Application of imaging techniques in pancreaticobiliary maljunction.

Imaging techniques are useful tools in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM). PBM is a precancerous lesion often relative to the disease of the pancreas and biliary tract, for example, cholecystolithiasis, protein plugs, and pancreatitis. For patients with PBM, early diagnosis and timely treatment are highly important, which is largely dependent on imaging techniques. The continuous development of imaging techniques, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, computed tomography, ultrasound, and intraoperative cholangiography, has provided appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic tools for PBM. Imaging techniques, including non-invasive and invasive, have distinct advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of this paper is to review the application of various imaging techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of PBM.

Molecular characterization of Clostridioides difficile ribotype 027 in a major Chinese hospital.

BACKGROUND: The rapid spread of C. difficile 027 has become one of the leading threats of healthcare-associated infections wordwild. However, C. difficile 027 infections have rarely been reported in China. The objective of this study was to strengthen the understanding of the molecular characterizations of C. difficile 027 in China. METHODS: In this study, stool specimens from 176 suspected CDI cases were collected from 1 Jan 2018 to 30 Jun 2019. These specimens were measured by GeneXpert test and C.difficile colonies were identified and analyzed. RESULTS: There were five samples positive for tcdA, tcdB, binary toxin genes and had deletions in tcdC gene. These five Clostridioides difficile isolates belonged to ST1 and confirmed as Clostridioides difficile 027 strains by PCR ribotyping. Through using whole genome sequencing, , we found that these five strains were closely clustered into the same predominant evolutionary branch and were highly similar to C. difficile 027 strain R20291. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing result showed they were highly resistant to fluoroquinolones. CONCLUSIONS: In Our study, five C. difficile 027 isolates were identified and characterized using MLST, PCR ribotyping and whole genome sequencing. We proposed that C. difficile 027 infections are probably neglected in China. Further epidemiological studies across the country together with the introduction of routine diagnostic testing and multi-center or national level surveillance are needed to ascertain the size of this potentially significant problem.

Genome­wide profiling of lncRNA expression patterns in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia with differentiation therapy.

Long non­coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial factors in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell differentiation. However, their expression patterns and regulatory functions during all­trans­retinoic acid (ATRA)­induced APL differentiation remain to be fully elucidated. The profile of dysregulated lncRNAs between three bone marrow (BM) samples from patients with APL post­induction and three BM samples from untreated matched controls was examined with the Human Transcriptome Array 2.0. The dysregulated lncRNA expression of an additional 27 APL BM samples was validated by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) analysis. The lncRNA functions were predicted through co­expressed messenger RNA (mRNA) annotations. Co­expressed lncRNA­mRNA networks were constructed to analyze the functional pathways. In total, 825 lncRNAs and 1,218 mRNAs were dysregulated in the treated APL BM group, compared with the untreated APL BM group. The expression of 10 selected lncRNAs was verified by RT­qPCR analysis. During APL differentiation, NONHSAT076891 was the most upregulated lncRNA, whereas TCONS_00022632­XLOC_010933 was the most downregulated. Functional analysis revealed that several lncRNAs may exert activities in biological pathways associated with ATRA­induced APL differentiation through cis and/or trans regulation of mRNAs. The findings of the present study assist in explaining the contributions of lncRNAs in APL myeloid differentiation and improve current knowledge on the potential mechanisms regarding dysregulated lncRNA expression in ATRA­induced APL differentiation.

A facile sodium alginate-based approach to improve the mechanical properties of recycled fibers.

The application of recycled fibers is steadily increasing in various paper products recently. It is necessary to improve the mechanical properties of paper products made from these fibers. An eco-friendly polymeric additive, sodium alginate (SA), was prepared from waste seaweeds and developed as functional additives. The properties of SA were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravity analysis, gel permeation chromatography, and compared with the commercial SA. Coupled with polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE), the extracted SA was used to enhance the mechanical properties of paper from recycled fibers. The surface and cross-section morphology of the paper were measured by scanning electron microscopy and discussed. Compared with the single addition of PAE, the SA-PAE binary system significantly improved the mechanical properties of paper sheets.

[Chemical constituents from root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus].

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and identify the chemical constituents from the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus. METHODS: Silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and PTLC were employed for the isolation and purification of chemical constituents. The structures were identified on the basis of spectral data and physicochemical examination. RESULTS: Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as follows: rutaevin (1), obacunone (2), fraxinellone (3), limonin (4), dictamnine (5), beta-sitosterol (6), 5-hydroxylmethylfuraldehyde (7), daucosterol (8), 3beta-hydroxy-cholesta-5-ene (9), fraxinellonone (10), rutin (11), quercetin (12) and scopoletin (13). CONCLUSION: Compounds 7 and 9 are isolated from this genus for the first time.

Structural variation of bamboo lignin before and after ethanol organosolv pretreatment.

In order to make better use of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, it is necessary to disrupt its recalcitrant structure through pretreatment. Specifically, organosolv pretreatment is a feasible method. The main advantage of this method compared to other lignocellulosic pretreatment technologies is the extraction of high-quality lignin for the production of value-added products. In this study, bamboo was treated in a batch reactor with 70% ethanol at 180 °C for 2 h. Lignin fractions were isolated from the hydrolysate by centrifugation and then precipitated as ethanol organosolv lignin. Two types of milled wood lignins (MWLs) were isolated from the raw bamboo and the organosolv pretreated residue separately. After the pretreatment, a decrease of lignin (preferentially guaiacyl unit), hemicelluloses and less ordered cellulose was detected in the bamboo material. It was confirmed that the bamboo MWL is of HGS type (p-hydroxyphenyl (H), vanillin (G), syringaldehyde (S)) associated with a considerable amount of p-coumarate and ferulic esters of lignin. The ethanol organosolv treatment was shown to remove significant amounts of lignin and hemicelluloses without strongly affecting lignin primary structure and its lignin functional groups.

[Targeted delivery of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction. METHODS: Twenty-one Wistar rats were divided into MSCs-iv group (MSCs-iv), ultrasound+MSCs-iv group (US+MSCs-iv), ultrasound+microbubble+MSCs-iv group (US+MB+MSCs-iv) with intravenous MSC transfer, ultrasound and microbubble treatment as indicated. The skeletal muscles were obtained from the rats for microscopic examination with HE staining. The hindlimb gracilis and semimembranosus muscles were sampled 7 days after MSC transplantation, and the transplanted MSCs were detected by immunohistochemistry. The vital organs were collected from rats in US+MB+MSCs-iv group for immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In US+MB+MSCs-iv group, HE staining demonstrated the presence of red blood cell leakage into the tissue space in the gracilis and semimembranosus muscles, and immunohistochemistry identified large numbers of transplanted MSCs in the the gracilis and semimembranosus muscles and the spleen, whereas no labeled cells were detected in the skeletal muscles in other groups. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction provides a useful means for enhancing the efficiency of stem cell transplantation.