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BACKGROUND Factor XI (FXI) deficiency, also known as hemophilia C, is a rare bleeding disorder of unpredictable severity that correlates poorly with FXI coagulation activity. This often poses great challenges in perioperative hemostatic management. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a method for testing blood coagulation using a viscoelastic hemostatic assay of whole blood to assess the overall coagulation status. Here, we present the successful application of intraoperative TEG monitoring in an FXI-deficient patient as an individualized blood transfusion strategy. CASE SUMMARY A 21-year-old male patient with FXI deficiency was scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery for macrodactyly of the left foot under general anesthesia. To minimize his bleeding risk, he was scheduled to receive fresh frozen plasma (FFP) as an empirical prophylactic FXI replacement at a dose of 15-20 mL/kg body weight (900-1200 mL) before surgery. Subsequent FFP transfusion was to be adjusted according to surgical need. Instead, TEG assessment was used at the beginning and toward the end of his surgery. According to intraoperative TEG results, the normalization of coagulation function was achieved with an infusion of only 800 mL FFP, and blood loss was minimal. The patient showed an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged on postoperative day 8. CONCLUSION TEG can be readily applied in the intraoperative period to individualize transfusion needs in patients with rare inherited coagulopathy.

This paper focuses on numerical approximation of the basic reproduction number R0, which is the threshold defined by the spectral radius of the next-generation operator in epidemiology. Generally speaking, R0 cannot be explicitly calculated for most age-structured epidemic systems. In this paper, for a deterministic age-structured epidemic system and its stochastic version, we discretize a linear operator produced by the infective population with a theta scheme in a finite horizon, which transforms the abstract problem into the problem of solving the positive dominant eigenvalue of the next-generation matrix. This leads to a corresponding threshold R0,n . Using the spectral approximation theory, we obtain that R0,n → R0 as n → +∞. Some numerical simulations are provided to certify the theoretical results.

Polyaniline (PANI) micro/nanostructures are synthesized by electrochemical polymerization, and characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy. It is revealed that the PANI microwires are produced with high yield with diameters of about 2 μm and lengths of several hundreds of micrometers, while nanostructures in the presence of PAA have diameters of about 500 nm. The micro/nanostructured PANI films are very stable and show high electrocatalytic reduction toward H2O2, which makes it an ideal substrate for H2O2 detection and offers great promise for biosensing applications.

Fluorescent DNA probes based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) were presented in this paper when AuNPs were as the energy acceptors and CdTe quantum dots and CdTe/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles were as the energy acceptors, respectively. The DNA probes were prepared when energy donors and acceptors were conjugated with two single-stranded complementary oligonucleotides and hybridized with each other and the fluorescent intensity of probes could be decreased. The quenching efficiency of DNA probe was about 67 % when CdTe QDs were as the energy donors, while that of DNA probe was about 75 % when CdTe/SiO2 fluorescent core/shell nanoparticles were as the energy acceptors, which indicated that CdTe/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles were suitable donors compared with CdTe QDs in DNA probe field.

Marcoporous silica hollow microspheres were prepared by poly (acrylic acid)@poly (ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate-co-4-vinylpyridine) (PAA@P(EGDMA-co-VPy)) composite particles with raspberry-like structure as the template. P(EGDMA-co-VPy) and PAA microspheres were prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization respectively. The raspberry-like organic composite polymer particles were obtained through the self-assembly of PAA microspheres on P(EGDMA-co-VPy) microspheres. Then, Silica layer was coated on the composite particles with Stöber method in an alkaline environment. The marcoporous silica hollow microspheres were received after the calcination to remove the organic template. The diameter of the marcoporous silica hollow microspheres, hollow inner core and the pore size of silica layer was about 2.0 μm, 1.5 μm and 20-130 nm, respectively.

