Synthesis, Surface Activity, and Foamability of Two Short-Chain Fluorinated Sulfonate Surfactants with Ether Bonds.

Fluorinated surfactants are widely used in many fields because of their excellent surface active properties, but their high stability has caused many environmental problems. With the ban and restriction of classical long-chain fluorinated surfactants such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) worldwide, the development and replacement of their alternatives is now a major challenge. How to reduce environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and biotoxicity while maintaining high surface activity has become an important issue in the development of fluorinated surfactants. Using short-chain fluorinated surfactants is one of the important solutions to resolve the pollution of organic fluorinated compounds. In this article, we synthesized two short-chain fluorinated surfactants with ether bonds. One of them 6:2 FTESNa (2) used the perfluoroalkyl chain (n-C6F13-) and the other C72 FEESNa (4) used the fluoroether segment with six fluorinated carbons and two oxygens (CF3OCF(CF3)CF2OCF(CF3)). The surface activity, foam performance, and wettability of the two molecules were measured. The surface tensions at critical micelle concentration (γcmc) and the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of 2 and 4 were 17.6 mN/m (2.2 g/L) and 20.2 mN/m (4.6 g/L), respectively. Both of them were significantly superior to the surface activity of 6:2 FTSNa (7) which is one of the current alternatives for PFOS. Additionally, the foamability and foam stability of both 2 and 4 were better than that of 7. In the aspect of wettability on PTFE, that of 4 was greater than those of 2 and 7. In summary, this work provided a new choice for alternatives of PFOS and PFOA.

The promoter hypermethylation of SULT2B1 accelerates esophagus tumorigenesis via downregulated PER1.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is currently the eighth most common tumor in the world and a leading cause of cancer death. SULT2B1 plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of SULT2B1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The expression of SULT2B1 and its clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated in ESCC cohorts. Bisulfite genomic sequencing and methylation specific PCR were used to detect the promoter hypermethylation of the SULT2B1 gene. The effects of SULT2B1 on the biological characters of ESCC cells were identified on functional assays. Subcutaneous xenograft models revealed the role of SULT2B1 in vivo with tumor growth. RNA-Seq analysis and qRT-PCR were performed to recognize the targeted effect of SULT2B1 on PER1. RESULTS: SULT2B1 was not expressed or at a low level in most patients with ESCC or in ESCC cell lines, and this was accompanied by poor clinical prognosis. Furthermore, the downregulation of SULT2B1 occurred in promoter hypermethylation. According to the functional results, overexpression of SULT2B1 could inhibit tumoral proliferation in vitro and retard tumor growth in vivo, whereas SULT2B1 knockdown could accelerate ESCC progression. Mechanistically, SULT2B1 targeted PER1 at the mRNA level during post-transcriptional regulation. Finally, PER1 was verified as a suppressor and poor-prognosis factor in ESCC. CONCLUSIONS: SULT2B1 loss is a consequence owing to its ability to promote hypermethylation. In addition, it serves as a suppressor and poor-prognosis factor because of the post-transcriptional regulation of PER1 in ESCC.

Bronchoscopy for diagnosis of COVID-19 with respiratory failure: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Although the imaging features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are starting to be well determined, what actually occurs within the bronchi is poorly known. Here, we report the processes and findings of bronchoscopy in a patient with COVID-19 accompanied by respiratory failure. CASE SUMMARY: A 65-year-old male patient was admitted to the Hainan General Hospital on February 3, 2020 for fever and shortness of breath for 13 d that worsened for the last 2 d. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleic acid test was positive. Routine blood examination on February 28 showed a white blood cell count of 11.02 × 109/L, 86.9% of neutrophils, 6.4% of lymphocytes, absolute lymphocyte count of 0.71 × 109/L, procalcitonin of 2.260 ng/mL, and C-reactive protein of 142.61 mg/L. Oxygen saturation was 46% at baseline and turned to 94% after ventilation. The patient underwent video bronchoscopy. The tracheal cartilage ring was clear, and no deformity was found in the lumen. The trachea and bilateral bronchi were patent, while the mucosa was with slight hyperemia; no neoplasm or ulcer was found. Moderate amounts of white gelatinous secretions were found in the dorsal segment of the left inferior lobe, and the bronchial lumen was patent after sputum aspiration. The right inferior lobe was found with hyperemia and mucosal erosion, with white gelatinous secretion attachment. The patient's condition did not improve after the application of therapeutic bronchoscopy. CONCLUSION: For patients with COVID-19 and respiratory failure, bronchoscopy can be performed under mechanical ventilation to clarify the airway conditions. Protection should be worn during the process. Considering the risk of infection, it is not necessary to perform bronchoscopy in the mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.

