[Effect of levothyroxine treatment on pregnancy outcomes in euthyroid women with thyroid autoantibody positive: a Meta-analysis].

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the association of levothyroxine treatment with pregnancy outcomes in euthyroid women who are thyroid autoantibody positive. Methods: Medline, Excerpta Medica (EMBASE), Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), Wanfang data and VIP database were searched from inception until Jan. 28, 2020. All published randomized controlled trials assessing the association of levothyroxine treatment with pregnancy outcomes in euthyroid women with thyroid autoantibody-positive were included. STATA 11.0 and RevMan 5.3 softwares were used to perform this Meta-analysis. Results: A total of 6 studies met the inclusion criteria, with 2 188 women randomized. Meta-analysis showed that there was no significantly association between miscarriage (OR=0.85, 95%CI: 0.65-1.11, P=0.234) and preterm birth (OR=0.79, 95%CI: 0.54-1.16, P=0.224) with levothyroxine treatment. Conclusions: Levothyroxine therapy could not reduce the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth in euthyroid women with thyroid autoantibody-positive. Therefore, levothyroxine should be used with caution for these pregnant women.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting: A Survey of Nurses in Hong Kong.

In the absence of a mandatory reporting (MR) structure, it is unclear how nurses perceive or exercise their role in child protection. This study examined knowledge and perceptions of child protection and MR among nurses working in Hong Kong. This cross-sectional web-based survey used the Child Abuse Report Intention Scale to measure nurses' child protection knowledge and attitudes, and their perceived norms, control, and intention to report suspected maltreatment. Nurses also indicated if they support MR and to provide an explanation for their preference. Quantitative data were described and analyzed using bivariate and regression analyses. Open-ended responses were analyzed using directed content analysis. A convenient sample of 91 nurses working in Hong Kong completed the survey. The majority (86%) were female with a mean of 9.5 years of nursing experience; their mean knowledge score was 6.64 out of 13 (range 2-10). Compared with other maltreatment types, sexual abuse was perceived to be most severe and most likely to be reported. Perceived severity and attitudes toward child maltreatment was significantly associated with nurses' intention to report. Over half (58%) supported MR; those against MR expressed concerns about lack of support from management. Although nurses working in Hong Kong still hold polarized views about MR, findings point to the importance of creating a supportive reporting culture, and designing training programs that focus on changing perceptions about child protection in order to improve their tendency to report.

Genetic and morphology analysis among the pentaploid F1 hybrid fishes (Schizothorax wangchiachii ♀ × Percocypris pingi ♂) and their parents.

Triploid and pentaploid breeding is of great importance in agricultural production, but it is not always easy to obtain double ploidy parents. However, in fishes, chromosome ploidy is diversiform, which may provide natural parental resources for triploid and pentaploid breeding. Both tetraploid and hexaploid exist in Schizothorax fishes, which were thought to belong to different subfamilies with tetraploid Percocypris fishes in morphology, but they are sister genera in molecule. Fortunately, the pentaploid hybrid fishes have been successfully obtained by hybridization of Schizothorax wangchiachii (♀, 2n = 6X = 148) × Percocypris pingi (♂, 2n = 4X = 98). To understand the genetic and morphological difference among the hybrid fishes and their parents, four methods were used in this study: morphology, karyotype, red blood cell (RBC) DNA content determination and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR). In morphology, the hybrid fishes were steady, and between their parents with no obvious preference. The chromosome numbers of P. pingi have been reported as 2n = 4X = 98. In this study, the karyotype of S. wangchiachii was 2n = 6X = 148 = 36m + 34sm + 12st + 66t, while that the hybrid fishes was 2n = 5X = 123 = 39m + 28sm + 5st + 51t. Similarly, the RBC DNA content of the hybrid fishes was intermediate among their parents. In ISSR, the within-group genetic diversity of hybrid fishes was higher than that of their parents. Moreover, the genetic distance of hybrid fishes between P. pingi and S.wangchiachii was closely related to that of their parental ploidy, suggesting that parental genetic material stably coexisted in the hybrid fishes. This is the first report to show a stable pentaploid F1 hybrids produced by hybridization of a hexaploid and a tetraploid in aquaculture.

Characterization of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen powder by comparing different measurement methods.