This study reports inorganic nanoparticles modified molecular beacons as fluorescent DNA biosensors. MBs were modified by using CdTe quantum dots as energy donors and 4-(4'-(dimethylamino) phenylazo) benzoic acid, black hole quencher 1 and Au nanoparticles as energy acceptors, respectively. CdTe quantum dots were linked to molecular beacons when 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodi-imide hydrochloride was added. The fluorescence intensity of the modified molecular beacons decreased tremendously compared to the fluorescence intensity of CdTe quantum dots, which indicated that the fluorescence resonance energy transfer occurred between the donors and acceptors. The results indicated that this type of molecular beacons has high specificity and can be used to distinguish complementary DNA and its mutants.

Systems biology is a term used to describe a number of trends in bioscience research, and a movement which draws on those trends. Systems biology aims to understand the biology from the system level. The fundamental challenge of systems biology is to establish a complete, detailed description of the link between biological molecules and to study molecular interactions and the close association between the physiological responses. Systems biology methods in the system under the guidance will enable us to break the shackles of the old research model to study life from the grasp of the whole phenomenon. We must effectively grasp and follow the systems biology approach to guide our biological research practice.

Gao C, Guo W-J, Wang A-Y. Significance of decreased apoptosis, role of Bid expression and Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio in human jejunal stromal tumors. APMIS 2012; 120: 171–81. Given that the studies on human small intestinal stromal tumors are very limited, our study was designed to determine the significance of apoptosis, the role of some apoptosis-related proteins, including Bax, Bad, Bid, Bcl-2, Bcl-Xl, and Bcl-W, in jejunal stromal tumors (JST). For this purpose, 52 samples were examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling and immunohistochemistry, including 40 cases from normal jejunum and 12 cases from the JST. The results showed that a significantly decreased apoptosis was observed in JST compared with normal jejunum (median of apoptotic index, 0.13% vs 15.17%, p

Poly(N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbony)-glycine) (PFG) film was first synthesized on platinum wire by direct anodic oxidation of N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbony)-glycine (FG) in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE). The oxidation potential of FG in BFEE was only 0.4 V vs. Pt. Therefore, BFEE can be an ideal supporting electrolyte for polymerization of FG. Scanning electron microscopy showed the morphology of PFG. The structure of PFG film was studied by FT-IR spectroscopy.

1-dodecyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride ([C12mim]Cl) was adsorbed on iron surface to form an inhibitive film. The adlayer inhibited the metal corrosion in 0.2 M H2SO4 efficiently. The inhibitive effect of [C12mim]Cl was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Impedance spectra demonstrated that the values of charge-transfer resistance increased when adding [C12mim]Cl into 0.2 M H2SO4. The inhibition efficiency increased with increasing the concentration of [C12mim]Cl. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the corrosion of iron surface had been inhibited by [C12mim]Cl.

Super-absorbent polymer particles (SAPs) were used as a self-curing admixture for mortars. The effect of SAPs on mechanical properties of mortars was investigated. The performance of the mortars with SAPs added by two different ways was tested, which showed that the way of adding dried was more feasible to application. The performance of mortars with different curing methods was also tested. The results showed that SAPs in the mortars played a role of reserving water and the mechanical properties of hardened mortars with SAPs were better than those had no SAPs and exposed to the air, which suggested that incorporating SAPs can be an effective self-curing method.

Poly[N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-L-phenylalanine] (PN9FPA) films with good fluorescence properties and good solubility were prepared electrochemically by direct anodic oxidation of N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-L-phenylalanine (N9FPA) in boron trifluoride diethyletherate (BFEE). The structures of the monomer and the polymers were characterized and evaluated with IR. The fluorescence spectra indicated that PN9FPA films were blue-light emitters.

A novel amphoteric polycarboxylic acid-based superplasticizer (APC) was prepared by solution copolymerization from maleic anhydride (MA), allyl polyethylene glycol (APEG) and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride(DADMAC). The cationic monomer DADMAC was introduced for improving the performances of sulphoaluminate cement (SAC) with APC. The condition on preparation of APC was determined by the orthogonal experiment. The flow of paste and mortar were alao assessed. Results indicated that APC could improve the fluidity of paste and motar with APC. Zeta potential measurements indicate steric repulsion between the cement particles carrying adsorbed polymer molecules is the main mechanism for dispersion.

