Feasibility study on epithelial cells regeneration after excising the demucosalized ileum for ureteral reconstructive surgery.

This study aimed to investigate the regeneration of epithelial cells in the long-term observation of ureter reconstruction by excising the demucosalized ileum. First, 8 Beagle dogs were anesthetized and the abdominal cavity was inspected for abnormalities via an abdominal incision. The right kidney and ureter were subsequently separated, and the ureter was severed from its connection to the renal pelvis and bladder and ligated distally. The 10-15 cm of ileum was used to reconstruct the ureter. The biopsies of the proximal, middle, and distal reconstructed ureter (neo-ureter) were collected at the first, third, fifth, and sixth month postoperatively. The regeneration of ileal mucosa at the first, third, fifth, and sixth month was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence staining cytokeratin 18 (CK18). HE staining results showed irregular cytoarchitecture, severe nuclear consolidation, and inflammatory infiltration in the proximal, middle, and distal neo-ureters of dogs at the first month after ureteral reconstruction. With longer follow-up, the injuries of the proximal, middle, and distal neo-ureters were alleviated at the third, fifth, and sixth month after surgery. The expression of CK18 was higher in the middle neo-ureters than that in the proximal and distal neo-ureters at different time points after ureteral reconstruction and decreased with time. In summary, the present study demonstrated that demucosalized ileum was feasible for ureteral reconstructive surgery with satisfying prognostic effects.

AHNAK2 Regulates NF-κB/MMP-9 Signaling to Promote Pancreatic Cancer Progression.

Early metastasis of pancreatic cancer (PaC) is a major cause of its high mortality rate. Previous studies have shown that AHNAK2 is involved in the progression of some tumors and is predicted to be an independent prognostic factor for PaC; however, the specific mechanisms through which AHNAK2 regulates PaC remain unclear. In this study, we examined the role of AHNAK2 in PaC and its potential molecular mechanisms. AHNAK2 mRNA and protein expression in PaC tissues and cells were measured using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. After AHNAK2 knockdown using small interfering RNA, PaC cells were subjected to CCK-8 scratch, and Transwell assays to assess cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, respectively. Furthermore, the validation of the mechanistic pathway was achieved by western blot analysis. AHNAK2 mRNA and protein levels were up-regulated in PaC and silencing AHNAK2 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PaC cells. Mechanistically, AHNAK2 knockdown decreased the expression of phosphorylated p65, phosphorylated IκBα, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), suggesting that activation of the NF-κB/MMP-9 signaling pathway was inhibited. Importantly, activation of NF-κB reversed the effects of AHNAK2 knockdown. Our findings indicate that AHNAK2 promotes PaC progression through the NF-kB/MMP-9 pathway and provides a theoretical basis for targeting AHNAK2 for the treatment of PaC.

Comparative anti-inflammatory effect of extract from novel Korean strawberry cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa) on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages and mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Dietary interventions are crucial in modulating inflammation in humans. Strawberries are enjoyed by people of different ages as a result of their attractive phenotype and taste. In addition, the active compounds in strawberries may contribute to the reduction of inflammation. When developing new strawberry cultivars to address agricultural and environmental threats, the bioactivity of strawberries must be improved to maintain their health benefits. RESULTS: We determined the phytochemical contents of extracts from a new Korean strawberry cultivar, with the CN7 cultivar extract possessing the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents compared to the CN5 and Seolhyang cultivar extracts. The new Korean strawberry cultivars reduced the expression of inflammatory-related genes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells via the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect. The CN7 cultivar showed greater bioactivity potential and the highest ellagic acid content; hence, we assessed the effect of the CN7 cultivar in an LPS-stimulated mouse model. The CN7 cultivar treatment demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing inflammation via the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines secretion and gene expression. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the present study have revealed the observable differences of the newly developed strawberry cultivars with Seolhyang in mitigating inflammation induced by LPS. The enhanced phytochemical content of the CN7 cultivar extract may contribute to its improved anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain the nutritive benefits of strawberry during the development of new cultivation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Core-Shell Au@Nanoplastics as a Quantitative Tracer to Investigate the Bioaccumulation of Nanoplastics in Freshwater Ecosystems.

