Th2-skewed peripheral T-helper cells drive B-cells in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) suffer from repeated exacerbations. The involvement of T-cell subsets remains unclear. METHODS: We enrolled ABPA patients, asthma patients and healthy controls. T-helper type 1 (Th1), 2 (Th2) and 17 (Th17) cells, regulatory T-cells (Treg) and interleukin (IL)-21+CD4+T-cells in total or sorted subsets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and ABPA bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analysed using flow cytometry. RNA sequencing of subsets of CD4+T-cells was done in exacerbated ABPA patients and healthy controls. Antibodies of T-/B-cell co-cultures in vitro were measured. RESULTS: ABPA patients had increased Th2 cells, similar numbers of Treg cells and decreased circulating Th1 and Th17 cells. IL-5+IL-13+IL-21+CD4+T-cells were rarely detected in healthy controls, but significantly elevated in the blood of ABPA patients, especially the exacerbated ones. We found that IL-5+IL-13+IL-21+CD4+T-cells were mainly peripheral T-helper (Tph) cells (PD-1+CXCR5-), which also presented in the BALF of ABPA patients. The proportions of circulating Tph cells were similar among ABPA patients, asthma patients and healthy controls, while IL-5+IL-13+IL-21+ Tph cells significantly increased in ABPA patients. Transcriptome data showed that Tph cells of ABPA patients were Th2-skewed and exhibited signatures of follicular T-helper cells. When co-cultured in vitro, Tph cells of ABPA patients induced the differentiation of autologous B-cells into plasmablasts and significantly enhanced the production of IgE. CONCLUSION: We identified a distinctly elevated population of circulating Th2-skewed Tph cells that induced the production of IgE in ABPA patients. It may be a biomarker and therapeutic target for ABPA.

Identify truly high-risk TP53-mutated diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients and explore the underlying biological mechanisms.

TP53 mutation (TP53-mut) correlates with inferior survival in many cancers, whereas its prognostic role in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is still in controversy. Therefore, more precise risk stratification needs to be further explored for TP53-mut DLBCL patients. A set of 2637 DLBCL cases from multiple cohorts, was enrolled in our analysis. Among the 2637 DLBCL patients, 14.0% patients (370/2637) had TP53-mut. Since missense mutations account for the vast majority of TP53-mut DLBCL patients, and most non-missense mutations affect the function of the P53 protein, leading to worse survival rates, we distinguished patients with missense mutations. A TP53 missense mutation risk model was constructed based on a 150-combination machine learning computational framework, demonstrating excellent performance in predicting prognosis. Further analysis revealed that patients with high-risk missense mutations are significantly associated with early progression and exhibit dysregulation of multiple immune and metabolic pathways at the transcriptional level. Additionally, the high-risk group showed an absolutely suppressed immune microenvironment. To stratify the entire cohort of TP53-mut DLBCL, we combined clinical characteristics and ultimately constructed the TP53 Prognostic Index (TP53PI) model. In summary, we identified the truly high-risk TP53-mut DLBCL patients and explained this difference at the mutation and transcriptional levels.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide, a potential biomarker for evaluating glucocorticoids treatment and prognosis in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by enhanced TH2 inflammatory response. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement has been used as a valuable tool in predicting the development and management of asthma, another typical TH2 inflammation. However, the clinical significance of FeNO in ABPA remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between FeNO and the prognosis of patients with ABPA to provide a basis for the use of FeNO in evaluating the efficacy of glucocorticoids in ABPA treatment. METHODS: This study comprised 2 parts; 58 patients were enrolled in the retrospective study. Clinical indexes in patients with different prognoses were compared, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the threshold value. The prospective observational study involved 61 patients who were regularly followed up at 4 to 6 weeks and 6 months since the initial treatment. Patients were grouped on the basis of baseline FeNO values; correlation analysis was performed in the clinical data. RESULTS: Different prognoses were observed between patients with high and low baseline FeNO values, with a threshold value of 57 parts per billion. The percentage of Aspergillus fumigatus-specific IgE, percentage of positive A fumigatus-specific IgG, and relapse/exacerbation rate differed significantly between the high and low FeNO groups. Patients with higher FeNO needed longer treatment duration and showed shorter interval between glucocorticoid withdrawal and the next relapse/exacerbation. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the level of FeNO is associated with the prognosis of ABPA. It can serve as an independent and valuable biomarker for evaluating the effectiveness of glucocorticoid treatment.

