Optical cryptosystem based on computational ghost imaging and nonlinear authentication.

We propose an optical encryption system that combines computational ghost imaging (CGI) with image authentication to enhance security. In this scheme, Hadamard patterns are projected onto the secret images, while their reflected light intensities are captured using a bucket detector (BD). To further strengthen the security of the collected secret data, we encrypt it as a series of binary matrices serving as ciphertext. During the authentication key generation, these encoded binary matrices serve as illumination patterns in the CGI system for a non-secret image, which is used as a reference image for authentication. The data captured by the BD is then binarized to generate the authentication key. Upon successful authentication, the receiver obtains the decryption keys. This method achieves both data compression for secret images and enhanced security during information transmission. We validate the feasibility of this method through computer simulations and optical experiments.

Speckle-based optical encryption with complex-amplitude coding and deep learning.

We propose a speckle-based optical encryption scheme by using complex-amplitude coding and deep learning, which enables the encryption and decryption of complex-amplitude plaintext containing both amplitude and phase images. During encryption, the amplitude and phase images are modulated using a superpixel-based coding technique and feded into a digital micromirror device. After passing through a 4f system, the information undergoes disturbance modulation by a scattering medium, resulting in a diffracted speckle pattern serving as the ciphertext. A Y-shaped convolutional network (Y-Net) model is constructed to establish the mapping relationship between the complex-amplitude plaintext and ciphertext through training. During decryption, the Y-Net model is utilized to quickly extract high-quality amplitude and phase images from the ciphertext. Experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed method, demonstrating that the potential of integrating speckle encryption and deep learning for optical complex-amplitude encryption.

Effect of Anthropogenic Disturbances on the Microbial Relationship during Bioremediation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Sediment.

Soil, sediment, and waters contaminated with heavy metals pose a serious threat to ecosystem function and human health, and microorganisms are an effective way to address this problem. In this work, sediments containing heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cd, As) were treated differently (sterilized and unsterilized) and bio-enhanced leaching experiments were carried out with the addition of exogenous iron-oxidizing bacteria A. ferrooxidans and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria A. thiooxidans. The leaching of As, Cd, Cu, and Zn was higher in the unsterilized sediment at the beginning 10 days, while heavy metals leached more optimally in the later sterilized sediment. The leaching of Cd from sterilized sediments was favored by A. ferrooxidans compared to A. thiooxidans. Meanwhile, the microbial community structure was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which revealed that 53.4% of the bacteria were Proteobacteria, 26.22% were Bacteroidetes, 5.04% were Firmicutes, 4.67% were Chlamydomonas, and 4.08% were Acidobacteria. DCA analysis indicated that microorganisms abundance (diversity and Chao values) increased with time. Furthermore, network analysis showed that complex networks of interactions existed in the sediments. After adapting to the acidic environmental conditions, the growth of some locally dominant bacteria increased the microbial interactions, allowing more bacteria to participate in the network, making their connections stronger. This evidence points to a disruption in the microbial community structure and its diversity following artificial disturbance, which then develops again over time. These results could contribute to the understanding of the evolution of microbial communities in the ecosystem during the remediation of anthropogenically disturbed heavy metals.

Poaceae-specific ß-1,3;1,4-d-glucans link jasmonate signalling to OsLecRK1-mediated defence response during rice-brown planthopper interactions.

Brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens), a highly destructive insect pest, poses a serious threat to rice (Oryza sativa) production worldwide. Jasmonates are key phytohormones that regulate plant defences against BPH; however, the molecular link between jasmonates and BPH responses in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we discovered a Poaceae-specific metabolite, mixed-linkage ß-1,3;1,4-d-glucan (MLG), which contributes to jasmonate-mediated BPH resistance. MLG levels in rice significantly increased upon BPH attack. Overexpressing OsCslF6, which encodes a glucan synthase that catalyses MLG biosynthesis, significantly enhanced BPH resistance and cell wall thickness in vascular bundles, whereas knockout of OsCslF6 reduced BPH resistance and vascular wall thickness. OsMYC2, a master transcription factor of jasmonate signalling, directly controlled the upregulation of OsCslF6 in response to BPH feeding. The AT-rich domain of the OsCslF6 promoter varies in rice varieties from different locations and natural variants in this domain were associated with BPH resistance. MLG-derived oligosaccharides bound to the plasma membrane-anchored LECTIN RECEPTOR KINASE1 OsLecRK1 and modulated its activity. Thus, our findings suggest that the OsMYC2-OsCslF6 module regulates pest resistance by modulating MLG production to enhance vascular wall thickness and OsLecRK1-mediated defence signalling during rice-BPH interactions.

Candida central nervous system infection after neurosurgery: a single-institution case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Candida central nervous system (CNS) infection is a rare complication following neurosurgery. This disease often occurs during the treatment of bacterial CNS infection, and common bacterial culture results have a high false negative rate, which delays diagnosis and treatment, and seriously affect the prognosis of patients. The purpose of this study was to discuss the diagnosis, treatment process, and results of this disease through a small series of cases, so as to provide data support and a theoretical basis for the timely diagnosis and treatment of Candida CNS infection after neurosurgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on eight patients with confirmed Candida CNS infection following neurosurgery in our department between June 2011 and June 2019. Their clinical symptoms, treatment schemes, outcomes, risk factors, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Four patients received intravenous administration of fluconazole and were cured. Three patients received intravenous administration of amphotericin B. Two of them were cured, and the other died. One patient was cured after intravenous administration of voriconazole throughout the treatment. The overall cure rate was 87.5% (7/8), and the death rate was 12.5% (1/8). Among the three patients treated by amphotericin B, one patient suffered vomiting and renal function impairment. After drug discontinuation, this patient gradually improved. Another patient had acute renal failure, and the conditions were not improved after drug discontinuation. The remaining patient suffered from anemia and vomiting, which were relieved after drug discontinuation. One patient had hematuria during voriconazole treatment, and the symptoms were improved after the therapy was changed to fluconazole. Four patients treated with fluconazole did not have apparent adverse reactions. None of the cured patients relapsed during the 3-12 months follow-up after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Candida CNS infection following neurosurgery is a rare condition; however, it may result in disastrous consequences. Early diagnosis and timely use of antifungal agents are considered the primary treatment principles. Blood culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is useful for early diagnosis. Fluconazole is the preferred choice for the clinical treatment of Candida CNS infection as it has both good efficacy and safety.

The impact of awareness diffusion on the spread of COVID-19 based on a two-layer SEIR/V-UA epidemic model.

In this paper, we propose a new susceptible-vaccinated-exposed-infected-recovered with unaware-aware (SEIR/V-UA) model to study the mutual effect between the epidemic spreading and information diffusion. We investigate the dynamic processes of the model with a Kinetic equation and derive the expression for epidemic stability by the eigenvalues of the Jacobian matrix. Then, we validate the model by the Monte Carlo method and numerical simulation on a two-layer scale-free network. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the spread of the epidemic in China prompted drastic measures for transmission containment. We examine the effects of these interventions based on modeling of the information-epidemic and the data of the COVID-19 epidemic case. The results further demonstrate that the epidemic spread can be affected by the effective transmission rate of awareness.

A MYB transcription factor, BnMYB2, cloned from ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is involved in cadmium tolerance and accumulation.

