Major Infections of Newly Diagnosed Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of major infections in children with newly diagnosed childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Methods: Predictors of major infections were identified by the multivariable logistic regression. Major infection free was defined as no major infection events within 6 months after the diagnosis of cSLE. The Kaplan-Meier survival plot was performed. A prediction model for major infection events was established and examined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: A total of 98 eligible patients were recorded in the medical charts. Sixty-three documented events of major infections were found in 60 (61.2%) cSLE patients. Furthermore, 90.5% (57/63) of infection events occurred within the first 6 months after the diagnosis of cSLE. The high SLEDAI (SLEDAI >10), lupus nephritis and lymphocyte count <0.8×109/L were predictors for major infections. The CALL score (Children with high disease activity [SLEDAI >10], lymphopenia, and LN) was defined by the number of predictors. Patients were then categorized into two groups: low-risk (score 0-1) and high-risk (score 2-3). Patients in the high-risk group had higher rates of the major infection occurrence than those in the low-risk group during the 6 months after the diagnosis of the cSLE (P<0.001) (HR:14.10, 95% CI 8.43 to 23.59). The ROC curve analysis indicated that the CALL score was effective both in the whole cSLE cohort [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97] and in the subgroup of lung infections (n = 35) (AUC = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.57-0.99). Conclusion: High disease activity, LN and lymphopenia were predictors for major infections in newly diagnosed cSLE patients. Specific predictors help identify the cSLE patients with the high risk of major infections. The CALL score could be a useful tool to stratify cSLE patients in practice.

Dynamic change, influencing factors, and clinical impact of cellular components in human breast milk.

BACKGROUND: Numerous cellular components have been well demonstrated in human breast milk. However, little is known about their dynamic change, influencing factors, and potential clinical impacts on infants. METHODS: Sixty and forty-five healthy mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the colostrum group and mature milk group, respectively. Participants' demographic and clinical information were collected by questionnaires, and the infants were followed up until 6 months after birth through telephone interview. Colostrum and mature milk were collected, and the percentage of various cell components were determined by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that, the total cell numbers, and the percentages of some stem cells, including CD34+, CD117+, CD133+, CD90+, CD105+, and CD146+ cells, were different in colostrum and mature milk. Besides, participants' characteristics had influence on the cellular components. Finally, high-CD34+ cells in colostrum, as well as the high-CD133+ cells and low-CD105+ cells in mature milk were associated with a significantly increased risk of infantile eczema within their first 3 months after birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed a dynamic change of cellular components, identified some of their influencing factors and their potential clinical impacts on infantile eczema, which helps to better understand the cellular components in human breast milk. IMPACT: Some stem cell markers were dynamically changed in human colostrum and mature milk. Different cellular components were shown to be influenced by different participants' characteristics. High percentage of CD34+ cells in colostrum, as well as high percentage of CD133+ cells and low percentage of CD105+ cells in mature milk, were associated with a significantly increased risk of infantile eczema within their first 3 months after birth. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the clinical impacts of stem cells on infantile diseases, which helps to give a better understanding of human breast milk.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using gemcitabine and nedaplatin in recurrent or locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with recurrent or locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) typically have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of two drugs with potent radio-sensitization properties including gemcitabine and nedaplatin as concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimens in treating HNSCC. METHODS: This single-arm prospective study enrolled patients with HNSCC to receive gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 and nedaplatin on days 1 to 3 for 21 days. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy with a conventional fraction was delivered 5 days per week. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate, and toxicity were observed as primary endpoints. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival were recorded and analyzed as secondary endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients with HNSCC were enrolled. During the median 22.4-mo follow-up, both ORR and disease control rate were 100%. The one-year OS was 75%, and one-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 66.7% (median PFS was 15.1 mo). Recurrent HNSCC patients had a poorer prognosis than the treatment-naïve patients, and patients who achieved complete response had better survival than those in the PR group (all P < 0.05). The most common grade 1-4 (100%) or grade 3-4 toxicities (75%) were hematological, and the most common grade 3-4 non-hematological toxicity was mucositis in 17 (71%) patients. CONCLUSION: Gemcitabine plus nedaplatin with concurrent chemoradiotherapy is a therapeutic option for HNSCC with predictable tolerability. Considering the high adverse event rate, the optimized dose and schedule must be further explored.

Genome-Wide ChIP-seq and RNA-seq Analyses of STAT3 Target Genes in TLRs Activated Human Peripheral Blood B Cells.