Studies on the adverse effects of nanoplastics (NPs, particle diameter <1000 nm) including physical damage, oxidative stress, impaired cell signaling, altered metabolism, developmental defects, and possible genetic damage have intensified in recent years. However, the analytical detection of NPs is still a bottleneck. To overcome this bottleneck and obtain a reliable and quantitative distribution analysis in complex freshwater ecosystems, an easily applicable NP tracer to simulate their fate and behavior is needed. Here, size- and surface charge-tunable core-shell Au@Nanoplastics (Au@NPs) were synthesized to study the environmental fate of NPs in an artificial freshwater system. The Au core enables the quantitative detection of NPs, while the polystyrene shell exhibits NP properties. The Au@NPs showed excellent resistance to environmental factors (e.g., 1% hydrogen peroxide solution, simulating gastric fluid, acids, and alkalis) and high recovery rates (>80%) from seawater, lake water, sewage, waste sludge, soil, and sediment. Both positively and negatively charged NPs significantly inhibited the growth of duckweed (Lemna minor L.) but had little effect on the growth of cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa). In addition, the accumulation of positively and negatively charged NPs in cyanobacteria occurred in a concentration-dependent manner, with positively charged NPs more easily taken up by cyanobacteria. In contrast, negatively charged NPs were more readily internalized in duckweed. This study developed a model using a core-shell Au@NP tracer to study the environmental fate and behavior of NPs in various complex environmental systems.

Inhibition of PTPN21 has antitumor effects in glioma by restraining the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 21 (PTPN21) has been recognised as a new tumour-associated protein that is implicated in diverse tumours. However, the correlation between PTPN21 and glioma remains unaddressed. This investigation focused on the relevance of PTPN21 in glioma. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis identified PTPN21 as being up-regulated in glioma tissue. The elevation of PTP21 in glioma was validated by evaluating clinical specimen. Kaplan-Meier plot analysis revealed that a high PTPN21 level predicted poor survival rate in glioma patient. Silencing of PTPN21 produced remarkable anticancer effects in glioma cells including proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest, metastasis suppression and enhanced chemosensitivity. Mechanistic studies uncovered that PTPN21 contributes to mediation of the phosphatidyl-inositole-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway via the regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Restraint of EGFR diminished PTPN21 overexpression-induced promoting effect on PI3K/AKT pathway. Reactivation of AKT reversed PTPN21 silencing-evoked antitumor effect. The tumorigenic potential of PTPN21-silenced glioma cells in vivo was markedly compromised. In summary, this study demonstrates that silencing of PTPN21 produces remarkable anticancer effects in glioma by restraining the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway.

Comparison of percutaneous endoscopic thoracic decompression and posterior thoracic laminectomy for treating thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS) caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is generally treated by surgical decompression. In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety of percutaneous endoscopic thoracic decompression (PETD) and posterior thoracic laminectomy (PTL) for treating thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF). METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with TSS caused by TOLF who were treated between April 2016 and May 2020 were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into the PETD (n = 11) and PTL (n = 9) groups. The mean follow-up period was 19.6 months. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score and the recovery rate (RR) were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes. RESULTS: There were significant differences between PETD group and PTL group in operative time (min) (95.0 ± 18.8 vs 131.1 ± 19.0), postoperative drainage (mL) (20.2 ± 7.9 vs 586.1 ± 284.2), hospital stay (days) (4.4 ± 1.2 vs 10.4 ± 2.6) (P < 0.05 for all). However, both groups had similar and significant improvement in VAS and mJOA scores. The RR of two groups achieved the same improvement (81.8% VS 77.8%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of PETD and PTL for treating TOLF both achieved favorable outcomes. PETD is both minimally invasive and achieves similar postoperative symptom relief to PTL. Therefore, PETD could be considered as an effective alternative to traditional open surgery for TOLF in single-segment lower thoracic spine.

Colonization Characteristics of Poplar Fungal Disease Biocontrol Bacteria N6-34 and the Inhibitory Effect on Pathogenic Fungi by Real-Time Fluorescence Quantitative PCR Detection.

