Identification of potential biomarkers of leprosy: A study based on GEO datasets.

Leprosy has a high rate of cripplehood and lacks available early effective diagnosis methods for prevention and treatment, thus novel effective molecule markers are urgently required. In this study, we conducted bioinformatics analysis with leprosy and normal samples acquired from the GEO database(GSE84893, GSE74481, GSE17763, GSE16844 and GSE443). Through WGCNA analysis, 85 hub genes were screened(GS > 0.7 and MM > 0.8). Through DEG analysis, 82 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated genes were screened(|Log2FC| > 3 and FDR < 0.05). Then 49 intersection genes were considered as crucial and subjected to GO annotation, KEGG pathway and PPI analysis to determine the biological significance in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Finally, we identified a gene-pathway network, suggesting ITK, CD48, IL2RG, CCR5, FGR, JAK3, STAT1, LCK, PTPRC, CXCR4 can be used as biomarkers and these genes are active in 6 immune system pathways, including Chemokine signaling pathway, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, Th17 cell differentiation, T cell receptor signaling pathway, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and Leukocyte transendothelial migration. We identified 10 crucial gene markers and related important pathways that acted as essential components in the etiology of leprosy. Our study provides potential targets for diagnostic biomarkers and therapy of leprosy.

Emodin attenuates inflammation and demyelination in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Emodin, a substance extracted from herbs such as rhubarb, has a protective effect on the central nervous system. However, the potential therapeutic effect of emodin in the context of multiple sclerosis remains unknown. In this study, a rat model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was established by immune induction to simulate multiple sclerosis, and the rats were intraperitoneally injected with emodin (20 mg/kg/d) from the day of immune induction until they were sacrificed. In this model, the nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and the microglia exacerbated neuroinflammation, playing an important role in the development of multiple sclerosis. In addition, silent information regulator of transcription 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha coactivator (PGC-1α) was found to inhibit activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and SIRT1 activation reduced disease severity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Furthermore, treatment with emodin decreased body weight loss and neurobehavioral deficits, alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination, reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines, inhibited microglial aggregation and activation, decreased the levels of NLRP3 signaling pathway molecules, and increased the expression of SIRT1 and PGC-1α. These findings suggest that emodin improves the symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, possibly through regulating the SIRT1/PGC-1α/NLRP3 signaling pathway and inhibiting microglial inflammation. These findings provide experimental evidence for treatment of multiple sclerosis with emodin, enlarging the scope of clinical application for emodin.

Genotype profiles of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies and strains with antimicrobial-induced resistance.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The genotypic method could significantly shorten the time needed to obtain antibiotic susceptibility data for Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to explore the profile of H. pylori from gastric biopsies and strains with antibiotic-induced resistance. METHODS: A total of 124 gastric biopsies were used to perform gene sequencing and to perform bacterial culture and susceptibility testing. Seven susceptible strains were selected to develop resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole. Four susceptible strains were selected to transfer candidate mutations. The genotype profiles of these groups were analyzed by sequencing analysis. The antibiotic susceptibility of these strains was detected using the E-test method. RESULTS: Phenotypic resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole was observed in 35.5%, 40.0%, and 79.8% strains, respectively. Point mutations in 23 S rRNA, gyrA, and rdxA genes were observed in 39.5%, 38.7%, and 86.3% of gastric biopsies, respectively. The A2143G mutation in the 23S rRNA occurs in most clarithromycin-resistant samples. The A2142C point mutation showed a higher efficacy than A2142G and A2143G for inducing clarithromycin resistance. The D91N and N87K mutations in gyrA occurs in most levofloxacin-resistant samples, and double point mutations showed a higher efficacy than single mutations for inducing levofloxacin resistance. Phenotypic resistance and mutations in rdxA lacked consistency. CONCLUSION: Genotype-based gastric biopsy analysis was reliable for determining clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance. A2143G in 23S rRNA and N87K/D91N in the gyrA gene occurred in most resistant strains. Mutations in the rdxA gene were not good indicators of metronidazole resistance.

