Casp11 Deficiency Alters Subgingival Microbiota and Attenuates Periodontitis.

Periodontitis (PD) is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g), a keystone pathogen, has been identified as a crucial contributor to this process. Pyroptosis activation in PD is acknowledged, with accumulating evidence underscoring the crucial role of Caspase-11 (described as Caspase-4/5 in humans)-mediated noncanonical pyroptosis. However, the mechanism behind its impact on PD remains unclear. In this study, we delved into the interplay between the Caspase-11-mediated noncanonical pyroptosis, subgingival microbiota alteration, and macrophage polarization. Clinical samples from PD patients revealed heightened expression of Caspase-4, gasdermin-D, and their active fragments, pointing to the activation of the noncanonical pyroptosis. Single-cell sequencing analysis linked Caspase-4 with gingival macrophages, emphasizing their involvement in PD. In vitro cell experiments confirmed that P.g-induced pyroptosis was activated in macrophages, with Casp11 deficiency attenuating these effects. In an experimental PD mouse model, Casp11 deficiency led to an alteration in subgingival microbiota composition and reduced alveolar bone resorption. Casp11-/- mice cohousing with wild-type mice confirmed the alteration of the subgingival microbiota and aggravated the alveolar bone resorption. Notably, Casp11 deficiency led to decreased M1-polarized macrophages, corresponding with reduced alveolar bone resorption, uncovering a connection between subgingival microbiota alteration, macrophage M1 polarization, and alveolar bone resorption. Taken together, we showed that Caspase-11 fulfilled a crucial role in the noncanonical pyroptosis in PD, potentially influencing the subgingival microbiota and linking to M1 polarization, which was associated with alveolar bone resorption. These findings underscored the pivotal role of the Caspase-11-mediated noncanonical pyroptosis in PD pathogenesis and may provide critical insights into potential therapeutic avenues for mitigating PD.

[Interventional treatment and early-stage follow-up of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum].

Objective: To explore the application value of percutaneous peripheral interventional therapy in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septal (PA-IVS). Methods: Retrospective case summary. The data was collected from 25 children who were hospitalized at the Children's Hospital,Zhejiang University School of Medicine from August 2019 to August 2022, had been diagnosed with PA-IVS by echocardiography, and underwent interventional treatment. The sex, age, weight, operation time, radiation exposure time, and radiation dose of the patients were collected. The patients were divided into the arterial duct stenting group and the non-stenting group. Preoperative tricuspid annular diameters and Z scores, right ventricular length diameters, and right ventricular/left ventricular length-diameter ratios were compared by paired t-tests. Right ventricular systolic pressure difference, oxygen saturation, lactic acid before and after the surgery were compared for 24 children who received percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. Right ventricular improvement in 25 children after operation was analyzed. The correlation between postoperative oxygen saturation and postoperative right ventricular systolic blood pressure difference, the degree of pulmonary valve opening and the Z value of tricuspid valve ring in the non-stenting group were analyzed. Results: A total of 25 patients with PA-IVS were enrolled in the study, of whom 19 were males and 6 females, with an age at surgery of 12 (6, 28) days and a weight of (3.7±0.5) kg. One of them underwent only stenting of the arterial duct; 20 children underwent only percutaneous pulmonary valve perforation and balloon angioplasty; 4 children underwent both procedures. The Z-value of the tricuspid ring was -1.5±1.2 in the group with arterial duct stenting, and -0.1±0.4 in the group without stenting (t=2.77, P=0.010). The tricuspid regurgitant flow rate 1 month after surgery was significantly lower than the preoperative ((3.4±0.6) vs. (4.8±0.9) m/s, t=6.62,P<0.001). In the 24 children with percutaneous pulmonary valve perforation and balloon angioplasty, the preoperative right ventricular systolic blood pressure was (110±32) mmHg, and the postoperative systolic blood pressure was (52±19) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) (F=59.55, P<0.001). The factors that may affect postoperative oxygen saturation in 20 cases of non-stenting group were analyzed. The results suggested that the pre and post-operative right ventricular systolic blood pressure differences (r=-0.11, P=0.649), and the pulmonary valve orifice opening (r=-0.31, P=0.201) and tricuspid annulus Z value (r=-0.18, P=0.452) at 1 month after the operation were not significantly correlated with the postoperative oxygen saturation. Conclusions: Interventional therapy can be used as the first choice for one-stage operation of PA-IVS. Percutaneous pulmonary valve perforation and balloon angioplasty are more suitable for children with well-developed right ventricles, tricuspid annulus, and pulmonary arteries. While the smaller the tricuspid annulus, the more dependent it is on the ductus arteriosus and thus patients are more suitable for arterial duct stenting.

