[Discussion on classification and diagnostic nomenclature of burn infection].

Infection is the most common complication after burn injury and one of the leading causes of death in burn patients. Thus, how to effectively prevent the occurrence and development of infection is an important task in treating burns. Till now, there are still many controversies in the clinical definition, diagnosis, and treatment of infection, especially burn infection. The authors of this article put forward their opinions and views on this subject, hoping to deepen the readers' understanding of burn infection.

[Exosomal FZD10 derived from non-small cell lung cancer cells promotes angiogenesis of human umbilical venous endothelial cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of exosomal FZD10 derived from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells on angiogenesis of human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) and explore the possible mechanism. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of FZD10 in two NSCLC cell lines (95D and H1299 cells), normal human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) and their exosomes isolated by ultracentrifugation. Cultured HUVECs were treated with the exosomes derived from NSCLC cells or NSCLC cells transfected with FZD10-siRNA, and the changes in tube formation ability of the cells were analyzed using an in vitro angiogenesis assay. ELISA was performed to determine the concentration of VEGFA and Ang-1 in the conditioned media of HUVECs, and RT-qPCR was used to analyze the mRNA levels of VEGFA and Ang-1 in the HUVECs. The effects of exosomal FZD10 on the activation of PI3K, Erk1/2 and YAP/TAZ signaling pathways were evaluated using Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with BEAS-2B cells and their exosomes, 95D and H1299 cells and their exosomes all expressed high levels of FZD10 (P < 0.01). The exosomes derived from 95D and H1299 cells significantly enhanced tube formation ability and increased the expressions of VEGFA and Ang-1 protein and mRNA in HUVECs (P < 0.01), but FZD10 knockdown in 95D and H1299 cells obviously inhibited these effects of the exosomes. Exosomal FZD10 knockdown suppressed the activation of PI3K and Erk1/2 signaling pathways, but had no obvious effect on the activation of YAP/TAZ signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Exosomal FZD10 derived from NSCLC cells promotes HUVEC angiogenesis in vitro, the mechanism of which may involve the activation of PI3K and Erk1/2 signaling pathways.

[Effects of porcine acellular dermal matrix combined with human epidermal stem cells on wound healing of full-thickness skin defect in nude mice].

