[Application of ultra-short echo time-T2* component analysis technology in monitoring morphological and biochemical changes of achilles tendon in amateur marathon athletes].

Objective: To explore the value of ultra-short echo time (UTE)-T2* component analysis techniques in dynamic monitoring the morphological and biochemical changes in amateur marathon athletes' achilles tendon before and after the marathon. Methods: Twenty-nine amateur marathon runners were recruited between October 2020 and March 2021 in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, including 25 males and 4 females, aged from 24 to 50 (40±6) years old. All volunteers underwent bilateral achilles tendon MRI examination 1 week before the marathon, 48 hours after the race, and 1 month after the race. The shape and signal of the achilles tendon were evaluated by routine T1-weighted, proton density weighted with fat saturation sequence and different echo time (TE) UTE sequence, and the changes of achilles tendon after running was quantitatively analyzed by UTE-T2* sequence. The values of single-component analysis (T2*M), short T2* components (T2*S), and long T2* components (T2*L) and Fraction values were obtained using UTE-T2* sequence. The value of the whole achilles tendon was measured on the sagittal images of achilles tendon, and the Achilles tendon was equally divided into three subregions [muscle-tendon junction (MTJ), middle (MID), and insertion (INS)]. The region of interest was delineated by two radiologists independently. The intra-group correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the consistency of the data measured by two radiologists. Nonparametric Friedman M test was used to compare the differences of T2*M, T2*S, T2*L and Fraction values in different time points and different subregions. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the difference between 48 h post-race and pre-race T2*S values (ΔT2*S) of different distance, different running posture, different pace and different amount of training, in which ΔT2*S equals the T2*S value of 48 h post-race minus the T2*S value of pre-race. Results: On the sequence of short TE (TE≤0.6 ms), achilles tendinopathy can manifest as scattered punctate hypointensity in areas of high signal intensity. The two radiologists showed a good consistency in measuring the T2*M, T2*S, T2*L and Fraction values of the achilles tendon, and the ICC values ​​were 0.96, 0.94, 0.83 and 0.94, respectively. The T2*s values was significantly higher in the whole Achilles tendon, MTJ and MID segment at 48 h post-exercise compared to pre-exercise, and decreased after 1 month of exercise, [0.49 (0.45, 0.59) vs 0.54 (0.49, 0.59) vs 0.53 (0.49, 0.57), 0.48 (0.44, 0.54) vs 0.53 (0.47, 0.58) vs 0.50 (0.46, 0.57), 0.48 (0.43, 0.58) vs 0.54 (0.47, 0.59) vs 0.52 (0.46, 0.57); respectively, all P<0.05]. The changes in T2*M, T2*L and Fraction values are not statistically significant (all P>0.05). In different running gestures, the ΔT2*S of achilles tendon who using the postures of front-middle feet is higher than that using the postures of back feet (0.03(-0.05, 0.07) vs -0.03(-0.17, 0.11), P=0.001). Conclusion: The Bi-component analysis of UTE-T2* technology is superior to single component analysis in monitoring the dynamic changes of achilles tendon before and after exercise, and T2*S is a more sensitive sequence to evaluate the subtle changes in the chemical composition of achilles tendon.

NGS-based profiling reveals a critical contributing role of somatic D-loop mtDNA mutations in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been extensively identified mainly by traditional Sanger sequencing technology in various cancer types. However, low detection sensitivity of traditional methods greatly limits the comprehensive profiling of mtDNA somatic mutations in cancers, especially in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, the functional roles of mtDNA mutation in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis have not been systematically revealed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform was applied to profile the somatic mtDNA mutations of HCC and paired paratumor (non-HCC) tissues from a large cohort of 156 HBV-HCC patients. RESULTS: Our data revealed the common existence of mtDNA mutation in both inflammatory and cancer tissues with significantly different mutation pattern. The mutation density (mutation number/region length) of D-loop region was much higher than that of other regions in both HCC and non-HCC tissues. Unexpectedly, the average mutation number in D-loop region of HCC tissues was significantly less than that of non-HCC tissues. In contrast, the heteroplasmy level of D-loop region mutations was significantly increased in HCC tissues, implying that the D-loop mutations might be positively selected in HCC tissues. Furthermore, our results indicated that the patients with D-loop mutations had a significantly lower mtDNA copy number and were more likely to relapse. In vitro experiments demonstrated that proliferation, invasion and metastasis ability of HCC cells with D-loop region mutations were significantly higher than those without D-loop region mutations. CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the critical contributing role of somatic mtDNA D-loop mutations in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