A Quantum secure sharing protocol for Cloud data based on proxy re-encryption.

A quantum scheme for cloud data sharing based on proxy re-encryption is proposed. The user Alice stores the cipher-text of her data on cloud data center. When Alice wants to share her data with another user Bob, Alice is called the delegator and Bob is called the delegatee. The cloud service provider (called the proxy) can convert the delegator's cipher-text into the delegatee's cipher-text without decrypting the former, so that the delegatee can get the plain-text of Alice's data with his private key. The proxy cannot obtain the plain-text of the user's data stored on cloud data center. Delegator in the protocol should have the ability of producing Bell states, performing Bell basis and Z-basis measurements, and storing qubits. The quantum requirements for the delegatee are reduced. The delegatee needs to have the ability of reflecting and performing Z-basis measurement. One secret at a time (one-time one-pad) is theoretically implemented, especially when the same data is shared multiple times. The anti-selection plain-text attack security and the anti-selective cipher-text attack security are realized. Fine-granularity secret data sharing is achieved flexibly.

The clinical characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia patients with aspiration risk factors / 医学研究生学报

Objective　By now, there is no unified definition of aspiration pneumonia. However, patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) often have aspiration risk factors. The aims of our study is to explore the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CAP patients with aspiration risk factors.　Methods　Cases data of all patients hospitalized with CAP in 5 teaching hospitals in Beijing, Shandong Province and Yunnan Province from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015 were collected. Data from patients with (AR-CAP) and without (non AR-CAP) aspiration risk factors were compared, including demographic features, clinical and radiologic findings and outcomes. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the impact of aspiration risk factors on the 30-day mortality in CAP patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) was performed to verify the accuracy of CURB-65 score and PSI risk classification as 30-day mortality predictors in AR-CAP patients.　Results　Totally, 3561 CAP cases were entered into the final analysis. AR-CAP cases accounted for 5.1% (180/3561), who showed older age [78.0 yrs (M1,M3: 70.0 yrs, 85.0 yrs) vs 63.0 yrs (M1,M3: 52.0 yrs, 77.0 yrs), P < 0.001), more underlying diseases (91.1% vs 71.3%, P < 0.001), more frequently classified as CURB-65 score ≥ 3 (13.3% vs 1.5%, P < 0.001) and PSI risk classification ≥ Ⅳ (53.7% vs 17.0%，P< 0.001), and higher 30-day mortality (10.0% vs 1.8%, P < 0.001). Adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities and CURB-65/PSI score, aspiration risk factors were associated with increased 30-day mortality of CAP patients (HR 2.844, 95% CI 1.331~6.078, P = 0.007). The area under the ROC curve for predicting 30-day mortality in AR-CAP patients by PSI risk class was 0.716, which was higher than CURB-65 score (AUC=0.518, P = 0.019). The difference was statistically significant.　Conclusion　AR-CAP is a distinctive pneumonia phenotype with unique clinical characteristics, which shows more illness severity and worsen outcomes.