Objective: To explore the effects of porcine acellular dermal matrix (ADM) combined with human epidermal stem cells (ESCs) on wound healing of full-thickness skin defect in nude mice. Methods: The morphology of porcine ADM was analyzed by photograph of digital camera, the cell residues in porcine ADM were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the surface structure of porcine ADM was observed by scanning electron microscope, the secondary structure of porcine ADM was analyzed by infrared spectrometer, the porcine ADM particle size was analyzed by dynamic light scattering particle size analyzer, and the porcine ADM potential was analyzed by nano-particle size potentiometer. The morphology of porcine ADM was observed by inverted fluorescence microscope when it was placed in culture medium for 30 min, 1 d, and 5 d (n=2). The porcine ADM was divided into 5 min group, 10 min group, 20 min group, 30 min group, 60 min group, and 120 min group according to the random number table (the same grouping method below) in static state at normal temperature for the corresponding time to calculate the water absorption by weighing method (n=3). Swiss white mouse embryonic fibroblasts (Fbs) were divided into blank control group (culture medium only), and 50.0 g/L ADM extract group, 37.5 g/L ADM extract group, 25.0 g/L ADM extract group, 12.5 g/L ADM extract group, and 6.5 g/L ADM extract group which were added with the corresponding final concentrations of ADM extract respectively. At post culture hour (PCH) 24, 48, and 72, the cell survival rate was detected by cell counting kit 8 and the cytotoxicity was graded (n=5). The erythrocytes of a 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley male rat were divided into normal saline group, ultra-pure water group, and 5 mg/mL ADM extract group, 10 mg/mL ADM extract group, and 15 mg/mL ADM extract group which were treated with the corresponding final concentrations of porcine ADM extract respectively. After reaction for 3 h, the absorbance value of hemoglobin was detected by microplate reader to represent the blood compatibility of porcine ADM (n=3). ESCs were isolated and cultured from the discarded prepuce of a 6-year-old healthy boy who was treated in the Department of Urology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (the Third Military Medical University) in July 2020, and then identified by flow cytometry. The porcine ADM particles of composite ESC (hereinafter referred to as ESC/ADM) were constructed by mixed culture. After 3 days of culture, the composite effect of ESC/ADM was observed by HE staining and laser scanning confocal microscope. Thirty-six 7-8-week-old male non-thymic nude mice were divided into phosphate buffer solution (PBS) alone group, ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group, with 9 mice in each group, and the wound model of full-thickness skin defect was established. Immediately after injury, the wounds were treated with the corresponding reagents at one time. On post injury day (PID) 1, 7, 11, and 15, the wound healing was observed and the wound healing rate was counted (n=3). On PID 7, the epithelialization of wounds was observed by HE staining and the length of un-epithelialized wound was measured (with this and the following sample numbers of 4). On PID 11, the dermal area and collagen deposition of wounds were observed by Masson staining and the dermal area of wound section was calculated, the number of cells expressing CD49f, a specific marker of ESC, was calculated with immunofluorescence staining, the mRNA expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in ESC after wound transplantation was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, and least significant difference t test. Results: The porcine ADM was white particles and composed of reticular structure, with no cells inside, disordered structure, and rough surface. The absorption peak of porcine ADM appeared at the wave numbers of 1 659, 1 549, and 1 239 cm-1, respectively. The main particle size distribution of porcine ADM in solution was 500 to 700 nm, with negative charge on the surface. The morphology of porcine ADM in static state at 30 min and on 1 and 5 d was relatively stable. The water absorption of porcine ADM remained relatively high level in static state from 30 min to 120 min. The cytotoxicity of mouse embryonic Fbs in 6.5 g/L ADM extract group, 12.5 g/L ADM extract group, and 25.0 g/L ADM extract group was grade 1 at PCH 24, and the cytotoxicity of the other groups was 0 grade at each time point. After reaction for 3 h, the absorbance value of hemoglobin of erythrocytes in ultra-pure water group was significantly higher than the values in normal saline group and 15 mg/mL ADM extract group (with t values of 8.14 and 7.96, respectively, P<0.01). After 3 days of culture, the cells of the fourth passage showed pebble-like morphology, with low expression of CD71 and high expression of CD49f, which were identified as ESCs. There was ESC attachment and growth on porcine ADM particles. On PID 1, the wound sizes of nude mice were almost the same in PBS alone group, ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group. On PID 7, 11, and 15, the wound contraction of nude mice in each group was observed, especially in ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group. On PID 7, the wound healing rates of nude mice in ESC alone group and ESC/ADM group were significantly higher than the rate in PBS alone group (with t values of 2.83 and 4.72 respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). On PID 11, the wound healing rate of nude mice in ESC/ADM group was significantly higher than that in PBS alone group (t=4.86, P<0.01). On PID 15, the wound healing rates of nude mice in ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group were significantly higher than the rate in PBS alone group (with t values of 2.71, 2.90, and 3.23 respectively, P<0.05). On PID 7, the length of un-epithelialized wound of nude mice in ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group was (816±85), (635±66), and (163±32) µm, respectively, which were significantly shorter than (1 199±43) µm in PBS alone group (with t values of 5.69, 10.19, and 27.54 respectively, P<0.01). On PID 11, the dermal areas of wound section of nude mice in ADM alone group, ESC alone group, and ESC/ADM group were significantly larger than the area in PBS alone group (with t values of 27.14, 5.29, and 15.90 respectively, P<0.01); the collagen production of nude mice in ADM alone group and ESC/ADM group was more obvious than that in PBS alone group, and the collagen production of nude mice in ESC alone group and PBS alone group was similar. On PID 11, in the wounds of nude mice in ESC alone group and ESC/ADM group, the cells with positive expression of CD49f were respectively 135±7 and 185±15, and the mRNA expressions of GAPDH were positive; while there were no expressions of CD49f nor mRNA of GAPDH in the wounds of nude mice in PBS alone group and ADM alone group. Conclusions: ESC/ADM particles can promote the wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in nude mice, which may be related to the improved survival rate of ESCs after transplantation and the promotion of dermal structure rearrangement and angiogenesis by ADM.

