[The relationship between inflammatory factors and depression and its mechanism exploration].

Depression is a common and recurrent mental disease, with complex etiology, which is mainly affected by genetic, metabolic and social factors. The specific pathogenesis is still unclear. In recent years, the hypothesis of inflammatory factors related to depression has attracted wide attention of researchers. A large number of clinical experimental studies have shown that depression is related to the increase of proinflammatory factors in central and peripheral blood. The inflammatory factors in peripheral blood can spread in the brain through the way of specific transporters across the blood-brain barrier, and activate or participate in the brain inflammatory response, and ultimately affect the neuronal activity and neurotransmitter release in the emotional regulation area of the brain, which in turn leads to depressive symptoms. This paper summarizes the relationship between inflammatory factors and depression and its possible mechanism, which provides reference for further prevention and control, clinical treatment and scientific research of depression.

[Study on the relationships between precollege sexual abuse experiences at different stages and adult attachment in college students].

Objective: To explore the association between precollege sexual abuse experiences at different periods and adult attachment in college students. Methods: In October 2018,a total of 4 034 college students were selected from 4 colleges in Hefei City by using the stratified cluster sampling method. A self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the demographic characteristics, sexual abuse experience, and attachment style of participants. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the association between different periods, types of precollege sexual abuse experiences and attachment style in college students. Results: The rate of total precollege sexual abuse, noncontact sexual abuse, and contact sexual abuse was 14.1% (569), 12.7% (512) and 5.4% (219), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that secure attachment [ß(95%CI)=-0.205 (-0.292, -0.117)] was negatively correlated with total precollege sexual abuse experiences, whereas anxiety attachment [ß(95%CI)=0.211 (0.110, 0.310)], avoidant attachment [ß(95%CI)=0.117 (0.020, 0.216)] were positively correlated with total precollege sexual abuse experiences. The number of periods of precollege noncontact sexual abuse was negatively correlated with secure attachment [ß(95%CI)=-0.106(-0.171, -0.041)]and positively correlated with anxiety attachment [ß(95%CI)=0.158 (0.084, 0.231)]and avoidant attachment [ß(95%CI)=0.080 (0.008, 0.152)]. The noncontact [ß(95%CI)=0.427 (0.018, 0.775)] and contact sexual abuse [ß(95%CI)=0.468 (0.251, 0.687)] in high school were positively correlated with anxiety attachment (P<0.05). Conclusion: Different periods, types of precollege sexual abuse experiences were all associated with adult attachment in college students.

Impact of the radiation effect on the energy storage density and wake-up behaviors of antiferroelectric-like Al-doped HfO2 thin films.

The effect of the γ-ray total dose radiation on the energy storage density (ESD) and the phase transition of antiferroelectric-like (AFE-like) Al-doped HfO2 (HfAlO) thin films was investigated. The ESD property and wake-up behavior of the phase transition during the field cycling of the AFE-like HfAlO thin films were quantified before and after the radiation. The efficiency of the AFE-like thin films for energy storage slightly decreases as the total dose increases from 200 krad (Si) to 5 Mrad (Si), which is attributed to the radiation-induced trapped defects at the interfaces of HfAlO/TiN. Both the J-E, C-V, and εr-f characteristics of the AFE-like HfAlO thin films were also measured before and after the radiation at the same electrodes. These results further confirm that the ferroelectricity of the thin films can be reduced due to the radiation oxide trapped defects. It is worth noting that an enhanced wake-up behavior of the AFE-like HfAlO thin films can be observed after the radiation, which indicates that the transition from the antiferroelectric phase to the ferroelectric phase could be accelerated by the increased radiation-induced defects.

[A birth cohort study of the association between prenatal serum bisphenol A concentration and infant neurobehavior development].

