Enhanced Mass Transfer of Ozone and Emerging Pollutants through a Gas-Solid-Liquid Reaction Interface for Efficient Water Decontamination.

Ozone (O3), as an environmentally friendly oxidant, is widely used to remove emerging pollutants and ensure the safety of the water supply, whereas the restricted accessibility of O3 and limited collision frequency between pollutants and O3 will inevitably reduce the ozonation efficiency. To promote the chemical reactions between O3 and target pollutants, here we developed a novel gas-solid-liquid reaction interface dominated triphase ozonation system using a functional hydrophobic membrane with an adsorption layer as the O3 distributor and place where chemical reactions occurred. In the triphase system, the functional hydrophobic membrane simultaneously improved the interface adsorption performance of emerging pollutants and the access pathway of O3, leading to a marked enhancement of interfacial pollutant concentration and O3 levels. These synergistic qualities result in high ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal efficiency (94.39%) and fast apparent reaction rate constant (kapp, 2.75 × 10-2 min-1) versus a traditional O3 process (41.82% and 0.48 × 10-2 min-1, respectively). In addition, this triphase system was an advanced oxidation process involving radical participation and showed excellent degradation performance of multiple emerging pollutants. Our findings highlight the importance of gas-solid-liquid triphase reaction interface design and provide new insight into the efficient removal of emerging pollutants by the ozonation process.

HMBOX1 attenuates LPS-induced periodontal ligament stem cell injury by inhibiting CXCL10 expression through the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Homeobox containing 1 (HMBOX1) is a member of the homeobox transcription factor family that has been reported to serve an important role in numerous biological processes. The present study aimed to determine the role of HMBOX1 in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) were treated with liposaccharide (LPS) and transfected with a HMBOX1 overexpression (Ov-HMBOX1) plasmid or small interfering (si)-C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) plasmids. The effects of Ov-HMBOX1 on cell proliferation, inflammation and apoptosis were subsequently investigated using Cell Counting Kit-8, ELISA for analysis of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1ß levels, TUNEL and western blotting assays for analysis of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-3 levels, respectively. Furthermore, the potential effects of HMBOX1 on the mRNA and protein levels of CXCL10 and the NF-κB signaling pathway were investigated by using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Finally, the physiological processes of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hPDLSCs overexpressing HMBOX1 were assessed following treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a NF-κB agonist. The results revealed that Ov-HMBOX1 transfection promoted proliferation whilst alleviating inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-induced hPDLSCs. Ov-HMBOX1 reduced the expression of CXCL10 by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway. PMA treatment inhibited the proliferation of LPS-induced hPDLSCs transfected with Ov-HMBOX1, which was reversed by transfection with si-CXCL10. In conclusion, results of the present study provided evidence that HMBOX1 can attenuate LPS-induced hPDLSC injury by downregulating CXCL10 expression via the NF-κB signaling pathway, which may provide a novel insight into the development of potentially novel treatment strategies for periodontitis.

Novel frameshift mutation causes early termination of the thyroxine-binding globulin protein and complete thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency in a Chinese family: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG; the gene product of SERPINA7) is the main transporter of thyroid hormones in humans. Mutations in the TBG gene may lead to inherited TBG deficiency. There have been 28 reported mutations that associate with complete TBG deficiency (TBG-CD). Here we identified a novel frameshift mutation causing early termination of the TBG protein and TBG-CD in a Chinese family. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old Chinese man was referred to our hospital with normal free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyrotropin, but lower total thyroxine and total triiodothyronine, and undetectable serum TBG, indicative of TBG-CD. Blood samples were obtained from the patient's family members and thyroid function and serum TBG were evaluated. Genomic DNA from peripheral blood was sequenced to detect possible TBG mutation(s). Quantitative PCR high-resolution melting curve analysis was used to screen TBG-Poly (L283F) among 117 Chinese men. A novel mutation of TBG (p.Phe135Alafs*21), a 19-nucleotide insertion in exon 1, was identified, which resulted in a truncated TBG protein product and caused TBG-CD. The other mutation, identified in the proband's father, is a known polymorphism, TBG-Poly (L283F). The frequency of the TBG-Poly allele among 117 unrelated Han Chinese men from northeast China was 21.37%. CONCLUSION: A novel mutation in the TBG gene associated with the TBG-CD phenotype was identified in a Chinese family. Additionally, it was found that 21.37% of Chinese males had TBG-Poly (L283F).