Incidence and risk factors for cardiovascular events in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To explore the incidence, risk factors of cardiovascular events (CVE) and their impact on 30-day mortality in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective study. Patients hospitalized with CAP from 5 teaching hospitals in Beijing, Shandong and Yunnan provinces during 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015 were included and clinical data were retrieved from the Hospital Information System (HIS), and patients were divided into CVE group and non-CVE group. Age, sex, comorbidities, pneumonia severity index(PSI)/CURB-65 score, routine blood test, biochemical examinations, radiological findings on admission and mortality on 30-day after admission were analyzed. The primary endpoint was acute CVE during hospitalization, the secondary endpoint was 30-day death after admission. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors for CVE. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to compare the difference on 30-day mortality between CVE patients and non-CVE patients by Log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to assess the impact of CVE on the 30-day mortality among CAP patients after adjustment with age, sex, comorbidities, PSI/CURB-65 score. Results: A total of 3 561 CAP patients were included into the final analysis, including 210 (5.9%) patients in CVE group and 3 351 (94.1%) patients in non-CVE group. Compared with patients in non-CVE group, patients in CVE group were older (P<0.001), prevalence of hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, aspiration risk and bedrid were significantly higher (all P<0.001); prevalence of CURB-65 score 3-5 and PSI risk class Ⅳ/Ⅴ were also significantly higher (both P<0.001). The proportion of axillary temperature<36 ℃, respiratory rate≥30 beats/minutes, confusion, leukocytes>10×10(9)/L, hemoglobin<100 g/L, platelets>300×10(9)/L, albumin<35 g/L, blood urea nitrogen>7 mmol/L, fasting blood glucose>11 mmol/L, serum C-reaction protein>100 mg/L, serum procalcitonin≥2 μg/L, arterial pH<7.35, arterial PO(2)/FiO(2)≤300 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and multilobar infiltrates and pleural effusion on chest X-ray or CT scan were significantly higher in CVE group than in non-CVE group(all P<0.05); the 30-day mortality was significantly higher in CVE group than in non-CVE group(P<0.001). The incidence of CVE was significantly higher in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease(CVD) than in patients without CVD (13.9%(150/1 079) vs. 2.4%(60/2 482), χ(2)=178.737, P<0.001). Meanwhile, the incidence of CVE increased with PSI in patients with Ⅰ/Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ/Ⅴ class, respectively(χ(2)=228.350, P<0.001); and CURB-65 score 0-1, 2 and 3-5, respectively (χ(2)=387.154, P<0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed that age (HR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.09, P=0.002), coronary heart disease (HR=1.88, 95%CI 1.01-3.51, P=0.048), chronic heart failure (HR=4.25, 95%CI 1.89-9.52, P<0.001), PSI risk class (HR=1.66, 95%CI 1.50-2.62, P=0.029) and serum procalcitonin≥ 2 μg/L (HR=3.72, 95%CI 1.60-8.66, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for CVE in CAP patients. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the survival probability of patients with CVE was significantly lower than patients without CVE (P<0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities and PSI/CURB-65 score, Cox regression model showed that CVE was associated with increased 30-day mortality in CAP patients (HR=6.05, 95%CI 3.11-11.76, P<0.001). Conclusions: Although the incidence of CVE is not high in Chinese patients hospitalized with CAP, CVE is common in patients with severe pneumonia and in patients with CVD. Age, cardiovascular disease, PSI risk class and serum procalcitonin are the risk factors for CVE in this patient cohort. CVE is related to increased 30-day mortality in CAP patients.

[Preparation of angiopep-2-modified FITC-labeled neurotoxin nanoparticles and in vitro release characteristics].

In order to prepare angiopep-2 modified fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled neurotoxin nanoparticles( ANG-NPs/FITCNT),emulsion/solvent evaporation method was used with m PEG-PLA and ANG-PEG-PLA( in proper proportions) as carriers and with FITC-NT as drug. With particle size and encapsulation efficiency as comprehensive indexes,the effects of different ultrasound power and ultrasound time combinations on the process were investigated. The in vitro release characteristics of nanoparticles in PBS buffer at p H 7. 4 and p H 6. 5 were investigated by dialysis method. The results indicated that the optimum process for preparing ANG-NPs/FITC-NT was as follows: ultrasonic power 90 W,ultrasonic time 30 s. In such optimal process,ANG-NPs/FITC-NT were well-shaped under the transmission electron microscope,with an average particle size of( 123. 9±0. 5) nm,Zeta potential of(-10. 5±0. 5) m V,encapsulation efficiency of( 68. 1±0. 4) %,and the drug loading of( 0. 82±0. 01) %. The in vitro drug release profiles of the nanoparticles in PBS buffer at p H 7. 4 and p H 6. 5 were both consistent with Ritger-Peppas equation,ln Q = 0. 508 8 lnt-2. 285 0,r = 0. 961 5( p H 7. 4) and ln Q= 0. 449 9 lnt-1. 855 3,r = 0. 970 3( p H 6. 5),respectively. The experiment results proved that the nanoparticles prepared by emulsion/solvent evaporation method had uniform particle size,high encapsulation efficiency and in vitro sustained release characteristic,which might be a potential carrier for NT intracerebral drug delivery.