Objective: To explore the association between maternal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure during pregnancy and neurobehavioral development in infant. Methods: Participants were from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort, which was established from October 2008 to October 2010 based on four municipal medical and health institutions in Ma'anshan. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was applied for the determination of serum BPA concentration in 1 783 pregnant women sampled at their first filing, and during 2.97 to 28.1 months age of the infants. Neurobehavioral development were assessed by 0-6-year-old pediatric examination table of neuropsychological development. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the association between serum BPA levels during pregnancy and infants' neurobehavioral development. Results: A total of 931 mother-child pairs had complete data on serum BPA detection during pregnancy and assessment of infants' neurobehavioral development status. The age of pregnant women at their first filing was (26.67±3.45) years old, and the M (P25,P75) of serum BPA concentration (ng/ml) was 0.23 (0.11, 0.52), with a detection rate of 84.1% (783/931). The age of infants was (13.18±5.46) months, and 53.5% (498) were boys. The developmental quotient scores of large motor, fine motor, adaptive ability, language ability and social behaviors of infants were (97.88±16.32), (97.16±15.35), (99.64±15.47), (95.3±16.04) and (98.95±14.76) points, respectively. Generalized linear model showed that after adjusting for factors such as delivery mode, feeding mode, family per capita monthly income, preterm delivery, gender, maternal age, residence, pre-pregnancy body mass index and residence time, serum BPA level in pregnancy was negatively associated with infant's development of social behavior [ß (95%CI):-2.42 (-4.71, -0.12)]. The post-stratification analysis by infant age revealed that the serum BPA level in pregnancy was only negatively associated with the development of language and social behavior developmental quotient scores in infants between the ages of 12 and 18 months, with ß (95%CI) about -6.66 (-13.06, -0.25) and -7.401 (-12.97, -1.83), respectively. Conclusion: BPA exposure during pregnancy affects language and social behavior development in infants, and the detection window is between 12 and 18 months old of the infant.

[Predictive effects of pubertal timing and tempo on adolescent depressive symptoms: a 6-year prospective cohort study].

Objective: To examine the prospective association of pubertal timing and tempo with depressive symptoms in adolescents. Methods: Since 2013, 2 084 students in grade 1-3 were selected from two primary schools in Bengbu, Anhui Province were selected by using convenience sampling method to establish the adolescence pubertal development cohort. Followed up for 6 years, physical examination, secondary sexual development evaluation (testicular volume for boys and breast development for girls) and depressive symptoms were evaluated biennially. Non-linear growth model was used to estimate pubertal timing and tempo for boys and girls respectively. Depressive symptoms were interviewed by using the Short Mood & Feeling Questionnaire (SMFQ) at baseline and Mood & Feeling Questionnaire (MFQ) during follow-up for students in grade 1-2. Children Depression Inventory (CDI) was used for students in grade 3 at baseline and during follow-up. Depressive symptom scores were standardized by using the Z-score method. Multivariate linear regression model was used to analyze the predictive effects of modeling pubertal timing and tempo on depressive symptoms of adolescence boys and girls. Results: There were 1 909 students with complete questionnaire and puberty development information, including 1 052 boys (59.19%) and 857 girls (43.81%), with average age about (13.94±0.87) years and 91.60 percent follow-up rate. The average modeling pubertal timing of girls (11.25 years) was earlier than that of boys (12.70 years), and the average pubertal tempo of girls about 1.47 Tanner stage/year was faster than that of boys about 1.28 Tanner stage/year. After controlling for depressive symptoms, maternal education and adverse childhood experiences at baseline and age, body mass index (BMI) classification and sleep time during follow-up, this predictive effect of pubertal timing and tempo on depressive symptoms was only significant among girls. Compared with girls with on time pubertal timing, girls in the delay timing group had a lower level of depressive symptoms (ß=-0.19, 95% CI:-0.34,-0.01). Compared with girls in average pubertal tempo group, the fast tempo group associated with an increasing risk of depressive symptoms (ß=0.23, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.40), while the slow tempo group associated with an decreasing risk of depressive symptoms (ß=-0.21, 95％CI:-0.39,-0.03). Insignificant effects were found in puberty timing and tempo on depressive symptoms of boys (P>0.05). Conclusion: Fast pubertal tempo increases the risk of development of depressive symptoms of adolescent girls. There is no predictive effect of pubertal timing and tempo on depression symptoms of adolescent boys.