[Outcome comparison between LSA complete reconstruction and partial coverage with endovascular technique for patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection].

Objectives: To compare the short-term outcomes of branched stentgrafts for left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization or partial LSA coverage without reconstruction in the treatment of type B aortic dissection with proximal tear close to LSA. Methods: A total of 125 type B aortic dissection patients were treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in Xinqiao Hospital of the Army Medical University from January 2019 to March 2021. Their medical records were reviewed and the outcomes were followed up. According to the different treatment methodologies, the patients were divided into complete LSA coverage with reconstruction group (n=25) and partial LSA coverage without reconstruction group (n=100). The data of baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and incidence of postoperative in-hospital adverse events were collected and compared between the two groups. The adverse events during one-year follow-up were also compared between the two groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to compare the cumulative survival rates between groups. Results: Compared with partial LSA coverage group, distance of proximal tear to LSA((8.69±2.32)mm vs. (13.77±1.71) mm) was shorter, in-hospital expenses[175 400(166 000-189 900) yuan vs. 143 700 (138 100-151 800) yuan] was higher, average length of stent [200.00 mm vs. 150.00 (150.00-150.00) mm] and operation time [155.00 (140.00-170.00) min vs. 95.00 (80.00-100.00) min] were longer, and volumes of contrast agent [300.00 (200.00-300.00) ml vs. 200.00 (200.00-300.00) ml] (P<0.05) were higher for patients in the complete LSA coverage with reconstruction group. The incidence of post-operative fever was significantly higher in complete LSA coverage with revascularization group than that in partial LSA partial coverage with reconstruction group (56% vs. 25%, P=0.003). There was no significant difference in the incidences of all-cause death, stroke, endoleak, paraplegia, and LSA branch vessel occlusion between the two groups during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the cumulative survival rates between the two groups (log-rank test: P=0.572 5). Conclusion: The TEVAR with complete LSA revascularization or partial LSA coverage without reconstruction for type B aortic dissection close to LSA are safe and effective with high success rates. There is no significant difference between these two techniques in short-term outcomes.

[Study on the changes of spontaneous brain activity in maintenance hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease based on three different resting state-functional magnetic resonance low-frequency amplitude algorithms].

Objective: To investigate the changes of spontaneous brain activity in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by combining three different resting state functional magnetic resonance low frequency amplitude algorithms, including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF), and to analyze the associations between spontaneous brain activity changes and clinical variables. Methods: The data of 31 ESRD patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis and 37 healthy volunteers in the Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from August 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan was performed to calculate the ALFF, fALFF, and PerAF values of the whole brain of the subjects in each group. Independent sample t test was used for comparison between groups, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between spontaneous brain activity changes in brain regions with significant differences and clinical variables. Results: Compared to healthy volunteers, patients with ESRD had decreased mean ALFF(mALFF) values of the right lingual gyrus, bilateral anterior precuneus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and right middle cingulate gyrus (FDR (false discovery rate) correction, all P<0.01); and decreased mean PerAF (mPerAF) values of the bilateral anterior precuneus, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex, bilateral inferior parietal lobule/temporoparietal junction (including bilateral angular gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus), and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (FDR (false discovery rate) correction, all P<0.01); but there was no significant difference in mean fALFF (mfALFF) value between the two groups. Correlation analysis showed that the mPerAF values of the right angular gyrus (r=-0.509, P=0.003) and the left supramarginal gyrus (r=-0.405, P=0.024) were negatively correlated with serum potassium concentration in ESRD patients, while mALFF values of the bilateral anterior precuneus (r=0.058, P=0.004) and mPerAF values of the left gyrus (r=0.415, P=0.020) were positively correlated with hemoglobin level. Conclusions: In ESRD patients, spontaneous brain activity was reduced in multiple brain regions, mainly located in default mode network(DMN), which might be the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of their brain damage. Controlling serum potassium and hemoglobin levels was essential to prevent the progression of brain damage in ESRD patients.

[Effect of optimized preoperative dietary management in patients with consecutive operation of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at night].

