Assessment of synchronous neural activities revealed by regional homogeneity in individuals with acute eye pain: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that pain-related diseases are associated with brain function and anatomical abnormalities, whereas altered synchronous neural activity in acute eye pain (EP) patients has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore whether or not synchronous neural activity changes were measured with the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method in acute EP patients. METHODS: A total of 20 patients (15 males and 5 females) with EP and 20 healthy controls (HCs) consisting of 15 and 5 age-, sex-, and education-matched males and females, respectively, underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The ReHo method was applied to assess synchronous neural activity changes. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, acute EP patients had significantly lower ReHo values in the left precentral/postcentral gyrus (Brodmann area [BA]3/4), right precentral/postcentral gyrus (BA3/4), and left middle frontal gyrus (BA6). In contrast, higher ReHo values in acute EP patients were observed in the left superior frontal gyrus (BA11), right inferior parietal lobule (BA39/40), and left precuneus (BA7). However, no relationship was found between the mean ReHo signal values of the different areas and clinical manifestations, which included both the duration and degree of pain in EP patients. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted that acute EP patients showed altered synchronous neural activities in many brain regions, including somatosensory regions. These findings might provide useful information for exploration of the neural mechanisms underlying acute EP.

Antiangiogenic effects of catalpol on rat corneal neovascularization.

To investigate the effects of catalpol on corneal neovascularization (CNV) and associated inflammation, eye drops (5 mM catalpol or PBS) were administered four times daily to alkali­burn rat models of CNV and inflammation. Clinical evaluations of CNV and the degree of inflammation were performed on days 0, 4, 7, 10 and 14 under slit lamp microscopy. Eyes were collected on day 14 and prepared for hematoxylin and eosin, and immunofluorescence staining; corneal cell apoptosis was investigated via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase­mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Protein expression levels of angiogenic and proinflammatory factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium­derived factor (PEDF), tumor necrosis factor­α (TNF­α) and necrosis factor­κB (NF­κB) were determined by western blotting. The effects of catalpol on cell proliferation were investigated in vitro using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and a Cell Counting kit­8 (CCK­8); alterations in migration and tube formation were investigated via HUVEC wound closure and tube formation assays. HUVEC viability and proliferative ability were inhibited in a dose­dependent manner; catalpol also decreased HUVEC cell migration and tube forming ability. Within alkali­burn rat models, decreased inflammation and CNV was associated with catalpol administration; as demonstrated with TUNEL, corneal cell apoptosis was decreased in response to catalpol. Western blot analysis revealed reduced protein expression levels of VEGF and TNF­α; however, PEDF and phosphorylated­NF­κB p65 were increased due to catalpol administration. The present study demonstrated the inhibitory effects exerted by catalpol on CNV and inflammation within alkali­burned rat models. Topical application of catalpol in vivo was associated with reduced CNV and inflammation; therefore, catalpol may be considered an anti­inflammatory agent for the clinical treatment of CNV.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte/monocyte ratio following completion of first-line therapy predicts early relapse in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

To investigate whether the post-therapy lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (ALC/AMC ratio or LMR) predicts early relapse in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), we enrolled 125 consecutive patients with DLBCL and followed up from 2005 to 2015 in our hospital. The LMR was measured following completion of first-line therapy. We found that the LMR following completion therapy was a strong predictor of early relapse, which is less than 12 months after diagnosis. A low LMR was significantly associated with early relapse in both univariate [odds ratio (OR) = 8.8; P = 0.006] and multivariate analysis (OR = 8.951; P = 0.011). The low-LMR group (<2.9) had poorer outcomes than the high-LMR group (≥2.9), with a lower 2-year progression-free survival rate (78.9 versus 97.1 %, P = 0.002) and 2-year OS rate (82.5 versus 98.5 %, P = 0.002). This study suggests that a lower LMR following completion of first-line therapy can be used as a marker to predict early relapse in patients with DLBCL.

Association of proton pump inhibitors with the occurrence of gut-derived bacteraemia in patients with haematological malignancy after chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Gut-derived bacteraemia is a major complication in patients with haematological malignancy after chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to investigate the role of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the occurrence of gut-derived bacteraemia. METHODS: We compared data from 92 hospitalized haematological malignancy patients after chemotherapy with gut-derived bacteraemia, collected from January 2009 to July 2015, with those of 92 contemporaneous, hospitalized haematological malignancy patients without bacteraemia. We evaluated PPIs use and analysed the effects of covariates. RESULTS: Patients with gut-derived bacteraemia had a significantly higher incidence of PPIs use (69.6%) than that of controls (47.8%). Of the patients with gut-derived bacteraemia, only 44.6% had a documented indication for PPIs therapy. The antibacterial prophylaxis rate was 38.0% in the bacteraemia group and 58.7% in the non-antibacterial group. Based on multivariable logistic regression analysis, only PPIs use (P = 0.00, odds ratio (OR) = 0.546) was found to be associated with the risk of bacteraemia whereas antibacterial prophylaxis (P = 0.00, OR = 0.652) was protective. There were no significant differences in demographics, malignancy status, length of neutropenia, complications, or steroid use between the gut-derived bacteraemia and control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a potential association between PPIs use and development of gut-derived bacteraemia in haematological malignancy patients after chemotherapy.

