[Application of three dimensional printed personalized guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis in the treatment of ankle arthritis].

Objective: To compare the efficacy of conventional open ankle fusion and three dimensional(3D) printed guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle fusion. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 256 patients with advanced traumatic ankle arthritis, who were admitted to the Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from May 2018 to February 2023 and underwent ankle fusion procedures. The study cohort comprised 119 males and 137 females, with an age of (59.6±9.5) years (range: 37 to 83 years). Among them, 175 cases underwent internal fixation with plates and screws (58 cases through the combined medial and lateral approach, and 117 cases through the simple lateral approach), 48 cases underwent internal fixation with screws through the anterior approach (conventional open group), and 33 cases underwent minimally invasive arthroscopic ankle fusion assisted by 3D printed guide plate (3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group). Propensity score matching was employed to achieve a 1∶1 match(caliper value=0.02) between the baseline characteristics of patients in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and the conventional open group. Perioperative and follow-up data between the two groups were compared using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, χ² test or corrected χ² test as appropriate. Results: Matching was successfully achieved with 20 cases in both the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and the conventional open group, and there were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (all P>0.05). The operation time in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group was significantly longer than that in the conventional open group ((88.9±5.6) minutes vs. (77.9±11.7) minutes;t=-2.392, P=0.022), while the frequency of intraoperative fluoroscopies ((1.7±0.8) times vs. (5.2±1.2) times; t=10.604, P<0.01) and length of hospitalization ((5.5±0.9) days vs. (6.4±1.5) days;t=2.480, P=0.018) were significantly lower in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group compared to the conventional open group. The fusion rate was 95.0% (19/20) in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and 85.0% (17/20) in the conventional open group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ²=0.278,P=0.598). The fusion time was (12.1±2.0) weeks in the conventional open group and (11.1±1.7) weeks in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=1.607, P=0.116). At the final follow-up, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle hindfoot scale was (72.6±5.5)points in the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group and (70.5±5.8)points in the conventional open group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=-1.003, P=0.322). The pain visual analogue score of the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group was (M(IQR)) 1.50 (1.00) points, lower than that of the conventional open group by 3.00 (1.00) points, with statistically significant differences (Z=-3.937, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in complication rate between the conventional open group and the 3D printed guide plate arthroscopy group (25.0%(5/20) vs. 5.0%(1/20), χ²=1.765，P=0.184). Conclusion: 3D printed guide plate assisted arthroscopic ankle fusion exhibited several advantages, including reduced frequency of fluoroscopies, alleviation of postoperative pain, and decreased complications and length of hospitalization.

[Investigation of the chronic respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of adult residents in Hongtong County, Shanxi Province].

Objective: To investigate the chronic respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of adult residents in 3 towns of Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, and to explore their risk factors. Methods: The investigation of chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function status of adult residents in Hongdong County is based on the regional population of the entire county in Hongdong County. The project was initiated by the Science and Technology Department of Linfen City and coordinated by the Hongdong County Government. The investigation will be conducted in 3 townships in Hongdong County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province from April to November 2021: Demographic characteristics, respiratory symptoms, smoking dust exposure and other personal history were collected through questionnaires. Physical examination, routine blood tests and lung function tests were also performed on each individual. SPSS 22.0 software was used to conduct t test, χ2 test, ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test for statistical analysis of the collected information. Results: 10 945 subjects aged 18-102 years were included in the analysis, of whom 3 754 (34.3%) were male, 1 222 (11.2%) had a history of dust exposure, 7 164 (65.5%) had used straw and firewood as cooking fuel, and 3 296 (30.1%) had a history of smoking. Among the participants, 394 (3.6%), 339 (3.1%), and 1 543 (14.1%) had respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, sputum, and dyspnea. Statistics showed that the population with chronic respiratory symptoms was more elderly and had a smoking history, and the incidence of chronic respiratory symptoms was higher in those who smoked more than 40 packs a year (all P<0.05). Men with a history of dust exposure were more likely to suffer from chronic cough and expectoration, while emaciation and biofuel use for more than 40 years were more likely to suffer from chronic expectoration and dyspnea (all P<0.05). The median values of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC in 1 second were 2.19 L/s, 3.24 L and 69.16%, respectively. Among them, the lung function of 5 801 (53.0%) respondents was lower than the expected value. The median FEV1/FVC decreased with the increase of age. The FEV1/FVC of people over 40 years old with smoking history was lower, the dust exposure history of people with decreased lung function was more than that of people with normal lung function, and the incidence of chronic expectoration and dyspnea was higher in people with decreased lung function (all P<0.05). The absolute value and ratio of eosinophils in patients with decreased ventilation function over 60 years old were significantly higher than those with normal ventilation function, but the level of body mass index (BMI) was lower (all P<0.05). Conclusion: In Hongdong County, Shanxi Province, grassroots residents have poor medical awareness, low lung function examination rate, chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function decline are associated with more risk factors. Primary medical institutions need to formulate prevention strategies and carry out lung function detection according to the actual situation, focusing on monitoring and follow-up of high-risk groups to achieve early and timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[The relationship between peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number and incident risk of liver cancer: a case-cohort study].

