Chaotropic Effect-Induced Sol-Gel Transition and Radical Stabilization for Bacterially Sensitive Near-Infrared Photothermal Therapy.

Deep-seated bacterial infections (DBIs) are stubborn and deeply penetrate tissues. Eliminating deep-seated bacteria and promoting tissue regeneration remain great challenges. Here, a novel radical-containing hydrogel (SFT-B Gel) cross-linked by a chaotropic effect was designed for the sensing of DBIs and near-infrared photothermal therapy (NIR-II PTT). A silk fibroin solution stained with 4,4',4″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(1-methylpyridin-1-ium) (TPT3+) was employed as the backbone, which could be cross-linked by a closo-dodecaborate cluster (B12H122-) through a chaotropic effect to form the SFT-B Gel. More interestingly, the SFT-B Gel exhibited the ability to sense DBIs, which could generate a TPT2+• radical with obvious color changes in the presence of bacteria. The radical-containing SFT-B Gel (SFT-B★ Gel) possessed strong NIR-II absorption and a remarkable photothermal effect, thus demonstrating excellent NIR-II PTT antibacterial activity for the treatment of DBIs. This work provides a new approach for the construction of intelligent hydrogels with unique properties using a chaotropic effect.

Supramolecular coordination platinum metallacycle-based multilevel wound dressing for bacteria sensing and wound healing.

The exploitation of novel wound healing methods with real-time infection sensing and high spatiotemporal precision is highly important for human health. Pt-based metal-organic cycles/cages (MOCs) have been employed as multifunctional antibacterial agents due to their superior Pt-related therapeutic efficiency, various functional subunits and specific geometries. However, how to rationally apply these nanoscale MOCs on the macroscale with controllable therapeutic output is still challenging. Here, a centimeter-scale Pt MOC film was constructed via multistage assembly and subsequently coated on a N,N'-dimethylated dipyridinium thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (MPT)-stained silk fabric to form a smart wound dressing for bacterial sensing and wound healing. The MPT on silk fabric could be used to monitor wound infection in real-time through the bacteria-mediated reduction of MPT to its radical form via a color change. The MPT radical also exhibited an excellent photothermal effect under 660 nm light irradiation, which could not only be applied for photothermal therapy but also induce the disassembly of the Pt MOC film suprastructure. The highly ordered Pt MOC film suprastructure exhibited high biosafety, while it also showed improved antibacterial efficiency after thermally induced disassembly. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that the combination of the Pt MOC film and MPT-stained silk can provide real-time information on wound infection for timely treatment through noninvasive techniques. This study paves the way for bacterial sensing and wound healing with centimeter-scale metal-organic materials.

Epigenetic marks or not? The discovery of novel DNA modifications in eukaryotes.

DNA modifications add another layer of complexity to the eukaryotic genome to regulate gene expression, playing critical roles as epigenetic marks. In eukaryotes, the study of DNA epigenetic modifications has been confined to 5mC and its derivatives for decades. However, rapid developing approaches have witnessed the expansion of DNA modification reservoirs during the past several years, including the identification of 6mA, 5gmC, 4mC, and 4acC in diverse organisms. However, whether these DNA modifications function as epigenetic marks requires careful consideration. In this review, we try to present a panorama of all the DNA epigenetic modifications in eukaryotes, emphasizing recent breakthroughs in the identification of novel DNA modifications. The characterization of their roles in transcriptional regulation as potential epigenetic marks is summarized. More importantly, the pathways for generating or eliminating these DNA modifications, as well as the proteins involved are comprehensively dissected. Furthermore, we briefly discuss the potential challenges and perspectives, which should be taken into account while investigating novel DNA modifications.

Mechanism of the Visible-Light-Promoted C(sp3)-H Oxidation via Uranyl Photocatalysis.

