Rapid detection of human adenovirus subgroup B using recombinase polymerase amplification assay.

Human adenovirus subgroup B (HAdV B) is one of the major pathogens of human respiratory virus infections, which has considerable transmission and morbidity in a variety of populations. Therefore, rapid and specific detection of HAdV B in clinical samples is essential for diagnosis. This study aimed to develop a product for rapid nucleic acid detection of HAdV B using recombinase polymerase amplification assay (RPA) and validate the performance of this method by using clinical samples. Results showed that this method achieved a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 10 copies/µL and had no cross-reactivity with other adenovirus subgroups or respiratory pathogens. In addition to high sensitivity, it can be completed within 30 min at 40 °C. There is no need to perform nucleic acid extraction on clinical samples. Taking qPCR as the gold standard, the RPA assay possessed a high concordance (Cohen's kappa, 0.896; 95% CI 0.808-0.984; P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 87.80% and a specificity of 100.00%. The RPA assay developed in this study provided a simple and highly specific method, making it an important tool for rapid adenovirus nucleic acid detection and facilitating large-scale population screening in resource-limited settings.

Clinicopathological Characteristics of the primary and metastatic Hepatic Neuroendocrine Tumors and the relevant Prognosis-Related Factors: A Retrospective Study of 81 Cases in a Single Chinese Center.

Aims: We aim to describe the clinicopathological characteristics of hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (HNETs) and evaluate the relevant prognosis-related factors. Methods: The clinical data of 81 consecutive patients with primary or metastatic HNETs from March 2000 to July 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The mean (SD) age was 59.68 (11.64) years, 69.15% were men. The percentages of Grade G1, G2 and G3 tumors were 4.94%, 25.93% and 69.13%, respectively. Thirty-five cases were primary HNETs. Primary HNETs were more common in patients with larger tumors, lymph nodes invasions, tumor necrosis and portal vein tumor thrombus. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rate were 88.89%, 32.10%, and 8.64%, separately. The relapse rate was 81.48% (66/81) and the mean (SD) relapse time was 18.79 (10.99) months. Reduced survival rate was associated with lymph node metastases (P=0.034), tumor necrosis (P=0.048), hard texture of tumor character (P=0.001), multifocality of tumor numbers (P=0.043), and the immunohistochemical expression of NSE (P=0.000) and Syn (P=0.037). Patients with metastatic HNETs were demonstrated with a more decreased period of Progression-free Survival (PFS) and Overall survival (OS) than their primary HNETs counterparts (P<0.05). Conclusion: Primary HNETs cohort patients were more common with aggressive clinical presentation. The hard texture of tumor character, multifocality of tumor numbers, and the immunohistochemical expression of NSE and Syn were independent predictive factors. Patients who were pathologically diagnosed as the primary HNETs seemed to achieve a long-term survival.

Protective effect of hydrogen-saturated saline on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in rats.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to investigate the role and mechanisms of hydrogen-saturated saline (HSS) in the acute lung injury (ALI) induced by oleic acid (OA) in rats. METHODS: Rats were treated with OA (0.1 mL/kg) to induce ALI and then administered with HSS (5 mL/kg) by intravenous (iv) and intraperitoneal (ip) injection, respectively. Three hours after the injection with OA, the arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2), and bicarbonate (HCO3-) levels were analyzed using blood gas analyzer. In addition, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were measured by commercial kits, and pathological changes of lung tissue were examined by HE staining. Finally, the correlations of MPO activity or MDA level with the levels of TNF-α or IL-1ß were analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: We found decreased PaO2 levels and the pathological changes of lung tissue of ALI after OA injection. In addition, OA increased the levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1ß, as well as MPO activity in lung tissues (P < 0.05). However, after treatment with HSS, all of these changes were alleviated (P < 0.05), and these changes were mitigated when treated with HSS by ip then iv injection (P < 0.05). Furthermore, MDA level and MPO activity were positively correlated with TNF-α and IL-1ß levels in the lung tissue, respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: HSS attenuated ALI induced by OA in rats and might protect against ALI through selective resistance to oxidation and inhibiting inflammatory infiltration.

Inhibitor κBα protein therapy alleviates severe pneumonia through inhibition of nuclear factor κB.

To investigate the effect of inhibitor κBα (IκBα) on severe pneumonia and explain the mechanisms of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), the activation of NF-κB was induced in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). The rats were then treated with differing concentrations of IκBα protein. A histological analysis was performed to compare the lung structure prior to and following treatment, and an immunohistochemistry assay was used to detect NF-κB activity. In addition, the expression of certain inflammatory factors was detected using a protein chip assay. The severe pneumonia rat model was successfully produced and in model rats, NF-κB was activated by K. pneumoniae. Following treatment with IκBα, the activity of NF-κB was inhibited and pneumonia symptoms in model rats were alleviated. Furthermore, the expression of a number of inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interferon γ (IFN-γ) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were also inhibited. The current study demonstrates that NF-κB inhibition with IκBα protein therapy prevents the development of pneumonia in a K. pneumoniae rat model. The therapeutic effect is indicated by the responses of proinflammatory factors, including TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and MCP-1.

Dissection of No. 13 lymph node in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of No. 13 lymphadenectomy in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Medical records of the patients undergone No. 13 lymph node dissection during D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma, were reviewed from March 2003 to May 2007. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients underwent No. 13 lymph node dissection for D2 gastric carcinoma, of them, 4 (2.53%) were found to have metastasis in No. 13 lymph node. Metastasis to No. 12 lymph node was detected in 6 patients and 4 of them had positive No. 13 lymph node. The operative morbidity except for wound infection was 15.19% (24/158), and hospital death rate was 1.27% (2/158). No obstructive jaundice caused by No 13 lymph node metastasis after No. 13 lymph node dissection in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma was detected during the follow-up study to end of January 2007. CONCLUSION: Dissection of No. 13 lymph node in D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma is safe with a low morbidity and mortality rate. Further study is needed to explore its long-term effect.