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The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in southern Taiwan and to determine the clinical benefits of screening for the same.The current study included 458 pregnant women who received prenatal care from the first trimester at the Kaohsiung and Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals during the time period from 2014 to 2015. Serological tests performed to detect the presence of Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies. Amniocentesis was scheduled and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect Toxoplasma DNA. Moreover, the maternal characteristics and risk factors, perinatal outcomes related to the seropositivity for Toxoplasma infection were analyzed.Among the pregnant patients included in the current study, 39/458 (8.5%) were IgG+ and 2/458 (0.6%) were IgM+. The present study analyzed the maternal characteristics and risk factors, perinatal outcome pertaining to the IgG seropositive group by means of the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a female predominance (10.8%), compared to the males (6.4%), (adjusted OR = 0.48 (95%, 0.24-0.98), P = 0.043∗). The number cases with gestational age above 37 weeks at the time of delivery was significantly lower, compared to the cases below 37 weeks (adjusted OR = 0.32 (0.12-0.94), P = 0.038∗). Among one case with low avidity cannot exclude recent infection, the amniocentesis did not show any evidence of vertical transmission.The scenario may not warrant general screening and the results will not influence the clinical decisions. Although the present study failed to identify the maternal risk factors related to Toxoplasma infection, the results imply that health education is essential, owing to the slightly higher rate of preterm delivery in the IgG seropositive group.

To investigate the seroprevalence of and risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection among pregnant women in southern Taiwan.From 2014 to 2015, pregnant women undergoing their first prenatal care visit participated in this study at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. A serologic test was performed for anti-CMV IgG/IgM. Transabdominal amniocentesis was scheduled for those with seropositive anti-CMV IgM. Extraction of CMV DNA was performed via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Maternal sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for CMV seropositivity were analyzed.A total of 539 pregnant women undergoing their first prenatal visit were included. Eighty-three pregnant women were excluded for delivering at other hospitals. The overall seroprevalence rate of anti-CMV IgG in the remaining 456 cases was 87.28%. The seroprevalence rates of anti-CMV IgG(+)/IgM(+) and IgG(+)/IgM(-) were 1.32% and 85.96%, respectively. According to the anti-CMV IgG avidity test, only 3 pregnant women (0.65%) had primary CMV infection. Two of them underwent amniocentesis, and the results for both were negative for CMV DNA. According to the logistic regression analysis, the seropositivity of anti-CMV IgG was significantly associated with maternal age ≥30 (adjusted OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.10-3.94, p = 0.025) and the seropositivity of anti-CMV IgM was significantly associated with gestational weeks ≥37 when delivery (adjusted OR = 7.81, 95% CI: 1.23-49.58, p = 0.029).In southern Taiwan, among pregnant women, the CMV seroprevalence was high (87.28%), but the rate of primary CMV infection was very low (0.65%). Pregnant women aged more than 30 years had a significant risk of CMV seropositivity.

In this work, Ti3C2, was obtained by selective etching of Al in Ti3AlC2 by hydrofluoric and VS2 was modified on two-dimensional Ti3C2 by solvothermal process to prepare VS2/Ti3C2 composites. In the three-electrode system, the prepared VS2/Ti3C2 composites were compared with VS2 and Ti3C2, respectively, and it was found that the electrochemical properties of VS2/Ti3C2 composites were better. The intercalated VS2 nanosheets expanded the distance between Ti3C2 sheets, leading to a wide ion-accessible surface region and fast ionic/electric transport, resulting in the improved the electrochemical performance of the Ti3C2/VS2 composites. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis shows that the prepared VS2/Ti3C2 composite material has high electrical conductivity. Under the current density of 1 A ∙ g − 1 , the specific capacity of VS2/Ti3C2 composite is 191.3 m A h ∙ g − 1 , which is much higher than that of VS2 and Ti3C2. The asymmetric supercapacitors were assembled with VS2/Ti3C2 composites as positive electrodes, and the electrochemical performance was tested when the power density was 1288 W · k g − 1 and the energy density was 24 Wh · k g − 1 . The initial capacity retention is 82.2% after 5000 cycles of constant current charge and discharge at the current density of 2 A · g − 1 . In short, VS2/Ti3C2 composites show excellent supercapacitor performance in terms of capacity, stability, energy density and power density. It shows that VS2/Ti3C2 is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors.