The authors investigate the effects of different concentrations of water extract of Armillaria mellea rhizomorphs on mycelial growth of Polyporus umbellatus. This study shows that water extract of A. mellea rhizomorph served as a good carbon and nitrogen source for mycelial growth of P. umbellatus, with 6%o concentration of water extract of A. mellea rhizomorph exhibiting the best growth-promoting results.

Anodic polarization behaviors of iron in pure H2SO4 and three mixed acidic solutions, H2SO4 + NaCl, H2SO4 + NaNO3 and H2SO4+ NaCl + NaNO3, were investigated. The potentiodynamic sweep curves showed that the current densities rose and dropped irregularly in H2SO4 + NaCl solution at the more anodic potentials since the iron surface suffered pitting attack in the solution, but the pitting corrosion was inhibited effectively in the presence of nitrate ions. The surface morphological measurements indicated that pits appeared on the iron surface in H2SO4 + NaCl solution and only a few unobvious corrosion spots were observed in H2SO4 + NaCl + NaNO3 solution after the iron electrode was potentiostatically polarized at 1.3 V. The oscillatory properties of iron are associated with the susceptibility of the iron to pitting. In H2SO4 + NaCl solution, the regular potentiostatic current oscillations gradually evolved into the irregular current fluctuations due to occurrence of the pitting; whereas in H2SO4 + NaCl + NaNO3 solution, the current oscillations took place regularly, like the oscillatory behavior in the pure H2SO4 solution. Thus, when the higher the oscillatory frequency, the more irregular oscillatory process and the more sensitive to pitting iron occurred.

The photoacoustic spectrum of glucose, sucrose and honey solutions in the visible range are measured by using the single-light photoacoustic spectrometer, and are compared with the spectra from spedtrophotometry method. The spectral characteristics of the above solutions show that the spectral background intensity and spectral profile have some differences for different kinds of solutions. The spectra of the three kinds of solutions all have strong peak value at 485 and 655 nm, but the intensity ratios between the two peaks are different. Besides, there are characteristic peak at 475, 576 and 630 nm for glucose, and the sucrose has apparent characteristic peak at 632 nm, these characteristic peaks can be used for detecting whether the natural honey has been added glucose or sucrose. By comparing two kinds of spectrum of the same solution, the intensity of photoacoustic spectrum is more responsive to the wavelength, indicating photoacoustic spectrometry has a higher sensitivity in the test of material composition.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of triethyl phosphate (TEP) and the mixed SAMs of TEP with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) were prepared on copper surfaces. The protection abilities of these films against copper corrosion in 0.2 M NaCl aqueous solution were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization techniques. Results showed that the inhibition efficiency (IE) increased with an increase in the immersion time of copper in the TEP-containing solutions. When the TEP films were modified with CTAB, the ability of the corrosion inhibition of the mixed films improved markedly. Furthermore, the influence of an external magnetic field on the formation of SAMs was studied. Ab initio calculations were performed to provide some theoretical studies for our experiment.

Two kinds of phosphates, triethyl phosphate (TEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), were used to form self-assembled monolayers for the inhibition of the corrosion of copper in 0.2 mol dm-3 NaCl solution. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was applied to investigate the inhibition effects. The results showed that their inhibition ability first increased with increasing immersion time in ethanolic solutions of the corresponding compounds. However, when the immersion time was increased over some critical point, the inhibition effect decreased. For the same immersion time, the inhibition effect of the TPP monolayer was more pronounced than that of the TEP monolayer. Thus, ab initio calculations were used to interpret the relationship between the inhibition effects and the structures of the compounds.

Preparation and redox properties of a new member of gold nano-particles modified directly with tetrathiafulvalene are reported. The nano-particle is very soluble in CH2Cl2 and has shown a preliminary response to the concentration of a small molecule 4-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine.

