Hemodynamic changes and perinatal outcome associated with umbilical artery thrombosis: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Poor fetal and perinatal outcomes in fetuses associated with umbilical artery thrombosis (UAT), such as severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and intrauterine asphyxia have been reported by some case series. Its hemodynamic impact remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic changes and perinatal outcome in UAT fetuses with a relatively large sample. METHODS: We included singleton fetuses diagnosed with UAT and with at least one available Doppler evaluation before the end of pregnancy in our center from 2016 to 2023. Fetuses with structural abnormalities and with no follow-up results were excluded. Doppler waveforms from the Umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), ductus venosus (DV) and uterine artery (UtA) were routinely evaluated according to ISUOG Practice Guidelines from diagnosis. The same sample of GA-matched normal fetuses with Doppler measurements during the same period were randomly selected as control group. RESULTS: Eighty-nine singleton fetuses with UAT with at least one Doppler evaluation before the end of pregnancy were identified, 13 fetuses with no follow-up results were excluded. After comprehensive prenatal counseling, 14 cases received urgent cesarean section, the remaining 55 cases received expectant management, the median day between GA at diagnosis and end of pregnancy was 13 (5-53) days (range, 2-159). 7 (7/76, 9.2%) cases occurred stillbirth, and the incidence of IUGR and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission were 18.4% (14/76) and 13.2% (10/76) respectively. 49 fetuses (49/76, 64.5%) combined with Doppler abnormalities. UA abnormalities (35/76, 46.1%) and MCA abnormalities (34/76, 44.7%) were the most changes at presentation. Compared to control group, UA-EDV was significantly increased in UAT fetuses [21.84 (15.59-26.64) vs. 16.40 (12.43-20.70) cm/s, p < 0.001], UA-PI and UA-RI significantly decreased [0.68 (0.57-0.84) vs. 0.92 (0.79-1.11), p<0.001; 0.51 (0.44-0.59) vs. 0.62 (0.55-0.68), p < 0.001, respectively]. Both the MCA-PSV and MCA-EDV were significantly higher in UAT fetuses [54.60 (48.00-61.34) vs. 44.47 (29.66-57.60) cm/s, p < 0.001; 11.19 (7.84-17.60) vs. 8.22 (5.21-12.00) cm/s, p < 0.001, respectively], this led to a lower MCA-PI and MCA-RI. Meanwhile, DV-PIV was significantly higher in UAT fetuses [0.6 (0.47-0.87) vs. 0.45 (0.37-0.55), p < 0.001], CPR and UtA-PI were no significant difference between these two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that DV-PIV was an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes (OR 161.922, p<0.001), the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.792 (95% CI 0.668-0.917; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data showed serious adverse pregnancy consequences are combined with UAT fetuses. Hemodynamic changes in UAT fetuses showed the remaining artery for compensation and brain perfusion derangement. With a comprehensive and standardized Doppler evaluation, progression of fetal deterioration may be detailed presented.

Prenatal Diagnosis and Postnatal Outcomes of Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Associated With Mild Narrow Aorta: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To explore prenatal ultrasonic features and prognosis of the persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) complicated with mild narrow aorta. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving 1348 fetuses diagnosed with PLSVC prenatally between January 2016 and December 2019. Forty-five fetuses with PLSVC associated with mild narrow aorta were selected from the cohort as the study group and 79 fetuses with isolated PLSCV were recruited randomly as the control group. All clinical and ultrasound results, including images and parameters of cardiac structures, were reviewed retrospectively. General conditions, ultrasound (US) measurements, and fetal prognosis were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Aorta valve diameter (AOD), Z-score of aorta valve (AODz-score), aortic isthmus diameter (AOIsD), and pulmonary diameter (PAD)/AOD were significantly different in study group than control group no matter in the second or third trimester. Thirty-eight fetuses in study group were born with favorable outcomes after long-term follow-up. A total of 13.16% (5/38) remain mild narrow aorta and 3 of them showed smaller left ventricle after 3 years follow up. Prenatal AODz-score in infants remains mild narrow aorta after 2 years aged was higher than ones' aorta return to normal (P = .01), especially when AODz-score >1.725. Moreover, when prenatal ratio of AOIsD/left subclavian artery was <1.12, it was more likely that the aorta would remain mildly narrow at age 2. CONCLUSION: Fetuses diagnosed with PLSVC with mild narrow aorta had favorable prognosis. AODz-score and AOIsD/left subclavian artery may be two predictors that reveal the risk of a mildly narrowed aorta remaining after birth.

