Engineering application of aerobic methane oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs): a review / 生物工程学报

Aerobic methane oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) can use methane as carbon source and energy source, eliminating 10%-20% of global methane. Methanotrophs can also effectively synthesize valuable methane-derived products. This article introduced the methane oxidizing mechanism of methanotrophs, and summarized the practical application and research hotspots of methanotrophs in the field of methane emission reduction in the landfill, ventilation air methane mitigation in coal mines, valuable chemicals biosynthesis, as well as oil and gas reservoir exploration. Main factors influencing the pollutant removal and the biosynthesis efficiency in various applications were also discussed. Based on the study of large-scale cultivation of methanotrophs, some measures to benefit the application and promotion of aerobic methane oxidizing biotechnology were proposed. This includes investigating the effect of intermediate metabolites on methanotrophs activity and population structure, and exploiting economical and efficient alternative culture media and culture techniques.

Clinicopathologic features of blood vessel invasion in patients with gastric cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between blood vessel invasion (BVI) and clinicopathologic features and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer,and analyze related factors affecting the prognosis of patients.Methods The clinicopathological data of 206 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2007 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.The BVI of surgical tumor specimens in all patients was detected by immunohistochemical staininng.All the patients were followed up via outpatient examination and telephone interview up to March 2014.The count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method.The survival analysis and univariate analysis were done using the Log-rank test,and multivariate analysis was done using the COX regression model.Results The BVI rate of 206 patients was 27.67％ (57/206).The BVI rate of tumor tissues,tumor differentiation,perineural invasion,T stage,N stage and TNM stage in all patients with gastric cancer were compared,showing significant differences (x2=14.396,9.569,15.579,43.453,30.732,P ＜ 0.05).After operation,188 patients were followed up for 6.0-60.0 months (median,34.0 months),with the follow-up rate of 91.26％ (188/206).Among 188 patients with follow-up,the median survival time and 5-year cumulative survival rate in patients with BVI and with negative BVI were 32.4 months and 19.6％,40.7 months and 42.0％,respectively,with a significant difference in the survival of patients (x2 =9.364,P ＜ 0.05).The results of univariate analysis showed that the diameter of tumor,tumor differentiation,perineural invasion,BVI,T stage,N stage and TNM stage were factors affecting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (x2=9.241,17.486,11.243,9.364,27.666,216.745,49.887,P ＜ 0.05).The results of multivariate analysis showed that the diameter of tumormore than 5 cm,BVI,stage T4,stage N3 and stage Ⅲ were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (HR =0.502,0.456,0.052,0.001,0.735; 95％ confidence interval:0.334-0.754,0.289-0.720,0.004-0.664,0.000-0.006,0.159-3.398,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions BVI in patients with gastric cancer is associated with the progression of tumors.The diameter of tumor more than 5cm,BVI,stage T4,stage N3 and stage Ⅲ are independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer,and BVI may be a predictor of poor prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Expression of E-cadherin in the tumor tissue and serum of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To survey E-cadherin (E-cad) expression in tumor tissue and serum of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients, and to observe the clinical significance of their expression.@*METHODS@#Forty-eight samples of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue, 23 samples of erosive esophagitis tissue, 24 samples of normal esophagus tissue and the corresponding sera were obtained. We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect expression of E-cad in the tissues and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to examine expression of E-cad in the serum. Furthermore, we collected complete clinicopathological data from the participating patients.@*RESULTS@#The expression level of E-cad in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue was lower than that in normal esophagus tissues and erosive esophagitis tissues (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression level of E-cad was related to the depth of invasion, the status of lymph node metastasis and the level of differentiation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (P<0.05). The expression level of serum E-cad of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients was obviously higher than that in the serum of normal esophagus controls and erosive esophagitis patients (P<0.05). But the expression level of E-Cad in the serum of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients was unrelated to clinicopathological features. The expression level of E-cad in the tissue was not correlated with that in the serum(P=0.134).@*CONCLUSION@#The expression of E-cad in tissues may assistin the diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The expression of E-cad in the serum may assistin the diagnostic screening of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Evaluation of acute cardiac transplant rejection with targeted myocardial contrast echocardiography / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective To discuss the value of leukocyte-targeted myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) as a tool in observing the degree of acute rejection after heart transplantation. Methods Abdominal heterotopic cardiac transplantation was performed on 32 rats successfully, among which 8 isografts served as group A, and groups B, C and D involved 8 allografts respectively. The rats in groups B and C were treated with cyclosporine A (CsA) at a high dose (10mg· kg-1 · day-1 ), a low dose (3 mg · kg-1 · day-1 ) from 3rd day before transplantation respectively.The rats in groups A and D were untreated with CsA. MCE was performed during continuous intravenous SonoVue injection postoperatively on the third day after operation. We performed 2 types of MCE: perfusion imaging and leukocyte-targeted imaging. The images were obtained at 20 s and 5 min after injection of contrast agent. The value of the contrast image grayscale (GS) was measured by image analyzer (GS20s, GS5 min). GStarget was calculated as the GS5min minus the GS20s in the same rat.Postmortem histology was performed after observation. The degree of myocardial rejection was determined by HE-stained graft myocardium. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify the CD3-positive cells, and correlation analysis was performed between CD3-positive cell count and GS20s,GS5min, GStarget. Results Perfusion imaging showed no significant difference in myocardial GS20s of each group. Leukocyte-Targeted imaging exhibited a clear gradient in these groups (P＜0. 05). There was significant difference in GStarget of each group (P＜0. 001). Postmortem histology showed 0- Ⅰ grade rejection in group A, Ⅰ -Ⅱ grade rejection in group B, Ⅱ-Ⅲ grade rejection in group C, Ⅲ-Ⅳ grade rejection in group D. Immunohistochemistry revealed the CD3-positive cell infiltration was increased in turn from the group A to the group D. There was a significantly positive correlation between the CD3-positive cell count and GStarget ( r = 0. 86, P ＜ 0. 001 ). Conclusion Leukocyte-targeted contrast echocardiography may thus offer a noninvasive and effective ultrasound imaging technique for detecting the degree of acute cardiac transplant rejection.