Objective: To investigate the association between peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and incident risk of liver cancer. Methods: At the baseline of Dongfeng-Tongji (DFTJ) cohort, 27 009 retirees were recruited from Dongfeng Motor Corporation in 2008. After excluding people without baseline DNA, with current malignant tumor and loss of follow-up, 1 173 participants were randomly selected into a sub-cohort by age-and gender-stratified sampling method at a proportion of 5% among all retirees. A total of 154 incident liver cancer cases identified from the cohort before December 31, 2018 (4 cases had been selected into the sub-cohort) were selected to form the case cohort of liver cancer. For the above 1 323 participants, their baseline levels of mtDNAcn in peripheral blood cells were measured by using quantitative real-time PCR method. The restricted cubic spline analysis was used to fit the shape of the association between baseline mtDNAcn and incident risk of liver cancer. The weighted Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95%CI. Results: In this case-cohort study, the median follow-up time was 10.3 years. The restricted cubic spline analysis indicated that the relationship between peripheral blood mtDNAcn and incident risk of liver cancer followed a U-shaped pattern (Pnon-linear<0.05). All case-cohort population were divided into four subgroups by sex-specific quartiles of mtDNAcn levels among sub-cohort participants, when compared to participants in the Q2 subgroup of mtDNAcn, those in the Q1 subgroup (HR=2.00,95%CI:1.08-3.70) and Q4 subgroup (HR=4.11,95%CI:2.32-7.26) both had a significantly elevated risk of liver cancer, while those in the Q3 subgroup (HR=1.05,95%CI:0.54-2.05) had not. There were no significant multiply interaction effects of aging, gender, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and history of chronic hepatitis on the above association (Pinteraction>0.05). Conclusion: Both extremely low and high baseline level of mtDNAcn in peripheral blood cells are associated with an increased risk of incident liver cancer, but the underlying mechanisms need to be further clarified.

Multiple-Scale Analysis of Water Quality Variations and Their Correlation with Land use in Highly Urbanized Taihu Basin, China.

Understanding the relationship between land use and water quality at different scales is essential in the restoration and protection of water quality. On March 2014, we collected 97 samples in highly urbanized Taihu Basin and analyzed their water quality characteristics. Spatial differences in water quality were evident in sub-basins. The Hu Xi zone with the largest forest area had the best water quality among all the sub-basins. The correlation analysis indicated that the proportions of forest and construction land were significantly associated with multiple water quality variables from buffer to sub-basin scale. Farmland was significantly related to NO3-N at the sub-basin scale. The impact of landscape metrics at the sub-basin was insignificant. Forest and construction land in the 1-2 km buffer zone appeared to have a greater influence on the water quality than the buffers with smaller distance. These results are beneficial toward the understanding of water quality status in highly urbanized watersheds and provide a reference for water quality conservation and land use management in the future.

[Study on the feasibility of improving menopausal syndrome using the one-day outpatient based continuous management model].