Impact of Prior Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids on the Clinical Outcomes of Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Hospitalised with Community-Acquired Pneumonia / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#【Objective】To evaluate the impact of prior use of inhaled corticosteroids（IC）on the clinical outcomes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients hospitalised with community- acquired pneumonia （COPD- CAP）. 【Methods】This was a multicenter，retrospective study. Data of COPD-CAP patients from five teaching hospitals in Beijing，Shandong and Yunnan Provinces during 1st January 2013 through 31th December 2016 were reviewed. The patients with and without prior use of IC were compared，including demographic characteristics，clinical and radiologic features， and outcomes. A logistic regression model was conducted to explore the impact of prior IC use on the clinical outcomes of COPD-CAP patients. 【Results】Of 725 patients included in the study，13.9%（101/725）were prior IC users. Compared with no-IC users，IC users showed higher frequency of cardiovascular comorbidity（19.8% vs 12.7%）and a CAP history in the last year（20.8% vs 11.2%）；lower occurrence of pleural effusion（13.9% vs 23.7%）；more often classified in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease（GOLD）stage 3（35.1% vs 22.9%）and GOLD 4 stage（51.9% vs 21.8%），less often in GOLD 2 stage（10.4% vs 51.0%）. Adjusted by age，gender，underlying diseases，PSI/CURB-65 score and GOLD stage，logistic regression analysis confirmed prior IC use was associated with decreased risk for noninvasive ventilation［OR = 0.220，95% CI（0.052，0.926），P = 0.029］，but not with invasive ventilation［OR = 0.290，95% CI（0.068，1.236），P = 0.094］，needing vasopressor use［OR = 1.261，95% CI（0.456，3.485），P = 0.655］，ICU admission［OR = 1.455，95% CI（0.638，3.320），P = 0.373］and 30-day mortality［OR = 1.650，95% CI（0.575，2.838）， P = 0.352］.【Conclusion】Previous IC use has no major impact on the clinical outcomes of COPD-CAP patients.

Mesoproterozoic juvenile crust in microcontinents of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt: evidence from oxygen and hafnium isotopes in zircon.

We report in situ O and Hf isotope data of zircon grains from coeval Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.4 Ga) igneous metamafic (amphibolite) and granitic rocks of the Chinese Central Tianshan microcontinent (CTM) in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Zircon grains from amphibolite have mantle-like δ18OVSMOW values of 4.7-5.6‰ and juvenile Hf isotopic compositions (εHf(t) = 8.4-15.3; TDMC = 1.57-1.22 Ga), whereas those from granitic rocks have δ18OVSMOW values of 5.6-7.0‰ and evolved Hf isotopic compositions (εHf(t) = -1.0-8.2; TDMC = 2.09-1.62 Ga). Zircon O-Hf isotopic compositions of the metamafic and granitic rocks provide evidence for Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.4 Ga) crustal growth and a substantial Palaeoproterozoic supracrustal component in the CTM. These findings and previous studies, reporting ca. 1.4 Ga magmatic rocks from other microcontinents of the CAOB, suggest that a large belt of Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.4 Ga) juvenile continental crust formed in a continental terrane, fragments of which now occur over a distance of more than a thousand kilometres in the southern CAOB.

