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BACKGROUND Peptic ulcer (PU) is more prevalent in patients with liver cirrhosis. The role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the pathogenesis of PU in patients with cirrhosis is still not elucidated. AIM To perform a meta-analysis on the prevalence of H. pylori infection and PU and their association in liver cirrhosis patients. METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane, CNKI, Wangfang, and CQVIP databases from inception to July 10, 2020. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled using a random-effects model. The statistical heterogeneity among studies (I2-index), subgroup analyses, regression analysis, sensitivity analysis, and the possibility of publication bias were assessed. RESULTS A total of 14 studies (13 cross-sectional studies; 1 cohort study) involving 2775 individuals (611 cases with PU and 2164 controls) were included in our meta-analysis. The prevalence of PU in patients with cirrhosis was 22%. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 65.6% in cirrhotic patients with PU, and 52.5% in those without. The pooled overall OR was 1.73 (95%CI: 1.16-2.56, I2 = 66.2%, P < 0.001, Z = 2.7, Pz < 0.05). We did not find the cause of heterogeneity in the subgroup analyses and meta-regression analysis except for one study. Funnel plot did not show significant publication bias. The results of Begg’s test and Egger’s test indicated no evidence of substantial publication bias (PBegg = 0.732, PEgger = 0.557). CONCLUSION There is a weakly positive association between H. pylori infection and PU in patients with liver cirrhosis. It is suggested that H. pylori infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of PU in liver cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND The impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the prognosis and complications of liver cirrhosis is not fully clarified. AIM To clarify the mortality and related risk factors as well as complications in cirrhotic patients with T2DM. METHODS We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from their inception to December 1, 2020 for cohort studies comparing liver transplant-free mortality, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), variceal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in cirrhotic patients with vs without T2DM. Odds ratios (ORs) were combined by using fixed-effects or random-effects models with RevMan software. RESULTS The database search generated a total of 17 cohort studies that met the inclusion criteria. Among these studies, eight reported the risk of mortality, and eight reported the risk of HCC. Three studies provided SBP rates, and two documented ascites rates. Four articles focused on HE rates, and three focused on variceal bleeding rates. Meta-analysis indicated that T2DM was significantly associated with an increased risk of liver transplant-free mortality [OR: 1.28, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.16-1.41, P < 0.0001] and HCC incidence (OR: 1.82, 95%CI: 1.32-2.51, P = 0.003). The risk of SBP was not significantly increased (OR: 1.16 95%CI: 0.86-1.57, P = 0.34). Additionally, T2DM did not significantly increase HE (OR: 1.31 95%CI: 0.97-1.77, P = 0.08), ascites (OR: 1.11 95%CI: 0.84-1.46, P = 0.46), and variceal bleeding (OR: 1.34, 95%CI: 0.99-1.82, P = 0.06). CONCLUSION The findings suggest that cirrhotic patients with T2DM have a poor prognosis and high risk of HCC. T2DM may not be associated with an increased risk of SBP, variceal bleeding, ascites, or HE in cirrhotic patients with T2DM.

The shape curve of continuous variable crown (CVC) roll applied in plate rolling process is usually adopted as cubic curves or quintic curves, but the coupling between quadratic crown and quartic crown of conventional CVC roll shape curve could not work well and failed to meet the product quality requirements in plate rolling. To get better control effect on the composite wave shape, a sextic CVC roll shape curve was proposed. The theoretical calculation formula of the roll shape parameters was deduced by using the decomposition and superposition principle. Based on the actual production data of plate mill, sextic CVC work roll parameters were determined through the analysis of the convexity control ability of the curve. The application results showed that a sextic CVC roll shape curve can greatly improve the control ability of plate crown. The control ability of quadratic crown improved by 5% and that of quartic crown improved by 20%, respectively; further, the peak contact pressure of quintic CVC roll decreased from 2076 to 1744 MPa, and the difference between the maximum and the minimum of roll pressure was 184 MPa. The control ability of plate crown was controlled from − 67 to 63 μm with plate width equaling to 2400 mm. The deviation of measured value of plate crown and calculated value of plate crown was less than ± 4%.

Hsp60sp, a signal peptide derived from the leader sequence of heat shock protein 60 kDa (Hsp60), is a Qa-1/HLA-E-binding peptide. We previously showed that Hsp60sp-specific CD8+ T cells are involved in the immunoregulation of autoimmune diseases by controlling the response of self-reactive lymphocytes. Here, we report that Hsp60sp-specific CD8+ T cells killed malignant lymphocytes in vitro independently of transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) and classical MHC-I expression. Induction of this cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response in vivo, either by adoptive transfer of in vitro-amplified CTLs or peptide-loaded dendritic cell immunization, resulted in effective control of lymphoid tumors, including TAP- or classical MHC-I-deficient cells. Hsp60sp-specific immune activation combined with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blocking synergistically restrained mouse lymphoma development. Importantly, Hsp60sp-specific CD8+ T cells did not negatively affect normal tissues and cells. Our data suggest that Hsp60sp-based immunotherapy is an inviting strategy to control lymphoid malignancies.

Introduction The association between interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene −572 G^C polymorphism and myocardial infarction (MI) risk has not been established. We adopted this meta-analysis for further insight into the case–control studies. Materials and methods To investigate the genetic association, we searched multiple databases, including Web of Science, EMbase, CBM disc, PubMed and CNKI. Also, we manually identified the searched references. All the statistical analyses were conducted using Stata 11.0. Results A total of five studies were identified, involving 2,526 MI cases and 3,027 controls. The results revealed a significant association between IL-6 gene −572 G^C polymorphism and MI, implying that the IL-6 gene −572 C allele may be a protective factor for MI (for C allele vs K allele: OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.73–0.99, p = 0.041; for C/C vs G/G: OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.31–0.98, p = 0.044; for C/C vs G/C + G/G: OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.41–0.89, p = 0.011). However, in the subgroup analysis with regard to ethnicity, no significant correlation was identified between IL-6 gene −572 G^C polymorphism and MI among Europeans. Conclusion The IL-6 gene −572 C allele may be a protective factor for MI. Future studies involving larger sample bases are still recommended.

The pharyngeal organ is located at the crossroad of the respiratory and digestive tracts in vertebrate, and it is continuously challenged by varying Ags during breathing and feeding. In mammals, the pharyngeal mucosa (PM) is a critical first line of defense. However, the evolutionary origins and ancient roles of immune defense and microbiota homeostasis of PM are still unknown. In this study, to our knowledge, we are the first to find that diffuse MALT is present in PM of rainbow trout, an early vertebrate. Importantly, following parasitic infection, we detect that strong parasite-specific mucosal IgT and dominant proliferation of IgT+ B cell immune responses occurs in trout PM, providing, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of local mucosal Ig responses against pathogens in pharyngeal organ of a nonmammal species. Moreover, we show that the trout PM microbiota is prevalently coated with secretory IgT and, to a much lesser degree, by IgM and IgD, suggesting the key role of mucosal Igs in the immune exclusion of teleost pharyngeal bacteria. Overall, to our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence that pharyngeal mucosal immunity appear earlier than tetrapods.

