Interface Engineering of PdPt Ultrafine Ethanol Electro-Oxidation Nanocatalysts by Bacterial Soluble Extracellular Polymeric Substances (s-EPS) to Break through Sabatier Principle.

Unsatisfactory performance of ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) catalysts hinders the application of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), while traditional alloy catalysts (like PdPt) is cursed by Sabatier principle due to countable active site types. However, bacterial soluble extracellular polymeric substances (s-EPS) owning abundent functional groups may help breacking through it by contrusting different active sites on PdPt and inducing them to play synergy effect, which is called interface engineering. Using s-EPS to engineer catalysts is more green and consumes lower energy compared to chemical reagents. Herein, PdPt alloy nanoparticles (≈2.1 nm) are successfully in situ synthesized by/on s-EPS of Bacillus megaterium, an ex-holotype. Tryptophan residuals are proved as the main reductant. In EOR, PdPt@s-EPS shows higher activity (3.89 mA cm-2) than Pd@s-EPS, Pt@s-EPS, Pt/C and most reported akin catalysts. Its stability and durability are excellent, too. DFT modelling further demonstrates that, interface engineering by s-EPS breaks through Sabatier principle, by the synergy of diverse sites owning different degrees of d-p orbital hybridization. This work not only makes DEFCs closer to practice, but provides a facile and green strategy to design more catalysts.

Global, Regional, and National Economic Consequences of Stroke.

BACKGROUND: An understanding of global, regional, and national macroeconomic losses caused by stroke is important for allocation of clinical and research resources. The authors investigated the macroeconomic consequences of stroke disease burden in the year 2019 in 173 countries. METHODS: Disability-adjusted life year data for overall stroke and its subtypes (ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage) were collected from the GBD study (Global Burden of Disease) 2019 database. Gross domestic product (GDP, adjusted for purchasing power parity [PPP]) data were collected from the World Bank; GDP and disability-adjusted life year data were combined to estimate macroeconomic losses using a value of lost welfare (VLW) approach. All results are presented in 2017 international US dollars adjusted for PPP. RESULTS: Globally, in 2019, VLW due to stroke was $2059.67 billion or 1.66% of the global GDP. Global VLW/GDP for stroke subtypes was 0.78% (VLW=$964.51 billion) for ischemic stroke, 0.71% (VLW=$882.81 billion) for intracerebral hemorrhage, and 0.17% (VLW=$212.36 billion) for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The Central European, Eastern European, and Central Asian GBD super-region reported the highest VLW/GDP for stroke overall (3.01%), ischemic stroke (1.86%), and for subarachnoid hemorrhage (0.26%). The Southeast Asian, East Asian, and Oceanian GBD super-region reported the highest VLW/GDP for intracerebral hemorrhage (1.48%). CONCLUSIONS: The global macroeconomic consequences related to stroke are vast even when considering stroke subtypes. The present quantification may be leveraged to help justify increased spending of finite resources on stroke in an effort to improve outcomes for patients with stroke globally.

Effectiveness and safety of regimens containing linezolid for treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of linezolid-containing regimens for treatment of M. abscessus pulmonary disease. METHODS: The records of 336 patients with M. abscessus pulmonary disease who were admitted to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 164 patients received a linezolid-containing regimen and 172 controls did not. The effectiveness, safety, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, outcomes, culture conversion, cavity closure, and adverse reactions were compared in these two groups. RESULTS: The two groups had similar treatment success (56.1% vs. 48.8%; P > 0.05), but treatment duration was shorter in the linezolid group (16.0 months [inter-quartile ranges, IQR: 15.0-17.0] vs. 18.0 months [IQR: 16.0-18.0]; P < 0.01). The rates of sputum culture conversion were similar (53.7% vs. 46.5%, P > 0.05), but time to conversion was shorter in the linezolid group (3.5 months [IQR: 2.5-4.4] vs. 5.5 months [IQR: 4.0-6.8]; P < 0.01). The linezolid group had a higher rate of cavity closure (55.2% vs. 28.6%, P < 0.05) and a shorter time to cavity closure (3.5 months [IQR: 2.5-4.4] vs. 5.5 months [IQR: 4.0-6.8]; P < 0.01). Anemia and peripheral neuropathy were more common in the linezolid group (17.7% vs. 1.7%, P < 0.01; 12.8% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The linezolid and control groups had similar treatment success rates. The linezolid group had a shorter treatment duration, shorter time to sputum culture conversion, and higher rate and shorter time to lung cavity closure. More patients receiving linezolid developed anemia and peripheral neuropathy.