[Characteristics of genotype of monogenic nephrolithiasis in Chinese pediatric patients with nephrolithiasis].

Objective: To analyze the genotype characteristics of children with monogenic nephrolithiasis. Methods: The clinical data and genetic test results of 56 children with monogenic nephrolithiasis diagnosed and treated in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2016 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. All pediatric patients were diagnosed by whole exome sequencing, and the genotype characteristics of the children were analyzed. Results: Among 56 children with monogenic nephrolithiasis, there were 39 males and 17 females, with an average age of 4 years (range, 5 months to 14 years). A total of 11 genes were found to have mutations, including 7 autosomal recessive genes, 1 X-linked recessive gene, and 3 genes with both recessive and dominant, of which HOGA1 gene mutation was the most common (16 cases, 28.6%), followed by AGXT gene (15 cases, 26.8%), SLC3A1 gene (6 cases, 10.7%), SLC7A9 gene (5 cases, 8.9%) and GRHPR gene (5 cases, 8.9%). The mutation types included nonsense mutations, frameshift mutations and splicing mutations, with 14 novel mutations. Genes such as AGXT, GRHPR and HOGA1 have hotspot mutations or hotspot mutation regions, which are c. 815-816 insGA and c. 33dupC mutation, c.864-865delTG mutation and c. 834-834+1 mutation region; SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 genes had 9 novel mutations, but no hotspot mutation or hotspot regions were found. Conclusion: Monogenic nephrolithiasis is rare and mostly autosomal recessive in Chinese children, with mutations in the causative genes HOGA1, AGXT, SLC3A1,SLC7A9 and GRHPR. AGXT, GRHPR and HOGA1 genes have hotspot mutations or hotspot mutation regions, and mutations may have ethnic differences.

Maternal and Fetal Outcomes in Caesarean Sectıons Repeated Fourth and Fıfth Tımes

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the maternal and fetal outcomes associated with caesarean sections (CS) repeated fourth and fifth times. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 110 patients undergoing CS repeated fourth and fifth times between May 2014 and May 2015. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 had CS repeated four times (n = 90) and group 2 had CS repeated five times (n = 20), and the maternal and fetal outcomes of the groups were retrospectively evaluated. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between fourth and fifth CS groups with regard to the maternal age, gravida, body mass index, gestational age at birth, birth-weight, and Apgar scores at 5 minutes (p > 0.05). We found no significant differences between the fourth and fifth CS groups in terms of injury to peripheral organs, intra-abdominal adhesions, caesarean hysterectomy, uterine dehiscence or rupture, time during operation, length of hospital stay, and need for blood transfusions (p > 0.05). Compared with the elective cases, perioperative complications and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the urgent group (p = 0.034 and p = 0.005). Conclusion: Women with CS repeated four or five times have increased risks for perioperative complications. Placenta previa with or without accreta and intra-abdominal adhesions seem to be the major causes of increased morbidity.

Interplay between electronic and structural properties in the Pb/Ag(1 0 0) interface.