Objective: To investigate the effect of optimized preoperative dietary management on enhanced recovery in patient with consecutive operation of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP) at night. Methods: Forty patients undergoing consecutive operation of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at night in the department of urology in our hospital from Jun 2018 to March 2019 were divided into two groups, 23 patients in the study group and 17 patients in the control group. The control group followed the traditional fasting program at 24∶00 p.m. the day before the surgery. In the study group, the preoperative fasting procedure was optimized. The fasting time, water deprivation time, intravenous infusion volume, scores of hunger and thirst, blood glucose level, length of postoperative hospital stay and adverse reactions were compared between two groups. The level of hunger and thirst were evaluated using the Likert score. Results: The preoperative fasting time and water deprivation time of the study group and the control group were (11.9±4.4 vs 19.3±4.8) h and (6.0±2.9 vs 19.3±4.8) h, respectively (P<0.01). The infusion volume of study group was (406.5±310.5) ml and that of control group (744.1±443.0) ml, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The hunger and thirst scores of the study group were lower than those of the control group before surgery, and the postoperative hospital stay was shorter than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The optimized preoperative dietary management shortens fasting and water deprivation time, reduces the intravenous infusion volume, relieves the hungry and thirsty in patients with consecutive operation of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at night.

High quality nursing of children with pneumonia complicated with heart failure.

Children with severe pneumonia often have heart failure. This study explored the clinical effect of high quality nursing intervention on children with pneumonia complicated with heart failure. In the study, 96 children with pneumonia complicated with heart failure were selected and randomly divided into a conventional nursing group (n=48) and a high quality nursing group (n=48). Based on the conventional nursing, the children in one group were given high quality nursing, and comprehensive nursing was carried out in aspects such as respiratory tract, medication, psychology and diet. Then, the heart rate, respiratory rate, heart failure correction time, hospitalization time, cost and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the heart rate of the high quality nursing group was 145.37±8.72 times/min and the respiratory rate was 45.65±6.08 times/min, which were significantly lower than those of the conventional nursing group (P less than 0.05). The correction time of heart failure was about 32 h in the high quality nursing group, and the length and cost of hospitalization were significantly lower than those in the conventional nursing group (P less than 0.05). The nursing satisfaction of the patients' family members in the high quality nursing group was also higher (P less than 0.05). This study shows that high quality nursing can promote the recovery of children with pneumonia complicated with heart failure, and is worth popularizing widely in clinics.

Involvement of lncRNA-mediated signaling pathway in the development of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer (CC) develops, after human papillomavirus (HPV), an infection transmitted through sexual contact. Worldwide estimates are around >500,000 CC diagnoses and >300,000 related deaths annually, and CC remains the second most devastating type of cancers in women after breast cancer. Although the vaccine against HPV has reduced the incidence of infection and the treatment efficacy of the early-stage diagnoses has improved, many challenges remain in terms of treatment efficacy, during the late-stage and prevention of chemotherapy resistance development. Thus, new tools for prompt diagnoses and more effective curative treatments (including the development of targeted gene therapies) are needed. The long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) (>200 nucleotides) are transcripts that do not encode for any proteins, and they have been linked to the development of cancers (such as leukemia and breast, colorectal, and liver cancers). Some lncRNAs have been identified as the cause of the dysregulation of the oncogenes and progression of CC, but these studies are still very preliminary. In this review, we explore the literature for lncRNAs involved in the development of CC and their signaling pathways to identify those that might serve as early diagnostic biomarkers, or as targets for gene therapy or other curative treatments.

Effects of blood lead and cadmium levels on homocysteine level in plasma.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the effect of non-occupational exposure to lead and cadmium on homocysteine level in plasma. Homocysteine is a marker for plasma folate folic acid metabolism in urban populations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 159 individuals from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai with no history of close exposure to heavy metals and no history of metabolic diseases were enrolled to participate in this study. Blood lead and cadmium levels were detected using ICP-MS method and the level of homocysteine was also measured using enzyme method. Our results showed that blood lead and cadmium levels in males were significantly higher than those in females. Also, blood lead and cadmium levels in smokers were higher than those in non-smokers; homocysteine level was significantly higher in smokers as well. According to blood lead and cadmium levels, cases were divided into four groups. RESULTS: Our results showed that a surge in blood lead and cadmium levels could result in an increase in homocysteine level. We concluded that in the Chinese population, smoking and gender might be the risk factors for elevated levels of lead and cadmium. Meanwhile, blood lead and cadmium levels may influence the homocysteine levels in the body. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to speculate that non-occupational exposure to lead and cadmium, by increasing the homocysteine levels, negatively affect the cardiovascular and nervous system.

