[Application of Combined Special Staining in the Observation of Vascular Pathology].

Objective To evaluate the value of combined special staining technique in observing pathological changes in blood vessels. Methods Totally 999 vascular specimen were harvested from patients with complete medical records,clear diagnosis,and age≥18 years in the Pathology Department of Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2014 to September 2017.All specimen were stained with HE,Verhoef-Van Gieson,AB/PAS,and Masson. Then,the result of HE staining was compared with that of the combined special staining (Verhoef-Van Gieson,AB/PAS,and Masson).Results HE staining only showed a small amount of elastic fiber fracture. In contrast,the combined special staining clearly showed the pathological changes including fractures,decreased elastic fibers,and aggregation of extracellular mucous matrix. Diseases in these 999 patients included aneurysm of sinus of valsalva (SVA) (n=3),aortic root aneurysm (ARA) (n=177),thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) (n=78),abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) (n=17),total thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (tTAAA) (n=32),and aortic dissection (AD) (n=692). The median scores of combined special staining of SVA (Z=3.857,P=0.040),ARA (Z=14.307,P=0.000),TAA (Z=26.939,P=0.000),AAA (Z=22.412,P=0.000),tTAAA (Z=15.926,P=0.000),and AD (Z=39.213,P=0.000) were significantly higher than that of HE staining. Conclusion The combined Verhoeff-Van Gieson,AB/PAS,and Masson special staining is an effective technique for observing pathological changes of elastic fibers and mucus in blood vessels.

Variation of formal hydrogen-bonding networks within electronically delocalized π-conjugated oligopeptide nanostructures.

This photophysical study characterizes the generality of intermolecular electronic interactions present within nanomaterials derived from self-assembling oligopeptides with embedded π-conjugated oligophenylenevinylene (OPV) subunits stilbene and distyrylbenzene that in principle present two distinct ß-sheet motifs. Two different synthetic approaches led to oligopeptides that upon self-assembly are expected to self-assemble into multimeric aggregates stabilized by ß-sheet-like secondary structures. The target molecules express either two C-termini linked to the central OPV core (symmetric peptides) or the more common N-termini to C-termini polarity typical of natural oligopeptides (nonsymmetric peptides). Both peptide secondary structures were shown to form extended 1-D peptide aggregates with intimate intermolecular π-electron interactions. Differences in length of the π-conjugated OPV segments resulted in differing extents of intermolecular interactions and the resulting photophysics. The peptides containing the shorter stilbene (OPV2) units showed little ground state interactions and resulted in excimeric emission, while the longer distyrylbenzene (OPV3) peptides had different ground state interactions between adjacent π-conjugated subunits resulting in either perturbed electronic properties arising from exciton coupling or excimer-like excited states. Molecular dynamics simulations of nascent aggregate formation predict peptide dimerization to be a spontaneous process, possessing thermodynamic driving potentials in the range 2-6 kcal/mol for the four molecules considered. Antiparallel stacking of the peptides containing an OPV3 subunit is thermodynamically favored over the parallel orientation, whereas both arrangements are equally favored for the peptides containing an OPV2 subunit. This study validates the generality of peptide-π-peptide self-assembly to provide electronically delocalized supramolecular structures and suggests flexibility in peptide sequence design as a way to tune the material properties of π-conjugated supramolecular polymers.

Surgical treatment for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: report of 50 cases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study is to present the surgical treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and evaluate the treatment outcomes. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective analysis was made on 50 patients admitted between 2000 and 2008. All the patients were divided into two groups, 26 patients for the radical surgery group and 24 for the palliative surgery group. RESULTS: In the palliative surgery group, 10 patients died during the follow-up period, 2 patients presented with brain metastasis and 4 patients with lung metastasis, 1 patient had multiple lesions in the liver, 1 patient who received left hepatectomy had a new lesion in caudate lobe of the liver, 4 patients had postoperative jaundice, 3 had cholangitis and 4 patients had biliary leaks. There were also 3 patients lost in the follow-up period. In the radical surgery group, 22 patients were alive and asymptomatic without recurrence during the follow-up period, 3 patients had recurrent cholangitis and 4 patients had biliary leaks. Three patients were lost during the followup period in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Radical resection appears to be best treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis and palliative operation may cause a series of severe complications leading to death.

High-level soluble expression of recombinant human manganese superoxide dismutase in Escherichia coli, and its effects on proliferation of the leukemia cell.

Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) is one of the major enzymes responsible for the defense against oxidative damage due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria. The present study aimed to produce and evaluate the genetically engineered manganese superoxide dismutase protein. A recombinant plasmid containing DNA segment coding Mn-SOD protein was transformed into Escherichia coli (E. coli) Rosetta-gami strain, for expression. After induction with IPTG, an expected molecular mass of 25 kDa was detected by SDS-PAGE. After Ni-NTA affinity chromatography purification, the purity rate came up to 95%. UV spectroscopy data for our preparations indicated that a peak at 275 nm existed in the spectrum. SOD activity assay showed that the activity of the rhMn-SOD was 1890.9 U/mg. The ORAC level of rhMn-SOD was 151492.2 uM Trolox equiv/mg. Furthermore, in vitro bioactivity assay indicated that the rhMn-SOD protein can inhibit the proliferation of the leukemia K562 cells.

