The effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasonography findings to distinguish benign and malignant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Accurate evaluation of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is necessary to inform clinical decision-making. But it is still difficult to distinguish benign and malignant IPMN preoperatively. This study aims to evaluate the utility of EUS to predict the pathology of IPMN. METHODS: Patients with IPMN who underwent endoscopic ultrasound within 3 months before surgery were collected from six centers. Logistic regression model and random forest model were used to determine risk factors associated with malignant IPMN. In both models, 70% and 30% of patients were randomly assigned to the exploratory group and validation group, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and ROC were used in model assessment. RESULTS: Of the 115 patients, 56 (48.7%) had low-grade dysplasia (LGD), 25 (21.7%) had high-grade dysplasia (HGD), and 34 (29.6%) had invasive cancer (IC). Smoking history (OR = 6.95, 95%CI: 1.98-24.44, p = 0.002), lymphadenopathy (OR = 7.91, 95%CI: 1.60-39.07, p = 0.011), MPD > 7 mm (OR = 4.75, 95%CI: 1.56-14.47, p = 0.006) and mural nodules > 5 mm (OR = 8.79, 95%CI: 2.40-32.24, p = 0.001) were independent risk factors predicting malignant IPMN according to the logistic regression model. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.895, 0.571, and 0.795 in the validation group. In the random forest model, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.722, 0.823, and 0.773, respectively. In patients with mural nodules, random forest model could reach a sensitivity of 0.905 and a specificity of 0.900. CONCLUSIONS: Using random forest model based on EUS data is effective to differentiate benign and malignant IPMN in this cohort, especially in patients with mural nodules.

Risk factor analysis for adverse prognosis of the fetal ventricular septal defect (VSD).

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common subtype of congenital heart disease. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether chromosome aberration was associated with the occurrence of VSD and evaluate the association of VSD size, location and chromosome aberration with adverse outcomes in the Chinese fetuses. METHODS: Fetuses with VSD and comprehensive follow-up data were included and evaluated retrospectively. Medical records were used to collect epidemiological data and foetal outcomes. For VSD fetuses, conventional karyotype and microarray analysis were conducted. After adjusting confounding factors by using multivariable logistic regression analyses, the association between chromosome variations and VSD occurrence was explored. The association between defect size, location and chromosome aberrations and adverse foetal outcomes was also investigated. RESULTS: Chromosome aberration was the risk factor for VSD occurrence, raising 6.5-fold chance of developing VSD. Chromosome aberration, peri-membranous site and large defect size of VSD were significant risk factors of adverse fetal outcome. Chromosome aberrations, including pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) and variations of uncertain significance (VUS), were both risk factors, increasing the risk of the adverse fetal outcome by 55.9 times and 6.7 times, respectively. The peri-membranous site would increase 5.3-fold risk and defects larger than 5 mm would increase the 7.1-fold risk for poor fetal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The current investigation revealed that chromosomal abnormalities, large defects, and the peri-membranous site were all risk factors for poor fetal outcomes. Our study also indicated that chromosome aberration was one of risk factors for the VSD occurrence.

Neuroprotection of Emodin by Inhibition of Microglial NLRP3 Inflammasome-Mediated Pyroptosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation triggered by chronic cerebral ischemia-induced microglial pyroptosis is a significant contributor to vascular cognitive impairment. It has been shown that emodin possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, however, it's potential molecular and signaling transduction pathway remains to be illuminated. This study researched the neuroprotective mechanisms of emodin focussing on emodin effects on lipopolysaccharide/adenosine triphosphate (LPS/ATP)-caused pyroptosis in BV2 cells and HT-22 hippocampal neurons. METHODS: To explore the neuroprotective effect of emodin, Emodin was applied to BV2 cells, HT-22 hippocampal neurons, and BV2/HT-22 co-cultures stimulated with LPS/ATP to evaluate the cell morphology, levels of inflammatory factors, NLRP3 inflammatory inflammasome activity and focal pyroptosis-related protein expression, as same as neuronal apoptosis. RESULTS: Emodin alleviated LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis of BV2 cells by preventing the activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the cleavage of pyroptosis executive protein Gasdermin D (GSDMD). Furthermore, levels of interleukin (IL)-18, IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were reduced, the apoptosis of HT-22 hippocampal neurons was attenuated, and cell viability was restored. CONCLUSIONS: Emodin can antagonize microglial neurotoxicity by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

