[5 cases of occupational heat illness].

Objective: Through the analysis of five cases of occupational heat illness caused by high temperature, we expounded the pathogenesis and summarized the clinical characteristics of heat cramp and heat exhaustion of the newly revised diagnostic criteria for occupational heat illness (GBZ41-2019), in order to prevent the occurrence of occupational heat illness to put forward controllable countermeasures. Methods: According to the occupational history, clinical diagnosis and treatment and the other relevant data submitted by five patients, the diagnosis process was analyzed and summarized. Results: Five patients developed symptoms from July to August in summer, belonging to high-temperature operation. They improved by timely treatment. The symptoms, signs and laboratory tests of the five patients were different, but they were diagnosed as occupational heat illness. Conclusion: Employers should pay attention to the high temperature protection and cooling work, and strengthen the labor protection. If patients with heat cramp and heat exhaustion were timely treated, they could basically recover. Occupational disease diagnosticians should seriously study the new diagnostic criteria of occupational disease and constantly improve their diagnostic ability.

ERα-dependent stimulation of LCN2 in uterine epithelium during mouse early pregnancy.

Maintenance of a suitable uterine milieu is important for embryo development and subsequent implantation during early pregnancy. High estrogen level in proestrous and estrous stages is essential for uterine anti-bacterial activity during preimplantation period. Lipocalin-2 is an essential molecule which prevents bacterial infection by sequestering iron. In this study, the highest expression of lipocalin-2 is observed in the endometrial epithelium on day 1 of normal pregnancy and pseudopregnancy, which exhibit a similar hormone scenario. By injecting the agonists for estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor ß in ovariectomized mice, we found estrogen receptor α is the dominant member for estrogen regulation on lipocalin-2 expression. Estrogen treatment in estrogen receptor α-knockout mice further confirmed the role of estrogen receptor α. Using published data from whole-genome estrogen receptor α binding site assay, significant estrogen receptor α recruitment peaks are found at the downstream of lipocalin-2 gene after estrogen treatment. Furthermore, to study the anti-bacterial activity of lipocalin-2 in uterus, Escherichia coli is injected to mimic bacterial infection. Our results showed an obvious induction of lipocalin-2 in Escherichia coli-treated group. Taken together, this study indicates estrogen regulation of lipocalin-2 in uterine epithelium is mediated by estrogen receptor α, and lipocalin-2 may have anti-bacterial activity during early pregnancy.

Decreased expression of GBA3 correlates with a poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Beta-glucosidase (GBA), also known as acid ß-glucosidase, exhibits an activity of glucosylceramidase (EC 3.2.1.45). Three main isoforms of ß-glucosidases have been identified in mammals: GBA1, GBA2, and GBA3. The deficiency of these enzymes leads to glucosylceramide accumulation, resulting in Gaucher's disease. The present study is focused on the cytosolic ß-glucosidase, GBA3, and its relationship with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression of GBA3 mRNA in HCC was evaluated first using the TCGA database, and then by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays of 328 clinically characterized HCC samples and 151 non-tumor liver controls. Moreover, the presence of a correlation between GBA3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients was examined. The obtained results indicated that the expression of GBA3 mRNA was significantly lower in HCC than in the adjacent non-tumor liver tissues. The expression of GBA3 was inversely related to the number of tumors (p=0.041), tumor size (p<0.001), Edmondson grade (p=0.007), microvascular invasion (p=0.049), patient status (p<0.001), and α-fetoprotein level (p<0.001). Patients exhibiting low GBA3 expression had a shorter survival time than those with high expression (p<0.001). In conclusion, the decreased GBA3 expression is strongly associated with a poor prognosis in HCC patients, and GBA3 may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Fungi Causing Rice Seedling Blight in Northeast China Based on Microsatellite Markers.