A novel samarium hydroxyl sulfate, [Sm(en)(μ 3 -OH)(μ 3 -SO 4 )] ∞ , was synthesized by a solvothermal method and the structure of the coordination polymer takes a diamond-like network assembled by tetranuclear cubane-like [Sm 4 (en) 4 (μ 3 -OH) 4 ] 8+ clusters and η 3 - SO 4 2 - ion bridges. This structure is unfamiliar in lanthanide network, although some coordination polymers of cubane-like [Ln 4 (μ 3 -OH) 4 ] 8+ clusters have been reported.

A dimeric TTF derivative of bis{2-[4,5-bis(methylsulfanyl)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene]-4-(methylsulfanyl)-5-(methylenesulfanyl)-1,3-dithiole} (1) was synthesized and characterized. The sulfur atom of a methylthio group interacts with C C double bond of the neighboring TTF moiety exhibiting a S–π interactions within a molecular chain. The molecules are further assembled to a 2D structure by an S⋯S interaction (3.3441(17) A). Open and folded model for the molecular conformation is discussed based on the results measured in the solid state (crystal structure) and in solution (cyclic voltammogram).

A new tetrathiafulvalene-modified gold colloid was prepared. The modification or coordination of 2-[4,5-ethylenedisulfanyl-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene]-1,3-dithiole-4-thiolate to the surface of gold nanoparticles was characterized by UV-Vis and Raman spectra, and cyclic voltammograms. The most valuable point of the modified gold nanoparticles is their redox activities. The cyclic voltammogram of the tetrathiafulvalene-modified gold colloid on a Pt electrode showed two pair of redox peaks, at E 1/2 = +0.67 V and at +0.87 V (vs. a saturated calomel electrode, in MeCN-0.1 M Bu 4 NClO 4 ), corresponding to TTF/WF• + and TTF• + /WF 2+ , respectively. A gold electrode modified with a self-assembled monolayer of the tetrathiafulvalene was also prepared and its cyclic voltammogram behaviors were in accordance with those of the nano-Au system. The E 1/2 data are higher than those of the neutral mother precursor and the separation of E 1/2 (1) to E 1/2 (2) becomes very narrow. The data of E 1/2 also revealed that electrochemical behavior of the no-spacer system (TTF-S-Au) are different from that of a spacer system (TTF-S-(CH 2 ) n -Au).

The effect of nitrate on the general corrosion and pitting corrosion of iron was investigated in sulfate-based solutions with different pH values. Nitrate greatly accelerates the general corrosion of iron in acidic solutions, but has slight influence on the general corrosion in neutral solutions. The pitting inhibition of nitrate is dependent on the pH value of solutions, and nitrate is able to prevent the passivated iron surface from pitting attack only in acidic solutions. This pitting inhibition effect is probably associated with the competition between the passivating action of nitrate and depassivating action of chloride at passivated iron surfaces. The current oscillation characteristics for the iron in pure sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution and in H2SO4 + NaNO3 + NaCl (sulfuric acid + sodium nitrate + sodium chloride) mixed solution were compared, and the relations between the oscillatory behavior and pitting susceptibility of iron were interpreted.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of melatonin (MLT) on hypertension-induced renal injury and identify its mechanism of action. Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were divided into a sham control group (n=8), which was subjected to sham operation and received vehicle treatment (physiological saline intraperitoneally at 0.1 ml/100 g), a vehicle group (n=8), which was subjected to occlusion of the left renal artery and vehicle treatment, and the MLT group (n=8), which was subjected to occlusion of the left renal artery and treated with MLT (10 mg/kg/day). Pathological features of the renal tissues were determined using hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining. Urine protein, serum creatinine (Scr), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine the expression of heme oxygenase‑1 (HO‑1), intercellular adhesion molecule‑1 (ICAM‑1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Furthermore, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of HO‑1, ICAM‑1, eNOS and iNOS. A marked decrease in blood pressure was noticed in the MLT group at week 4 compared with that of the vehicle group (P

Under mild solvothermal conditions two novel thioantimonates(V) [Sm(en)4]SbS4 x 0.5en (1) and [Sm(en)3(H2O)(micro-SbS4)]infinity (2) were synthesized; the structure of 1 contains discrete [Sm(en)4]3+ and [SbS4]3 ions, while 2 consists of neutral [Sm(en)3(H2O) (micro-SbS4)] one-dimensional chains.