lncRNA XIST induces Aß accumulation and neuroinflammation by the epigenetic repression of NEP in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia globally, but effective treatment is lacking. We aimed to explore lncRNA XIST role in AD and the mechanisms involved in the effect of changes in lncRNA XIST on the expression of Aß-degrading enzymes. The mouse model of AD and the cell model induced by Aß were established. LncRNA XIST, IDE, NEP, Plasmin, ACE, EZH2 expressions and distribution of XIST in the nucleus and cytoplasm were detected by qRT-PCR. Inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1ß, TNFα, IL-8, and Aß42 levels were detected by ELISA. TUNEL was used to measure brain tissue damage. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry detected cell apoptosis. RIP validated the combination of XIST and EZH2. ChIP verified that XIST recruits EZH2 to mediate enrichment of HEK27me3 in the NEP promoter region. The protein expression in brain tissues and cells was detected by Western blot. The expression of lncRNA XIST was increased in AD mice and cell models. Inflammation and injury of nerve cells occurred in AD mice and cell models. The knockdown of lncRNA XIST alleviated Aß-induced neuronal inflammation and damage. LncRNA XIST affected the expression of Aß-degrading enzyme NEP, and lncRNA XIST was negatively correlated with NEP expression in AD mice. LncRNA XIST regulated NEP expression partly through epigenetic regulation by binding with EZH2. LncRNA XIST mediated neuronal inflammation and injury through epigenetic regulation of NEP. Overall, our study found that lncRNA XIST induced Aß accumulation and neuroinflammation by the epigenetic repression of NEP in AD.

Silencing of CYP6AS160 in Solenopsis invicta Buren by RNA interference enhances worker susceptibility to fipronil.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play a key role in pest resistance to insecticides by detoxification. Four new P450 genes, CYP6AS160, CYP6AS161, CYP4AB73 and CYP4G232 were identified from Solenopsis invicta. CYP6AS160 was highly expressed in the abdomen and its expression could be induced significantly with exposure to fipronil, whereas CYP4AB73 was not highly expressed in the abdomen and its expression could not be significantly induced following exposure to fipronil. Expression levels of CYP6AS160 and CYP4AB73 in workers were significantly higher than that in queens. RNA interference-mediated gene silencing by feeding on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) found that the levels of this transcript decreased (by maximum to 64.6%) when they fed on CYP6AS160-specific dsRNA. Workers fed dsCYP6AS160 had significantly higher mortality after 24 h of exposure to fipronil compared to controls. Workers fed dsCYP6AS160 had reduced total P450 activity of microsomal preparations toward model substrates p-nitroanisole. However, the knockdown of a non-overexpressed P450 gene, CYP4AB73 did not lead to an increase of mortality or a decrease of total P450 activity. The knockdown effects of CYP6AS160 on worker susceptibility to fipronil, combined with our other findings, indicate that CYP6AS160 is responsible for detoxification of fipronil. Feeding insects dsRNA may be a general strategy to trigger RNA interference and may find applications in entomological research and in the control of insect pests in the field.

Plant volatile compound methyl benzoate is highly effective against Spodoptera frugiperda and safe to non-target organisms as an eco-friendly botanical-insecticide.

