A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of the Current Status and Trends of Forensic Mixed Stain Research.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the context and hotspot changes of forensic mixed stain research through bibliometric approach. METHODS: The literature of forensic mixed stain included in the core collection of Web of Science database from 2011 to 2022 were collected as the study object, and the annual publication number, countrie (region), institution, journal, keywords, etc. were bibliometrically and visually analyzed using the R-based Bibliometrix 1.1.6 package and VOSviewer 1.6.18 software. RESULTS: A total of 732 articles on forensic mixed stain were included from 2011 to 2022, with the annual number of articles published and the annual citation frequency showing a steady increase year by year. Among the 59 countries (regions) with the most published articles, the United States ranked first with 246 articles, followed by China with 153 articles. The literature came from 104 journals, and the total number of articles published in the top 10 journals was 633. FORENSIC SCI INT GENET ranked first with 307 articles. Visual analysis using VOSviewer software showed that keywords could be divided into four research clusters, namely the genetic marker development group (blue), the mixed stain typing analysis theory group (red), the sequencing analysis group (yellow), and the case sample research group (green). It can be divided into four development stages in terms of different time periods: early development (2011-2013), middle development (2014-2016), rapid development (2017-2020) and latest development (2021-2022). CONCLUSIONS: The number of publications by domestic and foreign scholars in the study of mixed stain in forensic science is showing a relatively stable trend. Machine learning, next generation sequencing and other research have been the hottest topics that have attracted the most attention in recent years, which is expected to further develop the theory of mixed stain typing and sequencing analysis in forensic mixed stain research.

Effects of exergaming on cognitive functions and loneliness of older adults with cognitive frailty.

OBJECTIVES: Cognitive frailty combines physical frailty and cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia. The prompt detection of cognitive frailty and early implementation of preventive interventions may reduce the incidence of dementia. However, intervention studies of exergaming in older adults with cognitive frailty are scant. Therefore, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of exergaming on cognitive functions and loneliness among older adults with cognitive frailty. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental design. METHODS: Participants were recruited from four community settings. The experimental group participated in two 40-min group exergaming sessions weekly for eight weeks; the control group received usual care. The outcome measures were the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Chinese Version of the Loneliness Scale. Analyses of covariance were conducted to analyze whether exergaming influenced participants' cognitive functions and loneliness. In addition, the effect size of the posttest of the experimental group relative to its baseline value was calculated to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. RESULT: 69 older adults with cognitive frailty were included, and 35 and 34 were assigned to the experimental and control groups, respectively. The exergaming effectively improved the cognitive function of older adults with cognitive frailty. CONCLUSIONS: Exergaming interventions can effectively improve the cognitive functions of older adults with cognitive frailty but do not positively affect loneliness. We provide evidence to healthcare workers to apply exergaming interventions for older adults with cognitive frailty to improve cognitive function.

The small molecule chemical compound cinobufotalin attenuates resistance to DDP by inducing ENKUR expression to suppress MYH9-mediated c-Myc deubiquitination in lung adenocarcinoma.

The small molecule chemical compound cinobufotalin (CB) is reported to be a potential antitumour drug that increases cisplatin (DDP) sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we first found that CB decreased DDP resistance, migration and invasion in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Mechanistic studies showed that CB induced ENKUR expression by suppressing PI3K/AKT signalling to downregulate c-Jun, a negative transcription factor of ENKUR. Furthermore, ENKUR was shown to function as a tumour suppressor by binding to ß-catenin to decrease c-Jun expression, thus suppressing MYH9 transcription. Interestingly, MYH9 is a binding protein of ENKUR. The Enkurin domain of ENKUR binds to MYH9, and the Myosin_tail of MYH9 binds to ENKUR. Downregulation of MYH9 reduced the recruitment of the deubiquitinase USP7, leading to increased c-Myc ubiquitination and degradation, decreased c-Myc nuclear translocation, and inactivation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signalling, thus attenuating DDP resistance. Our data demonstrated that CB is a promising antitumour drug and may be a candidate chemotherapeutic drug for LUAD patients.

