Improving normothermic machine perfusion and blood transfusion through biocompatible blood silicification.

The growing world population and increasing life expectancy are driving the need to improve the quality of blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and preservation. Here, to improve the ability of red blood cells (RBCs) for normothermic machine perfusion, a biocompatible blood silicification approach termed "shielding-augmenting RBC-in-nanoscale amorphous silica (SARNAS)" has been developed. The key to RBC surface engineering and structure augmentation is the precise control of the hydrolysis form of silicic acid to realize stabilization of RBC within conformal nanoscale silica-based exoskeletons. The formed silicified RBCs (Si-RBCs) maintain membrane/structural integrity, normal cellular functions (e.g., metabolism, oxygen-carrying capability), and enhance resistance to external stressors as well as tunable mechanical properties, resulting in nearly 100% RBC cryoprotection. In vivo experiments confirm their excellent biocompatibility. By shielding RBC surface antigens, the Si-RBCs provide universal blood compatibility, the ability for allogeneic mechanical perfusion, and more importantly, the possibility for cross-species transfusion. Being simple, reliable, and easily scalable, the SARNAS strategy holds great promise to revolutionize the use of engineered blood for future clinical applications.

Multivariate Silicification-Assisted Single Enzyme Structure Augmentation for Improved Enzymatic Activity-Stability Trade-Off.

The ability to finely tune/balance the structure and rigidity of enzymes to realize both high enzymatic activity and long-term stability is highly desired but highly challenging. Herein, we propose the concept of the "silicazyme", where solid inorganic silica undergoes controlled hybridization with the fragile enzyme under moderate conditions at the single-enzyme level, thus enabling simultaneous structure augmentation, long-term stability, and high enzymatic activity preservation. A multivariate silicification approach was utilized and occurred around individual enzymes to allow conformal coating. To realize a high activity-stability trade-off the structure flexibility/rigidity of the silicazyme was optimized by a component adjustment ternary (CAT) plot method. Moreover, the multivariate organosilica frameworks bring great advantages, including surface microenvironment adjustability, reversible modification capability, and functional extensibility through the rich chemistry of silica. Overall silicazymes represent a new class of enzymes with promise for catalysis, separations, and nanomedicine.

Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Remote Control of Axial Chirality at Boron-Carbon Bond.

The previously elusive catalytic enantioselective construction of axially chiral B-aryl-1,2-azaborines with a C-B stereogenic axis has been realized through a chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed desymmetrization strategy reported herein. The electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction of 3,5-disubsituted phenols with diazodicarboxamides could afford these axially chiral structures in good efficiency with excellent enantiocontrol. The efficient long-range stereochemical control is achieved by multiple well-defined H-bonding interactions between chiral phosphoric acid and both substrates. Meanwhile, the reaction duration could be markedly shortened with weakly acidic N-H in 1,2-azaborine acting as H-bond donor. The scalability of the reaction and facile cleavage of the N-N bond in the product further demonstrated the practicality of this method.

Residues R1075, D1090, R1095, and C1130 Are Critical in ADAMTS13 TSP8-Spacer Interaction Predicted by Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

ADAMTS13 (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13) cleaves von Willebrand Factor (VWF) multimers to limit the prothrombotic function of VWF. The deficiency of ADAMTS13 causes a lethal thrombotic microvascular disease, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). ADAMTS13 circulates in a "closed" conformation with the distal domain associating the Spacer domain to avoid off-target proteolysis or recognition by auto-antibodies. However, the interactions of the distal TSP8 domain and the Spacer domain remain elusive. Here, we constructed the TSP8-Spacer complex by a combination of homology modelling and flexible docking. Molecular dynamics simulation was applied to map the binding sites on the TSP8 or Spacer domain. The results predicted that R1075, D1090, R1095, and C1130 on the TSP8 domain were key residues that interacted with the Spacer domain. R1075 and R1095 bound exosite-4 tightly, D1090 formed multiple hydrogen bonds and salt bridges with exosite-3, and C1130 interacted with both exosite-3 and exosite-4. Specific mutations of exosite-3 (R568K/F592Y/R660K/Y661F/Y665F) or the four key residues (R1075A/D1090A/R1095A/C1130A) impaired the binding of the TSP8 domain to the Spacer domain. These results shed new light on the understanding of the auto-inhibition of ADAMTS13.