Co-infection with human papillomavirus and sexually transmitted infections among Chinese individuals.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and their co-infections on different genders and ages. METHODS: Different samples of secretions from the reproductive system were collected from 459 males and 494 females for HPV and STI detection. RESULTS: Total HPV infection rate was 49.46 % for males and 48.99 % for females, and the distribution of HPV subtypes varied significantly between different genders. The infection rate of HR-HPV 52 and 31 in females was higher than that in males (p = 0.002 and 0.039, respectively). In contrast, the infection rate of LR-HPV 6 and 11 in males was higher than that in females (p = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). Females had a significantly higher infection rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU). Besides, these STIs were stratified based on age and the results indicated that the highest incidence of STIs was observed in younger patients (<20 years old). Patients with HPV infections had a higher incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in both males and females. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to perform HPV, CT and UU screening among patients, and more thorough health education for younger patients is of great clinical significance to improve treatment and prognosis.

VOZ1 and VOZ2 transcription factors regulate arsenic tolerance and distribution in rice and Arabidopsis.

Rice is the major source of arsenic (As) intake in humans, as this staple crop readily accumulates As in the grain. Identifying the genes and molecular mechanisms underlying As accumulation and tolerance is a crucial step toward developing rice with reduced As levels. We identified 25 rice genes that improve As tolerance in yeast cells by expressing a complementary DNA (cDNA) library generated from As-treated rice roots. Among them, a zinc finger-type transcription factor VASCULAR PLANT ONE- ZINC FINGER 1 (OsVOZ1) (OsVOZ1) conferred the most pronounced As tolerance. OsVOZ1 inhibits As accumulation in yeast via activation of As efflux transporter Acr3p by post-transcriptional modification in yeast. The Arabidopsis voz1 voz2 double-knockout mutant exhibited As hypersensitivity, altered As concentrations in various tissues, and reduced As transport activity via the phloem. Arabidopsis and rice VOZs were highly expressed in phloem cells in various tissues, which are critical for As distribution in plant tissues. The double-knockdown and single-knockout plants of OsVOZ1 and OsVOZ2 reduced As accumulation in their seeds. These findings suggest that rice and Arabidopsis VOZs regulate the translocation of As into tissues by regulating the phloem loading of this element.

Analysis on the genome of a teschovirus type 1 isolates with swine diarrhea.

