Physicochemical and functional properties of goat milk whey protein and casein obtained during different lactation stages.

During lactation, goat milk contains colostrum, transitional milk, mature milk, and end milk. The protein present in goat milk during different lactation periods has different characteristics. This study aimed to characterize the protein profile of goat milk samples obtained at different lactation stages and to identify changes in the physicochemical and functional properties of whey protein and casein from goat milk collected at 1, 3, 15, 100, and 200 d after calving. The results demonstrated that the lactation period had a great influence on the physicochemical and functional properties of goat milk whey protein and casein, especially the protein properties of colostrum on the first day after delivery. The denaturation temperature, hydrophobicity, and turbidity of whey protein were significantly higher on the first day postpartum than at other lactation periods. Correspondingly, the colostrum whey protein also had better functional properties, such as emulsification, oil holding capacity, and foaming properties on the first day postpartum than at other lactation periods. For casein, the turbidity, particle size, water holding capacity, and foaming properties on the first day after delivery were significantly higher than those at other lactation periods, whereas the denaturation temperature, oil holding capacity, and emulsification followed the opposite trend. For both whey protein and casein, the 2 indicators of emulsifying properties, namely, emulsifying activity index and the emulsion stability, also followed an opposite trend relative to lactation stage, whereas the changes in foaming capacity with the lactation period were completely consistent with the change of foaming stability. These findings could provide useful information for the use of goat milk whey protein and casein obtained during different lactation stages in the dairy industry.

[Application of Endo-GIA stapler in laparoscopic radicalcystectomy].

Objective: To explore the application of Endo-GIA stapler in laparoscopic radical cystectomy, especially in the treatment of lateral bladder ligament, and to evaluate its clinical feasibility and practicability. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data about 38 cases of laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) treated in the Department of Urology, Chaoyang Hospital of Beijing and Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from July 2017 to June 2019 were conducted. The patients were divided into Endo-GIA stopler group(18 cases) and non-Endo-GIA stopler group (20 cases) according to whether Endo-GIA stapler were used. The basic clinical data, operation time of bladder lateral ligament, operation time of bladder lateral wall, operation time of bladder resection, amount of bleeding during operation, pathological data after operation and related indicators of recovery after operation were compared between the two groups. Results: All 38 patients underwent radical cystectomy (RC) successfully under 3-D laparoscopy without conversion to open surgery. The operation time of bladder lateral ligament in Endo-GIA stapler group was significantly shorter than that in non-Endo-GIA stapler group [(3.25±0.75) min vs (9.20±2.95) min, P=0.042]; the operation time of bladder lateral wall in Endo-GIA stapler group was significantly shorter than that in non-Endo-GIA stapler group [(8.06±1.66) min vs (14.30±3.37) min, P=0.016]. The operation time of cystectomy in the Endo-GIA stapler group was significantly shorter than that in the non-Endo-GIA stapler group [(47.06±4.70) min vs (61.60±14.91) min,P=0.003]. The amount of bleeding in the Endo-GIA stapler group was significantly shorter than that in the non-Endo-GIA stapler group [(37.77±21.30) ml vs (114.50±39.80) ml, P=0.015]. The time of drainage tube removal in Endo-GIA group was significantly shorter than that in the non-Endo-GIA group [(5.83±1.54) d vs (7.30±3.00) d, P=0.002]. The length of post-hospitalization in Endo-GIA group was significantly shorter than that in the non-Endo-GIA group [(7.67±1.78) d vs (9.60±3.25) d,P=0.036]. However, there was no significant difference in other basic clinical data, post-operative pathology and post-operative recovery related indicators. Conclusions: Laparoscopic radical cystectomy using Endo-GIA stapler device is safe and feasible. It is easy to operate, shorten the operation time significantly, and reduce the amount of bleeding. To a certain extent, it is conducive to the recovery of patients after operation to some extent, and worthy of clinical application.