Characterization of adhesion properties of the cardiomyocyte integrins and extracellular matrix proteins using atomic force microscopy.

Integrins are transmembrane adhesion receptors that play important roles in the cardiovascular system by interacting with the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, direct quantitative measurements of the adhesion properties of the integrins on cardiomyocyte (CM) and their ECM ligands are lacking. In this study, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to quantify the adhesion force (peak force and mean force) and binding probability between CM integrins and three main heart tissue ECM proteins, ie, collagen (CN), fibronectin (FN), and laminin (LN). Functionalizing the AFM probes with ECM proteins, we found that the peak force (mean force) was 61.69 ± 5.5 pN (76.54 ± 4.0 pN), 39.26 ± 4.4 pN (59.84 ± 3.6 pN), and 108.31 ± 4.2 pN (129.63 ± 6.0 pN), respectively, for the bond of CN-integrin, FN-integrin, and LN-integrin. The binding specificity between CM integrins and ECM proteins was verified by using monoclonal antibodies, where α10 - and α11 -integrin bind to CN, α3 - and α5 -integrin bind to FN, and α3 - and α7 -integrin bind to LN. Furthermore, adhesion properties of CM integrins under physiologically high concentrations of extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ were tested. Additional Ca2+ reduced the adhesion mean force to 68.81 ± 4.0 pN, 49.84 ± 3.3 pN, and 119.21 ± 5.8 pN and binding probability to 0.31, 0.34, 0.40 for CN, FN, and LN, respectively, whereas Mg2+ caused very minor changes to adhesion properties of CM integrins. Thus, adhesion properties between adult murine CM integrins and its main ECM proteins were characterized, paving the way for an improved understanding of CM mechanobiology.

Asymmetric N-aminoalkylation of 3-substituted indoles by N-protected N,O-acetals: an access to chiral propargyl aminals.

A direct enantioselective N1 aminoalkylation of 3-substituted indoles is efficiently catalyzed by a phosphoric acid catalyst under mild conditions to afford diverse enantioenriched propargyl aminals. The strategy could be applied to the modification of tryptophan containing oligopeptides. Additionally, structurally diverse and multifunctional transformations of the propargyl aminal products reveal the potential synthetic utility of this protocol.

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted α-Amino Allenoates by Dearomative γ-Addition of 2,3-Disubstituted Indoles to ß,γ-Alkynyl-α-imino Esters.

The first asymmetric synthesis of tetrasubstituted α-amino allenoates by a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed dearomative γ-addition reaction of 2,3-disubstituted indoles to ß,γ-alkynyl-α-imino esters is reported. This method provides access to a series of highly functionalized tetrasubstituted allenes featuring quaternary stereocenters in high yields, and with excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities under mild conditions without by-product formation. Representative large-scale reactions and diverse transformations of the products into various scaffolds with potential biological activities render are also disclosed. The mechanism of the reaction was elucidated by control reactions and DFT calculations.

Endomorphin-1 analogs containing α-methyl-ß-amino acids exhibit potent analgesic activity after peripheral administration.

This study describes the design and synthesis of endomorphin-1 analogs containing C-terminal aromatic α-methyl-ß-amino acids and an N-terminal native tyrosine or 2,6-dimethyl-tyrosine. We show that, in comparison with the parent peptide, these analogs exhibit improved bioactivity and blood-brain barrier penetration after intravenous administration, and have a lower tendency to induce constipation and sedation than morphine.

Copper-induced oxidative damage to the prophenoloxidase-activating system in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii.

