Identification of plasma SAA2 as a candidate biomarker for the detection and surveillance of non-small cell lung cancer.

This study aimed to measure the expression of SAA2 in plasma and to assess its diagnostic efficacy as a biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The gene expression of SAA2 in NSCLC was analyzed based on a database. Then, SAA2 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in lung tissue and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 90 patients with NSCLC and 61 normal controls. Finally, the diagnostic performance was assessed in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. At the gene and protein levels, the SAA2 expression was significantly higher in the NSCLC group than in the control group (p<0.01). It was higher in lung squamous carcinoma than in lung adenocarcinoma and in males than in females, and this trend was also observed in the lung squamous carcinoma group. Of note, the expression of SAA2 increased with increasing disease stage. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the sensitivity of SAA2 was 83.61%, the specificity was 91.11%, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.9252. Its accuracy was 68.89%, which was higher than that of other conventional diagnostic biomarkers, and the combined application can effectively improve the diagnostic efficiency. Based on the results, SAA2 expression was positively correlated with the disease stage of NSCLC. Notably, SAA2 is more concerning in male patients with lung squamous carcinoma, and it can help in the screening and diagnosis of NSCLC. SAA2 may represent a novel diagnostic biomarker in NSCLC.

Direct generation of vortex beams from a double-end polarized pumped Yb:KYW laser.

Double-end polarized pumping scheme combined with off-axis pumping technique has been first introduced to generate vortex beams in a z-type cavity. By employing double-end pumping, two different transverse modes can be excited simultaneously. The phase delay between these two modes can be finely tuned by manipulating the cavity structure. Direct emission of a chirality controllable Laguerre Gaussian LG01 vortex beam with slope efficiency of more than 40% has been realized by a double-end polarized pumped Yb:KYW laser. Other modes, such as dual-LG01 mode, cross-shaped mode, and LG10 mode, have also been demonstrated from our laser setup.

Generation of wavelength- and OAM-tunable vortex beam at low threshold.

Wavelength- and OAM- tunable laser with large tunable range is the key source for the application in large capacity optical communications. In this paper, we demonstrate a wavelength- and OAM-tunable vortex laser in a 1.2 W single mode fiber coupled LD pumped Yb:phosphate laser. A z-type cavity has been used to precisely control the laser mode diameter. A thin film polarizer (TFP) is inserted to finely control the intra-cavity loss and tune the wavelength. Corresponding laser fundamental mode to pump beam ratio has been optimized to decrease the pump threshold for high order HG mode running. A pair of cylindrical lenses has been used to convert the HG mode to vortex output. The vortex beam with OAM-tunable range from 1h to 14 h with wavelength tuning range of ~36.2 nm for LG0,1 vortex beam, and ~14.5 nm for LG0,14 vortex beam at pump power of only 1.2 W have been realized, which is the largest tuning range of both OAM and wavelength at ~1 W pump power range to the best of our knowledge.

Displacement and acoustic vibration sensor based on gold nanobipyramids doped PDMS micro-fiber.

We propose and demonstrate a novel flexible and elastic vibration-displacement fiber sensor with a doped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micro-fiber based on model interference. High resolution three-dimensional displacement measurement is achieved through monitoring the output pattern and variation of power. The sensor with a length of about 200 µm reveals frequency range from 50 Hz to 14 kHz, covering all the human voice frequency, with greatly enhanced high signal to noise ratio (SNR) reaching up to 66 dB. This work suggests a simple structure, small size and low cost fiber-based convenient way to achieve a multifunctional sensing applications including human motion detection.

[Chemical constitutes from Clerodendrum japonicum].

The chemical constituents from the ethanol extract of Clerodendrum japonicum were isolated by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, sephadex LH-20, ODS and reversed phase HPLC. Sixteen compounds with a pair of epimers were elucidated through the application of physicochemical properties with modern spectral analysis technology as 7α-hydroxy syringaresinol (1), (-)-syringaresinol (2), (-)-medioresinol (3), 2″,3″-O-acetylmartyonside (4), 2″-O-acetyl-martyonside (5), martinoside (6), monoacetyl martinoside (7)，cytochalasin O (8), 9-epi-blumenol B (9), (6R, 9S) and (6R,9R)-9-hydroxy-4-megastigmen-3-one (10a，10b), (6R,9S)-3-oxo-α-ionol (11), (-)-dehydrovomifoliol (12)，megastigm-5-en-3,9-diol (13), (3R,6E,10S)-2,6,10-trimethyl-3-hydroxydodeca-6,11-diene-2,10-diol (14), (2R)-butylitaconic acid (15), 3-(3&-hydroxybutyl)-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohexa-2,5-dienone (16), (-)-loliolide (17), of which compound 1 and 15 are new natural product, the other compounds were isolated for the first time from Clerodendrum japonicum except for compounds 4, 6 and 7.

