[Short-term outcomes of all-inside endoscopic running locked stitch technique for acute achilles tendon ruptures].

Objective: To evaluate the short-term outcomes of all-inside endoscopic running locked stitch technique for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. Forty-eight cases with acute Achilles tendon rupture were treated with the all-inside endoscopic running locked stitch technique from April 2020 to March 2022 at Department of Orthopaedics, General Hospital of Central Theater Command. There were 44 males and 4 females, aged (34.8±7.4) years (range: 24 to 50 years). Body mass index was (21.2±2.4)kg/m2 (range: 18 to 26 kg/m2); There were 29 cases (60.4%) on the left side and 19 cases (39.6%) on the right side. Under endoscopic control, the proximal tendon stumps were stitched with the running locked method using a semi-automatic flexible suture passer. The threads of the high-strength suture were grasped through the paratenon sub-space and then fixed into calcaneal insertion with a knotless anchor. MRI of Achilles tendon was performed to observe the regeneration of Achilles tendon during follow-up. Surgical time and complications were assessed. Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS), Achilles tendon resting angle, and heel rise height were utilized to evaluate final clinical outcomes. The differences of bilateral limbs were compared using the paired sample t test. Results: The follow-up time was (24.1±3.5)months (range:18 to 32 months). Appropriate tendon regeneration was observed on MRI at 12 months after operation. The median ATRS score (M(IQR)) was 95.0 (4.7) points. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the injured and contralateral side in the Achilles tendon resting angle ((17.1±2.4)° vs. (17.4±2.6)°, t=1.92,P=0.062) and heel rise height ((14.2±1.7)cm vs. (14.4±1.5)cm, t=1.71,P=0.094). No nerve injury, infection, deep vein thrombosis and re-rupture was encountered. Sports activity resumed six months postoperative in 46 patients. One patient had a slight anchor cut-out, due to an addition injury, which was removed after 5 months. Conclusions: All-inside endoscopic running locked stitch technique for acute Achilles tendon ruptures shows promising results. It provides stable connection of the tendon stumps with a low risk of complications.

[Research progress on the role of glucose in regulating immune homeostasis].

Glucose is the central nutrient for energy metabolism and life support in the human body. As the main energy substance of the body, glucose is essential for the normal function of immune cells and their proliferation; when glucose homeostasis is disrupted in the body, it may lead to impaired immune system function and pathological conditions. Exploring the relationship between glucose metabolism and immune regulation can help establish the gene regulatory network and figure out potential pathogenic mechanisms under physiological and pathological conditions. This article reviews the current scientific research progress on glucose metabolism and immunity, mainly focusing on the physiological regulatory functions of glucose in maintaining the homeostasis of innate and acquired immunity; and summarizes the research progress on the effects and mechanisms of glucose on tumor immunity and its related therapies under pathological conditions, taking tumors as an example.

[Effect and mechanism of glucocorticoids in preventing stenosis after esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection].

Objective: To explore the role and specific mechanism of glucocorticoids in preventing stenosis after esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Methods: Data of 81 patients [51 cases were male and 30 cases were female, aged (62.09±7.95) years] undergoing early esophageal cancer or precancerous lesions with a stripping range ≥3/4 circle hospitalized from January 2019 to February 2021 in Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University. They were randomly divided into the control group (n=23), oral prednisone acetate group (n=28) and/or combined with local injection Triamcinolone acetonide group (n=30). Analysis the stenosis rates, endoscopic stent dilatation times, the scores of the Atkinson classification and QLQ-OES18 after 12 weeks. Also the expression of carbohydrate sulfotransferase15 (CHST15) mRNA, TGF-ß1 and Collagen-Ⅰ protein were compared by real-time PCR or immunohistochemistry. Results: The stenosis rates of the control group, oral prednisone acetate group and/or combined with local injection Triamcinolone acetonide group were 82.6% (19/23), 46.4% (13/28) and 20.0% (6/30) (P<0.001); endoscopic stent dilatation times [M (Q1,Q3)] in these three groups were 2 (1, 3), 0 (0, 0) and 0 (0, 0) (P<0.001). After ESD, the scores of the Atkinson classification and QLQ-OES18 in the three groups were lower than before (P<0.001); and the expression of CHST15 mRNA in the three groups were 4.31±0.13, 3.44±0.07 and 2.84±0.21 respectively (P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression of CHST15 mRNA in oral prednisone acetate group was down-regulated (P<0.001), and was the lowest in oral prednisone acetate combined with local injection Triamcinolone acetonide group (P<0.001). As CHST15 mRNA was down-regulated, the expression of TGF-ß1 and Collagen-I protein was also down-regulated (P<0.05). Conclusions: Oral prednisone alone or combined with local injection of triamcinolone acetonide both can prevent esophageal stenosis effectively. Oral combined with local injection of glucocorticoid is particularly more effective. Glucocorticoid can reduce the expression of CHST15 mRNA, thereby inhibiting the expression of TGF-ß1 and Collagen-I protein.