Patterns of dopamine transporter imaging in subtypes of multiple system atrophy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the differences in the pattern of striatal (caudate and putamen) dopamine transporter (DAT) loss in a multiple system atrophy (MSA) cohort, based on the clinical variants parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P) and cerebellar subtype (MSA-C) via (11)C-N-2-carbomethoxy-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane (11 C-CFT) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and six subjects (forty-one patients with probable MSA-P; forty patients with probable MSA-C; twenty-five healthy controls) underwent 11 C-CFT PET. Subregional 11 C-CFT uptake of bilateral caudate, anterior putamen, and posterior putamen was calculated respectively to measure the striatal dopaminergic function. RESULTS: Significant decrease in DAT binding in striatum was revealed in patients with MSA-C and MSA-P compared to normal controls (all regions, MSA-C vs controls, P < .0001; MSA-P vs controls, P < .0001). DAT reduction was more pronounced in MSA-P patients than that in MSA-C patients (all regions, P < .0001). Eleven of forty MSA-C patients displayed no DAT loss, whereas striatal DAT loss was evident in all MSA-P patients. MSA-P subtype showed a more obvious anteroposterior gradient of DAT loss and more asymmetric dopaminergic dysfunction compared to MSA-C patients. CONCLUSION: The subtypes of MSA studied here show significantly different spatial/anatomic patterns of striatonigral degeneration which may provide insights into their disease pathophysiology. Specifically, MSA-P patients exhibit an uneven and much greater pronounced loss of dopamine innervation, while a relatively uniform pattern is revealed in patients with the MSA-C. Furthermore, the typical reduction in DAT 11 C-CFT binding in striatum is not present in all MSA-C patients, with a minority of cases showing normal DAT binding.

The impact of plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA and fibrinogen on nasopharyngeal carcinoma prognosis: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of combining plasma fibrinogen levels with Epstein-Barr Virus DNA (EBV DNA) levels on the prognosis for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was evaluated. METHODS: In this observational study, 2563 patients with non-metastatic NPC were evaluated for the effects of circulating plasma fibrinogen and EBV DNA levels on disease-free survival (DFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Compared with the bottom biomarker tertiles, TNM stage-adjusted hazard ratios (HR, 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for predicting DFS in fibrinogen tertiles 2 to 3 were 1.26 (1.00 to 1.60) and 1.81 (1.45 to 2.26), respectively; HR for EBV DNA tertiles 2 to 3 were 1.49 (1.12 to 1.98) and 4.24 (3.27 to 5.49), respectively. After additional adjustment for established risk factors, both biomarkers were still associated (P for trend <0.001) with reduced DFS (HR: 1.79, 95% CI, 1.43 to 2.25 for top fibrinogen tertiles; HR: 4.04, 95% CI: 3.10 to 5.27 for top EBV DNA tertiles compared with the bottom tertiles). For patients with advanced-stage disease, those with high fibrinogen levels (3.34 g l(-1)) presented with worse DFS, regardless of EBV DNA 4000 or <4000 copies ml(-1) subgroup. Similar findings were observed for DMFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating fibrinogen and EBV DNA significantly correlate with NPC patients survival. Combined fibrinogen and EBV DNA data lead to improved prognostic prediction in advanced-stage disease.

Isolation and characterization of eighteen polymorphic microsatellite loci in Schizopygopsis younghusbandi Regan and cross-amplification in three other Schizothoracinae species.

Eighteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from Schizopygopsis younghusbandi Regan and the characterization of these loci was assessed in 46 individuals collected from the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, China. The numberof alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 14. The expected heterozygosity and Shannon-Wiener diversity index ranged from 0.022 to 0.879 and from 0.059 to 2.313, respectively. The cross-species amplification and applicability of these loci were tested in three other Schizothoracinae species belonging to Schizothorax and Oxygymnocypris. These loci will be useful for the evaluation of genetic diversity and population genetic structure in S. younghusbandi and other related species.

Responses of intestinal morphology, immunity, antioxidant status and cecal microbiota to the mixture of glycerol monolaurate and cinnamaldehyde in laying hens.