CircRNA UBAP2 promotes the progression of ovarian cancer by sponging microRNA-144.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to elucidate the regulatory effect of circular RNA UBAP2 (circUBAP2) on the progression of ovarian cancer (OC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of circUBAP2, microRNA-144 and CHD2 in OC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. The correlation between the expression levels of circUBAP2 and microRNA-144 with pathological parameters of OC patients was analyzed. Subcellular distribution of circUBAP2 was detected by chromatin fractionation assay. After overexpression of circUBAP2 in OC cells, changes in proliferative and migratory abilities were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay, respectively. In addition, the Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the binding of circUBAP2 and microRNA-144, and the binding of CHD2 to microRNA-144. RESULTS: QRT-PCR results showed that circUBAP2 was highly expressed in OC tissues, and its expression was negatively correlated with TMN stage and five-year survival of OC patients. CircUBAP2 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Overexpression of circUBAP2 significantly promoted the proliferative and migratory abilities of OC cells. The Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that circUBAP2 could bind to microRNA-144. Meanwhile, circUBAP2 negatively regulated microRNA-144 expression in OC cells. Besides, the promotive effects of circUBAP2 on the proliferation and migration of OC cells were reversed by microRNA-144 overexpression. MicroRNA-144 was lowly expressed in OC tissues, which was negatively correlated with TNM stage of OC patients. The Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the binding condition between CHD2 and microRNA-144. CHD2 expression was negatively regulated by microRNA-144 in OC cells. Moreover, CHD2 could bind to microRNA-144 and partially inhibited its activity, thereby promoting the proliferative and migratory abilities of OC cells. CONCLUSIONS: CircUBAP2 promotes the progression of ovarian cancer by adsorbing microRNA-144.

[Analysis on 10 year survival of HIV/AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral therapy during 2003-2005 in Henan province].

Objective: To understand the survival of HIV/AIDS patients after receiving antiretroviral therapy for 10 year in Henan province and related factors. Methods: The database of national integrated management system of HIV/AIDS was used to collect the basic information and follow-up information of HIV/AIDS patients who received antiretroviral therapy between 2003 and 2005 in Henan province. Software SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze the patients' survival and related factors based on the life-table method and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Among the 2 448 HIV/AIDS patients who started antiretroviral therapy during 2003-2005, the men accounted for 53.5%, and women accounted for 46.5%. Up to 70.1% of the patients were aged 40-59 years and 95.5% of the patients had blood borne infections. The patients were observed for 10 years after antiviral treatment, and 719 cases died from AIDS related diseases, with a mortality rate of 3.78/100 per year (719/19 010 per year). The cumulative survival rates of patients within 1-year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years were 0.94, 0.86, 0.78, 0.69 respectively. Compared with the patients aged <40 years, the HRs of the patients aged 40-, 50-, 60- and ≥70 years were 1.417 (95%CI: 0.903-2.222), 1.834 (95%CI: 1.174-2.866), 2.422 (95%CI: 1.539-3.810) and 3.424 (95%CI: 2.053-5.709) respectively. Compared with patients with baseline CD(4+)T lymphocyte >350 unit/ul, the HRs of the patients with CD(4+)T lymphocyte <50 unit/µl, 50-199 unit/ul and 200-350 unit/ul were 7.105 (95%CI: 5.449-9.264), 4.175 (95%CI: 3.249-5.366) and 2.214 (95%CI: 1.691-2.900) respectively. Compared with the women, the HR of the men was 1.480 (95%CI: 1.273-1.172). Compared with the patients who received second line ART therapy, the HR of patients receiving no second line therapy was 11.923 (95%CI: 9.410-15.104). Conclusions: The cumulative survival rate the HIV/AIDS patients after 10 years of antiretroviral therapy reached 0.69 in Henan. Male, old age, low basic CD(4+)T lymphocyte count and receiving no second line therapy were the risk factors for long-term survival of AIDS patients.

[Survival time of HIV/AIDS death cases after antiretroviral therapy and related factors in Henan province, 2003-2015].

Objective: To analyze and investigate the survival time of dead HIV/AIDS patients after antiretroviral therapy (ART) and related factors in Henan province. Methods: The database of national integrated management system of HIV/AIDS was used to collect the information of dead patients who received ART between January 2003 and December 2015. Software SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze the survival time of dead patients and related factors. Result: A total of 6 267 AIDS patients died after ART and the average survival time was 23.85 months (Q(R): 6.87-50.46 months). Within 6 months, 7-12 months and 13-24 months after ART, the numbers of dead patients were 1 441 (23.00%), 652 (10.40%) and 1 052 (16.79%), respectively. The number of dead cases decreased after 24 months of ART. The number of AIDS-related deaths was 5 085 (81.1%); and 799 (12.7%) deaths were due to other causes, in which 179 (2.9%) were caused by accidents and 109 (1.7%) were caused by suicides. The differences in annual composition ratio of death causes during 2003-2015 had significance (χ(2)=864.27, P<0.01). Twelve months, 36 months, 60 months and 120 months after ART, the survival ratios were 66.59%, 36.62%, 19.24% and 0.64% respectively. Compared with patients infected through blood donation, the HR of the patients infected through sexual transmission was 1.602 (95%CI: 1.483-1.732). Compared with patients with initial level of CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte ≥350 unit/µl, the HR of patients with initial level of CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte<50 unit/µl was 2.320 (95%CI: 2.119-2.539). Compared with patients receiving second line ART, the HR of patients receiving no second line ART was 3.312 (95%CI: 3.083-3.558). Conclusion: The AIDS related deaths mainly occurred in the first six months after ART. As the increase of duration of ART, the death rate decreased. Sexual transmission, low initial level of CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte and receiving no second line ART were the risk factors for the deaths of HIV/AIDS patients.

