Involvement of retinoic acid receptor α in the autistic-like behavior of rats with vitamin A deficiency by regulating neurexin 1 in the visual cortex: a mechanism study. / è§†é»„é ¸å—ä½“α通过调控视皮质轴突蛋白1å‚ä¸Žç»´ç”Ÿç´ Aç¼ºä¹å¤§é¼ å­¤ç‹¬ç—‡æ ·è¡Œä¸ºçš„æœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the mechanism of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) signal change to regulate neurexin 1 (NRXN1) in the visual cortex and participate in the autistic-like behavior in rats with vitamin A deficiency (VAD). METHODS: The models of vitamin A normal (VAN) and VAD pregnant rats were established, and some VAD maternal and offspring rats were given vitamin A supplement (VAS) in the early postnatal period. Behavioral tests were performed on 20 offspring rats in each group at the age of 6 weeks. The three-chamber test and the open-field test were used to observe social behavior and repetitive stereotyped behavior. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure the serum level of retinol in the offspring rats in each group. Electrophysiological experiments were used to measure the long-term potentiation (LTP) level of the visual cortex in the offspring rats. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression levels of RARα, NRXN1, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1). Chromatin co-immunoprecipitation was used to measure the enrichment of RARα transcription factor in the promoter region of the NRXN1 gene. RESULTS: The offspring rats in the VAD group had autistic-like behaviors such as impaired social interactions and repetitive stereotypical behaviors, and VAS started immediately after birth improved most of the behavioral deficits in offspring rats. The offspring rats in the VAD group had a significantly lower serum level of retinol than those in the VAN and VAS groups (P<0.05). Compared with the offspring rats in the VAN and VAS groups, the offspring rats in the VAD group had significant reductions in the mRNA and protein expression levels of NMDAR1, RARα, and NRXN1 and the LTP level of the visual cortex (P<0.05). The offspring rats in the VAD group had a significant reduction in the enrichment of RARα transcription factor in the promoter region of the NRXN1 gene in the visual cortex compared with those in the VAN and VAS groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: RARα affects the synaptic plasticity of the visual cortex in VAD rats by regulating NRXN1, thereby participating in the formation of autistic-like behaviors in VAD rats.

Evodiamine inhibits vasculogenic mimicry in HCT116 cells by suppressing hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha-mediated angiogenesis.

Evodiamine (Evo), a quinazoline alkaloid and one of the most typical polycyclic heterocycles, is mainly isolated from Evodia rugulosa. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a newly identified way of angiogenesis during tumor neovascularization, which is prevalent in a variety of highly invasive tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of Evo on VM in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The number of VM structures was calculated by the three-dimensional culture of human CRC cells. Wound-healing was used to detect the migration of HCT116 cells. Gene expression was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assay. CD31/PAS staining was used to identify VM. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to detect protein levels. The results showed that Evo inhibited the migration of HCT116 cells, as well as the formation of VM. Furthermore, Evo reduced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), VE-cadherin, VEGF, MMP2, and MMP9. In a model of subcutaneous xenotransplantation, Evo also inhibited tumor growth and VM formation. Our study demonstrates that Evo could inhibit VM in CRC cells HCT116 and reduce the expression of HIF-1α, VE-cadherin, VEGF, MMP2, and MMP9.