This study was to determine the effects of the mixture of glycerol monolaurate and cinnamaldehyde (GCM) supplementation on the intestinal morphology, immunity, antioxidant status and cecal microbiota of laying hens. A total of 1,120 healthy laying hens (Jingfen-1 strain) at the age of 14 wk were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 replicates of 28 layers in each and layers were fed diets containing 0 (control group), or 250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg GCM for 12 wk. The results showed that dietary supplementation with GCM significantly increased intestinal villus height and villus height/crypt depth, duodenal villus area, total superoxide disumutase activities in the liver and jejunum, jejunal glutathione peroxidase activities while decreased duodenal and jejunal crypt depth, hydrogen peroxide content in the liver and jejunal malondialdehyde content of laying hens aging 28 wk (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, GCM addition significantly increased serum immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin M concentration of layers at the age of 20, 24, and 28 wk (P < 0.05). Moreover, it was observed in the 16S rRNA sequencing that the addition of GCM elevated the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota in laying hens. The predominant bacteria from each group were Bacteroidota and Firmicutes at the phylum level and Bacteroides and Lactobacillus were the dominant genera. The composition and structure of cecal microflora were changed by the addition of GCM to the diet of laying hens. In conclusion, the addition of GCM (500-1,000 mg/kg diet) can improve intestinal morphology, immune function, intestinal and liver antioxidant status and intestinal flora of laying hens, thereby improving intestinal digestion and absorption capacity. These findings provide a new way to further explore the mechanism of GCM improving intestinal health.

Effects of salpingitis simulation on the morphology and expression of inflammatory-related genes of oviduct in laying hens.

This study was conducted to simulate salpingitis of laying hens by observing the morphology and expression of inflammatory genes in the oviduct. A total of one hundred twenty 81-wk-old Roman Pink laying hens in good physical condition without the oviduct disease with an average egg production rate of 76% were fed a basal diet for 2 wks and then randomly allocated into 4 groups (6 replicates/group, 5 birds/replicate). The experimental treatments were as follows: 1) Control group (treated with PBS); 2) Organic chemical reagent (OCR) group; 3) Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group; 4) LPS + OCR group. First, the chickens were kept upside down to make ectropion and exposure of the apertura uterinae; then prepared reagents were poured into the uterine part of the fallopian tube by using the chicken vas deferens (1 mL/layer); finally, the chickens were kept in the inverted position for 5 to 10 min. The fallopian tube samples (the magnum, isthmus, and uterus) were collected after 48 h of treatment. Compared with the control, treatment with LPS+OCR decreased (P < 0.05) the secondary villus length and primary villus area in magnum and villus length in isthmus (P < 0.05). An increase (P < 0.05) of the intervillous space of uterus was observed in LPS + OCR group compared with the control. The expressions of interleukin-6 mRNA of magnum and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) of isthmus in the LPS and LPS+OCR treatments were higher (P < 0.05) than that in control. Compared with the control, treatment with LPS+OCR increased (P < 0.05) the expressions of IFN-γ mRNA of magnum and IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA of uterus in laying hens. In conclusion, the results of morphological damage of fallopian tube tissue and increased expression of inflammatory factors in LPS + OCR treatment group suggested that LPS+OCR treatment can provide data basis to establish salpingitis model in laying hens for studying the pathogenesis of it.

Lonicera flos and Cnicus japonicus extracts improved egg quality partly by modulating antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lonicera flos and Cnicus japonicus extracts (LCE) on the laying performance, egg quality, morphology, antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines, and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens. A total of 1,728 Roman Pink laying hens aged 73-wk-old were randomly assigned into 4 groups (18 replicates/group, 24 layers/replicate) fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 300, 500, and 1,000 mg of LCE per kg of diet, respectively. The trial lasted for 11 wk, including 2-wk adjustment period and 9-wk testing period. The results indicated that laying hens fed diets supplemented with LCE linearly increased egg weight, yolk color and shell thickness at wk 78 and albumen height, Haugh unit and shell thickness at wk 83 (P < 0.05). At wk 78, LCE groups linearly affected the hydrogen peroxide content in magnum (P < 0.05) and 300 mg/kg LCE groups had the highest catalase activity in isthmus (P < 0.05). At wk 83, LCE groups linearly reduced (P < 0.05) hydrogen peroxide content in the magnum and isthmus and malondialdehyde content in the uterus whereas increased catalase activity in isthmus (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LCE levels quadratically affected glutathione peroxidase activity in isthmus at wk 83 (P < 0.05). At wk 78, the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interferon-γ in isthmus and ovalbumin and ovocleidin-116 in uterus had linear effects in response to LCE levels (P < 0.05) and 1,000 mg/kg LCE group had the lowest mRNA expression of interleukin-6 in magnum (P < 0.05). At wk 83, LCE supplementation linearly decreased the mRNA expression of interleukin-1ß, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α in magnum and tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase in uterus (P < 0.05). It is concluded that LCE improved egg quality partly by modulating antioxidant status, inflammatory-related cytokines and shell matrix protein expression of oviduct in laying hens.