Atrial fibrillation prevalence and atrial vulnerability analysis in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia patients after radiofrequency ablation.

OBJECTIVE: Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) patient has higher prevalence ratio of atrial fibrillation (AF), while AF recurrence remains a high ratio after radiofrequency ablation (RFCA). This study explored AF prevalence and atrial vulnerability in PSVT patients after RFCA, using ROC curve to analyze atrial effective refractory period dispersion (dERP) on postoperative AF in the prediction of PSVT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The PSVT patients were enrolled and divided into three groups and received RFCA treatment between January 2010 and December 2014. Group A, AF was induced by programmed electrical stimulation (PES) under isopropyl epinephrine (ISO) perfusion; group B, AF was induced by PES or PES under ISO perfusion; group C, no AF was generated by PES or PES under ISO perfusion. Ultrasonic cardiogram was applied to detect intra, inter, atrial electromechanical delay and dERP. ROC curve was adopted to analyze the prediction effect of dERP on postoperative AF recurrence. RESULTS: dERP, group B > A > C; inter and intra: group B > A (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, sympathetic nerve stimulation, and left/right atrial diameter were independent risk factors of postoperative AF in PSVT patients (p<0.05). Of note, dERP cut-off value at 75.5 msec can effectively predict AF recurrence in PSVT patients after RFCA (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial vulnerability index dERP could be applied to evaluate AF recurrence in PSVT patients after RFCA.

Zinc oxide nanorod based photonic devices: recent progress in growth, light emitting diodes and lasers.

Zinc oxide (ZnO), with its excellent luminescent properties and the ease of growth of its nanostructures, holds promise for the development of photonic devices. The recent advances in growth of ZnO nanorods are discussed. Results from both low temperature and high temperature growth approaches are presented. The techniques which are presented include metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD), vapour phase epitaxy (VPE), pulse laser deposition (PLD), vapour-liquid-solid (VLS), aqueous chemical growth (ACG) and finally the electrodeposition technique as an example of a selective growth approach. Results from structural as well as optical properties of a variety of ZnO nanorods are shown and analysed using different techniques, including high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL), for both room temperature and for low temperature performance. These results indicate that the grown ZnO nanorods possess reproducible and interesting optical properties. Results on obtaining p-type doping in ZnO micro- and nanorods are also demonstrated using PLD. Three independent indications were found for p-type conducting, phosphorus-doped ZnO nanorods: first, acceptor-related CL peaks, second, opposite transfer characteristics of back-gate field effect transistors using undoped and phosphorus doped wire channels, and finally, rectifying I-V characteristics of ZnO:P nanowire/ZnO:Ga p-n junctions. Then light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on n-ZnO nanorods combined with different technologies (hybrid technologies) are suggested and the recent electrical, as well as electro-optical, characteristics of these LEDs are shown and discussed. The hybrid LEDs reviewed and discussed here are mainly presented for two groups: those based on n-ZnO nanorods and p-type crystalline substrates, and those based on n-ZnO nanorods and p-type amorphous substrates. Promising electroluminescence characteristics aimed at the development of white LEDs are demonstrated. Although some of the presented LEDs show visible emission for applied biases in excess of 10 V, optimized structures are expected to provide the same emission at much lower voltage. Finally, lasing from ZnO nanorods is briefly reviewed. An example of a recent whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing from ZnO is demonstrated as a way to enhance the stimulated emission from small size structures.

Buckling and mechanical instability of ZnO nanorods grown on different substrates under uniaxial compression.

Mechanical instability and buckling characterization of vertically aligned single-crystal ZnO nanorods grown on different substrates including Si, SiC and sapphire (α-Al(2)O(3)) was done quantitatively by the nanoindentation technique. The nanorods were grown on these substrates by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method. The critical load for the ZnO nanorods grown on the Si, SiC and Al(2)O(3) substrates was found to be 188, 205 and 130 µN, respectively. These observed critical loads were for nanorods with 280 nm diameters and 900 nm length using Si as a substrate, while the corresponding values were 330 nm, 3300 nm, and 780 nm, 3000 nm in the case of SiC and Al(2)O(3) substrates, respectively. The corresponding buckling energies calculated from the force displacement curves were 8.46 × 10(-12), 1.158 × 10(-11) and 1.092 × 10(-11) J, respectively. Based on the Euler model for long nanorods and the J B Johnson model (which is an extension of the Euler model) for intermediate nanorods, the modulus of elasticity of a single rod was calculated for each sample. Finally, the critical buckling stress and strain were also calculated for all samples. We found that the buckling characteristic is strongly dependent on the quality, lattice mismatch and adhesion of the nanorods with the substrate.