[Association between suffering experiences from precollege peer bullying at different stages and the quality of health-related life among college students].

Objective: To explore the effects of precollege peer bullying at different stages, on quality of life (QOL) among college students. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select participants in October, 2018. Cluster sampling method was adopted to recruit a sample of 4 034 college students from four universities in Hefei city, Anhui province. Relations between peer bullying at different stages before entering college, and the quality of life, were investigated. t test and analysis of variance were used to compare the differences of QOL in different groups. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the associations between various types of peer bullying at different stages and the QOL at precollege days. Results: Among all the 4 034 college students under study, mean scores of the 4 dimensions of QOL appeared as physical (12.61±2.02), psychological (14.09±2.62), social relationship (13.72±2.71) and environment (13.77±2.46), respectively. After adjusting the confounding factors, data from multiple linear regression showed that, factors as verbal bullying victimization during primary school (ß=-0.21)/secondary school (ß=-0.27)/or at both periods (ß=-0.56), relational (ß=-0.21) and physical (ß=-0.38) bullying victimization in secondary school, and physical bullying victimization in both periods (ß=-0.67) were negatively correlated with the physical dimension of QOL. Verbal bullying victimization in both periods (ß=-0.41) and relational bullying victimization in secondary school (ß=-0.42) were negatively correlated with psychological dimension of QOL. Factors as relational (ß=-0.32) and physical (ß=-0.51) bullying victimization in secondary school, physical/cyber bullying victimization in both periods (ß=-0.57) were negatively correlated with the social dimension of QOL. Verbal bullying victimization during primary school (ß=-0.20) and both periods (ß=-0.46), relational bullying perpetration during primary school (ß=-0.35) or at both periods (ß=-0.90) were negatively correlated with the environmental dimension of QOL (All P<0.05). Index related to bullying victimization (ß=-0.33, -0.36, -0.30, -0.33) and bullying perpetration ß=-0.28, -0.31, -0.23, -0.28) were both negatively correlated to all the 4 dimensions (physical, psychological, social relationship and environment) of QOL (P<0.001). Conclusions: Various forms of peer bullying experiences occurring before college, were associated with the decreased scores of QOL in different domains, among the university students. Programs on prevention and control of peer bullying in different stages before college days seemed important thus should be strengthened.

[The role of hypothalamus polycomb gene methylation in bisphenol A exposure during pregnancy and premature puberty in female offspring].