We report an investigation of the structural and electronic properties of a Pb monolayer (ML) grown on Ag(1 0 0), by combining x-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). The Pb atoms are found to arrange in a pseudo-hexagonal adlayer commensurate to the underlying square Ag substrate, resulting in a coincidence cell with c([Formula: see text]) periodicity. The electronic structure of the Pb ML in proximity of the Fermi level consists in three p-derived bands, which show different degrees of hybridization with the substrate for their different orbital characters. In particular, we report that the p xy states disperse without forming energy gap, in contrast to previous ARPES studies of the Pb ML on different metallic substrates. We attribute the absence of energy gap to the commensurability between substrate and adlayer, resulting in a higher two-dimensionality of the Pb ML.

Phylogeography of pink pineapple mealybugs, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) reveals the history of pineapple introduction and cultivation in China.

The pink pineapple mealybug (PPM), Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a widespread plant-sucking insect of considerable concern because it transmits the pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus. Its distribution is closely linked with its host, the pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill] because of its wingless and parthenogenetic characteristics. To investigate the history of D. brevipes introduction and the cultivation of pineapple in China, samples of D. brevipes were collected from the main pineapple production region in China, and from Thailand, and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was analyzed. Homologous sequences of D. brevipes COI from Brazil, Thailand, and Philippines that are deposited in GenBank were compared. Phylogenetic analyses suggest there are close genetic relationships between PPM populations from Hawaii, Brazil, the Philippines, and from Thailand and China, which probably originate from South America. It is suggested that most PPMs in China were introduced from South America by way of Southeast Asia, being accompanied by the pineapple seedling. Conversely, some PPMs represented by Haplotype-WN from Wanning of China, and Lampang of Thailand were found to differ greatly from populations in Hawaii, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, and China. It is possible that another route was used for the introduction and distribution of pineapple, or that pineapple might have originated in Southeast Asia.

Lipoprotein lipase deficiency leads to α-synuclein aggregation and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 reduction.

We have previously reported that presynaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline have been found in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficient mice, but the mechanism remains to be elucidated. Accumulating evidence supported that α-synuclein (α-syn) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) are required for normal synaptic and cognitive function. In this study, we found that α-syn aggregated and the expression of UCHL1 decreased in the brain of LPL deficient mice. Reduction of UCHL1 was resulted from nuclear retention of DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase 1 in LPL knockout mice. Reverse changes were found in cultured cells overexpressing LPL. Furthermore, deficiency of LPL increased ubiquitination of α-syn. These results indicated that aggregation of α-syn and reduction of UCHL1 expression in LPL-deficient mice may affect synaptic function.

Post-operative central nervous system infections after cranial surgery in China: incidence, causative agents, and risk factors in 1,470 patients.

A post-operative central nervous system infection (PCNSI) is a dangerous complication after cranial surgery. Although a large number of neurosurgical procedures are performed in hospitals in China, PCNSI-related data from this country are rarely reported. To address this issue, we examined the incidence of PCNSI after cranial surgery, the potential risk factors, and the offending etiologic agents in a large Chinese population. The medical records and post-operative courses for patients >16 years of age who underwent elective or emergency cranial surgeries between May 2010 and May 2012 and who survived for >7 days were reviewed retrospectively. Pre-operative data, surgery-related records, and post-operative variables were evaluated as risk factors for PCNSI after cranial surgery. Among 1,470 surgeries, 1,340 were craniotomies and 130 involved the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). There were 109 patients with PCNSIs, resulting in a total infection rate of 7.4 %. The dominant Gram-positive organism isolated (Staphylococcus aureus) was the most common pathogen isolated. Based on multivariate analysis, the risk of PCNSI was increased by a CSF leak [odds ratio (OR), 3.545; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 2.053-6.122; p < 0.001], CSF drainage of any kind (OR, 2.858; 95 % CI, 1.577-5.181; p = 0.001), subsequent short-term surgery (OR, 2.224; 95 % CI, 1.229-4.024; p = 0.008), and surgery duration (OR, 1.331; 95 % CI, 1.230-1.440; p < 0.001). PCNSI remains a critical problem for neurosurgeons in China. CSF leakage, CSF drainage of any kind, subsequent short-term surgery, and surgery duration were major risk factors, indicating that surgery-focused management might be the most effective way to minimize the risk for PCNSI after cranial surgery.