Uranyl cation, as an emerging photocatalyst, has been successfully applied to synthetic chemistry in recent years and displayed remarkable catalytic ability under visible light. However, the molecular-level reaction mechanisms of uranyl photocatalysis are unclear. Here, we explore the mechanism of the stepwise benzylic C-H oxygenation of typical alkyl-substituted aromatics (i.e., toluene, ethylbenzene, and cumene) via uranyl photocatalysis using theoretical and experimental methods. Theoretical calculation results show that the most favorable reaction path for uranyl photocatalytic oxidation is as follows: first, hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the benzyl position to form a carbon radical ([R•]), then oxygen addition ([R•] + O2 → [ROO•]), then radical-radical combination ([ROO•] + [R•] → [ROOR] → 2[RO•]), and eventually [RO•] reduction to produce alcohols, of which 2° alcohol would further be oxidized to ketones and 1° would be stepwise-oxygenated to acids. The results of the designed verification experiments and the capture of reactive intermediates were consistent with those of theoretical calculations and the previously reported research that the active benzylic C-H would be stepwise-oxygenated in the presence of uranyl. This work deepens our understanding of the HAT mechanism of uranyl photocatalysis and provides important theoretical support for the relevant application of uranyl photocatalysts in organic transformation.

[Corythucha marmorata affects growth and quality of Artemisia argyi].

This study aims to investigate the impact of the invasive pest Corythucha marmorata on the growth and quality of Artemi-sia argyi. The signs of insect damage at the cultivation base of A. argyi in Huanggang, Hubei were observed. The pests were identified based on morphological and molecular evidence. The pest occurrence pattern and damage mechanism were investigated. Electron microscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS), and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) were employed to analyze the microstructure, volatile oils, and flavonoid content of the pest-infested leaves. C. marmorata can cause destructive damage to A. argyi. Small decoloring spots appeared on the leaf surface at the initial stage of infestation. As the damage progressed, the spots spread along the leaf veins and aggregated into patches, causing yellowish leaves and even brownish yellow in the severely affected areas. The insect frequently appeared in summer because it thrives in hot dry conditions. After occurrence on the leaves, microscopic examination revealed that the front of the leaves gradually developed decoloring spots, with black oily stains formed by the black excrement attaching to the glandular hairs. The leaf flesh was also severely damaged, and the non-glandular hairs were broken, disor-ganized, and sticky. The content of neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acids A and B, hispidulin, jaceosidin, and eupatilin at the early stage of infestation was significantly higher than that at the middle stage, and the content decreased at the last stage of infestation. The content of eucalyptol, borneol, terpinyl, and caryophyllin decreased in the moderately damaged leaves and increased in the severely damaged leaves. C. marmorata was discovered for the first time on A. argyi leaves in this study, and its prevention and control deserves special attention. The germplasm materials resistant to this pest can be used to breed C. marmorata-resis-tant A. argyi varieties.

Chaotropic Effect-Induced Self-Assembly of the Malachite Green and Boron Cluster for Toxicity Regulation and Photothermal Therapy.

Malachite green (MG), a toxic antibacterial agent, is widely used in the farming industry. Effectively regulating the biotoxicity of this highly water-soluble cationic dye is challenging. Here, we present a novel strategy to reduce the biotoxicity of MG through the self-assembly of MG and the closo-dodecaborate cluster ([B12H12]2-) driven by the chaotropic effect. [B12H12]2- and MG in an aqueous solution can rapidly form an insoluble cubic-type supramolecular complex (B12-MG), and the original toxicity of MG is completely suppressed. Surprisingly, this supramolecular complex, B12-MG, has a strong UV-vis absorption peak at 600-800 nm and significant photothermal conversion efficiency under 660 nm laser irradiation. On this basis, B12-MG, the supramolecular complex, can be used as an efficient photothermal agent for antimicrobial photothermal therapy (PTT) both in vitro and in vivo. As a molecular chaperone of MG, [B12H12]2- not only can be applied as an antidote to regulate the biotoxicity of MG but also provides a novel method for the construction of photothermal agents for PTT based on the chaotropic effect.