MYB-related transcription factors play important roles in plant development and response to various environmental stresses. In the present study, a novel MYB gene, designated as BnMYB2 (GenBank accession number: MF741319.1), was isolated from Boehmeria nivea using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and RT-PCR on a sequence fragment from a ramie transcriptome. BnMYB2 has a 945 bp open reading frame encoding a 314 amino acid protein that contains a DNA-binding domain and shares high sequence identity with MYB proteins from other plant species. The BnMYB2 promoter contains several putative cis-acting elements involved in stress or phytohormone responses. A translational fusion of BnMYB2 with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) showed nuclear and cytosolic subcellular localization. Real-time PCR results indicated that BnMYB2 expression was induced by Cadmium (Cd) stress. Overexpression of BnMYB2 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a significant increase of Cd tolerance and accumulation. Thus, BnMYB2 positively regulated Cd tolerance and accumulation in Arabidopsis, and could be used to enhance the efficiency of Cd removal with plants.

Protective effect of rhubarb combined with ulinastatin for patients with sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is the leading cause of death in critically ill patients. Ulinastatin (UTI), a protease inhibitor, and rhubarb, used as a traditional Chinese medication, are proved to be effective in treating sepsis, but the effect of the combination therapy of these two drugs on sepsis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination treatment of UTI and rhubarb on sepsis patients. METHODS: A total of 75 septic patients were randomly divided into control group, UTI group, Rhubarb group, and UTI plus Rhubarb group. Clinical data and score of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) were collected; lymphocyte subtypes in the peripheral blood were analyzed before and after the 5-day treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. RESULTS: All the therapeutic interventions (UTI alone, rhubarb alone, or UTI plus rhubarb) significantly reduced the levels of C-Reactive protein, white blood cell density, lactic acid, and APACH II scores, and elevated the levels of CD4/CD8, but only UTI plus rhubarb treatment obviously decreased the level of procalcitonin. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the combination of UTI and rhubarb may be a promising therapeutic scheme to ameliorate sepsis.

Isolation, characterization and inoculation of Cd tolerant rice endophytes and their impacts on rice under Cd contaminated environment.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soil becomes increasingly prominent in recent years, which endangers the safe production of food crops. Cd-tolerant endophytes are ideal mediators for decreasing Cd content in rice plants, but their effects on the rice endophytic microbial community and gene expression profile have not yet been well elucidated. In this study, 58 endophytic bacteria from rice seeds were isolated and characterized. Five strains of them were selected based on their potential growth-promoting traits and strong Cd tolerance that could grow well under 4 mM Cd2+. By 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) identification, these five strains were designated as Enterobacter tabaci R2-7, Pantoea agglomerans R3-3, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia R5-5, Sphingomonas sanguinis R7-3 and Enterobacter tabaci R3-2. Pot experiments in relieving Cd stress in rice plants showed that the S. maltophilia R5-5 performed the strongest potential for reducing the Cd content in root and blade by 81.33% and 77.78%, respectively. The endophytic microbial community diversity, richness and composition were significantly altered in S. maltophilia R5-5 inoculated rice plants. Reverse-transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR) showed that the expression of Cd transporters, OsNramp5 and OsHMA2, were down-regulated in S. maltophilia R5-5-innoculated rice roots. The results indicate that the inoculation of endophytic bacteria S. maltophilia R5-5 provides a reference for alleviating the heavy metal contamination in paddy fields and can be a better alternative for guaranteeing the safe production of crops. Changes in the relative abundance of Cd-resistant microorganisms and the expression of Cd transporters might be the intrinsic factors affecting cadmium content in rice.

Arabidopsis SINAT Proteins Control Autophagy by Mediating Ubiquitylation and Degradation of ATG13.