Miniaturizing a Chip-Scale Spectrometer Using Local Strain Engineering and Total-Variation Regularized Reconstruction.

A wafer-thin chip-scale portable spectrometer suitable for wearable applications based on a reconstructive algorithm was demonstrated. A total of 16 spectral encoders that simultaneously functioned as photodetectors were monolithically integrated on a chip area of 0.16 mm2 by applying local strain engineering in compressively strained InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well heterostructures. The built-in GaN pn junction enabled a direct photocurrent measurement. A non-negative least-squares (NNLS) algorithm with total-variation regularization and a choice of a proper kernel function was shown to deliver a decent spectral reconstruction performance in the wavelength range of 400-645 nm. The accuracies of spectral peak positions and intensity ratios between peaks were found to be 0.97% and 10.4%, respectively. No external optics, such as collimation optics and apertures, were used, enabled by angle-insensitive light-harvesting structures, including an array of cone-shaped backreflectors fabricated on the underside of the sapphire substrate.

Sodium butyrate exerts antioxidant stress effects and attenuates Aß25-35-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a common neurodegenerative disease, is characterised by the deposition of amyloid-ß (Aß) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that Aß causes neuronal damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Herein, we evaluated the neuroprotective effect of sodium butyrate (NaB) against Aß induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. The results revealed that 3 mM of NaB promoted the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which exert a neuroprotective effect by activating G protein-coupled receptors. Moreover, NaB could significantly improve mitochondrial dysfunction caused by Aß. In conclusion, NaB protected PC12 cells from Aß-induced cell damage, highlighting the potential of NaB in AD treatment.

Prediction of postpartum hemorrhage in pregnant women with immune thrombocytopenia: Development and validation of the MONITOR model in a nationwide multicenter study.

Globally, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death. Women with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are at increased risk of developing PPH. Early identification of PPH helps to prevent adverse outcomes, but is underused because clinicians do not have a tool to predict PPH for women with ITP. We therefore conducted a nationwide multicenter retrospective study to develop and validate a prediction model of PPH in patients with ITP. We included 432 pregnant women (677 pregnancies) with primary ITP from 18 academic tertiary centers in China from January 2008 to August 2018. A total of 157 (23.2%) pregnancies experienced PPH. The derivation cohort included 450 pregnancies. For the validation cohort, we included 117 pregnancies in the temporal validation cohort and 110 pregnancies in the geographical validation cohort. We assessed 25 clinical parameters as candidate predictors and used multivariable logistic regression to develop our prediction model. The final model included seven variables and was named MONITOR (maternal complication, WHO bleeding score, antepartum platelet transfusion, placental abnormalities, platelet count, previous uterine surgery, and primiparity). We established an easy-to-use risk heatmap and risk score of PPH based on the seven risk factors. We externally validated this model using both a temporal validation cohort and a geographical validation cohort. The MONITOR model had an AUC of 0.868 (95% CI 0.828-0.909) in internal validation, 0.869 (95% CI 0.802-0.937) in the temporal validation, and 0.811 (95% CI 0.713-0.908) in the geographical validation. Calibration plots demonstrated good agreement between MONITOR-predicted probability and actual observation in both internal validation and external validation. Therefore, we developed and validated a very accurate prediction model for PPH. We hope that the model will contribute to more precise clinical care, decreased adverse outcomes, and better health care resource allocation.