Previous studies have demonstrated copper-induced proteins damage in gill and hepatopancreas of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii, but little information is available about its effects on key component of the innate defense in haemolymph. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between oxidative carbonylation and prophenoloxidase-activating system (proPO-AS) activity, by exposing P. clarkii to sub-lethal concentrations (1/50, 1/12, 1/6 and 1/3 of the 96 h LC50) Cu(2+) up to 96 h. Six biomarkers of oxidative stress, i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs), and six indicators of immune status, i.e. total hemocyte counts (THCs), differential hemocyte counts (DHCs), hemocyanin (HC), prophenoloxidase (proPO), serine protease (SP) and phenoloxidase (PO), were determined in haemolymph. The results indicated that there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the levels of ROS, PC, MDA and DPCs accompanied by markedly decreased (P < 0.05) activities of proPO, SP, PO and HC in a dose and time dependent manner. The significant and positive correlations (P < 0.01) between ROS production and the formation of PC, MDA and DPCs were observed in crayfish at 96 h. There was a significant negative correlation (P < 0.01) between the levels of protein carbonyls and the activities of proPO and SP in hemocyte lysate supernatant and PO and HC in haemolymph. Carbonylated proteins may be recognized not merely as a specific signal in oxidative stress pathways but also as a "non-self" molecule in proPO-AS. In crayfish species, copper-catalyzed protein carbonylation may be one of the main mechanisms for immunity dysfunction in proPO-AS.

Catalytic Asymmetric Michael Reaction of 5H-Oxazol-4-Ones with α,ß-Unsaturated Acyl Imidazoles.

The asymmetric Michael reaction between 5H-oxazol-4-ones and α,ß-unsaturated acyl imidazoles is reported. A novel 2-benzo[b]thiophenyl-modified chiral ProPhenol species is synthesized and used as a ligand, leading to good enantioselectivities in this asymmetric conjugate addition reaction. Furthermore, the introduction of phenol additives as achiral co-ligands is found to improve the reaction's chemical yields, diastereoselectivities, and enantioselectivities.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of new endomorphin analogs with enhanced central antinociception after peripheral administration.

We synthesized two novel endomorphin-1 (EM-1) analogs by substituting the C-terminus residue with (thienyl)-α-methylene-ß-amino acids (Map). Several in vitro and in vivo assays were used to determine the activity of the analogs. The two EM-1 analogs showed subnanomolar binding affinity and functional activity at the µ-opioid receptor in HEK293 cells. Tail-flick and formalin tests further revealed that the EM-1 analogs were very effective after intravenous administration. Our results indicate that compared to endomorphin-1, the (thienyl)Map modified peptides showed improved blood-brain barrier permeability.

Oxidative damage of hepatopancreas induced by pollution depresses humoral immunity response in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii.

Previous studies provide evidences for the possible oxidative damage of toxic environmental pollutants to tissue protein in fish and amphibian, but little information is available about their effects on immunity response in crustacean. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between oxidative damage and immune response induced by both typical pollutants (viz. copper and beta-cypermethrin), by exposing the freshwater Procambarus clarkii to sub-lethal concentrations (1/40, 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 of the 96 h LC50) up to 96 h. Five biomarkers of oxidative stress, i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl in hepatopancreas, and two immune factors, i.e. phenoloxidase (PO) and hemocyanin in haemolymph were determined. The results indicated that there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the contents of ROS, MDA and protein carbonyl accompanied by markedly decreased (P < 0.05) PO and hemocyanin levels in a dose and time dependent manner. The significant and positive correlation (P < 0.01) between protein carbonyls induction and MDA formation was observed in crayfish hepatopancreas at 96 h. The production of these protein carbonyls could significantly depress (P < 0.01) the levels of phenoloxidase and hemocyanin in hemolymph. Higher contents of ROS enhanced the risk of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and immunosuppression of crayfish, and hepatopancreas might play an important role in immune system of crustaceans. Protein oxidation may be one of the main mechanisms for pollution-induced immunotoxicity in P. clarkii.

Oxidative damage induced by copper and beta-cypermethrin in gill of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii.

