ( < 0.05) and a remarkable deterioration in G:F ( < 0.05) during d 15 to 21 of the experiment. There was a sharp increase of numbers in the cecum ( < 0.05). The addition of sublancin or lincomycin reduced caecal counts ( < 0.05). The counts had a tendency to decrease in the lincomycin treatment ( = 0.051) but were the highest in the sublancin treatment (5.76 mg activity/L of water). A higher villus height to crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum as well as a higher villus height in the duodenum were observed in broilers treated with sublancin or lincomycin ( < 0.05) compared with infected control broilers. It was observed that sublancin and lincomycin decreased IL-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels ( < 0.05) in the ileum compared with the infected control. In conclusion, although sublancin's minimum inhibitory concentration is much higher than lincomycin in vitro, less sublancin is needed to control necrotic enteritis induced by in vivo than lincomycin. These novel findings indicate that sublancin could be used as a potential antimicrobial agent to control necrotic enteritis.

Significant concentration changes of chemical components of PM1 in the Yangtze River Delta area of China and the implications for the formation mechanism of heavy haze-fog pollution.

Since the winter season of 2013, a number of persistent haze-fog events have occurred in central-eastern China. Continuous measurements of the chemical and physical properties of PM1 at a regional background station in the Yangtze River Delta area of China from 16 Nov. to 18 Dec., 2013 revealed several haze-fog events, among which a heavy haze-fog event occurred between 6 Dec. and 8 Dec. The mean concentration of PM1 was 212µgm(-3) in the heavy haze-fog period, which was about 10 times higher than on clean days and featured a peak mass concentration that reached 298µgm(-3). Organics were the largest contributor to the dramatic rise of PM1 on heavy haze-fog days (average mass concentration of 86µgm(-3)), followed by nitrate (58µgm(-3)), sulfate (35µgm(-3)), ammonium (29µgm(-3)), and chloride (4.0µgm(-3)). Nitrate exhibited the largest increase (~20 factors), associated with a significant increase in NOx. This was mainly attributable to increased coal combustion emissions, relative to motor vehicle emissions, and was caused by short-distance pollutant transport within surrounding areas. Low-volatility oxidized organic aerosols (OA) (LV-OOA) and biomass-burning OA (BBOA) also increased sharply on heavy haze-fog days, exhibiting an enhanced oxidation capacity of the atmosphere and increased emissions from biomass burning. The strengthening of the oxidation capacity during the heavy pollution episode, along with lower solar radiation, was probably due to increased biomass burning, which were important precursors of O3. The prevailing meteorological conditions, including low wind and high relative humidity, and short distance transported gaseous and particulate matter surrounding of the sampling site, coincided with the increased pollutant concentrations mainly from biomass-burning mentioned above to cause the persistent haze-fog event in the YRD area.