In eukaryotes, autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis by recycling cytoplasmic components. The autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) ATG1 and ATG13 form a protein kinase complex that regulates autophagosome formation; however, mechanisms regulating ATG1 and ATG13 remain poorly understood. Here, we show that, under different nutrient conditions, the RING-type E3 ligases SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA1 (SINAT1), SINAT2, and SINAT6 control ATG1 and ATG13 stability and autophagy dynamics by modulating ATG13 ubiquitylation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). During prolonged starvation and recovery, ATG1 and ATG13 were degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway. TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR ASSOCIATED FACTOR1a (TRAF1a) and TRAF1b interacted in planta with ATG13a and ATG13b and required SINAT1 and SINAT2 to ubiquitylate and degrade ATG13s in vivo. Moreover, lysines K607 and K609 of ATG13a protein contributed to K48-linked ubiquitylation and destabilization, and suppression of autophagy. Under starvation conditions, SINAT6 competitively interacted with ATG13 and induced autophagosome biogenesis. Furthermore, under starvation conditions, ATG1 promoted TRAF1a protein stability in vivo, suggesting feedback regulation of autophagy. Consistent with ATGs functioning in autophagy, the atg1a atg1b atg1c triple knockout mutants exhibited premature leaf senescence, hypersensitivity to nutrient starvation, and reduction in TRAF1a stability. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that SINAT family proteins facilitate ATG13 ubiquitylation and stability and thus regulate autophagy.

Pseudomonas species isolated from tobacco seed promote root growth and reduce lead contents in Nicotiana tobacum K326.

Endophytic bacteria are generally helpful for plant growth and protection. We isolated from tobacco seeds three Pseudomonas strains (K03, Y04, and N05) that could produce siderophores, indole-3-acetic acid, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, fix nitrogen, dissolve phosphorus and potassium, and tolerate heavy metals. In pot experiments, the three isolated strains significantly promoted root growth and increased the root enzyme activity in Nicotiana tobacum K326. Furthermore, bacterial inoculations increased the proportion of residual lead (Pb) by 8.36%-51.63% and decreased the total Pb content by 3.28%-6.38% in the contaminated soil during tobacco planting, compared with uninoculated soils. An effective decrease in Pb content was also found in tobacco leaves with bacterial inoculations. K03 inoculation decreased the Pb content in the upper leaves by 49.80%, and Y04 inoculation had the best effect, decreasing the Pb content in the middle leaves by 70.12%. Additionally, soil pH and root activity had significant effects on transformation and translocation of Pb. The study suggested that in response to Pb pollution in soil, a reasonable application of endophytes (e.g., Pseudomonas) might be a promising approach in promoting tobacco growth and reducing Pb content in tobacco, while simultaneously enhancing Pb stabilization in soils.

Latest advances in supercapacitors: from new electrode materials to novel device designs.

Notably, many significant breakthroughs for a new generation of supercapacitors have been reported in recent years, related to theoretical understanding, material synthesis and device designs. Herein, we summarize the state-of-the-art progress toward mechanisms, new materials, and novel device designs for supercapacitors. Firstly, fundamental understanding of the mechanism is mainly focused on the relationship between the structural properties of electrode materials and their electrochemical performances based on some in situ characterization techniques and simulations. Secondly, some emerging electrode materials are discussed, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), MXenes, metal nitrides, black phosphorus, LaMnO3, and RbAg4I5/graphite. Thirdly, the device innovations for the next generation of supercapacitors are provided successively, mainly emphasizing flow supercapacitors, alternating current (AC) line-filtering supercapacitors, redox electrolyte enhanced supercapacitors, metal ion hybrid supercapacitors, micro-supercapacitors (fiber, plane and three-dimensional) and multifunctional supercapacitors including electrochromic supercapacitors, self-healing supercapacitors, piezoelectric supercapacitors, shape-memory supercapacitors, thermal self-protective supercapacitors, thermal self-charging supercapacitors, and photo self-charging supercapacitors. Finally, the future developments and key technical challenges are highlighted regarding further research in this thriving field.

A high-capacity dual core-shell structured MWCNTs@S@PPy nanocomposite anode for advanced aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries.

Anode materials with high capacity for aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries (ARLBs) are very rarely reported. Here we found that a dual core-shell structured MWCNTs@S@PPy nanocomposite prepared by us shows excellent electrochemical performance. Its initial discharge capacity in a saturated LiAc aqueous electrolyte is very high, which is up to 481 mA h g-1 based on the weight of the composite and 879 mA h g-1 based on the sulfur content. It shows excellent rate capability. When nanotube LiMn2O4 is used as a cathode, the assembled ARLB can deliver an energy density of 110 Wh kg-1 based on two electrodes and show excellent cycling. These results show great promise for the practical application of ARLBs.