A2 adenosine receptor contributes to the development of cow's milk protein allergy via regulating regulatory T cells.

OBJECTIVES: A2 adenosine receptor (A2AR) is a novel promising target for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic diseases. However, its role in the development of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) has not been elucidated. The present study was designed to investigate the function of A2AR in CMPA development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to induce allergic responses. The model was assessed by detecting allergic responses and plasma-specific IgE levels. The levels of A2AR were measured by PCR and flow cytometry. The subpopulation of Treg cells was analysed. RESULTS: The mice sensitized and challenged with OVA showed classic allergic symptoms, such as acute allergic skin responses, increased anaphylactic shock symptom scores, and higher levels of total IgE, OVA-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a. OVA-sensitized mice and CMPA patients showed decreased levels of A2AR and Treg cells. Interestingly, we observed a positive correlation between A2AR expression and Treg levels in CMPA patients. Further study showed that the A2AR agonist CGS21680 blocked OVA-induced allergic reactions, and the A2AR antagonist KW-6002 amplified allergic responses. Interestingly, CGS21680 not only activated the A2AR-mediated signalling pathway but also caused an increase in the population of Treg cells. In contrast, KW-6002 therapy decreased the levels of Tregs in allergic mice. CONCLUSION: A2AR expression is downregulated in CMPA. The A2AR-mediated pathway negatively regulates the development of CMPA, at least in part, by amplifying the differentiation of Tregs.

Genomic full-length sequence of the HLA-A*24:20:01:01 allele, identified by cloning and sequencing.

Genomic full length sequence of HLA-A*24:20:01:01, was identified by cloning and sequencing from a Chinese donor.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Relation to the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Middle-Aged and Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent all over the world and dietary intakes of vitamin D are very low in China. In this study we aimed to determine whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients aged over 50 y. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations were measured in a cross-sectional sample of 270 T2DM patients aged over 50 y from Zhejiang. Data on demographic characteristics, anthropometry and other variables were collected. The mean of serum 25(OH)D was 22.93 ng/mL, and percentages of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were 43.71% and 39.63%, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly lower in subjects with MetS than in those without MetS (21.74 vs 24.96 ng/mL, p=0.001), and the prevalence of MetS significantly increased according to tertiles of serum 25(OH)D concentrations. After adjusting for multivariate factors, the adverse effect of lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations was significant (OR: 3.26, 95% CI: 1.03-7.34; p=0.044) in the group with BMI≥24 kg/m2 while the change in OR of MetS for each 10 ng/mL decrease in the serum 25(OH)D concentrations was 2.03 (95% CI: 1.10-3.79). These results suggest that serum 25(OH)D deficiency may be a risk factor of MetS among Chinese type 2 diabetic patients, especially in the T2DM with BMI≥24 kg/m2. The challenge is determining the mechanisms of vitamin D action for recommendation of vitamin D supplementation that reduces the risks of MetS and progression to T2DM.

Age-related changes of brain iron load changes in the frontal cortex in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a neurodegenerative brain disorder is a devastating pathology leading to disastrous cognitive impairments and dementia, associated with major social and economic costs to society. Iron can catalyze damaging free radical reactions. With age, iron accumulates in brain frontal cortex regions and may contribute to the risk of AD. In this communication, we investigated the age-related brain iron load changes in the frontal cortex of 6- and 12-month-old C57BL/6J (C57) and APPswe/PS1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) double transgenic mouse by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and Perls' reaction. In the present study, we also evaluated the age-related changes of DMT1 and FPN1 by using Western blot and qPCR. We found that compared with 6-month-old APP/PS1 mice and the 12-month-old C57 mice, the 12-month-old APP/PS1 mice had increased iron load in the frontal cortex. The levels of DMT1 were significantly increased and the FPN1 were significantly reduced in the frontal cortex of the 12-month-old APP/PS1 mice than that in the 6-month-old APP/PS1 mice and 12-month-old C57 mice. We conclude that in AD damage occurs in conjunction with iron accumulation, and the brain iron load associated with loss control of the brain iron metabolism related protein DMT1 and FPN1 expressions.

[Influence of catecholamines on myocardium in experimental septic shock].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of catecholamine on myocardium in rats with septic shock and its mechanism by biochemical and pathophysiological methods to evaluate the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism of myocardial damage and the influence of catecholamine on the myocardial injury. METHODS: Septic shock was replicated in rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Dobutamine (DB), norepinephrine (NE) and combination of DB and NE were used in the lowest dose. The rats were randomly divided into sham operations, CLP control group, CLP+DB group, CLP+NE group and CLP+DB+NE group, 8 rats in each group. Troponin I (cTnI) and total creatine kinase (CK) were measured, and myocardial tissue was examined under light microscopy and electron microscopy. RESULTS: An significantly increased cTnI level was found in CLP septic shock rats, compared with sham rats (P<0.05). In the present study, the use of DB or NE alone, or the combination of the two drugs, was not found to influence the cTnI levels. But, the total CK levels in catecholamine-treated group were significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between cTnI and CK levels. Morphological study confirmed the results of cTnI. Findings that were common in the myocardium of CLP septic shock rats included extracellular and intracellular edema as well as mitrochondrial injury. However, no conclusive evidence was found for the influence of catecholamine on myocardial damage. CONCLUSION: No evidence of the influence of catecholamine on myocardial damage is found. Pathological study suggests that myocardial injury is the result of ischemia.