Linked color imaging vs Lugol chromoendoscopy for esophageal squamous cell cancer and precancerous lesion screening: A noninferiority study.

BACKGROUND: Lugol chromoendoscopy (LCE) has served as a standard screening technique in high-risk patients with esophageal cancer. Nevertheless, LCE is not suitable for general population screening given its side effects. Linked color imaging (LCI) is a novel image-enhanced endoscopic technique that can distinguish subtle diff-erences in mucosal color. AIM: To compare the diagnostic performance of LCI with LCE in detecting esophageal squamous cell cancer and precancerous lesions and to evaluate whether LCE can be replaced by LCI in detecting esophageal neoplastic lesions. METHODS: In this prospective study, we enrolled 543 patients who underwent white light imaging (WLI), LCI and LCE successively. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of LCI and LCE in the detection of esophageal neoplastic lesions. Clinicopathological features and color analysis of lesions were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 43 patients (45 neoplastic lesions) were analyzed. Among them, 36 patients (38 neoplastic lesions) were diagnosed with LCI, and 39 patients (41 neoplastic lesions) were diagnosed with LCE. The sensitivity of LCI was similar to that of LCE (83.7% vs 90.7%, P = 0.520), whereas the specificity of LCI was greater than that of LCE (92.4% vs 87.0%, P = 0.007). The LCI procedure time in the esophageal examination was significantly shorter than that of LCE [42 (34, 50) s vs 160 (130, 189) s, P < 0.001]. The color difference between the lesion and surrounding mucosa in LCI was significantly greater than that observed with WLI. However, the color difference in LCI was similar in different pathological types of esophageal squamous cell cancer. CONCLUSION: LCI offers greater specificity than LCE in the detection of esophageal squamous cell cancer and precancerous lesions, and LCI represents a promising screening strategy for general populations.

[Assessment of soil fertility in Artemisia argyi planting areas in Qichun county based on minimum data set].

This study aims to explore the soil fertility in the main Artemisia argyi planting areas in Qichun county.To be specific, the soil physical and chemical properties in the main planting areas of A.argyi in Qichun county were analyzed.On this basis, 12 indexes were selected for principal component analysis(PCA) which was then combined with the norm value of each index and the correlation coefficients between the indexes to establish the minimum data set(MDS).The radar map was plotted to directly demonstrate the level of each index and the comprehensive level of the sampling sites.The comprehensive index model was used to calculate the soil fertility quality index(SFQI) of the total data set(TDS) and MDS(SFQI-TDS and SFQI-MDS, respectively), and linear regression of the two was performed.The results showed that the indexes that made up the MDS for soil fertility evaluation were pH, available potas-sium, available iron, available zinc, available manganese, available copper, and available magnesium.The radar map suggested the greatest difference in soil organic matter and smallest difference in available nitrogen among the 14 sampling sites.Moreover, the overall content of available phosphorus and available iron was high, while that of available nitrogen was the lowest.The SFQI-MDS which was yielded based on the weight of each index in MDS calculated with the norm value was more sensitive and the SFQI had stronger correlation with TDS-SFQI, which can better represent TDS-SFQI.SFQI-MDS was in the range of 0.298-0.784, with the average of 0.565 and variation coefficient of 18.38%.Caohe Town had the highest average SFQI-MDS.Clustering of SFQI-MDS value suggested that the soil fertility can be classified into 4 levels: level Ⅰ(SFQI ≥ 0.677) indicated excellent soil fertility, which accounted for 11.24%(mainly in Qingshi town, Balihu, and Zhangbang town); level Ⅱ(0.571≤SFQI≤0.680) meant good fertility, which made up 43.82%(mainly in Caohe town, Hengche town, and Pengsi town); level Ⅲ(0.466≤SFQI≤0.557) indicated average fertility, which took up 32.58%(mainly in Chidong town and Zhulin town); level Ⅳ(SFQI≤0.421) suggested poor fertility, which accounted for 12.36%(mainly in Guanyao town).It is recommended that nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, and calcium fertilizers should be increased and organic ferti-lizer should be applied for the cultivation of A.argyi in Qichun county to improve soil fertility and soil physical and chemical properties.