Angioarchitectural characteristics associated with complications of embolization in supratentorial brain arteriovenous malformation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Embolization is an important therapeutic technique in brain arteriovenous malformations; however, little has been reported on the factors contributing to complications. We retrospectively reviewed a large series of supratentorial brain AVMs to identify the angioarchitectural characteristics that might be associated with the complications of embolization and poor clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and angiographic features of 130 consecutive patients with supratentorial brain AVMs embolized with ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer in our hospital from 2005-2008 were retrospectively reviewed. None of these patients had prior embolization. Complications were classified as transient neurologic deficits, persistent neurologic deficits, and death. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the angiographic features in patients with and without complications. RESULTS: Twenty-three complications occurred in 130 embolization procedures, 13 (10%) were transient neurologic deficits (9 ischemic and 4 hemorrhagic), 9 (6.92%) were persistent neurologic deficits (7 ischemic and 2 hemorrhagic), and 1 death occurred. By univariate analyses, eloquent cortex (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.08-3.42) and exclusive deep venous drainage (OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.28-9.67) were correlated with procedural complications. The impaction of eloquent cortical location (P = .001) and exclusive deep venous drainage (P = .035) on complications were also demonstrated by multivariate analysis. Eloquent cortex mainly resulted in permanent ischemic neurologic deficit; occlusion of drainage vein was significantly correlated with periprocedural hemorrhage in supratentorial brain AVMs with subtotal and partial embolization. CONCLUSIONS: In a retrospective study on supratentorial brain AVMs with first-time embolization, 6.92% of patients had permanent neurologic deficit or death. Eloquent cortical location and exclusive deep venous drainage were associated with complications.

First Report of Fusarium mangiferae Causing Mango Malformation in China.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) malformation caused by Fusarium mangiferae has been reported in many mango-growing regions of the world (3). The disease was also observed in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces of China (1). Typical symptoms in seedlings included loss of apical dominance, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of vegetative buds, shortened internodes, and leaves that were more brittle than those of healthy plants. Inflorescences were abnormally branched and thickened, with panicles producing as much as two to five times the normal number of flowers. Flowers in the malformed inflorescence were much more enlarged and crowded than the generally hypertrophied axes of the panicle, thus producing no fruit or aborting early. To identify the pathogen, samples of malformed and healthy mango seedlings were collected from the affected plantings. For isolation, portions of stems were cut into 3- to 4-mm segments, surface disinfested, dried, and then plated on potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25°C. Within 5 days, white, fluffy, aerial mycelium developed. With the aid of an inverted microscope, single conidia were transferred to carnation leaf agar (CLA) medium. After 10 days of incubation, morphological characteristics were found to be identical to those of F. mangiferae (4). Aerial mycelium was white with no pigmentation observed on potato sucrose agar. Pigmentation on rice medium was pink. On CLA medium, conidia grew in branched conidiophores with false heads bearing monophialides or polyphialides. No conidiospores in chains were observed. Microconidia were ovate to long and oval, 0 to 1 septate, and 3.1 to 10.2 × 1.5 to 2.2 µm. Macroconidia are falculate, 3 to 5 septate, and 18 to 38 × 1.8 to 2.4 µm. Chlamydospores were not observed. Pathogenicity studies were conducted with 7-month-old asymptomatic mango seedlings. These seedlings, except for the controls, were inoculated by injection of the isolated fungus in the axillary or apical bud position. A 1-ml spore suspension (1 × 106 spores/ml) was injected slowly into the stems using a microsyringe with three buds per seedling, for a total of 10 seedlings. Typical malformation symptoms developed within 3 to 4 months, and none of the plants inoculated with sterile water resulted in malformation symptoms. Reisolations from the induced malformed shoots yielded the same fungus, and no fungal growth was observed to be growing from the control plants. To confirm identity of the causal fungus, the gene encoding translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α) was amplified and sequenced (2). The EF-1α sequence was 660 bp long. The sequence (GenBank Accession No. HM068871) was 99.68% similar to sequences of FD_01167 in the Fusarium ID database. On the basis of symptoms, fungal morphology, the EF-1α region sequence, and pathogenicity testing, this fungus was identified as F. mangiferae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. mangiferae causing mango malformation in China. This report will establish a foundation for further study of F. mangiferae and effectively addressing the disease. References: (1) X. H. Chen. Pract. Technol. (in Chinese) 6:5, 1992. (2) D. M. Geiser et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 110:473, 2004. (3) J. Kumar et al. Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 31:217, 1993. (4) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA, 2006.