TiO2/g-C3N4 (TCN) heterojunction photocatalysts with dimensionality tuning was prepared, g-C3N4 successfully shifted from 3D (3DBG) to 2D (2DGN). Compared with 2DGN and TiO2, all the as-prepared heterostructure samples exhibited significantly enhanced photoactivities under light irradiation. Through the photocatalytic mercury removal experiment on samples with different doping ratios, the effect of oxygen species such as hydrocarbons or surface-adsorbing molecular H2O and doping amount on the performance of photocatalytic oxidation were investigated. Finally, the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of charge transfer in the dimensional adjustable Z-scheme heterojunction was proposed. This work provides a new strategy for developing efficient photocatalysts to control mercury.

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is an important emerging virus posing a threat to children under five years old. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of endogenous RNAs, have been recognized to play important roles in the onset and development of viral diseases. However, it has not been determined which specific circRNAs are involved in the pathological mechanisms of EV-A71 infection. In this study, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was conducted to characterize differentially expressed circRNAs during the process of EV-A71 infection. Overall, 8726, 10405 and 4710 circRNAs were detected in the control, EV-A71-12 h and EV-A71-24 h groups, respectively, of which 1851 and 951 circRNAs were differentially expressed in the EV-A71-12 h and EV-A71-24 h groups versus the control group. The overlapping circRNAs in the EV-A71-infected groups were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, which further demonstrated that the host genes of these circRNAs were principally implicated in activities associated with the progression of viral infection, such as immune system process, Wnt signaling pathway, etc. Additionally, qRT-PCR detection showed that six selected circRNAs were identical to the sequencing data. To excavate the key circRNAs in EV-A71 infection, we comprehensively evaluated and integrated the relationship of circRNA/miRNA/mRNA, and eventually screened 2 key circRNA regulatory axes, namely hsa_circ_0017115/hsa-miR-150-5p/EGR1 and hsa_circ_0005060/hsa-miR-4685-5p/MMP2. In summary, our findings not only provide the first comprehensive expression and functional profile of circRNAs in response to EV-A71 infection, but also offer a novel direction to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying viral pathogenesis and the cellular immune response in host-EV-A71 interactions.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have high theoretical specific capacity and excellent safety performance, and have been widely used in lithium ion batteries (LIBS). Today, research on transition metal oxides has not been interrupted. However, in practical applications, transition metal oxides still have the disadvantages of severe volume expansion and poor cycle stability. After continuous exploration, researchers have found that combining transition metal oxides with carbon matrix can solve this problem well. Therefore, this article reviews the latest developments in transition metal oxide carbon-based (Porous carbon-based, Biological carbon-based, Graphene carbon-based and MXene carbon-based) composite materials for lithium-ion battery anode materials. In addition, we analyzed the current challenges of composite materials research and put forward our own views. Finally, the future development direction of composite materials in the field of energy storage is prospected.

Bismuth-based nanomaterials exhibiting unique structures, which endow them with fascinating physicochemical properties, have received more and more interests as promising photocatalysts. Fabrication of BiOIO 3 photocatalysts by calcination method was investigated for the first time. XRD patterns showed that the crystallinity of BiOIO 3 photocatalysts could be controlled by calcination temperature. TGA demonstrated that calcining the precursor at a specific temperature range was appropriate for preparing BiOIO 3 photocatalysts. XPS and FT-IR characterization revealed that the BiOIO 3 photocatalysts prepared by calcination method possessed oxygen vacancies, which acted as the positive charge centers to trap the electron easily, inhibiting the recombination of photo electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, PL spectra confirmed the oxygen vacancies can favor for the separation of the electron-hole pairs and in turn enhance the photocatalytic performance. From the above analysis, the mechanism of preparing BiOIO 3 photocatalysts by calcination method was proposed. Meanwhile, the effect of oxygen vacancies on the photocatalytic activity of BiOIO 3 photocatalysts was investigated. The BiOIO 3 photocatalysts with oxygen vacancies were found to be efficiently photocatalytically remove gaseous Hg 0 and the relative photocatalysis mechanism was investigated.