Background and Aims: The multiple renal cysts (MRC) occur in some patients with noncirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) could be a subset of ciliopathy. However, the potential genetic influencers and/or determinants in NCPH with MRC are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the potential candidate variants/genes associated with those patients.Methods: 8,295 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension were enrolled in cohort 1 and 267 patients affected with NCPH were included in cohort 2. MRC was defined as at least two cysts in both kidneys within a patient detected by ultrasonography or computed tomography. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed in nine patients (four from cohort 1 and five from cohort 2). Then we integrated WGS and publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to prioritize potential candidate genes. Genes co-expressed with known pathogenic genes within same cell types were likely associated NCPH with MRC.Results: The prevalence of MRC in NCPH patients (19.5%, 52/267) was significantly higher than cirrhotic patients (6.2%, 513/8,295). Further, the clinical characteristics of NCPH patients with MRC were distinguishable from cirrhotic patients, including late-onset, more prominent portal hypertension however having preserved liver functions. In the nine whole genome sequenced patients, we identified three patients with early onset harboring compound rare putative pathogenic variants in the known disease gene PKHD1. For the remaining patients, by assessing cilia genes profile in kidney and liver scRNA-seq data, we identified CRB3 was the most co-expressed gene with PKHD1 that highly expressed in ureteric bud cell, kidney stromal cell and hepatoblasts. Moreover, we found a homozygous variant, CRB3 p.P114L, that caused conformational changes in the evolutional conserved domain, which may associate with NCPH with MRC.Conclusion: ScRNA-seq enables unravelling cell heterogeneity with cell specific gene expression across multiple tissues. With the boosting public accessible scRNA-seq data, we believe our proposed analytical strategy would effectively help disease risk gene identification.

The crosstalk between the immune system and microbiota drives an amazingly complex mutualistic symbiosis. In mammals, the upper respiratory tract acts as a gateway for pathogen invasion, and the dynamic interaction between microbiota and mucosal immunity on its surface can effectively prevent disease development. However, the relationship between virus-mediated mucosal immune responses and microbes in lower vertebrates remains uncharacterized. In this study, we successfully constructed an infection model by intraperitoneally injecting common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). In addition to the detection of the SVCV in the nose and pharynx of common carp, we also identified obvious histopathological changes following viral infection. Moreover, numerous immune-related genes were significantly upregulated in the nose and pharynx at the peak of SVCV infection, after which the expression levels decreased to levels similar to those of the control group. Transcriptome sequencing results revealed that pathways associated with bacterial infection in the Toll-like receptor pathway and the Nod-like receptor pathway were activated in addition to the virus-related Rig-I-like receptor pathway after SVCV infection, suggesting that viral infection may be followed by opportunistic bacterial infection in these mucosal tissues. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we further identified an upward trend in pathogenic bacteria on the mucosal surface of the nose and pharynx 4 days after SVCV infection, after which these tissues eventually reached new homeostasis. Taken together, our results suggest that the dynamic interaction between mucosal immunity and microbiota promotes the host to a new ecological state.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease of the elderly, posing a major personal and socioeconomic burden. OA is characterized by painful degeneration of articular cartilage, and its prevention, diagnosis and treatment remain problematic. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) constitute a large family of non-coding RNAs that are widely distributed, stable, conserved and tissue-specific. circRNAs have been found to be closely associated with OA development and progression, and they may serve as targets for disease prevention and treatment. The aim of the present article was to review the roles of circRNAs in OA and discuss possible treatment strategies.

The Chinese Society of Hepatology developed the current guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis based on the published evidence and the panelists’ consensus. The guidelines provided recommendations for the diagnosis and management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) including minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and overt hepatic encephalopathy, emphasizing the importance on screening MHE in patients with end-stage liver diseases. The guidelines emphasized that early identification and timely treatment are the key to improve the prognosis of HE. The principles of treatment include prompt removal of the cause, recovery of acute neuropsychiatric abnormalities to baseline status, primary prevention, and secondary prevention as soon as possible.

Background: The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a matter of debate. Although it has been studied in many observational studies, the results remain controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the association between H pylori infection and risk of NAFLD. Methods: We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases, from inception to September 10, 2020. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled by random-effects model. The statistical heterogeneity among studies (I2-index), subgroup analyses, regression analyses, sensitivity analysis and the possibility of publication bias were assessed. Results: A total of seventeen studies involving 91,958 individuals were included in our meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of data from cross-sectional and case-control studies showed that H pylori infection was associated with increased risk of prevalent NAFLD (n = 15; involving 74,561 middle-aged individuals; OR1.38, 95% CI 1.23–1.55, I2 = 86.8%, P

Background China has accumulated considerable experience in malaria control and elimination over the past decades. Many research papers have been published in Chinese journals. This study intends to describe the development and experience of malaria control and elimination in China by quantitatively analysing relevant research using a bibliometric analysis. Methods A long-term, multistage bibliometric analysis was performed. Research articles published in Chinese journals from 1980 to 2019 were retrieved from the Wanfang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. Year of publication, journal name and keywords were extracted by the Bibliographic Items Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB). The K/A ratio (the frequency of a keyword among the total number of articles within a certain period) was considered an indicator of the popularity of a keyword in different decades. VOSviewer software was used to construct keyword co-occurrence network maps. Results A total of 16,290 articles were included. The overall number of articles continually increased. However, the number of articles published in the last three years decreased. There were two kinds of keyword frequency trends among the different decades. The K/A ratio of the keyword ‘Plasmodium falciparum’ decreased (17.05 in the 1980s, 13.04% in the 1990s, 9.86 in the 2000s, 5.28 in the 2010s), but those of ‘imported case’ and ‘surveillance’ increased. Drug resistance has been a continuous concern. The keyword co-occurrence network maps showed that the themes of malaria research diversified, and the degree of multidisciplinary cooperation gradually increased. Conclusions This bibliometric analysis revealed the trends in malaria research in China over the past 40 years. The results suggest emphasis on investigation, multidisciplinary participation and drug resistance by researchers and policymakers in malaria epidemic areas. The results also provide domestic experts with qualitative evidence of China’s experience in malaria control and elimination.