Self-efficacy as a crucial psychological predictor of treatment adherence among elderly people living with HIV: analyses based on the health belief model.

Medication adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among elderly people living with HIV (PLWH) is of serious concern. Our study aimed to understand the medication adherence of elderly PLWH under ART based on the health belief model (HBM). A baseline survey with a total of 529 elderly PLWH was conducted in Sichuan. Logistic and linear regression analysis, mediation analysis, and path analysis based on prior evidence were used. Only self-efficacy showed direct associations with medication adherence in the last four days (ORm = 1.37, 95%CI: 1.11, 1.70) and the last month (ORm = 1.39, 95%CI: 1.18, 1.63) in the multivariate analysis. Self-efficacy mediated the relations between perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and medication adherence. Inner relations existed within the HBM. In addition to the direct effects, perceived benefits (ß = 0.149, p = 0.031; ß = 0.093, p = 0.005), perceived barriers (ß = -0.070, p = 0.008; ß = -0.062, p = 0.012), and cues to action (ß = 0.184, p = 0.013; ß = 0.135, p = 0.014) showed indirect effects on medication adherence in the last four days and the last month, respectively. HBM may be effective in predicting medication adherence of elderly PLWH, and self-efficacy may be a crucial predictor and mediator. Efforts should be focused on how to enhance elderly PLWH's self-efficacy without neglect of other medication beliefs.

Derivation of Porcine Extra-Embryonic Endoderm Cell Lines Reveals Distinct Signaling Pathway and Multipotency States.

The inner cell mass of the pre-implantation blastocyst consists of the epiblast and hypoblast from which embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and extra-embryonic endoderm (XEN) stem cells, respectively, can be derived. Importantly, each stem cell type retains the defining properties and lineage restriction of its in vivo tissue origin. We have developed a novel approach for deriving porcine XEN (pXEN) cells via culturing the blastocysts with a chemical cocktail culture system. The pXEN cells were positive for XEN markers, including Gata4, Gata6, Sox17, and Sall4, but not for pluripotent markers Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog. The pXEN cells also retained the ability to undergo visceral endoderm (VE) and parietal endoderm (PE) differentiation in vitro. The maintenance of pXEN required FGF/MEK+TGFß signaling pathways. The pXEN cells showed a stable phenotype through more than 50 passages in culture and could be established repeatedly from blastocysts or converted from the naïve-like ESCs established in our lab. These cells provide a new tool for exploring the pathways of porcine embryo development and differentiation and providing further reference to the establishment of porcine ESCs with potency of germline chimerism and gamete development.

[Effect of parotid sparing intensity modulated radiation therapy on salivary composition, flow and dry mouth prevention].

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes of salivary composition, flow and dry mouth in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma after parotid sparing modulated radiation therapy. METHODS: One hundred and one patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who received radiotherapy in Qingyang People's Hospital from May 2016 to November 2018 were selected and divided into intensity modulated radiation group(n=54) and conventional radiation group(n=47) according to different treatment methods. The clinicopathological parameters, parotid uptake index, salivary composition, dry mouth, oropharyngeal symptoms and grading were compared between the two groups. The data were analyzed with SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: The tumor site, TNM stage and differentiation had no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05). The concentration of total protein, secretory IgA, calcium and phosphorus in saliva of patients in intensity modulated radiation therapy group were significantly higher than those in conventional radiation group(P<0.05). The parotid uptake index, secretion index and salivary flow velocity were significantly decreased in both groups(P<0.05), and were significantly lower in the conventional radiation group than in the intensity modulated radiation group(P<0.05). Dry mouth condition in intensity modulated radiation group was significantly better than that in conventional radiation group(P<0.05). After treatment, the ratio of pharyngalgia and dysphagia patients in the intensity modulated radiation group was significantly lower than that in the conventional radiation group(P<0.05). The degree of oropharyngeal grading in the intensity modulated radiation therapy group was significantly better than that in the conventional radiation group(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of parotid sparing retention modulated radiation therapy has little effect on salivary composition, flow rate and dry mouth, and has obvious protective effect on parotid secretion.

The Runx1/Notch1 Signaling Pathway Participates in M1/M2 Microglia Polarization in a Mouse Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and in BV-2 Cells.

Microglial activation and phenotypic shift play vital roles in many neurological diseases. Runt-related transcription factor-1 (Runx1), which is localized on microglia, inhibits amoeboid microglial proliferation. Preliminary data have indicated that the interaction of Runx1 with the Notch1 pathway affects the hemogenic endothelial cell shift. However, little is known about the effect of Runx1 and the Notch1 signaling pathway on the phenotypic shift of microglia during neuroinflammation, especially in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A mouse model of TLE induced by pilocarpine and the murine microglia cell line BV-2 were used in this study. The proportion of microglia was analyzed using flow cytometry. Western blot (WB) analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze protein and gene transcript levels, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to show the distribution of Runx1. In the present study, we first found that in a male mouse model of TLE induced by pilocarpine, flow cytometry revealed a time-dependent M2-to-M1 microglial transition after status epilepticus. The dynamic expression patterns of Runx1 and the downstream Notch1/Jagged1/Hes5 signaling pathway molecules in the epileptic hippocampus were determined. Next, Runx1 knockdown by small interfering RNA in BV-2 cells strongly promoted an M2-to-M1 microglial phenotype shift and inhibited Notch1/Jagged1/Hes5 pathway expression. In conclusion, Runx1 may play a critical role in the M2-to-M1 microglial phenotype shift via the Notch1 signaling pathway during epileptogenesis in a TLE mouse model and in BV-2 cells.

Expert consensus on the nursing management of critically ill elderly patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was first detected in patients with pneumonia of an unknown cause in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has since been confirmed as the pathogen for the new coronavirus pneumonia, recently named "coronavirus disease 2019" (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization. Although the general population is commonly susceptible to the disease, infected elderly people show fast progression and severe manifestations with a high proportion in critical condition as a result of compromised immunity and underlying diseases. In order to improve the quality of nursing, reduce complications, and decrease mortality of critically ill elderly patients, we assembled a national expert group with expertise in critical nursing to write this consensus, based on a literature review and a subsequent panel discussion. The consensus covers the assessment, clinical nursing, discharge care, and other aspects of care for critically ill elderly patients with COVID-19, aiming to share insights and provide guidance for clinical practice.

Identification of candidate biomarkers correlated with pathogenesis of postoperative peritoneal adhesion by using microarray analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative peritoneal adhesion (PPA), characterized by abdominal pain, female infertility, and even bowel obstruction after surgery, has always been a major concern. The occurrence and formation of adhesion are from complex biological processes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the basis of microarray data profile, followed by peritoneal adhesion formation, are largely unknown. AIM: To reveal the underlying pathogenesis of PPA at the molecular level. METHODS: The gene expression profile was retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database for our analysis. We identified a panel of key genes and related pathways involved in adhesion formation using bioinformatics analysis methods. We performed quantitative PCR and western blotting in vivo to validate the results preliminarily. RESULTS: In total, 446 expressed genes were altered in peritoneal adhesion. We found that several hub genes (e.g., tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2) were marked as significant biomarkers. Functional analysis suggested that these genes were enriched in the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and published studies, TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) played essential roles in Toll-like signaling transduction. Here, we obtained a regulatory evidence chain of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/inflammatory cytokines/peritoneal adhesion involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative adhesion. The results of the microarray analysis were verified by the animal experiments. These findings may extend our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of PPA. CONCLUSION: The regulatory evidence chain of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB/inflammatory cytokines/peritoneal adhesion may play key roles in the pathogenesis of PPA. Future studies are required to validate our findings.