At the upstream of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) or bag house (BH), using sorbents with excellent adsorption capacity is a common method for capturing mercury (Hg) from coal-fired power plant flue gas. ZnS, an inexpensively and conveniently prepared metal sulfide, can even be collected from nature, and is a promising candidate for its sulfur resistance. In this work, selenium ligands (Se2− and Se0) were introduced into ZnS for enhancing Hg0 capture capability. The experimental results showed that the Hg0 removal efficiency can reach 100% in a wide temperature range from 40 ℃ to 300 ℃ when the Se ratio was 30 wt% (30SZ). Compared with pure ZnS and Se powder, Se/ZnS were all exhibited an excellent absorbent capability. A long term experiment was imposed on 30SZ, and the sample adsorption capacity remained unchanged. Moreover, O2 and SO2 had insignificant effects on Hg0 adsorption, NO showed a slight competition for Hg0 adsorption. It was found that Se ligands (Se2− and Se0) and surface active S (S2- and S) sites immobilized Hg0 over the Se/ZnS surface, and in turn the adsorbed Hg0 was basically converted to HgSe and HgS, and the adsorption mechanism was also proposed. With these advantageous performances, 30SZ is expected to be an economically feasible and scientifically sound sorbent. This work also provides a promising way for Hg0 capture from coal combustion flue gas.

Gaseous zero-valent mercury (Hg0) emitted from coal-fired power plants results in serious environmental problems, therefore, it is important to remove Hg0 emitted from the power plants. Herein, a novel material with a flower-shaped spherical appearance was used for the removal of Hg0. A BiOBr0.5I0.5/WS2 solid solution with {1 1 0} exposed facets of BiOBr0.5I0.5 and {1 0 4} exposed WS2 facets was synthesised through a simple self-assembly method. BiOBr0.5I0.5/WS2 exhibited excellent photoactivity under visible light, which is attributed to the synergetic effects of the exposed low facets, high surface area, and optimized band structure. Particularly, a 40- wt%-WS2-coated BiOBr0.5I0.5 photocatalyst exhibited the highest Hg0 removal of 87.52% via photocatalytic oxidation. These Z-scheme heterojunction with facets exposed can efficient separate electron-hole pairs and improve the visible light absorption performance. Further analysis indicate that BiOBr0.5I0.5/WS2 is an effective photocatalyst for solar energy utilization and environmental remediation.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a serious pathogenic microorganism that causes tremendous loss to sericulture. Previous studies have found that some proteins of serine protease family in the digestive juice of B. mori larvae have anti-BmNPV activity. In our previous publication about proteome analysis of the digestive juice of B. mori larvae, the digestive enzyme trypsin, alkaline A (BmTA) was filtered as a differentially expressed protein possibly involved in BmNPV resistance. Here, the biological characteristics and anti-BmNPV functions of BmTA were comprehensively analysed. The cDNA sequence of BmTA had an ORF of 768 nucleotides encoding 255 amino acid residues. Domain architecture analysis showed that BmTA contained a signal peptide and a typical Tryp_SPc domain. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that BmTA was highly expressed in the larval stages and specifically expressed in the midgut of B. mori larvae. The expression level of BmTA in BmNPV resistant strain A35 was higher than that in susceptible strain P50. After BmNPV infection, the expression of BmTA increased in both strains from 24 to 72 h. Virus amplification analysis showed that the relative levels of VP39 in B. mori larvae and BmN cells infected with the appropriate concentration of recombinant-BmTA-treated BmNPV were significantly lower than in the control groups. Moreover, overexpression of BmTA in BmN cells significantly inhibited the amplification of BmNPV. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that BmTA possessed anti-BmNPV activity in B. mori, which broadens the horizon for virus-resistant breeding of silkworms.