Numerous consumer products, such as cosmetics, contain nanoparticles (NPs) of titanium dioxide (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO); however, this raises questions concerning the safety of such additives. Most of these products do not indicate whether the product includes NPs. In this study, we characterized metal oxide NPs according to size, shape, and composition as well as their aggregation/agglomeration characteristics. In order to comprehend quickly the characterization of metal oxide NPs, we employed single particle inductively coupled plasma (SP-ICPMS) to help quantify the size of metal oxide NPs; then, we use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to corroborate the results. The crystal size and structure was measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD), there are two crystal phase of TiO2 NPs in sunscreen powder showed in XRD. However, SP-ICPMS proved highly effective in determining the size of NPs, the results of which remarkably good agreement with the TEM measurements. Pre-treatment included a conventional copper grid (requiring sample dilution) to evaluate the size, shape and composition of primary particles or plastic embedding (without the need for sample dilution) to evaluate the aggregate/aggregation of native NOAAs. The proposed method is an effective and fast approach to the characterization of oxide NPs in cosmetic sunscreen powder. These findings outline an alternative approach to the analysis of NPs in powder-form matrix.

Correction: Systematic investigation of the SERS efficiency and SERS hotspots in gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies.

Correction for 'Systematic investigation of the SERS efficiency and SERS hotspots in gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies' by L. B. He et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 5091-5101.

Systematic investigation of the SERS efficiency and SERS hotspots in gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies.

Gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies are one of the most commonly used plasmonic substrates benefiting from their remarkable advantages such as clean particle surface, tunable particle density, available inter-particle gaps, low-cost and scalable fabrication, and excellent industry compatibility. However, their performance efficiencies are difficult to optimize due to the lack of knowledge of the hotspots inside their structures. We here report a design of delicate rainbow-like Ag nanoparticle assemblies, based on which the hotspots can be revealed through a combinatorial approach. The findings show that the hotspots in gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies are uniquely entangled by the excitation energy and specific inter-particle gaps, differing from the matching conditions in periodic arrays. For Ag nanoparticle assemblies deposited on Formvar-filmed substrates, the mean particle size is maintained around 10 nm, while the particle density can be widely tuned. The one possessing the highest SERS efficiency (under 473 nm excitation) have a particle number density of around 7100 µm-2. Gaps with an inter-particle spacing of around 3 nm are found to serve as SERS hotspots, and these hotspots contribute to 68% of the overall SERS intensity. For Ag nanoparticle assemblies fabricated on carbon-filmed substrates, the mean particle size can be feasibly tuned. The one possessing the highest SERS efficiency under 473 nm excitation has a particle number density of around 460 µm-2 and a mean particle size of around 42.1 nm. The construction of Ag-analyte-Ag sandwich-like nanoparticle assemblies by a two-step-deposition method slightly improves the SERS efficiency when the particle number density is low, but suppresses the SERS efficiency when the particle number density is high.

Comparative analysis of human milk and infant formula derived peptides following in vitro digestion.

It has long been recognised that there are differences between human milk and infant formulas which lead to differences in health and nutrition for the neonate. In this study we examine and compare the peptide profile of human milk and an exemplar infant formula. The study identifies both similarities and differences in the endogenous and postdigestion peptide profiles of human milk and infant formula. This includes differences in the protein source of these peptides but also with the region within the protein producing the dominant proteins. Clustering of similar peptides around regions of high sequence identity and known bioactivity was also observed. Together the data may explain some of the functional differences between human milk and infant formula, while identifying some aspects of conserved function between bovine and human milks which contribute to the effectiveness of modern infant formula as a substitute for human milk.

Enucleation versus hepatectomy for giant hepatic haemangiomas: a meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION Hepatic haemangiomas are the most common benign liver tumours. They can be treated with surgical resection such as enucleation or hepatectomy if necessary. However, controversy remains over the clinical outcome and safety of these two methods. In this study, we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of liver resection with enucleation for giant haemangiomas. METHODS The online databases PubMed, Embase and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched for relevant original articles. We compared operation time, blood loss, transfusion requirements, inflow occlusion time and postoperative complications between enucleation and hepatectomy. RESULTS Seven controlled clinical trials met the predefined inclusion criteria. Analysis indicated that the enucleation group had significantly shorter operation time (weighted mean difference, WMD -28.22, 95% confidence interval, CI, -54.82 to -1.62), less blood loss (WMD -395.92, 95% CI -521.25 to -270.58) and fewer complications (odds ratio, OR, 0.47, 95 % CI 0.34 to 0.65). There were no significant differences between enucleation and hepatectomy with regard to transfusion requirements (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.68) and inflow occlusion time (WMD 7.91, 95% CI -5.62 to 21.44). CONCLUSIONS Enucleation has advantages over hepatectomy in relation to operation time, blood loss and complications. Enucleation is a safe and effective treatment for giant hepatic haemangioma.