Botryosphaeria dothidea is one of the most important diseases which can cause poplar canker. In our previous study, the endophytic Bacillus subtilis N6-34 screened from poplar tissue was found to be an antagonistic strain against B. dothidea. In order to ascertain the colonization rule of B. subtilis N6-34 in poplar plants, colonization of B. subtilis N6-34 labeled with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) was investigated in poplar plants and the rhizosphere soil. To confirm the inhibitory effect of the strain N6-34 on pathogenic fungi, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR experiment with Fusarium oxysporum as the target strain was carried out. Firstly, a plasmid (pHT01-P43GFPmut3a) containing gfp gene was successfully transformed into wild B. subtilis N6-34, which has the similar characteristics with the strain N6-34 in cell growth and antifungal activity. The poplar pot experiments were carried out to examine the colonization rules and colonization quantity in poplar plants and rhizosphere soil. Observation with a confocal laser scanning microscope showed that GFP-labeled B. subtilis N6-34 (N6-34-GFP) could colonize in primary root, lateral root and adventitious root. With the extension of inoculation time, the colonization quantity of N6-34-GFP in the rhizosphere soil and poplar plants showed a trend of first increasing, then stabilizing for a period of time and then decreasing. The real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR result showed a gradual decrease in the number of F. oxysporum with increasing inoculation time. Therefore, N6-34-GFP exhibited colonization in the rhizosphere soil and different parts of poplar plants. In addition, the strain N6-34 could inhibit the growth of pathogenic fungi. The ability of B. subtilis N6-34 to colonize in the rhizosphere soil and poplar plants and to inhibit fungal growth in vitro suggest a potential application of this strain as a biological control agent.

Combination of ellagic acid and trans-cinnamaldehyde alleviates aging-induced cognitive impairment via modulation of mitochondrial function and inflammatory and apoptotic mediators in the prefrontal cortex of aged rats.

Cognitive impairments are associated with advancing age. Trans-cinnamaldehyde (CIN) and ellagic acid (ELA) have multiplex activities to reduce various age-related cognitive disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of these compounds separately or in combination on the cognitive outcomes, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory and apoptotic mediators in aged male Wistar rats. Thirty-two old (22 months old) and eight young (5 months old) rats were randomly allocated to five groups of young control, aged control, ELA-aged, CIN-aged, and ELA + CIN-aged. ELA (15 mg/kg, orally) and CIN (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) separately or in combination were administered for 1 month in aged animals. Spatial memory and cognitive activity were evaluated by the Barnes maze and novel object recognition tests. Mitochondrial function (its reactive oxygen species [ROS], mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 and pro-apoptotic caspase 3 and Bax, and anti-apoptotic Bcl2 levels and their ratio were assessed in the prefrontal cortex. Behavioral results revealed that CIN separately or in combination with ELA significantly alleviates aging-induced memory impairment. Moreover, co-administration of agents effectively decreased inflammatory cytokines, cleaved-caspase 3, Bax and Bax/Bcl2 levels, mitochondrial ROS production, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increased Bcl2 and ATP level as compared with untreated aged control rats. Combination therapy was greater than those of individual treatments in all parameters. Therefore, combination therapy with CIN and ELA improved aging-induced cognitive impairment through anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and mitochondrial-boosting effects in aged rats.

Role of biochar and organic substrates in enhancing the functional characteristics and microbial community in a saline soil.