Copper (Cu) and pyrethroid are common contaminants found in the aquatic environment, and their potential toxicological effects on aquatic organisms have received extensive attention. However, the impact on crayfish species of exposure to the two chemicals are still largely unknown. The current study assessed the sublethal toxicities induced by Cu and commercial formulation of beta-cypermethrin in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The static test method of acute toxicity test was used. Five biomarkers of oxidative effects, i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyls, and pathologic changes were determined. The results demonstrated that there was a significant increase in the contents of ROS, MDA and protein carbonyls accompanied by markedly decreased SOD and CAT activities in a concentration-dependent manner. The linear relationship between protein carbonyls induction and MDA formation was observed evidently in crayfish gills at 96h. Higher contents of ROS enhanced the risk of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, thus impacting vital physiological functions of gills. The results indicated that protein oxidation may be one of the main mechanisms of pollution-induced toxicity to crayfish gills. Protein carbonyl levels could be considered as a potential biomarker of exposure to environmental contaminants.

Carboxymethyl cellulose-based multifunctional film integrated with polyphenol-rich extract and carbon dots from coffee husk waste for active food packaging applications.

Sustainable carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based active composite films were developed through the addition of polyphenol-rich extract from coffee husk (CHE) and carbon dots (CDs) prepared using the biowaste residue of CHE extraction. The influences of various CDs contents on the physicochemical and functional characteristics of composite films have been researched. The 6% (w/w) CHE and 3% (w/w) CDs were uniformly dispersed within the CMC matrix to produce a homogenous film with enhanced mechanical properties. The CMC/CHE/CDs3% film exhibited outstanding UV-light blocking, improved water and gas barriers, potent antioxidant activity with above 95% DPPH and ABTS scavenging rates, and effective antibacterial capabilities against L. monocytogenes and E. coli. The food packaging experiment demonstrated that this active composite film slowed the rotting of fresh-cut apples and extended their shelf-life to 7 days at 4 °C storage. Therefore, the obtained multifunctional film showed promise as an environmentally friendly food packaging material.

Development and Validation of a Pathomics Model Using Machine Learning to Predict CXCL8 Expression and Prognosis in Head and Neck Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The necessity to develop a method for prognostication and to identify novel biomarkers for personalized medicine in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cannot be overstated. Recently, pathomics, which relies on quantitative analysis of medical imaging, has come to the forefront. CXCL8, an essential inflammatory cytokine, has been shown to correlate with overall survival (OS). This study examined the relationship between CXCL8 mRNA expression and pathomics features and aimed to explore the biological underpinnings of CXCL8. METHODS: Clinical information and transcripts per million mRNA sequencing data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC dataset. We identified correlations between CXCL8 mRNA expression and patient survival rates using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve. A retrospective analysis of 313 samples diagnosed with HNSCC in the TCGA database was conducted. Pathomics features were extracted from hematoxylin and eosin-stained images, and then the minimum redundancy maximum relevance, with recursive feature elimination (mRMR-RFE) method was applied, followed by screening with the logistic regression algorithm. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that high expression of CXCL8 was significantly associated with decreased OS. The logistic regression pathomics model incorporated 16 radiomics features identified by the mRMR-RFE method in the training set and demonstrated strong performance in the testing set. Calibration plots showed that the probability of high gene expression predicted by the pathomics model was in good agreement with actual observations, suggesting the model's high clinical applicability. CONCLUSION: The pathomics model of CXCL8 mRNA expression serves as an effective tool for predicting prognosis in patients with HNSCC and can aid in clinical decision-making. Elevated levels of CXCL8 expression may lead to reduced DNA damage and are associated with a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment, offering a potential therapeutic target.

Synthetic Biohybrids of Red Blood Cells and Cascaded-Enzymes@ Metal-Organic Frameworks for Hyperuricemia Treatment.

Hyperuricemia, caused by an imbalance between the rates of production and excretion of uric acid (UA), may greatly increase the mortality rates in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Herein, for fast-acting and long-lasting hyperuricemia treatment, armored red blood cell (RBC) biohybrids, integrated RBCs with proximal, cascaded-enzymes of urate oxidase (UOX) and catalase (CAT) encapsulated within ZIF-8 framework-based nanoparticles, have been fabricated based on a super-assembly approach. Each component is crucial for hyperuricemia treatment: 1) RBCs significantly increase the circulation time of nanoparticles; 2) ZIF-8 nanoparticles-based superstructure greatly enhances RBCs resistance against external stressors while preserving native RBC properties (such as oxygen carrying capability); 3) the ZIF-8 scaffold protects the encapsulated enzymes from enzymatic degradation; 4) no physical barrier exists for urate diffusion, and thus allow fast degradation of UA in blood and neutralizes the toxic by-product H2 O2 . In vivo results demonstrate that the biohybrids can effectively normalize the UA level of an acute hyperuricemia mouse model within 2 h and possess a longer elimination half-life (49.7 ± 4.9 h). They anticipate that their simple and general method that combines functional nanomaterials with living cell carriers will be a starting point for the development of innovative drug delivery systems.

