Modulation of gut microbiota during alleviation of antibiotic-associated diarrhea with Zingiberis Rhizoma / 中国中药杂志

This study was aimed to explore the effect of Zingiberis Rhizoma extract on rats with antibiotic-associated diarrhea(AAD), and reveal the modulation of gut microbiota during alleviation of AAD. AAD rat model was successfully established by exposing rats to appropriate antibiotic mixed solution. Peficon(70 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) was used as positive control, then rats were treated with 200 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) and 400 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) of Zingiberis Rhizoma extract for low and high dosage groups of Zingiberis Rhizoma extract, respectively. The weight changes of the rats were observed, and the degree of diarrhea were evaluated by fecal score, 120 min fecal weight and fecal water content. Colon tissues for histopathological examination were stained with hematoxylin and eosin(HE), and 16 S rRNA sequencing analysis of gut microbiota was performed. The results showed that compared with the model group, the degree of diarrhea, indicated by fecal water content, fecal score, and 120 min fecal weight of positive control group, Zingiberis Rhizoma low-dose group and Zingiberis Rhizoma high-dose group were significantly ameliorated. And the treatment of Zingiberis Rhizoma could significantly improve the pathological condition of colon tissue in AAD rats, especially the high dose of Zingiberis Rhizoma. In addition, 16 S rRNA sequencing analysis of gut microbiota showed that the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota were significantly improved and the reco-very of gut microbiota was accelerated after given high-dose of Zingiberis Rhizoma, while no significant changes of alterations were observed after given Pefikon. Of note, compared with the pefikon group, the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota in Zingi-beris Rhizoma high-dose group were significantly elevated. At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes in AAD rats increased and the abundance of Proteobacteria was decreased after the Zingiberis Rhizoma intervention. At the genus level, the abundance of Bacillus spp., Lachnoclostridium and Escherichia coli-Shigella were decreased, and the abundance of Lactobacillus spp., Trichophyton spp., and Trichophyton spp., etc., were increased. While compared with the AAD model group, there was no significant difference of gut microbiota after given Peficon. The results showed that Zingiberis Rhizoma exerted beneficial health effects against AAD, and positively affected the microbial environment in the gut of rats with AAD.

The significance of standardized fetal ultrasonographic screening in the first trimester / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objective To evaluate the significance of standardized ultrasound examination of fetal structures in the ifrst trimester (11-13+6 weeks). Methods The ultrasound data of 29 858 fetuses who underwent the ifrst trimester screening were analyzed retrospectively in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2010 to December 2012 and followed up the cases with structural abnormalities and increased nuchal translucency (NT). Results Among 29 858 fetuses, 328 structural defects were detected in 284 fetuses (0.95%) by ultrasound in the first trimester, including fetal hydrops (124 cases), choroid plexus cysts (36 cases), exencephaly (32 cases), gastroschisis (24 cases), exomphalos (22 cases), cardiac defects (19 cases), megacystis (14 cases), spine abnormalities (10 cases), meningoceles/encephaloceles (9 cases), alobar holoprosencephaly (8 cases), hydrocephaly (7 cases), abnormalities of extremities (7 cases), acrania (6 cases), amniotic band syndrome (4 cases), abdominal cyst (3 cases) and conjoined twins (3 cases). Pregnancy was terminated in all cases (115) with exencephaly, gastroschisis, exomphalos, meningoceles/encephaloceles, alobar holoprosencephaly, hydrocephaly,abnormalities of extremities, acrania, amniotic band syndrome and conjoined twins, and the defects were verified by the gross appearance of fetuses. Two cases of megacystis were turned out to be normal during follow-up while 1 case was proved to be aneuploid and 1 other case progressed to multiple abnormalities during the second trimester. Most choroid plexus cysts, except 1 case of aneuploid, were normal during the second and the third trimester follow-ups by ultrasound. Thirteen cases of fetal hydrops were found to be aneuploids and 4 hydrops cases were proved to be complicated with other structural defects during the second and the third trimester. NT was increased in 422 cases (1.41%), among which 122 cases (28.91%) were complicated with structural defects and/or fetal hydrops. Ninty-nine cases with increased NT underwent chromosomal examination and 38 cases were found to be aneuploides. During the follow-up of 298 cases with increased NT who continued pregnancy, 21 structural abnormalities were found, including cardiac defects (14 cases), neural abnormalities (4 cases) and diaphragmatic hernia (3 cases). Conclusion The standardized fetal ultrasound in the first trimester is a effective tool for the screening of aneupolides and major structural abnormalities.