Clinical application evaluation of clinical practice guideline on traditional Chinese medicine therapy alone or combined with antibiotics for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection / 中国中药杂志

A questionnaire survey of 1 000 clinicians having experience in treating uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections from different levels of hospitals was conducted to mainly evaluate the applicability and effectiveness of clinical application of clinical practice guideline on traditional Chinese medicine therapy alone or combined with antibiotics for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection(hereinafter referred to as Guideline). The research was conducted with the three-level quality control strictly throughout the process, and the data was real and reliable. The survey's results showed that: most clinicians considered that the Guideline had good clinical applicability. The availability and price of the recommended medicine were moderate. Traditional Chinese medicine had obvious features and advantages in treating lower urinary tract infection for it could reduce the usage of antibiotics and shorten the course of antibiotic application. In the recommendation section, clinicians proposed increasing medication guidance, updating the Guideline timely, as well as increasing treating methods and techniques, strengthen propaganda and promotion, and improve the use of evidence-based methods. In the evaluation of effectiveness, the majority of clinicians agreed that the definition in both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine and differential diagnosis in the Guideline were accurately described and the basic principle of treatment as well as the treating method of TCM were recommended appropriately. The TCM formulas and Chinese patent medicine had good effect. Some clinicians suggested refining the syndrome differentiation of stranguria. Some clinicians considered that the formulas and herbs recommended in Guideline didn't have obvious effect and some had doubts about the manipulation of fumigation and washing in the part of other methods recommended in Guideline. Moreover, specification and procedure of manipulation of fumigation and washing using herbs and the acupuncture included in characteristic TCM therapy treating uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection remained to be developed.

Dichloroacetate induces protective autophagy in esophageal squamous carcinoma cells.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, which promotes the flux of carbohydrates into mitochondria and enhances the aerobic oxidation of glucose. DCA has previously been demonstrated to exhibit antitumor properties. The present study revealed that treatment with DCA induced increased levels of autophagy-associated proteins in esophageal squamous carcinoma cells while minimally affecting apoptosis. The present study examined the localization of light chain (LC)-3 by adenovirus infection with a green fluorescent protein (FP)-red FP-LC3 reporter construction and confirmed that DCA treatment induced significant autophagy. Furthermore, the inhibition of DCA-induced autophagy facilitated cell apoptosis and improved the drug sensitivity of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells to DCA and 5-FU (5-fluorouracil). The proliferation of TE-1 cells was markedly inhibited at low concentrations of DCA and 5-FU treatment when subjected to Atg5 mRNA interference, indicating that autophagy performed a protective role in cell survival upon DCA treatment. To determine the underlying mechanism of DCA-induced autophagy, the present study measured alterations in autophagy-associated signaling pathways. Notably, the protein kinase B (Akt)-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, an important negative regulator of autophagy, was demonstrated to be suppressed by DCA treatment. These results may direct the development of novel strategies for the treatment of esophageal squamous carcinoma based on the combined use of DCA and autophagy inhibitors.

Comparison of two different size needles in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for diagnosing solid pancreatic lesions: A meta-analysis of prospective controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to provide a pooled analysis of prospective controlled trials comparing the diagnostic accuracy of 22-G and 25-G needles on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS-FNA) of the solid pancreatic mass. METHODS: We established a rigorous study protocol according to Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. We systematically searched the PubMed and Embase databases to identify articles to include in the meta-analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 22-G and 25-G needles of individual studies from the contingency tables. RESULTS: Eleven prospective controlled trials included a total of 837 patients (412 with 22-G vs 425 with 25-G). Our outcomes revealed that 25-G needles (92% [95% CI, 89%-95%]) have higher sensitivity than 22-G needles (88% [95% CI, 84%-91%]) on solid pancreatic mass EUS-FNA (P = 0.046). However, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in overall diagnostic specificity (P = 0.842). The pooled positive and negative likelihood ratio of the 22-G needle were 12.61 (95% CI, 5.65-28.14) and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.12-0.21), respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratio was 12.61 (95% CI, 5.65-28.14), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.12-0.21) for the 22-G needle. The pooled positive likelihood ratio was 8.44 (95% CI, 3.87-18.42), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.13 (95% CI, 0.09-0.18) for the 25-G needle. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.97 for the 22-G needle and 0.96 for the 25-G needle. CONCLUSION: Compared to the study of 22-G EUS-FNA needles, our study showed that 25-G needles have superior sensitivity in the evaluation of solid pancreatic lesions by EUS-FNA.