Background We studied the characteristics and regularity of appropriate insertion points for percutaneous pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine using C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy. The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement and reduce the incidence of superior-level facet joint violation. Methods Six normal spinal specimens were included. Three different methods for placing percutaneous pedicle screws in the lumbar spine were applied, including the Roy-Camille method, Magerl method and Weinstein method. The relationships among the insertion point, pedicle projection and proximal facet joint on C-arm X-ray films were studied. The projection morphology of the vertebral pedicle in different segments of the lumbar spine was observed. The relationship between the outer edge of the pedicle projection and the outer edge of the cranial articular process was also studied. The distance between the insertion point and the facet joint (M1), the distance between the insertion point and outer edge of the cranial articular process (M2), and the distance between the insertion point and the projection center of the pedicle (M) were measured. Results In this study, we found that the projection shape of the vertebral pedicle differed across segments of the lumbar spine: the shape for L1-L3 was oval, and that for L4-L5 was round. The radiographic study showed that the outer edge of the cranial articular process was located on the lateral side of the outer edge of the pedicle projection and did not overlap with the pedicle projection. M for the Weinstein group was larger than that for the Roy-Camille group (P P Conclusion Under C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy, we were able to accurately identify the characteristics and regularity of the appropriate insertion point for percutaneous pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine, which was important for improving the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement and reducing the incidence of superior-level facet joint violation.

This paper provides a comprehensive survey of the impact of the emerging communication technique, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), on future wireless networks. Particularly, how the NOMA principle affects the design of the generation multiple access techniques is introduced first. Then the applications of NOMA to other advanced communication techniques, such as wireless caching, multiple-input multiple-output techniques, millimeter-wave communications, and cooperative relaying, are discussed. The impact of NOMA on communication systems beyond cellular networks is also illustrated, through the examples of digital TV, satellite communications, vehicular networks, and visible light communications. Finally, the study is concluded with a discussion of important research challenges and promising future directions in NOMA.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate tolvaptan as a novel therapeutic option for Chinese patients with liver cirrhosis-associated ascites in a phase 2 clinical trial. METHODS This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial was conducted in patients with insufficient responses to combination therapies of an oral loop diuretic and an aldosterone antagonist. Reduction in body weight and abdominal circumference, increase in 24-h cumulative urine volume and improvement in serum sodium level from baseline to the end of treatment in the tolvaptan groups (15 mg/day or 30 mg/day orally) were compared with those in the placebo group. Drug safety was also assessed. RESULTS Sixty-two patients were allocated to the placebo group, 56 to the tolvaptan 15-mg group and 63 to the tolvaptan 30-mg group. Their mean changes in body weight were -0.5 ± 1.6 kg, -2.1 ± 2.0 kg and -1.9 ± 2.0 kg, respectively. Body weight reductions in both tolvaptan groups were significantly greater than that in the placebo group (difference -1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.5 to -0.8, and difference -1.4, 95% CI, -2.2 to -0.7, both P

Background One complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is patella baja (PB). Patellar tendon shortening and joint line elevation are two main causes of PB. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of PB before and after TKA by measuring the patellar height and provide evidence for choosing a suitable index. Methods In total, 256 consecutive patients who underwent primary TKA were included in this study. Radiographic measurements were performed; the Insall–Salvati (IS) index, modified IS (MIS) index, Blackburne–Peel (BP) index, and Caton–Deschamps (CD) index were computed; and the incidence of PB was calculated before and after the operation. The consistency between the IS and MIS indices and between the BP and CD indices was analyzed. Results The preoperative incidence of true PB (TPB) and pseudo-PB (PPB) was 9.4 and 0.8%, respectively. The postoperative incidence of TPB and PPB was 10.2 and 9.0%, respectively. The consistency between the IS and MIS indices was moderate preoperatively (pre-kappa = 0.602) and postoperatively (post-kappa = 0.742). The consistency between the BP and CD indices was moderate preoperatively (pre-kappa = 0.742) and good postoperatively (post-kappa = 0.797). Conclusion The incidence of PB, especially PPB, increased after TKA. The CD and BP indices are of greater importance for the diagnosis of PB after TKA. The MIS index is a better choice than the IS index to measure the length of the patellar tendon. To measure the height of the joint line, the BP index is better postoperatively and the CD index is better preoperatively.

The question whether epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs during liver fibrogenesis is a controversial issue. In vitro studies confirm that hepatocytes or cholangiocytes undergo EMT upon transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) stimulation, whereas in vivo experiments based on genetic fate mapping of specific cell populations suggest that EMT does not occur in fibrotic animal models. In this review we present current data supporting or opposing EMT in chronic liver disease and discuss conditions for the occurrence of EMT in patients. Based on the available data and our clinical observations we hypothesize that EMT-like alterations in liver cirrhosis are a side effect of high levels of TGF-β and other pro-fibrotic mediators rather than a biological process converting functional parenchyma, i.e., hepatocytes, into myofibroblasts at a time when essential liver functions are deteriorating.

Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a debilitating condition that leads to loss renal function and damage to kidney tissue in the majority of patients with acute kidney disease. Previous studies have indicated that autophagy serves a protective function in renal I/R injury. In the present study, the effect of the anthelmintic niclosamide in the regulation of inflammatory responses in kidney I/R was investigated. A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups (n=8 in each group): Sham group; renal I/R injury; renal I/R injury plus 3‑methyladenine (3‑MA) treatment (15 mg/kg); renal I/R injury plus niclosamide (25 mg/kg); and renal I/R injury plus rapamycin (10 mg/kg). The expression levels of autophagy‑associated proteins in kidney samples obtained from rats with I/R injury were examined using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting techniques. In addition, histopathological alterations, the expression of cytokines and renal function were evaluated. Treatment with niclosamide was associated with induction of autophagy and an overall improvement in renal function. There was an increased expression of autophagosome‑associated proteins, suggesting a strong correlation between autophagy and improvement of renal function. The increased levels of anti‑inflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of pro‑inflammatory cytokines provided additional evidence that niclosamide may be effective for the treatment of renal I/R injury. Clinical studies are required to further validate the results of the present study.

Glypican-3 (GPC3), a member of heparan sulfate proteoglycans, attaches to the cell membrane and is frequently observed to be elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, GPC3 is not detected in normal liver tissues and benign liver lesions. Consequently, GPC3 is currently being used as a diagnostic biomarker and HCC-specific positron emission computed tomography probe to identify HCCs in normal liver tissues and benign liver lesions. The overexpression of GPC-3 in serum or liver tissue also predicts poor prognosis for HCC patients. In addition, GPC3 promotes HCC growth and metastasis by activating the canonical Wnt and other signaling pathways. Targeting of GPC3, including GC33, HN3 and YP7, might offer new immunotherapeutic tools for HCC treatment.