Analysis of Genetic Polymorphism and Population Genetic Structure of 57 Autosomal InDel Loci in Beichuan Qiang Population.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the genetic information of 57 autosomal InDel loci (A-InDels) included in AGCU InDel 60 fluorescence detection kit in the Beichuan Qiang population of Sichuan Province and evaluate its application value in forensic medicine. METHODS: A total of 200 unrelated healthy individuals from Beichuan Qiang population of Sichuan Province were typing detected by AGCU InDel 60 fluorescence detection kit. Allele frequencies and population genetic parameters of the 57 A-InDels were statistically analyzed and compared with the available data of 26 populations. RESULTS: After Bonferroni correction, there was no linkage disequilibrium between the 57 A-InDels, and all loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Except for rs66595817 and rs72085595, the minor allele frequencies of 55 A-InDels were above 0.3. PIC ranged from 0.298 3 to 0.375 0, CDP was 1-2.974 8×10-24, CPEduo was 0.999 062 660, and CPEtrio was 0.999 999 999. The calculation of the genetic distance showed that Beichuan Qiang population had the closest genetic distances with Beijing Han and South China Han populations, but far away from African populations. CONCLUSIONS: The 57 A-InDels in AGCU InDel 60 fluorescence detection kit have a good genetic polymorphism in Beichuan Qiang population of Sichuan Province, which can be used as effective supplemental for individual identification and paternity identification in forensic medicine.

Construction and evaluation of multidomain attention training to improve alertness attention, sustained attention, and visual-spatial attention in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyze the effects of multidomain attention training on alertness, sustained attention, and visual-spatial attention in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). DESIGN: The design used in this study was a two-arm, parallel group, double-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The participants of the study were seventy-eight older adults with MCI (mean age: 79.5 ± 7.9 years) from retirement centers and community housing for the elderly. INTERVENTION: The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (multidomain attention training, n = 39) or an active control group (n = 39). Both groups underwent training sessions for 45 minutes three times per week for 6 weeks (18 sessions in total). MEASURES: The main efficacy indicator was alertness (Trail Making Test Part B), sustained attention (Digit Vigilance Test), and visual-spatial attention (Trail Making Test Part A). The secondary outcome indicators were other cognitive functions (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] and Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA] subscales). Measurements were obtained at pretest, posttest, and 3 and 6 months after training. RESULTS: The results were analyzed by a generalized estimating equation (GEE), which indicated that attention outcomes (alertness, sustained attention, and visual-spatial attention) of the experimental group did not improve after training. However, the experimental group displayed a significant improvement in the attention, memory, and orientation of MMSE and MoCA subscales over a period of 6 months and also showed superior results compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Multidomain attention training demonstrated improved alertness and visual-spatial attention for posttest after 6 months. We also outline potential future advances in attention training for improving attention in older adults with MCI.

The Construction and Evaluation of Executive Attention Training to Improve Selective Attention, Focused Attention, and Divided Attention for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the immediate and long-term effects of executive attention training on selective attention, focused attention, and divided attention in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: A double-blind, multisite randomized controlled trial at five sites. Seventy participants (mean age: 78.19 ± 7.22 years) were assigned to an experimental group (executive attention training, n = 35) or an active control group (n = 35). The training duration was the same for both groups (45 minutes per session, 3 times per week, 18 sessions in total). Primary outcome measure was selective attention (Digit Span Task). Secondary outcome measures included focused attention (Stroop Color Word Test) and divided attention (Trail-Making Test Part B). Data were collected at pretest, post-test, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: In GEE analysis, findings indicated a significant improvement in selective attention at post-test, whereas divided attention showed significant reducing omission error at 3-month follow-up. There was no significant effect of group in focused attention associated with the executive attention training compared with active control group. CONCLUSION: The executive attention training significantly improved selective attention and divided attention performance. Future studies should identify transfer effects of attention training, and that can employ early screening to provide integrated attention training, and decrease its relevant risks on competency in performing daily activities, such as falling and driving.