[Role of lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis].

In recent years, the number of autoimmune hepatitis cases in the world has shown a significant upward trend, but its etiology and pathogenesis is still unclear. At present, it is generally considered to be caused by abnormal immune regulation mechanism of the body, especially the lymphocytes and their cytokines, which has attracted widespread concern and thus is reviewed here.

[The role of large-scale testing platform in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic: an empirical study based on a novel numerical model].

Objective: China adopted an unprecedented province-scale quarantine since January 23rd 2020, after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) broke out in Wuhan in December 2019. Responding to the challenge of limited testing capacity, large-scale (>20 000 tests per day) standardized and fully-automated laboratory (Huo-Yan) was built as an ad-hoc measure. There is so far no empirical data or mathematical model to reveal the impact of the testing capacity improvement since quarantine. Methods: Based on the suspected case data released by the Health Commission of Hubei Province and the daily testing data of Huo-Yan Laboratory, the impact of detection capabilities on the realization of "clearing" and "clearing the day" of supected cases was simulated by establishing a novel non-linear and competitive compartments differential model. Results: Without the establishment of Huo-Yan, the suspected cases would increase by 47% to 33 700, the corresponding cost of quarantine would be doubled, the turning point of the increment of suspected cases and the achievement of "daily settlement" (all newly discovered suspected cases are diagnosed according to the nucleic acid testing result) would be delayed for a whole week and 11 days. If the Huo-Yan Laboratory could ran at its full capacity, the number of suspected cases could start to decrease at least a week earlier, the peak of suspected cases would be reduced by at least 44%, and the quarantine cost could be reduced by more than 72%. Ideally, if a daily testing capacity of 10 500 tests was achieved immediately after the Hubei lockdown, "daily settlement" for all suspected cases could be achieved. Conclusions: Large-scale, standardized clinical testing platform, with nucleic acid testing, high-throughput sequencing, and immunoprotein assessment capabilities, need to be implemented simultaneously in order to maximize the effect of quarantine and minimize the duration and cost of the quarantine. Such infrastructure, for both common times and emergencies, is of great significance for the early prevention and control of infectious diseases.

[Clinical value of intact parathyroid hormone levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy on prediction for permanent hypoparathyroidism].

Objective: To examine the value serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels measured on the first day after total thyroidectomy on prediction for permanent hypoparathyroidism. Methods: Totally 546 patients with thyroid cancer and benign thyroid lesions who underwent total thyroidectomy at Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from February 2008 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 158 males and 388 females aging (50.9±13.2) years (range: 19.0 to 79.2 years). Serum calcium and iPTH levels were collected before surgery, on the first day and 6 months after surgery. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between each data and the occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism after surgery.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the predictive power of iPTH for postoperative occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism. Results: Among the 546 cases of total thyroidectomy, 22 cases of permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred, with an incidence of 4.0% (22/546). Multivariate analysis showed that iPTH levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy (OR=2.932, 95%CI: 1.129 to 7.616, P=0.027) and serum calcium levels (OR=2.584, 95%CI: 1.017 to 6.567, P=0.046) were independent prognosis factors for postoperative permanent hypoparathyroidism. When the threshold value of iPTH at 24 hours after total thyroidectomy was 5.51 ng/L, the AUC was 0.956 (95%CI: 0.936 to 0.972, P=0.000), sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 85.1%, positive predictive value was 22%, negative predictive value was 100%. When the threshold value of serum calcium at 24 hours after total thyroidectomy was 1.93 mmol/L, the AUC was 0.733 (95%CI: 0.694 to 0.770, P=0.000), sensitivity was 63.6%, specificity was 78.1%, positive predictive value of 10.8% and negative predictive value of 98.1%. Conclusions: Serum iPTH and calcium levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy were related to the occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism postoperatively. The predictive value of iPTH level is higher than that of serum calcium level.