Exposure to phthalates has been demonstrated to cause reproductive toxicity in animals, but evidence of the association between phthalates and markers of male reproductive function have been inconsistent in human studies. Here we examined whether environmental exposure to phthalates contributes to altered reproductive hormone levels, sperm DNA damage and spermatozoa apoptosis in a Chinese population. From March to June 2013, repeated urine samples collected from male partners of couples attending an infertility clinic in Wuhan, China were analyzed for 8 phthalate metabolites. Associations of the urinary phthalate metabolites with serum hormone levels (n=483), sperm DNA damage parameters (n=509) and spermatozoa apoptosis measures (n=467) were assessed using multivariable linear regression models. After adjusting for potential confounders, mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), a metabolite of di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), was inversely associated with serum levels of estradiol, total testosterone (T) and free T (all P for trend

Extranodal nasal-type natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) is an aggressive lymphoma that is prevalent among East Asian and South American populations. Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is commonly detected in NKTCL, there are limited studies that have analyzed the EBV genomic variations in NKTCL. In this study, 8 EBV latent genes were analyzed using targeted gene sequencing in 23 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues derived from 18 patients with NKTCL. Five cases with paired samples were comparatively analyzed. The consistency of EBV sequencing data between tissue samples was high (96.3%–98.7%), whereas that of variant calling among the tissue samples and plasma samples (74.3%–79.2%) was low. The highest densities of non-synonymous variants were detected in the EBNA3B gene. Among the 74 known T-cell epitopes, 363 non-synonymous variants were identified in 32 (43.2%) epitopes. Additionally, the AVFDRKSDAK (A1S/P and V2F/M/L) and YHLIVDTDSL (I4L and L10R/V/G/H) epitopes were associated with 5 patterns of amino acid changes in EBNA3B and EBNA-2, respectively. The frequency of variation in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted epitopes with corresponding HLA types common among Taiwanese population was significantly low (P = 0.011), whereas that in anchor residues was significantly high (P = 0.012). In conclusion, this study demonstrated the genomic diversity of EBV in NKTCL and its correlation with the HLA-restricted epitope variations in Taiwanese population. The findings of this study provide useful insights for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for NKTCL.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) as a susceptibility locus for coronary artery disease (CAD) previously. However, the impacts of common variants in this gene on CAD and its outcomes have not been extensively studied. This study explored the association between the Tagging SNPs in ALDH2 and CAD as well as its main outcomes. Six common variants in ALDH2 were selected as tagging SNPs and two cohorts containing 7296 individuals were genotyped to investigate the impacts of ALDH2 on CAD and its main outcomes. The results show that the variant rs671 in ALDH2 is associated with an increased risk of CAD in southern Chinese (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.48, p=0.004), while not in northern Chinese (OR=1.00, 95%CI: 0.86-1.50, p=0.94). Meanwhile, we find that rs671 genotypes may not influence the outcomes of CAD (HR=1.11, 95%CI: 0.892-1.38, p=0.346). Additionally, we also tested the effect of rs671 genotype on CAD severity, while no significant association was found between them. In the subgroup analysis, the results revealed that rs671 were significantly associated with CAD (OR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.11-1.38, p

A series of NiMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different NiO loadings were prepared and characterized by XRD, BET, 27 Al-MAS NMR, Py-IR and HRTEM. The activity of these NiMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts in the hydrodesulphurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) was evaluated in a high pressure micro reactor; the interaction between Ni promoter and γ-Al 2 O 3 support as well as its effect on the nanostructure of active MoS 2 phase and HDS performance was then investigated. The results indicate that Ni promoter prefers to interact with the tetra-coordinated unsaturated aluminum sites on the support surface. With the increase of NiO loading, the average number of stacking layers for the MoS 2 clusters in the sulfided NiMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts is increased at the expense of the average length. As the slim MoS 2 clusters are more active for the HDS of DBT, the addition of Ni promoter is then effective to enhance the catalytic activity of NiMo/γ-Al 2 O 3 in HDS, but may lead to a slight decrease in the hydrogenation selectivity.

