High throughput and sensitive quantitation of tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines in wastewater.

Tobacco-specific alkaloids and nitrosamines are important biomarkers for the estimation of tobacco use and human exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines that can be monitored by wastewater analysis. Thus far their analysis has used solid phase extraction, which is costly and time-consuming. In this study, we developed a direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of two tobacco-specific alkaloids and five nitrosamines in wastewater. The method achieved excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99) for all analytes, with calibration ranging from 0.10 to 800 ng/L. Method limits of detection and quantification were 0.17 ng/L (N-nitrosonornicotine, NNN) and 1.0 ng/L (N-nitrosoanatabine (NAT) and NNN), with acceptable accuracy (100 % ± 20 %) and precision (± 15 %). Analyte loss during filtration was < 15 %, and the relative matrix effect was < 10 %. The method was applied to 43 pooled wastewater samples collected from three wastewater treatment plants in Australia between 2017 and 2021. Anabasine and anatabine were detected in all samples at concentrations of 5.0 - 33 ng/L and 12 - 41 ng/L, respectively. Three of the five tobacco-specific nitrosamines (NAT, NNN, and (4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol) (NNAL)) were detected, in < 50 % of the wastewater samples, with concentrations nearly ten times lower than the tobacco alkaloids (< 1.0 - 6.2 ng/L). In-sewer stability of the nitrosamines was also assessed in this study, with four (NAT, NNAL, NNN, and N-nitrosoanabasine (NAB)) being stable (i.e. < 20 % transformation over 12 h in both control reactor (CR) and rising main reactor (RM) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) being moderately stable (< 40 % loss over 12 h in RM). This direct injection method provides a high-throughput approach in simultaneous investigation of tobacco use and assessment of public exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines.

Extraction, characterization, and biological activities of exopolysaccharides from plant root soil fungus Fusarium merismoides A6.

The exploration of polysaccharides from microorganisms is of great importance. In this study, a new type of exopolysaccharide excreted by Fusarium merismoides A6 (FM-EPS) was isolated, and the extraction conditions were optimized using a response surface methodology (RSM). The extraction temperature at 0 °C, a precipitation time of 7.83 h, and an ethanol precipitation concentration of 77.64% were predicted and proved to be the best extraction conditions with the maximum extraction yield of 0.74 g/mL. Then, two fractions of F. merismoides A6 exopolysaccharides (FM-EPS1 and FM-EPS2) were obtained through DEAE Sepharose fast flow column chromatography. As indicated by monosaccharide composition analysis, both fractions mainly consisted of mannose, glucose, galactose, and ribose, with an average molecular weight of 5.14 × 104 and 6.50 × 104 g/mol, respectively. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy indicated the FM-EPSs had both α- and ß-glycosidic bonds. Moreover, the determination of antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in vitro proved that FM-EPSs had good antioxidant activities and antiproliferation activities. FM-EPS1 showed stronger antioxidant activities than FM-EPS2. FM-EPS2 showed antiproliferation activities on HeLa and HepG2 cells, while FM-EPS1 had no obvious antiproliferative activity. Therefore, FM-EPSs could be explored as potential antioxidant and anticancer agent applied in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and chemical industries.

The nearly complete assembly of the Cercis chinensis genome and Fabaceae phylogenomic studies provide insights into new gene evolution.

Fabaceae is a large family of angiosperms with high biodiversity that contains a variety of economically important crops and model plants for the study of biological nitrogen fixation. Polyploidization events have been extensively studied in some Fabaceae plants, but the occurrence of new genes is still concealed, owing to a lack of genomic information on certain species of the basal clade of Fabaceae. Cercis chinensis (Cercidoideae) is one such species; it diverged earliest from Fabaceae and is essential for phylogenomic studies and new gene predictions in Fabaceae. To facilitate genomic studies on Fabaceae, we performed genome sequencing of C. chinensis and obtained a 352.84 Mb genome, which was further assembled into seven pseudochromosomes with 30 612 predicted protein-coding genes. Compared with other legume genomes, that of C. chinensis exhibits no lineage-specific polyploidization event. Further phylogenomic analyses of 22 legumes and 11 other angiosperms revealed that many gene families are lineage specific before and after the diversification of Fabaceae. Among them, dozens of genes are candidates for new genes that have evolved from intergenic regions and are thus regarded as de novo-originated genes. They differ significantly from established genes in coding sequence length, exon number, guanine-cytosine content, and expression patterns among tissues. Functional analysis revealed that many new genes are related to asparagine metabolism. This study represents an important advance in understanding the evolutionary pattern of new genes in legumes and provides a valuable resource for plant phylogenomic studies.