Development and effectiveness of virtual interactive working memory training for older people with mild cognitive impairment: a single-blind randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: memory training is a potential intervention for retaining memory and reducing dementia risk in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVE: this study examined the effect of virtual interactive working memory training (VIMT) in older adults with MCI. DESIGN: single-blind, two-arm parallel-group, randomised controlled design. SETTING: retirement homes, institutions, and communities. SUBJECTS: a total of 66 older adults with MCI were recruited (mean age: 78.5 ± 7.6 years). METHODS: participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (VIMT, n = 33) or active control group (n = 33). The VIMT program used the CogniPlus (includes four training modules). Both groups attended 45 min sessions 3 times per week, a total of 36 sessions. The primary outcome was working memory; secondary outcomes were immediate memory, delayed memory, subjective memory complaints and global cognitive function. All variables were measured at pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: between group, the effect of working memory adjusted mean difference by 1.75 (95% CI: 0.56 to 2.94; P < 0.01) at post-test. The results were analysed by a generalised estimating equation, which indicated that VIMT group significantly improved working memory at post-test (P = 0.01) relative to the active control group. CONCLUSIONS: the applied VIMT program can enable older adults with MCI to maintain their working memory and reduce the rate of cognitive deterioration. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (no.: NCT02462135).

[Project to Increase the Percentage of Nursing Staffs Passing Clinical Ladder-3 Certification in the Intensive Care Unit].

BACKGROUND & PROBLEMS: Clinical ladder (CL)-3 nurses should have both an ability to integrate the clinical information of critically ill patients and to carry out the administrative work of the intensive care unit. However, in our unit, only 15.3% of nurses hold CL-3 certification, which is much lower than the hospital average of 23.1%. Thus, we initiated a project to raise this percentage in our unit. An analysis in January 2016 showed that the main obstacles to obtaining CL-3 certification in our unit were inability to write case reports, inadequate in-service education, and a lack of certified educators. PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to increase the number of CL-3-certified nurses in our intensive care unit. RESOLUTION: The resolution included holding courses on case report writing, briefings, and oral presentation techniques; assigning a preceptor to make nursing staff assignments; encouraging nurses to participate in the clinical nursing preceptor education training camp; and conducting practice tests using a multiple assessment tool. RESULTS: After implementation of this project, the percentage of unit nurses who had passed CL-3 increased to 39.0%. CONCLUSIONS: This project not only allowed our fellow nurses to share in the joy of clinical ladder advancement but also improved the atmosphere in the unit by encouraging self-development. This project helped stimulate professional growth among our staff and improved the quality of clinical care.

The effect of a researcher designated music intervention on hospitalised psychiatric patients with different levels of anxiety.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a music intervention on hospitalised psychiatric patients with different levels of anxiety. BACKGROUND: In clinical practice, psychiatric inpatients and nurses routinely suffer from anxiety. A music intervention may possibly be useful, but knowledge as to how useful and how effective it is in patients with different levels of anxiety is limited. DESIGN: The study design was a three-group, repeated-measures experimental study. METHODS: Subjects were 22 psychiatric patients who were divided into three groups based on their level of anxiety. They listened to 20 minutes of music each day for 10 days and were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory before and after the music intervention and at a one-week follow-up; an electroencephalogram and finger temperature were monitored before and during the music intervention. RESULTS: Anxiety levels of all three groups showed a significant difference (p = 0·0339) after the intervention. The difference alpha and beta electroencephalogram percentages for all three groups showed a significant difference (p = 0·04; p = 0·01). The finger temperature showed a non-significant difference (p = 0·41). CONCLUSIONS: A music intervention can effectively alleviate the anxiety of hospitalised psychiatric patients who suffer from all levels of anxiety. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study recommends a practice in alleviating anxiety. Effective lower-cost interventions to reduce anxiety in psychiatric inpatient settings would be of interest to nurses and benefit patients.