Endovascular Stent Graft Repair is an Effective and Safe Alternative Therapy for Arteriovenous Graft Pseudoaneurysms.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Pseudoaneurysm formation occurs in 2-10% of hemodialysis arteriovenous grafts (AVGs). Surgical repair often requires pseudoaneurysm resection, interposition graft placement, and insertion of a catheter as a bridge. Endovascular stent graft repair is a controversial alternative therapy. This study was performed to examine the effectiveness and mid-term outcomes of stent graft repair for AVG pseudoaneurysms. METHODS: All patients who had undergone stent graft repair for AVG pseudoaneurysms between December 2012 and July 2015 were identified from hospital medical records for retrospective analysis. Outcome measures were technical success, early and late complications, and primary and secondary patency rates. RESULTS: A total of 37 stent graft repairs of AVG pseudoaneurysms were performed in 35 patients (42.9% men; mean age 66.9 years). The mean time from AVG creation to pseudoaneurysm repair was 69 months. The indications of treatment (as per the institutional policy) were large pseudoaneurysm (56.7%), impending rupture (27.1%), and bleeding (16.2%). Mean pseudoaneurysm diameter was 23.0 mm. The most common diameter and length of stent graft used were 7 mm (67.6%) and 50 mm (48.6%), respectively. Technical success was 100%. Only one early complication occurred after stent graft repair, which was due to recurrence of the pseudoaneurysm as a result of a short landing zone. Late complications included infection (17.1%) and thrombosis (37.1%). The 1, 6, and 12 month primary patency rates were 89.2%, 55.5%, and 22.0%, respectively. The 1, 6, and 12 month secondary patency rates were 100%, 88.6%, and 78.6%, respectively. The median follow up was 12.3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates that endovascular stent graft repair is an effective and safe alternative therapy for AVG pseudoaneurysms. However, the rate of thrombosis and infection was high and needs to be balanced against open surgery in future studies.

Expression and clinical significance of PIWIL2 in hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between PIWI-like protein 2 (PIWIL2) and clinicopathological charac-teristics and prognosis after radical resection. To accomplish this, we analyzed PIWIL2 expression in hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. PIWIL2 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in 41 hilar cholangiocarcinoma samples and 10 control tissues. Western blotting and immunocytofluorescence were used to investigate PIWIL2 expression in the cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 and the bile duct epithelial cell line HIBEpic. Univariate and multivariate surviv-al analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method for hilar cholangiocarcinoma patients who underwent radical resection. PIWIL2 expression was significantly higher in the hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues and QBC939 cells than in control tissues and HIBEpic cells, respectively (P < 0.05). Poorly and moderately differentiated cholan-giocarcinoma tissues had significantly higher PIWIL2 expression than well-differentiated tissues (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis demonstrated that high PIWIL2 expression was associated with shorter survival time after radical resection (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that PI-WIL2 expression was an independent prognostic factor after radical re-section of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (P < 0.05). PIWIL2 expression was also associated with tumor-node-metastasis stage and differentiation. PIWIL2 was an independent prognostic factor after radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Characterizing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen spray.

OBJECTIVE: Numerous commercial products contain titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs); however, many of these are not labelled as containing NPs. This study sought to develop an effective means of characterizing TiO2 and ZnO NPs in sunscreen sprays, including the size, shape and composition of the particles as well as their aggregation/agglomeration characteristics. METHODS: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with a window-type microchip K-kit/copper grid and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the oxide NPs. RESULTS: TME pre-treatment was performed using two approaches: using a conventional copper grid (requiring dilution) and using a K-kit (not requiring dilution). The use of K-kit in conjunction with XRD makes it possible to obtain direct measurements from samples that have not undergone pre-treatment, which could otherwise alter the nature of the samples, such as the degree of agglomeration. XRD was used to obtain information related to particle size and crystal structure. A strong correlation was observed between XRD and TEM measurements. CONCLUSION: The proposed measurement methods were shown to be highly effective in the characterization of oxide NPs in sunscreen sprays, providing consistent information related to NPs and their interactions in the formulations.