In sustaining the soil quality, soil salinization has become a major challenge due to the increasing salinity rate of 10% annually. Despite, the serious concerns, the influence of soil amendments on microbial communities and its related attributes have limited findings. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the potential of three various biochars, digestate (DI), and its compost (COM) in reclamation of saline soil under closed ecosystem. The decrease in the pH was displayed by lignite char, and electrical conductivity by lignite char plus COM addition among all the treatments. The subside in Na +, with a significant rise in K +, was exhibited in soils amended with DI plus DI biochar as a combined ameliorate over control. The negative priming effects on native soil organic carbon (nSOC) due to the decreased substrate bioavailability, in corn straw and DI biochars ameliorates were noted. The urease and alkaline phosphatase activity were pronounced higher in COM. However, the catalase and fluorescein diacetate activity were greater in lignite char plus DI and COM respectively. The co-addition of biochar and organic substrates shifted microbial community, is in correspondence with the relative abundance of the phylum. Overall, the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria was higher in soils under a combination of lignite char with DI and COM respectively. Likely, the abundance of Euryarchaeota was dominant in the co-application of corn straw biochar and DI. Redundancy analysis revealed the intactness between bacterial genera and their metabolisms with K +, and Mg 2+. PICRUSt disclosed the enhanced metabolic functions in soil with amalgam of DI and its biochar. The findings showed that the application of DI and its biochar mixture, as an amendment could be a better approach in the long-term reclamation of saline soil.

[The Value of MRI Texture Analysis in Identifying Intraductal Carcinoma of the Prostate Gland].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of a radiomics approach based on MRI texture analysis (TA) in identifying intraductal carcinoma of the prostate gland (IDCP). METHODS: MRI images of 56 patients with pathological proven prostate cancer were analyzed retrospectively, including 31 patients with pure prostate adenocarcinoma and 25 patients with IDCP component in the prostate adenocarcinoma lesions. After imaging features of lesions were analyzed, then enhanced arterial and venous phase images were imported into Omni-Kinetics software for the extraction the TA features of region of interests' lesion according to the T2-weighted imaging. In order to set up a regression prediction model which based on texture parameters and morphological features. Furthermore, the comparison of diagnostic accuracy of each TA regression models were assessed by operating characteristic curves (ROC). RESULTS: Among the imaging features of peripheral lesions, the incidence of surgical capsule invasion, prostatic capsule involvement, and seminal vesicle invasion in patients with IDCP was higher than that in patients with adenocarcinoma alone ( P<0.05). Among the imaging features of transitional zone lesions, patients with adenocarcinoma containing IDCP had a higher incience of imaging features as benign prostatic hyperplasia, extracapsular invasion of the prostate, seminal vesicles invasion, and vascular nerve bundles than that in pure adenocarcinoma group ( P<0.05). In order to differential diagnosis of simple adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma containing IDCP, 4 arterial phase texture features were used to build the regression model in the peripheral zone group, and the area under the curve ( AUC) of the TA model and combined model with or without seminal vesicles invasion were 0.890 and 0.938, respectively. In the transitional zone group, 2 arterial phase texture features and 2 venous phase features were used in TA regression model, and the AUC of texture model and the combined model with or without vascular nerve bundles were 0.844 and 0.901, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of adenocarcinoma with IDCP is higher in high-grade invasive prostate cancer. It is wonderful that when compared with T2WI, enhanced sequential texture analysis is more valuable when using the radiomics approach based on MRI texture analysis in identifying IDCP in prostate cancer.

Diagnostic Performance of Monoexponential DWI Versus Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging in Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of monoexponential DWI and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted for studies evaluating the diagnostic value of monoexponential DWI and DKI for PCa in the same patient cohorts with sufficient data to construct 2 × 2 contingency tables. Qualities of the included studies were assessed by the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Data were extracted to calculate pooled sensitivities and specificities. We constructed summary ROC curves and calculated AUCs to determine the performances of DKI parameters (diffusion coefficient and kurtosis characterizing the deviation from the monoexponential decay) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in diagnosing PCa. RESULTS: Five studies (463 patients) were included, with eight, nine, and 10 subsets of data available for analysis of ADC, diffusion, and kurtosis, respectively. Pooled sensitivities were 89% (95% CI, 80-94%) for ADC, 91% (95% CI, 84-95%) for diffusion, and 87% (95% CI, 83-91%) for kurtosis. Pooled specificities were 86% (95% CI, 80-90%) for ADC, 78% (95% CI, 71-84%) for diffusion, and 85% (95% CI, 81-89%) for kurtosis. According to the summary ROC analyses, the AUC was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95) for ADC, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86-0.92) for diffusion, and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90-0.95) for kurtosis. There was no notable publication bias, but significant heterogeneity was observed. CONCLUSION: Monoexponential DWI and DKI showed comparable diagnostic accuracies for PCa. DKI is a potentially helpful method for the diagnosis of PCa. Therefore, on the basis of current evidence, we do not recommend including DKI in routine clinical assessment of PCa for the moment.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Major Constituents in WLJ Herbal Tea Using Multiple Chromatographic Techniques.