Recent studies have indicated that the plant volatile methyl benzoate (MB) exhibits significant insecticidal bioactivity against several common insects. However, the potential environmental hazards of MB and its safety to non-target organisms is poorly understood. In the present study, these characteristics were investigated through laboratory experiments and field investigations. The results revealed that MB was highly toxic to the agricultural pest, fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. Compared with the commercial pesticide lambda-cyhalothrin, the toxicities of MB against S. frugiperda larvae and adults were comparable and 3.41 times higher, respectively. Behavioral bioassays showed that the percentage repellency of MB to S. frugiperda larvae was 56.72 %, and MB induced 69.40 % oviposition deterrence rate in S. frugiperda female adults. Furthermore, in terms of median lethal concentration (LC50) and median lethal doses (LD50), MB exhibited non-toxic effects on non-target animals with 3-d LC50 of > 1 % to natural predators (Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis), 3-d LD50 of 467.86 µg/bee to the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, 14-d LC50 of 971.09 mg/kg to the earthworm Eisenia fetida, and 4-d LC50 of 47.30 mg/L to the zebrafish Brachydanio rerio. The accumulation of MB in the soil and earthworms was found to be extremely limited. Our comparative study clearly demonstrated that MB is effective as a selective botanical pesticide against S. frugiperda and it is safe to use in the tested environment, with no toxic effects on non-target animals and natural predators.

MicroRNA-263b confers imidacloprid resistance in Sitobion miscanthi (Takahashi) by regulating the expression of the nAChRß1 subunit.

The Chinese wheat aphid Sitobion miscanthi (CWA) is an important harmful pest in wheat fields. Imidacloprid plays a critical role in controlling pests with sucking mouthparts. However, imidacloprid-resistant pests have been observed after insecticide overuse. Point mutations and low expression levels of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ß1 (nAchRß1) subunit are the main imidacloprid-resistant mechanisms. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying nAChRß1 subunit expression is poorly understood. In this study, a target of miR-263b was isolated from the 5'UTR of the nAchRß1 subunit in the CWA. Low expression levels were found in the imidacloprid-resistant strain CWA. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-263b could combine with the 5'UTR of the nAChRß1 subunit and suppress its expression by binding to a site in the CWA. Aphids treated with the miR-263b agomir exhibited a significantly reduced abundance of the nAchRß1 subunit and increased imidacloprid resistance. In contrast, aphids treated with the miR-263b antagomir exhibited significantly increased nAchRß1 subunit abundance and decreased imidacloprid resistance. These results provide a basis for an improved understanding of the posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism of the nAChRß1 subunit and further elucidate the function of miRNAs in regulating susceptibility to imidacloprid in the CWA. These results provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of posttranscriptional regulation of nAChRß1 and will be helpful for further studies on the role of miRNAs in the regulation of nAChRß1 subunit resistance in homopteran pests.

Transcriptome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the JAZ Gene Family in Mentha canadensis L.

Jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins are the crucial transcriptional repressors in the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling process, and they play pervasive roles in plant development, defense, and plant specialized metabolism. Although numerous JAZ gene families have been discovered across several plants, our knowledge about the JAZ gene family remains limited in the economically and medicinally important Chinese herb Mentha canadensis L. Here, seven non-redundant JAZ genes named McJAZ1-McJAZ7 were identified from our reported M. canadensis transcriptome data. Structural, amino acid composition, and phylogenetic analysis showed that seven McJAZ proteins contained the typical zinc-finger inflorescence meristem (ZIM) domain and JA-associated (Jas) domain as conserved as those in other plants, and they were clustered into four groups (A-D) and distributed into five subgroups (A1, A2, B1, B2, and D). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that seven McJAZ genes displayed differential expression patterns in M. canadensis tissues, and preferentially expressed in flowers. Furthermore, the McJAZ genes expression was differentially induced after Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, and their transcripts were variable and up- or down-regulated under abscisic acid (ABA), drought, and salt treatments. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that McJAZ proteins are localized in the nucleus or cytoplasm. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays demonstrated that McJAZ1-5 interacted with McCOI1a, a homolog of Arabidopsis JA receptor AtCOI1, in a coronatine-dependent manner, and most of McJAZ proteins could also form homo- or heterodimers. This present study provides valuable basis for functional analysis and exploitation of the potential candidate McJAZ genes for developing efficient strategies for genetic improvement of M. canadensis.

Nurse-patient interaction and self-transcendence: assets for a meaningful life in nursing home residents?