The association of allogeneic blood transfusion and the recurrence of hepatic cancer after surgical resection.

There is conflicting evidence whether allogeneic blood transfusion influences survival or cancer recurrence after resection of hepatocellular cancer. We followed up 1469 patients who had undergone hepatocellular resection for a median (IQR [range]) of 45 (21-78 [0-162]) months, of whom 626 (43%) had had blood transfusion within 7 days of surgery. Both disease-free survival and patient survival were measured using a proportional hazards regression model and inverse probability of treatment weighting. We used restricted cubic splines for the association of the number of packed red blood cell units transfused with cancer recurrence and survival. We found that peri-operative blood transfusion was independently associated with survival and cancer recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Adjusted hazard ratios (95%CI) for the association of blood transfusion with cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality were 1.3 (1.1-1.4) and 1.9 (1.6-2.3), p < 0.001 for both. With more units transfused cancer recurrence was more likely and survival was shorter. The association of the number of transfused units was non-linear for cancer recurrence and linear response for all-cause mortality.

[Carcinogenicity study of CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells and identification of related microRNAs].

Objective: To compare the carcinogenic abilities of CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells and general laryngeal cancer stem cells and to identify the mechanism underlying the action of miRNAs. Methods: Solid tumor-derived laryngeal carcinoma stem cells and Hep-2-derived laryngeal carcinoma stem cells were cultured, and CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells were sorted by flow cytometry. Boden chamber invasion assay, cell migration assay and tumor formation assay were then performed to compare the invasion, migration and tumorigenic abilities of CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells and general laryngeal cancer stem cells. And then, miRNAs isolated from two laryngeal cancer stem cells were detected and analysed with miRNA chip. Results: (1)In Boyden chamber invasion assay, the cell invasion rate of CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells was obviously higher (80.2%±2.3% vs. 63.9%±3.2%, t=5.011, P=0.027); (2)CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells also had higher mobility in cell migration assay (82.9%±1.1% vs. 70.9%±0.6%, t=4.514, P=0.031); (3)In tumor formation assay, the tumor formation rate of CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells was also higher (80% vs. 50%). What's more, we identified 15 miRNAs that were significantly upregulated in CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells and 3 miRNAs that were significantly downregulated in CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells, compared with normal laryngeal cancer stem cells. Conclusions: CD133(+)CD44(+) laryngeal cancer stem cells have stronger invasion, migration and tumorigenic abilities compared with normal laryngeal cancer stem cells, and the difference of miRNAs' expression is one of the possible causes.

A new Cosmocercoides species (Ascaridida: Cosmocercidae), C. wuyiensis n. sp., from the Asiatic frog Amolops wuyiensis (Amphibia: Anura).

We identified and characterized a new cosmocercid nematode species, Cosmocercoides wuyiensis n. sp., through microscopic examination and sequencing of the partial small ribosomal RNA gene (18S rDNA), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) genes. The new species was isolated from the intestine of the Asiatic frog Amolops wuyiensis Liu and Hu, 1975 captured from four localities of the Anhui province in south-east China. Among the 25 recorded species of the Cosmocercoides genus, the morphology of C. wuyiensis n. sp. is closest to that of C. kiliwai and C. malayensis, which were isolated from various Mexican frog and Malaysian lizard species, respectively. However, C. wuyiensis n. sp. displayed several distinguishing features, such as small size of the male body, two spicules of unequal lengths in the male, small gubernaculum, pre-, ad- and post-cloacal caudal rosette papillae in the ratio of 18-24:2:6 and simple papillae in the ratio of 14:multiple:4, circle and number of punctation in each rosette at 1:11-16, sharply conical tail-end and the presence of lateral alae and somatic papillae in both sexes. BLAST and the phylogenetic analyses of the 18S rDNA and ITS sequences indicated that C. wuyiensis n. sp. belonged to the genus Cosmocercoides, while that of the COI gene sequence of C. wuyiensis n. sp. showed 16.36% nucleotide divergence with C. pulcher and 47.99% nucleotide divergence with C. qingtianensis. The morphological and molecular characterization of C. wuyiensis n. sp. provides new taxonomic data for this genus.

