Expression and Significance of TNF-α and NF-κB/p65 in Cutaneous Lichen Planus.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the expression of TNF-α and NF-κB/p65 in Lichen planus skin lesions and their correlation with the pathogenesis of Lichen planus. Patients and Methods: The case group consisted of 30 individuals diagnosed with LP based on clinical and histopathologic examination. The control group consisted of 10 individuals from an Orthopedic Department with normal skin. TNF-α and NF-κB/p65 expression in skin tissue samples was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: The immunohistochemical results showed that TNF-α and NF-κB/p65 expression levels were significantly higher in LP skin lesions than normal skin tissues (P ≤ 0.05). Positive TNF-α staining mainly occurred in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes of the stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, and stratum basale in the epidermis and lymphocytes in the superficial dermis. Positive NF-κB/p65 staining mainly occurred in the nucleus and cytoplasm of keratinocytes of the stratum spinosum and stratum basale in the epidermis and lymphocytes in the superficial dermis. Conclusion: TNF-α and NF-κB/p65 are overexpressed in cutaneous LP. The two are positively correlated in LP, suggesting that they both play essential roles in the pathogenesis of LP.

HIV care continuum among newly diagnosed student and non-student youths between 2012 and 2016 in Hangzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Youths are disproportionally affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We aimed to assess anti-retroviral therapy (ART) initiation and viral suppression rates among student and non-student youths in Hangzhou, China. METHODS: Data were taken from the Chinese HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome Comprehensive Response Information Management System. Youths aged 15 to 24 years who were newly diagnosed with HIV between 2012 and 2016 and were living in Hangzhou were included in the study. Comparisons between student and non-student youths were made for ART initiation within 30 days, 90 days, and 12 months of HIV diagnosis, and the viral suppression rate at 12 months of HIV diagnosis and at 12 months of ART initiation. RESULTS: A total of 707 cases met inclusion criteria, 29.6% of which were students and 70.4% were non-student youths. The student group had a higher proportion of ART initiation compared with the non-student group within 30 days of diagnosis (45.5% vs. 37.0%, P = 0.044), and a slightly higher but not statistically significant proportion at 90 days (67.0% vs. 62.7%), and 12 months (83.7% vs. 78.5%) of HIV diagnosis. ART initiation within 30 days improved from <15% in 2012 to over 65% in 2016 in both groups, and ART initiation within 90 days improved from <30% in 2012 to >90% in 2016. A smaller proportion of students experienced viral suppression compared with the non-student group (9.6% vs. 17.1%, P = 0.011) at 12 months after HIV diagnosis, but the suppression rate was similar at 12 months of ART initiation (69.9% vs. 71.1%, P = 0.743). CONCLUSIONS: ART initiation in both student and non-student youths has significantly improved between 2012 and 2016. However, the viral suppression rate remained unacceptably low at 12 months of HIV diagnosis in both student and non-student groups. Specific intervention strategies must be taken to address this challenge.

Intracerebroventricularly-administered 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion and brain-derived neurotrophic factor affect catecholaminergic nerve terminals and neurogenesis in the hippocampus, striatum and substantia nigra.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disease characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. A highly similar pattern of neurodegeneration can be induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), which cause the death of dopaminergic neurons. Administration of MPTP or MPP+ results in Parkinson's disease-like symptoms in rodents. However, it remains unclear whether intracerebroventricular MPP+ administration affects neurogenesis in the substantia nigra and subgranular zone or whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor alters the effects of MPP+. In this study, MPP+ (100 nmol) was intracerebroventricularly injected into mice to model Parkinson's disease. At 7 days after administration, the number of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus increased, indicating enhanced neurogenesis. In contrast, a reduction in BrdU-positive cells was detected in the substantia nigra. Administration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (100 ng) 1 day after MPP+ administration attenuated the effect of MPP+ in the subgranular zone and the substantia nigra. These findings reveal the complex interaction between neurotrophic factors and neurotoxins in the Parkinsonian model that result in distinct effects on the catecholaminergic system and on neurogenesis in different brain regions.

[Effects of Temperature on the Preparation of Al/Zn3N2 Thin Films Using Magnetron Reactive Sputtering].