[Effects of no-tillage and fertilization on paddy soil CH4 and N2O emissions and their greenhouse effect in central China].

By using static chamber-gas chromatographic techniques, the CH4 and N2O emissions from the paddy soil in southeast Hubei were measured. Four treatments were installed, i.e., no-tillage plus no-fertilization (NT0), conventional tillage plus no-fertilization (CT0), no-tillage plus fertilization (NTC), and conventional tillage plus fertilization (CTC). In all treatments, the CH4 emission had a seasonal variation of increasing first and decreasing then, while the N2O emission had no significant seasonal variation. Fertilization increased the CH4 and N2O emissions significantly. NT0 increased the CH4 emission and decreased the N2O emission significantly, compared with CT0; NTC only decreased the CH4 emission and increased the N2O emission slightly, compared with CTC. The analysis on the integrated greenhouse effect of CH4 and N2O showed that NT0 increased the effect by 25.9%, compared with CT0, while NTC decreased the effect by 10.1%, compared with CTC. Therefore, a reasonable arrangement of fertilization and no-tillage could reduce the integrated greenhouse effect of CH4 and N2O from paddy field.

Adapting the RUSLE and GIS to model soil erosion risk in a mountains karst watershed, Guizhou Province, China.

Soil erosion is a serious environmental problem in Guizhou Province, which is located in the centre of the karst areas of southwestern China. Unfortunately, Guizhou Province suffers from a lack of financial resources to research, monitor and model soil erosion at large watershed. In order to assess the soil erosion risk, soil erosion modeling at the watershed scale are urgently needed to be undertaken. This study integrated the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to estimate soil loss and identify the risk erosion areas in the Maotiao River watershed, which is a typical rural watershed in Guizhou Province. All factors used in the RUSLE were calculated for the watershed using local data. It was classified into five categories ranging from minimal risk to extreme erosion risk depending on the calculated soil erosion amount. The soil erosion map was linked to land use, elevation and slope maps to explore the relationship between soil erosion and environmental factors and identify the areas of soil erosion risk. The results can be used to advice the local government in prioritizing the areas of immediate erosion mitigation. The integrated approach allows for relatively easy, fast, and cost-effective estimation of spatially distributed soil erosion. It thus indicates that RUSLE-GIS model is a useful and efficient tool for evaluating and mapping soil erosion risk at a large watershed scale in Guizhou Province.

Reliability and validity of the GMFM-66 in 0- to 3-year-old children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the reliability and validity of a 66-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) to assess the gross motor functions of children <3 yrs old with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: 298 valid samples were obtained from 171 children with cerebral palsy (male 126, female 45, mean age 19 mos, age range 3-36 mos) measured with GMFM-88. Then a 73-item version of GMFM (GMFM-73) special for these children was obtained by Rasch analysis. GMFM-66 score and GMFM-73 scores of each sample were obtained. The reliability and validity of GMFM-66 were evaluated by analyzing the correlation between the scores and between the change scores of these two GMFM versions. The relative precision of GMFM-73 vs. GMFM-66 was also analyzed. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability and interscorer reliability of GMFM-66 were both high. The ICC scores were 0.9666 and 0.9782, respectively. Significant correlations were found between the scores (r = 0.9848, P < 0.001) and between the change scores (r = 0.8700, P < 0.001) of these two versions of GMFM. A 14% less gain in relative precision was achieved when using GMFM-73 vs. GMFM-66. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that the GMFM-66 had good reliability and validity in assessing the gross motor functions of children <3 yrs old with cerebral palsy. The GMFM-73 derived in the present study did not function significantly better for young children than GMFM-66.

[Investigation of immunological mechanism of the in vivo anti-tumor effect of K8 (C6H11N3O2)2[SiW9Ti3O40]] (WT)].

AIM: To investigate the in vivo anti-tumor effect of K(8)(C(6)H(11)N(3)O(2))(2)[SiW(9)Ti(3)O(40)] (WT) and the immunological mechanism. METHODS: WT was administrated intragastrically to mice bearing H22 hepatocarcinoma for 10 days and then the tumors were isolated and weighed. MTT colorimetry was used to detect lymphocyte transformation function and cytotoxicity of NK cells. The morphology of apoptotic tumor cells was observed under phase contrast microscope and light microscope after HE staining. The apoptosis rate of BEL-7402 cells treated with WT was detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, WT obviously inhibited the growth of H22 tumor in tumor bearing mice (P<0.05). It enhanced significantly lymphocyte transformation function and cytotoxicity of NK cells (P<0.05). Apoptotic tumor cells were observed under microscope and detected by flow cytometry. CONCLUSION: WT inhibits significantly the growth of tumor by up-regulating the activity of immunocytes and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells.