Novel mutation in ELN gene causes cardiac abnormalities and inguinal hernia: case report.

BACKGROUND: Elastin-driven genetic diseases are a group of complex diseases driven by elastin protein insufficiency and dominant-negative production of aberrant protein, including supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) and autosomal dominant cutis laxa. Here, a Chinese boy with a novel nonsense mutation in the ELN gene is reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 1-year-old boy who presented with exercise intolerance, weight growth restriction with age, a 1-year history of heart murmur, and inguinal hernia. Gene sequencing revealed a novel nonsense mutation in the ELN gene (c.757 C > T (p.Gln253Ter), NM_000501.4). Due to severe branch pulmonary artery stenosis, the reconstruction of the branch pulmonary artery with autologous pericardium was performed. The inguinal hernia repair was performed 3 months postoperatively. After six months of outpatient follow-up, the child recovered well, gained weight with age, and had no special clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: We identified a de novo nonsense mutation in the ELN gene leading to mild SVAS and severe branch pulmonary artery stenosis. A new phenotype of inguinal hernia was also needed to be considered for possible association with the ELN gene. Still, further confirmation will be necessary.

Platelet and ferritin as early predictive factors for the development of macrophage activation syndrome in children with Kawasaki disease: A retrospective case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the early predictive factors for Kawasaki disease complicated with macrophage activation syndrome (KD-MAS). Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study in children with KD from August 2017 to August 2022, involving 28 cases with KD-MAS and 112 cases not developing KD-MAS. Based on the univariate analysis, binary logistic regression was used to identify the early predictive factors for KD-MAS development, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was carried out to obtain the optimal cut-off value. Results: Two predictive factors were associated with the development of KD-MAS, which were PLT (OR = 1.013, 95%CI, 1.001-1.026), and serum ferritin (OR = 0.991, 95%CI, 0.982-0.999). The cut-off value of PLT was 110 × 109/L, and the cut-off value of serum ferritin was 548.4 ng/ml. Conclusion: Children with KD who had a PLT count under 110 × 109/L, and a serum ferritin level over 548.4 ng/ml are more likely to develop KD-MAS.

Cellulose-based bio-adsorbent from TEMPO-oxidized natural loofah for effective removal of Pb(II) and methylene blue.

Excessive discharge of inorganic and organic contaminants in water poses a serious threat to the ecosystems. However, most synthetic adsorbents lack cost-effectiveness in terms of preparation. Interestingly, loofah sponge (LS) was a natural absorbent that could effectively remove pollutions in wastewater, but its adsorption capacity is barely satisfactory. Herein, we present a novel strategy of TEMPO-oxidized loofah sponge (TOLS) to boost the adsorption performance of LS. The batch experiments demonstrated that the maximum removal capacity of TOLS for Pb(II) and methylene blue (MB) was 96.6 mg/g and 10.0 mg/g, respectively, which were 3.5 and 1.3 times that of pristine LS. Notably, the continuous-flow reaction testing of the mixed solution revealed that the elimination rate of Pb(II) and MB was still better than 90 % even after 16 h. Such excellent performance was benefit from the enhanced specific surface area and surface carboxyl content of TOLS. This work offers new insights into the rational development of multifunctional and inexpensive cellulose-based bio-adsorbents for wastewater remediation.

Risk Factors for the Development of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in Children With Severe Adenovirus Pneumonia: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Objective: To investigate and analyze the relevant risk factors for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in children with severe adenovirus pneumonia (SAP). Methods: A retrospective study of children with SAP was performed in 30 cases developing HLH and 94 cases not developing HLH from December 2018 to August 2019. The binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors that were significantly associated with the development of HLH after the univariate analysis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to find out the cut-off value for the significant relevant factors. Results: Two factors were associated with the development of HLH, which were the length of fever (OR = 1.331, 95%CI: 1.002-1.769) and triglycerides (TG) (OR = 17.345, 95%CI: 1.358-221.538). The cut-off value of the length of fever was 12.5 days, and the cut-off value of TG was 3.02 mmol/L. Conclusion: Children with SAP who had a duration of fever over 12.5 days and the TG level over 3.02 mmol/L are more likely to develop HLH.

[Clinical features of children with severe adenovirus pneumonia and hemophagocytic syndrome: an analysis of 30 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of children with severe adenovirus pneumonia (SAP) and hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed from the chart review data of 30 children with SAP and HPS who were admitted from January 2014 to June 2019. According to the prognosis, the children were divided into a good prognosis group (n=18) and a poor prognosis group (n=12). RESULTS: Among the 30 children with SAP and HPS, the ratio of male to female was 2:1. The median age of onset was 1 year and 3 months (range 3 months to 5 years), and the mean course of fever was 19±7 d. Of the 30 children, 28 (93%) experienced disease onset in January to June. High-throughput gene detection of serum pathogens showed that 16 (53%) children were positive for human adenovirus type 7 (HAdV-7), and the other 14 (47%) children were positive for HAdV antigen based on immunofluorescence assay for throat swab, with unknown type. Of all 30 children, 29 (97%) had respiratory complications, 24 (80%) had cardiovascular complications, 16 (53%) had gastrointestinal complications, and 9 (30%) had toxic encephalopathy. Eighteen children (60%) improved or recovered and 12 (40%) did not recover (3 died). Compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group had a significantly longer course from onset to diagnosis of HPS (P<0.05), significantly higher levels of fibrinogen and tumor necrosis factor-α (P<0.05), and a significantly lower level of interferon-γ (P<0.05). The mean follow-up time was 6±2 months; 11 (41%) children recovered, 1 (4%) experienced recurrence of HPS, and 15 (56%) had the sequela of post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO). CONCLUSIONS: HPS may be observed in children with SAP, and PIBO is the most common sequela of SAP.

[Coronavirus disease 2019 and hypertension in 2 children].

This article reports the diagnosis and treatment of two children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and hypertension. Case 1 was a boy aged 13 years and 3 months, with the main manifestations of fever and dry cough; chest CT showed ground-glass opacities, and the nucleic acid test of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) yielded a positive result. Case 2 was a boy aged 13 years and 8 months and had no clinical symptoms; chest CT showed no abnormality, while the nucleic acid test of SARS-CoV-2 yielded a positive result. Both cases were shown with family aggregation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. They had obesity and a family history of hypertension. Continuous blood pressure monitoring in the resting state during hospitalization showed that blood pressure was above the 95% reference interval of normal value for children of the same age, and the two boys were given calcium channel blockers or ß-receptor blockers and were then recovered. It is concluded that comprehensive management of children with COVID-19 and underlying cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, should be taken seriously during the epidemic.

Xenotropic and polytropic retrovirus receptor 1 (XPR1) promotes progression of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) via activation of NF-κB signaling.

BACKGROUND: Xenotropic and polytropic retrovirus receptor 1 (XPR1), a previously identified cellular receptor for several murine leukemia viruses, plays a role in many pathophysiological processes. However, the role of XPR1 in human cancers has not yet been characterized. METHODS: Real-time PCR and western blotting assay were used to measure the expression of XPR1 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) tissues. Expression of XPR1 and p65 in clinical specimens was analyzed using immunohistochemical assay. The function of XPR1 on progression of TSCC was explored using in vitro and in vivo experiments. The molecular mechanism by which XPR1 helps to cancer progression was investigated by luciferase reporter activity, ELISA, PKA activity assay, immunofluorescence, western blotting and qPCR assay. RESULTS: Herein, we find that XPR1 is markedly upregulated in TSCC tissues compared to normal tongue tissues. High expression of XPR1 significantly correlates with the malignant features and poor patient survival in TSCC. Ectopic expression of XPR1 increases, while silencing of XPR1 reduces the proliferation, invasion and anti-apoptosis capacities of TSCC cells. Importantly, silencing of XPR1 effectively inhibits the tumorigenecity of TSCC cells. Moreover, we identified that XPR1 increased the concentration of intracellular cAMP and activated PKA. Thus, XPR1 promoted phosphorylation and activation of NF-κB signaling, which is required for XPR1-mediated oncogenic roles and significantly correlates with XPR1 expression in clinical specimens. CONCLUSIONS: These findings uncover a critical role of XPR1 in TSCC progression via activation of NF-κB, and suggest that XPR1 might be a potential prognostic marker or therapeutic target.