A prospective study of early versus late craniectomy after traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Decompressive craniectomy is an important method for managing traumatic brain injury (TBI). At present, controversies about this procedure exist, especially about the optimum operative time for patients with TBI. METHODS: A prospective study was performed at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University. From January 2008 to December 2009, 25 patients who underwent early decompressive craniectomy were included in the study group, and 19 patients who underwent "late" decompressive craniectomy as a second-tier therapy for intracranial hypertension were included as a comparison group. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality after the operation was 16% in the study group. The overall mortality rate was 20% at the 6-month follow-up. A total of 52% of the patients (13 patients) had good outcomes, and 7 patients remained in a severely disabled or vegetative state. In the comparison group, 4 patients died, and 12 had good outcomes at the 6-month follow-up. The remaining 3 patients had poor outcomes. The study group was well matched with the comparison group. However, the outcomes in the study group were not better than those in the comparison group, as evaluated by the 6-month GOS score. CONCLUSION: Early decompressive craniectomy as a first-tier therapy for intracranial hypertension did not improve patient outcome when compared with "late" decompressive craniectomy for managing TBI.

Sella turcica anatomy by three-dimensional computed tomography for an endonasal transsphenoidal approach to pituitary adenoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the anatomic landmarks of sella turcica on the surface of the head, and to investigate the feasibility of studying sella turcica anatomy individually by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) before an endonasal transsphenoidal operation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The three-dimensional anatomic structures of the heads of 49 patients were studied by 3D-CT using image reconstruction with surgical clip image registration. The tip of the nose and the apex of the ear helix were used as surface markers on the head, and the locations of the sphenoid sinus and sellar floor with respect to a line defined by these 2 markers were investigated. Using an endonasal transsphenoidal approach with a surgical trajectory guided by the nose tip-ear apex line and 3D-CT anatomic images of the sella turcica, 12 patients with pituitary adenoma were treated surgically. RESULTS: The nose tip-ear apex line passed through the sphenoid sinus in 100% of the cases and through the sellar floor in 41.4% of the cases. The mean distance from the sellar floor clivus point perpendicularly to the nose tip-ear apex line was 3.5±2.0 mm. The 3D-CT imaging clearly showed the configuration of the sphenoid sinus, bone septum, optic protuberance, carotid protuberance and the sellar floor. 12 pituitary adenomas were resected totally. CONCLUSION: The nose tip-ear apex line provides a precise, simple, and practical tool for orienting the sphenoid sinus, sellar floor and surgical trajectory of the endonasal transsphenoidal approach. 3D-CT images more clearly and intuitively display the sella turcica anatomy. Preoperative 3D-CT increases the surgeon's confidence in endonasal transsphenoidal operations and should be routinely performed in patients with pituitary adenomas.

Thermal stability of corrugated epitaxial graphene grown on Re(0001).

We report on a novel approach to determine the relationship between the corrugation and the thermal stability of epitaxial graphene grown on a strongly interacting substrate. According to our density functional theory calculations, the C single layer grown on Re(0001) is strongly corrugated, with a buckling of 1.6 Å, yielding a simulated C 1s core level spectrum which is in excellent agreement with the experimental one. We found that corrugation is closely knit with the thermal stability of the C network: C-C bond breaking is favored in the strongly buckled regions of the moiré cell, though it requires the presence of diffusing graphene layer vacancies.