Toll like receptors (TLRs) induced response plays a vital role in B-cell development and activation, in which TLR7-mediated and TLR9-mediated response interact together and play antagonistic or cooperative roles at different situations. Previous studies showed that the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 was one of the key transcriptional factors (TFs) needed for both TLR7 and TLR9 signaling in B cell, and patients with autosomal dominant hyper IgE syndromes (AD-HIES) due to STAT3 mutations having defective TLRs response in B cells. However, how STAT3 affects its target genes and the downstream signaling pathways in B cell upon TLRs stimulation remains unclarified on a genome-wide level. ChIP-seq and RNA-seq was used in this study to identify the STAT3 targets in response to TLRs stimulation in human B cell. STAT3 ChIP-seq results showed a total of 611 and 2,289 differential STAT3-binding sites in human B cell after TLR7 and TLR9 agonists stimulation, respectively. RNA-seq results showed 1,186 and 1,775 differentially expressed genes after TLR7 and TLR9 activation, respectively. We identified 47 primary STAT3 target genes after TLR7 activation and 189 target genes after TLR9 activation in B cell by integration of STAT3 ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data. Among these STAT3 primary targets, we identified 7 TFs and 18 TFs for TLR7 and TLR9 response, respectively. Besides, we showed that STAT3 might regulate TLR9, but not TLR7 response in B cells through directly regulating integrin signaling pathway, which might further affect the antagonism between TLR7 and TLR9 signaling in B cell. Our study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of human TLRs response in B cell and how it can be regulated, which helps to better understand and modulate TLR-mediated pathogenic immune responses in B cell.

Fluorous-paired derivatization approach towards highly sensitive and accurate determination of long chain unsaturated fatty acids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Long chain unsaturated fatty acids (LCUFAs) are emerging as critical contributors to inflammation and its resolution. Sensitive and accurate measurement of LCUFAs in biological samples is thus of great value in disease diagnosis and prognosis. In this work, a fluorous-derivatization approach for UPLC-MS/MS quantification of LCUFAs was developed by employing a pair of fluorous reagents, namely 3-(perfluorooctyl)-propylamine (PFPA) and 2-(perfluorooctyl)-ethylamine (PFEA). With this method, the LCUFAs in biological samples were perfluoroalkylated with PFPA and specifically retained on a fluorous-phase LC column, which largely reduced matrix interferences-induced quantitation deviation. Moreover, PFEA-labeled LCUFAs standards were introduced as one-to-one internal standards to farthest ensure unbiased results. Application of the proposed method enabled a reliable determination of eight typical LCUFAs with high sensitivity (LLOQ ranged from 30 amol to 6.25 fmol) and low matrix interferences (almost less than 10%). Such a high sensitivity could facilitate the determination of small-volume and low-concentration bio-samples. Further metabolic characterization of these targeted LCUFAs was monitored in OVA-induce asthma mice, requiring only 5 µL serum sample. Our results showed that asthmatic attack led to significant disturbances not only in the concentrations but also in the ratio among these LCUFAs. In view of the favorable advantages in sensitivity and accuracy, the present fluorous-paired derivatization approach will be expected to serve as a new avenue for dissecting the physiological and clinical implications of LCUFAs, thereby shedding light on the management of diseases related to their disturbances.

Saikosaponin-d Increases the Radiosensitivity of Hepatoma Cells by Adjusting Cell Autophagy.

Radiotherapy for liver cancer can affect the level of autophagy in cells, and effective autophagy regulation can increase the radiosensitivity of liver cancer cells.Saikosaponin-d (SSd) is an effective active ingredient extracted from traditional Chinese medicine Bupleurum. We have confirmed previously in vitro and in vitro experiments that SSd can significantly induce apoptosis of liver cancer cells, increase the radiosensitivity of liver cancer cells.This study explored the role of autophagy in SSd-mediated radiosensitivity of liver cancer cells. MTT and clone formation experiments showed that radiation can inhibit the proliferation of hepatoma cells and reduce the colony formation of hepatoma cells. After the addition of SSd, the inhibitory effect of radiation on the proliferation and clonal formation of hepatoma cells was further enhanced. However, the addition of the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine or mTOR agonist can partially reverse the inhibitory effect of the combined treatment of SSd with radiation on the proliferation of hepatoma cells. Similarly, transmission electron microscopy and laser confocal microscopy showed that after the addition of SSd, the number of radiation-induced autophagosomes increased significantly in hepatoma cells and the intervention of mTOR agonist can reduce the formation of autophagosomes in hepatoma cells.In addition,Western blot analysis presented that radiation significantly increased LC3-II levels. Especially when SSd is added, LC3-II levels is further increased. Our data indicate that SSd can inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells and enhance cell radiosensitivity by inducing autophagy formation.