3D localization based on anatomical LANDmarks in the treatment of pulmonary nodules.

Background: Various methods exist for locating lung nodules, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Aiming to find a more accurate, safe, effective, economical and practical method for locating lung nodules, this study evaluated the safety and feasibility of a precise three-dimensional (3D) method for positioning small pulmonary nodules based on anatomical landmarks. Methods: From June 2019 to December 2021, 120 patients with 131 pulmonary nodules who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital were included in the study. Surgical data such as the positioning time, accuracy rate, pathological result, localization-related complication rate and length of postoperative hospital stay were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. During surgery, pulmonary nodules were accurately located by the 3D positioning method based on anatomical landmarks and then removed to determine the pathology. Results: A total of 120 patients, including 35 males and 85 females, were included, and the median age was 53 years [interquartile range (IQR), 41-63 years]. No mortality or major morbidity occurred within 30 days. The median localization time was 11 minutes (IQR, 8-14 minutes). The accuracy of localization was 98.5%. The median diameter of the pulmonary nodules was 8 mm (IQR, 7-13 mm), and the median distance from the visceral pleura was 6 mm (IQR, 2-10 mm). No location-related complications occurred. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 5 days (IQR, 3-7 days). Conclusions: The proposed positioning method is accurate, safe and feasible for selected patients with pulmonary nodules. Compared with other preoperative and intraoperative positioning methods, it can significantly reduce localization-related complications.

The construction and analysis of ceRNA network and patterns of immune infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Competitive Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) may be closely associated with tumor progression. However, studies on ceRNAs and immune cells in LUAD are scarce. METHOD: The profiles of gene expression and clinical data of LUAD patients were extracted from the TCGA database. Bioinformatics methods were used to evaluate differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) and to form a ceRNA network. Preliminary verification of clinical specimens was utilized to detect the expressions of key biomarkers at the tissues. Cox and Lasso regressions were used to identify key genes, and prognosis prediction nomograms were formed. The mRNA levels of 9 genes in the risk score model in independent clinical LUAD samples were detected by qRT-PCR. The interconnection between the risk of cancer and immune cells was evaluated using the CIBERSORT algorithm, while the conformation of notable tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in the LUAD tissues of the high and low risk groups was assessed using the RNA transcript subgroup in order to identify tissue types. Finally, co-expression study was used to examine the interconnection between the key genes in the ceRNA networks and the immune cells. RESULT: A ceRNA network of 115 RNAs was established, and nine key genes were identified to construct a Cox proportional-hazard model and create a prognostic nomogram. This risk-assessment model might serve as an independent factor to forecast the prognosis of LUAD, and it was consistent with the preliminary verification of clinical specimens. Survival analysis of clinical samples further validated the potential value of high risk groups in predicting LUAD prognosis. Five immune cells were identified with significant differences in the LUAD tissues of the high and low risk groups. Besides, two pairs of biomarkers associated with the growth of LUAD were found, i.e., E2F7 and macrophage M1 (R = 0.419, p = 1.4e- 08) and DBF4 and macrophage M1 (R = 0.282, p < 2.2 e- 16). CONCLUSION: This study identified several important ceRNAs, i.e. (E2F7 and BNF4) and TIICs (macrophage M1), which might be related to the development and prognosis of LUAD. The established risk-assessment model might be a potential tool in predicting LUAD of prognosis.

Ferroptosis-related genes for predicting prognosis of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported that ferroptosis-related genes can regulate the process of tumor cell changes by regulating iron metabolism. However, the prognostic value of ferroptosis-related genes in LC remains to be further elucidated. METHODS: Ferroptosis-related gene expression profiles of coexisting ferroptosis-related genes were extracted from both cohorts (TCGA and GSE27020) for eligible analysis. LASSO Cox regression was utilized to build an optimum ferroptosis-related prognostic model. Kaplan-Meier curve was performed by log-rank test, and time-dependent ROC curve was constructed to evaluate the predictive power of this signature in both cohorts. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis was used to investigate the potential mechanism of differential enrichment signal pathways. RESULTS: 112 LC patients from the TCGA cohort and 108 LC patients with clinical information from the GEO cohorts were eventually included in the study. Three ferroptosis-related genes were identified as an independent risk factor to establish the prognostic risk score. Kaplan-Meier curve represented that patients with high-risk group favors with worse OS than their low-risk group (P = 0.04). The good performance of the gene signature for predicting OS was evaluated by area under the curve (AUC) of time-dependent ROC curves achieved 0.74 at 3 years, and 0.70 at 5 years. Similar performance has been proved in the external validation cohort. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis have been performed to explore the signaling pathways and underlying mechanisms were significantly active in LC patients. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study developed a ferroptosis-related model that could be an effective biomarker to predict the prognosis of laryngeal cancer.