Overexpression of CXCL1 and its receptor CXCR2 promote tumor invasion in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and its receptor CXCR2 are associated with metastasis potential. Our studies were designed to clarify the CXCL1 and CXCR2 expression patterns and to explore their potential role in gastric cancer. DESIGN: The expression of CXCL1 was determined in primary gastric cancer specimens using quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. To investigate the functional significance of CXCL1 expression, a CXCL1 expression vector and short hairpin RNA targeting the CXCL1 or CXCR2 were transfected into gastric cancer cell lines to examine the biological outcomes of these cells. RESULTS: The expression of CXCL1 and CXCR2 was higher in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues. The upregulation of CXCL1 correlated significantly with tumor progression, advanced stage of gastric cancer patients, and was one of the independent prognostic factors for patient's survival. Furthermore, cancer cells expressing CXCL1 stably exhibited an increase in their migration and invasion ability, whereas CXCL1 or CXCR2 depletion significantly reduced the migration and invasion ability of each cell line. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide strong evidence that CXCL1 plays an important role in gastric cancer progression and migration and suggest that CXCL1 is a promising marker for the detection and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Cathepsin H regulated by the thyroid hormone receptors associate with tumor invasion in human hepatoma cells.

Thyroid hormone, 3, 3', 5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T(3)), mediates cell growth, development and differentiation by binding to its nuclear receptors (TRs). The role of TRs in cancer is still undefined. Notably, hyperthyroxinemia has been reported to influence the rate of colon cancer in an experimental model of carcinogenesis in rats. Previous microarray analysis revealed that cathepsin H (CTSH) is upregulated by T(3) in HepG2-TR cells. We verified that mRNA and protein expression of CTSH are induced by T(3) in HepG2-TR cells and in thyroidectomized rats following administration of T(3). The possible thyroid hormone-responsive elements of the CTSH promoter localized to the nucleotides -2038 to -1966 and -1565 to -1501 regions. An in vitro functional assay showed that CTSH can increase metastasis. J7 cells overexpressing CTSH were inoculated into severe combined immune-deficient mice and these J7-CTSH mice displayed a greater metastatic potential than did J7-control mice. The clinicopathologic significance of CTSH expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was also investigated. The CTSH overexpressing in HCC was associated with the presence of microvascular invasion (P=0.037). The microvascular invasion characteristic is closely related to our in vitro characterization of CTSH function. Our results show that T(3)-mediated upregulation of CTSH led to matrix metallopeptidase or extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and increased cell migration. This study demonstrated that CTSH overexpression in a subset hepatoma may be TR dependent and suggests that this overexpression has an important role in hepatoma progression.

Using autocloning effects to develop broad-bandwidth, omnidirectional antireflection structures for silicon solar cells.

In this study, we used the autocloning effect on pyramid structures to develop broad-bandwidth, omnidirectional antireflection structures for silicon solar cells. The angular dependence of reflectance on several pyramid structures was systematically investigated. The deposition of three-layer autocloned films reduced the refractive index gap between air and silicon, resulting in an increase in the amount of transmitted light and a decrease in the total light escaping. The average reflectance decreased dramatically to ca. 2-3% at incident angles from 0 to 60° for both sub-wavelength- and micrometer-scale pyramid structures. The measured reflectance of the autocloned structure was less than 4% in the wavelength range from 400 to 1000 nm for incident angles from 0 to 60°. Therefore, the autocloning technique, combined with optical thin films and optical gradient structures, is a practical and compatible method for the fabrication of broad-bandwidth, omnidirectional antireflection structures on silicon solar cells.

B-group vitamins, MTHFR C677T polymorphism and carotid intima-media thickness in clinically healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Plasma B-group vitamins and age may affect the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in subjects with different 677TT genotype of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. DESIGN: A hospital-based cross-study. SETTING: Genomic and Vascular Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan. SUBJECTS: Five hundred and forty-one clinically healthy subjects. INTERVENTION: Fasting plasma, homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B(6), vitamin B(12), folate and B-mode carotid ultrasound. RESULTS: MTHFR genotype, plasma concentrations of folate, vitamin B(6) and vitamin B(12) and age were significantly correlated to the plasma Hcy concentration. MTHFR 677TT carriers had higher concentrations of Hcy than did subjects with the CC and CT genotypes. Age, sex, body mass index and plasma Hcy were independent contributors to increase carotid IMT. However, with stratification by mean value of age and B-group vitamins concentrations, we found that at advanced age, lower plasma folate and vitamin B(12) were three risk factors involved in the enhancing effect of the MTHFR 677TT genotype on the increase of plasma Hcy and carotid IMT. CONCLUSION: MTHFR 677TT-related carotid atherosclerosis was only identified in healthy elderly subjects with lower level of plasma folate and vitamin B(12). SPONSORSHIP: Changhua Christian Hospital.