When WAS Gene Diagnosis Is Needed: Seeking Clues Through Comparison Between Patients With Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome and Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Background: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare and severe X-linked disorder with variable clinical phenotypes correlating with the type of mutations in the WAS gene. The syndrome is difficult to differentiate from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) before genetic diagnosis. We retrospectively reviewed patients suspected to have WAS who were referred to our hospital from 2004 to 2016 and compared the clinical features and laboratory examination of genetically confirmed WAS patients and of patients diagnosed with ITP in order to seek some clues to distinguish WAS and ITP before genetic diagnosis. Methods: Seventy-eight children suspected to have WAS from 78 unrelated families were enrolled in this study. The clinical data and laboratory examination of children were reviewed in the present study. The distribution of lymphocyte subsets from peripheral blood was examined by how cytometry. WASP mutations were identified by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified genomic DNA. Results: Forty-two patients were finally diagnosed with WAS genetically. The median onset age of these patients was 1 month (range: 1 day-10 months). The median diagnosis lag was 4.6 months (range: 0 months-9.42 years). Fifteen patients (35.71%) had positive family histories. More than half of the patients (n = 23, 54.76%) had diarrhea. Twenty-three (54.76%) had pneumonia, 7 with severe symptoms. Major bleeding events included skin spots or petechiae (n = 27, 64.29%), per-rectal bleeding (n = 21, 50.00%), epistaxis (n = 7, 16.67%) and intracranial bleeding (n = 2, 4.76%). Twenty-nine patients (69.05%) had eczema, and one patient had a drug allergy. Three patients had autoimmune diseases, among whom 2 had autoimmune hemolytic anemia and one had autoimmune hemolytic anemia and IgA nephropathy. A total of 42 mutations in WASP were identified, including 19 novel mutations. Eight patients received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and all survived. Compared with the 30 patients diagnosed with ITP, the WAS patients had higher EOS counts and elevated IgE level, increased NK cell numbers but fewer CD8+T lymphocytes. Conclusion: The WAS gene diagnosis should be considered in all males with ITP-like features, especially for patients with a very early onset age, decreased MPV (<6.5 fl), higher EOS counts and elevated IgE level, increased NK cell number, diminished CD8+T lymphocyte count.

Development and validation of a systematic platform for broad-scale profiling of microbial metabolites.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based profiling of microbial metabolites has been a challenging task due to their diverse physicochemical properties and wide concentration ranges. This study is aimed to develop a systematic platform for the broad-scale profiling of microbial metabolites by integrating aqueous-lipophilic biphasic extractions and chemical derivatizations with a data-dependent automatable metabolite annotation algorithm. This complementary strategy of detection will not only largely expand the metabolite coverage, but also facilitate the drawing out of interested submetabolome using designed chemical derivatizations. Then, the data-dependent metabolite annotation algorithm is able to automatically match the raw MS/MS data with those of compounds in the self-collected databases. The performance of this platform is illustrated through the analysis of two representative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and intestinal contents samples from experimental colitis mice. As a result, 292 metabolites corresponding to 875 annotated features distributing over 25 chemical families were putatively annotated in a short time. Of these metabolites, 197 and 218 are respectively from the bacteria and intestinal contents, and 107 are identified in all three biological samples. This systematic platform could be used to accomplete high-coverage detection and high-quality data processing of microbial metabolites. At the same time, chemical derivatization design and the establishment of self-collected databases will facilitate self-driven untargeted analysis.

Indole-Fused Acridone: Synthesis, Structures, Proton Transfer, and Hole-Transport Properties.

Three pairs of regioisomers of the planar acridone derivatives (9 vs 10, 11 vs 12, and 13 vs 14), classified as the 1-cyclized compounds (9, 11, and 13) and the 3-cyclized (or 1,3'-cyclized) regioisomers (10, 12, and 14), have been synthesized, and their X-ray structures have been determined. The 1-cyclized compounds have higher yields and lower energies compared with their 3-cyclized isomers. The fluorescence spectra of the intramolecular H-bond containing compounds (9, 11, 13, and 14) consist of two bands (shorter wavelength band for the keto form and longer wavelength band for the enol form) and exhibit the feature of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The density functional theory (DFT) theoretical investigation of the reorganization energy (λ) with respect to molecular symmetry revealed that planar rigid- C2 v-symmetric polycyclic heteroaromatic molecules (such as acridone, 1, and 13) can have low charge-transport barrier (small λ value) and keep the invariance of the molecular point group in the charge-transport process, and therefore can have high hole mobility.