Laminin γ2-mediating T cell exclusion attenuates response to anti-PD-1 therapy.

PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapies provide notable clinical benefits for patients with advanced cancers, but the factors influencing the effectiveness of the treatment remain incompletely cataloged. Here, the up-regulation of laminin γ2 (Ln-γ2) predicted the attenuated efficacy of anti-PD-1 drugs and was associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with lung cancer or esophageal cancer. Furthermore, Ln-γ2 was transcriptionally activated by transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) secreted from cancer-associated fibroblasts via JNK/AP1 signaling, which blocked T cell infiltration into the tumor nests by altering the expression of T cell receptors. Coadministration of the TGF-ß receptor inhibitor galunisertib and chemotherapy drugs provoked vigorous antitumor activity of anti-PD-1 therapy in mouse tumor models. Therefore, Ln-γ2 may represent a useful biomarker to optimize clinical decisions and predict the response of cancer patients to treatment with anti-PD-1 drugs.

DNase1L3 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth via inhibiting complement autocrine effect.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and currently lacks effective treatment strategies. The present study revealed that deoxyribonuclease 1 like 3 (DNase1L3) expression levels were significantly downregulated in numerous types of gastrointestinal cancer, and especially in HCC. Tissue microarrays were further used to illustrate that DNase1L3 expression levels were frequently downregulated in HCC tissues compared with normal liver tissues. In addition, DNase1L3 expression levels were identified to be significantly associated with tumor size (p=0.0028), tumor thrombus formation (p<0.01), and a poorer overall survival (p=0.005) and disease-free survival (p=0.006) of HCC. Gene Ontology functional term enrichment analysis of biological processes discovered that DNase1L3 was significantly associated with complement activation. Further studies demonstrated that the ectopic expression of DNase1L3 suppressed cell growth and inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation following C3a receptor agonist treatment. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested, for the first time, that DNase1L3 may serve as a biomarker for the prognosis of patients with HCC, and may suppress HCC growth via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Tumor Fibroblast-Derived FGF2 Regulates Expression of SPRY1 in Esophageal Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells and Plays a Role in T-cell Exhaustion.

T-cell exhaustion was initially identified in chronic infection in mice and was subsequently described in humans with cancer. Although the distinct signature of exhausted T (TEX) cells in cancer has been well investigated, the molecular mechanism of T-cell exhaustion in cancer is not fully understood. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we report here that TEX cells in esophageal cancer are more heterogeneous than previously clarified. Sprouty RTK signaling antagonist 1 (SPRY1) was notably enriched in two subsets of exhausted CD8+ T cells. When overexpressed, SPRY1 impaired T-cell activation by interacting with CBL, a negative regulator of ZAP-70 tyrosine phosphorylation. Data from the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource revealed a strong correlation between FGF2 and SPRY1 expression in esophageal cancer. High expression of FGF2 was evident in fibroblasts from esophageal cancer tissue and correlated with poor overall survival. In vitro administration of FGF2 significantly upregulated expression of SPRY1 in CD8+ T cells and attenuated T-cell receptor-triggered CD8+ T-cell activation. A mouse tumor model confirmed that overexpression of FGF2 in fibroblasts significantly upregulated SPRY1 expression in TEX cells, impaired T-cell cytotoxic activity, and promoted tumor growth. Thus, these findings identify FGF2 as an important regulator of SPRY1 expression involved in establishing the dysfunctional state of CD8+ T cells in esophageal cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings reveal FGF2 as an important regulator of SPRY1 expression involved in establishing the dysfunctional state of CD8+ T cells and suggest that inhibition of FGF2 has potential clinical value in ESCC. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/80/24/5583/F1.large.jpg.

In situ synthesis of polypyrrole on graphite felt as bio-anode to enhance the start-up performance of microbial fuel cells.