Inhibitory effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on early stage of inflammation in mice exposed to silica dust / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell( BMSC) transplantation on early stage of inflammation in mice exposed to silica dust. METHODS: Specific pathogen free healthy male C57 BL /6 mice were used.Five mice were used to isolate BMSCs using bone marrow adherent method. Thirty mice were randomly divided into 3groups: control group,silica group and BMSCs transplantation group. The mice of the control group were given 20. 0 μL of0. 90% sodium chloride solution by one time intratracheal injection. The mice of silica group and the BMSCs transplantation group first received 20. 0 μL( 250 g / L mass concentration) of silicosis dust suspension by one time intratracheal injection; followed by 500. 0 μL of 0. 90% sodium chloride solution in the silica group,and 500. 0 μL of BMSCs suspension( cell density 1 × 109/ L) by tail vein infusion in the BMSCs transplantation group 6 hours later. Mice were euthanized on the 7th day of the experiments. The histopathology changes in lung tissues were examined. The serum levels of interleukin( IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA relative expression levels of above cytokines in the lung tissues. RESULTS: The positive rates of BMSCs surface molecules cluster differentiation( CD) 29,CD34,CD90,CD105 and CD106 were 67. 70%,0. 12%,39. 00%,37. 10% and 20. 10%,respectively. Histopathology examination showed the thickened alveolar walls,broadening alveolar septum and the damaged alveolar structure in silica group. In the BMSCs transplantation group,there was no obvious damage found in the lung tissue. There was no change in the alveolar cavity and alveolar structure was complete. The IL-1β and IL-6 levels in serum and mRNA relative expression of IL-1β and IL-6in lung tissue in the silica group were higher than those of the control group and BMSCs transplantation group( P < 0. 05).The IL-1β level in serum and mRNA relative expression of IL-1β in lung tissue in the BMSCs group were higher than those of the control group( P < 0. 05). The IL-10 level in serum and mRNA relative expression of IL-10 in lung tissue in all groups showed no statistical difference( P > 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The BMSCs can alleviate pulmonary inflammatory damage at early stage by down-regulating the expression of proinflammatory factors of IL-1β and IL-6.

Role of neovibsanin scaffold in preservation of spatial cognitive functions of rats with chronic epilepsy.

The effect of neovibsanin scaffold (NS) on the spatial cognitive functions of rats with lobal cerebrovascular hypoperfusion was investigated. Rats were divided into long-term memory (LTM) and short-term memory (STM) groups with 15 rats in each group. The groups were subdivided into 3 groups: control group comprised of 5 rats without surgery, untreated group of 5 rats left without treatment after 2OV, and NS treatment group with 5 rats receiving 5 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks of 2VO operation. NS-treatment caused a marked decrease in the escape latency time and total distance travelled in the treatment group compared to untreated group which was evident from the working memory test. The animals of treatment group also showed significant improvement over that of untreated group in maze test performance. Furthermore, NS treatment also resulted in significant improvement in the probe memory test performance in treatment group compared to untreated group. These findings suggest that NS exhibits therapeutic effect on the spatial cognitive preservation in rats with chronic epilepsy.