The activity and role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggested that deficiency of autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, some recent studies have also shown that autophagy is activated in renal cells under diabetic conditions. In this review, we discuss whether autophagy is inactivated in renal cells in DN as well as the therapeutic potential of autophagy for treating DN, in order to aid future investigation in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant information, original research articles and reviews, were gathered primarily through a search in PubMed and Cochrane database. The activity and role of autophagy, as well as the relevant signaling pathways, were analyzed in different intrinsic renal cells, including podocyte, renal tubular epithelial cell, glomerular mesangial and endothelial cells. RESULTS: The upstream of autophagic pathway, but not whole pathway, was predominately studied in these intrinsic renal cells, such as the induction of autophagy, an amount of autophagic vacuoles and so on. In most cases, autophagic inactivation occurred, which is an important mechanism underlying DN progression. Targeting the autophagic pathway to activate autophagy activity might have renoprotective effect. However, autophagic activation was also found in a few studies, in which there was a debate on the role of activated autophagy: mounting an adaptive response or leading to autophagic apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The downstream of autophagic pathway, including the degradation of autophagic vacuoles, and lysosomal function, should be well studied to clarify the activity and role of autophagy in the progression of DN. Autophagy activation is likely a potential therapy for combatting DN.

Comparative Proteomics Reveal the Association between SPANX Proteins and Clinical Outcomes of Artificial Insemination with Donor Sperm.

Semen analysis is used for diagnosing male infertility and evaluating male fertility for more than a century. However, the semen analysis simply represents the population characteristics of sperm. It is not a comprehensive assessment of the male reproductive potential. In this study, 20 semen samples from human sperm bank with distinctive artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID) clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed using a two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE); 45 differentially expressed protein spots were obtained, and 26 proteins were identified. Most differentially expressed proteins were related to sperm motility, energy consumption, and structure. These identified proteins included several sperm proteins associated with the nucleus on the X chromosome (SPANX) proteins. This prospective study aimed to investigate the association between the expression levels of SPANX proteins and the AID clinical outcomes. The proteins identified in this study provided a reference for the molecular mechanism of sperm fertility and revealed a predictive value of the SPANX proteins.

[Clinical experience and next-generation sequencing analysis of encephalitis caused by pseudorabies virus].

Objective: To detect potential pathogens including pseudorabies virus in patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology in China and describe novel encephalitic entities. Methods: Patients with clinically suspected infectious encephalitis were enrolled in a multicenter study to identify the pathogens in PUMCH Encephalitis Program.Next-generation sequencing(NGS) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was used in patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology enrolled from 2016 to 2017.The patients diagnosed as PRV encephalitis were studied to describe this novel entity. Results: The four patients(3 male, 1 male, 38-54 years old) had occupational exposure to raw park when working in the production or marketing of pork and at least one got injured during pork-cutting.Two of them were confirmed with NGS of CSF, and anti-PRV antibodies were positive in 3 patients whose serum was available for serological analysis.They all presented with an acute onset of fever, convulsion, loss of consciousness and respiratory failure within 1 to 4 days and rapidly deteriorated even on extensive treatment.All the patients needed ICU admission and 3 needed mechanical ventilation.Two patients also had bilateral retinitis.Neuroimaging revealed symmetric gray matter lesions including limbic system, basal ganglia and midbrain without obvious hemorrhage.Lumbar puncture revealed elevated intracranial pressure and lymphocytic pleocytosis [(6-64)×10(6)/L] of CSF.The patients failed to response to the treatment of acyclovir combined with intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids.Modified Rankin Score was 3, 5, 5 and 6 (died) for the 4 patients respectively on last follow-up. Conclusions: PRV could be a cause of severe encephalitis.The patients with suspected pseudorabies encephalitis (PRE) need to be tested for PRV DNA timely.Severe encephalitis with bilateral involvement of limbic system, basal ganglion, thalamus and midbrain in patient with occupational exposure indicate this emerging infectious encephalitis.

The intrapapillary capillary loop (IPCL) changes in superficial esophageal lesions.

The aims of this study were to investigate intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs) of superficial esophageal lesions changes in different types classified by the Japan Esophageal Society classification. The calibers, areas, and densities of IPCLs were detected in 34 cases of esophageal lesions using immunohistochemical analysis. Statistically significant differences in calibers, areas, and densities of IPCLs were observed between type A, type B1/B2, and type B3 area (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the results of this observation showed the Japan Esophageal Society classification of IPCL would help endoscopists to diagnose the type and the invasion depth of lesion in esophagus, and decide the treatment strategy.