Quality control of Chinese herbal tea remains a challenge due to our poor knowledge of their complex chemical profile. This study aims to investigate the chemical composition of one of the best-selling and famous brand of beverage in China, Wanglaoji Herbal Tea (WLJHT), via a full component quantitative analysis. In this paper, a total of thirty-two representative constituents were identified or tentatively characterized using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Moreover, the quantitative analyses of fourteen constituents were performed by high performance liquid chromatography with a triple quadruple tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method and saccharide compositions of WLJHT were also quantitatively determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) on a Hilic column, separately. Using multiple chromatographic techniques presented a good precision, sensitivity, repeatability and stability, and was successfully applied to analyze 16 batches of WLJHT samples. Therefore, it would be a reliable and useful approach for the quality control of WLJHT.

[Development of indel markers for molecular authentication of Panax ginseng and P. quinquefolius].

Panax ginseng and P. quinquefolius are two kinds of important medicinal herbs. They are morphologically similar but have different pharmacological effects. Therefore, botanical origin authentication of these two ginsengs is of great importance for ensuring pharmaceutical efficacy and food safety. Based on the fact that intron position in orthologous genes is highly conserved across plant species, intron length polymorphisms were exploited from unigenes of ginseng. Specific primers were respectively designed for these two species based on their insertion/deletion sequences of cytochrome P450 and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and multiplex PCR was conducted for molecular authentication of P.ginseng and P. quinquefolius. The results showed that the developed multiplex PCR assay was effective for molecular authentication of P.ginseng and P. quinquefolius without strict PCR condition and the optimization of reaction system.This study provides a preferred ideal marker system for molecular authentication of ginseng,and the presented method can be employed in origin authentication of other herbal preparations.

Diagnostic value of renal perfusion in patients with chronic kidney disease using 3D arterial spin labeling.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of 3D arterial spin labeling (ASL) for noninvasive quantification of renal blood flow (RBF) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CKD patients (n = 27) and healthy volunteers (n = 36) underwent renal 3T ASL magnetic resonance imaging, with inversion times from 1200 to 2000 msec for volunteers in the preliminary test, and 1800 to 2000 msec for volunteers and CKD patients in the formal experiments. The cortical RBFs were compared, and a correlation between RBF and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was evaluated. RESULTS: For healthy volunteers, RBF values increased with TIs from 1200 to 1600 msec, but were almost constant at TIs from 1600 to 2000 msec. The cortical RBF values of CKD patients were lower than that of healthy volunteers at TIs from 1800 to 2000 msec. In addition, the CKD patients had lower cortical RBF values than the healthy volunteers (P < 0.01 for both), and their RBF values positively correlated with eGFR. CONCLUSION: 3D ASL is a potential noninvasive method for measuring renal perfusion that can provide valuable information for clinical CKD diagnosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:589-594.

The immune-regulating effect of Xiao'er Qixingcha in constipated mice induced by high-heat and high-protein diet.