To investigate the expression of apoptosis-related protein Bcl-w in adenocarcinoma of the small intestine, and the apoptotic effect of Bcl-w siRNA on small intestinal adenocarcinoma cells HuTu-80.Forty-two tissue samples were examined in our study, including 7 cases from human small intestinal adenocarcinoma, and 35 cases from normal small intestine served as control. The expression of Bcl-w was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Western blot analysis was performed to confirm whether Bcl-w siRNA could effectively down-regulate Bcl-w protein after HuTu-80 cells were transfected with Bcl-w siRNA. The cells were treated with chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fu to observe whether Bcl-w protein-silecing affects the pro-apoptotic effect of 5-Fu. Flow cytometry analysis was used for assessment of apoptotic rate of HuTu-80 cells cultured with Bcl-w siRNA alone, with 5-Fu alone, and with combination of Bcl-w siRNA and 5-Fu, using untreated HuTu-80 cells as control.The positive rate of Bcl-w expression was significantly higher in small intestinal adenocarcinoma than that in normal tissue (85.7% vs. 25.7%, P=0.005). Compared with the control group, Bcl-w siRNA transfection effectively down-regulated the expression of Bcl-w protein (P0.05). The apoptosis in HuTu-80 cells was not increased significantly in Bcl-w-/-cells compared with that of control group (12.4±2.2)% vs. (8.6±1.7)% (P0.05). However, compared with the 5-Fu group, the apoptosis in HuTu-80 cells was effectively enhanced after combination treatment with Bcl-w siRNA and 5-Fu (45.7±2.1)% vs. (71.6±3.2)% (P0.05).Bcl-w protein plays a significant role in the carcinogenesis of human small intestinal adenocarcinoma. Down-regulation of Bcl-w protein in small intestine adenocarcinoma HuTu-80 cells leads them susceptible to 5-Fu.

Given that the studies on human small intestinal stromal tumors are very limited, our study was designed to determine the significance of apoptosis, the role of some apoptosis-related proteins, including Bax, Bad, Bid, Bcl-2, Bcl-Xl, and Bcl-W, in jejunal stromal tumors (JST). For this purpose, 52 samples were examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling and immunohistochemistry, including 40 cases from normal jejunum and 12 cases from the JST. The results showed that a significantly decreased apoptosis was observed in JST compared with normal jejunum (median of apoptotic index, 0.13% vs 15.17%, p0.001). In univariate analysis, statistically significant differences were shown in percentage of positive-expression of Bid (0.0% vs 77.5%, p0.001), Bcl-2 (91.7% vs 42.5%, p = 0.003), and Bcl-Xl (75.0% vs 35.0%, p = 0.014), but not in Bax, Bad, and Bcl-W. Moreover, Bcl-Xl was an independent parameter associated with JST by multivariate Logistic analysis. For the role of ratios of anti-apoptotic proteins to pro-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio was the most preferable index. In conclusion, decreased apoptosis and expression of Bid, increased level of Bcl-Xl may play some important roles in human JST, and Bcl-Xl/Bid ratio may be as a new potentially associated index, although they should be validated in more studies.

Gold electrodes, on which multilayered metal–TTF derivatives (M–TTFS4) were assembled, exhibit a redox activity, and the redox potentials are sensitive to the metal ions being coordinated. The M–TT...

Apoptosis is a physiological process that an organism selectively eliminates cells that are no longer needed, or have been damaged, or are dangerous. Bcl-xL, an important member of the Bcl-2 family that plays indispensable roles in regulating cell survival and apoptosis, is frequently over-expressed in various kinds of human cancers. The inhibition of this molecule is associated with decreased tumorigenesis and resistance to conventional chemotherapy. This article briefly reviews some progresses in the study of Bcl-xL in the past few years.