To explore the mode of"one-day outpatient"based continuous management and examine its feasibility and preliminary effects for improving menopausal syndrome and mood among menopausal women.Clinical intervention study was conducted in Obstetrics and Gynecology Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from May 2020 to May 2021.The continuous management mode of "one-day outpatient service" for menopause was constructed in terms of multidisciplinary resources, including offline "one-day outpatient" health education, online 7-week group continuous intervention on "healthy lifestyle" and offline half-day focus group interview. Pre-and post-scores of the modified Kupperman scale and the positive/negative emotional scale (PANAS) were measured to compare the status of menopausal syndrome and emotional experience of Seventy-eight female participants (40-60 years old), meanwhile, before and after comparison of the blood lipid and body composition indexes of participants were also performed. Paired t test or Wilcoxon signed rank test were used.Results show that the pre-and post Kupperman scores were 14.65±8.51 vs 10.26±5.83 (t=-5.59, P<0.01), and the positive emotional scores (pre- 28.53±5.85 vs post- 30.13±6.30) were improved (t=2.59, P=0.012) and negative emotional scores [pre- 20.5(10) vs post- 17.0(7)] were decreased (Z=-5.09, P<0.01). The triglyceride level of participants declined from (1.27±0.54) mmol/L to (1.09±0.38) mmol/L (t=-2.45, P<0.05). In addition, the body mass index(pre- 22.52±2.34 vs post- 22.06±2.22), percentage of body fat (pre- 31.72±6.22 vs post- 30.91±6.52)and Visceral fat area(pre- 83.96±30.26 vs post- 79.66±29.71) were all improved (t=-3.58,t=-2.57,t=-2.59, P<0.05). Therefore,the mode of"one-day outpatient"based continuous management can effectively improve menopausal syndrome and adverse mood, reduce patients' blood lipid, improve the body composition, and maybe contribute to the prevention of long-term chronic diseases.

[Analysis of the self-conscious health status and influencing factors of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb].

Objective: To explore the self-conscious health status and related influencing factors of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb, so as to provide scientific basis for developing strategies to improve and promote the occupational health conditions of those workers. Methods: According to the production characteristics and scale of the main agricultural districts or counties in the suburb of Beijing, 182 agricultural production personnel were randomly selected to investigate the general situation, occupational situation and self-conscious health status during June 2018 to December 2019. The relevant factors which may affect the self-conscious health conditions were also analyzed by statistical methods. Results: The detection or reported rate of self-conscious health problems was 51.6% (94/182) , among which 29.1% (53/182) workers reported musculoskeletal disorder diseases and 21.4% (39/182) workers reported nervous system diseases. And the self-conscious health status of greenhouse agricultural workers were statistically different in household registration, gender, marital status, working years, mixing or spraying pesticides, smoking or eating in the greenhouse (P<0.05) . Moreover, gender, mixing or spraying pesticide, eating and smoking behavior in the workplace all had an impact on the risk of self-conscious health status of greenhouse agricultural workers (P< 0.05) . Specifically, male is the protective factor to reduce the occurrence of self-conscious symptoms of greenhouse agricultural workers (OR=0.447, 95%CI: 0.234~0.852) , while mixing or spraying pesticides and smoking or eating behaviors in the workplace are the risk factors (OR=1.055, 2.524; 95%CI: 0.503~2.210, 1.107~5.755) . Conclusion: Reducing pesticide use from the source thus minimize related exposure opportunities, strengthening occupational health education thus foster good hygienic habits and improve individual protection consciousness are of great significance for the health protection of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb.

[Analysis on the current situation and influencing factors of mental health among female employees].

Objective: To understand the mental health status of female workers in different industries in China, and to explore the influence of age, family per capita income, working hours and other factors on the mental health of female employees. Methods: From May to July 2016, a cluster sampling survey was conducted among female workers from 15 Provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) in different industries. A total of 60230 questionnaires were distributed and 57777 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 95.9%. The survey included the basic information and Symptom Self-assessment Scale, etc. The measured data were in accordance with the normal distribution by normality test and were expressed as x±s. The rates of counting data were compared using the χ(2) test. And unconditioned logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors. Results: There were significant differences in the detection rates of mental health problems among female employees of different ages, marital status, education level, family per capita income, industry classification, working hours, and frequent night shifts (P<0.01) . The top 3 factors of positive mental health problems were obsessive-compulsive symptoms (23.7%) , depression (16.0%) and interpersonal sensitivity (15.4%) . The factors such as age, education level, family per capita income, industry classification, working hours and frequent night shifts had statistical significances on the risk of female employees' mental health problems (P<0.05) . Female employees aged 30-39, aged 40-49, with high school education to junior college, bachelor degree or above, engaged in tertiary industry, working time of 8-9 h/d, working time of 9-11 h/d, working time of more than 11 h/d and regular night shifts had higher risk of mental health problems (OR=1.199, 1.187, 1.296, 1.539, 1.236, 1.674, 1.601, 1.358, 1.393, P<0.05) . Conclusion: The mental health problems of female workers are still serious, we should pay attention to the illegal long-term work and night-shift work, and take effective health promotion measures to effectively improve the mental health level of female workers.