Tumor suppressor HIC1 is synergistically compromised by cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells through the IL-6/pSTAT3 axis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is commonly highly secreted in the breast cancer (BrCA) microenvironment and implicated in disease development. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of the IL-6/pSTAT3/HIC1 axis in the breast cancer microenvironment, including in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and breast cancer cells. METHODS: Stromal fibroblasts from the breast cancer tissue were isolated, and the supernatants of the fibroblasts were analyzed. Recombinant human IL-6 (rhIL-6) was applied to simulate the effect of CAF-derived IL-6 to study the mechanism of HIC1 (tumor suppressor hypermethylated in cancer 1) downregulation. IL-6 was knocked down in the high IL-6-expressing BrCA cell line MDA-MB-231, which enabled the investigation of the IL-6/pSTAT3/HIC1 axis in the autocrine pathway. RESULTS: Increased IL-6 was found in the supernatant of isolated CAFs, which suppressed HIC1 expression in cancer cells and promoted BrCA cell proliferation. After stimulating the BrCA cell line SK-BR-3 (where IL-6R is highly expressed) with rhIL-6, signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) was found to be phosphorylated and HIC1 decreased, and a STAT3 inhibitor completely rescued HIC1 expression. Moreover, HIC1 was restored upon knocking down IL-6 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells, accompanied by a decrease in STAT3 activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that IL-6 downregulates the tumor suppressor HIC1 and promotes BrCA development in the tumor microenvironment through paracrine or autocrine signaling.

Prostate Cancer Vascularity: Superb Microvascular Imaging Ultrasonography with Histopathology Correlation.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between prostate cancer (PCa) vascularity detected by superb microvascular imaging (SMI) and Gleason score in biopsy specimens. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 119 patients with suspected PCa before biopsy underwent gray-scale ultrasound (US), color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS), and SMI imaging between June 2018 and March 2019. Vascularity quantity was assessed by SMI and compared with that of CDUS. The vessel parameter was also compared with the Gleason score. The sensitivity of PCa was compared between transrectal ultrasound guided systematic biopsy (SB) and SMI-guided targeted biopsy (SMI-guided TB). RESULTS Pathology confirmed 74 of 119 patients had PCa. The microvascular quantity of PCa patients was significantly higher than that of non-malignant patients. SMI detected blood vessels in 97.3% (72/74) in the malignant group, while CDUS identified blood flow signals in 90.5% (67/74) of the PCa group. SMI visualized enriched microvascular in PCa of Gleason 8 (54.5%) and Gleason 9 (92.3%). There was a positive correlation between microvascular quantity detected by SMI and Gleason score, with a correlation coefficient of 0.373 (P<0.001). SMI-guided TB cores were significantly more likely than SB cores to detect PCa (OR=12.83, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS SMI could be promising as a useful imaging technique in the detection and characterization of PCa. There was a positive correlation between microvascular quantity detected by SMI and Gleason score.

Strain Elastography-Targeted Biopsy: Does Prostate Volume Affect Prostate Cancer Detection?

BACKGROUND The present study aimed to assess the correlation between prostate volume and prostate cancer (PCa) detection by strain elastography (SE)-guided targeted biopsy (TB) compared with conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided systematic biopsy (SB). MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study enrolled 357 patients suspected to have PCa. All patients received TRUS-guided 10-core SB and SE-guided TB. The sensitivity for PCa detected by SE-guided TB was compared with that by TRUS-guided SB, in combination with prostate biopsy pathology. The correlation between the prostate volume and the detection rate of SE-guided TB was investigated. RESULTS PCa was pathologically confirmed in 151 out of 357 patients. The by-patient detection rate of TRUS-guided SB was 72.8% (110/151). Subsequently, a further increase of 6.6% (10/151) in PCa determination was obtained by the SE-guided TB. The sensitivity of SE-guided TB for patients with prostate volume <30 ml, 30-50 ml, 51-80 ml, and >80 ml was 91.7% (44/48), 80.3% (53/66), 70.4% (19/27), and 40.0% (4/10), respectively (p=0.002). For patients with a prostate volume less than 30 ml, SE-guided TB (91.7%) had a higher sensitivity than SB (62.5%) (p<0.007). CONCLUSIONS SE-guided TB has a higher detection rate of PCa in comparison with TRUS-guided SB. There was also a negative correlation between prostate volume and SE-guided TB. Therefore, use of SE-guided TB may complement use of conventional SB, especially for patients with smaller prostate volume.

Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Clostridium perfringens DNA Based Morphology-Dependent DNA Adsorption Properties of CeO2 Nanorods in Dairy Products.