Background Severe anatomical abnormalities exist in proximal femoral deformities (PFDs). Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is associated with drawbacks such as high surgical complexity, long operation time, requirement for high surgical skills, high incidences of postoperative complications, and poor efficacy. Objective This study aimed to investigate the short-term efficacy of THA with femoral osteotomy and modular prosthesis implantation for femoral fixation and reconstruction in patients with PFD. Methods A total of 15 patients (15 hips) with rotational PFD treated with THA with femoral osteotomy and modular prosthesis between August 2012 and September 2014 were included. There were 10 male (10 hips) and 5 female (5 hips) patients. Preoperative limb shortening, intraoperative osteotomy length, and postoperative limb length were recorded. The Harris hip score was adopted for assessing the clinical results. Postoperative radiography was performed to observe the prosthesis position, as well as the presence or absence of abnormalities such as osteolysis, loosening, and subsidence of the prosthesis. Results All 15 patients were followed up postoperatively, with a mean follow-up duration of 62.5 (range 20–85) months. The postoperative limb-length discrepancy (1.0 ± 0.5 cm) was significantly less than the preoperative discrepancy (3.2 ± 1.2 cm) (t = − 2.501, P = 0.002). The Harris hip score significantly improved from a mean of 47.2 ± 9.9 points preoperatively to 89.7 ± 3.9 points during the last follow-up visit (t = 21.31, P = 0.001). Immediate postoperative radiographs showed restoration of limb alignment after femoral osteotomy, excellent initial press-fit fixation of the S-ROM prosthesis, and good canal filling. According to Engh’s criteria, all 15 hips were graded as ingrown bones. No infection, prosthesis loosening, periprosthetic fracture, or other complications occurred. Conclusion In patients with femoral deformities treated with THA, precise osteotomy, good coaptation of the osteotomy surfaces, and correct choice of modular S-ROM prostheses for femoral reconstruction and fixation remain the key factors for surgical success.

Lymph node tuberculosis is a common clinical bacterial infectious disease. Regional lymph node tuberculosis is often difficult to cure by surgically radical resection. In addition, its recurrence rate is higher, and it can easily cause lymphatic leakage. This case was considered to have left axillary lymph node tuberculosis. A combination of clinical examination, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed before surgery. The surgical procedure performed was left axillary lymph node excision. Postoperative pathology confirmed the lymph node tuberculosis. The patient was given anti-tuberculosis drug treatment with no recurrence after 6 months follow-up. This provides new ideas and methods for the clinical treatment of regional lymph node tuberculosis.

Study design A prospective randomized controlled trial. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect and safety of a new multimodal nutritional management (MNM) protocol for patients receiving primary lumbar spine surgery. Summary of background data Poor nutritional status is common in the perioperative period in primary lumbar spine surgery, and may impede recovery after surgery. Methods A total of 187 patients were included in this prospective randomized controlled trial. They were randomly assigned to the MNM group or the control group. Albumin (ALB) infusion, postoperative ALB level, electrolyte disorders, postoperative electrolyte levels, transfusion rate, postoperative hemoglobin level, length of stay (LOS), and complications were compared between the groups. Results Compared with the control group, the rate and the total amount of ALB infusion were lower in the MNM group, and the postoperative level of ALB in the MNM group was higher on the first postoperative day, and the third postoperative day. The incidence of hypokalemia, hyponatremia, and hypocalcemia were lower in the MNM group. In the MNM group, the postoperative levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium were higher than the control group. The transfusion rate was similar between the two groups. The hemoglobin level was similar between the two groups on first postoperative day, but was higher in the MNM group on third postoperative day. LOS in the MNM group was shorter than in the control group. The incidence of wound drainage was lower in the MNM group. No statistical differences were observed regarding surgical complications between the two groups. Conclusion The MNM protocol effectively reduced ALB infusion, the incidence of electrolyte disorders, and wound drainage, increased the postoperative levels of ALB, sodium, potassium, and calcium, and reduced the LOS without increasing the rate of postoperative complications. Level of evidence 2.

Highlights • Low genetic diversity of poama-1 gene which is a neglected malaria parasite. • rPoAMA-1 protein can induce strong immunogenicity in mice. • Cross-reactivity between rPocAMA-1 and rPowAMA-1 antigen is present., Malaria is still an important challenge for global public health because of its extensive mortality and morbidity. Plasmodium ovale is mainly distributed in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. it includes two distinct ovale malaria species, which are P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri. Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) is an asexual blood-stage protein which is essential for Plasmodium. Thus far, no study on gene polymorphism and immunogenicity of P. ovale AMA-1 (PoAMA-1) has been conducted. Amplified poama1 gene products from 14 P ovale curtisi samples and 12 P ovale wallikeri samples imported from Africa to Jiangsu Province, China were sequenced and their polymorphisms were analyzed. We expressed recombinant PoAMA-1 (rPoAMA-1, 53 kDa) proteins in an E. coli expression system and evaluated immune responses against the rPoAMA-1 in BALB/c mice. We identified a synonymous mutation in nucleotide position 333 of the pocama-1 gene and powama-1 did not reveal any variation. The humoral and cellular immune responses to rPoAMA-1 were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry. rPoAMA-1-immunized mice produced specific antibodies as verified by immunoblotting. The rPoAMA-1 induced high antibody titers (1: 640,000), and had high avidity indexes (an average of 78.63% and 83.40%). The antibodies also recognized the native proteins, namely, crude antigen from blood stages. Cross-reactivity between rPocAMA-1 and rPowAMA-1 was observed. Moreover, rPoAMA-1 s induced interferon (IFN)-gamma-secreting cells in mice and increased lymphocyte proliferation response. Low genetic diversity was observed in poama-1 from the Jiangsu Province imported malaria cases, and further studies conclusively showed its strong immunogenicity. Significant cross-reactivity was found between rPocAMA-1 and rPowAMA-1, suggesting that a single PoAMA-1 antigen could be used to diagnose P. ovale curtisi or P. ovale wallikeri patient simultaneously. However, further evaluation needs to be carried out to validate the potential and limitations of PoAMA-1 as a candidate vaccine.

Plasmodium vivax predominates in South-East Asia and the American continent, causes significant morbidity and inflicts a huge socioeconomic burden. Sequencing completion of the Plasmodium vivax genome and transcriptome provides the chance to identify antigens. Enolase is the eighth enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, which, apart from its glycolytic function, also possess antigenic properties and is present on the cell wall of many invasive organisms, such as Candida albicans. In order to assess whether enolase of Plasmodium vivax is also antigenic, in this study, we first reported the expression and purification of recombinant Plasmodium vivax enolase (r-Pven) in Escherichia coli, using prokaryotic expression vector. The r-Pven was expressed in soluble form in E. coli, and the expression was verified by SDS-PAGE and western blotting analysis. The r-Pven was purified to 90% purity by nickel–nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni2+–NTA) resin chromatography. For reactivity with r-Pven, compared with the average values of the reactivity of control serum samples, the average values of the reactivity of 99 individual serums from vivax malaria patients appeared higher, and there was significant difference between them (p=0.0117

In this paper, we studied a smart base isolation system based on magnetorheological elastomers (MRE), which is a new class of smart materials whose elastic modulus or stiffness can be adjusted by changing the magnitude of the applied magnetic field. The main goals of this study are to demonstrate the use of MREs as field-dependent element in a smart base isolation system and investigate the dynamic performance of the smart base isolation system in mitigating excessive vibrations of the building structure under dynamic loadings. To this end, we designed some MRE samples working in compressive mode and measured their properties under various magnetic fields in which the elastic modulus varied by up to 250%.Compared with the structure installing traditional base isolation system, the dynamic performance of the structure installing smart base isolation system is much better under the dynamic loadings.