The effects of substrate temperature on the plasma active species were investigated by plasma optical emission spectroscopy. With increasing substrate temperature, the characteristic spectroscopy intensity of the first positive series of N2* (B(3)Πg-->A(3)Σu(+)), the second positive N2* (C(3)Πu-->B(3)Πg), the first negative series N2(+)* (B(2)Σu(+)-->X(2)Σg(+)) and Zn* are increased. Due to the substrate temperature, each ion kinetic energy is increased and the collision ionization intensified in the chamber. That leading to plasma ion density increase. These phenomenons's show that the substrate temperature raises in a certain range was conducive to zinc nitride thin films growth. Zn3N2 thin films were prepared on Al films using ion sources-assisted magnetron sputtering deposition method. The degree of crystalline of the films was examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that has a dominant peak located at 34.359° in room temperature, which was corresponding to the (321) plane of cubic anti-bixbyite zinc nitride structure (JCPDS Card No35-0762). When the substrate temperature was 100 °C, in addition to the (321) reflection, more diffraction peaks appeared corresponding to the (222), (400) and (600) planes, which were located at 31.756°, 36.620° and 56.612° respectively. When the substrate temperature was 200 °C, in addition to the (321), (222), (400) and (600) reflection, more new diffraction peaks also appeared corresponding to the (411), (332), (431) and (622) planes, which were located at 39.070, 43.179°, 47.004° and 62.561° respectively. These results show the film crystalline increased gradually with raise the substrate temperature. XP-1 profilometer were used to analyze the thickness of the Zn3N2 films. The Zn3N2 films deposited on Al films in mixture gas plasma had a deposition rate of 2.0, 2.2, and 2.7 nm · min(-1). These results indicate that the deposition rate was gradually enhanced as substrate temperature increased. Field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the particles of zinc nitride thin films became smaller but more uniform and density with increase the substrate temperature. The Zn3N2 thin films were strongly bound on the Al films. The experiments of films properties analysis results about the substrate temperature were consistent with the results of the plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The results would help improving the preparation of magnetron sputtering technique and getting better Zn3N2 thin films. On the other hand, the results were reflected that the plasma emission spectrum was fast and effective method to analyze the intrinsic characteristics of plasma.

[Optical emission analyses of N2/TMG ECR plasma for deposition of GaN film].

The optical emission spectroscopy of hybrid N2/trimethylgallium (TMG) plasma in an ECR-PECVD system was investigated. The results indicate that the TMG gas is strongly dissociated into Ga*, CH and H even under self-heating condition. Ga species and nitrogen molecule in metastable state are dominant in hybrid ECR plasma. The concentration of metastable nitrogen molecule increases with the microwave power. On the other hand, the concentration of excited nitrogen molecules and of nitrogen ion decreases when the microwave power is higher than 400 W.

[Analysis of optical emission spectra from ICP of Ar in the vicinity of plasma sheath].

In order to control the ion density and energy distribution in the vicinity of plasma sheath independently, the inductively coupled plasma and its glow discharge mechanism in the vicinity of plasma sheath were studied by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES) under different RF power, different discharge and different substrate DC bias voltage. It was shown that the ion density is higher and the electron temperature is lower in the vicinity of inductively coupled plasma sheath according to the ionic line and atomic line. With changing the discharge pressure and RF power, the spectral characteristics analysis shows that the ion density in the vicinity of plasma sheath linearly increases with the RF power and rises with the pressure under the low pressure. The atomic spectral intensity of low excitation states increases rapidly. The atomic spectral intensity of high excitation states rises slowly and the intensity of ion spectrum increases not obviously. By applying the DC bias voltage to substrate, the intensity of emission spectroscopy was analyzed. The result shows that the intensity of spectra rises with the increase in positive bias voltage, while first reduces then increases with the increase in negative bias voltage, and is the weakest in the case of DC bias at -30 V. This shows that the fast ions and the electrons are the main source of energy for Ar ionization and excitation.

[Isolation, characterization and expression analysis of male sterility gene homology sequence in wheat].

One 134 bp fragment was amplified in anthers of male sterile and fertile wheat using one pair of degenerated primer designed based on the conserved domain of MS2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, and one 1604 bp male sterility gene homology sequence was extended by in silico cloning based on the 134 bp fragment. The amino acids encoded by the male sterility gene homology sequence include a 200 amino acid conserved domain of male sterility, and this sequence expressed only in wheat male fertile anthers; no expression in male sterile anthers, roots and leaves. This research demonstrated that the cloned male sterile homology sequence is specific to wheat anther development.