Objective: To explore the role of hypothalamus Polycomb Group (PcG) gene (Eed, Ezh) methylation in the relationship between bisphenol A (BPA) exposure during pregnancy and premature puberty in female offspring. Methods: A total of 40 pregnant CD-1 mice were randomly and averagely assigned into four groups: control group (corn oil) and low, middle and high BPA-exposed groups (the poisonous doses were 8 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg, respectively) by random number table method. Each group was administered by gavage from gestational day (GD) 1 to 18. The vaginal opening of female offspring was observed from postnatal day (PND) 21 to 33. All female offsprings were sacrificed, and hypothalamus was remained on the PND 34. The methylation levels of Eed and Ezh in the hypothalamus were measured. The early puberty of CD-1 mice was evaluated by the rate of vaginal opening in advance, initial time of vaginal opening, the first estrus occurrence and vaginal opening days in advance. The path model was used to explore the role of Eed and Ezh gene methylation in the early puberty of female offspring with maternal BPA exposed including the number of days of vaginal opening in advance as a dependent variable and BPA exposure as an independent variable. Results: The rate of vaginal opening on the 28 day in each maternal BPA-exposure group [low, middle and high BPA-exposed groups were 40.00% (29/72), 47.62% (25/53) and 37.84% (20/53), respectively] was higher than that rate in the control group [14.06%(9/64)]. Similarly, the P(50)(P(25), P(75)) values of initial time of vaginal opening in low, middle and high BPA-exposed group were 28 (26, 30), 28 (26, 29), 28 (26, 30) days, respectively and the P(50)(P(25), P(75)) values of the first estrus occurrence in low, middle and high BPA-exposed group were 31 (27, 32), 30 (27, 31), 31 (28, 33) days, respectively, which were earlier than those in the control group [initial time of vaginal opening was 30(28, 31) days, and the first estrus occurrence was 32(30, 33) days] (all P values<0.05). Compared with the control group (the methylation levels of Eed1, Eed2, Ezh2 were 1.47%, 1.26%, 2.56%, respectively), the methylation levels of Eed1 (1.61%-1.82%), Eed2 (1.36%-1.43%) and Ezh2 (2.87%-3.05%) in female offspring were significantly higher in BPA-exposed groups (all P values<0.05). The results of path model analysis showed that BPA had no direct influence on puberty in advance, but had an indirect effect on puberty in advance (indirect effect path coefficient was 0.045 and 0.142, respectively) by mediating methylation of Eed2, and Ezh2. Conclusion: Early puberty in female offspring induced by maternal exposure to BPA during pregnancy through the increased methylation levels of hypothalamus PcG gene (Eed, Ezh) in female offspring.

[Dose-response relationship between maternal thyroid hormones in the first twenty weeks and physical and neuropsychological development of infants: A prospective cohort study in China].

Objective: To study the dose-response relationship between maternal thyroid hormone levels in the first twenty weeks of pregnancy and the infant physical and neuropsychological development. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 945 women and their children were included. Maternal serum samples during first half of the pregnancy were collected and analyzed for levels of thyroid hormones by using the electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. Maternal social demographic information was collected by using the a self-administered questionnaire. Physical measurements of newborns and neuropsychological evaluation of infants were performed by doctors of maternal and child health care. Results: The differences in newborns' birth length and head circumference were significant among the newborns of mothers with different percentiles of maternal serum (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) levels (P<0.05). Newborns with maternal TSH level ≥P(95) or

[Association between early pregnancy bisphenol A exposure and sleep problems among preschool children].

Objective: To analyze the association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep problems among preschool children. Methods: Research subjects were from one of the sub-cohorts(Ma'anshan Cohort) of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS) in Ma'anshan city. The basic situation of pregnant women and sleep information of preschool children were investigated. We selected preschool children whose mother's maternal serum bisphenol A concentrations of the first trimester had been already detected between December 2012 to Januray 2014. 1 259 pairs of mothers and children were included. The concentrations of bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy were divided into low, medium and high exposure groups according to 25(th) percentile (P(25)) and 75(th) percentile (P(75)) levels. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep-related problems in preschool children. Results: The P(50) (P(25)-P(75)) of serum bisphenol A exposure level during early pregnancy was 0.231 (0.106-0.512) ng/ml. The sleep-related problems scores of 1 259 preschool children were (16.43±3.82) points. The occasional sleep-related problems were detected about 47.8% (602 cases) and frequent sleep-related problems were detected about 18.3% (230 cases). After the adjustment of the confounding factors such as children's gender, age, BMI, sleep position (lying down, sleeping on one's back), the length of time to sleep and the length of sleep at night, in comparison with bisphenol A low exposure group, the OR (95%CI) value of preschool children with occasional sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A high exposure group during early pregnancy was 1.44 (1.01-2.06). After the gender stratification, the results showed that in comparison with bisphenol A low exposure group, the OR (95%CI) value of preschool girls with occasional sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A medium and high exposure group during early pregnancy were 1.61 (1.05-2.46) and 2.40 (1.42-4.04), respectively. The OR (95%CI) value of preschool girls with frequent sleep-related problems in maternal bisphenol A high exposure group during early pregnancy was 2.64 (1.34-5.17). However, in boys, there was no statistically significant association between maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy and sleep-related problems (P>0.05). Conclusion: Maternal bisphenol A exposure during early pregnancy might be related to sleep-related problems in preschool children.