Combination of LCZ696 and ACEI further improves heart failure and myocardial fibrosis after acute myocardial infarction in mice.

BACKGROUND: LCZ696, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi), is reported to play a cardioprotective role after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEIs) have similar roles. However, it is unclear whether the combination of the two drugs has a better protective effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of this combination therapy after AMI. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 J mice subjected to ligation of left anterior descending artery were treated for 4 weeks with LCZ696, ACEI(benazepril), or both(combination therapy) after induction of MI. Cardiac function, hemodynamics, and inflammatory factors were evaluated at 1 st day, 14th day, and 28th day. Heart weight and myocardial fibrosis were measured at the end of the experiment. RESULTS: Blood pressure was lower in all treatment groups than in the control group. The combination therapy group had the strongest antihypertensive effect. Compared with LCZ696 or benazepril, treatment with combination therapy increased ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and cardiac output and decreased N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP). The ratios of heart weight to body weight in all treatment groups were less than that in the control group. Compared with the control and LCZ696 group, the fibrotic area in the combination therapy group was suppressed and had a lower level of TGF-ß1 in the left ventricle. The plasma concentration of bradykinin and renin in the combination therapy group were highest among groups at 14th and 28th day. CONCLUSIONS: LCZ696 in combination with benazepril showed better positive effects in modulating heart failure and myocardial fibrosis after acute AMI in mice and affect some inflammatory markers.

LncRNA TPT1-AS1 Sponges miR-23a-5p in Glioblastoma to Promote Cancer Cell Proliferation.

Background: Long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) TPT1-AS1 is an oncogene in ovarian cancer and cervical cancer, while its role in glioblastoma (GBM) is unknown. The bioinformatics analysis in this study showed that miR-23a-5p may bind to TPT1-AS1. This study was performed to investigate the interactions between miR-23a-5p and TPT1-AS1 in GBM. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 GBM patients (40 males and 20 females, 24 to 60 years old, mean age 41.7 ± 7.8 years old) were enrolled at the First Hospital of Jilin University between April 2016 and April 2018. Gene expression levels were determined by qPCR and Western blot. Cell transfections were performed to analyze the interactions between TPT1-AS1, miR-23a-5p, and extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1). Cell proliferation was detected by cell proliferation assay. Results: The authors found miR-23a-5p was downregulated in GBM and TPT1-AS1 was upregulated in GBM, whereas the expression of these two was not significantly correlated. In GBM cells, overexpression of TPT1-AS1 did not affect the expression of miR-23a-5p, but upregulated ECM1. In cell proliferation assay, overexpression of TPT1-AS1 and ECM1 resulted in increased proliferation rate of GBM cells. Overexpression of miR-23a-5p attenuated the effects of overexpressing TPT1-AS1. Conclusions: TPT1-AS1 may sponge miR-23a-5p in GBM to promote cancer cell proliferation by upregulating ECM1.

Enabling Molecular Gapping and Bridging on a Biosensing Surface via Electrochemical Cross-Linking and Cleavage.

Protein detection in complicated biological samples requires robust design and a rigorous rinsing process. Many recently developed artificial targeting probes, however, often do not possess antibody-like binding strength that enables them to endure harsh biosensing conditions, and the classic 2-to-1 sandwich binding pattern is unavailable for many targets, often necessitating a complicated indirect signal conversion mechanism. Here, an attempt is made to provide innovative "covalent" solutions to such problems by employing peptide reactivity to form a covalent and robust biosensing structure upon target binding. Both the cross-coupling and cleavage of peptide chains are employed to achieve the classic 2-to-1 binding when only one targeting probe is available. Specifically, a targeting probe against the protein and a signaling probe are coimmobilized onto the sensing interface. The ratio between the two probes and their surface density is modulated so that direct cross-linking between the two immobilized probes is suppressed by the average distance between two such probes. Upon protein binding, the protein molecule may bridge that gap by itself. The signaling probe can carry any motif of signal amplification. And here a Cu-ion-complexed motif, which can exhibit peroxidase-like activity upon electrochemical agitation, is employed multipurposely as the catalyst for cross-linking, cleavage, and signal amplification. Three nonhomologous target proteins can be sensitively quantified in serum-spiked samples and clinical sample detection of one of them is also successful; these results suggest the potential of the proposed method in future clinical applications.