Rice seedling blight, which is caused by diverse pathogenic microorganisms, occurs worldwide and is the most important seedling disease affecting rice production in Northeast China. To further characterize the population structure and genetic diversity of the fungi responsible for rice seedling blight in Northeast China, 225 fungal strains were isolated from diseased rice seedlings collected from various rice-producing areas. The isolated strains included Fusarium oxysporum (48.0%), F. verticillioides (11.6%), F. tricinctum (8.0%), F. redolens (6.7%), F. equiseti (6.2%), F. solani (6.2%), Rhizoctonia solani (6.7%), Alternaria alternata (4.0%), and Curvularia coatesiae (2.7%). F. oxysporum was the dominant fungal species causing rice seedling blight, with most isolates exhibiting moderate pathogenicity. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first study to identify A. alternata and C. coatesiae as causal agents of rice seedling blight in Northeast China. None of the F. oxysporum isolates were sensitive to 10 µg/ml of carbendazim, implying that carbendazim is ineffective for controlling rice seedling blight in Northeast China. The F. oxysporum isolates were divided into nine groups based on a simple sequence repeat analysis involving 14 primer pairs. In addition, an analysis of molecular variance revealed a significant correlation between the F. oxysporum population and geographical location, which had a significant effect on the differentiation of the dominant isolate population. The results of this study provide insights into the genetic diversity of F. oxysporum strains causing rice seedling blight and may be useful for selecting isolates to screen for disease-resistant rice varieties, evaluating fungicide efficacy, and developing effective disease management strategies.

Population structure and genetic diversity of Setosphaeria turcica from corn in Heilongjiang province, China.

AIM: The aims of this study were to identify races and mating types of Setosphaeria turcica causing northern corn leaf blight in Heilongjiang province of China and analyse the genetic diversity of S. turcica isolates using SSR markers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on gene-for-gene interactions, 13 races of S. turcica (races 0, 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 23, 123, N, 1N, 12N, 3N and 23N) were isolated from infected corn plants in Heilongjiang province. Races 0 and 1 were the predominant races, and race 23N was identified for the first time in the region. Using two pairs of specific primers, three mating types, 'a', 'Aa' and 'A', were identified, with 'a' being the predominant mating type. SSR markers were used to analyse genetic diversity of 60 S. turcica isolates. Five SSR primers were polymorphic, which resulted in 45 reproducible bands with 2-15 bands for each primer. Cluster analysis separated the isolates into five groups at a similarity coefficient of 0·84. Analysis of molecular variance showed that there was significant correlation between SSR groups and mating type of the isolates. No significant correlation was found between SSR groups and physiological races or geographical location of the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The work reported that races 0 and 1 were the predominant races, and race 23N was identified for the first time in Heilongjiang province with 'a' being the predominant mating type. There was significant correlation between SSR groups and mating type of S. turcica isolates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our results provide information on population structure and genetic diversity of S. turcica causing Northern corn leaf blight, which will facilitate the development of effective disease management programs.

[Analysis of silica dust detection results in workplace air of somewhere in enterprise].

Objective: To understand the occupational hazard and distribution of silica dust (free SiO(2)≥10%) in the workplace environment of the enterprises in Fengxian District, and to provide scientific basis for improving the working environment and protecting the physical and mental health of the workers. Methods: Individual sampling monitoring and on-site labor hygiene investigation were conducted on 421 workers involved in 87 silicon dust enterprises in the jurisdiction from 2014 to 2018, and measured concentration-time weighted average (C(TWA)) . Results: The results showed that the range of the C(TWA) was (0.021~17.000) mg/m(3), the median was 1.600 mg/m(3), and the qualified rate of 30.88%. The difference of total dust concentration was statistically significant in different years (Z=38.831, P<0.05) . The qualified rate of small-scale enterprises is higher than that of medium-scale enterprises (χ(2)=9.472, P<0.05) . The qualified rate of other domestic enterprises is higher than that of private enterprises and foreign enterprises (χ(2)=10.089, P<0.05) . The acceptance rate of metal products manufacturing is lower than that of general equipment manufacturing and other manufacturing enterprises (χ(2)=64.626, P<0.05) . The qualification rate of natural ventilation is higher than that of mechanical ventilation (χ(2)=6.278, P<0.05) . Conclusion: The enterprises involved in silicon production in Fengxian District need to further strengthen the production process reform and improve the ventilation and dust removal protection measures. Widely carry out the publicity of occupational disease prevention and control law, conduct targeted pre-job training, improve workers' awareness of self-protection, and protect the occupational health of workers in many ways.