Research Note: Disturbance of intracellular calcium signal in salpingitis simulation of laying hens.

This study investigated whether there is disturbance of calcium signal in the simulated salpingitis of laying hens. A total of 90 Roman Pink layers (81 wk; 1.916 ± 0.17 kg) were divided into 3 groups (Control treated with PBS, 1.85 mg lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/layer as LPS group, 1.85 mg LPS/layer as LPS+organic chemical reagent (OCR) group) with 6 replicates of 5 layers. Compared with the Control, the mRNA expression of calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase IV (CaMK IV), sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), and plasma membrane calcium-transporting ATPase (PMCA) were not only decreased (P < 0.05) in magnum of laying hens from LPS and LPS+OCR groups, but also in isthmus and uterus of hens from LPS+OCR group. Moreover, the mRNA expression of calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and Orai1 in uterus from LPS+OCR group were higher (P < 0.05) than that from Control. The relative fluorescence intensity of Ca2+ in uterus from LPS and LPS+OCR groups were significantly higher than that from Control (P < 0.05). In conclusion, it existed that the linkage of simulated salpingitis treated with LPS+OCR and altered intracellular calcium signals in layers, which provided a new insight for alleviating salpingitis and uterine dysfunction of laying hens.

Generation of Janus alginate hydrogel particles with magnetic anisotropy for cell encapsulation.

A microfluidic approach for fabrication of Janus hydrogel particles with magnetic anisotropy is demonstrated. Using this technique, cells and magnetic beads (MBs) can be separately embedded in one hydrogel particle to maintain optical performance, and reduce the contact between cells and magnetic beads (nano- or submicron-particles). Alginate cell capsules prepared by this method can be easily controlled and manipulated by external magnetic fields and require no specific surface modification. Bio-degradability and super-paramagnetic properties of these hydrogel particles were also demonstrated experimentally.

MMP-1 gene polymorphism in osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of osteoporosis (OP) with matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) gene polymorphism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 199 patients as observation group (OP) and 180 healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in the study, and the general data, the expression levels of serum calcium, serum phosphate and MMP-1 were collected and determined. The bone mineral density was determined using a bone sonometer, and the method of TaqMan-MGB probe was adopted for the detection of gene polymorphism of MMP-1 rs494379. RESULTS: The level of serum calcium and bone mineral density were lower in observation group than those in control group (p>0.05), while the levels of serum phosphate and MMP-1 were higher than those in control group (p>0.05). There were differences in rs494379 genotype and allele in MMP-1 gene between the two groups (p<0.05). In the analysis of the genetic model, the dominant models between the two groups were different (p<0.05), while there were no differences in the recessive model and additive model (p>0.05). The MMP-1 level was higher in rs494379 AA genotype than that in GG, GT genotype in MMP-1 gene. CONCLUSIONS: Gene polymorphism of MMP-1 rs494379 has a correlation with the occurrence of OP.

LncRNA NEAT1/miR-1224/KLF3 contributes to cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion in lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to detect the relationship between long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT1 and microRNA-1224 (miR-1224) in lung cancer and to explore its underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression levels of lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-1224 in lung cancer tissues and cells were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The interaction between lncRNA NEAT1 with miR-1224, miR-1224, and KLF3 was detected by Dual-Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay. MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and flow cytometry were used to detect the changes in the proliferative and apoptosis abilities of lung cancer cells after silencing lncRNA NEAT1 or up-regulating miR-1224, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with adjacent normal tissues, lncRNA NEAT1 was significantly up-regulated, while miR-1224 was significantly down-regulated in lung cancer tissues. LncRNA NEAT1 could specifically bind to the 3'UTR of miR-1224 and regulate its expression. The inhibition of lncRNA NEAT1 remarkably reduced the proliferation and enhanced the apoptosis of lung cancer cells. However, the upregulation of the expression of miR-1224 level could significantly inhibit proliferation and promote the apoptosis rate of lung cancer cells. Furthermore, miR-1224 could downregulate KLF3 expression by directly binding to its 3'UTR. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA NEAT1 can sponge the expression of miR-1224, thereby affecting the proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer.