MR1-restricted mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells respond to mycobacterial vaccination and infection in nonhuman primates.

Studies on mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAITs) in nonhuman primates (NHP), a physiologically relevant model of human immunity, are handicapped due to a lack of macaque MAIT-specific reagents. Here we show that while MR1 ligand-contact residues are conserved between human and multiple NHP species, three T-cell receptor contact-residue mutations in NHP MR1 diminish binding of human MR1 tetramers to macaque MAITs. Construction of naturally loaded macaque MR1 tetramers facilitated identification and characterization of macaque MR1-binding ligands and MAITs, both of which mirrored their human counterparts. Using the macaque MR1 tetramer we show that NHP MAITs activated in vivo in response to both Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. These results demonstrate that NHP and human MR1 and MAITs function analogously, and establish a preclinical animal model to test MAIT-targeted vaccines and therapeutics for human infectious and autoimmune disease.

Quantitative Identification of Compound-Dependent On-Modules and Differential Allosteric Modules From Homologous Ischemic Networks.

Module-based methods have made much progress in deconstructing biological networks. However, it is a great challenge to quantitatively compare the topological structural variations of modules (allosteric modules [AMs]) under different situations. A total of 23, 42, and 15 coexpression modules were identified in baicalin (BA), jasminoidin (JA), and ursodeoxycholic acid (UA) in a global anti-ischemic mice network, respectively. Then, we integrated the methods of module-based consensus ratio (MCR) and modified Zsummary module statistic to validate 12 BA, 22 JA, and 8 UA on-modules based on comparing with vehicle. The MCRs for pairwise comparisons were 1.55% (BA vs. JA), 1.45% (BA vs. UA), and 1.27% (JA vs. UA), respectively. Five conserved allosteric modules (CAMs) and 17 unique allosteric modules (UAMs) were identified among these groups. In conclusion, module-centric analysis may provide us a unique approach to understand multiple pharmacological mechanisms associated with differential phenotypes in the era of modular pharmacology.

Giant panda׳s tooth enamel: Structure, mechanical behavior and toughening mechanisms under indentation.

The giant panda׳s teeth possess remarkable load-bearing capacity and damage resistance for masticating bamboos. In this study, the hierarchical structure and mechanical behavior of the giant panda׳s tooth enamel were investigated under indentation. The effects of loading orientation and location on mechanical properties of the enamel were clarified and the evolution of damage in the enamel under increasing load evaluated. The nature of the damage, both at and beneath the indentation surfaces, and the underlying toughening mechanisms were explored. Indentation cracks invariably were seen to propagate along the internal interfaces, specifically the sheaths between enamel rods, and multiple extrinsic toughening mechanisms, e.g., crack deflection/twisting and uncracked-ligament bridging, were active to shield the tips of cracks from the applied stress. The giant panda׳s tooth enamel is analogous to human enamel in its mechanical properties, yet it has superior hardness and Young׳s modulus but inferior toughness as compared to the bamboo that pandas primarily feed on, highlighting the critical roles of the integration of underlying tissues in the entire tooth and the highly hydrated state of bamboo foods. Our objective is that this study can aid the understanding of the structure-mechanical property relations in the tooth enamel of mammals and further provide some insight on the food habits of the giant pandas.

Relationship between TLR4 and CCL2 expression and recurrent spontaneous abortion.

The increasing incidence of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) severely affects women's health. The involvement of the immune system during pregnancy and its contribution to RSA draw researchers' attention. Both Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) have been linked to various pregnancy disorders. In this study, we quantified TLR4 and CCL2 levels in a case-control study in order to elucidate the correlation between these factors and RSA, and the potential to use them as disease markers. A total of 36 RSA patients and 36 healthy control individuals were recruited for the donation of decidual and chorionic tissues and venous blood samples. Fluorescent quantitative-polymerase chain reaction was used to measure mRNA levels and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify serum levels of TLR4 and CCL2. RSA patients had higher TLR4 and CCL2 mRNA levels compared to controls (P < 0.05). Serum levels of the two factors were also significantly higher in RSA patients than in the control group (P < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between serum levels and tissue mRNA levels of TLR4 and CCL2. In conclusion, both TLR4 and CCL2 were closely related to the occurrence of RSA, suggesting that serum TLR4 and CCL2 levels could be used as indices for monitoring RSA in pregnant women.