Alteration in the copy number of mitochondrial DNA in leukocytes of patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether mutation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) affects the copy number of the mitochondrial genome in patients with mitochondrial myopathy encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) and those with myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fiber (MERRF) syndromes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight Taiwanese patients with MELAS syndrome and 20 patients with MERRF syndrome were recruited in this study. RESULTS: In relation to controls, the copy numbers of mtDNA in leukocytes of patients with MELAS or MERRF syndrome were significantly higher at a young age but lower at an advanced age. In addition, MELAS patients harboring higher proportions of mtDNA with A3243G transition had lower mtDNA copy numbers. The MELAS or MERRF patients with multi-system disorders had lower mtDNA copy numbers in leukocytes. Furthermore, higher proportions of mtDNA with 4977 bp deletion were found in leukocytes of MERRF patients with multi-system involvement. CONCLUSION: In leukocytes, alteration in the copy number of mtDNA is related to the proportion of mtDNA with a point mutation or large-scale deletion, which may serve as a biomarker in the pathogenesis and disease progression of MELAS and MERRF syndromes.

Clinical and molecular events in patients with Machado-Joseph disease under lamotrigine therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Machado-Joseph disease (MJD)/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is an autosomal dominant spinocerebellar degeneration, for which there is no effective treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study involved the clinical response of lamotrigine (LTG) on six MJD patients with early truncal ataxia and the effect of LTG on the alteration of ataxin-3 expression in the transformed MJD lymphoblastoid cells. RESULT: LTG medication was found, on the basis of single leg standing test tandem gait index, to effectively improve gait balance, but did not prove to be effective in the withdrawal period. In Western blot analysis of ataxin-3 in MJD lymphoblastoid cells, extracellular application of LTG, while leaving the normal level of ataxin-3 intact, decreased the expression of mutant ataxin-3 in a dose-related manner. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that LTG may have significant benefits in relief of gait disturbance in MJD patients with early ataxia, and may be related to the decreased expression of mutant ataxin-3.

Spatio-temporal variations of sulphur dioxide patterns with wind conditions in central Taiwan.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is one of the main atmospheric pollutants in central Taiwan. This article analyses the SO2 concentration seasonal variations and spatial distribution using data obtained from ten air quality monitoring stations and the Taiwan Weather Bureau. It reveals that SO2 concentration is high in winter and low in summer and that high concentration centers are located south of the Taichung coal-fired power plant, the main source of SO2 emissions in the region. The location of high concentration centers changes with different prevailing winds. SO2 variations due to wind direction are not unique. During short periods, when meteorological conditions are constant, variation in the pollution sources cause variations in the spatial distribution. This has been deduced by appreciation of 'Intervention analysis' to time series of hourly data.

An evaluation of susceptibility testing methods for ampicillin-sulbactam using a panel of beta-lactamase-producing bacteria.

Bacteria possessing TEM-1-like beta-lactamases are generally regarded as susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam (SAM), while those harboring OXA-1 enzymes are considered resistant. The current study was undertaken to compare susceptibility testing using various combinations of ampicillin and sulbactam to improve clinical correlation. Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family harboring TEM-1, SHV-1 or OXA-1-like beta-lactamases were tested using the agar dilution method. A substantial proportion of strains harboring OXA-1-like beta-lactamases showed false susceptibility to SAM at the 1:1 ratio or fixed sulbactam concentration of 8 microg/ml. At a fixed sulbactam concentration of 4 microg/ml, the activity of ampicillin-sulbactam appeared to be reduced, with large numbers of TEM-1 producers becoming frankly resistant. Results obtained with the 2:1 ratio exhibited the closest correlation with that obtained by the currently recommended disk diffusion test. However, very major errors were still found between the disk diffusion test and agar dilution test, suggesting the necessity for consideration of a change in criteria for interpretation of disk diffusion test results. In conclusion, SAM susceptibility testing by agar dilution using other than a 2:1 ratio is not recommended and results should be interpreted with caution.