Crosslinked fish scale gelatin/alginate dialdehyde functional films incorporated with carbon dots derived from pomelo peel waste for active food packaging.

A multifunctional and environmentally friendly composite film was developed by incorporating pomelo peel-derived carbon dots (PCDs) into a fish scale gelatin (FSG)/alginate dialdehyde (ADA) biopolymer matrix. ADA was used to reinforce the physicomechanical properties of the FSG film via Schiff base crosslinking. PCDs with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The effect of various PCDs content on the surface morphological, physicochemical, and functional characteristics of the composite films was investigated. The results showed that the introduction of PCDs into the FSG/ADA matrix effectively reinforced the mechanical performance, enhanced the water vapor and water resistance, increased UV-light blocking, conferred fluorescence properties, and improved the thermal properties of the composite films. Under 3 wt% PCDs content, the FSG/ADA/PCDs-3 % composite film not only presented significant antioxidant capacity with a radical scavenging rate of 91.71 % for DPPH and approximately 100 % for ABTS, but also exhibited excellent antimicrobial ability against bacteria and fungi. Results of a preservation experiment showed that the prepared FSG/ADA/PCDs-3 % film preserved the physiological qualities of strawberries post-harvest and extended their shelf-life to 7 days at room temperature. Overall, the fabricated FSG/ADA/PCDs composite films are promising for use in eco-friendly active food packaging.

Comparison of the Effects of Laparoscopic Surgery and Traditional Open Surgery on Stone Clearance, Laboratory Indexes and Life Quality in Patients with Renal Calculi.

Objective: A case-control study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery and traditional open surgery on stone clearance, laboratory indexes, and life quality in patients with renal calculi. Methods: During March 2017 to March 2022, 272 patients with complex renal calculi (CRC) cured in our hospital were assigned into control group (n = 136) and research group (n = 136) arbitrarily. The former accepted traditional open surgery, while the latter accepted laparoscopic surgery. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and time of getting out of bed were compared. The degree of postoperative incision pain was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). The life quality was assessed by the Comprehensive Assessment Questionnaire-74 (GQOL-74). The indexes of renal function and urine metabolism were measured. Then, the postoperative stone clearance rate and complications were calculated. Results: Operation time, blood loss intraoperatively, time out of bed, and hospitalization were all remarkably reduced in the research group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The complete stone clearance rates in study and control cohorts were 75.73% and 63.24%, respectively. The VAS scores were lessened after the operation. Compared with the two groups, the VAS scores of the research group were remarkably lower at 1 to 2 weeks and 1 and 3 months after the operation, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). One week after operation, the levels of ß 2-microglobulin (ß 2-MG), N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase (NAG), and renal injury molecule-1 (kidney injury molecule-1, Kim-1) in the research group were remarkably lower. The levels of urinary ß 2-MG, NAG, and KIM-1 in the research group were remarkably lower, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). One week after operation, the levels of urinary oxalic acid, uric acid, and urinary calcium lessened averagely. The levels of urinary oxalic acid, uric acid, and urinary calcium in the research group were lower, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The quality-of-life scores were compared. One week after the operation, the scores of physical function, psychological function, social function, and material function were all augmented, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications was 9.56% and 2.21%, respectively. The incidence of complications in the research group was lower, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery is successful when treating CRC, which is superior to invasive surgery in postoperative complications, stone clearance rate, improvement of postoperative renal function, and life quality. It is one of the ideal treatment methods for CRC. However, the role of open surgery when treating CRC cannot be ignored. This needs to be further confirmed by large samples of randomized controlled trials.