Comparing the Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictive Values of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination When Screening People for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: The study compared the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic value of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in screening for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, and 142 participants were screened for MCI and mild dementia by using the MoCA and MMSE. The receiver operating characteristic curves and the cutoff scores with the largest area under the curve (AUC) were determined and compared to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic value (positive predictive value [PPV] and negative predictive value [NPV]). RESULTS: The optimal MoCA cutoff scores for MCI and dementia were 24 and 20, respectively. According to these scores, the sensitivities were 0.88 and 0.79, the specificities were 0.74 and 0.80, the AUCs were 0.91 and 0.87, the PPVs were 0.93 and 0.74, and the NPVs were 0.74 and 0.87, respectively. The optimal cutoff MMSE scores for MCI and dementia were 27 and 24, respectively. Hence, the sensitivities were 0.88 and 0.84, the specificities were 0.70 and 0.86, the AUCs were 0.88 and 0.89, the PPVs were 0.94 and 0.80, and the NPVs were 0.81 and 0.88, respectively. CONCLUSION: In the Chinese population, the MoCA is more efficient in screening for MCI than for dementia, whereas the MMSE is more efficient in screening for dementia than for MCI. The MoCA and MMSE can be used by clinical staffs for quick and accurate cognitive impairment screening, thus facilitating early and appropriate clinical intervention and treatment.

The reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to translate the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale into Chinese and to evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) and the diagnostic properties (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) of the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale. BACKGROUND: The accurate detection of early dementia requires screening tools with favourable cross-cultural linguistic and appropriate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values, particularly for Chinese-speaking populations. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. METHODS: Overall, 130 participants suspected to have cognitive impairment were enrolled in the study. A test-retest for determining reliability was scheduled four weeks after the initial test. Content validity was determined by five experts, whereas construct validity was established by using contrasted group technique. The participants' clinical diagnoses were used as the standard in calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. RESULTS: The study revealed that the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale exhibited a test-retest reliability of 0.90, an internal consistency reliability of 0.71, an inter-rater reliability (kappa value) of 0.88 and a content validity index of 0.97. Both the patients and healthy contrast group exhibited significant differences in their cognitive ability. The optimal cut-off points for the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale in the test for mild cognitive impairment and dementia were 24 and 22, respectively; moreover, for these two conditions, the sensitivities of the scale were 0.79 and 0.76, the specificities were 0.91 and 0.81, the areas under the curve were 0.85 and 0.78, the positive predictive values were 0.99 and 0.83 and the negative predictive values were 0.96 and 0.91 respectively. CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale exhibited sound reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This scale can help clinical staff members to quickly and accurately diagnose cognitive impairment and provide appropriate treatment as early as possible.

Ultrasound irradiation combined with hydraulic cleaning on fouled polyethersulfone and polyvinylidene fluoride membranes.

In this study, an ultrasonic irradiation technique was utilized to mitigate the fouling of polyethersulfone (PES) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. The use of ultrasound at 20 kHz was applied to a dead-end microfiltration cell in order to mitigate fouling caused by the presence of colloidal bentonite particles. The effect of ultrasonic power and pulse duration on the permeate flux recovery was examined. Measurements indicate that an increase in ultrasonic power and longer pulse duration results to a higher permeate flux recovery. In order to reduce power consumption, a low to high power shift (LHPS) and pulsation method, were investigated. Methods of cleaning such as ultrasonic irradiation, ultrasonic cleaning with forward flushing and ultrasonic cleaning with backwashing were utilized and their cleaning efficiencies were examined. The cleaning performance was assessed using the clean water flux method and scanning electron microscope analysis of the cleaned membranes. Results showed that LHPS and pulsation method both improve the permeate flux recovery but were not able to attain the 93.97 and 74.88% flux recovery for PES and PVDF that was achieved by constant-15 W ultrasonic cleaning. In addition, forward flushing and backwashing may enhance the performance of ultrasonic cleaning at 9 W but could become disadvantageous at 15 W.

Test-Retest Reliability and Random Measurement Error of the Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire in Older Adults With Subjective Memory Complaints.