Porcine Teschoviruses (PTVs) are associated with polioencephalomyelitis and various diseases, including reproductive and gastrointestinal disorders of pigs and wild boars, but rarely detected in the feces of pigs. In this study, a sample of swine diarrhea that tested positive for PTVs is subjected to high-throughput sequencing. The viral genome was 7221 nucleotides (nt) in length, which was consisted of twelve genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed and it was closely related to the PTV-HNMY(MG755212.1). The nucleotide homology of VP1 gene of PTVs JS2021 with PTV-1AF 296102.1 reached 82.97%, belonging to a branch of PTV-1 serotype. The nucleotide homology of VP1 protein with other serotypes of PTV is quite different from that of other serotypes of PTV. Bioinformatics analysis showed that PTVs have four capsid proteins, namely VP1, VP2, VP3 and VP4. The VP1 encodes a 29 kDa protein, which is the main protective antigen, a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.73, no transmembrane domain, no signal peptide and potential phosphorylation site. The VP1 protein is an unstable hydrophilic intracellular protein, which contains four secondary structures: irregular curl (c), extended chain (e), α-helix (h) and ß-folded (t). The tertiary structure is heart-shaped and has multiple B cell epitopes. By analyzing the tertiary structure, we found that the amino acid at position 129 of VP1 mutated and reduction a larger alpha helix. This may lead to the main cause of piglet diarrhea. These findings enriched our knowledge of the viruses in the role of swine diarrhea, and help to develop an effective strategy for disease prevention and control.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Pierre Robin Sequence and Its Prognosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the efficiency of ultrasound (US) in prenatal diagnosis and prognosis of Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) of 18 cases. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 79,305 women admitted for prenatal US examinations were recruited from January 2017 to December 2020. Eighteen cases of PRS fetuses were selected form the cohort and 40 cases of isolated micrognathia were recruited randomly as control group. All the clinical and imaging results were retrospectively reviewed. General condition, US measurements, and prognosis of fetuses were compared between groups. RESULTS: Cleft palate, glossoptosis, and micrognathia were found in all 18 fetuses with PRS by prenatal US. Compared with the isolated micrognathia group, there were no significant differences in the PRS group in examination of maternal age, gestational weeks at assessment, and gender of fetuses, but significant lower measures in inferior facial angle, jaw index, and frontal nasal-mental angle (each p < 0.05). Twelve fetuses were defined to have other associated malformations. Ear malformations were the most common associated malformations with a prevalence of 44.4% (8/18). All of the18 cases were confirmed with PRS after delivery or autopsy. Two delivered infants were found bucking easily, one baby was spitting up frequently but growth showed normal. CONCLUSION: Prenatal detection of PRS with US examination is highly efficient. Even with the triad of malformations, isolated PRS had good outcomes following initial stabilization and management in the neonatal period. Prenatal detection of Pierre Robin syndrome with targeted US examination is efficient in discerning characteristics of this rare syndrome. Even with the triad of malformations, isolated PRS had good outcomes following initial stabilization and management in the neonatal period. KEY POINTS: · Prenatal diagnosis of fetal PRS is of great clinical importance.. · Micrognathia has been identified as the primary feature of PRS.. · Posterior displacement of the tongue may cause acute neonatal respiratory distress.. · Even with triad malformation, isolated PRS seemed to have good outcomes..

CMPK2 is a host restriction factor that inhibits infection of multiple coronaviruses in a cell-intrinsic manner.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) comprise a group of important human and animal pathogens. Despite extensive research in the past 3 years, the host innate immune defense mechanisms against CoVs remain incompletely understood, limiting the development of effective antivirals and non-antibody-based therapeutics. Here, we performed an integrated transcriptomic analysis of porcine jejunal epithelial cells infected with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and identified cytidine/uridine monophosphate kinase 2 (CMPK2) as a potential host restriction factor. CMPK2 exhibited modest antiviral activity against PEDV infection in multiple cell types. CMPK2 transcription was regulated by interferon-dependent and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1)-dependent pathways post-PEDV infection. We demonstrated that 3'-deoxy-3',4'-didehydro-cytidine triphosphate (ddhCTP) catalysis by Viperin, another interferon-stimulated protein, was essential for CMPK2's antiviral activity. Both the classical catalytic domain and the newly identified antiviral key domain of CMPK2 played crucial roles in this process. Together, CMPK2, viperin, and ddhCTP suppressed the replication of several other CoVs of different genera through inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activities. Our results revealed a previously unknown function of CMPK2 as a restriction factor for CoVs, implying that CMPK2 might be an alternative target of interfering with the viral polymerase activity.

Association Between Urinary Stress Incontinence and Levator Avulsion Detected by 3D Transperineal Ultrasound.

PURPOSE: To determine the association between levator avulsion and urinary stress incontinence (USI) by 3/4D transperineal ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 842 patients who were admitted to our hospital from 2016 to 2019 were recruited for our study. 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound was performed. After standard interview and clinical evaluation, general conditions and levator hiatus data were collected and measured to compare with each group. The odds ratio (OR) of USI symptoms or ultrasound features with levator avulsion were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 593 women were studied: 204 suffered from levator avulsion (96 cases of left-side avulsion, 80 cases of right-side avulsion and 28 cases of bilateral avulsion) and 389 women had no avulsion. The gravidity and episiotomy conditions of the avulsion groups were significantly different from the no-avulsion group. Significant differences were found in the transverse diameters and anteroposterior diameters between the levator avulsion group and the no-avulsion group, but there was no difference among the avulsion groups, regardless of whether the patient was at rest or performing the Valsalva maneuver. Interestingly, a significant difference was found in the presence of USI symptoms between the uni-avulsion group and the no-avulsion group. The odds ratio (OR) of USI symptoms in the uni-avulsion group is 2.786 (95 %CI, 1.663-4.669), but 0.939 (95 %CI, 0.276-3.199) for the bilateral avulsion and no-avulsion groups. CONCLUSION: Unilateral levator avulsion may be a risk factor for urinary stress incontinence.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the jumping plant bug Halticus minutus Reuter, 1885 (Hemiptera: Miridae).