Predictive value of plasma ß2-microglobulin on human body function and senescence.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between plasma ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) as senescence factor with age, heart, liver and kidney function as well as the predictive value of ß2-MG in human metabolism function and senescence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 387 cases of healthy people of different ages were selected and the automatic biochemical analyzer was used to test ß2-MG in plasma based on immunoturbidimetry and also all biochemical indexes. The correlation between ß2-MG and age, gender and all biochemical indexes was analyzed. RESULTS: ß2-MG was positively correlated to age, r = 0.373; and the difference was of statistical significance (p < 0.010). It was significantly negative correlated to HDL-C but positively correlated to LP (a), BUN, CREA, UA, CYS-C, LDH, CK-MB, HBDH, AST, GLB and HCY. CONCLUSIONS: ß2-MG was closely correlated to age, heart, kidney and liver biochemical indexes, which can be taken as an important biomarker for human body function and anti-senescence and have significant basic research and clinical guidance values.

Dynamic QTL analysis of protein content and glutamine synthetase activity in recombinant inbred wheat lines.

Protein content (PC) is a crucial factor that determines the end-use and nutritional quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Glutamine synthetase (GS), which is a major participant in nitrogen metabolism, can convert inorganic nitrogen into organic nitrogen. Although many studies have been conducted on PC and GS, a dynamic analysis of all of the filling stages has not been conducted. Therefore, 115 F9-10 recombinant inbred wheat lines of 'R131/R142' were used to analyze PC and GS activity during different developmental stages, using the conditional quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping method. Twenty-two and six conditional QTL were detected for PC and GS activily, respectively. More QTL in leaf PC were detected during the early filling stages than in the later filling stages. Grain PC QTL displayed different dynamic variations to leaf PC QTL during the entire grain-filling stages. All of the QTL were expressed differently over time, and nine conditional QTL were detected across two filling stages. QTL with similar functions may have tended to group in specific locales. This study provides dynamic genetic information on protein accumulation during grain-filling stages.

Physiological and morphological responses induced by α-particle radiation on Arabidopsis thaliana embryos.

Alpha (α)-particle radiation has been thoroughly studied in the occupational and residential environments, but biological mechanisms induced by α-particle radiation on plants are not clearly understood. In this study, radiation effects were examined using different total doses (1, 10, 100 Gy, respectively) of 241Am, α-particle on Arabidopsis embryos. No significant difference in the germination percentage was observed between the 3 levels of doses and the control. Germination speed and root length were increased by treatment with the 1-Gy dose of a-particles, and decreased by treatment with 10- and 100-Gy doses. Moreover, the bending degree of roots increased with radiation dose, and the roots showed an "S" shape when treated with the 100-Gy dose. Root bending under the 100-Gy dose was inhibited by scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Root gravitropism and root length may respond to the consistency of ROS induced by irradiation. Further analysis of the physiological effects revealed that an increase in a-particle radiation intensity enhanced the activity of catalase and the content of malondialdehyde, but superoxide dismutase activity was reduced by treatment with 100-Gy radiation of a-particles, suggesting that the high linear energy transfer of a-particles may cause a relatively high level of membrane lipid preoxidation and high accumulation of ROS. ROS showed both physiological and morphological responses following exposure to α-particle radiation in Arabidopsis embryos.

In silico identification of potential virulence genes in 1,3-propanediol producer Klebsiella pneumonia.

The pathogenic characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae could pose security risks for industrial applications. In this study, the existence and distribution of 2457 known virulence genes (VFs) in 9 strains of K. pneumoniae were systematically analyzed by high-throughput in silico methods. We found different numbers and types of VFs in 9 K. pneumoniae strains using database sequences. Some VFs in the database were highly homologous with the corresponding genes in K. pneumoniae genomes. Four large fragments with contiguous potential virulence genes named VF1, VF2, VF3 and VF4 were identified. VF1 and VF2 were found in all 9 sequenced strains and the 1,3-propanediol-producing strain KG1. When the VF2 fragment was knocked out in KG1, cell growth and 1,3-propanediol production in the mutant were nearly the same as in KG1. Consequently the resulting information by in silico methods is useful for identifying potential virulence genes of K. pneumoniae used for 1,3-propanediol production.

Utilization of excess NADH in 2,3-butanediol-deficient Klebsiella pneumoniae for 1,3-propanediol production.