Pd-Catalyzed Three-Component Coupling of Cyclopropenones via Sequential C-C Bond Activation and Allylation.

A novel Pd-catalyzed three-component domino reaction for the stereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized allyl cinnamates has been developed. In this protocol, a sequential process of C-C bond activation and intermolecular allylic substitution was well-organized. The key for this transformation is the in situ generated hydrolysis product of cyclopropenone, which triggered a new reaction with vinylethylene carbonates. The reaction mechanism was investigated, demonstrating the high stereoselectivity and excellent atomic economy in this process.

Accurate diagnosis of severe coronary stenosis based on resting magnetocardiography: a prospective, single-center, cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of resting magnetocardiography in identifying severe coronary artery stenosis in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS: A total of 513 patients with angina symptoms were included and divided into two groups based on the extent of coronary artery disease determined by angiography: the non-severe coronary stenosis group (< 70% stenosis) and the severe coronary stenosis group (≥ 70% stenosis). The diagnostic model was constructed using magnetic field map (MFM) parameters, either individually or in combination with clinical indicators. The performance of the models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). Calibration plots and decision curve analysis were performed to investigate the clinical utility and performance of the models, respectively. RESULTS: In the severe coronary stenosis group, QR_MCTDd, S_MDp, and TT_MAC50 were significantly higher than those in the non-severe coronary stenosis group (10.46 ± 10.66 vs. 5.11 ± 6.07, P < 0.001; 7.2 ± 8.64 vs. 4.68 ± 6.95, P = 0.003; 0.32 ± 57.29 vs. 0.26 ± 57.29, P < 0.001). While, QR_MVamp, R_MA, and T_MA in the severe coronary stenosis group were lower (0.23 ± 0.16 vs. 0.28 ± 0.16, P < 0.001; 55.06 ± 48.68 vs. 59.24 ± 53.01, P < 0.001; 51.67 ± 39.32 vs. 60.45 ± 51.33, P < 0.001). Seven MFM parameters were integrated into the model, resulting in an area under the curve of 0.810 (95% CI: 0.765-0.855). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 71.7%, 80.4%, 93.3%, 42.8%, and 73.5%; respectively. The combined model exhibited an area under the curve of 0.845 (95% CI: 0.798-0.892). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 84.3%, 73.8%, 92.6%, 54.6%, and 82.1%; respectively. Calibration curves demonstrated excellent agreement between the nomogram prediction and actual observation. The decision curve analysis showed that the combined model provided greater net benefit compared to the magnetocardiography model. CONCLUSIONS: The novel quantitative MFM parameters, whether used individually or in combination with clinical indicators, have been shown to effectively predict the risk of severe coronary stenosis in patients presenting with angina-like symptoms. Magnetocardiography, an emerging non-invasive diagnostic tool, warrants further exploration for its potential in diagnosing coronary heart disease.

Effects of lead(II) on the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production and colony formation of cultured Microcystis aeruginosa.

To investigate the effects of lead(II) on the production of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), including bound extracellular polysaccharides (bEPS) and soluble extracellular polysaccharides (sEPS), and the colony formation of Microcystis aeruginosa, cultures of M. aeruginosa were exposed to four concentrations (5.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 40.0 mg/L) of lead(II) for 10 d under controlled laboratory conditions. The results showed that 5.0 and 10.0 mg/L lead(II) stimulated M. aeruginosa growth throughout the experiment while 20.0 and 40.0 mg/L lead(II) inhibited M. aeruginosa growth in the first 2 d exposure and then stimulated it. As compared to the control group, significant increases in the bEPS and sEPS production were observed in 20.0 and 40.0 mg/L lead(II) treatments (P < 0.05). Large colony formations were not observed throughout the experiment. However, four tested concentrations of lead(II) could significantly promote the formation of small and middle colonies after 10 d exposure (P < 0.05), and 40.0 mg/L lead(II) had the best stimulatory effect. Lead(II) could stimulate bEPS production, which conversely promoted colony formation, suggesting that heavy metals might be contributing to the bloom-forming of M. aeruginosa in natural conditions.