Allylamine coating on zirconia dental implant surface promotes osteogenic differentiation in vitro and accelerates osseointegration in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: The glow discharge plasma (GDP) procedure has proven efficacy in grafting allylamine onto zirconia dental implant surfaces to enhance osseointegration. This study explored the enhancement of zirconia dental implant properties using GDP at different energy settings (25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 W) both in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro analyses included scanning electron microscopy, wettability assessment, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and more. In vivo experiments involved implanting zirconia dental implants into rabbit femurs and later evaluation through impact stability test, micro-CT, and histomorphometric measurements. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that 25 and 50 W GDP allylamine grafting positively impacted MG-63 cell proliferation and increased alkaline phosphatase activity. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of OCN, OPG, and COL-I. Both 25 and 50 W GDP allylamine grafting significantly improved zirconia's surface properties (p < .05, p < .01, p < .001). However, only 25 W allylamine grafting with optimal energy settings promoted in vivo osseointegration and new bone formation while preventing bone level loss around the dental implant (p < .05, p < .01, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a promising method for enhancing Zr dental implant surface's bioactivity.

Lipid parameters, adipose tissue distribution and prognosis prediction in chronic kidney Disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Lipid management in clinic is critical to the prevention and treatment of Chronic kidney disease (CKD), while the manifestations of lipid indicators vary in types and have flexible association with CKD prognosis. PURPOSE: Explore the associations between the widely used indicators of lipid metabolism and their distribution in clinic and CKD prognosis; provide a reference for lipid management and inform treatment decisions for patients with non-dialysis CKD stage 3-5. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing the Self-Management Program for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Cohort (SMP-CKD) database of 794 individuals with CKD stages 3-5. It covers demographic data, clinical diagnosis and medical history collection, laboratory results, circulating lipid profiles and lipid distribution assessments. Primary endpoint was defined as a composite outcome(the initiation of chronic dialysis or renal transplantation, sustained decline of 40% or more in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), doubled of serum creatinine (SCr) from the baseline, eGFR less than 5 mL/min/1.73m2, or all-cause mortality). Exposure variables were circulating lipid profiles and lipid distribution measurements. Association were assessed using Relative risks (RRs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) computed by multivariate Poisson models combined with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression according to categories of lipid manifestations. The best model was selected via akaike information criterion (AIC), area under curve (AUC), receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and net reclassification index (NRI). Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to assess the interaction effects and robustness.. RESULTS: 255 individuals reached the composite outcome. Median follow-up duration was 2.03 [1.06, 3.19] years. Median age was 58.8 [48.7, 67.2] years with a median eGFR of 33.7 [17.6, 47.8] ml/min/1.73 m2. Five dataset were built after multiple imputation and five category-based Possion models were constructed for each dataset. Model 5 across five datasets had the best fitness with smallest AIC and largest AUC. The pooled results of Model 5 showed that total cholesterol (TC) (RR (95%CI) (per mmol/L) :1.143[1.023,1.278], P = 0.018) and percentage of body fat (PBF) (RR (95%CI) (per percentage):0.976[0.961,0.992], P = 0.003) were significant factors of composite outcome. The results indicated that comprehensive consideration of lipid metabolism and fat distribution is more critical in the prediction of CKD prognosis.. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive consideration of lipid manifestations is optimal in predicting the prognosis of individuals with non-dialysis CKD stages 3-5.

Synchronously Improved Multiple Afterglow and Phosphorescence Efficiencies in 0D Hybrid Zinc Halides with Ultrahigh Anti-Water Stabilities.

Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid metal halides have been emerged as room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials, but synchronous optimization of multiple phosphorescence performance in one structural platform remains less resolved, and stable RTP activity in aqueous medium is also unrealized due to serious instability toward water and oxygen. Herein, we demonstrated a photophysical tuning strategy in a new 0D hybrid zinc halide family of (BTPP)2ZnX4 (BTPP = benzyltriphenylphosphonium, X = Cl and Br). Infrequently, the delicate combination of organic and inorganic species enables this family to display multiple ultralong green afterglow and efficient self-trapped exciton (STE) associated cyan phosphorescence. Compared with inert luminescence of [BTPP]+ cation, incorporation of anionic [ZnX4]2- effectively enhance the spin-orbit coupling effect, which significantly boosts the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) up to 30.66% and 54.62% for afterglow and phosphorescence, respectively. Synchronously, the corresponding luminescence lifetime extend to 143.94 ms and 0.308 µs surpassing the indiscernible phosphorescence of [BTPP]X salt. More importantly, this halide family presents robust RTP emission with nearly unattenuated PLQY in water and harsh condition (acid and basic aqueous solution) over half a year. The highly efficient integrated afterglow and STE phosphorescence as well as ultrahigh aqueous state RTP realize multiple anti-counterfeiting applications in wide chemical environments.

[Overview of systematic reviews of Chinese herbal injections for sepsis].

In this study, an overview of systematic reviews/Meta-analysis(SR/MA) of Chinese herbal injections for sepsis was performed to provide references for clinical practice and promote the quality improvement of clinical evidence. Eight Chinese and English databases such as CNKI, Medline, and EMbase were electronically searched for SR/MA of Chinese herbal injections for sepsis from database inception to June 2022. AMSTAR 2, PRISMA 2020, and GRADE system, combined with Recommendations for Clinical Evidence Grading on Traditional Chinese Medicine Based on Evidence Body, were applied to evaluate the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the included articles. Twenty-seven articles of SR/MA were included, containing four Chinese herbal injections(Xuebijing Injection, Shenfu Injection, Shenmai Injection, and Shengmai Injection). AMSTAR 2 checklist showed that the methodological quality of the SR/MA ranged from moderate to very low. Item 2(prior study design) was the critical item with poor scores, and the non-critical items with poor scores were items 3(explain the selection of the study designs), items 10(report on the sources of funding), and items 16(conflicts of interest stated). In terms of PRISMA 2020, items in eight topics with complete reporting of missing>50%, including search strategy, certainty assessment, results of syntheses, certainty of evidence, registration and protocol, support, competing interests, availability of data, code and other materials. The included SR/MA involved 30 outcome indicators. Evidence quality of mortality, APACHE Ⅱ, and safety, the top three outcome indicators, was evaluated, and all of them were graded as the medium level. The lack of random allocation sequence, allocation concealment mechanism, blinding, and trial sample size was the main reason for the reduction of the evidence level. The available evidence shows that Chinese herbal injections can serve as an effective and safe adjunctive treatment for sepsis, which can reduce mortality, inhibit inflammation, improve coagulation function, and regulate immune function, tissue perfusion, and oxygenation in patients with sepsis. However, the quality of SR/MA was suboptimal, and more high-quality SR/MA is needed to provide evidence to support the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal injections in the treatment of sepsis.

Isobaric Stable Isotope N-Phosphorylation Labeling (iSIPL) for Ultrasensitive Proteome Quantification.

Stable isotope chemical labeling methods have been widely used for high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS)-based quantitative proteomics in biological and clinical applications. However, the existing methods are far from meeting the requirements for high sensitivity detection. In the present study, a novel isobaric stable isotope N-phosphorylation labeling (iSIPL) strategy was developed for quantitative proteome analysis. The tryptic peptides were selectively labeled with iSIPL tag to generate the novel reporter ions containing phosphoramidate P-N bond with high intensities under lower collision energies. iSIPL strategy are suitable for peptide sequencing and quantitative analysis with high sensitivity and accuracy even for samples of limited quantity. Furthermore, iSIPL coupled with affinity purification and mass spectrometry was applied to measure the dynamics of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) interactomes during transactivation of the HIV-1 provirus. The interaction of CDK9 with PARP13 was found to significantly decrease during Tat-induced activation of HIV-1 gene transcription, suggesting the effectiveness of iSIPL strategy in dynamic analysis of protein-protein interaction in vivo. More than that, the proposed iSIPL strategy would facilitate large-scale accurate quantitative proteomics by increasing multiplexing capability.