This study introduces an effective method to deposit polypyrrole (PPy) on graphite felt (GF) as anode to improve the start-up performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical testing reveal that polypyrrole is able to improve the electrical conductivity and surface roughness, which is beneficial to the microorganism attachment and growth. It shows that microorganisms grow faster on polypyrrole-modified anode than on unmodified anode. It takes ca. 5 days for polypyrrole-modified anode to reach a reproducible voltage platform, while it takes 11 days for unmodified anode. Moreover, the maximum power density of microbial fuel cells with polypyrrole-modified anode was 919 mW m-2, which were 2.3 times of that with unmodified anode. This research revealed that polypyrrole modification can improve the start-up performance of microbial fuel cells. It is considered as a feasible, economical and sustainable anode.

Femoral Intertrochanteric Fracture With Spontaneous Lumbar Hernia: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of lumbar hernia can be easily missed, as it is a rare case to which most orthopedists are not exposed in their common clinical practice. Approximately 300 cases have been reported in the literature since it was first described by Barbette in 1672. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with a femoral intertrochanteric fracture was sent to our department. Physical examination revealed a smooth, soft, and movable mass, with no tenderness, palpable on her left flank, which had gradually increased during the last seven years and presented with a slight feeling of swelling. We initially misdiagnosed the case as a left lipoma combined with the femoral intertrochanteric fracture. However, after six hours, the patient presented with a sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distension. Afterward, computed tomography (CT) examination confirmed that the mass was a spontaneous lumbar hernia. CONCLUSIONS: A lumbar hernia may, on rare occasions, become incarcerated or strangulated, with the consequent complication of mechanical bowel obstruction. We suggest that a patient with a flank mass should always raise suspicions of a lumbar hernia.

Piperine suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model.

AIM: To investigate the effects of piperine, a major pungent alkaloid present in Piper nigrum and Piper longum, on the tumor growth and metastasis of mouse 4T1 mammary carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Growth of 4T1 cells was assessed using MTT assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle of 4T1 cells were evaluated with flow cytometry, and the related proteins were examined using Western blotting. Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to detect the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). A highly malignant, spontaneously metastasizing 4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma model was used to evaluate the in vivo antitumor activity. Piperine was injected into tumors every 3 d for 3 times. RESULTS: Piperine (35-280 µmol/L) inhibited the growth of 4T1 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners (the IC(50) values were 105 ± 1.08 and 78.52 ± 1.06 µmol/L, respectively, at 48 and 72 h). Treatment of 4T1 cells with piperine (70-280 µmol/L) dose-dependently induced apoptosis of 4T1 cells, accompanying activation of caspase 3. The cells treated with piperine (140 and 280 µmol/L) significantly increased the percentage of cells in G(2)/M phase with a reduction in the expression of cyclin B1. Piperine (140 and 280 µmol/L) significantly decreased the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13, and inhibited 4T1 cell migration in vitro. Injection of piperine (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) dose-dependently suppressed the primary 4T1 tumor growth and injection of piperine (5 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the lung metastasis. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that piperine is an effective antitumor compound in vitro and in vivo, and has the potential to be developed as a new anticancer drug.

Phenol degradation on novel nickel-antimony doped tin dioxide electrode.

Nickel and antimony doped tin dioxide is a novel anodic material for its good performance of electrochemical ozone generation and direct electro-catalytic oxidation. Electro-catalytic oxidation of phenol on this novel nickel-antimony doped tin dioxide electrode is presented here. The morphology and composition of the electrode are characterized. The effects of applied current densities on phenol degradation rate, energy consumption and coulomb efficiency are discussed. In 0.1 M sulfuric acid, after 4 h electrolysis with current density of 25 mA cm(-1), 90% phenol is removed. And with current density of 20 mA cm(-1), the highest energy efficiency of 6.85 g kWh(-1) and the highest coulomb efficiency of 6.87 µg C(-1) are obtained. The effect of current densities on TOC removal is also discussed.