[Relationship between the expression of HBV mRNA in embryos and father-to-infant HBV transmission].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate father-to-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by detecting HBV mRNA in the IVF embryos with paternal HBV infection. METHODS: We collected 18 discarded IVF embryos (9 cases) with paternal chronic HBV infection, and detected HBV mRNA in the embryos by single-cell RT-PCR. RESULTS: HBV mRNA positive signals were found in 1 of the 18 embryos with paternal serum HBV positive markers (5.6%), but no specific HBV mRNA signals were observed in the 84 embryos of the negative control group. Follow-up visits revealed no significant difference between the experimental and negative control groups either in the rate of clinical pregnancy (P > 0.05) or in that of early abortion (P > 0.05). The IVF embryo with paternal HBV mRNA positive signals was successfully implanted, but early abortion occurred. HBV infection was not transmitted to progeny in either of the two groups. CONCLUSION: The positive results of HBV mRNA indicate that HBV can get into early-cleavage embryos through sperm and replicate there, which may be the main channel of father-to-infant transmission. HBV may interfere with the development of embryos, and even result in abortion and other adverse outcomes.

Effects of microcystin on protein profile in hepatopancreas of Litopenaeus vannamei.

For intensive aquaculture in freshwater ponds, microcystin (MC-LR) generated from cyanobacterial blooms is one of the bottlenecks for the healthy and sustainable development of shrimp aquaculture industry. In this study, we measured the MC-LR content in the hepatopancreas and muscles of Litopenaeus vannamei stressed by MC-LR, and analyzed protein expression in the hepatopancreas using DIA high-throughput proteomics technology. The results showed that MC-LR content in the hepatopancreas and muscles reached the highest at 1 h after MC-LR injection, which was (6.12±0.45) µg·kg-1 and (5.00±0.19) µg·kg-1, respectively. Then, it decreased gra-dually, with that in the hepatopancreas being significantly higher than in muscles. We identified 820 differential expressed proteins, including 586 up-regulated and 234 down-regulated ones. Results of bioinformatics analysis showed that MC-LR stress significantly affected immune-related pathways such as lysosome, RIG-Ⅰ receptor signals and interleukin-2. It also altered energy metabolisms including citrate cycle, metabolism of starch and sucrose, and interconversion of pentose and glucoronate, which in turn led to the disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, MC-LR significantly upregulated 19 cytoskeleton-related blood shadow proteins and damaged the hepatopancreas cytoskeleton. It was concluded that MC-LR mainly affected the physiological processes associated with immunity, energy metabolism, and cytoskeleton in the hepatopancreas of L. vannamei.

Identification of RD5-encoded Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins as B-cell antigens used for serodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

Comparative genomic studies have identified several Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific genomic regions of difference (RDs) which are absent in the vaccine strains of Mycobacterium bovis BCG and which may be useful in the specific diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). In this study, all encoded proteins from DNA segment RD5 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that is, Rv3117-Rv3121, were recombined and evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for antibody reactivity with sera from HIV-negative pulmonary TB patients (n = 60) and healthy controls (n = 32). The results identified two immunodominant antigens, that is, Rv3117 and Rv3120, both of which revealed a statistically significant antigenic distinction between healthy controls and TB patients (P < 0.05). In comparison with the well-known early-secreted antigen target 6 kDa (ESAT-6) (sensitivity 21.7%, specificity 90.6%), the higher detection sensitivity and higher specificity were achieved (Rv3117: sensitivity 25%, specificity 96.9%; Rv3120: sensitivity 31.7%, specificity 96.9%). Thus, the results highlight the immunosensitive and immunospecific nature of Rv3117 and Rv3120 and indicate promise for their use in the serodiagnosis of TB.

Complete genome sequence of a novel clinical isolate, the nontuberculous Mycobacterium strain JDM601.

Mycobacteriosis is on the increase. Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are resistant to most antituberculosis drugs naturally. We determined the complete genome sequence of a novel NTM strain, JDM601, of the Mycobacterium terrae complex, which was isolated from a patient with tuberculosis-like disease and with various antibiotic resistances.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor interacts with the preS1 domain of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND: The preS1 domain of the large envelope protein has been identified as an essential viral structure involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) attachment. However, the cellular receptor(s) for HBV has not yet been identified. AIMS: To identify a cell-surface receptor for HBV, which could elucidate the molecular mechanism of HBV infection. METHODS: A novel yeast two-hybrid system was used to screen proteins interacting with the preS1 region of HBV. Their interaction was verified by yeast cotransformation, coimmunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid assay, while their intracellular and tissue localization was analyzed by confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: Asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) interacted specifically and directly with the preS1 domain of HBV in vivo and in vitro. The levels of expression of preS1 and ASGPR in the liver were similar and correlated with each other. CONCLUSIONS: ASGPR is a candidate receptor for HBV that mediates further steps of HBV entry.