Development of in situ two-coil mutual inductance technique in a multifunctional scanning tunneling microscope.

Superconducting thin films have been a focal point for intensive research efforts since their reduced dimension allows for a wide variety of quantum phenomena. Many of these films, fabricated in UHV chambers, are highly vulnerable to air exposure, making it difficult to measure intrinsic superconducting properties such as zero resistance and perfect diamagnetism with ex situ experimental techniques. Previously, we developed a multifunctional scanning tunneling microscope (MSTM) containing in situ four-point probe (4PP) electrical transport measurement capability in addition to the usual STM capabilities [Ge et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 053903 (2015)]. Here we improve this MSTM via development of both transmission and reflection two-coil mutual inductance techniques for in situ measurement of the diamagnetic response of a superconductor. This addition does not alter the original STM and 4PP functions of the MSTM. We demonstrate the performance of the two-coil mutual inductance setup on a 10-nm-thick NbN thin film grown on a Nb-doped SrTiO3(111) substrate.

[Elemental Analysis of Alloys with Picosecond Dual-Pulse LA-LIBS under Low Sample Destruction].

A study on elemental analysis of alloy samples under low sample destruction with dual-pulse laser-ablation laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LA-LIBS) based on one picosecond Nd : YAG laser is presented. In LA-LIBS, low pulse energy 532 nm laser was used for sample ablation and high pulse energy, time­delayed 1 064 nm laser was used for re-excitation of the ablated samples to enhance atomic emissions of the laser-induced plasma and signal detection sensitivity. The influence of pulse energies of the ablation laser and excitation laser to the signal intensities was studied experimentally. I was observed that Cu 324.75 nm line intensity in LA-LIBS was enhanced 86 times in comparison with that obtained in SP-LIBS under 10 µJ pulse energy of the ablation laser and 2.5 mJ pulse energy of the excitation laser. The diameter of the crater generated in LA-LIBS was less than 10 µm. It is demonstrated the possibility of using dual-pulse LA-LIBS to realize elemental analysis of solid sample under low sample destruction. This technique is valuable for elemental analysis of precious samples and 2D elements mapping under high spatial resolution.

Effect of microRNA-101 on apoptosis of rabbit condylar cartilage cells by inhibiting target gene SOX9.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of microRNA-101 on apoptosis of condylar cartilage cells and the specific mechanism of molecular biology. METHODS: IL-1 was used to stimulate and establish the model of apoptosis of condylar cartilage cells. The expression change of miR-101 in control group was compared with that in IL-1 stimulation group by qRT-PCR. Overexpression and down-regulation models of miR-101 were established by transfecting Mimics and Inhibitor and verified by qRT-PCR. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of miR-101 overexpression and down-regulation on apoptosis. Target gene of miR-101 was analyzed and calculated through bioinformatics. Western blot and Luciferase report assay were used to detect whether SOX9 could become the target gene of miR-101. RESULTS: qRT-PCR results showed that IL-1 stimulation could cause the increase of miR-101 expression. After the transfection of rabbit condylar cartilage cells by Mimics and Inhibitor, qRT-PCR results confirmed the significant effect of miR-101 overexpression and down-regulation. It was confirmed by flow cytometry that overexpression of miR-101 could promote the apoptosis of condylar cartilage cells, and down-regulation of miR-101 could reduce the apoptosis. It was confirmed by Western blot and Luciferase report assay that SOX9 was the target gene of miR-101, and miR-101 inhibited SOX9 expression through complementary pairing with 3'UTR of SOX9 mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: miR-101 can promote the apoptosis of condylar cartilage cells through inhibiting the protein level of target gene SOX9.