HuMiChip2 for strain level identification and functional profiling of human microbiomes.

With the massive data generated by the Human Microbiome Project, how to transform such data into useful information and knowledge remains challenging. Here, with currently available sequencing information (reference genomes and metagenomes), we have developed a comprehensive microarray, HuMiChip2, for strain-level identification and functional characterization of human microbiomes. HuMiChip2 was composed of 29,467 strain-specific probes targeting 2063 microbial strains/species and 133,924 sequence- and group-specific probes targeting 157 key functional gene families involved in various metabolic pathways and host-microbiome interaction processes. Computational evaluation of strain-specific probes suggested that they were not only specific to mock communities of sequenced microorganisms and metagenomes from different human body sites but also to non-sequenced microbial strains. Experimental evaluation of strain-specific probes using single strains/species and mock communities suggested a high specificity of these probes with their corresponding targets. Application of HuMiChip2 to human gut microbiome samples showed the patient microbiomes of alcoholic liver cirrhosis significantly (p < 0.05) shifted their functional structure from the healthy individuals, and the relative abundance of 21 gene families significantly (p < 0.1) differed between the liver cirrhosis patients and healthy individuals. At the strain level, five Bacteroides strains were significantly (p < 0.1) and more frequently detected in liver cirrhosis patients. These results suggest that the developed HuMiChip2 is a useful microbial ecological microarray for both strain-level identification and functional profiling of human microbiomes.

Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed the genotype specific cold response mechanism in tobacco.

Cold stress is a major adverse environmental factor that affects plant growth, development, productivity and quality. In the present study, comparative genome-wide transcriptome analysis on two tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) cultivars, cold-tolerant NC567 and cold-sensitive Taiyan8, was performed using RNA-seq technology. After the first assembly, total length of unigenes is from 101,308,644 to 123,781,795 bp, the N50 length is from 1357 to 1475 bp, and 152,688 unigenes in NC567 and 144,160 unigenes in Taiyan8 were identified, respectively. Functional classification of cold-responsive (COR) genes showed that the genes involved in cell wall metabolism, transcription factors, ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and signaling are over-represented, and the COR genes are specifically induced during cold stress in NC567. Pathway analysis revealed the significant enrichment of the COR genes in plant circadian clock. Taken together, the present study suggested the positive roles of the highly induced expression of the COR genes and the conserved mechanism of circadian clock related genes in tobacco response to cold stress, and provided some valuable genes for crop improvement to cope with cold stress.

Effects of Rhubarb combined with ulinastatin on T-cell subsets in sepsis rats.

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response syndrome, is very complicated and not well understood. However, the importance of lymphocyte percentage and ratio is implicated. Rhubarb is a traditional Chinese medication and plays a role in protecting gastrointestinal mucous and controlling the SIRS damage. Ulinastatin is a protease inhibitor that prevents overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. Currently, despite numerous sepsis clinical researches, the study on the effects of combined drug therapy on sepsis is lacking. In this study, we studied Rhubarb and Ulinastatin combination treatment on T lymphocyte subsets in sepsis induced by the cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). Immunosuppression happened at the early stage of severe sepsis in the CLP rat models, as CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+) began to decline, dropped rapidly after 24 h and continuously decreased at 36 h. CD8(+) T lymphocyte showed no significant change in all groups after CLP. The morality of CLP rats was increased with Rhubarb treatment in test dose (1.2 g/100 g). The immunosuppression state of CLP rats ameliorated with UTI treatment at early stage. The immunomodulatory properties were improved along with drug treatment, and immunities were obviously increased after 24 h, moreover, continuously increased at 36 h. The relief effect of immunosuppression after CLP showed much better in Rhubarb combined with UTI treatment than UTI monotherapy. In conclusion, the combination drug treatment facilitates the improvement of sepsis by modifying the lymphocyte percentage.