The lower peripheral blood lymphocyte/monocyte ratio assessed during routine follow-up after standard first-line chemotherapy is a risk factor for predicting relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

A specific predictor during routine follow-up to ascertain risk for relapse after standard first-line chemotherapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has not been identified, although blood counts, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and imaging studies, such as computed tomography (CT) scans or positron emission tomography, have been recommended. Therefore, we studied the absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count ratio (ALC/AMC ratio) as a marker of poststandard first-line chemotherapy for predicting relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). 220 consecutive DLBCL patients, originally diagnosed, treated with CHOP or R-CHOP and followed up at two institutions. ALC/AMC ratio was obtained at the time of confirmed relapse or last follow-up. Patients at the time of confirmed relapse (n = 163) had a lower ALC/AMC ratio compared with those at last follow-up (n = 57) (P < 0.001). ALC/AMC ratio at the time of confirmed relapse was a strong predictor for relapse with an area under the curve = 0.813 (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity for ALC/AMC ratio at the time of confirmed relapse or at last follow-up were 68.1% and 87.7%, respectively, and the relative risk of relapse with an ALC/AMC ratio < 2.8 at the time of confirmed relapse or at last follow-up was 1.845 with an odds ratio of 15.247 (95% cumulative incidence: 6.473-35.916) after CHOP or R-CHOP in DLBCL. Patients with an ALC/AMC ratio (< 2.8) had a higher cumulative hazard rate of relapse compared with an ALC/AMC ratio (≥2.8) (P < 0.001). This study suggests that the lower ALC/AMC ratio can be used as a marker to assess risk of DLBCL relapse during routine follow-up after standard first-line chemotherapy.

[UPLC/Q-TOF-MS(E) based analysis of chemical composition of banxia xiexin decoction].

In order to clarify the chemical composition and source of Banxia Xiexin decoction quickly and comprehensively, whole and individual herbs of Banxia Xiexin decoction were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS(E)). Under identical experiment conditions, chromatography results were compared between experiment groups. Based on the Q-TOF-MS(E) analysis, 74 peaks were identified on line. The herbal sources of these peaks were assigned. The results implied that flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, alkaloids and glycosides were the main components in effective part of Banxia Xiexin decoction. The method established is simple and rapid for elucidation the constituents of Banxia Xiexin decoction and the results could be used for the quality control of Banxia Xiexin decoction.

Structure, stability, and electronic property of carbon-doped gold clusters Au(n)C- (n = 1-10): a density functional theory study.

The equilibrium geometric structures, relative stabilities, and electronic properties of Au(n)C(-) and Au(n+1)(-) (n = 1-10) clusters are systematically investigated using density functional theory with hyper-generalized gradient approximation. The optimized geometries show that one Au atom capped on Au(n-1)C(-) clusters is a dominant growth pattern for Au(n)C(-) clusters. In contrast to Au(n+1)(-) clusters, Au(n)C(-) clusters are most stable in a quasi-planar or three-dimensional structure because C doping induces the local non-planarity while the rest of the structure continues to grow in a planar mode, resulting in an overall non-2D configuration. The relative stability calculations show that the impurity C atom can significantly enhance the thermodynamic stability of pure gold clusters. Moreover, the effect of C atom on the Au(n)(-) host decreases with the increase of cluster size. The HOMO-LUMO gap curves show that the interaction of the C atom with Au(n)(-) clusters improves the chemical stability of pure gold clusters, except for Au3(-) and Au4(-) clusters. In addition, a natural population analysis shows that the charges in corresponding Au(n)C(-) clusters transfer from the Au(n)(-) host to the C atom. Meanwhile, a natural electronic configuration analysis also shows that the charges mainly transfer between the 2s and 2p orbitals within the C atom.