A chemical derivatization based UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry method for accurate quantification of short-chain fatty acids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthma mice.

Recent studies have demonstrated the important role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the maintenance of homeostasis of respiratory immunity. However, there is still no report focus on the determination of SCFAs level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the most common sample used for screening biomarkers of the pulmonary diseases. Herein, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) oriented 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH)-based derivatization method was developed for the quantification of SCFAs in BALF. To achieve accurate quantitation, d4-acetate was used as internal standard to compensate for the matrix effects. Method validation showed a good linearity (R2 > 0.9992) with wide concentration range, and the intra-day and inter-day precision for determination of eight SCFAs in BALF samples was ≤ 14.79%. The quantitation accuracy, assessed by relative recoveries, ranged from 90% to 110% for target SCFAs at three concentration levels. Matrix effects ranged from 85% to 115%, and the lower limits of quantification of these targeted SCFAs were varied from 3 to 24 nmol/L. The SCFAs-targeted method was then applied to determine the changed levels in BALF samples from OVA-induced asthma mice and normal mice. In addition, the universality of our developed method was also demonstrated by determining the SCFAs concentrations in feces, serum and lung tissue samples from asthma and normal mice. These results indicate that 3-NPH derivatization based UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap provides accurate view of global SCFAs alternation in different samples, giving a support to deduce the origin of SCFAs in lung. The present study is of great importance for understanding the role of SCFAs in modulation of host metabolism and immunity.

Effect of the posterior corneal surface on total corneal astigmatism in patients with age-related cataract.

AIM: To explore the effect of the posterior astigmatism on total corneal astigmatism and evaluate the error caused by substituting the corneal astigmatism of the simulated keratometriy (simulated K) for the total corneal astigmatism in age-related cataract patients. METHODS: A total of 211 eyes with age-related cataract from 164 patients (mean age: 66.8±9.0y, range: 45-83y) were examined using a multi-colored spot reflection topographer, and the total corneal astigmatism was measured. The power vector components J0 and J45 were analyzed. Correlations between the magnitude difference of the simulated K and total cornea astigmatism (magnitude differenceSimK-Tca), anterior J0, and absolute meridian difference (AMD) between the anterior and posterior astigmatisms were calculated. To compare the astigmatism of the simulated K and total cornea both in magnitude and axial orientation, we drew double-angle plots and calculated the vector difference between the two measures using vector analysis. A corrective regression formula was used to adjust the magnitude of the simulated K astigmatism to approach that of the total cornea. RESULTS: The magnitude differenceSimK-Tca was positively correlated with the anterior corneal J0 (Spearman's rho= 0.539; P<0.001) and negatively correlated with the AMDR (Spearman's rho=-0.875, P<0.001). When the anterior J0 value was larger than 1.3 D or smaller than -0.8 D, the errors caused by determining the total corneal astigmatism with the karatometric calculation tended to be greater than 0.25 D. An underestimation by 16% was observed for against the rule (ATR) astigmatism and an overestimation by 9% was observed for with the rule (WTR) astigmatism when ignoring the posterior measurements. CONCLUSION: Posterior corneal astigmatism should be valued for more precise corneal astigmatism management, especially for higher ATR astigmatism of the anterior corneal surface. We suggest a 9% reduction in the magnitude of the simulated K in eyes with WTR astigmatism, and a 16% addition of the magnitude of the simulated K in eyes with ATR astigmatism.

GPNMB silencing suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by blocking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Glycoprotein non­metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) is a glycoprotein that is highly expressed in various types of cancer, including osteosarcoma. However, its cellular functions and related mechanisms in osteosarcoma remain unclear. In the present study, a higher GPNMB mRNA level was observed in osteosarcoma tissues, than in adjacent non­cancerous tissues. In addition, upregulation of the GPNMB mRNA and protein level was detected in the osteosarcoma cells SaOS2, 143B, MG63 and U2OS using western blot analysis and qPCR. Following transfection with GPNMB siRNA, the proliferation, migration and invasion of MG63 and U2OS cells were assessed using MTT and Transwell assays. The knockdown of GPNMB markedly inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of MG63 and U2OS cells. GPNMB silencing inhibited the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in MG63 and U2OS cells. PI3K/AKT activator insulin­like growth factor­1 (IGF­1) significantly activated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and reversed the suppressive effects of GPNMB silencing. IGF­1 counteracted the inhibitory effects of GPNMB silencing on the proliferation and metastasis of the MG63 and U2OS cells. In conclusion, we provided evidence that GPNMB silencing regulated the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by suppressing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Thus, GPNMB may be a potential therapeutic target for osteosarcoma treatment.