The complete mitochondrial genome of Halticus minutus was sequenced and analyzed in this study. The mitochondrial genome is 15,403 bp in size and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one control region (D-loop). The nucleotide composition of the mitogenome is 41.81% A, 32.50% T, 10.43% G, and 15.26% C. Despite only a few references available on the complete mitochondrial genome of Miridae, phylogenetic analysis suggested that H. minutus is most closely related to Nesidiocoris tenuis.

Effect of supplemental parenteral nutrition on all-cause mortality in critically Ill adults: A meta-analysis and subgroup analysis.

Objective: Several observational studies have demonstrated that increased nutritional delivery by supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) plus enteral nutrition (EN) reduces the rate of all-cause mortality in critically ill patients. Therefore, we aimed to compare and evaluate the effect of SPN plus EN on all-cause mortality in critically ill adults. Methods: Randomized controlled trials were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Sinomed (up to May 2021). Adults with severe illness treated with SPN plus EN or with EN alone were enrolled. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and a meta-analysis was conducted using Stata software. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and was evaluated by pooled odds ratio (OR) with the fixed-effects model. Required information size was also calculated using trial sequential analysis. Results: We identified 10 randomized controlled trials, with a total of 6,908 patients. No significant differences in rate of all-cause mortality (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.84-1.09, P = 0.518), intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.75-1.07, P = 0.229), and hospital mortality (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.82-1.10, P = 0.482) were found between the SPN plus EN and EN alone groups. SPN plus EN support was associated with a significantly decreased risk of infection (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.74-0.93, P = 0.001), although the duration of mechanical ventilation [standardized mean difference (SMD) = - 0.20], length of hospital stay (SMD = 0.12), and ICU stay (SMD = - 0.57) were similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Meta-regression analyses showed no significant correlations between all-cause mortality and baseline clinical factors, including patients' age, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, time of SPN initiation, and follow-up duration (all P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that SPN plus EN support was associated with a trend toward decreased rate of all-cause mortality in studies with follow-up < 30 days (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.36-1.02, P = 0.058). Trial sequence analysis showed that the required information size for all-cause mortality was 16,972, and the cumulative Z-curve indicated no significant differences in the risk of all-cause mortality between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: SPN plus EN support can significantly reduce the risk of infection, although it has no significant effect on all-cause mortality among critically ill patients. More studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Comparison of pathogenicity of porcine deltacoronavirus CZ2020 from cell culture and intestinal contents in 27-day-old piglets.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emenging swine enteropathogenic coronavirus that can cause high mortality rate. It affects pigs of all ages, but most several in neonatal piglets. Little is known regarding the pathogenicity of PDCoV against 27-day-old piglets. In this study, 27-day-old piglets were experimentally infected with PDCoV CZ2020 from cell culture, the challenged piglets do not have obvious symptoms from 1 to 7 days post-challenge (DPC), while viral shedding was detected in rectal swab at 1 DPC. Tissues of small intestines displayed slight macroscopic and microscopic lesions with no viral antigen detection. On the other hand, 27-day-old piglets were infected with PDCoV from intestinal contents, the piglets developed mild to severe diarrhea, shedding increasing from 2 to 7 DPC, and developed macroscopic and microscopic lesions in small intestines with clear viral antigen confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining. Indicating the small intestine was still the major target organ in PDCoV-challenged pigs at the age of 27-day-old. Diarrhea caused by PDCoV from intestinal contents in 27-day-old piglets is less reported. Thus, our results might provide new insights into the pathogenesis of PDCoV.

Bta-miR-677 contribute to interferon pathway affecting the proliferation of caprine parainfluenza virus type 3.