Cyanate Induces Oxidative Stress Injury and Abnormal Lipid Metabolism in Liver through Nrf2/HO-1.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is problem that has become one of the major issues affecting public health. Extensive clinical data suggests that the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in CKD patients is significantly higher than in the general population. Lipid metabolism disorders can damage the renal parenchyma and promote the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cyanate is a uremic toxin that has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Usually, 0.8% of the molar concentration of urea is converted into cyanate, while myeloperoxidase (MPO) catalyzes the oxidation of thiocyanate to produce cyanate at the site of inflammation during smoking, inflammation, or exposure to environmental pollution. One of the important physiological functions of cyanate is protein carbonylation, a non-enzymatic post-translational protein modification. Carbamylation reactions on proteins are capable of irreversibly changing protein structure and function, resulting in pathologic molecular and cellular responses. In addition, recent studies have shown that cyanate can directly damage vascular tissue by producing large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress leads to the disorder of liver lipid metabolism, which is also an important mechanism leading to cirrhosis and liver fibrosis. However, the influence of cyanate on liver has remained unclear. In this research, we explored the effects of cyanate on the oxidative stress injury and abnormal lipid metabolism in mice and HL-7702 cells. In results, cyanate induced hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress by influencing the content of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) in liver. Cyanate inhibited NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the phosphorylation of adenosine 5'monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), activated the mTOR pathway. Oxidative stress on the cells reduced significantly by treating with TBHQ, an antioxidant, which is also an activator of Nrf2. The activity of Nrf2 was rehabilitated and phosphorylation of mTOR decreased. In conclusion, cyanate could induce oxidative stress damage and lipid deposition by inhibiting Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which was rescued by inhibitor of Nrf2.

[Correlation study between accumulation of triterpenoids and expression of relative genes in Alisma orientale].

To research the correlation between accumulation of triterpenoids and expression of key enzymes genes in triterpenoid biosynthesis of Alisma orientale,the study utilized UPLC-MS/MS method to detect eight triterpenoids content in the tuber of A. orientale from different growth stages,including alisol A,alisol A 24 acetate,alisol B,alisol B 23 acetate,alisol C 23 acetate,alisol F,alisol F 24 acetate and alisol G,and then the Real time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of key enzymes genes HMGR and FPPS in triterpenoid biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive relation between the total growth of these eight triterpenoids and the average relative expression of HMGR and FPPS(HMGR: r = 0. 998,P<0. 01; FPPS: r = 0. 957,P<0. 05),respectively. Therefore,the study preliminarily determined that HMGR and FPPS genes could regulate the biosynthesis of triterpenoids in A. orientale,which laid a foundation for further research on the biosynthesis and regulation mechanism of triterpenoids in A. orientale.

[Data Integration and Information Sharing of Parasite Resources in Fujian Province].

Objective: To establish parasite library and database in Fujian Province by integrating information on human-animal coinfecting parasites, vectors and　intermediates, in the aim of resource sharing. Methods: According to the Standards and Technical Regulation for Preservation of Parasitic Germplasm Resources set by the Resource Sharing Platform for Parasitic and Tropical Diseases(referred to as Germplasm Resource Sharing Platform), the preserved and newly discovered parasitic germplasm resources in Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention were categorized, information described, preserved and displayed, and the information sharing was made through the Germplasm Resource Sharing Platform. Results: The library and database on parasites, medical vectors, and hosts were established. The library was comprised of 1 020 parasite specimens, vectors and hosts, including 100 （9.8%） adult worm specimens, 120（11.7%） eggs and larvae, and 800（78.4%） vectors and hosts. Information digitalization was achieved for 61 resources, including 9 species of nematodes, 16 species of trematodes, 7 species of tapeworms, 16 different medical mollusks, and 13 different medical arthropods, resulting in 3 150 pieces of information and 6 300 images. The database was integrated into the Germplasm Resource Sharing Platform for resource sharing. Conclusion: The library and database on parasite gemplasm resources in Fujian Province has been established. Information sharing is made available through the Germplasm Resource Sharing Platform.

Mesenchymal stem cells and their derived exosomes for the treatment of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection typically presents with fever and respiratory symptoms, which can progress to severe respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure. In severe cases, these complications may even lead to death. One of the causes of COVID-19 deaths is the cytokine storm caused by an overactive immune response. Therefore, suppressing the overactive immune response may be an effective strategy for treating COVID-19. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their derived exosomes (MSCs-Exo) have potent homing abilities, immunomodulatory functions, regenerative repair, and antifibrotic effects, promising an effective tool in treating COVID-19. In this paper, we review the main mechanisms and potential roles of MSCs and MSCs-Exo in treating COVID-19. We also summarize relevant recent clinical trials, including the source of cells, the dosage and the efficacy, and the clinical value and problems in this field, providing more theoretical references for the clinical use of MSCs and MSCs-Exo in the treatment of COVID-19.

[Prevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in snails for sale in Fuzhou and Xiamen].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in snails for sale from Fuzhou and Xiamen of Fujian Province. METHODS: During 2009-2012, two markets and five restaurants from each city were selected as surveillance sites. A. cantonensis infection rate in Pomacea canaliculata, Bellamya aeruginosa and Cipangopaludina cathayensis was examined two times per month. More than 50 P. canaliculata or C. cathayensis, and about 500 g B. aeruginosa were collected in each site. A. cantonensis larvae infection was determined by lung-microscopy in P. canaliculata, and by tissue homogenate method in C. cathayensis and B. aeruginosa, respectively. RESULTS: In markets, a total of 5,744 P. canaliculata were collected, and the infection rate of A. cantonensis larvae was 13.8% (753/5 744) with the lowest prevalence in 2009 (8.4%, 28/334) and the highest one in 2011 (16.7%, 361/2,160). The overall infection rate of A. cantonensis showed an increasing trend over the past years (P < 0.05). In restaurants, 879 P. canaliculata snails were examined in Xiamen City, and the infection rate was 12.8% (877/6 879). No significant difference was found among years (P > 0.05). A. cantonensis larvae were found from P. canaliculata for sale in different seasons with no statistical difference (P > 0.05). 19,843 B. aeruginosa snails were collected in markets from the two cities, and the infection rate was 0.2% (31/19 843). The infection rate was highest in 2011 (0.3%, 16/5,953) and lowest in 2010 (0.04%, 2/4,706). All the 361 C. cathayensis snails were negative. CONCLUSION: A. cantonensis larvae are found in P. canaliculata and B. aeruginosa from markets and restaurants of Fuzhou and Xiamen in different seasons during the years.

[Surveillance on the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infection in Fujian in 2006-2010].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalent trend of soil-transmitted nematode infection in Fujian Province during the past 5 year surveillance and evaluate the control effect. METHODS: From 2006 to 2010, fecal samples of the inhabitants of 3 years old and above were collected every November and examined for intestinal helminth eggs by the modified Kato s thick smear technique at the 2 surveillance sites: Punan village of Zhangzhou and Gushan village of Shaowu. Cellophane tapes were used to detect pinworm eggs for children aged 3-12. Soil samples were also collected from vegetable field, lavatory, courtyard and kitchen of 20 randomly selected families (in 2 villages) each with stool egg-positive findings and examined for ascaris eggs by a modified saturated sodium nitrate floatation method. RESULTS: The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infection at the surveillance sites decreased from 45.3% (946/2087) in 2006 to 15.1% (226/1494) in 2010, with a reduction of 66.6%. Among the infected subjects, hookworm infection occupied 75%-85%, while ascaris or trichuris infections each accounted for less than 10%. In terms of infection intensity, 65.2%-85.5% of the hookworm infection was light, and majority of the infected subjects were farmers. The pinworm prevalence in children were still high although it had dropped down from 46.1% (140/304) in 2006 to 29.8% (36/121) in 2010, declined by 35.4%. In the 5 years, totally 400 soil samples from 100 families were examined and 21 samples were found ascaris egg positive with viable eggs in only one sample. CONCLUSION: The 5 year surveillance reveals a decreasing trend of the soil-transmitted nematode prevalence but shows a relatively high hookworm infection rate in the population and pinworm infection in children.