Clinical and pathologic analysis of astrocytic tumors with loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 10q / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the correlation between loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10q and pathologic features, pathogenesis, prognosis of astrocytic tumors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>LOH on 10q was studied by interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) in 85 cases of astrocytic tumor, including 35 cases of WHO grade II tumors and 50 cases of WHO grade IV tumors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>LOH on 10q was detected in 6 cases (17.1%) of diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grade II) and 34 cases (68.0%) of glioblastoma (WHO grade IV). 10q polysomy was detected in 7 cases (20.0%) of diffuse astrocytoma and 11 cases (22.0%) of glioblastoma. The rates of LOH on 10q in young age group and elderly group were 36.4% (12/33) and 82.4% (28/34), respectively. The difference was of statistical significance (P < 0.05). The rates of LOH on 10q in the diffuse astrocytoma and glioblastoma were 21.4% (6/28) and 87.2% (34/39), respectively. The difference was also statistically significant (P < 0.05). Univariate survival analysis showed that patient age, pathologic grade and 10q on LOH correlated with duration of survival (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>There are correlation between 10q LOH, patient age and pathologic grade of astrocytic tumors. LOH on 10q is also related to the pathogenesis of astrocytic tumors and is helpful in predicting prognosis.</p>

Correlation of amplification of chromosome 1 with histologic typing of thymic epithelial tumors / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the correlation between amplification of chromosome 1 and histological typing and clinical staging of thymic epithelial tumors according to the WHO classification.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Amplification of chromosome 1 was detected by interphase fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) in 60 cases of thymic epithelial tumors, including type A thymoma (2 cases), type AB (19 cases), B1 (4 cases), B2 (14 cases), B3 (11 cases), metaplastic thymoma (2 cases), and thymic carcinoma (8 cases) and 11 samples of normal thymus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Gain on chromosome 1 was found in 19 cases (31.7%) of thymic epithelial tumors, and none was detected in normal thymic tissues (P < 0.05). The positive rates of gain on chromosome 1 were statistically different among various histological subtypes of thymic epithelial tumors (P < 0.05), in which the highest rate of detection was in thymic carcinoma (6/8), the second, type B3 (6/11), followed by type A (1/2), type AB (4/19), type B2 (2/14) and type B1 (0). The positive rate of gain on chromosome 1 in type B3 had no statistical difference from thymic carcinoma (P > 0.05), but significantly higher than that in other types of thymoma (P < 0.05). In addition, the polysomy rate of chromosome 1 was significantly different among the thymic epithelial tumors at different clinical stages (P = 0.023), and that at stages III and IV was statistically higher than that in stages I and II (P = 0.003) but there was no significant difference between stage I and stage II tumors (P = 0.750).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Gain on chromosome 1 is more common in thymic carcinoma and type B3 thymoma than that in other subtypes of thymic epithelial tumors. Thymoma of type B3 may have different genetic features from other subtypes. Detection of gain on chromosome 1 by FISH is helpful in the differential diagnosis and prediction of prognosis in patients with thymic epithelium tumors.</p>

Prepubertal-type vulva fibroma: a clinicopathological study of two cases / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathological features, immnophenotype and differential diagnosis of prepubertal-type vulva fibroma (PVF).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Clinical, radiological and pathological features of 2 cases of PVF were analyzed along with a literature review.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both patients were females of 8.5 and 54 years of age, presented with recurrent unilateral mass at the labium major respectively. Grossly, cut surface of the tumor appeared as the gray fibrous tissue without any definited lump detected. Histologically, the ill-circumscribed lesion located predominantly in the deep dermis with an extension into the subcutaneous tissue. They had a low cell density consisting of scattered spindle shaped fibroblast-like cells and a large amount of collagen fiber matrix, nuclear atypia not seen and mitotic figures scanty. The tumor cells extended downward under the epithelium and infiltrated between the fat tissue, nerve fibers as well as the capillaries making a lesion looked somewhat like a harmatoma. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells were uniformly positive for vimentin, weakly positive for CD34, and negative for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), muscle specific actin (HHF35), desmin, h-caldesmon, CD99, S-100 protein, bcl-2, beta-catenin, estrogen and progesterone receptors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PVF is a benign mesenchymal lesion with a predilection of involving the vulva of prepubertal girls or adults in rare cases. PVF may represent an overgrowth of normal stromal tissue of vulva. Approximately one third of the tumors develop local recurrence due to incomplete excision, however, there is also occasionally spontaneous regression.</p>