Tetrahydrocurcumin protects against spinal cord injury and inhibits the oxidative stress response by regulating FOXO4 in model rats.

It has been reported that tetrahydrocurcumin has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-metastasis, anticancer and anti-depressant pharmacological effects, and its antioxidative, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties are better than those of curcumin. The present study assessed whether tetrahydrocurcumin exerts a neuroprotective effect against spinal cord injury (SCI) and investigated the underlying mechanisms. In a rat model of SCI, tetrahydrocurcumin enhanced the average Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scores, inhibited water accumulation in the spinal cord and decreased inflammatory factors. Furthermore, oxidative stress and apoptosis (caspase-3 activity and B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein levels) were also suppressed in SCI rats treated with tetrahydrocurcumin. Tetrahydrocurcumin effectively decreased the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 and -13, as well as cyclooxygenase-2, promoted the phosphorylation of Akt and enhanced the protein expression of forkhead box (FOX)O4 in SCI rats. The present study delineates that tetrahydrocurcumin protects against SCI and inhibits the oxidative stress response by regulating the FOXO4 in SCI model rats.

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Our study aimed to determine the effects of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) on proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-HFLSs). Firstly, results demonstrated STS reduced proliferation, migration, invasion in HFLSs. Also, we found that STS could alleviate the reorganizations of F-actin cytoskeleton in TNF-α-treated HFLSs. In addition, STS decreased the production of IL-1ß, IL-6, MMP-1, and MMP-3 in TNF-α-treated RA-HFLSs. Further study showed that STS blocked MAPK/NF-κB activations in TNF-α-stimulated RA-HFLSs. Moreover, we illustrated that STS could alleviate rheumatoid arthritis progression and prevent inflammation damage in joint tissues of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. Taken together, this study suggested that STS inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation of RA-HFLSs by blocking MAPK/NF-κB pathways.

No difference in implant survivorship and clinical outcomes between full-cementless and full-cemented fixation in primary total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The debate over the use of cemented or cementless fixation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has never stopped since cementless fixation was introduced. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the optimal mode of fixation (full-cementless vs. full-cemented) in TKA. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases up to July 2017 were searched to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing full-cementless TKA and full-cemented TKA. The primary outcome was implant survivorship. Secondary outcomes included radiological outcomes (maximum total point-motion [MTPM], radiolucent line, rotation degree) and clinical outcomes (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC] score, Knee Society Score [KSS] score, postoperative range of movement, blood loss and complications). RESULTS: Seven studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The mean follow-up was 7.1 years (range from 2 to 16.6 years). There was no difference in implant survivorship (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.95-1.01; p = 0.25; I2 = 0%), MTPM (weighted mean difference [WMD], 0.13 mm; 95% CI, -0.69-0.95; p = 0.75; I2 = 89.3%) and radiolucent line (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.57-3.23; p = 0.48; I2 = 54%) between the cementless and cemented methods. There was a mean 0.22° more rotation in the full-cementless fixation group (95% CI, 0.13-0.32; p < 0.01; I2 = 28.5%). There were no significant differences relating to clinical outcomes (WOMAC score, KSS score, postoperative range of movement, blood loss and complications) between the two fixation groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although more overall component rotation is found in full-cementless fixation, the implant survivorship and clinical efficacy are likely similar between full-cementless and full-cemented fixation. However, future RCTs with similar cementless prosthetic coating and longer-term follow-up are still needed to confirm our findings.

Effect of individualized distal femoral valgus resection angle in primary total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis involving 1300 subjects.