Serious anaphylactic shock induced by hemocoagulase agkistrodon during anesthesia in a 5-year-old child.

We report a case of serious anaphylactic shock in a 5-year-old child undergoing scheduled surgery blank space of a right femoral intramedullary nail removal. The boy had undergone right femoral elastic intramedullary nail fixation surgery 14 months prior, but had no history of allergies. Within 5 minutes of intravenous bonus injection of hemocoagulase agkistrodon (HCA) 1 unit, a widespread transient diffuse erythema was seen on the front of his chest. After 20 minutes, sudden, profound cardiovascular collapse occurred. The child was treated effectively and sent to a ward 5 hours later. In this period, he received intravenously infused 200 ml hydroxyethyl starch solution and epinephrine at a rate of 0.05-0.01 µg kg(-1) min(-1). Total amount of dexamethasone sodium phosphate 14 mg was used. To the best of our knowledge, few case reports of HCA-induced anaphylactic shock in children exist. Our report will, therefore, increase awareness of the allergic potential of HCA among pediatric anesthesiologists.

Immune responses of chickens inoculated with a recombinant fowlpox vaccine coexpressing HA of H9N2 avain influenza virus and chicken IL-18.

Control of the circulation of H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) is a major concern for both animal and public health, and H9N2 AIV poses a major threat to the chicken industry worldwide. Here, we developed a recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV-HA) expressing the haemagglutinin (HA) gene of the A/CH/JY/1/05 (H9N2) influenza virus and a recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV-HA/IL18) expressing the HA gene and chicken interleukin-18 (IL-18) gene. Recombinant plasmid pSY-HA/IL18 was constructed by cloning chicken IL-18 expression cassette into recombinant plasmid pSY-HA containing the HA gene. Two rFPVs were generated by transfecting two recombinant plasmids into the chicken embryo fibroblast cells pre-infected with S-FPV-017, and assessed for their immunological efficacy on one-day-old White Leghorn specific-pathogen-free chickens challenged with the A/CH/JY/1/05 (H9N2) strain. There was a significant difference in HI antibody levels (P<0.05) elicited by either rFPV-HA or rFPV-HA/IL18. The level of splenocyte proliferation response in the rFPV-HA/IL18-vaccinated group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that in the rFPV-HA group. After challenge with 10(6.5)ELD(50) H9N2 AIV 43days after immunization, rFPVs vaccinated groups could prevent virus shedding and replication in multiple organs in response to H9N2 AIV infection, and rFPV-HA/IL18 vaccinated group had better inhibition of viruses than rFPV-HA vaccinated group. Our results show that the protective efficacy of the rFPV-HA vaccine could be enhanced significantly by simultaneous expression of IL-18.

Synchronized time- and high-field-resolved all-optical pump-probe magneto-optical setup based on a strong alternating magnetic field and its application in magnetization dynamics of high coercivity magnetic medium.

An alternating magnetic field (AMF) apparatus is developed and composed of an electromagnet and driving power supply. The structure of the electromagnet and configuration of the driving supply are described in detail. The apparatus can produce a peak magnetic field up to 9000 Oe and above under a small driving power at its resonance frequency of 1.14 kHz. Based on synchronization between the AMF and the femtosecond laser pulse train, a photomagnetic synchronized time- and high-field-resolved all-optical pump-probe magnetic-optical setup is developed. This setup has the ability to reinitialize any magnetic states between two successive laser pulses so that irreversible magnetization reversal dynamics can be studied. Dynamic Kerr hysteresis loops and magnetization reversal dynamics of high coercivity ferromagnetic TbFeCo and FePt films are demonstrated using this setup, showing importance of this synchronized time- and high-field-resolved all-optical pump-probe magnetic-optical setup in the research of ultrafast magnetization dynamics.