To examine the psychometric properties of the Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ) in older adults with subjective memory complaints. The three MMQ subscale (Satisfaction, Ability, and Strategy) was administered twice, with a 3-month interval. The test-retest reliability was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The random measurement error was examined by calculating the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC95). The test-retest reliabilities of the three MMQ subscales were generally acceptable. The SEM of the three MMQ subscales was higher than the acceptable criterion of 10%. Despite the influence of random measurement error, the change scores of the three MMQ subscales may represent true changes if they are larger than the MDC95 of 13.2 (Satisfaction), 18.4 (Ability), and 16.9 (Strategy). The MMQ appears to be a reliable measure for use in research settings, but may not yet be suitable for clinical use.

Distributions, sources, and backward trajectories of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at Lake Small Baiyangdian, Northern China.

Air samples were collected seasonally at Lake Small Baiyangdian, a shallow lake in northern China, between October 2007 and September 2008. Gas phase, particulate phase and dust fall concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The distribution and partitioning of atmospheric PAHs were studied, and the major sources were identified; the backward trajectories of air masses starting from the center of Lake Small Baiyangdian were calculated for the entire year. The following results were obtained: (1) The total concentration of 16 priority controlled PAHs (PAH16) in the gas phase was 417.2 ± 299.8 ng · m(-3), in the particulate phase was 150.9 ± 99.2 ng · m(-3), and in dust fall was 6930.2 ± 3206.5 ng · g(-1). (2) Vehicle emission, coal combustion, and biomass combustion were the major sources in the Small Baiyangdian atmosphere and accounted for 28.9%, 45.1% and 26.0% of the total PAHs, respectively. (3) Winter was dominated by relatively greater PAHs polluted northwesterly air mass pathways. Summer showed a dominant relatively clean southern pathway, whereas the trajectories in autumn and spring might be associated with high pollution from Shanxi or Henan province.

Exploring emergency physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour towards Choosing Wisely in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: In 2012, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation launched the Choosing Wisely campaign to reduce unnecessary care. However, it is unclear how much emergency physicians in Taiwan understand about Choosing Wisely. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of emergency physicians in Taiwan regarding Choosing Wisely and its related factors; the intention was to identify the baseline knowledge on the basis of which to promote Choosing Wisely in Taiwan. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study including emergency physicians in Taiwan as research subjects who answered online questionnaires. A 42-item questionnaire was designed according to the Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviour model (KAB). The questionnaire linkages were delivered to emergency physicians through social media (eg., Line, Facebook) and received assistance from different hospital directors. A total of 162 valid questionnaires were collected. Data analyses include t-test, analysis of variance, chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, and multivariate linear regression model. RESULTS: The study determined that although only 38.9% of emergency physicians had heard of Choosing Wisely, the mean correct rate of knowledge score among emergency physicians was 70.1%. Attitude and the behaviour related to Choosing Wisely were positively associated, which means that the more positive the attitude towards Choosing Wisely is, the more positive the behaviour towards Choosing Wisely is. In multiple linear regression analyses, having served as a supervisor, belonging to divisions of health insurance service, and having heard of Choosing Wisely (P < 0.05) positively affect the knowledge of Choosing Wisely, but age presented a negative association. CONCLUSION: This study found that physicians' knowledge does not influence their attitudes and behaviours, which may be related to barriers of practicing Choosing Wisely activities. To effectively promote Choosing Wisely campaign, it is recommended to focus on the significant factors associated with emergency physicians' perceptions regarding knowledge, attitude, and behavior of Choosing Wisely. Based on these factors, appropriate practice guidelines for Choosing Wisely can be formulated and promoted.

Z-DNA/RNA Binding Protein 1 Senses Mitochondrial DNA to Induce Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase-3/Mixed Lineage Kinase Domain-Like-Driven Necroptosis in Developmental Sevoflurane Neurotoxicity.