Background: Early mesoderm can be classified into Flk-1+ or PDGF receptor alpha (PDGFRα)+ population, grossly representing lateral and paraxial mesoderm, respectively. It has been demonstrated that all endothelial (EC) and hematopoietic (HPC) cells are derived from Flk-1+ cells. Although PDGFRα+ cells give rise to ECs/HPCs in in vitro ES differentiation, whether PDGFRα+ population can become hemato-endothelial lineages has not been proved in mouse embryos. Results: Using PDGFRαMerCreMer mice, PDGFRα+ early mesoderm was shown to contribute to endothelial cells including hemogenic ECs, fetal liver B lymphocytes, and Lin-Kit+Sca-1+ (KSL) cells. Contribution of PDGFRα+ mesoderm into ECs and HPCs was limited until E8.5, indicating that PDGFRα+/Flk-1+ population that exists until E8.5 may be the source for hemato-endothelial lineages from PDGFRα+ population. The functional significance of PDGFRα+ mesoderm in vascular development and hematopoiesis was confirmed by genetic deletion of Etv2 or restoration of Runx1 in PDGFRα+ cells. Etv2 deletion and Runx1 restoration in PDGFRα+ cells resulted in abnormal vascular remodeling and rescue of fetal liver CD45+ and Lin-Kit+Sca-1+ (KSL) cells, respectively. Conclusions: Endothelial and hematopoietic cells can be derived from PDGFRα+ early mesoderm in mice. PDGFRα+ mesoderm is functionally significant in vascular development and hematopoiesis from phenotype analysis of genetically modified embryos. Developmental Dynamics 242:254–268, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Key Findings PDGF receptor alpha–positive mesoderm contributes to endothelial and hematopoietic cells in physiological mouse embryogenesis. PDGF receptor alpha–positive mesoderm in early embryo is distinct from yolk sac blood island mesoderm, representing a source of hematopoietic cells on the embryo proper side. Genetic manipulation of Etv2 or Runx1 in PDGF receptor alpha–positive mesoderm demonstrates the functional significance of this mesoderm subset in vascular development and hematopoiesis. Keywords: PDGFRα, Flk-1, Runx1, endothelial, hematopoiesis INTRODUCTION Mesoderm is an intermediate state for epiblasts or ES cells to develop into endothelial (EC) and hematopietic cells (HPC). Early mesoderm can be classified grossly into Flk-1+ lateral-extraembryonic or PDGFRα+ paraxial mesoderm. While Flk-1+ mesoderm has been shown to contribute to virtually all HPCs and ECs (Lugus et al., 2009), several reports indicate that HPCs and ECs originate from somite, intraembryonic mesenchyme, or allantois containing PDGFRα+ mesoderm (Jukkola et al., 2005; Bertrand et al., 2005; Zeigler et al., 2006; Corbel et al., 2007). Among candidate origins for HPCs and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), yolk sac (YS) (Kataoka et al., 1997; Yoder et al., 1997; Samokhvalov et al., 2007) and lateral mesoderm (Wasteson et al., 2008) consist mainly of Flk-1+ cells with few or not so many PDGFRα+ cells. In contrast, more PDGFRα+ cells are present in intraembryonic para-aortic splanchnopleura (p-Sp) (Cumano et al., 1996), placenta (Gekas et al., 2005), and allantois, raising the possibility that PDGFRα+ cells can generate HPCs from these sites (Takakura et al., 1997). It has been demonstrated that PDGFRα+ mesoderm generates ECs and HPCs in ES differentiation culture (Sakurai et al., 2006). However, in vitro culture system defines each cell population by marker staining but lacks anatomical information that is critical to understand the physiological differentiation process. In mouse embryos, we have demonstrated that Flk-1+/PDGFRα+ cells accumulate in the absence of Etv2, failing to differentiate into Flk-1+/PDGFRα-cells (Kataoka et al., 2011). This suggests that PDGFRα+ cells can contribute to ECs and HPCs in mouse embryogenesis. In mouse development, however, how PDGFRα+ population including Flk-1+/PDGFRα+ cells contribute to various cell types has not been thoroughly evaluated. It is also important to confirm if the differentiation pathway in in vitro ES cell differentiation can be recapitulated in the real animal. In ES differentiation, it is expected that PDGFRα+/Flk-1+ cells are multi-potential for hemato-endothelial, muscle, or mesenchymal lineages partly due to the greater plasticity of differentiating ES cells. Since Flk-1+ cells have been shown to differentiate into skeletal muscle and cardiomyocytes in mouse embryos (Motoike et al., 2003), it is possible that PDGFRα induction in Flk-1+ cells might enforce the differentiation of Flk-1+ cells preferentially into muscle or mesenchymal lineages in the in vivo context. Therefore, we examined if PDGFRα+ cells contribute to ECs and HPCs in mouse embryos where differentiation is controlled in a more physiological manner. For this purpose, PDGFRα-MerCreMer (PRα-MCM) knock-in mice, expressing tamoxifen (Tmx) inducible MerCreMer (MCM) under control of the PDGFRα locus (Fig. 1A), was crossed with ROSA26-LacZ or YFP reporter strains (PRα-MCM-LacZ or PRα-MCM-YFP mice) to trace labeled PDGFRα+ cells in mouse embryos. We focused on ECs and HPCs derived from PDGFRα+ cells, as this may help to clarify the origin of HSCs that are one of the most important cell types to be created for therapeutic purposes. Fig. 1 A: Generation of PDGFRα-MerCreMer (PRα-MCM) knock-in mice. Tmx-inducible MerCreMer was knocked into the PDGFRα locus using homology arms corresponding to 5′ side, 79,307–85,194; 3′ side, 85,253–89,284 ... RESULTS PDGFRα Mesoderm Is Distinct From Extraembryonic Runx1+ Mesoderm in Early Embryos To locate the PDGFRα+ mesoderm, E7.5 neural plate (Fig. 1B), E8.0 head fold (Fig. 1C), or E8.5 somite stage (Fig. 1D), embryos were immunostained by PDGFRα, Flk-1, and Runx1 antibodies. As we reported, PDGFRα and Flk-1 stained almost distinct subset of mesoderm with some overlap in lateral mesoderm closer to the paraxial region (Kataoka et al., 1997, 2011). Runx1 was used to stain HPC precursors including erythroid progenitors and part of HSCs (Tanaka et al., 2012). No clear overlap was observed between PDGFRα+ and Runx1+ mesoderm, indicating that PDGFRα or Runx1 specifies distinct mesoderm population. This result was also confirmed by FACS analysis of NP- and HF-stage Runx1-Venus Knock-in embryos, in which almost no PDGFRα+/Runx1+ cells were detected (Fig. 1E). In situ hybridization for Runx1 also revealed that its expression is limited in the proximal region of the extraembryonic yolk sac, namely the blood island, validating that our immunostaining by Runx1 antibody for multi-color detection correctly reflects Runx1 in situ hybridization (data not shown). These findings suggest that any HPCs coming from PDGFRα+ cells develop from those cells that do not express Runx1 in these stages. At E7.5–8.5, we were able to detect an area stained by both PDGFRα and Flk-1. This double-positive population almost disappeared at E9.5 (see Fig. 6C), indicating that vasculogenic capacity in PDGFRα+ cells is dependent on Flk-1 and is limited in early time frame during embryogenesis. Fig. 6 A: PDGFRα+ cells labeled at E8.5 contribute to fetal liver HPCs, but with lower efficiency. By E9.5 labeling, almost no PDGFRα+ cells contribute to fetal liver HPCs. a: After E8.5 Tmx injection, fetal liver HPCs were analyzed. YFP+-labeled ... PDGFRα+ Cells Labeled at E7.5–8.0 Contribute to Endothelial Cells Including Aorta-Gonad-Mesonephron (AGM) To trace the fate of early mesoderm PDGFRα+ cells, pregnant females were injected with Tmx at E7.5 or E8.0 and PRα-MCM-LacZ embryos were analyzed at E10.5. In PRα-MCM-LacZ embryos, cells labeled at E7.5–E8.0 distributed broadly inside the embryo including somite, head mesenchyme, and heart at E10.5. LacZ+ cells mainly distributed throughout the embryo proper side with fewer labeled cells in YS, indicating that PDGFRα+ early mesoderm almost exclusively contribute to the embryo proper (Fig. 2A). Histological analysis of LacZ-stained embryos revealed that PDGFRα+ cells labeled at E7.5 or E8.0 contribute widely to somites, mesenchyme, cardiomyocytes, and ECs (Fig. 2B). Fig. 2 A: Whole mount LacZ staining of PRα-MCM-LacZ embryos. To activate MerCreMer, Tmx was injected into pregnant females at E7.5 (neural plate stage, top panels) or E8.0 (head fold stage, middle panels), when PDGFRα starts to be clearly detected ... As we aimed to analyze the contribution of PDGFRα+ cells into ECs and HPCs, LacZ-stained embryos were examined if there were any ECs labeled, especially those regarded as hemogenic ECs. We found that some ECs were LacZ positive in PRα-MCM-LacZ embryos exposed to Tmx at E7.5–8.0 (Fig. 2B). Notably, ECs on the ventral side of aorta in the AGM region were LacZ positive, including HPCs budding from the EC layer (Fig. 2B). This finding demonstrates that PDGFRα+ cells labeled at E7.5–8.0 can contribute to hemogenic ECs that potentially give rise to definitive HPCs. Tmx injection at E6.5 failed to label PDGFRα+ mesoderm derivatives such as somites or paraxial mesoderm (Fig. 2C), which were extensively labeled by E7.5 injection. Rather, E6.5 Tmx injection labeled mainly extraembryonic part including YS HPCs, demonstrating the time frame specificity of labeling in PRα-MCM line (Fig. 2C), as 24 hr delay of Tmx injection resulted in the labeling of distinct populations. These findings suggest that PRα-MCM transgene has labeled in relevant cell types that are expected to be the descendants of PDGFRα+ cells including cardiomyocytes and head mesenchyme. Additionally, we observed LacZ-positive ECs including those with potential hemogenic capacity. Tmx injections at E6.5 and E7.5 also support our assumption that Tmx will be almost ineffective 24 hr after injection (Zovein et al., 2008), ensuring the time frame specificity of the PRα-MCM transgene.