Evaluation of a novel fusion protein antigen for rapid serodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

The detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antibodies in human sera has been a rapid and important diagnostic aid for tuberculosis (TB) control and prevention. However, any single antigen is not enough to be used to cover the antibody profiles of all TB patients. In this study, a novel fusion protein was constructed using gene splicing by overlap extension (SOEing), and then the antibody level against it in 171 TB patients and 86 controls was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with the three individual antigen (16 kDa: sensitivity 19.9%, specificity 96.5%; MPT64: sensitivity 75.4%, specificity 34.9%; 38 kDa: sensitivity 33.3%, specificity 83.7%), the fusion protein antigen (sensitivity 42.1%, specificity 89.5%) gave the best diagnostic performance with the largest receiver operating characteristic curve area 0.656 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.590-0.721; P<0.01). These results suggested that the novel fusion protein antigen successfully constructed by gene SOEing provided the improved diagnostic performance for TB, and other mycobacterial multiepitope fusion proteins may also be worthy of investigation for further enhancing the detection sensitivity.

[Expression of COX-2 and PPARg in the livers of patients with acute on chronic HBV-related liver failure and their relationship with clinic parameters].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARg) in liver of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and their correlation with clinical parameters. METHODS: 35 patients with ACLF, 35 patients with HBV related chronic liver failure (CLF), 27 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB) and 15 normal control were enrolled to study the expressions of COX-2 and PPARg in the liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining, and to analyze the correlation of the COX-2 and PPARg levels in liver tissues with clinical parameters. RESULTS: COX-2 was distinctly expressed in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes, but PPARg was mostly expressed in the nuclei of the hepatocytes and also could be seen in the cytoplasm. The expressions of COX-2 in the liver of ACLF, CLF and CHB groups increased significantly as compared with NC group (z = -5.18, -4.50, -5.32, P is less than 0.01). The levels of COX-2 in ACLF livers also increased evidently as compared with CLF groups (z = -1.98, P is less than 0.05). The expression levels of PPARg in ACLF liver tissues were much higher than the other three groups, and statistical significances existed between ACLF group and the other two groups (CLF, NC groups) (z = -2.62, -4.28, P is less than 0.01). In ACLF group, the expression of COX-2 correlated with MELD score (r = 0.337, P is less than 0.05) and the expression of PPARg correlated with HBV DNA load (r = 0.348, P is less than 0.05). Clinical data showed that the levels of AST, TBil, CHOL, PT, INR, FIB and MELD score in ACLF group were significantly different from that in CLF, CHB and NC groups. CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 expressed in liver may be a marker to reflect the degree of inflammation and injury of liver tissue. The PPARg expression of liver could be increased during chronic HBV infection and may be a protective mechanism against liver injury.

Solution and rheological properties of cationic cellulose/gemini surfactant: Effect of the alkyl chain and spacer length.

In this paper, three sulfonate-containing gemini surfactants, sodium 1,1'-(4,4'-methylenebis(4,1-phenylene))bis(1-oxooctane-2-sulfonate) (C8-M1-C8), sodium 1,1'-(4,4'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(1-oxooctane-2-sulfonate) (C8-M2-C8), sodium 1,1'-(4,4'-methylenebis(4,1-phenylene))-bis(1-oxododecane-2-sulfonate) (C12-M2-C12), were synthesized and characterized with FT-IR, 1H NMR and MS. Furthermore, interaction between a cationic cellulose-based polyelectrolyte, PQ-10, and gemini surfactants were investigated by surface tension, turbidity, flow and low-amplitude oscillation rheology analysis. For comparing, the interaction of their corresponding monomeric counterpart sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium 1-octanesulfate (SOS) was also studied. Results showed that the concentration value at T1, defined as critical surface complex concentration, for the PQ-10/surfactant was in order of PQ-10/C8-M2-C8> PQ-10/C8-M1-C8 > PQ-10/C12-M2-C12. Precipitation appeared at low concentration for Gemini surfactants than their monomeric counterparts, and for the gemini surfactants with shorter spacer or longer hydrocarbon chain. The increase/decrease of the crossover frequency (ωc) (the relaxation time, τc) for PQ-10/C12-M2-C12 indicated the formation/collapse of network structures, while PQ-10/SDS showed no obvious change.