BACKGROUND: Due to the shift to an older population worldwide and an increased need for 24-h care, finding new and alternative approaches to increase wellbeing among nursing home (NH) residents is highly warranted. To guide clinical practice in boosting wellbeing among NH residents, knowledge about nurse-patient interaction (NPI), inter- (ST1) and intra-personal (ST2) self-transcendence and meaning-in-life (PIL) seems vital. This study tests six hypotheses of the relationships between NPI, ST1, ST2 and PIL among cognitively intact NH residents. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, 188 (92% response rate) out of 204 long-term NH residents representing 27 NHs responded to NPI, ST, and the PIL scales. Inclusion criteria were: (1) municipality authority's decision of long-term NH care; (2) residential time 3 months or longer; (3) informed consent competency recognized by responsible doctor and nurse; and (4) capable of being interviewed. The hypothesized relations between the latent constructs were tested through structural equation modeling (SEM) using Stata 15.1. RESULTS: The SEM-model yielded a good fit (χ2 = 146.824, p = 0.021, df = 114, χ2/df = 1.29 RMSEA = 0.040, p-close 0.811, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.063), supporting five of the six hypothesized relationships between the constructs of NPI, ST1, ST2 and PIL. CONCLUSION: NPI significantly relates to both ST1, ST2 and PIL in NH residents. ST revealed a fundamental influence on perceived PIL, while NPI demonstrated a significant indirect influence on PIL, mediated by ST.

A novel model for predicting the outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage: Based on 1186 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a model for predicting the outcome according to the clinical and computed tomography(CT) image data of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH). METHODS: The clinical and CT image data of the patients with ICH in Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital and Xuzhou Central Hospital were collected. The risk factors related to the poor outcome of the patients were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. To determine the effect of factors related to poor outcome, the nomogram model was made by software of R 3.5.2 and the support vector machine operation was completed by software of SPSS Modelor. RESULTS: A total of 8265 patients were collected and 1186 patients met the criteria of the study. Age, hospitalization days, blend sign, intraventricular extension, subarachnoid hemorrhage, midline shift, diabetes and baseline hematoma volume were independent predictors of poor outcome. Among these factors, baseline hematoma volume๥20ml (odds ratio:13.706, 95% confidence interval:9.070-20.709, p < 0.001) was the most significant factor for poor outcome, followed by the volume among 10ml-20ml (odds ratio:11.834, 95% confidence interval:7.909-17.707, p < 0.001). It was concluded that the highest percentage of weight in outcome was baseline hematoma volume (25.0%), followed by intraventricular hemorrhage (23.0%). CONCLUSION: This predictive model might accurately predict the outcome of patients with ICH. It might have a wide range of application prospects in clinical.

Identification of microRNAs and their response to the stress of plant allelochemicals in Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of short non-coding RNAs involved in the inhibition of protein translation or in mRNA degradation. Although the regulatory roles of miRNAs in various biological processes have been investigated, there is as yet an absence of studies about the regulatory roles of miRNAs involved in the metabolism of plant allelochemicals in insects. RESULTS: We constructed five small RNA libraries from apterous Aphis gossypii adults that had fed on an artificial diet containing various allelochemicals. Using Illumina sequencing, a total of 73.27 million clean reads was obtained, and 292 miRNAs were identified from A. gossypii. Comparative analysis of read counts indicated that both conserved and novel miRNAs were differently expressed among the five libraries, and the differential expression was validated via qRT-PCR. We found that the transcript levels of several miRNAs were increased or decreased in all of the allelochemical treatment libraries compared to the control. The putative target genes of the miRNAs were predicted using in silico tools, and the target genes of several miRNAs were presumed to be involved in the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds. Furthermore, the target prediction results were confirmed using dual luciferase reporter assay, and Ago-miR-656a-3p was demonstrated to regulate the expression of CYP6J1 post-transcriptionally through binding to the 3' UTR of CYP6J1. CONCLUSION: Our research results indicate that miRNAs may be involved in the metabolism of plant allelochemicals in A. gossypii, and these results also represent an important new small RNA genomics resource for further studies on this topic.