Exposure to phthalates has been found to have adverse effects on male reproductive function in animals. However, the findings from human studies are inconsistent. Here we examined the associations of phthalate exposure with semen quality and reproductive hormones in a Chinese population using phthalate metabolite concentrations measured in semen as biomarkers. Semen (n = 687) and blood samples (n = 342) were collected from the male partners of sub-fertile couples who presented to the Reproductive Center of Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China. Semen quality parameters and serum reproductive hormone levels were determined. Semen concentrations of 8 phthalate metabolites were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Associations of the semen phthalate metabolites with semen quality parameters and serum reproductive hormones were assessed using confounder-adjusted linear and logistic regression models. Semen phthalate metabolites were significantly associated with decreases in semen volume [mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP)], sperm curvilinear velocity [monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), MEHP, the percentage of di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate metabolites excreted as MEHP (%MEHP)], and straight-line velocity (MBzP, MEHP, %MEHP), and also associated with an increased percentage of abnormal heads and tails (MBzP) (all p for trend

Exposure to phthalates has been demonstrated to have adverse effects on male reproduction in animal studies, but findings in human studies have been inconsistent. We recruited 1040 men from the Reproductive Center of Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China from March to June 2013. Each man provided one semen sample and two urine samples. Semen quality parameters and the urinary concentrations of eight phthalate metabolites were determined. After multivariable adjustments, the urinary concentrations of monobutyl phthalate (MBP) were found to be positively associated with the below-reference sperm concentration and total sperm count, and the odds ratios (ORs) comparing extreme MBP quartiles were 2.01 (95% CI: 1.07, 3.79; p for trend=0.06) and 1.80 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.08; p for trend=0.02), respectively. The associations were confirmed by multivariable linear regression analysis, which showed that the MBP concentration was significantly associated with decreasing trends in the sperm concentration and total sperm count (both p for trend

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a major pathogen causing severe economic loss. Previous studies have revealed that some proteins in silkworm digestive juice show antiviral activity. In this study, antiviral activity examination of different resistant strains showed that the digestive juice of the resistant strain (A35) had higher inhibition to virus than the susceptible strain (P50). Subsequently, the label-free quantitative proteomics was used to study the midgut digestive juice response to BmNPV infection in P50 and A35 strains. A total of 98 proteins were identified, of which 80 were differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) with 54 enzymes and 26 nonenzymatic proteins by comparing the proteomes of infected and non-infected P50 and A35 silkworms. These DEPs are mainly involved in metabolism, proteolysis, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, starch and sucrose metabolism and glutathione metabolism. After removing the genetic background and individual immune stress response proteins, 9 DEPs were identified potentially involved in resistance to BmNPV. Further studies showed that a serine protease, an alkaline phosphatase and serine protease inhibitor 2 isoform X1 were differentially expressed in A35 compared to P50 or post BmNPV infection. Taken together, these results provide insights into the potential mechanisms for silkworm digestive juice to provide resistance to BmNPV infection. Signifcance: Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is highly pathogenic, which has a great impact on the sericulture. BmNPV entered the midgut lumen and exposed to digestive juices after oral infection. Previous studies have revealed that some proteins in silkworm digestive juice show antiviral activity, however, current information on the digestive juice proteome of high resistant silkworm strain after BmNPV challenge compared to susceptible strain is incomprehensive. Here, we combined label-free quantification method, bioinformatics, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis and found that BmNPV infection causes some protein changes in the silkworm midgut digestive juice. The DEPs were identified in the digestive juices of different resistant strains following BmNPV infection, and screened out some proteins potentially related to resistance to BmNPV. Three important differentially expression proteins were validated by independent approaches. These findings uncover the potential role of silkworm digestive juice in providing resistance to BmNPV and supplemented the profile of the proteome of the digestive juices in B. mori., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image, Highlights • The digestive juice antiviral activity of resistant strain was higher than susceptible strain. • Silkworm digestive juice was analyzed by label-free quantitative proteomics. • Eighty DEPs were identified in different resistant strains following BmNPV infection. • Some DEPs were validated by RT-qPCR and western blot. • These results provide insights into the potential mechanisms for B. mori resistant to BmNPV infection.