H2 Oxidation Mediated by Au1-Doped Vanadium Oxide Cluster Cation AuV2O5+: A Comparative Study with AuCe2O4.

To clarify the relationship between the type of the oxide support and the activity of the gold-doped oxide clusters toward H2 oxidation, a suitable closed-shell system AuV2O5+ is chosen to have a comparative study with AuCe2O4+, the first closed-shell cluster that is reactive toward H2 oxidation. The reaction of AuV2O5+ with H2 was characterized by mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations. The AuV2O5+ cluster is reactive toward H2 leading to the major product of V2O5H2+ (+ Au), whereas the product of AuV2O4+ (+ H2O) is completely absent in the experiment. This is in sharp contrast with the similar reaction system of AuCe2O4+ with H2, in which the formation of H2O was experimentally evidenced. Theoretical calculations revealed that the distinct reaction behaviors between AuV2O5+ and AuCe2O4+ can be attributed to the gold-metal bond strength, which plays an important role in anchoring the gold atom. The weaker Au-V bond promotes the evaporation of Au, which has a negative effect on the total oxidation of H2 to H2O. This comparative study provides molecular-level mechanisms to understand the important roles of the gold-metal bond in the oxidation of hydrogen molecule over metal oxide supports.

Geometric and electronic properties of gold clusters doped with a single oxygen atom.

The adsorption behaviour of a single O atom on Aunq clusters (n = 1-8, q = 0, ±1) was systematically investigated by DFT calculations. Both hybrid and pure GGA functionals (B3LYP and PBE) were used to provide reliable conclusions. The most stable structures of AunOq clusters were obtained by using global optimizations with a genetic algorithm. Cationic clusters tend to become three-dimensional for large clusters, as for Au8O+. The binding of O in AunOq clusters is quite strong, especially in the anionic clusters. The O atom can be bound to one, two, or three Au atoms, obtaining nearly one electron from gold atoms. Similarities have been found between AunOq and Aun+1q in terms of geometric structures and binding energies. Frontier molecular orbitals and the distribution of unpaired spin density on the O atom were discussed, both of which have a close relationship with the activity of the clusters.

MicroRNA-145 Inhibits Cell Migration and Invasion and Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) by Targeting Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the mechanism of miR-145 in targeting connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), which affects the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ESCC cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 50 ESCC tissues and their corresponding normal adjacent esophageal tissue samples were collected. Then, miR-145 expression in both ESCC clinical specimens and cell lines was detected using quantitative real-time PCR. CTGF protein was detected using immunohistochemistry. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was employed to assess the effect of miR-145 on the 3'UTR luciferase activity of CTGF. Eca109 cells were transfected with miR-145 mimics and CTGF siRNA, respectively, and changes in cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected via MTT assay, wound-healing assay, and Transwell assay, respectively. Western blotting assay was used to detect the expression of marker genes related to EMT. RESULTS MiR-145 was significantly down-regulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines compared with normal tissues and cell lines (P<0.05). We found significantly more positively expressed CTGF protein in ESCC tissues was than in normal adjacent esophageal tissues (P<0.01). Dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR-145 can specifically bind with the 3'UTR of CTGF and significantly inhibit the luciferase activity by 55% (P<0.01). Up-regulation of miR-145 or down-regulation of CTGF can suppress the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT process of ESCC cells. CONCLUSIONS MiR-145 was significantly down-regulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines, while the protein expression of CTGF exhibited the opposite trend. MiR-145 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and the EMT process of ESCC cells through targeted regulation of CTGF expression.

Adsorption of a single gold or silver atom on vanadium oxide clusters.

The bonding properties between a single atom and its support have a close relationship with the stability and reactivity of single-atom catalysts. As a model system, the structural and electronic properties of bimetallic oxide clusters MV3Oy(q) (M = Au or Ag, q = 0, ±1, and y = 6-8) are systematically studied using density functional theory. The single noble metal atom Au or Ag tends to be adsorbed on the periphery of the V oxide clusters. Au prefers V sites for oxygen-poor clusters and O sites for oxygen-rich clusters, while Ag prefers O sites for most cases. According to natural population analysis, Au may possess positive or negative charges in the bimetallic oxide clusters, while Ag usually possesses positive charges. The bonding between Au and V has relatively high covalent character according to the bond order analysis. This work may provide some clues for understanding the bonding properties of single noble metal atoms on the support in practical single-atom catalysts, and serve as a starting point for further theoretical studies on the reaction mechanisms of related catalytic systems.