Lymphocyte Subsets Are Associated with Disease Status in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: At present, studies on lymphocytes are mostly conducted on CD19+ B cells and CD27+ B cells in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs), but the exact changes in lymphocyte subsets (CD19+ B cells, CD3+ T cells, CD4+ Th cells, CD8+ Ts cells, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and NK [CD56+ CD16] cells) have rarely been studied. This study aimed to assess lymphocyte subset changes in patients with NMOSD. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of consecutive patients with acute NMOSD (n = 41), chronic NMOSD (n = 21), and healthy individuals (n = 44). Peripheral blood samples were obtained upon admission, and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Levels of lymphocyte subsets among 3 groups were compared and its correlation with the length of spinal cord lesions was analyzed. RESULTS: The levels of peripheral blood CD19+ B cells were significantly higher in patients with acute and chronic NMOSD than in healthy controls (HCs) (17.91 ± 8.7%, 13.08 ± 7.562%, and 12.48 ± 3.575%, respectively; p < 0.001) and were positively correlated with the length of spinal cord lesions in acute NMOSD (r = 0.433, p < 0.05). The peripheral blood CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly lower in patients with acute NMOSD and chronic NMOSD than in HCs (1.497 ± 0.6387, 1.33 ± 0.5574, and 1.753 ± 0.659, respectively; p < 0.05), and the levels of peripheral blood NK (CD56+ CD16) cells were significantly lower in patients with acute and chronic NMOSD than in HCs (13.6 ± 10.13, 11.11 ± 7.057, and 14.7 [interquartile range = 9.28], respectively; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The levels of certain subsets of peripheral blood lymphocytes are associated with disease status in NMOSD.

Self-management program for patients with chronic kidney disease (SMP-CKD) in Southern China: protocol for an ambispective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health problem. Short-term self-management has been considered to effect some renal and psychological endpoints. However, there are currently very few studies about self-management for CKD that a) have been scientifically designed by a theory-based framework and b) that evaluate the long-term effects and working mechanism. This study presents the rationale and design of a theory-based cohort study to explore how this self-management intervention works and its effectiveness on the Chinese CKD population. METHODS: In this ambispective intervention cohort study,1,200 patients with CKD stages 1-5 will be recruited from July 2015 to July 2024 in 3 branches of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (GPHCM) in Guangdong province, China. The patients in the self-management cohort will choose to receive an intervention that consists of education, nutrition/diet modification, lifestyle change recommendation, medication review, and psychology support based on Social Cognition Theory (SCT). The patients in the control cohort will do regular follow-ups based on the clinic rules. All the patients will be followed up for 5 years, or until the occurrence of a primary outcome. Detailed clinical, laboratory markers, nutritional status, psychological exposures and outcome questionaries will be collected semiannually in CKD stage 1-2 and trimonthly in stage 3-5 patients. The primary outcome is the occurrence of composite clinical endpoints (doubling of serum creatinine level, ESKD, loss of renal function (≥ 40% decline in GFR from baseline), death, major cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events). The main secondary outcomes include the absolute change and slope of eGFR, absolute changes of urinary protein creatinine ratio, 24-h urine proteinuria, intact parathyroid hormone level, and self-management adherence rate and quality of life from baseline to end of the study. The effectiveness of self-management will be analyzed and the association between longitudinal trajectories of self-management and renal outcomes will be evaluated. DISCUSSION: This study aims to provide further evidence for the effectiveness of theory-based self-management in CKD patients and to improve the lives of patients with CKD by slowing progression, improving psychological well-being and overall quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR1900024633). 19 July, 2019. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=38378.

The Treatment Efficiency and Microbiota Analysis of Sapindus mukorossi Seed Oil on the Ligature-Induced Periodontitis Rat Model.