[Detection of multiple human papillomavirus infection in cervical specimens by flow fluorescent hybridization].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of detection of multiple human papillomavirus infection in cervical lesions detected by flow fluorescent hybridization technology with Luminex multi-analytic profiling (xMAP). METHODS: Cervical exfoliated cell specimens were collected from 301 randomly selected women accepting opportunistic screening for cervical lesions with the cytological results and hybrid capture 2 (HC-2) assay>or=atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASC-US), 48 with the pathological diagnosis>or=cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2 (case group) and 253 with normal histological result or only inflammation (control group), aged (34+/-9) (21-59). The samples were tested with xMAP technology with blind method. The coincidence of the xMAP and HC-2 was assessed. The HPV genotype, multiple HPV infection rate, and their relationships to the patients' clinical-pathological features were analyzed. RESULTS: The rates of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of xMAP technology to detect>or=CIN2 cervical lesions were 80.49%, 80.00%, and 80.07% respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 47.06% and 96.30% respectively. The Kappa Index for agreement between xMAP technology and HC-2 was 0.56. The prevalence rate of high-risk HPV infection was 28.24% (85/301). The prevalence rate of multiple HPV infection was 11.30% (34/301), significantly lower than that of single type high-risk HPV infection (16.94%, P<0.05). The proportion of multiple HPV infection in total positive HPV results was 35.05% (34/97). The proportion of duplex and treble HPV infection were 29.90% (29/97) and 5.15% (5/97) respectively. The multiple HPV infection rate of the case group was 37.50% (18/48), significantly higher than that of the control group (6.32%, 16/253, P<0.01). The common duplex HPV infection modes were 16+51/58 (n=4), 51/58+52/59 (n=4), 11+16 (n=3), and 11+52/59 (n=3), 18+52/59 (n=3). The common treble HPV infection modes were 11+16+52/59, 16+18+31, 16+18+52/59, 31+33+39, and 31+33+52/59 (all n=1). HPV16, 52/59, 51/58, 18, 11, and 31 were the common types in multiple HPV infections. CONCLUSION: Flow fluorescent hybridization technology is able to detect multiple HPV infection that is associated with cervical lesions and to identify the HPV genotypes.

Unprecedented degradation of nickel(II) 2,3,12,13-tetrabromo-5,10,15,20-tetraarylporphyrins by the anion of E-benzaldoxime: a novel approach to nickel(II) chlorophins and bacteriophins.

A novel and convenient approach to chlorophins and bacteriophins has been developed through a degradation of nickel(II) 2,3,12,13-tetrabromo-5,10,15,20-tetraarylporphyrins by the anion of E-benzaldoxime. The UV-vis spectra of these chlorophins and bacteriophins are similar to those of metalated chlorin and bacteriochlorin systems but with more intense and bathochromically shifted Q-bands.

[Application of high-risk human papillomavirus testing in women with abnormal cytology].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infectious condition in women with abnormal cytology and evaluate its values in the screening of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion. METHODS: We used hybrid capture 2 (hc2) method to examine 949 patients with abnormal cervical cytology results [ > or =atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) according to the 2001 The Bethesda System diagnosis criteria]. All subjects also received colposcopy for tissue studies. RESULTS: Among 949 patients with abnormal cytology, the diagnoses of atypical squamous cells (ASC), low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) were made in 432, 310, and 207 patients, respectively. The high-risk HPV positive rate in ASC, LSIL, and HSIL were 40.3%, 44.8%, and 89.4%, respectively. The numbers of patients with pathologically confirmed results of negative intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1, 2, 3 (CIN 1, 2, 3), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were 335, 388, 118, 101, and 7, and the high-risk HPV positive rate was 17.3%, 66.2%, 92.4%, 97.0%, and 100%, respectively. Among patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), rate of HSIL in high-risk HPV positive group and negative group were 10.2% and 0.8%, respectively (P < 0.01). In screening HSIL, the sensitivities of cytology [ > or = ASC cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H)] and cytology ( > or = ASC-H) plus high-risk HPV testing were 0.925 and 0.991, and the specificities were 0.510 and 0.748, respectively (P < 0.01). Sensitivitives of cytology ( > or = LSIL) and cytology (> or = LSIL) plus high risk HPV in detecting HSIL were 0.898 and 0.982, respectively, while the specificitives were 0. 567 and 0.779, respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The positive rate of high-risk HPV increases with the gravity of cervical lesions. In patients with abnormal cervical cytology, high-risk HPV testing can improve the sensitivity and specificity in the screening of HSIL.