The World Health Organization, in a 2016 revision, introduced recurrent genetic abnormalities for classifying mature T- and NK-cell neoplasms. However, the role of genetic analyses from lymph node aspiration cytology is still not elucidated. We hypothesize that the use of genetic analyses may increase the accuracy of diagnosis from cytological preparations.Fifty-seven formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples were collected for next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting potential driver mutations including TET2, DMN3TA, IDH2, RHOA, STAT3, and STAT5B. Competitive allele-specific TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (cast-PCR) was performed to validate the mutation status by using FFPE and preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) samples.Among these six candidate genes, only IDH2 and RHOA mutations were significantly more frequent in nodal subtypes, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS) (P = .002 and0.001, respectively). All genes exhibited different mutation patterns except RHOA with a hotspot mutation involving the Gly17 residue. The RHOA G17V mutation was found in 15 (75%) of 20 AITL and two (22%) of nine PTCL, NOS. Cast-PCR using FFPE samples showed 100% concordance with NGS. Among 12 lymph node aspirates, the preliminary diagnoses were suspicious for lymphoma (3, 25%), atypical lymphoid cells (3, 25%) and benign/negative (6, 50%). Cast-PCR detected the RHOA G17V mutation in six (75%) of eight RHOA-mutated aspirates and revealed negative results in all (100%) of four wild-type aspirates, with an 83.3% (10/12) concordance comparing to FFPE samples.The RHOA G17V mutation serves as a useful biomarker for cytological assessment in AITL. The use of cast-PCR is valuable in the diagnosis of malignant lymphomas from cytological preparations, and thus avoiding the potential risks of invasive procedures.

The muscle Ras (MRAS) gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in white Europeans. The aim of this study was to ascertain the role of MRAS gene polymorphisms in conferring susceptibility to CAD, and to explore the effect on severity of CAD in Chinese population. We genotyped 5009 Chinese individuals (2466 CAD cases and 2543 controls) for eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) around MRAS and used logistic regression analysis to determine whether they were associated with CAD. The association of the SNP loci on the severity of CAD was analyzed using a logistic and linear regression analysis, respectively. Our results revealed that an intron SNP, rs1199337, tends to be marginally associated with CAD as previously reported in Caucasians (nominal P=0.01, OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20). However, this association did not retain statistically significant levels after applying Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing (corrected P=0.08). There was no significant association between other loci and CAD (nominal P>0.05). We did not observe any significant association between the SNPs and severity of CAD (all P values>0.05). From the above results, the MRAS gene loci might have a minor effect in conferring susceptibility to CAD in Chinese population.

Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) is a rare liver cancer which shares unequivocal features of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC). A greater awareness of genetic relationship between HCC and CC components is limited. To help characterize this rare liver neoplasm, we described clinicopathologic features and evaluated copy number (CN) changes in this study. A total of 13 cases of CHC were collected. Four paired HCC and CC components from four cases were first subject to genome-wide analysis. Nine target genes were subsequently selected for further analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The paired HCC and CC components in each case had a concordant trend of CN gain or loss in these nine genes. However, the magnitude of concordant CN gain or loss was different. There were significant differences of CN copies between HCC and CC in each case. We demonstrate genetic divergence between HCC and CC components in CHC.