Solitary intracerebral chondroma without meningeal attachment: a case report with review of the literature.

Intracranial chondromas are rare, benign cartilaginous tumours that account for < 0.3% of primary intracranial tumours. They usually originate from the basal synchondrosis and are extradural though, extremely rarely, they can be intracerebral. Here the case of a 45-year old female is presented with a solitary intracerebral chondroma located in the right frontal lobe with no meningeal attachment. The epidemiology, aetiology, clinical behaviour, radiological features, histological features and treatment of the case are discussed with a review of previous cases reported in the literature.

Isolated primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thoracic spine: a case report with a review of the literature.

A case of isolated primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the spine is presented along with a review of previous cases reported in the literature. An 80-year old immunocompetent man was admitted with progressive numbness and weakness of both lower extremities of 2 weeks' duration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervicothoracic spine revealed an extradural spinal mass at the T1 - T3 level, with invasion into the T3 vertebral body. The lesion was at first thought to be a metastatic tumour. Because of the manifestations of compression, the patient underwent laminectomy and posterior decompression. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. All other investigations (including computed tomography of the chest and abdomen, bone scan, peripheral blood examination and tumour marker examination) were negative for occult disease. This case demonstrates that neurosurgeons should be aware of the occurrence of isolated primary spinal lymphoma, which should be included in the differential diagnosis of metastatic tumours.

GluN2B subunits of the NMDA receptor contribute to the AMPA receptor internalization during long-term depression in the lateral amygdala of juvenile rats.

The lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) is a critical structure involved in fear conditioning. We recently showed that regulated exocytosis and endocytosis of postsynaptic A-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate subtype of glutamate receptors (AMPARs) are involved in the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype glutamate receptors (NMDARs) dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in coronal slices of the LA. However, the molecular mechanisms of this effect remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of distinct NMDAR subtypes in the endocytosis of AMPARs during LTD expression at the synapses of the thalamic inputs to the LA neurons. Here we show that the NMDARs antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (D-APV) blocked the induction of LTD and thus prevented endocytosis of surface AMPARs, indicating that NMDAR activation enhanced the internalization of AMPARs in LTD expression. Furthermore, the selective blocking of GluN2B-containing NMDARs completely abolished the NMDAR-induced AMPAR endocytosis, whereas preferential inhibition of GluN2A-containing NMDARs did not block the NMDAR-induced AMPAR endocytosis during LTD expression. These results suggest that there exist a preferred NMDAR subtype for AMPAR internalization and activation of GluN2B-containing NMDARs represent the predominate pathway triggered during the early stages of this NMDAR-induced endocytosis of AMPARs during LTD in the thalamic inputs to the LA of juvenile rats.

Multiple microRNAs modulate p21Cip1/Waf1 expression by directly targeting its 3' untranslated region.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A), also known as p21Cip1/Waf1, is a master downstream effector of tumor suppressors. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate through a high-throughput luciferase reporter screen that p21Cip1/Waf1 can be directly targeted by nearly 28 microRNAs (miRNAs). The results were further confirmed by a series of mutational analyses and luciferase reporter assays. These 28 miRNAs can substantially inhibit p21Cip1/Waf1 expression, predominantly at translational level. Many of these miRNAs were upregulated in cancers and might serve as modulators of oncogenesis. Furthermore, 8 of these 28 p21-regulating miRNAs are located in the chromosome 19 miRNA cluster, the largest miRNA gene cluster in humans, and they can clearly promote cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression in choriocarcinoma cells. In conclusion, our screening strategy provides an alternative approach to uncovering miRNA modulators of an individual mRNA, and it has identified multiple miRNAs that can suppress p21Cip1/Waf1 expression by directly targeting its 3' untranslated region.