AIMS: To utilize excess NADH for 1,3-propanediol production by 2,3-butanediol-deficient mutants, the effect of dhaT overexpression in two distinct 2,3-butanediol-deficient mutants was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two 2,3-butanediol-deficient mutants, KG1-3 (blocking of the 2,3-butanediol pathway only) and KG1-5 (blocking of both of 2,3-butanediol and lactate pathways) were constructed. Our results showed that although the intracellular redox balance (NADH/NAD(+)) was extremely high at the end of fermentation for both mutants, the status of intracellular redox in KG1-5 was maintained at a normal level following the first stage of fermentation. Analysis of cell growth and metabolite formation confirmed the inhibition of excess lactate in 2,3-butanediol pathway-deficient mutants. Furthermore, dhaT was overexpressed in two 2,3-butanediol-deficient mutants (KG1-3T and KG1-5T). In KG1-5T, the intracellular redox balance was restored to normal and 1,3-propanediol production increased. The yield of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol in KG1-5T was also restored to a normal level of 0·6. CONCLUSIONS: The excess NADH in both the 2,3-butanediol- and lactate-deficient mutants can be used by overexpresstion of dhaT. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: The metabolic flux tended to increase lactate production by the abolishment of the 2,3-butanediol pathway in Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the high accumulation of lactate prevented the cell from using excess NADH, thereby inhibiting cell growth and 1,3-propanediol production.

Evaluation of three different promoters driving gene expression in developing chicken embryo by using in vivo electroporation.

To investigate the variance of exogenous gene expression driven by different promoters by in vivo electroporation, 3 plasmid vectors carrying different promoters were selected, and their driving strength was compared in developing chicken embryos. The 3 promoters included: 1) the CAG promoter (containing the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early enhancer and the chicken ß-actin promoter), 2) the CMV promoter (the human CMV immediate early region enhancer), and 3) the SV40 promoter (Simian virus 40). The intensity of GFP expression driven by the 3 promoters was detected by fluorescence microscopy. The results clearly showed that the expression intensity of the reporter gene differed significantly among the 3 promoters. Chicken ß-actin promoter induced the highest intensity of GFP expression, while SV40 promoter induced the lowest intensity. Our results indicate that plasmids with appropriate promoters should be carefully selected to obtain strong exogenous gene expression by in vivo electroporation.

A polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 alpha confers an increased risk of cervical cancer in a Chinese population.

Cervical cancer is a multifactorial disease involving a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. An important role of HIF-1α in cervical cancer carcinogenesis has been studied by multiple researches. We hypothesized that there is a possible association between HIF-1α gene polymorphisms and the risk of cervical cancer in Chinese women. In a case-control study of 518 cervical cancer patients and 553 cancer-free controls, we genotyped three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs11549465, rs11549467 and rs2057482) of HIF-1α using the TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays and assessed its associations with the cervical cancer risk. Besides, 17 cervical cancer tissues were used to assess the expression of the mature mRNA expression of HIF-1α by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We found that a significantly increased risk of cervical cancer was associated with the CC genotype of rs2057482 in the 3´-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of HIF-1α (odds ratio (OR), 1.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-1.88), compared with the CT/TT genotypes. Moreover, the carriers of CT/TT genotypes had significantly decreased HIF-1α mRNA expression levels compared to those with CC genotype. No association was observed between the two polymorphisms (rs11549465, rs11549467) and cervical cancer risk. So that, our results provided the first insight into rs2057482 polymorphism of in the 3´-untranslated region of HIF-1α contributed to the risk of cervical cancer in a Chinese population and thus may serve as a reliable predictive factor of cervical cancer.

Influences of species mixture on biomass of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb) forests.

The effect of tree diversity on productivity in subtropical forests in China is poorly understood. We investigated the biomasses of trees, understory vegetation, coarse roots, and fine roots with varying proportions of Pinus massoniana, mixed with other tree species in stands of the same age, to examine the effects of tree diversity. With an increase of P. massoniana proportion, the tree and understory biomasses increased at first, and then gradually decreased. As expected, the biomass of fine roots decreased with soil depth. Stands with 40 to 60% P. massoniana had the highest biomass, whereas stands with <20% P. massoniana had the least biomass. Stands with <20% P. massoniana had the least understory biomass, whereas those with 20 to 40% Masson pine had the least fine root biomass.

Variation of genomic DNA methylation in the nitrate reductase gene of sibling tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivars.