Foodborne pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens can cause diverse illnesses and seriously threaten to human health, yet far less attention has been given to detecting these pathogenic bacteria. Herein, two morphologies of nanoceria were synthesized via adjusting the concentration of NaOH, and CeO2 nanorod has been utilized as sensing material to achieve sensitive and selective detection of C. perfringens DNA sequence due to its strong adsorption ability towards DNA compared to nanoparticle. The DNA probe was tightly immobilized on CeO2/chitosan modified electrode surface via metal coordination, and the DNA surface density was 2.51 × 10−10 mol/cm². Under optimal experimental conditions, the electrochemical impedance biosensor displays favorable selectivity toward target DNA in comparison with base-mismatched and non-complementary DNA. The dynamic linear range of the proposed biosensor for detecting oligonucleotide sequence of Clostridium perfringens was from 1.0 × 10−14 to 1.0 × 10−7 mol/L. The detection limit was 7.06 × 10−15 mol/L. In comparison, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method quantified the target DNA with a detection limit of 1.95 × 10−15 mol/L. Moreover, the DNA biosensor could detect C. perfringens extracted DNA in dairy products and provided a potential application in food quality control.

Discussion on the risk factors of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) after the kidney transplantation.

To discuss the risk factors of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) after the kidney transplantation. Retrospective analysis on the data of 1106 patients who had been underwent kidney allotransplantation in People's Hospital of Zhengzhou from July, 2010 to Dec, 2014 and conformed to the inclusion criteria was taken. Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the risk factors of developing CVD after the kidney transplantation. 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months before and after the operation, the data collection and following-up visits were respectively arranged. 12 months after the operation, the following-up visits were arranged once a half year until the end of March, 2014. 216 (19.5%) patients developed CVD after the kidney transplantation. Among them, 47 (4.2%) patients developed CVD within the first three months after the operation, which accounted for 26.8% in the CVD patients; 125 (11.3%) patients developed CVD within the first one year after the operation, which accounted for 47.9% in the CVD patients. 51 (4.6%) patients died after the operation. Among them, 19 (2.7%) patients died of CVD, which accounted for 37.3% in the whole died patients. Multiple factors analysis revealed that the following were the risk factors to develop CVD after the kidney transplantation: The age of receptors was greater than 50 (OR=2.39, 95%CI 1.15-3.60); The receptors had diabetes before the surgery (OR=3.18, 95%CI 1.56-6.42); The receptors had CVD medical history before the surgery (OR=3.85, 95%CI 2.15-7.54); The primary diseases of receptors were diabetic nephropathy (DN) (OR=2.12, 95%CI 1.14-3.98); The preoperative dialysis time was greater than 12 months(OR=1.27, 95%CI 0.98-1.38); The postoperative serum creatinine of the receptors was greater than 200 µmol/L (OR=2.78, 95%CI 1.35~4.53); The delayed graft failure (DGF) occurred (OR=1.24, 95%CI 1.02~1.42); Acute rejection appeared(AR)(OR=2.98, 95%CI 1.56~5.72); Renal allograft dysfunction appeared (OR=4.86, 95%CI 3.15~7.78). The morbidity of CVD is high after the kidney transplantation and the risk factors are diversified. That revising or excluding relevant risk factors may lower the morbidity of developing CVD and is in favor of the long-term survival for the transplanted kidney.

Nematode-trapping fungi and fungus-associated bacteria interactions: the role of bacterial diketopiperazines and biofilms on Arthrobotrys oligospora surface in hyphal morphogenesis.

In soil, nematode-trapping fungi and bacteria often share microhabitats and interact with each other, but effects of fungus-associated bacteria on its trap formation are underestimated. We have ascertained the presence of Stenotrophomonas and Rhizobium genera associated with A. oligospora GJ-1. After A. oligospora GJ-1 without associated bacteria (cured Arthrobotrys) was co-cultivated with Stenotrophomonas and its supernatant extract, microscopic study of hyphae from co-cultivation indicated that bacterial biofilm formation on hyphae was related to trap formation in fungi and Stenotrophomonas supernatant extract. Four diketopiperazines (DKPs) were purified from Stenotrophomonas supernatant extract that could not induce traps in the cured Arthrobotrys. When cured Arthrobotrys was cultured with Stenotrophomonas and one of DKPs, polar attachment, bacterial biofilms on hyphae and trap formation in fungi were observed. After cured Arthrobotrys with bacterial biofilms was consecutively transferred several times on nutrient poor medium, trap formation disappeared with the disappearance of bacterial biofilms on hyphae. DKPs could facilitate chemotaxis of Stenotrophomonas towards fungal extract which was suggested to contribute to bacterial biofilms on hyphae. Furthermore, when cured Arthrobotrys was cultured with Stenotrophomonas and DKPs in soil, trap formation in fungi and bacterial biofilms on hyphae were also observed, and the fungal activity against nematode was enhanced.