Long-term outcome of telbivudine versus entecavir in treating higher viral load chronic hepatitis B patients without cirrhosis.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with higher hepatitis B virus (HBV) load (higher viral load [HVL], HBV DNA ≥1 × 107 copies/mL) require antiviral therapy, but data for evaluating the long-term outcome of this therapy with antiviral agents remain limited. We comparatively evaluated the efficacy and the safety of nucleoside analogues in 179 noncirrhotic CHB patients with HVL over 5 years. The HBeAg-positive (n = 104) or HBeAg-negative (n = 75) patients were treated consecutively with telbivudine (LdT, n = 88) or entecavir (ETV, n = 91) and evaluated for viral response, drug resistance and safety. HBV DNA, viral serology, biochemistries, HBV mutation and off-therapy relapse were determined. The cumulative rates of HBV DNA negativity were 86.4% and 94.5% for LdT and ETV at year 5, respectively. The rates of early viral response (EVR, HBV DNA <103 copies/mL at month 6) under LdT and ETV treatments were 58.0% and 34.1%, respectively (P < .05). Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss-seroconversions were 47.7% and 18.2% on LdT and 16.5% and 2.2% on ETV (P < .01). Eighteen patients (age 28.2 ± 3.1) experienced HBsAg loss-seroconversion, followed by 33 ± 4.6 month off-therapy without a relapse. Viral mutations and serum creatine kinase elevation were 9.1% and 8.0% on LdT, but only 1.1% and 0% on ETV. Both LdT and ETV suppressed HBV replication in HVL CHB patients within 5 years. LdT therapy achieved a higher EVR, HBeAg and HBsAg seroconversion, especially in the younger patients, whereas ETV caused lower drug resistance and fewer adverse events. This finding might help to identify the optimal treatment for CHB patients with HVL.

Interaction between mDia1 and ROCK in Rho-induced migration and adhesion of human dental pulp cells.

AIM: To investigate the effects of mammalian homologue of Drosophila diaphanous-1(mDia1) and Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) on the migration and adhesion of dental pulp cells (DPCs). METHODOLOGY: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) was used to activate Rho signalling. mDia1 and ROCK were inhibited by short interfering RNA and the specific inhibitor, Y-27632, respectively. The migration of DPCs was assessed using the transwell migration assay and scratch test. Formation of cytoskeleton and focal adhesions(FAs) was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Cell adhesion and spreading assays were performed. Phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin was detected by Western blotting, and the bands were analysed using Adobe Photoshop CS5 software. All experiments were performed at least three times, and data were analysed with one-way anova and a post hoc test. RESULTS: LPA-triggered activation of Rho and inhibition of ROCK significantly increased the cell migration rate. Cell migration was inhibited by silencing mDia1. mDia1 silencing and ROCK inhibition suppressed the LPA-induced formation of the cytoskeleton, FA and phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin. Inhibition of ROCK or mDia1 facilitated early cell adhesion and spreading; by contrast, the combined inhibition of ROCK and mDia1 neutralized these effects. CONCLUSIONS: mDia1 promoted RhoA-induced migration of DPCs, but ROCK had an opposite effect. Both mDia1 and ROCK participated in cytoskeleton formation and adhesion of DPCs. The interactions between mDia1 and ROCK might influence dental pulp repair by determining the migration and adhesion of DPCs.

[Reevaluation of the methodological quality in meta-analyses of accelerated rehabilitation on recovery after surgery for colorectal cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the methodological quality and impacts on outcomes for systematic reviews (SRs) of accelerated rehabilitation versus traditional control for colorectal surgery. Methods: We comprehensively searched six databases and additional websites to collect SRs, or meta-analysis from inception to July 2016. The Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire (OQAQ) was applied for quality assessment of the included studies, the tools recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration was applied for quality assessment for RCT and CCT and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess observational study. The relative ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were integrated using Review Manager 5.3 software. Results: Fourteen meta-analyses were included in total. The mean OQAQ score was 3.8 with 95% CI 3.2 to 4.3. Only three meta-analyses were assessed as good quality. Two studies misused statistical models. A total of 42 primary studies referenced by meta-analyses were included, of which, 25 RCTs were levelled grade B and 1 CCT was levelled grade C. An estimated mean NOS score of 16 observation studies was 6.75 (totally scored 9 with 95% CI 6.4 to 7.1), of which, 10 studies scored ≥7 were high quality, 6 studies scored 6 were moderate quality. Conclusions: Currently, the overall quality of meta-analyses about comparing the effects and safety between accelerated rehabilitation and traditional control for colorectal surgery is fairly poor and the evidence level is lower. Health providers should apply the evidence with caution in clinical practice.

A proposal for using contralateral teeth to provide well-balanced experimental groups for endodontic studies.