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs was to evaluate the effect of using a bipolar sealer to prevent surgical bleeding in spine surgery.In June 2017, the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane controlled trials register, Web of Science, Google, and Chinese Wanfang databases were used to identify RCTs and non-RCTs comparing the effects of intraoperative placement of a bipolar sealer versus standard electrocautery with regard to blood loss and blood transfusion. Stata 12.0 software was used to perform the meta-analysis. Weighted mean differences with 95% confidential intervals (CIs) were used for continuous outcomes, and relative risks with 95% CIs were used for discontinuous outcomes. After testing for publication bias and heterogeneity across studies, the data were aggregated and assessed with a random effects model when necessary.In total, 6 clinical trials with 560 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that the use of a bipolar sealer decreased the estimated blood loss (MD = -165.06, 95% CI -236.73 to -93.40, P 0.001), the need for a blood transfusion (RR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.68, P 0.001), the transfusion units used (MD = -0.41, 95% CI -0.60 to -0.21, P 0.001), the operative time (MD = -12.98, 95% CI -21.82 to -4.15, P = 0.004) and the length of hospital stay (MD = -2.77, 95% CI -5.45 to -0.10, P = 0.042). No significant difference was observed for the occurrence of infection (RR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.39, P = 0.192).Based on the current meta-analysis, the use of a bipolar sealer is superior to standard electrocautery for reducing intraoperative blood loss and is therefore recommend for use during spine surgery.

Objective : Green tea has been found to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic properties. The present study examines the association between green tea drinking and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its interactions with other risk or protective factors and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of inflammation and oxidative stress related genes. Methods : A population-based case-control study with 204 primary HCC cases and 415 healthy controls was conducted in Taixing, China. Epidemiological data were collected using a standard questionnaire. SNPs of genes of the inflammation and metabolic pathways were genotyped at the UCLA Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory. Logistic regression was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results : Longer duration and larger quantities of green tea consumption were inversely associated with primary HCC. Individuals who drank green tea longer than 30 years were at lowest risk (adjusted OR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.19–0.96) compared with non-drinkers. A strong interaction was observed between green tea drinking and alcohol consumption (adjusted OR for interaction=3.40, 95% CI: 1.26–9.16). Green tea drinking was also observed to have a potential effect modification on HBV/HCV infection, smoking and polymorphisms of inflammation related cytokines, especially for IL-10 . Conclusion : Green tea consumption may protect against development of primary HCC. Potential effect modifications of green tea on associations between primary HCC and alcohol drinking, HBV/HCV infection, and inflammation-related SNPs were suggested.

CLEC-2 has been described recently as playing crucial roles in thrombosis/hemostasis, tumor metastasis, and lymphangiogenesis. The snake venom rhodocytin is known as a strong platelet activator, and we have shown that this effect is mediated by CLEC-2 (Suzuki-Inoue, K., Fuller, G. L., Garcia, A., Eble, J. A., Pohlmann, S., Inoue, O., Gartner, T. K., Hughan, S. C., Pearce, A. C., Laing, G. D., Theakston, R. D., Schweighoffer, E., Zitzmann, N., Morita, T., Tybulewicz, V. L., Ozaki, Y., and Watson, S. P. (2006) Blood 107, 542–549). Podoplanin, which is expressed on the surface of tumor cells, is an endogenous ligand for CLEC-2 and facilitates tumor metastasis by inducing platelet aggregation. Mice deficient in podoplanin, which is also expressed on the surface of lymphatic endothelial cells, show abnormal patterns of lymphatic vessel formation. In this study, we report on the generation and phenotype of CLEC-2-deficient mice. These mice are lethal at the embryonic/neonatal stages associated with disorganized and blood-filled lymphatic vessels and severe edema. Moreover, by transplantation of fetal liver cells from Clec-2−/− or Clec-2+/+ embryos, we were able to demonstrate that CLEC-2 is involved in thrombus stabilization in vitro and in vivo, possibly through homophilic interactions without apparent increase in bleeding tendency. We propose that CLEC-2 could be an ideal novel target protein for an anti-platelet drug, which inhibits pathological thrombus formation but not physiological hemostasis.