BACKGROUND: Proper limb alignment and implant positioning are important for successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Whether any differences exist in restoration of limb alignment for valgus knees between fixed and individual femoral valgus correction angle (VCA) for distal femoral resection remains unknown. METHODS: The PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Wangfang databases were searched to identify studies comparing individualized VCA and fixed VCA in the distal femoral valgus resection. The primary outcomes were the mechanical femorotibial angle (MFT angle) and the proportion of postoperative alignment deviation within ±3°. The secondary outcomes were femoral valgus correction angle (VCA), component angle (α angle and ß angle). RESULTS: Six studies with 1167 TKAs were analyzed quantitatively. The coronal limb alignments in individualized group were closer to neutral than fixed group with a mean 0.77° difference (95% CI, -1.43 to -0.11; P = .022; I2 = 71.0%). Moreover, there were more patients' postoperative alignment deviation within neutral ±3° in the individualized group (RR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.38; P = .00; I2 = 36.4%). The α angle were closer to neutral in the individualized group, and there's 1.2° more deviation from neutral in the fixed group (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.41; P = .00; I2 = 0%). No difference was found in the ß angle between groups (WMD, 0.85; 95% CI, -0.09 to 1.78; P = .075; I2 = 88.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that the individualized VCA for distal femoral resection could enhance the accuracy of postoperative limb alignment and femoral component alignment in the coronal plane. However, further high-quality RCTs and well-designed trials are still needed.

Serum miRNAs miR-23a, 206, and 499 as Potential Biomarkers for Skeletal Muscle Atrophy.

Muscle biopsy has long been expected to be replaced by noninvasive biomarkers with diagnostic value and prognostic applications for muscle atrophy. Growing evidence suggests that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) could act as biomarkers for numerous pathophysiological statuses. In the present study, our results showed that the serum levels of six muscle-specific miRNAs (miR-1/23a/133/206/208b/499) were all elevated in unloading induced mice. The medium levels of these six muscle-specific miRNAs were all elevated in starvation induced atrophic C2C12 myotubes. Moreover, the serum levels of miR-23a/206/499 were induced in participants after 45 days of head-down bed rest (HDBR). The levels of miR-23a/206/499 were positively correlated with the ratio of soleus volume loss in HDBR participants, indicating that they might represent the process of muscle loss. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that circulating miRNAs could serve as useful biochemical and molecular indicators for muscle atrophy diagnosis and disease progression.

Non-drainage versus drainage in tourniquet-free knee arthroplasty: a prospective trial.

BACKGROUND: It is still unknown whether drainage is necessary and non-drainage is safe and acceptable after tourniquet-free total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aim to investigate whether non-drainage use is accepted in TKA that is performed without a tourniquet. METHODS: Clinical data of 80 adult patients who did or did not receive drainage in our centres from August 2015 to December 2015 were prospective investigated. RESULTS: The drainage group exhibited reduced hidden blood loss (47.6 ± 43.6 mL versus 151.1 ± 97.1 mL, P < 0.001), less calf swelling (d1: 3.2% versus 5.2%, P = 0.02) and milder knee active pain (d3: 4.9 ± 1.9 versus 5.9 ± 1.2, P = 0.01; d5: 3.2 ± 1.6 versus 4.2 ± 1.5, P = 0.003) than the non-drainage group. However, the non-drainage group had higher haemoglobin level (d1: 112.1 ± 10.6 g/dL versus 106.1 ± 12.4 g/dL, P = 0.026; d3: 99.5 ± 9.6 g/dL versus 92.7 ± 13.1 g/dL, P = 0.011) and less haematopoietic medication usage (42.1% versus 66.6%, P = 0.03) in the initial postoperative period following TKA. Earlier postoperative time to ambulation (22.4 ± 12.3 h versus 30.1 ± 14.6 h, P = 0.01) and shorter length of stay (5.5 ± 1.2 days versus 6.3 ± 1.7 days, P = 0.02) were found in the non-drainage group. CONCLUSION: It is practicable to abandon wound drainage in uncomplicated, primary, tourniquet-free TKA.

miR-491 inhibits skeletal muscle differentiation through targeting myomaker.

The myogenesis of skeletal muscle has several stages, including satellite cell proliferation, differentiation, fusion and specific muscle formation. Recent studies have shown that myomaker, a muscle-specific transmembrane protein, was critical for myoblasts fusion. However, the regulatory mechanism of myomaker and its effects on myogenesis remain elusive. In this study, miR-491 was identified as a post-transcriptional regulator of myomaker, which binds specifically to its 3' untranslated region leading to its down-regulation. At the end of myotube differentiation, the expression levels of miR-491 increased drastically, while myomaker was significantly down-regulated, which indicated that miR-491 shut down the expression of myomaker. Functional studies showed that miR-491 overexpression suppressed muscle cell differentiation and adult muscle regeneration, while the inhibition of miR-491 promoted myotube differentiation. Taken together, our findings identified miR-491 as a novel negative regulator of myogenic differentiation through targeting myomaker.