A Rapid and Accurate Detection Approach for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Based on PCR-ELISA Microplate Hybridization Assay.

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is important for timely and appropriate therapy. In this study, a rapid and easy-to-perform molecular test that integrated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and a specific 96-well microplate hybridization assay, called PCR-ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), were developed for detection of mutations in rpoB, katG, and inhA genes responsible for rifampin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) resistance and prediction of drug susceptibility in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates. We evaluated the utility of this method by using 32 multidrug-resistent (MDR) isolates and 22 susceptible isolates; subsequently, we compared the results with data obtained by conventional drug susceptibility testing and DNA sequencing. The sensitivity and specificity of the PCR-ELISA test were 93.7% and 100% for detecting RIF resistance, and 87.5% and 100% for detecting INH resistance, respectively. These results were comparable to those yielded by commercially available molecular tests such as the GenoType MTBDRplus assay. Based on the aforementioned results, we conclude that the PCR-ELISA microplate hybridization assay is a rapid, inexpensive, convenient, and reliable test that will be useful for rapid diagnosis of MDR-TB, for improved clinical care.

Identification of a novel protein binding to hepatitis C virus core protein.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is a multi-functional viral protein that interacts with several target proteins of both viral and cellular origin. AIM AND METHODS: To gain insight into the mechanism of action of HCV core protein, we used a yeast two-hybrid system to identify the core protein-interacting cellular targets. RESULTS: A cDNA clone encoding an aspartoacylase was obtained, termed aspartoacylase 3 (ACY3). Interaction between ACY3 and HCV core protein was verified using a co-immunoprecipitation assay in vitro, and a mammalian two-hybrid system in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy showed green fluorescence protein-fused ACY3 localized in the cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that ACY3 is an HCV core binding protein, which may play a role in the development of HCV-associated diseases.

Pharmacologic ascorbate as a pro-drug for hydrogen peroxide release to kill mycobacteria.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tuberculosis is one of the most highly fatal diseases worldwide, and one-third of the world's population has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). A previous study showed that M. tuberculosis was highly susceptible to being killed by ascorbate (i.e. vitamin C, VC), but the molecular mechanisms of the bactericidal activity of VC against M. tuberculosis are still not well understood. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We assayed the effects of VC as an anti-tuberculosis drug against mycobacteria (i.e. M. bovis BCG or M. tuberculosis H37Rv) in macrophages (i.e. RAW 264.7 cells). Relative global protein expression changes in 5 mM VC-treated and control samples of H37Rv were investigated by Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic analysis. qRT-PCR was also used to measure the differential expression of six intracellular stress response mycobacteria genes. KEY RESULTS: Quantitative proteomic analysis showed that 11 peptide components including rip3, fdxA, Rv2028c, mtp, LH57_00670, hspX, pfkB, Rv1824, Rv1813c, LH57_08410 and Rv2030c were up-regulated and 17 peptide components were down-regulated in 5 mM VC-treated H37Rv compared with the control samples. qRT-PCR also verified that VC could induce the expression of six genes (hsp, fdxD, furA, devR, hspX, and dnaB) in BCG and H37Rv. We also found that exosomes from RAW 264.7 cells treated with pharmacologic VC could kill M. bovis BCG in vitro. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our results demonstrated that the bactericidal activity of VC against mycobacteria, as a pro-drug for hydrogen peroxide formation (H2O2), was dependent on reactive oxygen species production and the activated oxidative stress pathway, which suggested that pharmaceutical VC and exosomes from macrophages treated with VC could be used as potential anti-tuberculosis drugs.

NS5ATP9, a gene up-regulated by HCV NS5A protein.

Non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) appears to interact with a variety of cellular proteins and play an important role in mediating cell growth, cellular signaling pathways and pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV). NS5ATP9 was identified as a NS5A trans-activated protein in suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH), and the regulation was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). A minimal promoter region contained within the 211bp (nucleotides -161 to +50bp) immediately upstream of the transcription initiation site. NS5ATP9 is a NS5A up-regulation gene which may play a role in the pathogenesis of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.