Clinical efficacy of fiberoptic ductoscopy in combination with ultrasound-guided minimally invasive surgery in treatment of plasma cell mastitis.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze clinical efficacy between fiberoptic ductoscopy plus ultrasound-guided minimally invasive irrigation and lesion resection in treating plasma cell mastitis (PCM), aiming to provide clinical evidence for treating PCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 119 patients undergoing fiberoptic ductoscopy plus ultrasound-guided minimally invasive surgery in Ningxia People's Hospital were allocated into the breast duct irrigation group, and 95 counterparts receiving lesion resection in the Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University into the control group. Clinico-pathological characteristics and therapeutic effect were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The cure rate in the breast duct irrigation group was 98.31% (117/119), significantly higher than 90.53% in the control group (p < 0.05). In the breast duct irrigation group, overall treatment time was 20.13 days, significantly longer than 15.15 days in the control group (p < 0.05). During postoperative follow-up, no recurrence was observed, significantly lower compared with 48.8% (42/86) in the control group. The degree of satisfaction in the breast duct irrigation group was 95.79% (114/119), significantly higher compared with 74.74% (71/95) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Fiberoptic ductoscopy plus with ultrasound-guided minimally invasive drainage is a novel and effective treatment of PCM with high cure rate, low recurrence rate, slight pain, and effectively maintains breast integrity.

Cloning and stress response analysis of the PeDREB2A and PeDREB1A genes in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Moso bamboo is a large woody bamboo with the highest ecological, economic, and cultural value among all bamboos in Asia. However, environmental stress influences its growth and development and limits its geographic distribution. Therefore, improving its resistance to environmental stress is extremely important. Dehydration responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors perform an important role in the regulation of stress-related genes, enhancing the resistance of plants to abiotic stress. In the current study, two novel DREB genes, PeDREB2A and PeDREB1A (Gene ID No. PH01000046G1730 and PH01000668G0350), were isolated from moso bamboo and the sequences were identified and characterized (coding sequence lengths were 795 and 825 bp, respectively). The PeDREB2A and PeDREB1A proteins were estimated to have typical AP2/ERF domains, molecular weights of 28.96 and 28.84 kDa, and isoelectric points of 9.47 and 5.34, respectively. RT-PCR analysis revealed that PeDREB2A and PeDREB1A were tissue-specific genes, expressed in leaves, young stems, and roots, with similar expression levels in leaves and young stems. qRT-PCR analysis of leaves demonstrated that PeDREB2A transcription levels rapidly accumulate following exposure to drought and salt stress, peaking at 12 and 0.5 h, respectively, but only low expression levels were observed under cold stress. PeDREB1A exhibited a strong response to cold stress, reaching a peak in expression 3 h after exposure, but demonstrated only a slight response to drought and salt stress. In roots, PeDREB2A was down-regulated, and PeDREB1A was initially upregulated but then declined, under stress conditions. Two plant expression vectors, pCAMBIA2300- CaMV35S-PeDREB2A and pCAMBIA2300-CaMV35S-PeDREB1A were also successfully constructed.

Quantitative hepatitis B core antibody levels in the natural history of hepatitis B virus infection.

We previously demonstrated that pretreatment quantitative anti-hepatitis B core protein (qAnti-HBc) levels can predict the treatment response for both interferon and nucleoside analogue therapy, but the characteristics of qAnti-HBc during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remain poorly understood. To understand this issue, the qAnti-HBc levels were evaluated in individuals with past HBV infection, occult HBV infection and chronic HBV infection in the immune tolerance phase, immune clearance phase, low-replicative phase and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative hepatitis phase. Individuals with hepatitis B surface antigen (n = 598, 3.74 ± 0.90 log10 IU/mL) had significantly higher (p < 0.001, approximately 1000-fold) serum qAnti-HBc levels than those who had occult HBV, and serum qAnti-HBc levels were significantly higher in the occult HBV group than in the past HBV infection group (p < 0.001). qAnti-HBc levels were positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase levels (R = 0.663, p < 0.001), and subjects with an abnormal alanine aminotransferase level had a higher qAnti-HBc level (p < 0.001). Serum qAnti-HBc level varied in different phases of HBV infection, as determined by host immune status. Serum qAnti-HBc level is strongly associated with hepatitis activity in subjects with chronic HBV infection.