AIM: To develop a suitable protocol for screening extracted teeth so as to create anatomically well-balanced experimental groups for endodontic studies. METHODOLOGY: Sixty pairs (120 teeth) of contralateral premolars (CLPs) were collected. The evaluation of samples for anatomical features was performed in the following ways. First, the 120 teeth were divided into right and left sides (N = 60, each side), and the teeth of each side were screened individually according to regular inclusion criteria (parameters included mature apical foramen, canal type, canal curvature and tooth length). The similarity of the specimens was then evaluated. The second screening process evaluated the 60 pairs of CLPs using the same criteria. Finally, CBCT was used to establish a strict screening protocol to create well-balanced groups of CLPs. RESULTS: In the first screening process, 80% (24/30) of the left and 61% (19/31) of the right side were selected out of teeth with mature foramina; but the included teeth had asymmetrical canal curvatures. In the second screening process, 28 pairs were selected after the exclusion of those with an immature foramen in one pair. Seventeen pairs in which the tooth length and canal curvature were symmetrical were selected from the 28 CLPs. In the third screening, only 21% (6/28) of CLPs passed the rigorous screening procedure and were identical for creating balanced experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively, few pairs of contralateral teeth had anatomical symmetry. For endodontic studies, a strict and detailed scientific screening protocol is necessary to achieve well-balanced experimental groups.

[A comparison of clinical characteristics between non-erosive reflux disease and reflux esophagitis].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical symptoms of patients with non-erosive reflux disease(NERD) and reflux esophagitis(RE), which is helpful to the differential diagnosis. METHODS: Out-patients who met the criteria of NERD or RE according to the Montreal definition in Gastroenterology Department Wuhan Union Hospital from 2010-2014 were enrolled in our study. Clinical data were comprehensively collected. Incidence of disease, severity, frequency of esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms, and the rates of overlapping with functional dyspepsia (FD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were all studied. RESULTS: Totally 446 subjects were recruited, including 225 patients with NERD and 221 patients with RE. The occurrence rates of esophageal symptoms including heartburn [76.0%(171/225) vs 52.0%(115/221), P<0.01] and acid regurgitation [74.7%(168/225) vs 54.3%(120/221), P<0.05] in NERD group were significantly higher than those in RE patients, with more severe and frequent (P<0.05). Despite the rates of food regurgitation were similar, NERD patients behaved more severely and frequently (P<0.05). Extraesophageal symptoms including throat burning and foreign body sensation in NERD group [40.9%(92/225) vs 27.6%(61/221), 42.2%(95/225) vs 31.7%(70/221), all P<0.05] were also higher than those in RE group, the degree of which was more severe too (P<0.05). RE patients claimed a higher proportion of chronic cough. The incidences of overlapping with IBS in two groups were similar. But there were more patients with FD in NERD group [72.0%(162/225) vs 62.9%(139/221), P<0.05] than in RE group. CONCLUSIONS: The menifestations and degree of esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms in patients with NERD or RE are different, as well as comorbidities such as FD and IBS. These results suggest that NERD and RE are independent diseases.

[Application of rabbit monoclonal antibody GCET2 in diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma].

Objective: To prepare a rabbit monoclonal antibody GCET2 and to investigate its diagnostic value in the workup of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods: GCET2 rabbit monoclonal antibody was developed by using RabMAb® technology, and its specificity was confirmed by ELISA, Western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow cytometry. A panel of immunomarkers including GCET2, CD10, bcl-6, MUM1, GCET1, FOXP1, Ki-67 and CMYC was evaluated in 81 cases of DLBCLs, 5 cases of follicular lymphomas (FL) and 2 cases of Burkitt's lymphomas. Results: Rabbit monoclonal GCET2 antibody (clone EP316) was developed with specificity for normal germinal center B-cells (GCB) and GCB origined lymphomas. In 81 cases of DLBCL, the positive rate of GCET2 was 43.2%(35/81), which was significantly higher than that of other germinal center markers. Moreover, among 81 DLBCLs, the proportions of high CMYC expression in GCET2 negative and positive groups were 15.2% (7/46) and 2.8% (1/35), respectively. Conclusion: GCET2 is a sensitive immunohistochemical marker for GCB derived lymphomas. Combined with other biomarkers, it may improve the diagnostic sensitivity of GCB-DLBCL.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates AKT/ERK maintenance of dental pulp homoeostasis.