Practical and efficient synthesis of various meso-functionalized porphyrins via simple ligand-free nickel-catalyzed C-O, C-N, and C-C cross-coupling reactions.

Various meso-functionalized porphyrins were conveniently synthesized by direct reactions of meso-bromoporphyrins with oxygen-, nitrogen-, and carbon-based nucleophiles in moderate to high yields via practical, efficient, and ligand-free nickel-catalyzed C-O, C-N, and C-C bond-forming reactions. The central metal ions of the substrate porphyrin have much effect on the reactions. Introduction of Ni(II) as a central metal ion into the substrate porphyrin markedly accelerated the cross-coupling.

[Evaluation of clinical management strategies for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in cervical cytology].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 3 different clinical management strategies for patients with cervical cytological atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) recommended by the guideline of The 2001 Bethesda system and the 2001 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP). METHODS: 1394 patients with a cytopathological diagnosis of ASC-US by use of liquid-based thin-layer preparation were managed by three different clinical strategies, and evaluated by the percentage of histological diagnosis > or = high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), i.e., cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2 and 3) as standard. 421 patients in Group A underwent colposcopically directed cervical biopsy, 475 patients in Group B were followed-up after 6 months by cytology, colposcopy and biopsy were performed if the results were > or = ASC-H or ASC-US and HPV-DNA (+). 498 patients in Group C: underwent HC-II test, colposcopy and biopsy were performed on those aged > or = 30 and with the HPV-DNA (+), if the patients were aged < 30 and with the HPV-DNA (+), HC-II test and cytology would be performed after 6 months; colposcopy and biopsy were performed on those with the results > or = ASC-H or HPV-DNA (+). RESULTS: (1) The results of histological diagnosis > or = CIN2 were found in 27 cases (6.41%) of Group A, 26 cases (5.78%) of Group B, and 34 cases (6.91%) of Group C. There was no statistically significant difference among these 3 groups (all P > 0.05). (2) Convenience was significantly different among these 3 groups (P < 0.01). The workloads for the doctors and the discomfort resulting from biopsy for the patients were the greatest in Group A. The patient's compliance of Group B was low because of the necessity to wait for follow-up six months later. The cost of Group C was relatively higher. (3) In Group C, 66% of the ASC-US patients with HPV-DNA (+) were aged > or = 30. The percentage of histological diagnosis > or = CIN2 was 5.69% in those aged > or = 30 and was 1.22% in those aged < 30. CONCLUSION: Both protocols B and C are practical for clinical management of ASC-US in China. HPV infection is the necessary cause of cervical carcinoma, so the protocol C (cytology and HC-II test) is better for cervical lesion screening. The ASC-US patients aged > or = 30 and with HPV-DNA (+) are at high risk.

Relationship between cyclin G1 and human papilloma virus infection in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the overexpression of cyclin G1 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical carcinoma, and the correlation between cyclin G1 and high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. METHODS: All of the specimens were obtained from the Department of Pathology of China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 2000 to August 2004. We detected the expression of cyclin G1 with immunohistochemistry, HPV16/18 infection with in situ hybridization, and high-risk HPV infection with Hybrid capture system II (HC-II) in normal group (25 cases), CIN I (48 cases), CIN II (56 cases), CIN III (54 cases), and invasive cervical squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC, 31 cases). RESULTS: The positive rates of cyclin G1 expression in CIN (77.85%) and SCC cervical tissues (87.10%) were significantly higher than normal (8.00%, P < 0.01), and the intensities of cyclin G1 expression in CIN (40.60%) and SCC cervical tissues (61.51%) were significantly higher than normal (2.72%, P < 0.05). The positive rates and intensities of cyclin G1 expression increased gradually with the grade of cervical lesions. High-risk HPV infection rates were higher in CIN and SCC than normal groups (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between cyclin G1 expression and high-risk HPV infection detected with HC-II (Kendall's tau-b = 0.316, 0.269, 0.352, and 0.474 in CIN I, CINII, CIN III, and SCC, respectively, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cyclin G1 is overexpressed in CIN and SCC. Cyclin G1 may be a biomarker for detecting CIN and SCC. Cyclin G1 may play an important role in the oncogenesis of CIN and SCC by high-risk HPV infection.