Long non-coding RNA HOTAIR modulates c-KIT expression through sponging miR-193a in acute myeloid leukemia.

HOTAIR is significantly overexpressed in various cancers and facilitates tumor invasion and metastasis. However, whether HOTAIR plays oncogenic roles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still unknown. Here, we report that HOTAIR expression was obviously increased in leukemic cell lines and primary AML blasts. Clinically, AML patients with higher HOTAIR predicted worse clinical outcome compared with those with lower HOTAIR. Importantly, HOTAIR knockdown by small hairpin RNA inhibited cell growth, induced apoptosis, and decreased number of colony formation. Finally, HOTAIR modulated c-KIT expression by competitively binding miR-193a. Collectively, our data suggest that HOTAIR plays an important oncogenic role in AML and might serve as a marker for AML prognosis and a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Methylated alteration of SHP1 complements mutation of JAK2 tyrosine kinase in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm.

SHP1 negatively regulates the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK2/STAT) signaling pathway, which is constitutively activated in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and leukemia. Promoter hypermethylation resulting in epigenetic inactivation of SHP1 has been reported in myelomas, leukemias and other cancers. However, whether SHP1 hypermethylation occurs in MPNs, especially in Chinese patients, has remained unclear. Here, we report that aberrant hypermethylation of SHP1 was observed in several leukemic cell lines and bone marrow mononuclear cells from MPN patients. About 51 of 118 (43.2%) MPN patients including 23 of 50 (46%) polycythaemia vera patients, 20 of 50 (40%) essential thrombocythaemia and 8 of 18 (44.4%) idiopathic myelofibrosis showed hypermethylation by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. However, SHP1 methylation was not measured in 20 healthy volunteers. Hypermethylation of SHP1 was found in MPN patients with both positive (34/81, 42%) and negative (17/37, 45.9%) JAK2V617F mutation. The levels of SHP1 mRNA were significantly lower in hypermethylated samples than unmethylated samples, suggesting SHP1 may be epigenetically inactivated in MPN patients. Furthermore, treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) in K562 cells showing hypermethylation of SHP1 led to progressive demethylation of SHP1, with consequently increased reexpression of SHP1. Meanwhile, phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3 were progressively reduced. Finally, AZA increased the expression of SHP1 in primary MPN cells with hypermethylation of SHP1. Therefore, our data suggest that epigenetic inactivation of SHP1 contributes to the constitutive activation of JAK2/STAT signaling. Restoration of SHP1 expression by AZA may contribute to clinical treatment for MPN patients.

[Spectra characteristic effect of different density-resistant maize variety on planting density].

With Chlorophyll Meter SPAD-502 and Canopy Analyzer AccuPAR LP-80, the spectra characteristic effect of different density-resistant maize variety on planting density was studied, and the effect of planting density on photosynthetic performance of maize was discussed. The materials of the experiment were Yinong-103, Xianyu-335, Zhengdan-958 and Denghai-661, the row spacing was 80 cm X 40 cm, the plant spacing was gradually changed from Im to smaller spacing, the densities were 3.33, 3.70, 4.17, 4.50, 4.76, 5.56, 6.67, 6.80, 8.33, 9.00, 11.11, 11.20 and 16.67 planting.m-2 respectively. We studied spectra characteristic effect on planting density, and investigated maize photosynthetic characteristics and density-yield relationship to get high yield. This research can be good case of using maize spectra characteristic to reflect plant photosynthetic characteristics and canopy architecture. The end of this paper was to explore density effect on yield with spectroscopy means.

Apical ligand substitution, shape recognition, vapor-adsorption phenomenon, and microcalorimetry for a pillared bilayer porous framework that shrinks or expands in crystal-to-crystal manners upon change in the cobalt(II) coordination environment.

A 2D pillared bilayer coordination polymer, [Co(5-NH(2)-bdc)(bpy)(0.5)(H(2)O)] x 2 H(2)O (1; 5-NH(2)-bdc = 5-aminoisophthalate; bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) has been hydrothermally synthesized and shows a novel microporous host framework with 1D channels and high thermal stability (approximately 400 degrees C). The framework of 1 exhibits reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations upon removing and rebinding the coordinated waters as well as replacing them with MeOH and EtOH from the solvent. X-ray crystallography reveals that the coordination geometry of Co(II) changes from octahedron to square pyramid, as well as the shrinkage/expansion of pore deformation in respect to the subsequent shear motion of bpy pillars and vice versa. The dehydrated form 2 exhibits a shape recognition ability, which can accommodate linear molecules, such as MeCN and 2-propynyl alcohol, and interesting storage capabilities for oversized MeOH, EtOH, and benzene molecules, concomitant with spongelike dynamic transformation. The microcalorimetric study indicates that the crystalline state-liquid guest exchange and guest inclusion processes (1 superset MeOH or EtOH, 2 superset MeOH, EtOH or MeCN) are feasibly endothermic reactions with the values of molar enthalpy, DeltaH(theta)(m), of +21.38(96), +12.68(85), +25.92(86), +17.03(57), and +14.93(75) kJ mol(-1), respectively.