Investigate circulating levels of chemokines and evaluate the correlation between these chemokines and liver function indicators in autoimmune hepatitis / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study investigated circulation levels of chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10) in autoimmune hepatitis(AIH) patients and evaluated the correlation between these chemokines and liver function indicators.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 5 chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10) were measured simultaneously by cytokine beads assay(CBA) in the sera of 46 patients with AIH and 12 cases of healthy control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In this study we found that serum levels of CCL2 , CXCL9 and CXCL10 in AIH patients and healthy controls were 11.79:8.39 pg/ml, 11.31:2.69 pg/ml, 15.85:4.64 pg/ml, respectively , which implied these chemokines were significantly higher in AIH patients when compared to healthy control (Z=-1.958, P=0.05; Z=-4.527, P less than 0.0001; Z=-3.84, P less than 0.0001, respectively). And circulation levels of CCL2 , CXCL8 , CXCL9 and CXCL10 in pretreatment and remission stages of patients with AIH were 29.69:11.16 pg/ml, 7.2:5.38 pg/ml, 16.02:5.47 pg/ml, 90.01:13.24 pg/ml, respectively, which showed these chemokines decreased during remission from pretreatment stage levels (t=2.985, P=0.005; Z=-2.547, P=0.0112; Z=-3.187, P=0.001; t=2.12, P=0.0015, respectively). Among AIH , CXCL8 was correlated positively with lgG(r2=0.291, P=0.0039); CXCL9 was associated positively with ALT and AST(r2=0.5324 , P less than 0.0001; r2=0.3352, P less than 0.0001); CXCL10 showed a positive correlation with ALT , AST and GGT(r2=0.9551, P less than 0.0001; r2=0.8960, P less than 0.0001; r2=0.8271, P less than 0.0001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum levels of CCL2, CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL10 are significantly higher in patients with AIH, but decrease to levels in healthy controls after successful treatment , and circulation levels of CXCL9 and CXCL10 are associated positively with liver function indicators which can react inflammation activity of liver, all these may imply that chemokines can reflect the degree of liver inflammation and may be one of the main culprits in AIH pathological damage.</p>

Impact of the waist circumference change on new onset of diabetes in the population with impaired fasting glucose / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the impact of the waist circumference change on new onset diabetes (NOD) in the impaired fasting glucose (IFG) population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 12 657 subjects who took part in the health examination from 2006 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2011 from the employees of Kailuan Group and met the inclusion criteria were selected as the observation cohort.Of the 12 657 subjects, 10 697 were male, 1960 were female, with age of (49.9 ± 11.3) years old. According to the baseline waist circumference (WC) measurements and its quartile in the health examinations during 2006 to 2007, the observation population was divided into four groups (first, second, third and the fourth quartile groups) . Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test the relation between the increasing of WC and NOD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidences in the IFG population of NOD were 4.27% (1884/12 657) in the total population;4.25% (1581/10 697) in male and 4.44% (303/1960) in females, respectively (P < 0.05) . Along with increasing WC in the 4 quartile groups, the incidences of NOD was progressively increased, which were 2.19% (235/3083) , 3.07% (333/3114) , 4.47% (473/3037) and 7.08% (843/3423) , respectively;2.34% (213/2626) , 3.06% (282/2645) , 4.37% (393/2582), 7.00% (693/2844) in males and 1.38% (22/457) , 3.12% (51/469) , 5.05% (80/455) , 7.45% (150/579) in female (P < 0.05) . Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the first quartile group, the second, third and fourth quartile group had increased risk of NOD after adjusting for age, gender and other risk factors, the OR (95%CI) values were 1.38(1.13-1.68), 1.79 (1.47-2.09) and 3.10 (2.57-3.75), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The incidence of NOD in the IFG population increased as the WC increased.</p>

New advances of epigenetic study in tumors of lymphatic system---review / 中国实验血液学杂志

Epigenetics is aimed to study the heritable changes in gene expression patterns independent of alterations in genomic DNA sequence structure, and the mechanisms of translation from genotype to phenotype. In recent years, compelling evidence gathered supports a role of epigenetic alterations in the pathogenesis of lymphatic system tumors. For example, recent data from multiple laboratories indicate that several hundred genes, involving dozens of critical molecular pathways, are epigenetically suppressed in acute lymphocytic leukemia; a panel of methylation markers can be used for additional risk stratification of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients; based on the epigenetic profiles, the class prediction models in gray zone lymphoma can be established; the epigenetic silencing of microRNAs in multiple myeloma generally appears to have intact P53 function; epigenetic therapies have broader implication and high potential for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies and so on. In this review, the latest advances of epigenetic study and the prospect of epigenetic therapy for tumors in lymphatic system are summarized.