[Developmental characteristics of circadian rhythms in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during puberty].

Objective: To explore the developmental characteristics of circadian rhythms in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during puberty. Methods: A total of 1 070 students from Grade 2-3 in 3 primary schools in Ma'anshan city, Anhui province, were selected for physical examination and circadian rhythm of HPA axis checked from 2015 to 2017. Saliva samples were collected at each of the following three time points: immediately upon wakening, 30 minutes after wakening and bedtime, with the index of circadian rhythm of HPA axis calculated, which including cortisol awake response (CAR), cortisol in puberty priming and diurnal cortisol slope (DCS). Testicular volume, palpation and visual inspection of breast development were used to assess the state of purbety development on boys and girls. Information on gender, date of birth, time to fall asleep, wake-up time and weekly physical activity were gathered through questionnaire survey. Non-parametric test was used to compare the differences of baseline, follow-up period and different adolescent developmental processes of each index on circadian rhythm of HPA axis. Results: During the period of follow-up program and comparing with the continuous undeveloped group, CAR and the changes of CAR showed significantly increase, both in the puberty priming group and continuous development group, with statistically significant differences (CAR: Z=8.551, 4.680, respectively; P<0.01; the changes of CAR: Z=4.079, 2.700, respectively, P<0.01). There were no significant differences noticed in CAR and the changes of CAR between puberty priming group or continuous development group. The area under the curve (AUC) of cortisol in puberty priming group was slightly higher than that in the persistent undeveloped group (Z=2.591, P=0.010). Both the changes of daily cortisol slope (DCS) in puberty priming group and continuing developed group decreased significantly, when comparing with those in continuous undeveloped group (Z=-2.450, Z=-2.151; all P<0.05). There was no significant difference noticed in the changes of cortisol in puberty priming and DCS between different puberty development stages (the changes of AUC: χ(2)=2.747, P=0.253; DCS: χ(2)=4.554, P=0.032). Conclusions: The indexes of circadian rhythm of HPA axis were associated with the development of puberty. Both the cortisol awakening response and the total amount of diurnal cortisol secretion showed an increase, along with the puberty development. The change of diurnal cortisol slope declined with the development of puberty.

[Exposure to bisphenol A during maternal pregnancy and the emotional and behavioral impact on their preschool children].

Objective: To explore the long-term effects of maternal pregnancy bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on emotional and behavioral problems appeared in their preschool children. Methods: The study sample was a subset of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS). A unified questionnaire was used to collect basic information on both pregnant women and their children. Free BPA concentration in maternal serum was determined by high-performance liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The parent-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to estimate the emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children. A total of 1 713 pairs of mothers and children were included in this study. Association between BPA exposure during pregnancy and the emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children was evaluated with multinomial logistic regression model. Results: Prevalence rates in 1 713 preschool children appeared as: 6.48% of emotional problems, 8.11% for conduct problems, 8.35% for hyperactivity/inattention, 2.86% for peer problems, 11.38% for prosocial behaviors and 7.94% for total difficulties. Subjects were divided according to the degrees of exposure and the results showed as: low exposure group (≤0.120 ng/ml), medium exposure group (0.120

[Association between hair cortisol concentration and overweight and obesity in 6-9 years old childhood].