Expression of HPV L1 protein and p16 in cervical lesions / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To study the expression of HPV L1 protein and p16 in various cervical lesions and to explore the value of HPV L1 protein and p16 immunostaining in predicting the progression from CIN1 to CIN3 and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Methods Expression of HPV L1 protein and p16 in 18 cases of CIN1, 9 cases of CIN2, 8 cases of CIN3 and 6 cases of SCC was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results The average positive rates of HPV L1 protein in cervical lesions were 26.8%, and HPV L1 protein was positive in 38.9% of CIN1 and 44.4% of CIN2, but in 0 of CIN3 and SCC. In contrast, the average positive rate of p16 protein in cervical lesions was 68.3%, p16 protein was positive in 38.9% of CIN1and 77.8% of CIN2, but in 100% of CIN3 and SCC. p16-/HPV L1+ and p16-/HPV L1- cases represented 61.1% of CIN1, but 0 of CIN3 and SCCs, whereas p16+/HPV L1- cases represented 100% of CIN3 and SCC.Conclusions Expression of HPV L1 protein decreases whereas p16 protein increases with lesion progression. p16+/HPV L1- cases have the potential for progression, whereas p16-/HPV L1+ and p16-/HPV L1- cases may not be progressive lesions or potentially in remission.

Health Impacts of Typical Dyes and Pigments / 环境与健康杂志

Potential toxicities of three classes of dyes and pigments were introduced in this review. Some azo/benzidine dyes, anthraquinone dyes and triarylmethane dyes have carcinogenicity,some azo/benzidine dyes and anthraquinone dyes may cause skin irritation, some noncarcinogenic triarylmethane dyes have risk of serious damage to eyes and may exert long term adverse effects on the aquatic environment.