6-Chloro-1-phenyl-indoline-2,3-dione: absolute structure, non-linear optical and charge-transport properties.

In the title compound, C14H8ClNO2, the dihedral angle between the isatin moiety (r.m.s. deviation = 0.014 Å) and the phenyl ring is 51.8 (1)°. All mol-ecules have the same 'frozen chiral' conformation in the non-centrosymmetric P212121 space group. A polycrystalline sample of the title compound exhibits a considerable second-order non-linear optical effect (frequency doubling of 1064 nm light to output 532 nm light). In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating chains along the [100] direction. Based on a DFT calculation, [100] proves to be the most favourable direction for charge transport and the title crystal could be used as a hole-transport material because of its high hole mobility.

Involvement of microRNA-141-3p in 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin chemo-resistance in esophageal cancer cells via regulation of PTEN.

microRNAs (miRNAs) act as a major regulator of acquired chemo-resistance in various types of cancer therapeutics. This study investigated the contribution of miRNAs in influencing multiple drug resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The sensitivity of four ESCC cell lines (EC109, EC9706, TE-1 and KYSE-150) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and oxaliplatin (OX) was determined by MTT assay. A 5-FU and OX-resistant subline, EC9706R, was established by continuous exposure to stepwise increasing concentration of 5-FU and OX. Microarray technology was used to compare the differential expression of miRNAs between resistant cells and parental cells. Chemo-sensitivity assay was performed to evaluate drug response in EC9706R cells transfected with miRNA mimic or inhibitor. The direct targets of miRNA were identified by employing pathway analysis and then confirmed with luciferase assay. Sixty ESCC tissue samples and their paired adjacent normal tissues were collected to validate the expression of identified miRNA. Mouse models were further utilized to investigate the function of miRNA on acquired chemo-resistance. MicroRNA panel results indicated that a total of 12 miRNAs were differentially expressed and miR-141-3p was highly over expressed in resistant cells. Inhibition of miR-141-3p reversed acquired chemo-resistance in EC9706R cells by stimulating apoptosis. The expression of miR-141-3p was significantly increased in ESCC tissue samples compared to their matched distant normal tissues. In addition, the elevated miR-141-3p expression was found to be associated with ESCC differentiation status and TNM stage. Moreover, Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was identified as direct target of miR-141-3p. Western blot exhibited altered protein levels of PTEN, Akt, and PI3k with miR-141-3p inhibitor. An inverse correlation between PTEN expression and miR-141-3p expression was also observed in tissue samples. EC9706R xenograft mouse model became sensitized to 5-FU and OX treatment following miR-141-3p inhibitor transfection in vivo. Our study demonstrated that miR-141-3p contributed to an acquired chemo-resistance through PTEN modulation both in vitro and in vivo.

Upregulation of microRNA-98 increases radiosensitivity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Although radiation resistance is a common challenge in the clinical treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), an effective treatment strategy has yet to be developed. Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is responsible for cancer sensitivity to radiation. In this study, we aimed to identify the miRNAs that are associated with radioresistance in ESCC. We used a miRNA microarray to perform a comparison of miRNA expression in both ESCC parental and acquired radioresistance cell lines. qRT-PCR was used to confirm the alterations. Cell radiosensitivity was determined with a survival fraction assay. Functional analyses of the identified miRNA in ESCC cells with regard to metastasis and apoptosis were performed by transwell assays and flow cytometry. The miRNA targets were identified with pathway analysis and confirmed with a luciferase assay. miR-98 was recognized as the most downregulated miRNA in established radioresistant cell line. AmiR-98 mimic enforced the expression of miRNA-98 and made ESCC cells sensitive to radiotherapy, while anti-miR-98 reversed this process. Optimal results were achieved by decreasing cellular proliferation, decreasing cell migration and inducing apoptosis. The luciferase target gene analysis results showed that the overexpression of miRNA-98 inhibited tumor growth and resistance tolerance by directly binding to the BCL-2 gene. Our study indicated that increasing miRNA-98 expression can be used as a potential radiosensitive therapeutic strategy for treating esophageal cancer cells.