To better understand genomic DNA methylation in sibling plant cultivars, methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism analysis was used to investigate two sibling tobacco cultivars, Yunyan85 and Yunyan87, and their two parents, K326 and Yunyan No. 2. Differences in the degree of genomic DNA methylation were found among the four tobacco cultivars. Compared with parents, the two sibling cultivars had fewer methylated sites. Twenty-nine methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism fragments that exhibited methylation alteration in the four tobacco cultivars were recovered and sequenced. BLAST (nucleotide BLAST) searches showed that two of the 29 sequences have 99% similarity with nucleotides 1442-1694 of the nia-1 gene and the other 27 sequences contain GC, CAAT or TATA box. The nitrate reductase genes from Yunyan87, K326 and Yunyan No. 2 were found to be identical; however, the third intron of the nitrate reductase gene from Yunyan85 was different compared to the third introns of Yunyan87, K326 and Yunyan No. 2. We conclude that methylation alteration of promoter regions could be responsible for the different phenotypes in tobacco and that introns of the nitrate reductase gene can vary as a result of intra-species crossing in tobacco.

Use of a new type of trocar for the surgical treatment of hydrocephalus: a simple and effective technique.

This study compared the use of a new type of peritoneocentesis trocar with conventional laparotomy for the placement of the distal catheter in the treatment of hydrocephalus with ventriculoperitoneal shunt. A total of 376 patients with hydrocephalus were recruited to the study and were assigned randomly to undergo insertion of the distal catheter by conventional laparotomy (n = 195) or using the new peritoneal trocar (n = 181). The time taken for the surgical procedure and the complication rate over the following 1-year period were compared between the two groups. The mean length of the procedure to place the distal catheter was significantly shorter in the trocar group compared with the laparotomy group. Infection and obstruction rates were significantly higher in the laparotomy group than in the trocar group. In conclusion, the use of the new trocar was associated with lower rates of surgically induced trauma and complications compared with conventional laparotomy.

A new long terminal repeat (LTR) sequence allows to identify J genome from J S and St genomes of Thinopyrum intermedium.

A repetitive sequence of 491 bp, named pMD232-500, was isolated from S. cereale cv. Kustro using wheat SSR marker Xgwm232. GenBank BLAST search revealed that the sequence of pMD232-500 was highly similar to a part of retrotransposon Nusif-1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using pMD232-500 as probe indicated that only 14 Thinopyrum intermedium chromosomes and all the chromosomes of S. cereale cv. Kustro bear FISH signals, however, no FISH signals were observed on Dasypyrum villosum chromosomes. In addition, the FISH signals were distributed on whole arms except their terminal regions. Further genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis using genomic DNA from Pseudoroegneria spicata indicated that the 14 Th. intermedium chromosomes bearing FISH signals should belong to J genome. Thereafter, the repetitive elements pMD232-500 showed the unambiguous features of genomic constitution of Th. intermedium. In addition, the results in the present study have indicated the similarity of genomes from Th. intermedium and S. cereale.

Immunoglobulin E antibodies from pancreatic cancer patients mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cells.

In addition to allergy and parasitic infections, immunoglobulin E (IgE) has been shown recently to possess anti-viral and anti-cancer effects. We investigated serum levels of IgE, its low-affinity receptor, soluble CD23 (sCD23) in patients with pancreatic cancer and the effect of IgE against pancreatic cancer cells. Twelve patients were evaluated for pancreatic cancer by imaging and confirmed by biopsy. Fifteen healthy volunteers served as controls. Serum Igs (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE) and sCD23 levels were determined (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, nephelometry) and the presence of cancer-specific IgE was assessed (fluorescence microscopy, Western blot). IgE anti-cancer activity was determined by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Serum levels of IgE and sCD23 were elevated significantly in patients with pancreatic cancer versus controls, whereas no differences were observed in other Ig isotypes (IgG, IgM, IgA). Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated similar presence of IgG and IgE pancreatic cancer Igs. However, Western blot analysis indicated differences in IgG and IgE antigen-specific antibodies; IgE antibody recognized a 50 kD protein. ADCC studies demonstrated that serum and purified IgE-mediated cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cells, effects which were reversed with anti-IgE neutralizing antibody and IgE depletion (immunoaffinity); greater cytotoxicity was observed in patient serum when compared with healthy controls. These data suggest that IgE and sCD23 may serve as useful biomarkers for patients with pancreatic cancer and may be important in the immune response to this disease in that IgE-directed therapy may help to direct treatment.