AIM To investigate the association of memory T cell subsets with viral response during treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). METHODS To address this issue, the dynamics of memory T cell subsets was monitored in 57 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) during treatment with pegylated IFN-alpha through testing the phenotypes of memory T cells with flowcytometry. RESULTS There were clear differences in the phenotypes of these cells during therapy. Memory T cells converted from the major subsets to the minor in the process of treatment with IFN-alpha. Patients who presented a response showed significantly higher percentages of CD8+ T(EM) at 0 and 24 weeks (both P < 0.05), and lower frequency of CD8+ T(CM) than non-responders at 0 and 24 weeks (both P < 0.05). Moreover, the average dosage of IFN-alpha applied to patients with viral response to treatment was 1.43 +/- 0.18 microg/kg, significantly higher than 1.31 +/- 0.25 microg/kg in nonresponders (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The quantity and quality of memory T cell subsets fluctuates during treatment with IFN-alpha. High frequency of T(EM) subsets may be associated with response to treatment with IFN-alpha. A better knowledge of mechanisms underlying the response to therapy may be important for development of new immunotherapeutic strategies to increase CD8 T-cell effectiveness in CHB infection.

Tobacco smoke and its metabolites are carcinogens that increase tissue oxidative stress and induce target tissue inflammation. We hypothesized that genetic variation of inflammatory pathway genes plays a role in tobacco-related carcinogenesis and is modified by tobacco smoking. We evaluated the association of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms of 8 inflammation-related genes with tobacco-related cancers (lung, oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, bladder, and kidney) using 3 case-control studies from: Los Angeles (population-based; 611 lung and 553 upper aero-digestive tract cancer cases and 1,040 controls), Taixing, China (population-based; 218 esophagus, 206 stomach, 204 liver cancer cases, and 415 controls), and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (hospital-based; 227 bladder cancer cases and 211 controls). After adjusting for age, education, ethnicity, gender, and tobacco smoking, IL10 rs1800871 was inversely associated with oropharyngeal cancer (CT+TT vs. CC adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.95), and was positively associated with lung cancer among never smokers (TT vs. CT+CC aOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.3-5.1) and inversely with oropharyngeal cancer among ever smokers (CT+TT vs. CC aOR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.95). Among all pooled never smokers (588 cases and 816 controls), TNF rs1799964 was inversely associated with smoking-related cancer (CC vs. CT+TT aOR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.17-0.77). Bayesian correction for multiple comparisons suggests that chance is unlikely to explain our findings (although epigenetic mechanisms may be in effect), which support our hypotheses, suggesting that IL10 rs1800871 is a susceptibility marker for oropharyngeal and lung cancers, and that TNF rs1799964 is associated with smoking-related cancers among never smokers.

A 69-year-old female presented with abdominal pain for 3 days without trauma history. Ultrasound examination showed that she had a hepatic cystic lesion, which was enhanced on contrast computed tomography. Surgical intervention was performed 6 days after admission; bloody ascites in the peritoneal cavity, a ruptured cyst 12 cm in size, and a rupture hole over the cystic wall were noted. Spontaneous rupture is an infrequent presentation in a simple hepatic cyst with only a few case reports in the English and Japanese literature. Spontaneous rupture of a simple hepatic cyst with intracystic hemorrhage can pose a problem in differential diagnosis from cystic neoplasm of the liver and needs further management.

Multiple-use nozzle jet injectors (MUNJIs), a type of needle-free injector, use a high-pressure stream to penetrate skin and deliver medicament. Concerns for their potential to transmit blood borne pathogens led to development of a hybrid MUNJI for use in mass immunizations. The HSI-500, referred to here as a protector cap needle-free injector (PCNFI), utilizes a disposable cap as a shield between the reusable injector nozzle and the skin to reduce the risk of contamination. This study aimed to determine the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) contamination in post-injection ("next person") samples immediately following injection in HBV-carrier adults. Tolerability and pain were also assessed. The study ended early because the PCNFI failed to prevent contamination in the first batch tested (8.2% failure rate). The injections were very well tolerated, with most followed by no bleeding (81.2%) or mild bleeding (7.8%). 55.2% of participants experienced no pain while 42.3% experienced mild pain following injection.

Inhibition of copper corrosion by imidazole (IM) and 1-n-undecyl-imidazole (UDIM) in 0.5 M HCl was investigated by weight-loss measurements, potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). 1-n-undecyl-imidazole showed the better inhibitive effect compared with IM. Potentiodynamic polarization results revealed that both IM and UDIM acted as anodic inhibitors, in particular UDIM suppressed anodic current densities significantly. Molecular structure parameters of IM and UDIM were obtained by using an MM2 forcefield program and AM1 quantum chemical calculation. It was found that UDIM has higher levels of HOMO and LUMO energy and a larger electron density in its imidazoly ring.

Stomach cancer is a serious public health problem in China. 5,10-Methylenetetralydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) may be involved in both DNA methylation and DNA synthesis. Folate deficiency is associated with cancer risk that may be modulated by a genetic variation in the MTHFR gene in folate metabolism. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the association between polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene and the risk of stomach cancer. This study also explored the modification effects of fruit and vegetable intake (one of the main constituents is folate) on the risk of this disease. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, China, consisting of 206 newly diagnosed cases with primary stomach cancer and 415 healthy population controls. Polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T and A1298C were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques. The data were analysed using the logistic regression model. No obvious association between the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and the risk of stomach cancer was observed in this study. The frequencies of 677 C/C, C/T, and T/T were 34.5, 50.9, and 14.6%, respectively, in controls. The frequency of the MTHFR 677 wild homozygotic genotype was 25.8% in cases, which was lower than that in controls (34.5%). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the MTHFR 677 any T genotype was 2.05 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-3.34) when compared with the C/C genotype. In the low fruit and vegetable intake group an increasing trend was observed with the T allele exposure, p = 0.0056. The adjusted ORs were 1.68 (95% CI = 0.86-3.29) for the C/T genotype and 3.58 (95% CI = 1.46-8.75) for the T/T genotype, respectively. The MTHFR 677 any T genotype was associated with an increased risk of primary stomach cancer among the Chinese population. Folate deficiency might modify the MTHFR gene polymorphism and influence the risk of stomach cancer.