Efficacy of Flexible Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in the Treatment of Complex Upper Urinary Tract Nephrolithiasis.

Objective: A case-control study was conducted to compare the efficacy and prognostic factors of flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) when treating complex upper urinary tract renal calculi based on a retrospective cohort study. Methods: The study period was from October 2019 to December 2021. A retrospective study was carried out on 100 patients with complicated upper urinary tract nephrolithiasis who underwent surgery in the Urology Department of our hospital. They were assigned into two groups: FURL and PCNL groups. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, hematuria duration, hospital stay, primary stone removal rate, incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, VAS score, level of inflammatory factors, and micturition function were compared. According to the postoperative prognosis, the patients were reassigned into two groups: good prognosis group (n = 38) and poor prognosis group (n = 106). The factors related to poor prognosis after FURL and PCNL were screened, and multivariate loglistic regression analysis was adopted to determine the risk factors. Results: The primary stone clearance rate in the PCNL group was significantly higher than that in the FURL group, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications between the two groups (P > 0.05). The intraoperative blood loss and the duration of hematuria in the PCNL group were significantly shorter than those in the FURL group, and the operation time and postoperative hospital stay in the FURL group were longer than those in the FURL group. The postoperative VAS score in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of CRP, IL-1, TNF-α, and NF-κB in both groups decreased after operation, and the level of inflammatory factors in the PCNL group was significantly lower than that in the FURL group (P < 0.05). The indexes of IPSS and Q max in the PCNL group were significantly lower than those in the control group 3 months after operation. The index of micturition function in the PCNL group was significantly lower than that in the FURL group. Preoperative use of immunosuppressant, preoperative stone fever, positive preoperative urine culture, preoperative urinary leukocyte count ≥ 544 × L, intraoperative urinary opacity, and pus fur were significantly correlated with poor prognosis of ureteral patients (P < 0.05). Preoperative stone fever, high preoperative urinary leukocyte count, intraoperative urinary turbidity, and suppurative fur were independent risk factors for postoperative SIRS in patients with ureteral calculi. Conclusion: PCNL is effective when treating complex upper urinary tract renal calculi. Compared with FURL, PCNL can remarkably reduce intraoperative blood loss and hematuria duration, can enhance micturition function, and will not remarkably increase the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, high safety. High white blood cell count in urine before operation, fever due to stone before operation, turbid urine, and purulent fur during operation are independent risk factors for postoperative adverse outcome in patients with complex upper urinary tract renal calculi. Patients should be fully treated before surgery.

Histological alterations and immune response in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii given rVP28-incorporated diets.

There is growing evidence that recombinant VP28 protein (rVP28) can significantly enhance immune response and disease resistance against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in shrimp, although the underlying mechanisms have not been entirely clarified yet. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of rVP28 on histological alterations and WSSV-induced apoptosis in crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Crayfish were fed commercial diets supplemented with different doses of HyNPV-VP28 infected pupae (rVP28-hp) for 4 weeks. Results showed that rVP28-hp may be used as a safe and effective source of medicinal proteins in aquaculture when supplemented in diet at low dose (10 g kg(-1) and 50 g kg(-1)), which could obviously reduce the percentage of apoptotic cells in stomach, gut and hepatopancreas tissues induced by the WSSV challenge and showed the relative percent survival (RPS) of 82.2% and 94.4%, respectively. But rVP28-hp would be detrimental to crayfish survival and decrease resistance to WSSV infection at the high dose (100 g kg(-1) and 200 g kg(-1)), with the cumulative mortality of up to 48.2% and 56.6% after WSSV challenge, respectively. During a 28-d feeding period, the survival rate of crayfish was only 54.5%-75.6%, and histopathological observation showed that one of the principal lesions was serious cell swelling, vacuolar degeneration and necrosis in hepatopancreatic epithelia and myocardial cells. These results suggested that rVP28-hp can influence the immune functions of crayfish in a dose-dependent manner, and the rVP28-hp at the dose of 50 g kg(-1) was recommended to prevent WSSV in crayfish culture.