[The association between Cathepsin S and pulmonary function and CT phenotypes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To explore the value of cathepsin S in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the evaluation of pulmonary function and CT phenotypes. Method: From April 2014 to April 2017, 46 patients with stable COPD were enrolled, and 29 healthy volunteers served as the control group. The patients were divided into 4 subgroups: GOLD Ⅰ(n=12), GOLD Ⅱ(n=6), GOLD Ⅲ(n=14), GOLD Ⅳ(n=14). The levels of cathepsin S and IFN-γ in BALF were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The percentage ratio of low attenuation area to total lung area (LAA%), two times the ratio of airway wall thickness to outer diameter(2T/D), and the ratio of wall area to total cross-sectional area (WA) were measured by HRCT. Results: There were significant differences in the levels of cathepsin S in BALF between the groups (F=6.639, P=0.000). BALF cathepsin S levels were as follows: GOLD Ⅳ grou P>GOLD Ⅲ grou P>GOLD Ⅱ grou P>GOLD group Ⅰ >healthy control group (P value were all<0.05); LAA grade 3>LAA grade 2>LAA grade 1>LAA grade 0 (P value were all<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that BALF cathepsin S levels were correlated negatively with FEV(1)/FVC, FEV(1)% predicted, and DLCO% (r value was -0.065、-0.576、-0.392, respectively, P value were all<0.05), and but positively with RV/TLC%, LAA%, 2T/D, WA and IFN-γ(r value was 0.695, 0.497, 0.142, 0.309, 0.148, respectively, P value were all<0.05). Conclusion: The levels of cathepsin S were associated with the degree of airflow limitation and emphysema phenotype in COPD.

Over-expression of MEOX2 promotes apoptosis through inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway in laryngeal cancer cells.

The early-stage diagnosis and treatment for the recurrence of larynx carcinoma needs further investigation. Mesenchyme homeobox 2 (MEOX2) was speculated as a novel suppressor gene in larynx carcinoma in our study, the molecular mechanism was studied. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein levels of MEOX2 in laryngeal cancer tissues and cells (Hep-2, TU212, AMC-NH-8 and TU686 cells), and also apoptosis and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase (Akt) related factors in TU212 cells transfected with MEOX2. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay and Annexin-Ⅴ/PI staining assay were conducted to determine cell viability and apoptosis rates respectively.46 patients with larynx carcinoma were involved in this study. The expression of MEOX2 was lower in larynx carcinoma tissues than normal tissues, correlated with clinical stages, differentiated degrees, and survival times. The expression of MEOX2 was the lowest among those laryngeal cancer cells, and was chosen to be transfected with MEOX2 in the following study. Over-expression of MEOX2 inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis of TU212 cells, via increasing the expression levels of Caspase-3, and decreasing levels of C-Myc, XIAP, PI3K p110α, PI3K p110ß, PI3K class III and p-Akt. In summary, the expression levels of MEOX2 were inhibited in larynx carcinoma than normal tissues, correlated with the progression of the cancer. Over-expression of MEOX2 in laryngeal cancer cells inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis, via regulating apoptosis and PI3K/Akt pathway related factors. It would provide evidence for MEOX2 to be used as a therapeutical gene in larynx carcinoma.

[A comprehensive evaluation of intervention effects on workplace health promotion in 10 government agencies].

Objective: To evaluate the comprehensive workplace health promotion intervention effects on workplace health promotion in 10 government agencies. Methods: A prospective self-controlled design was employed. Baseline evaluation and effectiveness evaluation were both conducted by questionnaire investigation. Results: The intervention results showed that most effectiveness indicators were significantly improved including health behaviors, psychosocial work environment, and health status. After the intervention, the prevalence of passive smoking and physical inactivity decreased from 70.3% and 38.7% to 44.1% and 30.5%, respectively. The scores of job control and social support at work increased by 0.30 and 0.05, respectively. The prevalence of good self-rated health and good mental health raised from 68.3% and 68.8% to 75.6% and 85.6%, respectively. However, the scores of job demand increased by 0.4. Furthermore, the prevalence of occupational stress increased significantly from 45.8% to 65.5%. Conclusion: After implementing workplace health promotion, the physical and mental health of the staff have been promoted. However, the occupational stress of government officials still need to be improved.