Summary Objective To better understand the clinical characteristics of soft tissue infections caused by Shewanella in humans. Methods We report a case of Shewanella soft tissue infection and review the English literature from a search of PubMed. Results A total of 27 adults (mean age 61.1±16.0 years) with soft tissue infections caused by Shewanella were included for analysis. Limb involvement was found in 22 (81.5%) patients, while scalp, face, perineum, lacrimal sac, and abdominal wall involvement were each found in one patient. Chronic ulcer over the leg (14 cases (51.9%)), steroid use (four cases (14.8%)), and liver cirrhosis (three cases (11.1%)) were the major underlying conditions. Shewanella bacteremia was found in 14 out of 22 patients with soft tissue infections involving the limbs. Two patients died of septicemia, giving a mortality rate of 7.4%. Conclusions Shewanella soft tissue infections usually develop in immunocompromised patients with a preexisting cutaneous ulcer (particularly over the legs) after marine environment or seawater exposure. In view of the possible catastrophic consequences, education on the prevention of Shewanella soft tissue infections in at-risk people (e.g., the immunocompromised or elderly with a cutaneous ulcer) relating the need to avoid exposure to the marine environment or seawater may be of importance.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in an innate immunity system, which controls inflammation responses and further instructs development of adaptive immunity. We enrolled 250 Han Chinese in Taiwan screening for the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLRs associated with viral infection, including TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9. The 6 SNPs not hitherto identified in Chinese populations, including TLR3 1377 C>T, TLR3 −7 C>A, TLR7 Gln11Leu, TLR7 IVS1+1817 G>T, TLR8 Met1Val, and TLR8 −129 G>C, had minor allele frequencies of 38%, 23%, 22.3%, 3%, 16.0%, and 16.0%, respectively. The frequencies of 2 common SNPs, TLR9, −1486 T>C and 2848 G>A, were 28% and 44%, respectively. As compared with other ethnic populations, Chinese displayed an opposite allele frequency of TLR8 Met1Val and TLR8 −129 G>C to Caucasians and African Americans. In addition, TLR2 Arg677Try, TLR2 Arg753Gln, TLR4 Asp299Gly, and TLR4 Thr399Ile that were apparent in approximately 10% of Caucasians were not detected in Chinese. In conclusion, obvious ethnic differences in TLR polymorphisms may in part reflect the ethnic diversity of host viral susceptibility.