[Prevalent trend of the infection of soil-transmitted nematodes in Fujian Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the endemic situation of soil-transmitted nematodes in Fujian Province. METHODS: According to the national guidelines, the survey spots were determined by clustered random sampling in nine prefectures (cities) of Fujian Province from 2007 to 2009. Residents of 3 years old and above were investigated. The eggs of roundworm, hookworm and whipworm in feces were checked by Kato-Katz method. Eggs per gram (EPG) in feces were calculated. The gender, age and education status of the investigated subjects were recorded. The results were evaluated in comparison to those in 1992 and 2003. RESULTS: Altogether 93 833 residents in 610 villages of 184 towns from 49 counties were investigated. The overall infection rate of soil-transmitted nematodes was 10.14% (9 511/93 833), decreased by 86.88% and 71.84% compared to that in 1992 and 2003, respectively. The prevalence of roundworm, hookworm and whipworm was 1.32%(1 234/93 833), 7.31% (6 863/93 833) and 1.73% (1 622/93 833), respectively. The average EPG of roundworm, hookworm and whipworm was 9 556, 526 and 156, respectively. The prevalence in males and females was 9.48% (4 385/46 246) and 10.77% (5 126/47 587), respectively, with a statistical difference (chi2 = 42.84, P < 0.01). There was also a statistical difference among the age groups (chi2 = 1 626, P < 0.01). The higher education level of the people, the lower prevalence (chi2 = 1 107, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematodes is on a downward trend in Fujian Province, but remained high in the underdeveloped areas. The hookworm infection rate is higher than the average of the nation.

High-Calcium Microenvironment during the Development of Kidney Calculi Can Promote Phenotypic Transformation of NRK-52E Cells by Inhibiting the Expression of Stromal Interaction Molecule-1.

Objective: To explore whether Stromal Interaction Molecule-1 (STIM1) participates in the phenotypic transformation of NRK-52E cells under high-calcium microenvironment. Materials and Methods: NRK-52E cells were treated with high concentration of calcium. The viability and apoptosis of cells were detected by CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8) and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression changes of phenotypic marker proteins (E-cadherin and OPN) and calcium channel proteins (STIMl and Orai1) in high-calcium environment were detected by western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of STIMl protein in NRK-52E cells was upregulated and downregulated by plasmid-STIM1 and plasmid-shRNA-STIMl, respectively. The expressions of phenotypic marker proteins after upregulation or downregulation of STIMl were detected again. Besides, the intracellular calcium concentrations of NRK-52E cells in different treatments were detected by flow cytometry. Results: High-calcium microenvironment can promote the phenotypic transformation and the adhesion of calcium salts in NRK-52E cells and simultaneously suppress the expression of STIMl protein in NRK-52E cells. Downregulation of STIMl protein could also promote the phenotype transformation, while both the gene silence of matrix gla protein (MGP) and overexpression of STIMl showed reverse results. Conclusion: STIMl protein plays an important role in promoting phenotypic transformation of NRK-52E cells in high-calcium microenvironment.

Serum IgE profiles in Chinese pollinosis patients with grass pollen sensitisation.

PURPOSE: Pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds is a common allergen source. The characteristics of pollen allergy in China are obviously different from Europe. Most studies have focused on tree and weed pollen, but there is a paucity of data on grass pollen sensitisation in China. Therefore, we used component-resolved diagnostics to investigate the serum-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to grass pollen in Chinese patients with pollinosis. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 547 patients with pollen allegy from an outpatient Allergy Department in Beijing, China. All the patients answered questionnaires about their clinical allergy histories. Total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and sIgE levels to grass pollen (Bermuda, Timothy grass) were quantified by ImmunoCAP using 0.35 kUA/L as a threshold for positivity. RESULTS: Of the 547 pollinosis patients, 389 (71.1%) showed a positive sIgE reaction to either grass pollen, or both. The prevalence of food allergy was significantly lower in patients with grass pollen sensitisation. Among the 389 patients with grass pollen sensitisation, the prevalence of sIgE to allergen extracts of bermuda, mugwort, ragweed, plane, hop, ash, birch, and timothy grass was 97%, 96%, 94%, 88%, 88%, 84%, 78%, and 78%, respectively. However, only 134/389 (34%) were positive for Cyn d 1, 29/389 (7%) for Phl p 1, and 8/389 (2%) for Phl p 5b. For pollinosis patients, 62/547 (11%) were sIgE-positive for cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs), and their grass pollen-sIgE was also positive. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of in vitro IgE sensitisation to grass pollen extract is high in Chinese patients with pollinosis. But mostly spurious and characterized by IgE sensitisation to profilins and CCD, induced by other pollen. Component-resolved diagnostics is an extremely useful tool precise diagnostics of pollen allergy in China.