AIM: To investigate the cell status of dental pulp cells (DPCs) in a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)-induced microinflammation environment and the possible mechanisms of cell homoeostasis maintenance by S1P. METHODOLOGY: Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) expression was examined in DPCs within a local S1P-induced microinflammation model established using 1 µmol L(-1) S1P. U0126 [extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor], LY294002 (AKT inhibitor) and Y27632 (ROCK inhibitor) were used to inhibit corresponding signalling pathways of DPCs. CCK8 and cell cycle analysis tested cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence staining JC-1 detected changes of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Tests for apoptosis and the apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 were assessed by flow cytometry and western blot analysis, respectively. Expressions of ERK and AKT were evaluated by western blot analysis. The results were analysed using the Student's t-test and the significance level set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Expressions of S1PR1, S1PR2 and S1PR3 in DPCs differed amongst individuals. DPCs maintained self-homoeostasis in response to S1P-induced microinflammation via S1PRs. During this repair process, ERK, AKT and ROCK had a short-term complementary interaction at 60 min, but then AKT and ERK gradually played decisive roles after 24 h in proliferation enhancement and apoptosis inhibition, respectively (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The AKT-ERK balance may determine whether DPC homoeostasis in S1P-induced microinflammation is maintained by synergistic regulation of cell growth and apoptosis.

Isolation, partial characterization, and cloning of an extracellular chitinase from the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii.

The entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii is a well-known biocontrol agent of fungal phytopathogens, as well as insect pests. A 42-kDa chitinase belonging to family 18 of the glycosyl hydrolases was isolated and partially characterized. Chitinase was purified using successive column chromatography on phenyl-sepharose, DEAE-sepharose, and CM-sepharose. The enzyme showed the highest activity at 40°C and pH 4.6. Enzyme activity was strongly activated in the presence of Mg(2+). The purified enzyme showed inhibitory activity of spore germination against several plant pathogens, particularly Fusarium moniliforme. The genomic DNA and cDNA sequences were resolved by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing. Protein modeling and comparative investigation of different chitinase amino acids showed that chitinases are conserved in parasitic fungi.

Use of cone-beam computed tomography to evaluate the prevalence of root fenestration in a Chinese subpopulation.

AIM: To use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to evaluate the prevalence of root fenestration (RF) in a Chinese subpopulation. METHODOLOGY: A total of 306 patients were selected from patients receiving a routine CBCT examination; those with a malocclusion, a history of trauma or nondental pathosis were excluded. Overall, CBCT images of 4387 teeth were evaluated by two endodontists and one radiologist, and final agreements on findings were agreed for each tooth. The distribution, prevalence, types of RF and the degree of periapical bone of RF teeth were recorded using a newly developed classification system. RESULT: The overall prevalence of RF by tooth type ranged from 0.18% to 10.46% and was higher in the maxilla (5.37% of teeth) than in the mandible (1.00% of teeth). RF appeared most frequently in maxillary first premolars (10.46%), followed by maxillary lateral incisors (7.80%) and maxillary canines (7.58%). RF appeared significantly more often on the labial/buccal side (99.98%) than the palatal/lingual side (0.02%). The two most common types of RF were Type I (54.73%) and Type IV (27.03%), and most periapical bone defects were Level I (92.57%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of root fenestration was lower in this Chinese subpopulation than that reported previously in other ethnic groups. CBCT was an effective and convenient tool for identifying and diagnosing RF.

Modification of vectors for functional genomic analysis in plants.

Simple, efficient, and economical recombinant plant binary expression vectors for deciphering large-scale functional genomic research in plants and promoting crop improvement by genetically engineering and biotechnology is in great demand. In this research, using the pCHF3, pCAMBIA1301, pCAMBIA3300, pCAMBIA3301 vectors, we successfully constructed general plant binary expression vectors carrying CaMV35S and Arabidopsis rd29A promoters mediating multiple cloning sites ( MCS: SacI, KpnI, SmaI, BamHI, XbaI, SalI, and PstI). Meanwhile, a series of applicative binary expression vectors that can be utilized for subcellular localization were constructed by fusion of the MCS and eGFP. Subsequently, the recombinant vectors were successfully transferred into Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana for further investigation of functional elements in these plant binary expression vectors. Our results demonstrated that this system was a convenient and versatile vector system for phenotypic, functional, subcellular localization, and promoter activity analysis, and it provided a relatively high-efficiency and reliable platform for researchers in vector construction and may facilitate large-scale functional genomics analysis in plants.