USP2 promotes cell migration and invasion in triple negative breast cancer cell lines.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is often associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of our study was to identify biomarkers predictive of TNBC progression. Primary TNBC breast tissue samples including four with metastasis and six without metastasis were subjected to Affymetrix GeneChip® analysis (human genome U133). Ubiquitin-specific protease 2 (USP2) was identified as an upregulated gene in the metastatic group, and its expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 121 primary breast cancers, 13 paired normal tissues, and 13 paired metastatic lesions. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test and Cox regression hazard model. Matrigel migration and invasion assays in USP2-silenced and USP2-overexpressed breast cancer cell lines were used to investigate the mechanisms of USP2 in vitro. Positive immunostaining for USP2 was detected in breast tumors and was correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) statuses and TNBC subtype. USP2 was overexpressed in distant metastatic lesions compared with primary breast cancers. Survival analyses demonstrated that positive USP2 is a poor prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Silencing of USP2 expression decreased migration and invasion in LM2-4175 and SCP46 cells in association with the downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) expression, whereas overexpression of USP2 in MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells enhanced migration and invasion and upregulated the expression of MMP2. The present study showed that USP2 expression is associated with TNBC cell line's invasiveness and poor survival of breast cancer patients and may serve as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for TNBC.

Roles of resolvins in the resolution of acute inflammation.

Resolution is an active process that terminates inflammatory response to maintain health. Acute inflammation and its timely resolution are important in host response to danger signals. Unresolved inflammation is associated with widely recurrent diseases. Resolvins, including the D and E series, are endogenous lipid mediators generated during the resolution phase of acute of inflammation from the ω-3 PUFAs, DHA, and EPA. They have anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties that have been determined in many inflammation studies in animal models. In this review, we provide an updated overview of biosynthesis, actions, and signaling pathways of resolvins, thereby underscoring their diverse protective roles and introducing novel therapeutic strategies for inflammation-associated diseases.

[Effect of body mass index on disease-free and overall survival in Chinese women with breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE: Obesity has been shown to be an indicator of poor prognosis for patients with primary breast cancer. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of obesity on Chinese women with breast cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 1699 breast cancer patients. We evaluated the effect of body mass index (BMI) on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in these patients. BMI was obtained before surgery. Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥ 24. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log rank test were employed to perform survival analysis. The impact of different characteristics on survival was assessed by using Cox proportional-hazards regression model. RESULTS: In total 635 (37.4%) patients were obese, while 1 064 (62.6%) were non-obese. Comparing the tumor characteristics in the two groups, the BMI ≥ 24 group showed a higher rate of older age (P < 0.001), postmenopausal status (P < 0.001), increased risk of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001) and less chances of accepting breast conservation surgery (P = 0.012). The median follow-up time was 16 months, and the estimated 16-months DFS was 98.1% for non-obese and 95.0% for obese patients (P = 0.007), the estimated 16-months OS was 99.4% for non-obese and 98.4% for obese patients (P = 0.004). The multivariate analysis indicated that obesity is an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFS in breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that obesity is associated with a poorer outcome in Chinese female patients with breast cancer.