Identification of a Twelve Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Related lncRNA Prognostic Signature in Kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a vital role in tumor metastasis and drug resistance. It has been reported that EMT is regulated by several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). We aimed to identify EMT-related lncRNAs and develop an EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). Materials and Methods: In total, 530 ccRCC patients with 611 transcriptome profiles were included in this study. We first identified differentially expressed EMT-related lncRNAs. Then, all the samples with transcriptional data and clinical survival information were randomly split into training/test sets at a ratio of 1 : 1. Accordingly, we further developed a twelve differentially expressed EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature in the training set. Following this, risk analysis, survival analysis, subgroup analysis, and the construction of the ROC curves were applied to verify the efficacy of the signature in the training set, test set, and all patients. Besides, we further investigated the differential immune infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and immune-related functions between high-risk patients. Finally, we explored the different drug responses to targeted therapy (sunitinib and sorafenib) and immunotherapy (anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4). Results: A twelve differentially expressed EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature performed superior in predicting the overall survival of KIRC patients. High-risk patients were observed with a significantly higher immune checkpoint expression and showed better responses to the targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the twelve differentially expressed EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature could act as an efficient prognostic indicator for KIRC, which also contributes to the decision-making of the further treatment.

[Preparation and spectroscopy investigation of vanadium oxide films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering].

Vanadium oxide films were deposited at different substrate temperatures up to 400 degrees C by DC magnetron sputtering, and through the method of the X-ray diffraction, electron scanning microscopy, infrared and Raman spectra, the present paper studies the structure properties of those films, and through the method of spectrum measuring and fitting, this paper studies the optical properties of the films. At low temperature of preparation the optical films have high optical transmittance. The films prepared at low substrate temperature (lower than 200 degrees C) have amorphous structure and some films prepared at high substrate temperatures (higher than 200 degrees C) have polycrystalline structure. The films' optical parameters were achieved by using classic model to fit the characteristic of transmittance.

PLCε1 mediates one-lung ventilation injury by regulating the p38/RhoA/NFκB activation loop.

BACKGROUND: Phospholipase C epsilon-1 (PLCε1) might be a novel and potential target in treating inflammatory conditions. In the present study, we aimed to clarify whether PLCε1 is involved in lung injury caused by one-lung ventilation (OLV) and to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism of PLCε1-mediated signaling pathway on OLV induced inflammatory response and injury. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into wide-type (PLCε1-WT) group and PLCε1-KO group, and were treated with OLV for 0.5 h, 1 h, and 2 h respectively. Observation of lung tissue injury in rats was performed by Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Wet/dry (W/D) radios. In addition, pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) transfected with PLCε1-si RNA, were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To explore the possible roles of PLCε1 in the OLV induced inflammatory injury and the involved pathway underlying, the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) of OLV rats, as well as the PMVECs were prepared for further analysis. Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to detect the expression of pro-inflammatory factors. The activities of related pathway proteins (NF-κB, phospho-p38, p38, phospho-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, RhoA and ROCK) were also detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis. RESULTS: Compared to the PLCε1-WT rats, PLCε1-KOrats exhibited marked alleviation of lung inflammation as shown by great reduction in lung wet/dry weight ratios, decreases in the expressions of pro-inflammatory mediators, and declines in the number of neutrophils and the protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Moreover, the increased expressions of RhoA and NF-κB p65 mRNA induced by OLV were significantly inhibited in PLCε1-KO rats. In LPS treated PMVECs, PLCε1-si RNA transfection ones also showed the decrease expression of proinflammatory mediators, reduction in p38 phosphorylation levels and downregulation of RhoA/ROCK signaling activation. Co-cultured with PLCε1-si RNA and BTRB796 (p38 inhibitors) in LPS-stimulated PMVECs resulted in a significant reduction in RhoA and NF-κB activity. In addition, treatment with either ROCK inhibitor (Y-27632) or dominant negative mutant of RhoA (RhoT19 N) significantly reduced the expression of NF-κB in PLCε1-si RNA treated PMVECs. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that PLCε1 played an important role in the inflammatory response induced by OLV. Moreover, through promoting p38/RhoA/ROCK activation loop, PLCε1 promoted NF-κB activation and thereby increased the expressions of inflammatory mediators, which induced the PMVECs inflammation and subsequent injury. The results of this study provide a potential therapeutic target for the reduction of inflammatory response in patients with OLV.