[Epidemiological investigation on an outbreak of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis in Wenzhou].

OBJECTIVE: To find out the cause and transmission factors of an outbreak of eosinophilic meningoradiculitis in Wenzhou City during October to November in 1997. METHODS: In addition to a retrospective cohort study on 182 persons who had dined at a same restaurant of the city, etiological and immunoserological investigations were conducted. RESULTS: Among 105 cases who had eaten the undercooked Ampullaria gigas in that restaurant, 47 cases were infected, the incidence rate was 44.8%; whereas none of the persons who did not eat the under-cooked Ampullaria gigas in that restaurant got the infection, the difference between the two groups being significant(P < 0.001). The incidence rate of the cases who had eaten 4 and more pieces of the undercooked Ampullaria gigas was 86.2%(25/29), while that of those who had eaten less than 4 pieces was 28.9%(22/76), the difference between the two being very significant (chi 2 = 27.83, P < 0.001, RR = 2.98). The third stage larvae of the Angiostrongylus cantonensis were found out from Ampullaria gigas living in the same locality, and the adult worms of Angiostrongylus contonensis were found out from the rats living in the locality else. The positive rate of serum anti-Angiostrongylus cantonensis antibody in the patients was 84.0%. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the clinical, epidemiological, immunoserological and etiological investigations, an outbreak of the angiostrongyliasis cantonensis caused by eating undercooked Ampullaria gigas was confirmed.

Proliferating patterns of salivary gland adenocarcinomas with the use of PCNA labeling.

Cellular proliferation activity in a series of salivary gland malignant tumors was evaluated using the index of proliferation cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoreactivity. A streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method (ABC) using a monoclonal antibody PC10 demonstrated nuclear staining with varying intensity and distribution in all tumor specimens. Acinic cell carcinoma (n = 5) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (n = 1) showed relatively low proliferation fractions. In adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 13), PCNA-positive nuclei were mainly distributed in neoplastic myoepithelial cells which were the predominant cells in tumor growth. No statistically significant difference was found between cribriformtubular and solid subtypes. In adenocarcinoma (n = 6), a well differentiated papillary-cystic pattern expressed a significantly higher PCNA index than poorly differentiated solid pattern, showing the loss of the relationship between PCNA expression and differentiation. Tumor cell differentiation appears to be more important than proliferation in determining biological behavior and prognosis.

[An analysis of 30 cases of chylothorax and chyloperitoneum].

Thirty patients diagnosed as chylothorax and chyloperitoneum (13 of chylothorax, 9 of chyloperitoneum and 8 of both) in PUMC Hospital from 1923 to 1989 were reported. Thus, the incidence rate of these two diseases is rather low. The commonest causes were iatrogenic trauma (9 cases) and malignant tumor (7 cases). Other causes were tuberculosis (5 cases), lymphangioma (2 cases), Behcet's syndrome (1 case) and non-iatrogenic trauma (1 case). The etiology was not known in 5 cases. Acute episode was observed in patients with traumatic chylous effusion; it was usually manifested as dyspnea or abdominal distention. Patients with nontraumatic chylous effusion usually run a chronic course. The characteristics of chylous effusion were analyzed. Lymphangiography and lymphoscintigraphy with 99m TC-labeled dextran play important roles in diagnosis and treatment. It has been suggested that the changes in T-cell immunocompetence is important in determining whether the treatment should be conservative or operative. If chylous effusion is due to tuberculosis, antituberculosis treatment should be instituted.

[Ultrastructure of the tumor cell lines treated with tumor necrosis factor].

The cytotoxic effect of purified tumor necrosis factor (TNF) derived from rabbit treated with BCG-LPS on tumor cell lines was studied by electron microscopy. Tumor cell lines L929, CNE-2 (poorly-differentiated carcinoma of nasopharynx) and Pc84045 (adenocarcinoma of lung) were treated in vitro with TNF. It was found that the membrane of the target cells still remained intact, while the cytoplasmic organellae, especially the mitochondria were destroyed. The mechanism of TNF cytotoxic activity is discussed.