Developmental sevoflurane exposure leads to widespread neuronal cell death known as sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity (SIN). Receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL)-driven necroptosis plays an important role in cell fate. Previous research has shown that inhibition of RIPK1 activity alone did not attenuate SIN. Since RIPK3/MLKL signaling could also be activated by Z-DNA/RNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1), the present study was designed to investigate whether ZBP1-mediated and RIPK3/MLKL-driven necroptosis is involved in SIN through in vitro and in vivo experiments. We found that sevoflurane priming triggers neuronal cell death and LDH release in a time-dependent manner. The expression levels of RIPK1, RIPK3, ZBP1 and membrane phosphorylated MLKL were also dramatically enhanced in SIN. Intriguingly, knockdown of RIPK3, but not RIPK1, abolished MLKL-mediated neuronal necroptosis in SIN. Additionally, inhibition of RIPK3-mediated necroptosis with GSK'872, rather than inhibition of apoptosis with zVAD, significantly ameliorated SIN. Further investigation showed that sevoflurane treatment causes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release into the cytosol. Accordingly, ZBP1 senses cytosolic mtDNA and consequently activates RIPK3/MLKL signaling. This conclusion was reinforced by the evidence that knockdown of ZBP1 or depleting mtDNA with ethidium bromide remarkably improved SIN. Finally, the administration of the RIPK3 inhibitor GSK'872 relieved sevoflurane-induced spatial and emotional disorders without influence on locomotor activity. Altogether, these results illustrate that ZBP1 senses cytosolic mtDNA to induce RIPK3/MLKL-driven necroptosis in SIN. Elucidating the role of necroptosis in SIN will provide new insights into understanding the mechanism of anesthetic exposure in the developing brain.

The effect of feed salinity on the biofouling dynamics of seawater desalination.

A persistent cell labeling dye and a novel microbial counting method were used to explore the effects of salinity on a microbial population in a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system, and these clearly distinguished microbial cell multiplication from cell adherence. The results indicated that microbial multiplication is more active at the front of a seawater RO pressure vessel, while adhesion dominates the back of the vessel. A severe reduction in RO permeate flux and total dissolved solid (TDS) rejection were detected at low salinity, attributed to marked cell multiplication and release of extracellular polymeric substances, whilst a relatively stable flux was observed at medium and high salinity. The results from PCR-DGGE revealed the variation in microbial species distribution on the membrane with salinity. The results imply the critical role of membrane modification in biofouling mitigation in the desalination process.

Caveolin-1 enhances resveratrol-mediated cytotoxicity and transport in a hepatocellular carcinoma model.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol (RES), an estrogen analog, is considered as a potential cancer chemo-preventive agent. However, it remains unclear how RES is transported into cells. In this study, we observed that Caveolin-1(CAV1) expression can increase the cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity of RES in a dose- and time-dependent manner both in vitro and in vivo in a Hepatocellular Carcinoma animal model. METHODS: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated that RES intra-cellular concentration is increased about 2-fold in cells stably expressing CAV1 or CAVM1 (a scaffolding domain (81-101AA)-defective CAV1 mutant) compared to the untransduced human Hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2) or after transduction with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) control vector. The increased intra-cellular transport of RES was abolished in cells stably expressing CAVM2 (a cholesterol shuttle domain (143-156AA)-defective CAV1 mutant) or CAVRNAi. In order to further characterize CAV1-dependent RES transport, we synthesized RES-dansyl chloride derivatives as fluorescent probes to visualize the transport process, which demonstrated a distribution consistent with that of CAV1 in HepG2 cells. RESULTS: In addition, RES endocytosis was not mediated by estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta, as suggested by lack of competitive inhibition by estrogen or Tamoxifen. Pathway analysis showed that RES can up-regulate the expression of endogenous CAV1; this activates further the MAPK pathway and caspase-3 expression. DISCUSSION: This study provides novel insights about the role played by CAV1 in modulating cellular sensitivity to RES through enhancement of its internalization and trafficking.