Histone methylation in pancreatic cancer and its clinical implications.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive human cancer. Appropriate methods for the diagnosis and treatment of PC have not been found at the genetic level, thus making epigenetics a promising research path in studies of PC. Histone methylation is one of the most complicated types of epigenetic modifications and has proved crucial in the development of PC. Histone methylation is a reversible process regulated by readers, writers, and erasers. Some writers and erasers can be recognized as potential biomarkers and candidate therapeutic targets in PC because of their unusual expression in PC cells compared with normal pancreatic cells. Based on the impact that writers have on the development of PC, some inhibitors of writers have been developed. However, few inhibitors of erasers have been developed and put to clinical use. Meanwhile, there is not enough research on the reader domains. Therefore, the study of erasers and readers is still a promising area. This review focuses on the regulatory mechanism of histone methylation, and the diagnosis and chemotherapy of PC based on it. The future of epigenetic modification in PC research is also discussed.

The Association Between Intestinal Bacteria and Allergic Diseases-Cause or Consequence?

The incidence of allergic disorders has been increasing over the past few decades, especially in industrialized countries. Allergies can affect people of any age. The pathogenesis of allergic diseases is complex and involves genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, and the response to medication is very variable. For some patients, avoidance is the sole effective therapy, and only when the triggers are identifiable. In recent years, the intestinal microbiota has emerged as a significant contributor to the development of allergic diseases. However, the precise mechanisms related to the effects of the microbiome on the pathogenesis of allergic diseases are unknown. This review summarizes the recent association between allergic disorders and intestinal bacterial dysbiosis, describes the function of gut microbes in allergic disease development from both preclinical and clinical studies, discusses the factors that influence gut microbial diversity and advanced techniques used in microbial analysis. Ultimately, more studies are required to define the host-microbial relationship relevant to allergic disorders and amenable to new therapeutic interventions.

[Survey on the foci of Paragonimus in Youxi, Yongtai and Pinghe Counties of Fujian Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the natural foci of paragonimiasis in Youxi, Yongtai and Pinghe Counties of Fujian Province. METHODS: One village each from the three counties was selected according to reported paragonimiasis cases. Freshwater snails collected from fields were examined for cercariae. Freshwater crabs obtained in the fields were examined for metacercariae by washing filtration method or direct compression method. Feces of cats and dogs were collected for the detection of eggs by water precipitation. In order to identify the species of Paragonimus, 4 cats were orally fed with metacercariae. At the same time, the habitat of three survey sites was observed. RESULTS: Three fluke species, namely, P. skrjabini, P. westermani and P. cenocopiosus(Syn. Euparagonimus cenocopiosus) were found. In Banlin Village of Youxi County and Chishui Village of Yongtai County, the seropositive rate by IgG ELISA were 6.8% (21/309) and 6.8% (9/133), respectively. Four species of freshwater snails were found, two species of Tricula and one species of Pseudobythinella were newly identified first intermediate hosts of Paragonimus. Four species of freshwater carbs were found, one species of Nanhaipotamon served as a new second intermediate host of Paragonimus. In Youxi, the infection rate of P. skrjabini cercariae in snails and metacercariae in crabs was 2.1% (27/1 344) and 92.1% (58/63), respectively; the index of crab infection and the positive ratio of Paragonimus eggs in cat feces was 171.91 and 1/7, respectively. In Yongtai, the cercariae infection rate in Pseudobythinella and Tricula snails infected with P. skrjabini was 0.6% (4/690) and 0.1% (2/ 2330), respectively; the infection rate of P. skrjabini metacercariae in crabs was 18.2% (18/99); the index of crab infection was 9.12. In Pinghe, the infection rate of cercariae in Semisulcospira libertina and metacercariae in crabs was 03% (3/1092) and 44.9% (35/78), respectively; the index of crab infection was 616. CONCLUSION: Paragonimus skrjabini P. westermani and P. cenocopiosus have been found from the three counties of Fujian Province with different infection level in snails and crabs.

Evodiamine inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the Hippo-Yes-Associated Protein signaling pathway.

AIMS: Dysfunction of the Hippo-Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) signaling pathway is known to be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Evodiamine (Evo), a plant-derived bioactive alkaloid, exerts inhibitory effects on cancer. However, the precise influence of Evo on HCC and its potential effects on Hippo-YAP signaling have yet to be ascertained. Here, the effects of Evo on cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated using HCC cell lines (HepG2 and Bel-7402) and nude mice with xenograft tumors. We further investigated whether Evo exerts anti-HCC activity through effects on Hippo-YAP signaling in vitro with the aid of XMU-MP-1, an inhibitor of the key component of this pathway, mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 1/2. MAIN METHODS: Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assessed using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining, colony formation, flow cytometry, hematoxylin-eosin and dUTP nick-end labeling experiments. Bioinformatics and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) arrays were performed to determine the associations among Evo, HCC progression and the Hippo-YAP pathway. The expression patterns of components of Hippo-YAP signaling and apoptotic genes were further examined via RT-qPCR and immunoblotting. KEY FINDINGS: Evo inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of HCC cell lines in vitro, and attenuated xenograft tumor formation in nude mice in vivo. Mechanistically, Evo treatment stimulated the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway. In vitro, the effects of Evo on HCC cell proliferation and apoptosis were alleviated by XMU-MP-1. SIGNIFICANCE: Our collective results revealed that the anti-HCC effects of Evo were correlated with the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway.

Elastic properties of NaXH(4) (X = B, Al).

Elastic properties of NaXH(4) (X = B, Al) have been studied by first-principles calculations using a projected augmented plane-wave approach. The calculated elastic constants compare favorably with experimental values. Our calculations show that the theoretically calculated elastic constants and bulk moduli have small values compared with those of typical metals and intermetallic compounds, which indicates that NaXH(4) (X = B, Al) are highly compressible. Comparison of bulk moduli B of different complex hydrides shows a correlation between B and the decomposition temperatures. Also, we calculated the elastic anisotropies and the Debye temperatures from the elastic constants.

[The first national survey on natural nidi of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in China].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal the natural distribution of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the mainland of China. METHODS: The potential areas of A. cantonensis and its main intermediate host Pomacea canaliculata were predicted based on degree-day models using GIS technique. A grid sampling was performed on the prediction map and 5% grids were randomly sampled. A total of 55 sampled sites were selected for the survey on A. cantonensis and its hosts in September-October of 2006. RESULTS: Nineteen Provinces/Municipalities/Autonomous Regions were found as potential habitats for P. canaliculata in the mainland of China. It was then confirmed that the snails distributed in the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Yunnan. Higher prevalence of A. cantonensis in P. canaliculata was detected in Jianou of Fujian (36.6%), Xingguo of Jiangxi (19.9%), Rui'an of Zhejiang (16.0%), Rucheng of Hunan (5.0%), Huazhou of Guangdong (6.3%), Shangsi of Guangxi (39.1%) and Wuzhishan of Hainan (25.0%). CONCLUSION: Natural nidi of A. cantonensis have been found in seven provinces where natural infection in P. canaliculata has been detected.