[Prognostic value of decreased vasopressin modulation in the late-phase of septic shock patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of decreased vasopressin (VP) modulation in the late-phase of septic shock. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted. Fifty-five septic shock patients hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2012 to February 2014 were enrolled. All patients received 3% hypertonic saline solution infusion. Serum concentrations of sodium and VP were measured before and after hypertonic saline solution infusion. Patients with ratio of difference in sodium and VP before and after infusion of 3% hypertonic saline (ΔVP/ΔNa)≤0.5 pg/mmol were defined as non-responders, and who >0.5 pg/mmol were defined as responders. The levels of lactic acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), and vasoactive drug [dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE)] usage between the two groups were compared. The 28-day mortality, live time in the dead, and ICU day in survivors were analyzed between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to assess prognostic value of VP. RESULTS: There were 30 cases (54.5%) in non-responsive group, and 25 (45.5%) in responsive group. There were no significant differences in the age, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHEII) score, central venous pressure (CVP), blood pressure, plasma albumin level, sodium level before and after hypertonic saline solution infusion between the two groups. The baseline level of VP in the non-responsive group was markedly lower than that of the responsive group (ng/L: 10.66 ± 1.57 vs. 17.13 ± 5.12, t=6.091, P<0.001). After hypertonic saline solution infusion, the VP level was also significantly decreased compared with that in the responsive group (ng/L: 11.65 ± 1.74 vs. 22.50 ± 5.31, t=9.758, P<0.001). The non-responders showed higher lactic acid (mmol/L: 3.04 ± 0.55 vs. 2.28 ± 0.38, t=-5.881, P<0.001) and CRP (mg/L: 117.9 ± 23.0 vs. 94.9 ± 17.0, t=-4.143, P<0.001), and received larger dosage of vasoactive drugs [DA (µg × kg⁻¹ × min⁻¹): 14.8 ± 3.9 vs. 8.9 ± 1.6, t=-5.725, P<0.001; NE (µg × kg⁻¹ × min⁻¹): 0.96 ± 0.42 vs. 0.40 ± 0.09, t=-5.625, P<0.001] for maintaining blood pressure compared with those in responders. The non-responsive group showed higher 28-day mortality (66.7% vs. 40.0%, χ² =3.911, P=0.048) and longer ICU day (days: 9.9 ± 2.3 vs. 6.7 ± 1.7, t=-4.044, P<0.001), but the live time in the dead showed no difference between non-responsive group and responsive group (days: 5.8 ± 1.9 vs. 6.1 ± 2.3, t=0.384, P=0.704). ROC curve showed that the area under ROC curve (AUC) for ΔVP/ΔNa predicting the outcome was 0.828, and the ΔVP/ΔNa threshold value of 0.5 pg/mmol had the sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 64.0% for prediction of the outcome (95% confidence interval: 0.722-0.934). CONCLUSIONS: Osmotic pressure-regulated VP secretion was impaired and decreased in the late-phase of septic shock, and made the sense in prognosis.