Antiapoptotic Effect of Recombinant HMGB1 A-box Protein via Regulation of microRNA-21 in Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Model in Rats.

The ~80 amino acid A box DNA-binding domain of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein antagonizes proinflammatory responses during myocardial ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. The exact role of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is unknown, but its altered levels are evident in I/R injury. This study examined the roles of HMGB1 A-box and miR-21 in rat myocardial I/R injury model. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six equal groups: (1) Sham; (2) I/R; (3) Ischemic postconditioning (IPost); (4) AntagomiR-21 post-treatment; (5) Recombinant HMGB1 A-box pretreatment; and (6) Recombinant HMGB1 A-box + antagomiR-21 post-treatment. Hemodynamic indexes, arrhythmia scores, ischemic area and infarct size, myocardial injury, and related parameters were studied. Expression of miR-21 was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to quantify apoptosis. Left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximal rate of pressure rise (+dp/dtmax), and decline (-dp/dtmax) showed clear reduction upon treatment with recombinant HMGB1 A-box. Arrhythmia was relieved and infarct area decreased in the group pretreated with recombinant HMGB1 A-box, compared with other groups. Circulating lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels increased in response to irreversible cellular injury, while creatine kinase MB isoenzymes (CK-MB) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were reduced in the I/R group, which was reversed following recombinant HMGB1 A-box treatment. Interestingly, pretreatment with recombinant HMGB1 A-box showed the most dramatic reductions in miR-21 levels, compared with other groups. Significantly reduced apoptotic index (AI) was seen in recombinant HMGB1 A-box pretreatment group and recombinant HMGB1 A-box + antagomiR-21 post-treatment group, with the former showing a more dramatic lowering in AI than the latter. Bax, caspase-8, and CHOP showed reduced expression, and Bcl-2 and p-AKT levels were upregulated in recombinant HMGB1 A-box pretreatment group. Thus, recombinant HMGB1 A-box treatment protects against I/R injury and the mechanisms may involve inhibition of miR-21 expression.

Bacillus fengqiuensis sp. nov., isolated from a typical sandy loam soil under long-term fertilization.

A Gram-staining-positive, endospore-forming, moderately alkaliphilic bacterium, strain NPK15(T), was isolated from a typical sandy loam soil under long-term NPK fertilization in northern China and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain NPK15(T) was found to be meso-diaminopimelic acid and the cell-wall sugars were xylose, glucose and traces of mannose. The only respiratory quinone found in strain NPK15(T) was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0), C(16 : 0) and C(16 : 1)ω6c/C(16 : 1)ω7c. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. Phylogenetic analysis of the strain based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that it was related most closely to 'Bacillus thaonhiensis' KACC 17216 (99.59%), B. songklensis KCTC 13881(T) (99.52%) and B. abyssalis CCTCC AB 2012074(T) (99.00%). DNA-DNA hybridization results indicated that the strain was distinct from other species of the genus Bacillus, the degree of relatedness being 35.4% with B. abyssalis CCTCC AB 2012074(T), 39.7% with B. songklensis KCTC 13881(T) and 51.2% with 'B. thaonhiensis' KACC 17216. The DNA G+C content of strain NPK15(T) was 45.5 mol%. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular analyses identified strain NPK15(T) as a member of a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus fengqiuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NPK15(T) ( = DSM 26745(T) = CCTCC AB 2013156(T)).

[Diversity of carbon source metabolism of microbial community in farmland soils in an arsenic mining area].