RNAi-Induced Electrophysiological and Behavioral Changes Reveal two Pheromone Binding Proteins of Helicoverpa armigera Involved in the Perception of the Main Sex Pheromone Component Z11-16:Ald.

Pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) are thought to play key roles in insect sex pheromone recognition; however, there is little in vivo evidence to support this viewpoint in comparison to abundant biochemical data in vitro. In the present study, two noctuid PBP genes HarmPBP1 and HarmPBP2 of the serious agricultural pest, Helicoverpa armigera were selected to be knocked down by RNA interference, and then the changes in electrophysiological and behavioral responses of male mutants to their major sex pheromone component (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald) were recorded. There were no significant electrophysiological or behavioral changes of tested male moths in response to Z11-16:Ald when either single PBP gene was knocked down. However, decreased sensitivity of male moths in response to Z11-16:Ald was observed when both HarmPBP1 and HarmPBP2 genes were silenced. These results reveal that both HarmPBP1 and HarmPBP2 are required for the recognition of the main sex pheromone component Z11-16:Ald in H. armigera. Furthermore, these findings may help clarify physiological roles of moth PBPs in the sex pheromone recognition pathway, which in turn could facilitate pest control by exploring sex pheromone blocking agents.

Monitoring insecticide resistance and diagnostics of resistance mechanisms in the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in China.

Myzus persicae (Sulzer) is one of the most serious agricultural pests in China, and management strategies mainly rely on insecticidal treatment. To evaluate the resistance of field populations of M. persicae to seven insecticides, we assessed the susceptibility of 11 field populations collected from eight provinces in China using leaf-dip bioassays. Toxicity assays showed that M. persicae field populations have developed several levels of resistance to each tested insecticide. For pyrethroids, the field populations have developed a high level of resistance to ß-cypermethrin and cypermethrin, while the resistance to bifenthrin is still low. The resistance ratios of field populations to imidacloprid ranged from 1.48 to 52.36, and eight populations have developed moderate to high resistance. Resistance to acetamiprid is low, and only two populations have a moderate level of resistance. Most of the field populations of M. persicae developed moderate to high resistance to methomyl and omethoate. To investigate potential resistance mechanisms, we analyzed the enzyme activity of carboxylesterases, the type of amplified esterase genes, as well as the kdr (L1014F) mutation. All of the field populations exhibited a higher esterase activity compared to the laboratory susceptible strain. An amplified FE4, as well as the L1014F mutation, were also found in all of our experimental field populations. These results provide valuable insight into the current status of insecticide resistance and will prove to be a valuable resource in designing appropriate resistance management strategies for M. persicae in China.

Identification and Validation of Reference Genes for the Normalization of Gene Expression Data in qRT-PCR Analysis in Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

To obtain accurate and reliable results from quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, it is necessary to select suitable reference genes as standards for normalizing target gene expression data. QRT-PCR is a popular analytical methodology for studying gene expression and it has been used widely in studies of Aphis gossypii Glover in recent years. However, there is absence of study on the stability of the expression of reference genes in A. gossypii. In this study, eight commonly used candidate reference genes, including 18S, 28S, ß-ACT, GAPDH, EF1α, RPL7, α-TUB, and TBP, were evaluated under various experimental conditions to assess their suitability for use in the normalization of qRT-PCR data. The optimal number of reference genes was determined using the geNorm program, and the suitability of particular reference genes was empirically validated by performing normalizations of expression data for the HSP70 gene. The results showed the most suitable combinations of reference genes for the different experimental conditions. For experiments based on divergent developmental stages, EF1α, ß-ACT, and RPL7 are the optimal reference gene combination, both EF1α and ß-ACT are the optimal combination used in the experiments of different geographical populations, whereas for experiments of the temperature changes, the combination of GAPDH and RPL7 is optimal, both 18S and ß-ACT are an optimal combination for feeding assay experiments. These research results should be useful for the selection of the suitable reference genes to obtain reliable qRT-PCR data in the gene expression study of A. gossypii.