Amycolatopsis albispora sp. nov., isolated from deep-sea sediment.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain WP1T, was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample collected from the Indian Ocean, and examined in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain WP1T formed a distinct phyletic lineage in the genus Amycolatopsis and was closely related to A. magusensis KT2025T (97.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), A. palatopharyngis 1BDZT (97.3 %) and A. marinaMs392AT (97.2 %). The isolate grew at 4-45 °C, pH 5-11 and in the presence of 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl. The cell wall of the novel strain contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars. Major fatty acids identified were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c and C17 : 1ω6c. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4) and MK-7. The polar lipids detected were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, four unknown phospholipids and one unknown glycolipid. The genomic DNA G+C content was 72.2 mol%. Strain WP1T displayed low DNA-DNA reassociation with A. magusensis DSM 45510T (mean value 36.2 %), A. palatopharyngis JCM 12460T (31.5 %) and A. marina JCM 16121T (29.7 %). Based on the data reported here, strain WP1T represents a novel species within the genus Amycolatopsis, for which the name Amycolatopsis albisporasp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WP1T (=KCTC 39642T=MCCC 1A10745T).

Uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomy for intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary sequestration is an uncommon congenital condition for which surgical resection is usually indicated - either via open thoracotomy or conventional multi-port Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS). Of the two types of sequestration, intralobar sequestration is technically more challenging to resect. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the management of a 34 year old male patient with a long history of respiratory symptoms, and an extensively diseased right lower lobe. A diagnosis of sequestration was confirmed by CT scanning, showing three separate anomalous feeding vessels arising from the abdominal aorta. A right lower lobectomy using a Uniportal VATS approach was performed, and the patient discharged home on the fourth post-operative day. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to our knowledge demonstrating the safety and feasibility of the Uniportal approach for the resection of a relatively challenging intralobar sequestration.

Nocardioides rotundus sp. nov., isolated from deep seawater.

A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic, coccoid-shaped, non-motile actinobacterium, designated strain GY0594T, was isolated from deep seawater of the western Pacific. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that this strain was affiliated with the genus Nocardioides with low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities ( ≤ 96.0 %) with members of the genus Nocardioides. Chemotaxonomic characterization of strain GYP0594T supported the result of the phylogenetic analysis. The diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid. The major menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, one unidentified lipid and six unidentified phospholipids. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω9c. The DNA G+C content of strain GY0594T was determined to be 71.2 mol%. However, strain GY0594T could be distinguished from closely related species by cell morphology, nitrate reduction, aesculin hydrolysis, activity of urease, cystine arylamidase, trypsin and acid phosphatase, assimilation of N-acetylglucosamine, maltose, adipic acid, malic acid and phenylacetate, and significant differences in the proportions of several fatty acids. In conclusion, based on the data presented, strain GY0594T should be placed in the genus Nocardioides as a representative of a novel species, for which the name Nocardioides rotundus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GY0594T ( = MCCC 1A10561T = KCTC 39638T).

Covalent Bonding of Heparin on the Crystallized Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) Membrane to Improve Hemocompability via Surface Cross-Linking and Glycidyl Ether Reaction.

The hemocompatibility of the dialysis membrane has been considered the key factor influencing the dialysis performance for curing the kidney malfunction. In this work, the commonly used anticoagulant heparin in the clinic was directly bonded to the poly(lactic acid) (PLA) membrane to improve the hemocompatibility via the glycidyl ether reaction. A novel precopolymer P(VP-VTES-GMA) was first prepared via free radical polymerization. The surface cross-linking of the precopolymer containing GMA segments enabled the membrane to anchor heparin through the glycidyl ether reaction. The chemical structure of the precopolymer was confirmed by 1H NMR. The surface chemistry was analyzed by XPS, toluidine blue staining, and solubility tests. The crystallization behavior, heat resistance, morphology, hydrophilicity, pore size, and pure water flux were investigated. The hemocompatibility was comprehensively investigated via APTT, PRT, PT, FIB, and platelet adhesion tests. The simulated dialysis performances relating to urea, creatinine, lysozyme, and BSA clearance were measured. All results demonstrated that the covalent bonding of heparin provided the PLA membrane with excellent hemcompatibility, hydrophilicity, heat resistance, and dialysis performance as well.