Involvement of tau phosphorylation in traumatic brain injury patients.

OBJECTIVES: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In TBI patients suffering cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits, the leading cause derives from the physical injury to the central nervous system (CNS) that impairs brain function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we applied a targeted approach to understand the potential mechanisms of neuron damage after TBI. Tau protein phosphorylation was compared in the brain tissues collected from patients underwent brain surgery based on the assessment of brain injury extent by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). RESULTS: The results indicated that the levels of phosphorylated tau were significantly higher in the severe and extremely severe TBI groups, compared to the moderate group of patients. Phosphorylated, but not the total tau protein was uniquely correlated with the GCS score (R2 =.7849, P<.01) in 142 TBI patients. Consistently, the activities of key players associated with tau hyperphosphorylation GSK-3ß and PP2A showed parallel correlations with the severity of TBI as well. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the enhanced tau protein phosphorylation occurs upon severe neuron injures and may contribute to the pathological structural changes of CNS leading to brain damage of TBI.

Isolation, identification and pathogenicity of Vibrio harveyi, the causal agent of skin ulcer disease in juvenile hybrid groupers Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × Epinephelus lanceolatus.

The hybrid grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (♀) × Epinephelus lanceolatus (♂), is a newly bred cultivated marine fish species of high economic value. However, a skin ulcer disease with high mortality has occurred, and the responsible pathogen remains unknown. In this study, we summarized the epidemic status and external signs of this disease. We screened potential pathogens and finally isolated one bacterial strain ML01 from affected fish. We subjected healthy juvenile hybrid groupers to bacterial challenge tests with the isolate by immersion, immersion after dermal abrasion and intraperitoneal injection, respectively. Within 14 days post-infection, the isolate ML01 caused mass mortality of juveniles infected via immersion after dermal abrasion or intraperitoneal injection. Diseased juveniles displayed obvious signs of skin ulcers. The median lethal dose of ML01 by intraperitoneal injection was 1.10 × 105 colony-forming units. ML01 was identified as Vibrio harveyi by bacterial morphology, analytical profile index identification, 16S rDNA sequencing and multilocus sequence analysis. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that ML01 was sensitive to ceftriaxone, doxycycline and minocycline. The results of this study suggest that V. harveyi is the causal agent of skin ulcer disease in juvenile hybrid groupers, thus providing a basis for effective control and prevention of this disease.

[Correlation analysis of serum secreted frizzled-related protein 5 levels with airway inflammation and insulin resistance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum secreted frizzled-related protein 5(sfrp5) levels, insulin resistance, and airway inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). Method: A total of 178 COPD patients visiting our respiratory outpatient clinic from February 2015 to January 2017 were enrolled, and 99 healthy control subjects from the same time period were selected. Serum sfrp5 levels were compared between the 2 groups. Serum sfrp5 and inflammatory cytokines in induced sputum were observed in the 4 subgroups: insulin resistant COPD group [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)≥2.29], non-insulin resistant COPD group, non-COPD insulin resistant group, and healthy control group. Results: Serum sfrp5 levels were found to be significantly higher in the COPD group as compared to the healthy control group (t=-14.29, P<0.001). Serum sfrp5 levels in the insulin resistant COPD group [(8±3)ng/ml] were significantly lower than that of the non-insulin resistant COPD group [(10±5)ng/ml], non-COPD insulin resistant group [(13±3)ng/ml], and normal control group [(14±4)ng/ml, F=35.85, P<0.01]. The insulin resistant COPD group had higher levels of In(Homa-IR), as well as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in induced sputum as compared to the non-insulin resistant COPD group, non-COPD insulin resistant group, and healthy control group (F values were 64.968, 41.40, 64.15, respectively, P value <0.01 for all items). The non-insulin resistant COPD group had higher levels of In(HOMA-IR) as well as TNF-α and IL-6 in induced sputum as compared to the non-COPD insulin resistant group and healthy control group. FEV(1)/FVC and FEV(1)% predicted were significantly lower in the insulin resistant COPD group as compared to those of non-insulin resistant COPD group and non-COPD insulin resistant group, and healthy control group (F values were 2.481 and 8.37, respectively, P value<0.05 for all items). FEV(1)/FVC and FEV(1)% predicted were significantly lower in the non-insulin resistant COPD group as compared to those of the healthy control group and non-COPD insulin-resistant group. Serum sfrp5 levels were positively correlated to FEV(1)/FVC and FEV(1) predicted (r values were 0.466 and 0.412, respectively; P values were <0.001 and 0.007, respectively) and inversely correlated to In(HOMA-IR) and TNF-α and IL-6 in induced sputum (r values were -0.304, -0.459, -0.517, respectively; P values were <0.001, 0.002, <0.001, respectively). BMI, ln(HOMA-IR), and IL-6 in induced sputum were independent related factors (r(2) values were 0.286, 0.176, 14.69, respectively; P values were <0.01 for all items) Conclusion: Sfrp5 may be concurrently associated with COPD and insulin resistance; insulin resistance may be associated with airway inflammation and airflow limitation. Sfrp5 may be involved in the development of COPD and may be the key link by which insulin resistance exerts its effects on airway inflammation.