Comparison of Life Tables of Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Under Laboratory and Greenhouse Conditions.

The ladybird Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.) is an important aphidophagous predator in Asia. In order to mass rear predators for biological control, it is valuable to identify the features of populations that are affected by variations in field conditions. Life tables can provide comprehensive descriptions of the development, survival, and fecundity of a population. However, there are few life table studies of C. sexmaculata. Studies of life history have been carried out in many arthropods using the traditional female age-specific life table, which takes only female individuals into consideration, while the variations in developmental rates amongst individuals are ignored. In this paper, we constructed life tables for C. sexmaculata fed on Myzus persicae (Sulzer) both at constant temperature in the laboratory and fluctuating temperature in the greenhouse, and analyzed the data using the age-stage, two-sex life table. The bootstrap technique was used to estimate the standard errors of the population parameters. The results showed that preadult C. sexmaculata developed more slowly and had lower survival and reproductive rates under greenhouse conditions, as indicated by the curves of age-stage survival rate (s(xj)), age-stage-specific fecundity (f(x j)) of the female stage, age-specific fecundity (m(x)), and age-specific maternity (l(x)m(x)). Our results also showed that the intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (R(0)), and finite rate of increase (λ) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions were 0.1668 d(-1) and 0.1027 d(-1), 192.1 and 53.0, and 1.1815 d(-1) and 1.1082 d(-1), respectively. Our results revealed significantly different life table parameters for C. sexmaculata under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. This information will be useful for developing a successful mass-rearing program for C. sexmaculata for use in biological control.

Enhanced magnifying endoscopy for differential diagnosis of superficial gastric lesions identified with white-light endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Various techniques using magnifying endoscopy (ME) and chromoendoscopy are being developed to enhance images of gastrointestinal tumor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ME enhanced by acetic acid-indigo carmine mixture (ME-AIM) and ME enhanced with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI) for differential diagnosis of superficial gastric lesions identified with conventional white-light endoscopy (WLE). METHODS: Patients with superficial gastric lesions picked up with WLE were enrolled in the study. ME-NBI and ME-AIM were used to further characterize the lesions. All images of the lesions were evaluated by four skilled endoscopists blinded to the clinical data. The microarchitectural patterns in the lesions were analyzed with reference to the "VS classification" system. RESULTS: A total of 643 lesions (mean diameter, 7 mm) from 508 patients (316 men, 192 women; mean age, 63 years) were evaluated. Pathologically, 24 of the 643 lesions were diagnosed as gastric cancer; the others were noncancerous lesions. For diagnosis of gastric cancer, the negative predictive value of each of the three magnified findings (irregular microvascular pattern, irregular microsurface pattern, and demarcation line) was high (nearly 100 %). According to the "VS classification" system, either ME-NBI or ME-AIM had a higher specificity (99.5 % or 99.4 % vs. 89.5 %, P < 0.001) and accuracy (99.2 % or 98.9 % vs. 89.0 %, P < 0.001) than WLE, and ME-AIM was not superior to ME-NBI for identifying carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced ME is useful for correctly diagnosing early gastric cancer, and in contrast with ME-AIM, ME-NBI is a more feasible and efficient method for clinical practice.

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of inhibitor of growth protein 3 (ING3) in the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum.

Inhibitor of growth protein 3 (ING3), a new member of ING family, is involved in the regulation of various processes. In this study, a full-length cDNA of ING3 (named as RpING3) was cloned from the gill of Ruditapes philippinarum by rapid amplification of cDNA ends method for the first time. The cDNA obtained was 1442 bp exclusive of poly (A) residues with a 1248 bp open reading frame encoding 415 amino acids. The RpING3 protein has a calculated molecular weight of 46.59 kDa and isoelectric point of 6.62. Two conserved motif and some functional sites were found. Tissue distribution analysis of the RpING3 mRNA revealed that the RpING3 expression level was much higher in gill and digestive gland while lower in mantle, foot and adductor muscle. The temporal expression of RpING3 in digestive gland after lead exposure was recorded by quantitative real-time PCR. The result showed that RpING3 was rapidly up-regulated at 6 h post-exposure and reached tenfold of the control group. These results suggest that RpING3 dependent signaling pathway is present in Manila clam and RpING3 may play important roles in protecting cells from heavy metal damage in R. philippinarum.