Periodontitis is a common oral disease mainly caused by bacterial infection and inflammation of the gingiva. In the prevention or treatment of periodontitis, anti-bacterial agents are used to inhibit pathogen growth, despite increasing levels of bacterial resistance. Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn (SM) seed oil has proven anti-bacterial and anti-inflammation properties. However, the possibility of using this plant to prevent or treat periodontitis has not been reported previously. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SM oil on experimental periodontitis in rats by using micro-CT and microbiota analysis. The distance between cementoenamel junction (CEJ) and alveolar bone crest (ABC) on the sagittal micro-CT slide showed that total bone loss (TBL) was significantly lower in CEJ-ABC distances between SM oil and SM oil-free groups on Day 14. Histology data also showed less alveolar bone resorption, a result consistent result with micro-CT imaging. The microbiota analyzed at phylum and class levels were compared between the SM oil and SM oil-free groups on Day 7 and Day 14. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant bacterium. Firmicutes in box plot analysis was significantly less in the SM oil group than in the SM oil-free group on Day 7. At the class level, Bacteroidia, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Clostridia, and Erysipelotrichia were the dominant bacteria. The bacteria composition proportion of Bacilli, Clostridiay, and Erysipelotrichia could be seen in the SM oil group significantly less than in t SM oil-free group on Day 7. Overall, the present results show that topical application of SM oil can reduce bone resorption and change bacteria composition in the ligature-induced periodontitis model. According to these results, it is reasonable to suggest SM oil as a potential material for preventing oral disease.

Preparation of Calcium Phosphate Compounds on Zirconia Surfaces for Dental Implant Applications.

Titanium is widely used in medical implants despite the release of heavy metal ions over long-term use. Zirconia is very close to the color of teeth; however, its biological inertness hinders bonding with bone tissue. Alkaline treatment and coatings of calcium phosphate can be used to enhance bone regeneration adjacent to dental implants. This study examined the effects of alkaline treatment, calcium phosphate coatings, and sintering, on the physical properties of implant material. Our analysis confirmed that the calcium phosphate species were octacalcium phosphate (OCP). The sintering of calcium phosphate was shown to create B-type HAP, which is highly conducive toward the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into osteoblasts for the facilitation of bone integration. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the room-temperature fabrication of dental implants with superhydrophilic surfaces to enhance biocompatibility.

Magnesium Modified ß-Tricalcium Phosphate Induces Cell Osteogenic Differentiation In Vitro and Bone Regeneration In Vivo.

In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies have shown how the physicochemical and biological properties of ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) work in bone regeneration. This study aimed to improve the properties of ß-TCP by achieving optimum surface and bulk ß-TCP chemical/physical properties through the hydrothermal addition of magnesium (Mg) and to later establish the biocompatibility of ß-TCP/Mg for bone grafting and tissue engineering treatments. Multiple in vitro and in vivo analyses were used to complete ß-TCP/Mg physicochemical and biological characterization. The addition of MgO brought about a modest rise in the number of ß-TCP surface particles, indicating improvements in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity on day 21 (p < 0.05) and in the WST-1assay on all days (p < 0.05), with a corresponding increase in the upregulation of ALP and bone sialoprotein. SEM analyses stated that the surfaces of the ß-TCP particles were not altered after the addition of Mg. Micro-CT and histomorphometric analysis from rabbit calvaria critical defects resulted in ß-TCP/Mg managing to reform more new bone than the control defects and ß-TCP control at 2, 6, and 8 weeks (* p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001, and **** p ≤ 0.0001). The hydrothermal addition of MgO to the ß-TCP surfaces ameliorated its biocompatibility without altering its surface roughness resulting from the elemental composition while enhancing cell viability and proliferation, inducing more bone regeneration by osteoconduction in vivo and osteoblastic differentiation in vitro.

[Research Progress on Application of Sports Beverage to Post-exercise Fluid Restoration].

A good hydration status is important to the exercise performance and cognitive function of exercisers.The effective restoration of fluid balance after exercise is helpful to prevent dehydration,maintain body fluid balance,accelerate fatigue recovery,and enhance exercise performance.As the most effective sports nutrition supplement,sports beverage has different ingredients and formulas,and also has various effects.To provide clues for the development of sports beverage,this article reviews the types,components,effects,and mechanisms of sports beverage currently used in post-exercise fluid restoration.

[Effect of the Seasonal Adaptability on Carbohydrate-electrolyte Beverage Efforts on Post-exercise Rehydration in Healthy Young Men].