Primary pulmonary pleomorphic adenoma is a rare tumor. Although it is a tumor with benign histology, it has potential to recur or metastasize. Most patients with pulmonary pleomorphic adenomas have symptoms and signs of chronic bronchial obstruction. Some are asymptomatic, presenting as an incidental finding on chest X-ray. Treatment of choice is complete surgical removal. We report our experience of FDG-PET in a patient with primary pleomorphic adenoma. The tumor was represented with high FDG uptake with maximal standard uptake value (SUVmax) of 8.4. It could not be differentiated from a malignant lesion by FDG-PET. This patient received surgical removal of the tumor. No recurrent or metastatic disease noted 26 months following the surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcome, patterns of failure, and prognostic factors for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with local radiotherapy alone or as an adjunct to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods and Materials: From March 1994 to December 1997, 25 patients with unresectable HCC underwent local radiotherapy to a portion of the liver. Twenty-three patients were classified as having cirrhosis in Child-Pugh class A and 2 in class B. Mean diameter of the treated hepatic tumor was 10.3 cm. Mean dose of radiation was 46.9 ± 5.9 Gy in a daily fraction of 1.8–2 Gy. Sixteen patients were also treated with Lipiodol and chemotherapeutic agents mixed with Ivalon or Gelfoam particles for chemoembolization, either before and/or after radiotherapy. Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) was given to one patient. All patients were monitored for treatment-related toxicity and for survival and patterns of failure. Results: In a median follow-up period of 23 months, 11 patients were alive and 14 dead. The median survival duration from treatment was 19.2 months with a 2-year survival of 41%. Only 3 of 25 patients had local progression of the treated hepatic tumor. The recurrences were seen within the liver or extrahepatic. The 2-year local, regional, and extrahepatic progression-free survival rates were 78%, 46%, and 39%, respectively. The local control ranked the highest. Patients with Okuda Stage I disease had significantly longer survival than those with Stage II and III ( p = 0.02). Patients with T4 disease ( p = 0.02) or treated with radiotherapy alone ( p = 0.003) had significantly shorter survival. T4 disease ( p = 0.03) and pretreatment alpha-fetoprotein level of more than 200 ng/ml ( p = 0.03) were associated with significantly worse regional progression-free survival. A significant difference was observed in both regional progression-free survival ( p = 0.0001) and extrahepatic progression-free survival ( p = 0.005) between patients with and without portal vein thrombosis before treatment. The presence of satellite nodules had a significantly worse impact on regional progression-free survival ( p = 0.04) and extrahepatic progression-free survival ( p = 0.03). Patients with hepatic tumor more than 6 cm in diameter or portal vein thrombosis tended to have shorter survival. Radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) and gastrointestinal bleeding were the most common treatment-related toxicities. Conclusion: Radiotherapy is effective in the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC. Its effect appeared to be more prominent within the site to which radiation was given. The combination of TACE and radiation was associated with better control of HCC than radiation given alone, probably due to the selection of patients with favorable prognosis for the combined treatment. A dose–volume model should be established in the next phase of research in the treatment of unresectable HCC.

The C-terminal end of the heavy chain of human plasma prekallikrein or kallikrein contains a binding site for high-molecular-weight kininogen, the nonenzymatic procofactor of contact activation. To further map this binding site, a series of overlapping peptides were synthesized. The amount of kallikrein that bound to kininogen-coated microtiter plate wells in the presence of increasing concentrations of each peptide was determined by kallikrein amidolytic activity. A peptide encompassing Lys266-Gly295 of kallikrein, conformationally constrained by a disulfide bond, displayed the lowest Kd value (approximately 67 microM). The linear peptide, Leu262-Gly295, displayed lower affinity (129 microM). N-terminal or C-terminal truncation/extension peptides of this sequence diminished binding activity. Since the closely related protein, factor XI, has been shown to bind kininogen, a kallikrein-based peptide (Phe56-Gly86) homologous to the binding domain of FXI, was examined and found to possess less, but significant, binding affinity for kininogen (Kd 530 microM). Isothermal titration calorimetry was used to assess binding between the kallikrein-based peptides and a peptide encompassing the kallikrein binding domain in kininogen (Ser565-Lys595). Leu262-Gly295 possesses potent binding activity (Kd 52 microM), while Phe56-Gly86 displays poorer binding activity (Kd 400 microM). These interactions are endothermic and entropically favored, suggesting that a conformational rearrangement takes place upon binding. We conclude that the binding site for kininogen within prekallikrein is composed of discontinuous linear segments that form a contiguous surface in the folded protein.

Objective Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a serum lectin that mediates phagocytosis and activates complement. We investigated the association of mbl -2 functional polymorphisms with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which is a primary etiologic factor for cervical cancer. Study Design The frequencies of haplotypes and genotypes of mbl-2 exon1 and promoter region variants were analyzed in 150 patients with HPV and 277 control subjects with no HPV. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate an association between specific mbl-2 alleles and susceptibility to HPV infection. Results The frequency of high-producer mbl -2 genotypes was higher in patients with HPV than in control subjects with no HPV ( P = .001). The genotype of the mbl-2 gene polymorphisms represented the least significant risk for the group with HPV. Conclusion Certain polymorphisms in the MBL promoter region are increased among cervical samples that demonstrate HPV infection. This finding suggests a potential link between MBL and high-risk HPV infection.