Clinicopathologic analysis of 52 cases of thymic epithelial tumor / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathologic characteristics of thymic epithelial tumors and to evaluate the diagnostic reproducibility and clinical relevance of the 2004 WHO histologic classification system.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The morphology and immunophenotype of 52 cases of thymic epithelial tumor were reviewed. The tumors were classified according to the new WHO classification system and the clinical data were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 52 cases studied, 45 were thymomas and 7 were thymic carcinomas. Amongst the 45 cases of thymoma, 6 (13.4%) were type A, 15 (33.3%) were type AB, 4 (8.9%) were type B1, 9 (20.0%) were type B2, 9 (20.0%) were type B3 and 2 (4.4%) were metaplastic thymoma. Amongst the 7 cases of thymic carcinoma, 6 were squamous cell carcinomas and 1 was neuroendocrine carcinoma. The commonest presentations were cough and chest pain. Some cases were incidentally discovered by routine physical examination. Thirteen cases (25.0%) of thymoma were associated with myasthenia gravis. CT scan showed that 49 cases (94.2%) were located in the anterior mediastinum. All cases of type A, AB and B1 thymoma and most cases of B2 thymoma appeared as well-defined homogeneous mass, whereas a few cases of type B2 thymoma and most cases of type B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma were poorly demarcated and heterogeneous. According to Masaoka staging system, 20 cases (41.7%) belonged to stage I, 15 cases (31.3%) stage II, 11 cases (22.9%) stage III and 2 cases (4.1%) stage IV. The histologic subtypes of thymic epithelial tumors significantly correlated with the clinical stages (chi(2) = 32.5, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The 2004 revision of WHO histologic classification system for thymic epithelial tumors shows a high degree of reproducibility. Correlation with the radiologic, clinical and prognostic parameters is helpful in determining the management strategy for individual patients.</p>

Profile of chromosomal imbalances in 10 cases of primary alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of chromosomal imbalances of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One-step RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR fusion transcripts in 10 cases of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and in an ARMS cell line. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used to investigate the genomic imbalances in these cases. It was analyzed according to the histological type, pathologic grading, clinical staging, gender and age, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 10 patients with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma showed evidence of increased or decreased DNA sequence copy numbers involving one or more regions of the genome. (1) The frequently gained chromosome arms of ARMS were 12q, 2p, 6p, 6q, 10q, 2q, 4q, 15q, 1p, 9q, 14q and 18q (> or = 30.0%), and the frequently lost chromosome arms of ARMS were 3p, 6p, 20q and 21q (> 30.0%). (2) The frequently gained chromosome arm translocation associated with ARMS were 12q, 10q, 2p, 2q, 6p, 6q, 1p, 4q, 8q, 11q, 14q and 15q (> 30.0%). The frequently lost chromosome arms were 3p, 5q, 6p, 1q, 8p, 11p, 20q and 21q (> 30.0%). (3) There were no correlation between chromosome changes and histological type, pathologic grade, clinical stage, gender and age, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These observations suggest that: (1) 12q, 2p, 6p, 6q, 10q, 2q, 4q, 15q, 1p, 9q, 14q, 18q gain and 3p, 6p, 20q, 21q loss may correlated with ARMS-related carcinogenesis; (2) 12q gain may be correlated with translocation.</p>

Marker-assisted selection and pyramiding for three blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t)1, Pi-b, Pi-ta2, in rice / 生物工程学报

G46B is a promising holding line used for three-lines breeding strategy in hybrid rice, but it is susceptible to blast disease caused by Pyricularia grisea. To improve its blast resistance, three rice varieties, Digu, BL-1, and Pi-4, with blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t), Pi-b, and Pi-ta2, respectively, were used to be crossed with G46B, and 15 plants with these three blast resistance genes, Pi-d(t)1, Pi-b, and Pi-ta2, were selected from their F2 and B1C1 populations via a marker-aided crossing procedure. Among them, four plants were heterozygotes in the three resistance genes, with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 pi-d(t)/Pi-b pi-b/ Pi-ta2 pi-ta2; ten plants were heterozygotes in two of the three resistance genes, of which six with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 Pi-d(t)1/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 pi-ta2, three with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 pi-d(t)1/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 Pi-ta2, and one with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1pi-d(t)1/Pi-b Pi-b/Pi-ta2 pi-ta2; and only one plant was homozygote in two of the three resistance genes with the genotype of Pi-d(t)1 Pi-d(t)/Pi-b pi-b/Pi-ta2 Pi-ta2. These results demonstrate the capacity of maker-assisted selection (MAS) in gene pyramiding for rice blast resistance and its enhancement for the efficiency in rice resistance breeding.