HCV-induced miR146a controls SOCS1/STAT3 and cytokine expression in monocytes to promote regulatory T-cell development.

Host innate and adaptive immune responses must be tightly regulated by an intricate balance between positive and negative signals to ensure their appropriate onset and termination while fighting pathogens and avoiding autoimmunity; persistent pathogens may usurp these regulatory machineries to dampen host immune responses for their persistence in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that miR146a is up-regulated in monocytes from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected individuals compared to control subjects. Interestingly, miR146a expression in monocytes without HCV infection increased, whereas its level in monocytes with HCV infection decreased, following Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation. This miR146a induction by HCV infection and differential response to TLR stimulation were recapitulated in vitro in monocytes co-cultured with hepatocytes with or without HCV infection. Importantly, inhibition of miR146a in monocytes from HCV-infected patients led to a decrease in IL-23, IL-10 and TGF-ß expressions through the induction of suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) and the inhibition of signal transducer and activator transcription 3 (STAT3), and this subsequently resulted in a decrease in regulatory T cells (Tregs) accumulated during HCV infection. These results suggest that miR146a may regulate SOCS1/STAT3 and cytokine signalling in monocytes, directing T-cell differentiation and balancing immune clearance and immune injury during chronic viral infection.

Knockdown of protein phosphatase 5 (PPP5C) suppresses the growth of leukemic cell line U937.

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 5 (PPP5C) participates in multiple signaling pathways including cell cycle control and cell growth. PPP5C is involved in the progression of human breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, its function in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) remains unknown. In this study, we constructed a lentivirus system to knock down the expression level of PPP5C in leukemic cell line U937. Cell proliferation and cell cycles were assessed by MTT assay and flow cytometry respectively. Western blot was used to determine the level of caspase-3, PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase), CDK4 and CyclinD1. Knockdown of PPP5C suppressed the proliferation ability of U937 cells, and led to G0/G1 phase arrest, inducing cell apoptosis in U937 cells. The apoptosis of the U937 cells was associated with upregulating cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, and downregulating CDK4 and CyclinD1. In conclusions, PPP5C knockdown inhibits U937 cell proliferation and might be used as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of leukemia.

Bioinformatic analyses of GRAS genes in Betula kirghisorum based on transcriptome data.

The transcriptomes of salt-stressed and unstressed Betula kirghisorum plants were analyzed using high throughput sequencing technology. A total of 52,239,804 and 51,772,998 clean reads were obtained from the two libraries, respectively, and de novo assembled into 60,545 all-unigenes. A total of 39,997 unigenes were annotated using public databases. Overall, 7206 genes were differentially expressed in unigenes and were involved in 127 pathways. Thirteen transcription factor families were identified in B. kirghisorum, including GRAS proteins, which are plant-specific transcription factors. By using bioinformatic methods to predict and analyze physicochemical properties, structural data were obtained on the 19 potential GRAS proteins. The results revealed that these proteins are hydrophilic, with significant differences in their length and molecular weight. The main secondary structures were alpha helices and random coils. BkGRAS proteins possess typical GRAS domains: LHR I; VHIID motif; LHR II; PFYRE motif; and SAW motif. In the majority of BkGRAS proteins, AGG, AGA, UCU, GCU, GGG, CCA, GUU, GUG, AUU, GAU, and AAG codons were used preferentially. Aside from the BkGRAS17 gene (relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) = 1.20), usage of the UUA codon by other BkGRAS genes was low (RSCU < 1.0). The effective number of codons showed that BkGRAS genes have low codon bias. Subcellular localization analysis that predicted these proteins are found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, or chloroplast. BkGRAS proteins were divided into six subfamilies: SCR, LISCL, SCL3, DELLA, HAM, and PAT1. These results provide important information for the further functional study of GRAS genes in B. kirghisorum.