By using Biolog technique, this paper studied the diversity of carbon source metabolism of microbial community in three farmland soils with different levels of arsenic (As) in an As mining area, and the relationships between the diversity of the carbon source metabolism and the main soil chemical properties. The total N (TN), total P (TP), total K (TK), organic matter (OM), total Cu, and total Zn contents in the three soils were in the order of medium level As > high level As > low level As. The average well color development (AWCD), Shannon index (H'), Simpson index (D), and McIntosh index (U) of soil microbes were significantly higher in the soils with medium and high levels As than in the soil with low level As. The principal component analysis and the fingerprints of the physiological carbon metabolism of the microbial community in the three soils demonstrated that the microbes in the soils with medium and high levels As had a significantly higher (P<0. 05) utilization rate in carbohydrates and amino acids than the microbes in the soil with low level As. The correlation analysis showed that the AWCD, H', D, and U were significantly positively correlated with the contents of soil TN, TP, OM, total As, total Cu, total Pb, and total Zn (P<0.05), and the canonical correspondence analysis revealed that soil TP, OM, total Pb, total Zn, TN, and pH rather than soil total As were the main soil chemical properties affecting the carbon source metabolism of soil microbial community. It was considered that soil nutrients could be the main factors affecting the community structure and functions of soil microbes in long-term contaminated soils.

[Effects of vegetation on river flow: a review].

Vegetation is a component of the natural river. To understand the interaction between vegetation and water flow is of scientific and practical significance for the protection of wildlife habitats, the control of water body eutrophication, the ecological restoration of rivers and lakes, and the management of riverways. This paper reviewed the researches about the interaction between vegetation and water flow in riverways, summarized the research progress in the effects of the vegetation on the resistance coefficient and water flow structure, and introduced the applications of numerical simulation in this research field. Based on the previous studies, the effects of river section shape, plant individual form, and vegetation distribution pattern on the flow regime of water flow in vegetation section were analyzed. For further study, the importance of deeply understanding the hydraulics mechanisms of the interaction between vegetation and water flow in terms of the diversity of river morphology, the vegetation variation at different spatiotemporal scales, the water flow distribution in vegetation section, and the three dimensional turbulent simulation was expatiated.

[Spatiotemporal evolvement of soil microbiological characteristics in upland fields with different utilization duration in Cixi, Zhejiang Province].

The microbial number, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activities in five upland soils under agricultural utilization for 50-700 years were determined, with the correlations between soil microbiological characteristics and agricultural utilization duration analyzed. In the meantime, the functional diversity of microbes in soils having been utilized for 50, 100, and 700 years were investigated. The results showed that at the early stage (< 100 years) of agricultural utilization, the number of soil fungi (F) had a slight increase, while the bacterial number (B), B/F ratio, microbial biomass C (C(mic)), microbial biomass N (N(mic)), and the activities of catalase, invertase and urease all decreased markedly. After utilized for more than 100 years, the F decreased significantly, while the B, B/F ratio, C(mic), N(mic), and the activities of test enzymes all tended to increase. During the whole utilization period from 50 to 700 years, the C(mic)/N(mic) ratio had a significant increase with year. The Shannon, Simpson, and McIntosh indices of soil microbial community had the same responses to the agricultural utilization duration as the bacterial number, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activities. All of these indicated that in the upland fields in Cixi of Zhejiang Province, shifts of soil microbial community occurred with increasing agricultural utilization duration, and soil microbiological quality had an overall increase after 100 years agricultural utilization.

Biosorption of Malachite Green from aqueous solutions onto aerobic granules: kinetic and equilibrium studies.

Batch experiments were conducted to study the biosorption characteristics of a cationic dye, Malachite Green (MG), onto aerobic granules. Effects of pH, aerobic granule dosage, contact time and solution temperature on MG biosorption by aerobic granules were evaluated. Simultaneity the thermodynamic analysis was also performed. The results showed that alkaline pH was favorable for the biosorption of MG and chemisorption seemed to play a major role in the biosorption process. Kinetic studies indicate that MG biosorption on aerobic granules in the system follows the pseudo-second order kinetics. The equilibrium time was 60 min for both 50 and 60 mg/L and 120 min for both 70 and 80 mg/L MG concentrations, respectively. Moreover, the experimental equilibrium data have been analyzed using the linearized forms of Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson isotherms and the Langmuir isotherm was found to provide the best theoretical correlation of the experimental data for the biosorption of MG. The monolayer biosorption (saturation) capacities were determined to be 56.8 mg of MG per gram of aerobic granules at 30 degrees C. Thermodynamic analysis show that biosorption follows an endothermic path of the positive value of Delta H( composite function) and spontaneous with negative value of Delta G( composite function).

[Effects of earthworm (Eisennia foetida ) on As, P uptake by maize and As, P fractional transformation in the rhizosphere].

A pot experiment was conducted to examine the roles of earthworm in As uptake from original As-polluted soil by maize (Zea mays L.), and their effects on As, P fractions in the rhizosphere. The As-polluted soils with three As levels were collected from the arable soil near As mine. The plants were harvested after 10 weeks of growth. Dry weight (DW) and P, As concentrations of plants, as well as As and P fractions of the rhizospheric soil, were determined. The results showed that inoculated earthworm or appended rice straw increased maximal 149%, 222% DW of root and shoot, respectively. At the medium and high soil As levels, root As concentration in the soil treated by earthworm and rice straw was highest among all treatments, and earthworm increased more As concentration of shoot than rice straw did. In different soil As levels, root P concentration in the soil treated by earthworm was highest, and shoot P by rice straw. Ca-P affected maize absorbing As at the low soil As level(r = 0.981), and maize absorbing Al-P was restrained by As involved in well-crystallized hydrous oxides of Fe and Al at the medium (r = 0.953)and high (r = 0.997)soil As levels. The concentration of non-specially absorbed As and As combined with Fe or Al and of O-P increased at the soil inoculated earthworm or/and appended rice straw at the same time. These results indicated that earthworm was more valuable for plant developing than rice straw was.

Aerobic granulation for 2,4-dichlorophenol biodegradation in a sequencing batch reactor.

Development of aerobic granules for the biological degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in a sequencing batch reactor was reported. A key strategy was involving the addition of glucose as a co-substrate and step increase in influent 2,4-DCP concentration. After operation of 39d, stable granules with a diameter range of 1-2mm and a clearly defined shape and appearance were obtained. After granulation, the effluent 2,4-DCP and chemical oxygen demand concentrations were 4.8mgl(-1) and 41mgl(-1), with high removal efficiencies of 94% and 95%, respectively. Specific 2,4-DCP biodegradation rates in the granules followed the Haldane model for substrate inhibition, and peaked at 39.6mg2,4-DCPg(-1)VSS(-1)h(-1) at a 2,4-DCP concentration of 105mgl(-1). Efficient degradation of 2,4-DCP by the aerobic granules suggests their potential application in the treatment of industrial wastewater containing chlorophenols and other inhibitory chemicals.

Abnormal surface markers expression on bone marrow CD34+ cells and correlation with disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Defects of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been suggested to contribute to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic characteristics of bone marrow (BM) CD34(+) cells in patients with SLE and its relationship with SLE disease activity. Ten SLE patients and 10 healthy subjects were recruited and their BM CD34(+) cells were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis with CD45/SSC gating for the expression of CD90, CD95, CD117, CD123, CD164, CD166, FAS-L, and HLA-DR. The percentage of BM CD34(+) cells was significantly decreased in active SLE patients (1.48 +/- 0.41%, n = 7) compared to the healthy controls (2.31 +/- 0.75%, n = 10, p < 0.01), but no significant difference was found between the inactive patients (2.04 +/- 0.44%, n = 3) and the controls. The expression of CD95, CD123, and CD166 on BM CD34(+) cells were significantly increased in SLE patients (48.31 +/- 10.59%, 44.9 +/- 21.5%, 30.9 +/- 19.54%, respectively, n = 10) when compared with the control subjects (24.33 +/- 11.1%, 19.5 +/- 4.4%, 10.7 +/- 5.5%, respectively, n = 10, p < 0.05). The increased CD123 expression was negatively correlated with the number of peripheral white blood cells (r = -0.700, p < 0.05, n = 10). The percentage of CD166 expression was found significantly correlated with the index of SLE disease activity (r = 0.472, p < 0.05, n = 10) and 24 h proteinuria (r = 0.558, p < 0.05, n = 10), but negatively correlated with serum C3 level (r = -0.712, p < 0.01, n = 10). Our study found that the surface marker expression of CD95, CD123, and CD166 on BM CD34(+) cells were significantly increased in patients. This supports the hypothesis that there are abnormalities of the HSC in SLE. Since CD166 and CD123 correlated with the overall lupus activity, their role as a biomarker of inflammatory disease activity also requires further study.