Analysis of T-2 Toxin Removal Factors in a Lactococcus Fermentation System.

The objective of this work was to determine the bacterial strains and factors that most efficiently degrade T-2 toxin in foods or animal feed. To determine the most efficient strain and optimal incubation times for degradation of T-2, the rate of T-2 removal by three lactic acid bacteria strains was quantified by liquid chromatography plus tandem mass spectrometry after incubation in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth with 50 ng mL-1 T-2 at 37°C for 96 h. Various components of the most efficient degradation strain fermentation systems were extracted, and the ability to remove T-2 was assayed. Lactococcus lactis CAMT22361 was the most efficient degradation strain for removing T-2. Yeast extract powder interfered with L. lactis CAMT22361 in the degradation process. T-2 toxin was removed by various components of the L. lactis CAMT22361 cells in the following order: nonprotein material of the extracellular fraction > protein in the extracellular fraction > whole cell ≈ cell wall > cell intracellular matrix fluid. T-2 removal rates were 54.08% ± 0.79%, 43.65% ± 0.84%, 43.09% ± 0.87%, 41.98% ± 0.8%, and 23.45% ± 0.66%, respectively. The nonprotein fraction in the extracellular fluid was most likely the key component in L. lactis CAMT22361 and hence would be the most desirable cellular component to be used to remove T-2 from food or feed.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral Isoquinolones: Nickel-Catalyzed Denitrogenative Transannulation.

The first Ni(0)/bis(oxazoline)-catalyzed asymmetric denitrogenative transannulation of 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(3H)-ones with bulky internal alkynes to form novel axially chiral isoquinolones in an atroposelective manner has been developed. This method provides direct asymmetric access to axially chiral isoquinolones with excellent functional-group tolerance in excellent yields and stereoselectivities from readily available starting materials under mild reaction conditions. These axially chiral isoquinolones exhibit high cytotoxicity against a number of human cancer cell lines. DFT calculations reveal the nature of the transition state in the key annulation step.

Quantitative assessment of the presence and severity of cirrhosis in patients with hepatitis B using right liver lobe volume and spleen size measured at magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether right liver lobe volume (RV) and spleen size measured utilizing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging could identify the presence and severity of cirrhosis in patients with hepatitis B. METHODS: Two hundred and five consecutive patients with clinically confirmed diagnosis of cirrhosis due to hepatitis B and 40 healthy control individuals were enrolled in this study and underwent abdominal triphasic enhanced scans using MR imaging. Spleen maximal width (W), thickness (T) and length (L), together with RV and spleen volume (SV), were measured utilizing MR imaging. Spleen multidimensional index (SI) was obtained by multiplying previously acquired parameters W×T×L. Then statistical assessment was performed to evaluate the ability of these parameters, including RV, SV, RV/SV and SI, to identify the presence of cirrhosis and define Child-Pugh class of this disease. RESULTS: SV and SI tended to increase (r = 0.557 and 0.622, respectively; all P<0.001), and RV and RV/SV tended to decrease (r = -0.749 and -0.699, respectively; all P<0.001) with increasing Child-Pugh class of cirrhosis. All the parameters, including RV, SV, RV/SV and SI, might be the indicators used to discriminate the patients with liver cirrhosis from the control group, and to distinguish these patients between Child-Pugh class A and B, between B and C, and between A and C (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.609-0.975, all P<0.05). Among these parameters, RV/SV was the best noninvasive factor for the discrimination of liver cirrhosis between Child-Pugh class A and B (AUC = 0.725), between A and C (AUC = 0.975), and between B and C (AUC = 0.876), while SI was the best variable to distinguish the cirrhosis patients from the control group (AUC = 0.960, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: RV/SV should be used to identify the severity of cirrhosis, while SI can be recommended to determine the presence of this disease.

Patterns of lymph node recurrence after radical surgery impacting on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate how patterns of lymph nodes recurrence after radical surgery impact on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred eighty consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent radical surgery, and the tumors were staged as pT1-3N0M0 by postoperative pathology. Lymph nodes recurrence was detected with computed tomography 3-120 months after the treatment. The patterns of lymph nodes recurrence including stations, fields and locations of recurrent lymph nodes, and impacts on patterns of survival were statistically analyzed. There was a decreasing trend of overall survival with increasing stations or fields of postoperative lymph nodes involved (all P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that stations or fields of lymph nodes recurrence, and abdominal or cervical lymph nodes involved were prognostic factors for survival (all P<0.05). Cox analyses revealed that the field was an independent factor (P<0.05, odds ratio=2.73). Lymph nodes involved occurred predominantly in cervix and upper mediastinum (P<0.05). In conclusion, patterns of lymph node recurrence especially the fields of lymph nodes involved are significant prognostic factors for survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

CT features of exophthalmos in Chinese subjects with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

AIM: : To investigate computed tomography (CT) features of exophthalmos in Chinese subjects with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). METHODS: A total of 605 eyes of 325 patients with exophthalmos due to TAO were classified as grade I (mild exophthalmos) or II (severe exophthalmos) based on orbital CT imaging. The increased orbital volume features, such as changes from extraocular muscles, orbital fat, or both, were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 605 eyes were analyzed, among them 62.98% presented grade I exophthalmos, while 36.02% showed grade II exophthalmos. In grade I, 56.69% showed orbital fat change, and in grade II, 89.29% exhibited extraocular muscle enlargement. CONCLUSION: Orbital fat and extraocular muscle enlargement are likely to be observed on CTs of subjects with mild and severe exophthalmos, respectively. Our results suggest that CT findings may guide TAO clinical therapy recommendations and prognosis.