[Investigation of vasopressin response to increasing osmotic pressure in the late-phase of septic shock patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the vasopressin ( VP) response to increasing osmotic pressure in the late-phase of septic shock patients. METHODS: Thirty-seven septic shock patients hospitalized in intensive care unit ( ICU) of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2012 to September 2013 were enrolled. All patients received 3% hypertonic saline solution infusion. Serum concentrations of VP and sodium were measured before and after hypertonic saline solution infusion. Patients with ratio of difference in VP and sodium before and after infusion of 3% hypertonic saline (ΔVP/ ΔNa) ≤ 0.5 pg/mmol were defined as nonresponders, and who >0.5 pg/mmol defined as responders, the age, acute physiological and chronic health evaluation II ( APACHE II) score, blood pressure, albumin level, vasoactive drug between the two groups were also analyzed. RESULTS: VP level in the nonresponsive group (n=20, 54.05 %) was markedly lowered before (ng/L: 10.41 ± 1.70 vs. 18.25 ± 5.90, t=5.29, P <0.01) and after (ng/L:11.36 ± 1.90 vs. 24.33 ±5.46, t=9.33, P <0.01) 3% hypertonic saline solution infusion, compared with that in the responsive group (n=17, 45.95%). All patients in the two groups were given dopamine (DA) or norepinephrine ( NE) for maintaining blood pressure, and the dose in the nonresponsive group were higher than those in the responsive group [DA (µg.Kg-1.min-1): 14.91 ± 3.78 vs. 8.64 ±1.69, t=-5.02, P <0.01; NE (µg.Kg-1.min-1): 1.03 ± 0.48 vs. 0.38 ±0.12, t=-3.12, P<0.01]. Three patients were given DA plus NE in the nonresponsive group while patients in the responsive group received only single drug therapy. The age, APACHE II score, blood pressure, albumin level, sodium level before and after hypertonic saline solution infusion between the two groups were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: VP secretion to osmotic challenge was impaired and decreased in the late-phase of septic shock, prompting dysfunction in VP synthesis.

Clinical significance and prognostic value of microRNA expression signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the development and progression of cancer. The aim of this study is to identify miRNA expression signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma and delineate their clinical significance for hepatocellular carcinoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, undergoing hepatectomy were randomly divided into training set (60 patients) and test set (50 patients). Other 56 patients were used as an independent cohort. The miRNA expression levels were detected by microarray and verified by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: A 30-miRNA signature consisting of 10 downregulated and 20 upregulated miRNAs was established for distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from noncancerous liver tissues in the training set with 99.2% accuracy. The classification accuracies of this signature were 97% and 90% in the test set and independent cohort, respectively. The expression level of four miRNAs in the 30-miRNA signature was verified by qRT-PCR in the training set. Twenty miRNAs were then selected to construct prognostic signature in the training set. Of the 20 miRNAs, six were risk factors and 14 were protective factors. A formula based on the 20 miRNAs was built to compute prognostic index. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with a higher prognostic index had a significantly lower survival than those with a low index. This was verified in the test and independent sets. Multivariate analysis indicated that the 20-miRNA signature was an independent prognostic predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The 30- and 20-miRNA signatures identified in this study should provide new molecular approaches for diagnosis and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and clues for elucidating molecular mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Isolation and characterization of a novel 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid-degrading Enterobacter sp. strain SE08.

A bacterial strain (SE08) capable of utilizing 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid (MCPA) as the sole carbon and energy source for growth was isolated by continuous enrichment culturing in minimal salt medium (MSM) from a long term MCPA exposed soil. This bacterial strain was identified as Enterobacter sp. based on morphological, physiological and biochemical tests, as well as 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Its ability to degrade MCPA was determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The strain SE08 can tolerate unusually high MCPA concentrations (125-2000mg/L). The influences of culturing factors (initial concentration, pH, and temperature) on the bacterial growth and substrate degradation were studied. The results showed that the optimal MCPA degradation occurred at an MCPA concentration of 500mg/L, 30°C and pH 6.0. Under these conditions, 68.5 percent of MCPA in MSM was degraded by SE08, and the OD600nm reached 0.64 after culturing for 72h. The degradation of MCPA could be enhanced by addition of both carbon and nitrogen sources. At an initial MCPA concentration of 500mg/L, when 5g/L glucose and 2.5g/L yeast extract were added into the MSM media, the MCPA degradation was significantly increased to 83.8 percent, and OD600nm was increased to 1.09 after incubation at 30°C and pH 6.0 for 72h. This is the first study showing that an Enterobacter sp. strain is capable of degrading MCPA, which might provide a new approach for the remediation of MCPA contaminated soil and contribute to the limited knowledge about the function of Enterobacter species.