Variable clinical phenotypes of X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome in China: Report of five cases with three novel mutations and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) is a rare life-threatening syndrome. Rapid recognition and definitive diagnosis are critical to improve the prognosis and survival of patients with XLP. Nowadays, little is known about patients with XLP in China. METHODS: We report the characterization of five Chinese XLP patients with three novel mutations and review the literature related to this syndrome. Male patients with fulminant infectious mononucleosis (FIM), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) or persistent EBV viraemia were enrolled in this study. The patients' clinical features were assessed by retrieval of data from medical records. Immunological function included analysis of lymphocyte subsets and the detection of immunoglobulins G, A, M and/or E were evaluated by flow cytometry and nephelometry. Direct sequencing was used to detect SH2D1A/XIAP gene mutations. RESULTS: Twenty-two male patients with FIM, EBV-associated HLH or persistent EBV viraemia were evaluated among 421 PID patients in our centre. Four patients had SH2D1A mutations, and one patient had an XIAP mutation. The onset age of the 5 patients range from 1month to 4years which was earlier than that in the western world. The diagnosis age was between 16months and 9years with a long diagnosis lag (1-97months). Two of them had positive family history. The clinical phenotypes varied in different patients among which two patients with FHLH and hypogammaglobulinaemia, one with hypogammaglobulinaemia, lymphoma and aplastic anaemia (AA) which is the first case with AA in China, one with hypogammaglobulinaemia only and the other one with FHLH. For immunological function, three exhibited reduced CD4/CD8 ratios. Arg55stop mutations as well as splice mutation in intron 1 were most frequently found and exon 2 was the hottest exon in China. Two patients died at the time of diagnosis for severe infection or hepatic coma. Three were alive and waiting for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). CONCLUSION: For patients with severe EBV-associated HLH, hypogammaglobulinaemia, lymphoma and aplastic anaemia, possibility of XLP should be considered and if confirmed, HSCT should be performed as soon as possible.

Octupolar (C3 and S4) Symmetric Cyclized Indole Derivatives: Syntheses, Structures, and NLO Properties.

Several cyclized indole derivatives have been synthesized, and their structures been determined. The C3-symmetric single-chiral N-phenyltriindole (Tr-Ph3) crystallized in the P1 space group, and the S4-symmetric saddle-like tetraindole (TTr) crystallized in the I4̅ space group. The Tr-Ph3 and TTr crystals exhibit remarkable powder SHG intensities 5 and 11 times that of KH2PO4 (KDP), respectively. TTr is a useful octupolar core to build S4-symmetric molecules and crystals for second-NLO materials.

Three 1-phenylindolin-2-one derivatives displaying different molecular dipole moments and different crystallographic symmetries.

Three 1-phenylindolin-2-one derivatives, namely 1-phenylindolin-2-one, C14H11NO, (I), 5-bromo-1-phenylindolin-2-one, C14H10BrNO, (II), and 5-iodo-1-phenylindolin-2-one, C14H10INO, (III), have been synthesized and their structures determined. Compounds (I) and (II) crystallized in the centrosymmetric space groups Pbca and P21/c, respectively, while compound (III) crystallized in the polar space group Aea2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the molecular dipole moment gradually decreases in the order (I) > (II) > (III). The relatively smaller dipole moment of (III) and the larger non-electrostatic intermolecular interactions may be the main reasons for the noncentrosymmetric and polar structure of (III).

Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin selectively ablates T-CAEBV cells.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) represents a new subtype of lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates and often leads to malignant transformation of infected cells. Efficient therapeutic strategies are presently unavailable; therefore, the development of therapies to prevent CAEBV-mediated transformation and disease progression is crucial. Here, we used microarray analysis and luciferase reporter assays to reveal the potential role of activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) in T cell type of-CAEBV infection. Using a series of cellular and molecular experiments, we demonstrated that dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ), a novel NF-kB inhibitor, can selectively induce apoptosis in SNT-16 cells infected with CAEBV. Mechanistic studies suggested that DHMEQ induces SNT-16 cell apoptosis through NF-kB inhibition coupled with oxidative stress generation. Thus, activated NF-kB could be a new target for CAEBV therapeutics. Owing to its selective targeting ability, DHMEQ may be a candidate for a novel therapeutic regimen to control the progression of CAEBV infections.