Common polymorphism near the MC4R gene is associated with type 2 diabetes: data from a meta-analysis of 123,373 individuals.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Genome-wide association studies have shown that variants near the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) (rs17782313 and rs12970134) are associated with risk of obesity in Europeans. As obesity is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, many studies have investigated the association between polymorphisms near the MC4R gene and type 2 diabetes risk across different ethnic populations, with inconsistent results. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to clarify the association of variants near MC4R with type 2 diabetes risk. METHODS: Published literature from PubMed and Embase was retrieved. All studies that evaluated the association of at least one of the two MC4R polymorphism(s) with type 2 diabetes were included in the study. Pooled ORs with 95% CIs were calculated using the fixed-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies (comprising 34,195 cases and 89,178 controls) of the rs17782313 polymorphism (or its proxy rs12970134) were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that the rs17782313 polymorphism was significantly associated with type 2 diabetes risk among the overall study population (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07, 1.13, p = 2.83 × 10(-12) [Z test], I(2) = 9.1%, p = 0.345 [heterogeneity]). The association remained significant even after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03, 1.09, p = 2.14 × 10(-5) [Z test], I(2) = 4.9%, p = 0.397 [heterogeneity]). Further sensitivity analysis confirmed the statistically significant association of rs17782313 polymorphism with type 2 diabetes, and no publication bias was detected. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The present meta-analysis confirmed the significant association of the rs17782313 polymorphism near the MC4R gene with type 2 diabetes risk, which was independent of BMI.

Effects of broccoli stem and leaf meal on broiler performance, skin pigmentation, antioxidant function, and meat quality.

Three hundred sixty 1-d-old Ross 308 male broilers were used to study the effects of broccoli stem and leaf meal (BSLM) on growth performance, skin pigmentation, antioxidant function, and meat quality. The chicks were fed 4 diets containing different levels (0, 4.0, 8.0, and 12.0%) of BSLM as partial replacement for corn and soybean meal for a period of 42 d. The results showed that dietary supplementation of BSLM had no effect (P > 0.05) on growth performance. As compared with control, dietary 4%, 8%, and 12% BSLM increased (P < 0.05) b value (yellowness) both in shank and breast skin, increased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of xanthophylls in abdominal fat and breast skin, improved (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capability, lowered malondialdehyde concentration, and decreased drip loss percentage of breast muscle. Dietary 8% and 12% BSLM decreased (P < 0.05) shank L values (lightness), increased (P < 0.05) shank a value (redness), and increased (P < 0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase of breast muscle as compared with control. The results indicated that dietary supplementation of BSLM in broiler chickens improved the poultry products quality with the more skin pigmentation and the less drip loss percentage of breast meat. The more skin pigmentation mainly related to the high amount of xanthophylls in BSLM. The decreased meat drip loss fed BSLM may be caused by the antioxidative function of BSLM.

Boehmite nanostructures preparation by hydrothermal method from anodic aluminium oxide membrane.

Boehmite nanostructures were successfully synthesized from porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membrane by a simple and efficient hydro-thermal method. The experiment used high purity alumina as raw material, and the whole reaction process avoided superfluous impurities to be introduced. Thus, the purity of Boehmite products was ensured. The examinations of the morphology and structure were carried out by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Composition of the specimens was analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on these observations the growth process was analyzed.

Overexpression of cytokeratin 17 protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cytokeratin 17 (CK17) expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Comparative proteomic analysis of an in vitro cellular carcinogenesis model of OSCC (including a line of human immortalized oral epithelia cells (HIOECs), a line of cancerous HB96 cells and another kind of cells (HB56 cells) at the early stage of carcinogenesis was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins. CK17 was further validated in vitro (cellular carcinogenesis model and other three OSCC lines) and in vivo (tissues from six healthy persons and 30 primary OSCC patients) by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry respectively. RESULTS: Increased CK17 expression was identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass chromatography in the HB56 and HB96 cells over HIOECs. Western blotting confirmed the increased CK17 expression in the HB56, HB96 cells and other three OSCC lines. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the increased CK17 expression in the cancerous tissues from OSCC patients compared with the paired adjacent non-malignant epithelia. CONCLUSION: Increased CK17 expression may play an important role in the carcinogenesis progression of OSCC; however, further studies on the molecular function of CK17 are encouraged to clear the precise mechanism of CK17 in OSCC.