Objective To compare the effects of carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage on post-exercise rehydration of healthy young men in different seasons,and to explore the influence of seasonal adaptability on fluid and electrolyte balance.Methods Fifteen healthy men,aged(24.4±0.5)years,completed 2 trails in a random crossover design both in summer and winter.During recovery,they consumed a drink volume equivalent to 100% of their sweat loss with plain boiled water(the water group)or carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage(the beverage group).Recovery was monitored for further 180 minutes by the collection of blood and urine samples.Results The dehydration time in summer was significantly shorter by about 20 minutes than that in winter(t=3.045,P=0.004).In summer,the fluid retention rate of the beverage group was significantly higher than that of the water group at 120 minutes after rehydration [(83.7±2.8)% vs.(73.7±3.7)%,F=5.312,P=0.028],and significantly higher than the water group at 180 minutes [(74.8±3.6)% vs.(66.1±4.3)%,F=4.340,P=0.046].In winter,the fluid retention rate of the beverage group at 180 minutes after rehydration was significantly higher than that of the water group [(74.9±4.7)% vs.(68.0±6.0)%,F=4.128,P=0.048].There was no significantly seasonal difference in the fluid retention effect of carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage at 180 minutes after rehydration.In the beverage group,the changes of blood glucose and serum sodium levels(all P<0.05)in summer were significantly higher than those in winter at 10-180 minutes after rehydration,and the fractional excretion of sodium in summer was significantly higher in summer than in winter at 120 and 180 minutes after rehydration(F120=4.972,P=0.034;F180=8.425,P=0.007);however,there was no significant difference in plasma osmolality(all P> 0.05).For the water group,the plasma osmolality in winter was lower than that in summer,while the degree of dryness and thirst was higher in winter than in summer.Conclusions Seasonal adaptability influenced the hydration status and its regulating factors.People dehydrated faster after exercise in summer than in winter,and the hydration status was relatively stable in winter.However,in summer,the blood glucose and electrolytes responded more rapidly to carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage supply,and the plasma osmolality and subjective perception recovered faster.Therefore,during the 180-minute recovery period,the carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage had a higher rehydration efficiency in a short recovery time in summer although there was no significantly seasonal difference in the fluid retention rate.

Electrofluidic Circuit-Based Microfluidic Viscometer for Analysis of Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Liquids under Different Temperatures.

This paper reports a microfluidic viscometer with an integrated pressure sensor based on electrofluidic circuits, which are electrical circuits constructed by ionic liquid-filled microfluidic channels. The electrofluidic circuit provides a pressure-sensing scheme with great long-term and thermal stability. The viscosity of the tested fluidic sample is estimated by its flow resistance, which is a function of pressure drop, flow rate, and the geometry of the microfluidic channel. The viscometer can be exploited to measure viscosity of either Newtonian or non-Newtonian power-law fluid under various shear rates (3-500 1/s) and temperatures (4-70 °C) with small sample volume (less than 400 µL). The developed sensor-integrated microfluidic viscometer is made of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with transparent electrofluidic circuit, which makes it feasible to simultaneously image samples under tests. In addition, the entire device is disposable to prevent cross-contamination between samples, which is desired for various chemical and biomedical applications. In the experiments, viscosities of Newtonian fluids, glycerol water solutions with different concentrations and a mixture of pyrogallol and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and non-Newtonian fluids, xanthan gum solutions and human blood samples, have been characterized. The results demonstrate that the developed microfluidic viscometer provides a convenient and useful platform for practical viscosity characterization of fluidic samples for a wide variety of applications.

Investigation of microorganisms involved in kefir biofilm formation.

Kefir is a natural fermentation agent composed of various microorganisms. To address the mechanism of kefir grain formation, we investigated the microbial role in forming kefir biofilms. The results showed that a biofilm could be formed in kefir-fermented milk and the biofilm forming ability reached the maximum at 13 days. The strains Kluyveromyces marxianus, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus kefiri, Lactobacillus sunkii and Acetobacter orientalis were isolated from kefir biofilms by the streak-plate method. These microorganisms were analysed with respect to biofilm forming properties, including their surface characterisation (hydrophobicity and zeta potentials) and the microbial aggregation. The results indicated that Klu. marxianus possessed the strongest biofilm forming properties with the strongest hydrophobicity, lowest zeta potential and greatest auto-aggregation ability. When Klu. marxianus and Ac. orientalis were co-cultured with kefir LAB strains respectively, it was found that mixing Klu. marxianus with Lb. sunkii produced the highest co-aggregation ability. These results elucidated the mechanism of kefir biofilm formation and the microorganisms involved.