MiRNA-27a-3p promotes osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells through targeting ATF3.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate whether miRNA-27a-3p can promote osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs by targeting ATF3, thus alleviating osteoporosis symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum levels of miRNA-27a-3p in osteoporosis patients (n=20) and normal controls (n=20) were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were subjected to osteogenic differentiation for 1, 3 and 7 days. Subsequently, mRNA levels of miRNA-27a-3p, ALP, and Bglap in hMSCs were determined by qRT-PCR. The regulatory effects of miRNA-27a-3p levels and the mRNA levels of ALP, Bglap, and Runx2 were detected. After the overexpression or knockdown of miRNA-27a-3p, we evaluated the changes in the osteogenic differentiation by alizarin red staining and ALP staining. Through Dual-Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay, we verified the binding relationship between miRNA-27a-3p and ATF3. Rescue experiments were finally conducted to prove whether miRNA-27a-3p regulated the osteogenic differentiation by targeting ATF3. RESULTS: The serum level of miRNA-27a-3p remained lower in osteoporosis patients relative to controls. With the prolongation of osteogenic differentiation, the mRNA levels of miRNA-27a-3p, ALP, and Bglap gradually increased. The overexpression of miRNA-27a-3p upregulated mRNA and the protein levels of osteogenesis-related genes, increased ALP activity, and enhanced mineralization capacity. The knockdown of miRNA-27a-3p obtained the opposite trends. MiRNA-27a-3p could target ATF3, and the overexpression of ATF3 reversed the promotive effects of miRNA-27a-3p on osteogenic differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: MiRNA-27a-3p promotes the differentiation of hMSCs into osteoblasts by targeting ATF3, thus alleviating osteoporosis symptoms.

Observation of efficacy of TACE combined with HIFU on patients with middle-advanced liver cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in patients with middle-advanced liver cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 100 patients with middle-advanced liver cancer treated in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2018 were selected and randomly divided into TACE group (control group, n=50) and TACE combined with HIFU group (experimental group, n=50) according to different therapeutic regimens. The efficacy was observed after the operation, the blood was collected to detect the postoperative liver function indexes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), the postoperative complications were observed. Also, the immune indexes cluster of differentiation 3+ (CD3+), CD4+, and CD8+ were determined. Moreover, the quality of life (QOL) score was compared between the two groups, the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were observed after the operation. Also, the changes in the levels of tumor markers α-L-fucosidase (AFU), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were observed. RESULTS: In experimental group, the levels of AST, ALT, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) after the operation were significantly decreased (p<0.05), while the postoperative efficacy was significantly superior to that in control group (p<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly reduced (p<0.05), the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and natural killer (NK) cells were markedly increased (p<0.05). Also, the QOL score was evidently better than that in control group (p<0.05) and the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5- year survival rates after the operation were evidently higher than those in control group (p<0.05). After treatment, the levels of AFU, AFP, CA19-9, and CEA were remarkably lower than those before treatment in both groups, while they were remarkably lower in experimental group than those in control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TACE combined with HIFU in the treatment of patients with middle-advanced liver cancer can restore the hepatic metabolism, enhance the immunity, improve the QOL, prolong the survival time of patients, and significantly reduce the tumor markers. Also, it has fewer adverse reactions and definite overall efficacy, which is worthy of popularization and application.

Precise label-free leukocyte subpopulation separation using hybrid acoustic-optical chip.

Leukocyte subpopulations contain crucial physiological information; hence, precise and specific leukocyte separation is very important for leukemia diagnosis and analysis. However, conventional centrifugation and immunofluorescence-based separation methods are inaccurate and inconvenient due to the overlapping cell size and density or complex marking processes. Herein, we report a new label-free technology for precise leukocyte subpopulation separation by synergy of acoustic and optical technologies. Standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) solved the problem of gentle and precise focusing of cells in optical systems. In addition, SSAW was used for the separation of granulocytes, which have evident size distinction from other components. In case of lymphocytes and monocytes, which have overlap in size/density, optical force could distinguish them accurately based on the RI difference, with the convenience of acoustic pre-focusing. In this experiment, separation of three types of leukocyte subtypes with considerable throughput and purity was conducted, through which we obtained 99% pure lymphocytes, 98% pure monocytes, and 95% pure granulocytes. Experimental results prove that the device has robust ability in separating leukocyte phenotypes and have the advantages of being non-invasive, label-free and precise. In the future, this convenient hybrid method will be a potential powerful tool for auxiliary clinical diagnosis and analysis.