Evidence is accumulating regarding a role of micronutrients in folate metabolism in cancer risk. We investigated the associations of plasma folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers in a population-based case-control study in Taixing City, China. With informed consent, we recruited cases with cancers of esophagus (n = 218), stomach (n = 206), and liver (n = 204), and one common healthy control group (n = 405). A standardized epidemiologic questionnaire was used in face-to-face interviews, and blood samples were collected during interviews. We observed an inverse association between plasma folate levels and liver cancer. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.24–0.88] comparing individuals in the highest quartile to those in the lowest. We found a positive association between plasma vitamin B12 levels and all three cancers. The aORs for those in the highest quartile were 2.80 (95% CI = 1.51–5.18) for esophageal cancer, 2.17 (1.21–3.89) for stomach cancer, and 9.97 (4.82–20.60) for liver cancer, comparing to those in the lowest quartile. We further observed interaction between plasma folate and vitamin B12 on these cancers. Our data indicated associations between plasma folate and vitamin B12 with upper GI cancers in Chinese population. Further research is warranted considering the debate over the necessity of food fortification.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HBV mutations, which include point mutation, deletion, insertion and truncation mutation of HBV gene in 4 open reading frames (S, C, P, X), are closely associated with HCC pathogenesis. Some mutations accumulated during chronic HBV infection could be regarded as a biomarker to predict the occurrence of HCC. The detection of the mutations in clinical practice could be helpful for defining better preventive and therapeutic strategies and, moreover, predicting the progression of liver disease.

The purpose of our study was to examine the roles of green tea drinking, other risk and protective factors, and polymorphism of susceptibility genes such as GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, and p53 codon 72 and their possible joint effects on the risk of stomach cancer. A population-based case-control study was conducted in Taixing, China, including 206 newly diagnosed cases with stomach cancer and 415 healthy control subjects. Epidemiological data were collected by in-person interviews using a standard questionnaire. Polymorphisms of susceptibility genes were assayed by PCR-RFLP techniques. A multigenetic index was created by summing up the number of risk genotypes. The data were analyzed using the logistic regression model. A reverse association between green tea drinking and risk of stomach cancer was observed with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34–1.01). Dose-response relationship was shown (p-trend < 0.05). A higher score on the multigenetic index was associated with increased risk of stomach cancer with an adjusted OR of 2.21 (95% CI = 1.02–4.79) for those with at least 3 risk genotypes compared to those with

The effect of a novel corrosion inhibitor, bis-(1-benzotriazolymethylene)-(2,5-thiadiazoly)-disulfide (BBTD), on the corrosion of copper in 3% NaCl and 0.5 M HCl has been investigated. Results reveal that BBTD is a good inhibitor and behaves better in 3% NaCl than in 0.5 M HCl solution. Potentiodynamic polarisation studies clearly showed that BBTD is mixed-type inhibitor for copper in chloride solutions. It decreases the anodic reaction rate more strongly than the cathodic reaction rate and it renders the open circuit potential of copper more positive in either HCl or NaCl solutions. The FT-IR spectra indicated that BBTD prevented copper from corrosion by adsorption on the copper surface to form a protective complex with the Cu(I) ion.

Genetic variation at 8q24 is associated with prostate, bladder, breast, colorectal, thyroid, lung, ovarian, UADT, liver and stomach cancers. However, a role for variation at 8q24 in familial clustering of upper gastrointestinal cancers has not been studied. In order to explore potential inherited susceptibility, we analyzed epidemiologic data from a population-based case-control study of upper gastrointestinal cancers from Taixing, China. The study population includes 204 liver, 206 stomach, and 218 esophageal cancer cases and 415 controls. Associations between 8q24 rs1447295, rs16901979, rs6983267 and these cancers were stratified by family history of cancer. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for potential confounders: age, sex, education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and BMI at interview. We also adjusted for hepatitis B and aflatoxin (liver cancer) and Helicobacter pylori (stomach cancer). In a dominant model, among those with a family history of cancer, rs1447295 was positively associated with liver cancer (OR(adj) 2.80; 95% CI 1.15-6.80). Heterogeneity was observed (P(heterogeneity) = 0.029) with rs6983267 and liver cancer, with positive association in the dominant model among those with a family history of cancer and positive association in the recessive model among those without a family history of cancer. When considered in a genetic risk score model, each additional 8q24 risk genotype increased the odds of liver cancer by two-fold among those with a family history of cancer (OR(adj) 2.00; 95% CI 1.15-3.47). These findings suggest that inherited susceptibility to liver cancer may exist in the Taixing population and that variation at 8q24 might be a genetic component of that inherited susceptibility.

The carcinogenic or tumourigenic testing of seven animal kidney cell lines (F-81, CRFK, MDCK, Vero, Vero-2 cell line, MA-104 and BHK-21) established in China, were carried out in more than 700 nude mice for colony formation in soft agar and for agglutination under different density of plant lectins. Tests showed that there were correlation between cell line chromosome number variations and anchorage independence in soft agar, agglutinability under lectins and tumour-forming ability in nude mice. Since testing in vitro was more economical, simpler and faster and thus thought to be more reliable, we recommend measuring agglutinability, followed by anchorage independence or analysis of karyotype as the initial means for monitoring tumourigenicity of animal cell lines in nude mice.

The optimum conditions for the anti-corrosion behavior of the octadecylamine (ODA)-treated iron samples in electrolytes containing chloride, sulfate and carbonates ions were established using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The best protective ODA film was formed on the surface after the iron samples were treated in steam at 220°C in an autoclave for 1 h, using a solution ODA concentration of 25 mg/L. The photoelectrochemical results revealed that ODA modified the physical structure of the iron oxide layer. From the Auger electron spectroscopic analysis, it is believed that the surface layers of the ODA-treated samples consisted of one of the following structures: at ODA concentrations

The electrochemical behavior of the Cu electrode in borax buffer solutions containing chloride ions and benzotriazole (BTA)-type inhibitors was studied by voltammetry and the photocurrent response method. A p-type photoresponse was observed from the Cu electrode in the pure borax buffer solutions. However, an n-type photoresponse was observed in chloride-containing borax buffer solutions if the Cl− concentration exceeded 0.08%. The transition from a p- to an n-type photoresponse is attributed to the doping of Cu2O film by the Cl− ions. Also, an n-type photoresponse was observed in solutions containing 0.10 ppm BTA or above, with the magnitude of the anodic photocurrent increased with the concentration of BTA. The adsorbed BTA acted as a barrier which hindered O2− ions from entering into the underlying Cu2O film, thus forming some O2−-deficient Cu2O regions of n-type conductivity. As a consequence, heterogeneous regions of p- and n-type conductivities were formed in the Cu2O film. The overall type of photoresponse depends on the proportion of p-type to n-type region, as well as on the applied electrode potential. It was observed that the greater the inhibition efficiency of the inhibitor, the larger the anodic photocurrent. Thus, the photoresponse method may be used to evaluate the inhibition efficiency of corrosion inhibitors.