Caprine parainfluenza virus type 3 (CPIV3), a new strain of virus, was isolated from the goats in 2014 in China. Studies have shown that viral infection can induce changes in the expression profile of host miRNAs, which modulate natural immune responses and viral infection. In this study, we report that bta-miR-677 suppressed CPIV3 replication in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells and guinea pigs. Bta-miR-677 overexpression promoted type I interferon (IFN-I) and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) production, thereby inhibiting CPIV3 replication, while bta-miR-677 inhibitor suppressed the antiviral innate immune response to promoted viral replication in MDBK cells. We showed that bta-miR-677 suppresses CPIV3 replication via directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) thus enhancing IFN pathway in MDBK cells. We also demonstrated that bta-miR-677 agomir could inhibit CPIV3 proliferation in guinea pigs, with much lower viral RNA levels in lung and trachea. Guinea pigs showed no obvious pathological changes and less severe lung lesions in bta-miR-677 agomir treated group at 7 dpi. This study contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying CPIV3 pathogenesis.

A poly-l-lysine-bonded TEMPO-oxidized bacterial nanocellulose-based antibacterial dressing for infected wound treatment.

Oxidized bacterial nanocellulose (O-BNC) is a favorable material to subdue bacterial infection because of the carboxylate content that not only has a weak antibacterial activity but also is capable of bonding electrostatically to polycationic antibacterial agents. In this study, the 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidinyloxy radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation of BNC was optimized to achieve high carboxylate content while retaining an acceptable tensile profile. To develop an O-BNC-based functional wound dressing, ε-poly-l-lysine (PLL) was then covalently bonded with O-BNC via 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) reaction after homogeneous distribution by ultrasonication. The antibacterial activity of the obtained wound dressing was significantly higher (p < 0.05), and no toxicity was observed. The infected full-thickness wounds of rats were healed faster (p < 0.05) covered by the dressing due to less inflammation, faster blood vessel proliferation, and epidermal layer formation. The material is an effective and promising functional dressing for the treatment of infected wounds.

Pathogenicity, infective dose and altered gut microbiota in piglets infected with porcine deltacoronavirus.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging swine enteropathogenic coronavirus that cause severe diarrhea, resulting in high mortality in neonatal piglets. Little is known regarding the pathogenicity of PDCoV in different infective dose and the dynamic changes in the composition of the gut microbiota in PDCoV-induced diarrhea piglets. In this study, 5-day-old piglets were experimentally infected with different dose of PDCoV. The challenged piglets developed typical symptoms, characterized by acute and severe watery diarrhea from 1 to 8 days post-inoculation (DPI), and viral shedding was detected in rectal swab until 11 DPI. Tissues of small intestines displayed significant macroscopic and microscopic lesions with clear viral antigen expression. However, no significant differences among groups were found in challenged piglets. Then alteration in gut microbiota in the jejunum and colon of PDCoV infected-piglets were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. PDCoV infection reduced bacterial diversity and richness, and significantly altered the structure and abundance of the microbiota from the phylum to genus. Fusobacterium, and Proteobacteria was significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the abundance of Bacteroidota was markedly decreased in the infected-piglets. Furthermore, microbial function prediction indicated that the changes in intestinal bacterial also affected the immune system, excretory system, circulatory system, neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, etc. These findings suggest that regulating gut microbiota community may be an effective approach for preventing PDCoV infection.

Safety and efficiency of modified sacrospinous ligament fixation for apical prolapse: Long-term studies and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficiency of modified sacrospinous ligament fixation (MSSF) for apical prolapse. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with apical prolapse from 2014 to 2019 were recruited and divided into three groups: sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSF), MSSF, and laparoscopic sacral hysteropexy (LSH). All surgical characteristics were obtained and information concerning complications was collected and compared among these three groups. RESULTS: A total of 710 patients were included: 108 in the SSF group, 260 in the LSH group, and 342 in the MSSF group. The MSSF and SSF groups took less surgical time (P < 0.001) and had shorter hospital stays (P < 0.001). All three methods can significantly change prolapses to point C on the POP quantification score (P < 0.001). Prevalence of vaginal and pelvic pain after surgery was higher in the SSF group (8/108; 7.41%) (P = 0.028), and urinary incontinence was higher in the LSH group (22/260; 8.46%) (P = 0.010). In the LSH group more patients experienced constipation and dyschezia after surgery (prevalence 18/260; 6.92%; P = 0.048). Recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse in the MSSF group (15/324; 4.39%) and LSH group (12/260; 4.62%) was much lower than in the SSF group (16/108; 14.81%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of MSSF is commendable with low recurrence of POP and few complications in long-term follow up.