Efficient Capture and High Activity Release of Circulating Tumor Cells by Using TiO2 Nanorod Arrays Coated with Soluble MnO2 Nanoparticles.

Effective capture and release of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with high viability is still a challenge in medical research. We design a novel approach with efficient yield and high cell activity for the capture and release of CTCs. Our platform is based on TiO2 nanorod arrays coated with transparent MnO2 nanoparticles. We use hydrothermal synthesis to prepare TiO2 nanorod arrays, the MnO2 nanoparticles are fabricated through in situ self-assembly on the substrate to form a monolayer and etched by oxalic acid with low concentration at room temperature. Up to 92.9% of target cells are isolated from the samples using our capture system and the captured cells can be released from the platform, the saturated release efficiency is 89.9%. Employing lower than 2 × 10-3 M concentration of oxalic acid to dissolve MnO2, the viability of MCF-7 cancer cells exceed 90%. Such a combination of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional platforms provides a new approach isolate CTCs from patient blood samples.

A liquid thermal gradient refractive index lens and using it to trap single living cell in flowing environments.

A gradient refractive index (GRIN) lens has a great potential for on-chip imaging and detection systems because of its flat surface with reduced defects. This paper reports a liquid thermal GRIN lens prepared using heat conduction between only one liquid, and uses it as a tunable optical tweezer for single living cell trapping in a flowing environment. This liquid GRIN lens consists of a trapezoidal region in the upper layer which is used to establish a GRIN profile by the heat conduction between three streams of benzyl alcohol with different temperatures, and subsequently a rhombus region in the lower layer with compensation liquids to form a steady square-law parabolic refractive index profile only in transverse direction. Simulations and experiments successfully show the real-time tunability of the focusing properties. The focal length can be modulated in the range of 500 µm with the minimum focal length of 430 µm. A considerable high enhancement factor achieves 5.4 whereas the full width at half maximum is 4 µm. The response time of the GRIN lens is about 20 ms. Based on this enhancement, tunable optical trapping for single human embryonic kidney 293 cell in the range of 280 µm is demonstrated by varying the focal length and working distance which is difficult for solid optical tweezers. The considerable quality of this liquid GRIN lens indicates on-chip applications especially in high quality optical imaging, detection and cells' handling.

Molecular and genetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis in multiple endocrine neoplasia type-1.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare but informative syndrome for endocrine tumorigenesis. Since its isolation, several groups have begun to determine the role of menin, the protein product of MEN1, in sporadic endocrine tumors as well as tumors of the MEN1 syndrome. Mutations of menin have been reported in more than 400 families and tumors, most of which are truncating mutations, thus supporting the function of menin as a tumor suppressor. The exact function of menin is unknown, but overexpression of menin inhibits proliferation of Ras-transformed NIH3T3 cells. Since menin interacts with proteins from both the TGF beta and AP-1 signaling pathways, perhaps its tumor suppressor function is related to these key cell growth pathways. In this review we will discuss the various clinical manifestations of MEN1 syndrome, potential mechanisms of MEN1 tumorigenesis, and mutations associated with MEN and sporadic endocrine tumors.

CDC growth charts: United States.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents the revised growth charts for the United States. It summarizes the history of the 1977 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth charts, reasons for the revision, data sources and statistical procedures used, and major features of the revised charts. METHODS: Data from five national health examination surveys collected from 1963 to 1994 and five supplementary data sources were combined to establish an analytic growth chart data set. A variety of statistical procedures were used to produce smoothed percentile curves for infants (from birth to 36 months) and older children (from 2 to 20 years), using a two-stage approach. Initial curve smoothing for selected major percentiles was accomplished with various parametric and nonparametric procedures. In the second stage, a normalization procedure was used to generate z-scores that closely match the smoothed percentile curves. RESULTS: The 14 NCHS growth charts were revised and new body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age) charts were created for boys and girls (http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts). The growth percentile curves for infants and children are based primarily on national survey data. Use of national data ensures a smooth transition from the charts for infants to those for older children. These data better represent the racial/ethnic diversity and the size and growth patterns of combined breast- and formula-fed infants in the United States. New features include addition of the 3rd and 97th percentiles for all charts and extension of all charts for children and adolescents to age 20 years. CONCLUSION: Created with improved data and statistical curve smoothing procedures, the United States growth charts represent an enhanced instrument to evaluate the size and growth of infants and children.