BACKGROUND: Xiao'er Qixingcha (EXQ) has been extensively applied to relieve dyspepsia and constipation in children for hundreds of years in China. However, the therapeutic mechanism underlying its efficacy remained to be defined. The present study aimed to clarify the possible laxative and immune-regulating effects of EXQ on two models of experimental constipation in mice, which mimicked the pediatric constipation caused by high-heat and high-protein diet (HHPD). METHODS: The two models of constipated mice were induced by HHPD or HHPD + atropine respectively. To investigate the laxative and immune-regulating activities of EXQ, animals were treated with three doses of EXQ (0.75, 1.5 and 3 g/kg) for 7 consecutive days. The fecal output parameters (number and weight), weight of intestinal content and, the thymus and spleen indexes were measured. The levels of sIgA, IL-10, TNF-α and LPS in colon and serum were determined by ELISA. Furthermore, the pathological changes of colon tissue were examined after routine H&E staining. RESULTS: Both HHPD and HHPD + atropine treatments obviously inhibited the fecal output and reduced the colonic sIgA, prominently increased the levels of IL-10 and TNF-α in colonic tissue and elevated the contents of LPS in serum and colonic tissues. In contrast, oral administration of EXQ significantly improved the feces characters and dose-dependently decreased the intestinal changes in both models. In HHPD model test, EXQ efficaciously boosted the sIgA level in a dose-dependent manner, significantly elicited decreases in TNF-α and IL-10 levels, and evidently decreased the spleen and thymus indexes. In HHPD + atropine model test, EXQ treatment reversed the pathological changes by not only dramatically decreasing the spleen index and the levels of LPS and IL-10, but also markedly elevating the thymus index. Furthermore, microscopic observation revealed that EXQ treatment maintained the integrity of colonic mucosa, and protected the colonic tissues from inflammation in the both models. CONCLUSIONS: EXQ exhibited prominent laxative activity and effectively protected the colonic mucosal barrier in two models of constipated mice, of which the mechanism might be closely associated with its propulsive and immune-regulating properties. The current results not only validated the rationale for the clinical application of EXQ in pediatric constipation related symptoms, but also threw new light on the immune-inflammatory responses accompanied with chronic constipation pathology.

Highly sensitive detection of cancer-related genes based on complete fluorescence restoration of a molecular beacon with a functional overhang.

The accurate detection of cancer-related genes is of great significance for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of cancer. In this contribution, an automatically cycling operation of a functional overhang-containing molecular beacon (OMB)-based sensing system was proposed to perform amplification detection of the p53 gene. Contrary to the common molecular beacon (MB), a target DNA is designated to hybridize with a label-free recognition probe (RP) with a hairpin structure rather than OMB. In the presence of a target DNA of interest, the locked primer in RP opens and triggers the subsequent amplification procedures. The newly-developed OMB is not only capable of accomplishing cyclical nucleic acid strand-displacement polymerization (CNDP) with the help of polymerase and nicking endonuclease, but is also cleaved by restriction endonucleases, removing the quencher away from the fluorophore. Thus, the target DNA at an extremely low concentration is expected to generate a considerable amount of double-stranded and cleaved OMBs, and the quenched fluorescence is completely restored, leading to a dramatic increase in fluorescence intensity. Utilizing this sensing platform, the target gene can be detected down to 8.2 pM in a homogeneous way, and a linear response range of 0.01 to 150 nM could be obtained. More strikingly, the mutant genes can be easily distinguished from the wild-type ones. The proof-of-concept demonstrations reported herein are expected to promote the development of DNA biosensing systems, showing great potential in basic research and clinical diagnosis.

Diffusion-weighted imaging of the kidneys and its relationship with residual renal function in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to prospectively evaluate renal diffusion as shown by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and its relationship with the residual renal function (RRF) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty CAPD patients and 40 healthy volunteers were recruited, and all underwent conventional and fat-saturated echo-planar DWI with three b values (0, 300, 600 s/mm(2)). The renal parenchymal thickness and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were measured, and both were compared between the two groups. The relationships between ADC values and clinical indexes--which included RRF, serum creatinine value, cystatin C value, and urine output--were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the renal parenchymal thickness and ADC values in control subjects, these values in CAPD patients were significantly decreased (p < 0.0001). In CAPD patients, the ADC values were positively correlated with RRF (r = 0.447, p = 0.004). A mild linear correlation was also found between the ADC values and cystatin C value (r = -0.352, p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: The renal diffusion function as shown by DWI is impaired in CAPD patients and correlates with RRF.

Paludibacter jiangxiensis sp. nov., a strictly anaerobic, propionate-producing bacterium isolated from rice paddy field.