[Application research on the flow-through hybridization and gene chip in human papillomavirus detection].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of flow-through hybridization and gene chip (HybriMax) on female low genital human papillomavirus (HPV) detection and to identify the most common HPV genotypes. METHODS: Five hundred and ninety-one of 7520 women who received cervical cancer screening in China-Japan Friendship Hospital during Jun 2004 to May 2005 were selected for 21 genotypes HPV detecting by HybriMax, including 138 women with normal cytological diagnosis and 453 women with abnormal cytological diagnosis. The abnormal patients were classified into groups according to their histological diagnosis as chronic cervicitis, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, II, III, cervical cancer and condyloma acuminata. Among them 413 women were tested with HC-II for 13 types of high-risk HPV, and 101 paraffin-embedded specimens from these 453 patients were detected for HPV16, 18 with in situ hybridization (ISH). The accordance of the results was compared. The infection rates of each HPV type for each group were calculated. RESULTS: The total accordant rate of HybriMax and HC-II on 13 types of high-risk HPV detecting was 92.5% (382/413) and was 100.0% in group of cancer. The accordance was good, and the Kappa index (KI) was as below: overall 0.814, in normal group 0.750, in chronic cervicitis 0.781, in CIN I 0.755, in CIN II 0.619, in CIN III 0.548, in condyloma acuminata 0.800. The accordant rate of HybriMax and ISH was 89.1% (90/101), and KI was 0.766. The 10 most common genotypes were (in descending sequences): in normal group 16, 68, 18, 52, 58, 11, 53, 31, 39, 33; in abnormal group 16, 52, 58, 18, 33, 31, 81, 53, 68, 66, in cervical cancer 16, 18, 52, 58, 33, 66, 68, 31, 51, 53. CONCLUSIONS: HybriMax has good accordance to HC-II and ISH for HPV detection. It provides useful information on viral genotype and is more suitable for clinical use. The 6 most common genotypes in abnormal cytological group are 16, 18, 52, 58, 33, 31.

[Detection of integration status of human papillomavirus 16 in cervical precancerous lesions].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of integration of human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) DNA into the host genome in cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL). METHODS: Multiplex PCR was used to detect the HPV/HPV16 infection and integration status of HPV16 in the surplus cells from liquid-based cytological samples from 108 patients with cervical cancer precursor lesions. Consensus primers GP5+/GP6+ were used to amplify a 150 bp long fragment in the conserved region of the HPV L1 gene so as to detect the presence pf HPV. Scion Image 4.0 electrophoresis image analysis soft was used to calculate the E2/E6 ratio so as to evaluate the episomal and integrated status of HPV16 infection: in episomal form, both targets should be equivalent, and in integrated form, E2 gene would be absent, while in mixed form of episomal/integrated mixed form, the copy number of E2 would be less than that of E6. RESULTS: Sixty-two out of the 108 patients (57.41%) had HPV infection. HPV16 were found in 32 of the 108 samples (29.63%). Among the 32 cases HPV16 DNA was exclusively episomal in 15 cases (46.88%), concomitant in 13 cases (40.62%), and integrated in 4 cases (12.50%). The prevalence of integrated and/or concomitant forms of HPV-16 DNA increased with progression of cervical disease. The prevalence of integrated form was 54.55% in the patients of CIN3 type, 50.00% in CIN2 type, 28.07% in CIN1 type, and 11.54% in the inflammatory type with significant differences between any 2 groups (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: HPV16 integration into the host genome is already present in some of CIN lesions. The multiplex PCR estimation of the HPV L1, HPV16 E2, E6 genes and E2/E6 ratio could be a simple method for detecting HPV/HPV16 infection and its integration status in liquid-based residual samples. It would be a helpful complementary tool for cytological screening to identify those patients at high risk of developing high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer.

Ethyl alpha-fluoro silyl enol ether: stereoselective synthesis and its aldol reaction with aldehydes and ketones.

Ethyl alpha-fluoro silyl enol ether is stereoselectively synthesized in high yield from inexpensive chlorofluoroacetate and Mg (or Zn) in DMF (or HMPA). Lewis acid promoted aldol reaction of this enol ether with aldehydes and ketones gives alpha-fluoro-beta-hydroxy esters in good to excellent yields.