Objective: To determine the possible relations between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a biomarker of chronic stress and childhood overweight and obesity. Methods: Children from grade 1 to 3 from 2 primary schools in Bengbu were invited to participate in the study; and those who suffer from mental disorders, endocrine diseases and those who took hormone drugs were excluded. Parental questionnaire was implemented to collect information on physical activity, screen time, sleep duration, sugar-beverage consumption, as well as socio-economic status. Height and weight were examined. Eligible hair samples from 1 263 children (598 boys and 665 girls) were obtained, and the cortisol content was determined. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis was recruited to examine the association between HCC quartiles and overweight and obesity among boys and girls, respectively. Results: HCC in P(50) (P(25)-P(75)) among girls and boys was separately 11.86 (10.57-13.15) and 11.71 (10.54-13.09) µg/kg (Z=-0.886, P=0.376); HCC in P(50) (P(25)-P(75)) among non-overweight, overweight and obesity boys was separately 11.62 (10.45-12.82), 12.24 (10.88-13.55) and 12.30 (10.99-13.53) µg/kg (χ(2)=8.24, P=0.016); HCC in P(50) (P(25)-P(75)) among non-overweight, overweight and obesity girls was separately 11.35 (10.06-12.62), 12.07 (11.04-13.21) and 12.59 (11.12-13.63) µg/kg (χ(2)=36.16, P<0.001). After age, physical activity, screen time, sleep duration, sugared beverages and socio-economic status adjusted, compared with HCC in Q1 level, girls whose HCC in Q2, Q3 Q4 level had higher rates in overweight, with OR (95%CI) at 1.10 (1.04-3.32), 2.59 (1.51-4.45) and 3.16 (1.79-5.57), respectively. Girls with HCC in Q3 and Q4 level had higher rates in obesity, with OR (95%CI) at 2.22 (1.16-4.26) and 5.62 (3.04-10.41). Among boys, highest quartiles in HCC was risk factor for overweight, OR (95%CI) was 2.14 (1.18-3.90). Conclusion: Hair cortisol had a significant relation with overweight and obesity in 6-9 years old childhood especially among girls.

[Prospective association between early adiposity rebound and adolescent development in girls].

Objective: To determine possible relations between early adiposity rebound and adolescent development. Methods: Prospective children cohort from 2 kindergartens selected through clustering convenience sampling method in Anhui Province was established since Sep. 2010. Participants were classified as Cohort 1 (2010), Cohort 2 (2011) and Cohort 3 (2012) according to the recruiting year. Till Sep. 2015, a toal of 802 girls were included in this study, and received follow-up till primary school. During kindergarten period, physical examination was carried out every 3 months, 8 times in total. In primary school, physical examination was carried out annually; till Sep.2015, the cohort 1, 2, 3 took physical examination for 12, 11, 10 times, respectively. Information on household economic status and child physical activity was acquired through parents questionnaire survey, and breast development were assessed through visual inspection and palpation. Adiposity rebound was determined according to Rolland-Cachera's method for each girl. Differences between early adiposity rebound and normal adiposity rebound groups were compared by using t test and χ(2) test. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to explore the association between early adiposity rebound and breast development. Results: The average age of participants was (8.90±0.87) years old and the BMI was (17.48±2.70) kg/m(2). The average age at adiposity rebound was (6.16±0.90) years old and the BMI was (15.33±1.82) kg/m(2). Premature breast development was found significantly higher in girls in early adiposity rebound group (27.8%, 54/802) than it in normal adiposity rebound group (13.7%) (P<0.001). After current adiposity, age, household economic status, childhood physical activity adjusted, the OR of premature beast development in early adiposity rebound group was 2.41(95%CI: 1.41-4.12). Conclusion: Early adiposity rebound increases the risk of premature puberty in girls.

Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and adverse pregnancy outcomes among Chinese women: Results from the C-ABCS.

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and adverse pregnancy outcomes among Chinese pregnant women. A prospective population-based cohort study was performed using data collected as part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study or C-ABCS. A total of 13,121 pregnant women who received the first prenatal visit were enrolled from November 2008 to October 2010. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and pregnancy outcomes. Results indicated that the increased pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as hypertensive disorder (adjusted relative risk (ARR) 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-3.6), gestational diabetes (ARR 3.5, 95% CI 2.3-5.2), caesarean delivery (ARR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6-2.4), and medically indicated preterm delivery (ARR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9). Women with pre-pregnancy BMI above the normal range pose an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Structural evolution in amorphous silicon and germanium thin films.