Cloning and expression pattern analysis of BkGRAS2 from Betula kirghisorum.

GRAS proteins are plant-specific transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of root and shoot growth. Here, we cloned BkGRAS2 from Betula kirghisorum (abbreviated to Bk) and analyzed the physicochemical properties and expression pattern of the encoded protein. BkGRAS2 had an open reading frame of 1614 bp encoding 537 amino acid residues. The deduced BkGRAS2 protein was hydrophilic, and it contained highly conserved VHIID and SAW motifs. BkGRAS1 and BkGRAS2 showed considerable sequence similarities. An expression analysis indicated that BkGRAS2 was expressed in root, stem, and leaf, with the highest level in the leaf. Expression of BkGRAS2 was increased following stress treatment with 0.6% NaHCO3. Transient expression analysis of GFP-BkGRAS2 in onion epidermal cells revealed that the BkGRAS2 protein was localized in the cytoplasm, but could also be detected in the nucleus. Our study provides the basis for future research on the role of the GRAS gene family in B. kirghisorum.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Alternaria alternata on Chinese Dwarf Banana in China.

The Chinese dwarf banana (Ensete lasiocarpum) is one of the ornamental bananas that belongs to Musaceae family. The plant is native to the southwestern China, where it grows semi-wild in the mountains between 1,500 and 2,500 m above sea level. During July 2011, a leaf spot disease on this plant was observed in the campus and parks in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The incidence level was about 22%, mainly on the old leaves. The leaf symptoms were irregular spots with gray to off-white centers surrounded by dark brown margins, and usually also surrounded by chlorotic halos. Leaf tissues (3 × 5 mm), cut from the margins of lesions, were surface-disinfected (95% ethanol for 3 min, 0.1% HgCl2 for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile water), plated on potato sucrose agar (PSA), and incubated at 26°C under natural lights. The same fungus was consistently isolated from the diseased leaves. Colonies of white-to-dark gray mycelia formed on PSA that were black on the underside. The colonies were further identified as Alternaria sp. based on the dark brown, obclavate to obpyriform catenulate conidia with longitudinal and transverse septa tapering to a prominent beak attached in chains on a simple and short conidiophore (2). Conidia were 5.26 to 30.26 µm long and 3.95 to 15.79 µm wide, averaging 10.21 (±3.17) × 20.02 (±5.75) µm (n = 50), with a beak length of 0 to 7.89 µm, and had 3 to 8 transverse and 0 to 3 longitudinal septa. PCR amplification was carried out by utilizing universal rDNA-ITS primer pair ITS4/ITS5 (1). The ITS region of isolate DY1 (GenBank Accession No. KF516556) was 572 bp in length. BLAST search revealed 99% identity with two Alternaria alternata isolates (JF440581.1 and GQ121322.2). Phylogenetic analysis (MEGA 5.1) using the neighbor-joining algorithm placed the isolate in a well-supported cluster with other A. alternata isolates. The pathogen was identified as A. alternate (Fr.:Fr.) Keissler based on the morphological characteristics and rDNA-ITS sequence analysis. To confirm pathogenicity, Koch's postulates were performed on detached leaves of E. lasiocarpum inoculated with mycelial plugs with ddH2O and agar plugs as a control. Leaf spots identical to those observed in the field developed in 9 days on the inoculated leaves but not on the control. The inoculation assay used three leaves, totaling 72 spots for control and 36 spots for inoculation. The experiments were repeated once. A. alternata was consistently re-isolated from the inoculated leaves. The symptom developed easier with wounds. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. lasiocarpum leaf spot disease caused by A. alternata in China and the world. References: (1) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990. (2) T. Y. Zhang. Flora Fungorum Sinicorum, Vol. 16: Alternaria. Science Press, Beijing, China, 2003.