Chemokine SR-PSOX/CXCL16 expression in peripheral blood of patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Scavenger receptor that binds phosphatidylserine and oxidized lipoprotein/CXC chemokine ligand 16 (SR-PSOX/CXCL16) promotes foam cell formation through the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mediated mechanism. Because chemokine CXCL16 could be expressed in atherosclerotic lesions and induce smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, we presume that the monocyte SR-PSOX/CXCL16 detection in the patients' peripheral blood will be important for early diagnosis and prognosis of atherosclerosis (AS). METHODS: Enrolled in this study were 40 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including 20 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 20 patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP), and 20 normal controls. Monocytes in the peripheral blood were isolated, and the changes of expression of CXCL16/SR-PSOX mRNA were compared using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), with beta-actin as internal control. We compared the expression of CXCL16/SR-PSOX in the ACS subgroups, using Western-blot to analyze protein expression levels. Tissue sections were made from biopsy specimens taken from patients with infective endocarditis, liver cirrhosis, and lung cancer as well as normal controls. And the expression of CXCL16/SR-PSOX was analyzed with a confocal microscope. RESULTS: The expression of CXCL16/SR-PSOX mRNA and protein in the monocytes of peripheral blood was significantly higher in ACS patients than in normal controls (P < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in CXCL16/SR-PSOX expression between UAP group and AMI group (P > 0.05). Immunofluorescence showed that there were low expression of SR-PSOX in normal vascular endothelial cells and enhanced expression in every layer of the infected vessels, while spreading from endothelial cells to surrounding tissues as infection worsens. Confocal microscopy showed that the expression of SR-PSOX was enhanced in the infiltrated lymphocytes in liver cirrhosis, and that the expression level was proportionate to the degree of inflammation in the portal hepatis and folia. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of CXCL16/SR-PSOX in the monocytes of peripheral blood was significantly higher in ACS patients than in the controls. CXCL16/SR-PSOX-mediated inflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of ACS, and CXCL16 may play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of AS in humans.

[Study on effect of sho-saiko-to compound on growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in CNE-bearing nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of sho-saiko-to compound (SSTC) on the growth of the well-differentiated squamous cell line 1 of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CNE-1) and well-differentiated CNE-2 in tumor-bearing nude mouse, and try to supply scientific data for its clinical development. METHOD: SSTC were prepared by concentration gradients, and the effect of SSTC on the growth and proliferation of the CNE-1 and CNE-2 were investigated by MT assay and soft-agar colony formation test. After setting up the subcutaneous tumor-bearing nude mouse model at the right lower back (0.2 mL CNE-2 cell suspension, 5 x 10(5)/mL), we randomly divided forty mice into 5 groups and gave high, middle and low concentration groups of SSTC (0.5, 0.25, 0.125 g X mL(-1) by intragastric administration. Positive and negative groups were set up for comparison. After constant administration for 15 days, the volume and weight of the tumor were measured for inhibition rate, so as to investigate the role of SSTC on the CNE-2 bearing tumor. RESULT: In vitro, compared with negative control, SSTC at different gradient concentrations were cultured with the CNE-1 and CNE-2 for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. It showed that the growth and proliferation of both cell lines were inhibited to some extent. The inhibition rate was increased as the concentration and culture time increasing. Both MTT assay and soft-agar colony formation test showed that the 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) was about 2.5 g X L(-1). In vivo, compared with negative control, the SSTC could slow down the tumor growth in the SSTC treated groups. The tumor growth of the negative control group (0.76 +/- 0.28) g, (962.88 +/- 245.96) mm3 and the low concentration group of SSTC (0.88 +/- 0.40) g, (1239.66 +/- 421.93) mm3 were obviously faster than those of the high, middle concentration group of SSTC (0.22 +/- 0.14) g, (239.31 +/- 137.07) mm3; (0.20 +/- 0.16) g, (263.42 +/- 166.57) mm3 and CTX positive control group (0.20 +/- 0.10) g, (246.72 +/- 194.6) mm3 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: SSTC could efficiently inhibit the growth and proliferation of CNE-1 and CNE-2 in vitro, and slow down the tumor growth of the CNE-2 bearing nude mice. It may be a new compound of Chinese medicine for nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy.