Cystic angiomatosis in children: clinical experience and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Cystic angiomatosis is a rare benign disease manifesting as multiple lytic and sclerotic bone lesions, described as the proliferation of vascular and lymphatic channels lined by a single layer of endothelial cells. However, the potential pathogenetic mechanism of the disease still remains unknown. Here, we reported a case of cystic angiomatosis with multifocal bone lesion evaluated by whole exome sequencing. CASE DESCRIPTION: In this presentation, we reported a case of an 11-year-old boy with pain in his chest. Computed tomography (CT) revealed the multiple lytic of the bone in the ribs, clavicle, vertebra thoracalis, skull, mandibula, shoulder blade, etc. The blood test showed ALP to be 393U/L and VEGF to be 287.26 pg/ml. The patient was performed with an open biopsy in the ribs and was diagnosed with cystic angiomatosis. Besides, the whole exome sequencing reported the single-nucleotide substitutions in the coding region of BRIP1, CHEK2, GRM4, and MUC16. Then, the upregulated genes involved CASC15, CENPF, ABCA13, ALK, BLM, and FGFR3. CONCLUSIONS: In this article, we report a rare case of cystic angiomatosis in a child with abnormal VEGF and ALP reported by peripheral blood examination. The whole exome sequencing could provide the reference for the potential molecular mechanism in the diagnosis and treatment of cystic angiomatosis.

The production of bacterial cellulose in Gluconacetobacter xylinus regulated by luxR overexpression of quorum sensing system.

Quorum sensing is a mechanism that facilitates cell-to-cell communication. Through signal molecular density for signal recognition, which leads to the regulation of some physiological and biochemical functions. Gluconacetobacter xylinus CGMCC 2955, which produces bacterial cellulose (BC), synthesizes the LuxR protein belonging to the LuxI/LuxR type QS system. Here, a luxR overexpression vector was transformed into G. xylinus CGMCC 2955. The overexpression of luxR increased the yield of BC by 15.6% after 16 days static culture and reduced the cell density by 15.5% after 120-h-agitated culture. The glucose was used up by G. xylinus-pMV24-luxR at 72-h-agitated fermentation, which 12 h earlier than the wild-type (WT). The total N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHL) content of the luxR-overexpressing strain and the WT strain attained 1367.9 ± 57.86 mg/L and 842.9 ± 54.22 mg/L, respectively. The C12-HSL and C14-HSL contents of G. xylinus-pMV24-luxR were 202 ± 21.66 mg/L and 409.6 ± 0.91 mg/L, which were significantly lower than that of WT. In contrast, C6-HSL showed opposite results. The difference of AHL content proved that overexpression of luxR improved the binding of AHL and showed preference for some specific AHL. The metabolic results demonstrated that upon glucose exhaustion, the consumption of gluconic acid was promoted by luxR overexpression, and the content of D- ( +)-trehalose, an antiretrograde metabolite, increased significantly. KEY POINTS: • The overexpression of luxR increased the yield of bacterial cellulose • The content of signal molecules was significantly different • Differential metabolites were involved in multiple metabolic pathways.

Incontinentia pigmenti with intracranial arachnoid cyst: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a rare X-linked dominant genetic disorder that can be fatal in male infants. It is a disease that affects many systems of the human body. In addition to characteristic skin changes, patients may also have pathological features of the eyes, teeth, and central nervous system. Therefore, the lesions in these systems may be the first symptoms for which patients seek treatment. To date, no cases of IP complicated by intracranial arachnoid cyst (IAC) have been reported. This paper aims to report a case of IP with IAC in order to share the diagnosis and treatment experience of this rare case with other clinicians. CASE SUMMARY: An 11-year-old female patient suffered intermittent limb convulsions for five months and was sent to hospital. In the initial stage, the patient was considered to have primary epilepsy. Further investigation of the patient's medical history, physical examination and imaging examination led to the diagnosis of IP combined with intracranial space-occupying lesions, and secondary epilepsy. The patient was treated with craniotomy, and postoperative pathology revealed an IAC. The patient recovered well after craniotomy and had no obvious surgery-related complications. During the follow-up period, the patient did not have recurrent epilepsy symptoms. CONCLUSION: IP is a multi-system disease that presents with typical skin lesions at birth, but the long-term prognosis of this disease depends on the involvement of systems other than the skin, especially nervous system and ocular lesions.

Bacterial cellulose and its potential for biomedical applications.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an important polysaccharide synthesized by some bacterial species under specific culture conditions, which presents several remarkable features such as microporosity, high water holding capacity, good mechanical properties and good biocompatibility, making it a potential biomaterial for medical applications. Since its discovery, BC has been used for wound dressing, drug delivery, artificial blood vessels, bone tissue engineering, and so forth. Additionally, BC can be simply manipulated to form its derivatives or composites with enhanced physicochemical and functional properties. Several polymers, carbon-based nanomaterials, and metal nanoparticles (NPs) have been introduced into BC by ex situ and in situ methods to design hybrid materials with enhanced functional properties. This review provides comprehensive knowledge and highlights recent advances in BC production strategies, its structural features, various in situ and ex situ modification techniques, and its potential for biomedical applications.

A Lambda Red and FLP/FRT-Mediated Site-Specific Recombination System in Komagataeibacter xylinus and Its Application to Enhance the Productivity of Bacterial Cellulose.

Komagataeibacter xylinus has received increasing attention as an important microorganism for the conversion of several carbon sources to bacterial cellulose (BC). However, BC productivity has been impeded by the lack of efficient genetic engineering techniques. In this study, a lambda Red and FLP/FRT-mediated site-specific recombination system was successfully established in Komagataeibacter xylinus. Using this system, the membrane bound gene gcd, a gene that encodes glucose dehydrogenase, was knocked out to reduce the modification of glucose to gluconic acid. The engineered strain could not produce any gluconic acid and presented a decreased bacterial cellulose (BC) production due to its restricted glucose utilization. To address this problem, the gene of glucose facilitator protein (glf; ZMO0366) was introduced into the knockout strain coupled with the overexpression of the endogenous glucokinase gene (glk). The BC yield of the resultant strain increased by 63.63-173.68%, thus reducing the production cost.

Ethylenediamine pretreatment of corn stover facilitates high gravity fermentation with low enzyme loading.

This work investigated the effect of ethylenediamine pretreatment on reducing enzyme loading in high gravity fermentation. At optimal conditions of ethylenediamine pretreatment, 85.5% lignin was removed. Enzyme adsorption analysis using a fluorescent cellulose-binding protein showed 35.2% increase of productive adsorption of enzymes to ethylenediamine pretreated biomass, which was caused by high delignification and dramatically increased surface roughness and porosity. In SScF at 15% glucan loading, up to 82.2 g/L ethanol was achieved with a relatively low enzyme loading of 3.6 FPU/g dry matter. It suggested that the remarkably high digestibility of EDA pretreated corn stover could effectively reduce the enzyme loading in the high gravity fermentation of cellulosic ethanol.

[Seasonal Changes of the Pathways of Nitrogen Export from an Agricultural Watershed in China].

Nonpoint source pollution has become a major factor influencing the water quality. Identifying the pathway of nitrogen (N) transport from the source to the watershed mouth is a critical step in taking measures to control this pollution. However, it is difficult to identify the pathway of N transport because the transport pathway varies among different watersheds depending on the difference in the terrain, hydrology, and land cover etc and changes over time. Additionally, there is little knowledge about the major pathway of N transport through agricultural watersheds in the Yunnan Plateau lake area. The pathways of N export and their temporal variations over time were investigated in this study based on a typical agriculture-dominated watershed in a plateau lake area, Yunnan Province, and two-year monitoring data (June 2011-May 2013) in combination with a base flow separation program. The results show that the base flow accounts for most of the streamflow discharge (80.0%) and N export (71.1%). The proportion of the stream flow discharge via storm flow increases significantly with increasing rainfall. Therefore, the percentage of total N (TN) export via storm flow increases with increasing storm flow, which is closely related to rainfall. The major pathway of N export shifts toward storm flow when the storm flow proportion of the stream flow discharge increases up to 40%. During the monitoring period, the proportion of the TN export via storm flow increases up to 65.6% in the rainy season. This study provides important information for the improvement of the management of nonpoint source pollution at the watershed scale.

Dual effect of soluble materials in pretreated lignocellulose on simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation process for the bioethanol production.

In this study, wash liquors isolated from ethylenediamine and dry dilute acid pretreated corn stover were used to evaluate the effect of soluble materials in pretreated biomass on simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) for ethanol production, respectively. Both of the wash liquors had different impacts on enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Enzymatic conversions of glucan and xylan monotonically decreased as wash liquor concentration increased. Whereas, with low wash liquor concentrations, xylose consumption rate, cell viability and ethanol yield were maximally stimulated in fermentation without nutrient supplementary. Soluble lignins were found as the key composition which promoted sugars utilization and cell viability without nutrient supplementary. The dual effects of soluble materials on enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation resulted in the reduction of ethanol yield as soluble materials increased in SSCF.

Evaluation of soluble fraction and enzymatic residual fraction of dilute dry acid, ethylenediamine, and steam explosion pretreated corn stover on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

This study is aimed to examine the inhibition of soluble fraction (SF) and enzymatic residual fraction (ERF) in dry dilute acid (DDA), ethylenediamine (EDA) and steam explosion (SE) pretreated corn stover (CS) on the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose. SF of DDA, EDA and SE pretreated CS has high xylose, soluble lignin and xylo-oligomer content, respectively. SF of EDA pretreated CS leads to the highest inhibition, followed by SE and DDA pretreated CS. Inhibition of ERF of DDA and SE pretreated CS is higher than that of EDA pretreated CS. The inhibition degree (A0/A) of SF is 1.76 and 1.21 times to that of ERF for EDA and SE pretreated CS, respectively. The inhibition degree of ERF is 1.05 times to that of SF in DDA pretreated CS. The quantitative analysis shows that SF of EDA pretreated CS, SF and ERF of SE pretreated CS cause significant inhibition during enzymatic hydrolysis.

In situ detoxification of dry dilute acid pretreated corn stover by co-culture of xylose-utilizing and inhibitor-tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae increases ethanol production.

Co-culture of xylose-utilizing and inhibitor-tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae was developed for bioethanol production from undetoxified pretreated biomass in simultaneously saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) process. Glucose accumulation during late fermentation phase in SSCF using xylose-utilizing strain can be eliminated by the introduction of inhibitor-tolerant strain. Effect of different ratios of two strains was investigated and xylose-utilizing strain to inhibitor-tolerant strain ratio of 10:1 (w/w) showed the best xylose consumption and the highest ethanol yield. Inoculating of xylose-utilizing strain at the later stage of SSCF (24-48h) exhibited lower ethanol yield than inoculating at early stage (the beginning 0-12h), probably due to the reduced enzymatic efficiency caused by the unconsumed xylose and oligomeric sugars. Co-culture SSCF increased ethanol concentration by 21.2% and 41.0% comparing to SSCF using individual inhibitor-tolerant and xylose-utilizing strain (increased from 48.5 and 41.7g/L to 58.8g/L), respectively, which suggest this co-culture system was very promising.

Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of dry diluted acid pretreated corn stover at high dry matter loading: Overcoming the inhibitors by non-tolerant yeast.

Dry dilute acid pretreatment (DDAP) is a promising method for lignocellulose bioconversion, although inhibitors generated during the pretreatment impede the fermentation severely. We developed the simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SScF) of DDAP pretreated biomass at high solid loading using xylose fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae, SyBE005. Effect of temperature on SScF showed that ethanol yield at 34°C was 10.2% higher than that at 38°C. Ethanol concentration reached 29.5 g/L at 15% (w/w) dry matter loading, while SScF almost ceased at the beginning at 25% (w/w) dry matter loading of DDAP pretreated corn stover. According to the effect of the diluted hydrolysate on the fermentation of strain SyBE005, a fed-batch mode was developed for the SScF of DDAP pretreated corn stover with 25% dry matter loading without detoxification, and 40.0 g/L ethanol was achieved. In addition, high yeast inoculation improved xylose utilization and the final ethanol concentration reached 47.2 g/L.

[Comparison of two kinds of procedures used in the removal of horizontal impacted mandibular third molars].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of lingual split bone technique and high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique in the removal of horizontal impacted mandibular third molars. METHODS: 150 horizontal impacted mandibular third molars were randomly divided into two groups, 75 teeth in each group. One group received lingual split bone technique, while the other group received high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique. Both the operation time and operation complication were compared. RESULTS: The operating time with lingual split bone technique and high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique were (35.85 +/- 6.05) min and (43.52 +/- 7.70) min (P < 0.05), respectively. There was significant difference of intraoperative fracture lingual film removal and facial swelling between lingual split bone technique and high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique (P < 0.05). While there was no significant difference of gingival laceration, postoperative pain, restriction of mouth opening and postoperative bleed between lingual split bone technique and high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique (P > 0.05). There was no lingual nerve injury or numbness of lower lip occurred in two kinds of procedures. Dry socket occurred in a case of high speed turbine bodkin boneless technique. CONCLUSION: Lingual split bone technique is better in the removal of horizontal impacted mandibular third molars. It could shorten operation time and reduce the intraoperative and postoperative complications.

[Study on the correlation between coronary heart disease and chronic periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between angiographically-defined coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic periodontitis (CP). METHODS: 277 cases with CHD (case group) and another 238 with no agiographic evidence of CHD (control group) were compared on their traditional cardiovascular risk factors, as: oral health status and probing depth, clinical attachment level, gingival recession, as well as number of missing teeth. Other related risk factors of CHD were included in a stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Data from univariate analysis showed that there was significant difference in CP, plasma triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fast glucose, white blood count, hypertension and smoking between patients with CHD and those with out CHD (P < 0.01 - 0.001). Multiple factorial logistic regression analysis showed that CP, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, HDL-C were strongly correlated with the incidence of CHD. Significant dosage-effective response was also found in the relationship between CP and CHD (P < 0.001). Further studies also suggested that the severity of CP paralleled the severity of CHD. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that CP might serve as an independent risk factor of CHD and significantly enhance the risk and severity of CHD. Our study suggested that the elimination of probable risk factors in oral cavity was indispensable during the process of the prevention of CHD in order to prevent acute coronary events.