Prognostic value of clinicopathological characteristics in patients with pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of all clinical characteristics on the overall survival time, in order to provide a basis for determining the prognostic factor of patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: A total of 103 pancreatic cancer patients were admitted to the Department of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy of the Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, between January 2002 and December 2012. There were 68 men and 35 women; the median age was 62 years. Diagnoses of pancreatic cancer in all patients were confirmed by histopathology, cytology, or clinical diagnosis. The Kaplan-Meier method was performed to calculate the overall survival rate. The log-rank method was used to examine the univariate analysis. The Cox regression model was performed for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The median survival time was 293 days, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 27.18%, 5.83%, and 1.94%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that age (P=0.015), Karnofsky performance status (PS) (P=0.002), surgical types (P<0.001), and platelet counts (P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors affecting the overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer had a poor prognosis, the general physical condition, age, the availability of radical surgery, and platelet counts were factors influencing the overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Adoptive transfer of pregnancy-induced CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells reverses the increase in abortion rate caused by interleukin 17 in the CBA/JxBALB/c mouse model.

STUDY QUESTION: Could adoptive transfer of pregnancy-induced CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) reverse the increase in abortion rate caused by interleukin 17 (IL-17) in the CBA/J × BALB/c mouse model? SUMMARY ANSWER: The effects of exogenous IL-17 on increased abortion rate, as well as decreased transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß and IL-10 expression, are reversed by a pre-mating transfusion of Tregs in a mouse model of pregnancy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: IL-17 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine mainly expressed by T helper 17 cells, and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, miscarriage, preterm labor and pre-eclampsia. The activity of Th17 cells is attenuated by the anti-inflammatory action of Tregs. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Fifty microliters of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (Group 1,) or recombinant IL-17 (rIL) (10 µg/mouse) supernatant (Group 2) was administered in the vaginal vaults of anesthetized pregnant CBA/J mice on Day 1 of pregnancy. Tregs (2 × 10(5) cells) purified from pregnant CBA/J × BALB/c mice were given i.v. via the tail vein 2 days before mating (Group 3) or on Day 7 of pregnancy (Group 4). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Mice (n = 40) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups. The numbers of surviving and reabsorbed fetuses in each group were counted on Day 14 of pregnancy, and the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-4, TGF-ß and IL-10 in the decidual tissue was assessed by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Normal pregnant CBA/J mice mated with BALB/c males which received transvaginal rIL-17 presented with a significantly increased abortion rate compared with the group which received PBS (27.7 versus 9.9%, respectively; P < 0.05). The transfusion of pregnancy-induced Tregs from 14-day normal pregnant mice 2 days before mating reduced the abortion rate caused by IL-17 (12.5 versus 27.7%, respectively; P < 0.05), while transfusion of Tregs on Day 7 of pregnancy had no effect. Transfusion of Tregs did not affect IFN-γ or IL-4 expression in the decidual tissue at either the mRNA or protein level. Administration of rIL-17 resulted in a decrease in production of TGF-ß and IL-10 at both mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.05). Transfusion of Tregs before mating increased TGF-ß and IL-10 mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.05), while Tregs transfusion at Day 7 of pregnancy had no effect on TGF-ß or IL-10 expression. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: These data derive from only a small number of mice. It is unclear whether the same effects would be seen in humans. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Abnormally elevated expression of IL-17 in the feto-maternal interface may result in miscarriage. Transfer of antigen-specific Tregs before mating takes place may have potential applications in the prevention of recurrent spontaneous abortion. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81370013, 81000277 and 81300533) and Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, China (ZR2013HQ002). There were no conflicts of interest.

The importance of biopsy in clinically diagnosed metastatic lesions in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Receptor status discordance, such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status between primary breast cancer and metastatic lesions has been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biopsy of clinically diagnosed metastatic lesions and to determine the changes in hormonal receptor and HER2 status of the metastatic lesions. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with clinically diagnosed metastatic breast cancer underwent an excisional biopsy or core needle aspiration guided by computed tomography/ultrasound. ER, PR and HER2 were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: A total of 48 metastases (76.2%) and nine second primary malignancies (14.3%, seven primary lung cancers and two primary pancreatic cancers) were found. The discrepancies between ER, PR and HER2 status between the primary breast cancer and metastatic lesions were 14.6%, 16.7% and 8.3%, respectively. Six lesions (9.5%) were proved benign upon biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: The biopsy of clinically suspicious metastatic lesions could histologically confirm the diagnosis of metastasis, evaluate discrepancies between ER, PR and HER2 status and exclude secondary malignancy, which might change the therapeutic strategy for breast cancer patients.

Corrigendum: Impact of drought on soil microbial biomass and extracellular enzyme activity.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1221288.].