The use of intra-aortic balloon pump in patients undergoing heart valve replacement: outcome and risk analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in heart valve surgical patients is associated with a higher mortality than coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The study aim was to analyze the early outcome of heart valve surgical patients requiring IABP support, and to assess the risk factors for early mortality. METHODS: Among a cohort of 5,786 patients undergoing heart valve replacement without CABG, 81 (1.4%) required IABP support. Data from these latter patients were collected and analyzed retrospectively, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were applied to identify risk factors for early mortality in patients requiring IABP support. RESULTS: IABP was inserted in 30 patients intraoperatively, and in 51 patients postoperatively. The overall mortality was 50.6%. Mortality in the intraoperative IABP subgroup was significantly lower than in the postoperative IABP subgroup (26.7% versus 64.7%, p = 0.001). The independent risk factors for early mortality were: age increasing by 10 years (OR 1.906, 95% CI: 1.165-3.116, p = 0.010) and pulmonary hypertension (OR 4.153, 95% CI: 1.380-12.499, p = 0.011). Intraoperative IABP insertion (OR 0.297, 95% CI: 0.100-0.876, p = 0.028) was identified as a protective factor compared to postoperative insertion. CONCLUSION: The mortality of patients requiring IABP support after heart valve replacement was high. The efficacy of intraoperative IABP insertion was better than a postoperative mandatory use. Clearly, more attention should be paid to older patients or those with pulmonary hypertension, who may benefit less from IABP.

An evaluation of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of melamine in combination with cyanuric acid at three mass ratios.

Melamine in combination with cyanuric acid has been considered to be more toxic than either melamine or cyanuric acid alone. The objective of this study was designed to evaluate the combined genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of melamine (M) and cyanuric acid (C) at three mass ratios (1:1, 1:2, 2:1). MC (1:1), MC (1:2), and MC (2:1) were evaluated for their potential genotoxic risk, at gene level by Ames test, and at chromosomal level by micronucleus test. In order to evaluate cytotoxicity in HEK-293 cells, the MTT assay was included. Western blot was also employed to investigate the renal injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) expression in HEK-293 cells exposed to MC. Neither genotoxicity at gene level nor at chromosomal level was observed for MC (1:1), MC (1:2), and MC (2:1). Based on MTT assay, three ratios of MC at 82.5 and 165 µg/mL slightly inhibited viability of HEK-293 cells (P<0.05). MC (1:1) at 41.25 and 82.50 µg/mL could elevate the Kim-1 expression in HEK-293 cells.

Long-term operation of a novel pilot-scale six tanks alternately operating activated sludge process in treating domestic wastewater.

The performance of a new pilot-scale six tanks activated sludge process has been evaluated for 303 d, receiving real domestic wastewater with a flow rate of 15-24.4 L/h. Partial nitrification via nitrite and microbial community structure were investigated in this system. The result shows that the nitrite accumulation rate was achieved successfully over 94% in the last aerobic compartment through a combination of short hydraulic retention time and low dissolved oxygen (DO) level. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was used to correlate ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) numbers with nutrient removal via nitrite. It was shown that in response to complete and partial nitrification modes, the numbers of AOB population were 7.7 x 10(7) cells/g mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and 5.31 x 10(8) cells/g MLSS, respectively. The morphology of the sludge indicated that there is a small rod-shaped and spherical cluster which was mainly dominantly bacterial according to scanning electron microscope. Higher pollutant removal efficiencies of 86.2%, 98%, and 96.1%, for total nitrogen, NH4+ - N, and total phosphorus, respectively, were achieved by a long-term operation of the six tanks activated sludge process at a low DO concentration and low chemical oxygen demand to nitrogen ratio which were approximately equal to the complete nitrification-ldenitrification with the addition of an external carbon source at a concentration of 1.5-2.5 mg/L.