A mesophilic, obligately anaerobic, propionate-producing fermentative bacterium, designated strain NM7(T), was isolated from rural rice paddy field. Cells of strain NM7(T) are Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, short rods, and negative for catalase. The strain grew optimally at 37 °C (the range for growth 15-40 °C) and pH 7.0 (pH 5.0-7.5). The strain could grow fermentatively on various sugars, including arabinose, xylose, fructose, galactose, glucose, mannose, cellobiose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, pectin and starch. The main end products of glucose fermentation were acetate and propionate. Yeast extract was not required but stimulated the growth. Nitrate, sulfate, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, sulfite, and Fe(III) nitrilotriacetate were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The G+C content of genomic DNA was 42.8 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, C16:0, and C17:0. The most abundant polar lipid of strain NM7(T) was phosphatidylethanolamine. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that it belongs to the family Porphyromonadaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes. The closest recognized species was Paludibacter propionicigenes (91.4 % similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequence). A novel species, Paludibacter jiangxiensis sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate strain NM7(T) (=JCM 17480(T) = CGMCC 1.5150(T) = KCTC 5844(T)).

Lactivibrio alcoholicus gen. nov., sp. nov., an anaerobic, mesophilic, lactate-, alcohol-, carbohydrate- and amino-acid-degrading bacterium in the phylum Synergistetes.

A mesophilic, obligately anaerobic, lactate-, alcohol-, carbohydrate- and amino-acid- degrading bacterium, designated strain 7WAY-8-7(T), was isolated from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating high-strength organic wastewater from isomerized sugar production processes. Cells of strain 7WAY-8-7(T) were motile, curved rods (0.7-1.0×5.0-8.0 µm). Spore formation was not observed. The strain grew optimally at 37 °C (range for growth was 25-40 °C) and pH 7.0 (pH 6.0-7.5), and could grow fermentatively on yeast extract, glucose, ribose, xylose, malate, tryptone, pyruvate, fumarate, Casamino acids, serine and cysteine. The main end-products of glucose fermentation were acetate and hydrogen. In co-culture with the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanospirillum hungatei DSM 864(T), strain 7WAY-8-7(T) could utilize lactate, glycerol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, L-glutamate, alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine, lysine, threonine, 2-oxoglutarate, aspartate and methionine. A Stickland reaction was not observed with some pairs of amino acids. Yeast extract was required for growth. Nitrate, sulfate, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, sulfite and Fe (III) were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.4 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belongs to the uncultured environmental clone clade (called 'PD-UASB-13' in the Greengenes database) in the bacterial phylum Synergistetes, showing less than 90% sequence similarity with closely related described species such as Aminivibrio pyruvatiphilus and Aminobacterium colombiense (89.7% and 88.7%, respectively). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(13 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0), C(18 : 1), C(19 : 1), C(20 : 1) and C(21 : 1). A novel genus and species, Lactivibrio alcoholicus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate strain 7WAY-8-7(T) ( = JCM 17151(T) = DSM 24196(T) = CGMCC 1.5159(T)).

Terrimicrobium sacchariphilum gen. nov., sp. nov., an anaerobic bacterium of the class 'Spartobacteria' in the phylum Verrucomicrobia, isolated from a rice paddy field.

A strictly anaerobic, mesophilic, carbohydrate-fermenting bacterium, designated NM-5T, was isolated from a rice paddy field. Cells of strain NM-5(T) were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, short rods (0.5-0.7 µm×0.6-1.2 µm). The strain grew optimally at 37 °C (growth range 20-40 °C) and pH 7.0 (pH 5.5-8.0). The strain could grow fermentatively on arabinose, xylose, fructose, galactose, glucose, ribose, mannose, cellobiose, lactose, maltose and sucrose. The main end-products of glucose fermentation were acetate and propionate. Organic acids, alcohols and amino acids were not utilized for growth. Yeast extract was not required but stimulated the growth. Nitrate, sulfate, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, sulfite, and Fe (III) nitrilotriacetate were not used as terminal electron acceptors. The DNA G+C content was 46.3 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C14:0, C18:0 and C16:0. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain NM-5T belongs to the class 'Spartobacteria', subdivision 2 of the bacterial phylum Verrucomicrobia. Phylogenetically, the closest species was 'Chthoniobacter flavus' (89.6% similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequence). A novel genus and species, Terrimicrobium sacchariphilum gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of the type species is NM-5T (=JCM 17479T=CGMCC 1.5168T).