CARD9S12N facilitates the production of IL-5 by alveolar macrophages for the induction of type 2 immune responses.

The adaptor CARD9 functions downstream of C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) for the sensing of microbial infection, which leads to responses by the TH1 and TH17 subsets of helper T cells. The single-nucleotide polymorphism rs4077515 at CARD9 in the human genome, which results in the substitution S12N (CARD9S12N), is associated with several autoimmune diseases. However, the function of CARD9S12N has remained unknown. Here we generated CARD9S12N knock-in mice and found that CARD9S12N facilitated the induction of type 2 immune responses after engagement of CLRs. Mechanistically, CARD9S12N mediated CLR-induced activation of the non-canonical transcription factor NF-κB subunit RelB, which initiated production of the cytokine IL-5 in alveolar macrophages for the recruitment of eosinophils to drive TH2 cell-mediated allergic responses. We identified the homozygous CARD9 mutation encoding S12N in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and revealed activation of RelB and production of IL-5 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these patients. Our study provides genetic and functional evidence demonstrating that CARD9S12N can turn alveolar macrophages into IL-5-producing cells and facilitates TH2 cell-mediated pathologic responses.

Author Correction: Evaporative deposition of polystyrene microparticles on PDMS surface.

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Evaporative deposition of polystyrene microparticles on PDMS surface.

Evaporation of water and ethanol/water droplets containing large polystyrene (PS) microparticles on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface was experimentally investigated. It is found that no matter with or without small addition of ethanol, a compact monolayer deposition is formed for lower microparticle concentration while mountain-like deposition for higher concentration. Since the more volatile compound (ethanol) evaporates more quickly than the less volatile compound (water), evaporation of ethanol/water mixture droplet exhibits different characteristics from pure water. When the concentration of microparticle is low, the contact radius of ethanol/water mixture droplet decreases throughout the whole process, while the contact angle increases at first to a maximum, then keeps almost constant, and finally decreases sharply. However, the evaporation of ethanol/water mixture droplet with higher concentration of microparticle behaviors more complex. The settling time of microparticles was estimated and its theoretical value agrees well with the experimental one. Moreover, a mechanism of self-pinning of microparticles was used to elucidate the deposition behavior of microparticles, indicating that as the contact line is depinning, the liquid film covering the outmost microparticle becomes thicker and thicker, and the microparticles have to move spontaneously with the depinning contact line under the action of capillary force.

Early channel transurethral resection of the prostate for patients with urinary retention after brachytherapy.

OBJECTIVE: It is recommended that transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) after brachytherapy should not be performed at an early stage after implantation. Herein we report our experiences and the results of channel TURP (cTURP) within six months post-implant for patients with refractory urinary retention. METHODS: One hundred and ninety patients with localized prostate cancer of clinical stages T1c to T2c were treated by brachytherapy as monotherapy at our institution from February 2009 to July 2013. Nine patients who developed refractory urinary retention and underwent cTURP within six months after brachytherapy were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: The median interval between prostate brachytherapy and cTURP was three months (range 1.5 to 5.0 months). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications and no incontinence resulting from the surgery. All urinary retention was relieved per the American Brachytherapy Society urinary symptom score. With a mean follow-up time of 16 months (range 6 to 26 months) after cTURP, no patient experienced biochemical recurrence. The mean serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of the patients who underwent cTURP was 0.42 ng/ml (range 0.08 to 0.83 ng/ml) at the end of their follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Early cTURP was found to be safe and effective in relieving urinary retention after brachytherapy and could be performed without compromising its therapeutic efficacy.

Humic substances affect the activity of chlorophyllase.

Three humic substances--humic acid, fulvic acid, and humin--were isolated from soils located in the northern and southern forests of the Yuanyang Lake Nature Preserve in northern Taiwan's Ilan County. Aqueous extracts of fresh wet soil and of three humic substances, at concentrations of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/ml, were investigated for their effects on the activities of chlorophyllase a and b. Aqueous extracts of forest soils at the northern and southern bank, dominated by the pure vegetation of Formosan False cypress (Chamcaecyparis formosensis Matsum), stimulate both chlorophyllase a and b activities, while those of the southern bank, dominated by a Taiwanese Miscanthus (Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Hayata), inhibits such activities. All three humic substances, despite their soil sources, stimulate the activities of both chlorophyllase a and b. Fulvic acid stimulates more chlorophyllase a activity than either humic acid or humin. Humic acid stimulates more activity of chlorophyllase b than either fulvic acid or humin. Humin exhibited the least effect on chlorophyllase a and b. It is suggested that humic substances in the soil may accelerate the chlorophyll degradation of litter in the ecosystem and that chlorophyllase a and b may be different enzymes.