A simple prediction tool for inhaled corticosteroid response in asthmatic children.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled corticosteroids are recommended as the first-line controller medication for childhood asthma owing to their multiple clinical benefits. However, heterogeneity in the response towards these drugs remains a significant clinical problem. METHODS: Children aged 5 to 18 years with mild to moderate persistent asthma were recruited into the Taiwanese Consortium of Childhood Asthma Study. Their responses to inhaled corticosteroids were assessed based on their improvements in the asthma control test and peak expiratory flow. The predictors of responsiveness were demographic and clinical features that were available in primary care settings. We have developed a prediction model using logistic regression and have simplified it to formulate a practical tool. We assessed its predictive performance using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Of the 73 asthmatic children with baseline and follow-up outcome measurements for inhaled corticosteroids treatment, 24 (33%) were defined as non-responders. The tool we have developed consisted of three predictors yielding a total score between 0 and 5, which are comprised of the following parameters: the age at physician-diagnosis of asthma, sex, and exhaled nitric oxide. Sensitivity and specificity of the tool for prediction of inhaled corticosteroids non-responsiveness, for a score of 3, were 0.75 and 0.69, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the prediction tool was 0.763. CONCLUSIONS: Our prediction tool represents a simple and low-cost method for predicting the response of inhaled corticosteroids treatment in asthmatic children.

Chloroquine Inhibits Ca(2+) Signaling in Murine CD4(+) Thymocytes.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bitter-tasting chloroquine can suppress T cell activation by inhibiting Ca(2+) signaling. However, the mechanism of inhibition remains largely unclear. METHODS: In this study, CD4(+) T cells were isolated from the thymus, and the calcium content of CD4(+) thymocytes was measured using fura-2 AM and a TILL imaging system. Pyrazole-3 (Pyr3), thapsigargin (TG), and caffeine were used to assess the effects of chloroquine on the intracellular Ca(2+) content of CD4(+) T cells. RESULTS: In murine CD4(+) thymocytes, chloroquine decreased the TG-triggered intracellular Ca(2+) increase in a dose-dependent manner. In the absence of chloroquine under Ca(2+)-free conditions (0 mM Ca(2+) and 0.5 mM EGTA), TG induced a transient Ca(2+) increase. After restoration of the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration to 2 mM, a dramatic Ca(2+) increase occurred. This elevation was completely blocked by chloroquine and was markedly inhibited by Pyr3, a selective antagonist of transient receptor potential C3 (TRPC3) channel and stromal interaction molecule (STIM)/Orai channel. Furthermore, the TG-induced transient Ca(2+) increase under Ca(2+)-free conditions was eliminated in the presence of chloroquine. Chloroquine also blocked the dialyzed inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced intracellular Ca(2+) increase. However, chloroquine was not able to decrease the caffeine-induced Ca(2+) increase. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that chloroquine inhibits the elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) in thymic CD4(+) T cells by inhibiting IP3 receptor-mediated Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores and TRPC3 channel-mediated and/or STIM/Orai channel-mediated Ca(2+) influx.

Differences in the skin-surface laser Doppler signals between polycystic ovary syndrome and normal subjects.

BACKGROUND: Women with PCOS may present abnormal hemodynamic alterations and thus may develop vascular damage. This study performed LDF measurements on the skin surface around the leg to verify if beat-to-beat waveform and spectral analysis can help to discriminate the MBF characteristics between PCOS and healthy subjects. METHODS: ECG and LDF signals were obtained noninvasively in PCOS (n = 16) and control (n = 8) subjects. Beat-to-beat waveform and spectral analysis was performed on the LDF signals to obtain the AD, FDT, FRT, and REC of five frequency bands. RESULTS: FRT was significantly larger, AD was significantly smaller, REC of the myogenic-related band was significantly smaller and REC of the heartbeat-related band was significantly larger in the PCOS than in the control subjects. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to reveal that time-domain waveform and spectral analysis performed on skin-surface LDF signals can be used to discriminate the differences in the MBF perfusion condition and the microcirculatory regulatory activities at local vascular beds between PCOS and healthy subjects. These findings may aid the noninvasive early detection of PCOS-induced vascular damage.