The structural evolution in amorphous silicon and germanium thin films has been investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in conjunction with autocorrelation function (ACF) analysis. The results established that the structure of as-deposited semiconductor films is of a high density of nanocrystallites embedded in the amorphous matrix. In addition, from ACF analysis, the structure of a-Ge is more ordered than that of a-Si. The density of embedded nanocrystallites in amorphous films was found to diminish with annealing temperature first, then to increase. The conclusions also corroborate well with the results of diminished medium-range order in annealed amorphous films determined previously by a variable coherence microscopy method.

Ty3/gypsy-like retrotransposon sequences in tomato.

Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were carried out with DNAs of eight tomato species using primers directed at the reverse transcriptase domain of Ty3/gypsy-like LTR retrotransposons. All DNAs gave PCR products of the expected size which, after cloning and sequencing, were confirmed as representing Ty3/gypsy-like elements. The sequences were heterogeneous, only 3 of the 16 being identical and the most diverse showing 124/426 pairwise nucleotide differences. Multiple alignment and construction of neighbor joining trees divided the sequences into six groups, three comprising five, three, and five sequences respectively, and the other three containing a single sequence each.

Hepatitis delta antigens enhance the ribozyme activities of hepatitis delta virus RNA in vivo.

The mechanism of regulation for the ribozyme activity of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) RNA in infected cells is unknown. Previously, we developed a direct assay capable of detecting the ribozyme activity of HDV dimer or trimer RNAs in vivo (K.-S. Jeng, A. Daniel, and M. M. C. Lai, J. Virol, 70:2403-2410, 1996). In this study, we used this method to examine the effects of hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) on the ribozyme activities of HDV RNA in vivo. The HDV multimer cDNAs were cotransfected with plasmids encoding either HDV small delta antigen (SHDAg) or large delta antigen (LHDAg), and the self-cleavage of the primary transcripts from the HDV cDNA was analyzed at day 2 postransfection. The results were as follows. (i) Both HDAgs, particularly LHDAg, enhanced the self-cleavage activity of HDV RNA; however, HDAgs are not required for HDV RNA cleavage. (ii) HDAg could not restore the ribozyme activity of mutant HDV RNAs which have lost the ribozyme function. (iii) The enhancement of ribozyme activity by HDAg does not require HDV RNA replication. (iv) RNA-binding activity of HDAg is required for the enhancement of RNA cleavage. (v) The self-ligation activities of HDV ribozyme also were enhanced by HDAg. These results suggest that HDAg can regulate the cleavage and ligation of HDV RNA during the HDV life cycle.

Surgical treatment of bleeding and perforated peptic ulcer diseases.

From 1977 to 1988, 556 patients underwent emergency surgery for complicated peptic ulcers. Among them, 409 patients were for treated perforations and 147 for hemorrhages. In the perforated ulcer category, the morbidity rate was 12.5% and mortality rate 6.8%. For bleeding ulcers, the morbidity rate was 27.2% and mortality rate 14.9%. Several risk factors, such as age, interval of time between perforation and surgery, blood loss, associated disease, and shock were found to have created a higher operative risk. A definitive surgery including vagotomy and drainage, vagotomy and antrectomy, partial gastrectomy and highly selective vagotomy could be safely performed with an acceptable mortality for properly selected cases. Follow-up results also indicated better scores in this group of patients. We concluded that a definitive ulcer operation is safe, acceptable and curative for low risk patients with perforated or bleeding ulcers.

Replantation of the testis by microsurgical technique.

Microsurgical replantation of amputated testes were performed in two patients. Both were caused by trauma to the genitoperineal regions. These reconstructed testes are viable and not atrophic grossly. The patients are satisfied with these operations.