Management of uterine cystic adenomyosis by laparoscopic surgery: case report.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis of the uterine body can be manifested as diffuse solid lesions or cystic lesions. The former is common, while the latter is rare, especially for cystic adenomyosis larger than 5 cm. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old woman was admitted for severe and worsening dysmenorrhea. Ultrasound examination revealed a rare well-circumscribed cystic lesion about 5.5 × 4 × 5.0 cm. CA-125 level was slightly elevated. She accepted laparoscopic surgery and the adenomyotic tissues were excised. The histopathology of the specimen demonstrated the endometrial glands in the walls of cysts and an area of extensive hemorrhage can be seen in the inner wall of cyst. The patient made a good recovery after surgery and her symptoms complete resoluted. CONCLUSIONS: This is a rare case of a cystic adenomyotic lesion that was treated by laparoscopic surgery.

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal right congenital ventricular aneurysms: An analysis of three cases and literature review.

Right ventricular aneurysm is a rare congenital defect that can be diagnosed with fetal echocardiography. Information on etiology of right ventricular aneurysm is limited and its prognosis remains variable from asymptomatic forms to severe cases. Here we report three cases of fetal right ventricular aneurysms that could have been related to coronary artery disorders and needed regular monitoring of progression in size and signs of cardiac decompensation.

Systematic identification of autophagy-related proteins in Aedes albopictus.

Autophagy is a conserved cellular process playing a role in maintenance of cellular homeostasis and response to changing nutrient conditions via degradation and recirculation of cellular redundant components. Autophagy-related proteins (Atg) play important function in autophagy pathway. Aedes albopictus mosquito is an effective vector transmitting multiple viruses which cause serious human diseases. Moreover, Aedes albopictus mosquito is becoming a serious threat to human health due to its widening distribution in recent years and thus worth of more research attention. It was reported that autophagy might play a role in viral infection in Aedes mosquito. To better understand the interaction between autophagy and arbovirus infection in mosquito system, it is necessary to identify autophagy pathway in the system. However, autophagy in Aedes albopictus mosquito is still poorly understood so far. We recently identified AaAtg8, the first Atg protein reported in Aedes albopictus mosquito. This work further identified twelve atg genes in Aedes albopictus mosquito. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the twelve atg genes were performed. Expression profiles of all the twelve Aaatg genes in different developmental stages and genders of Aedes albopictus mosquito were conducted. Effects of chemicals inhibiting or inducing autophagy on the levels of eight identified AaAtg proteins were examined. The function of two identified AaAtg proteins AaAtg6 and AaAtg16 and their response to arbovirus SINV infection were studied preliminarily. Taken together, this work systematically identified Aedes albopictus atg genes and provided basic information which might help to elucidate the autophagy pathway and the role of autophagy in arbovirus infection in Aedes mosquito system.

Synthesis and Evaluation of the Antitumor Activity of Novel 1-(4-Substituted phenyl)-2-ethyl Imidazole Apoptosis Inducers In Vitro.

Novel imidazole derivatives were designed, prepared, and evaluated in vitro for antitumor activity. The majority of the tested derivatives showed improved antiproliferative activity compared to the positive control drugs 5-FU and MTX. Among them, compound 4f exhibited outstanding antiproliferative activity against three cancer cell lines and was considerably more potent than both 5-FU and MTX. In particular, the selectivity index indicated that the tolerance of normal L-02 cells to 4f was 23-46-fold higher than that of tumor cells. This selectivity was significantly higher than that exhibited by the positive control drugs. Furthermore, compound 4f induced cell apoptosis by increasing the protein expression levels of Bax and decreasing those of Bcl-2 in a time-dependent manner. Therefore, 4f could be a potential candidate for the development of a novel antitumor agent.