[Analysis of characteristics of bacteria in respiratory tract infection in 2013-2016 in Heibei 3A hospital: a single-center report of 7 497 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changes and characteristics of respiratory tract bacteria in Hebei 3A Hospital, and to provide new rationale for clinical diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted. 7 497 patients with respiratory tract infection admitted to Hebei Chest Hospital from January 2013 to December 2016 were enrolled. Deep sputum was collected, and the bacterial cultures and susceptibility analysis was conducted in sputum and upper respiratory secretions were collected by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 7 497 patients with respiratory tract infection were enrolled in the study, and 11 909 strains of 13 kinds of dominant pathogens were isolated. The dominant pathogens for respiratory tract infection were Monilia albican (23.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.6%), Escherichia coli (9.5%), Candida glabrata (9.1%), Acinetobacter baumanii (7.9%), Aspergillus (6.7%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (4.5%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus (3.7%) and some species of Pseudomonas (3.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (3.0%), Aerobacter cloacae (1.9%), and Candida tropicalis (1.8%). A total of 6 198 strains of 7 kinds of Gram negative (G-) bacilli infection dominant pathogens accounts for 52.0% of all infections, Klebsiella pneumonia (24.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.3%), Escherichia coli (18.2%) and Acinetobacter baumanii (15.3%) were the main pathogens, and increased year by year. Susceptibility analysis showed that the preferred antibiotics for G- bacteria were carbapenems, followed by risperidone, sulbactam, cefepime, amikacin, and the third generation of cephalosporins. A total of 798 strains of 2 kinds of Gram positive (G+) bacilli infection dominant pathogens accounted for 6.7% of all infections, were coagulase negative Staphylococcus (54.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus (45.2%), each had changed little by year. Susceptibility analysis showed that G+ bacteria were sensitive to glycopeptides, followed by cefoxitin, cotrimoxazole, the tetracyclines, quinolones, azithromycin, erythromycin and so on. The advantages of 4 species of fungi were 4 913 strains, accounted for all of the 41.3% strains, with 57.5% of Candida albicans, and the trend was increasing year by year. Susceptibility analysis results showed that the antifungal susceptibility of dominant fungi were higher. CONCLUSIONS: G- bacilli is still the main source of infection, and showed an upward trend year by year. Fungal infection rate cannot be ignored, and we must pay attention to fungal infection incentives. We should strengthen the rational use of antibiotics.

Comparison of a lymph node ratio-based staging system with the 7th AJCC system for gastric cancer: analysis of 18,043 patients from the SEER database.

OBJECTIVES: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for gastric cancer bases N status on absolute number of metastatic nodes, regardless of the number of examined nodes. We examined a modified staging system utilizing node ratio (Nr), the ratio of metastatic to examined nodes. METHODS: A total of 18,043 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy were identified from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A training set was divided into 5 Nr groups, and a TNrM staging system was constructed. Median survival and overall survival, based on 7th edition AJCC and TNrM staging systems, were compared, and the analysis was repeated in a validation set. RESULTS: Median examined nodes were 10 to 11. For the training set, overall survival for all 5 AJCC N categories was significantly different when subgrouped into 15 or fewer versus more than 15 examined nodes, but overall survival was similar regardless of the number of examined nodes in 4 of 5 Nr categories. Seven AJCC stages had statistically different overall survival between subgroups, whereas only 1 TNrM stage had statistically different overall survival between subgroups. When misclassification was defined as any subgroup in which median survival fell outside the 95% confidence interval of the group's overall median survival, AJCC staging misclassified 57% of patients and TNrM staging misclassified only 12%. Similar results were found in the validation set. CONCLUSIONS: The AJCC system classifies SEER gastric cancer patients into stages in which subgroups often have wide variations in survival. For patients undergoing limited lymph node analysis, the proposed TNrM system may predict survival more accurately.

AFM and fluorescence imaging of nanomechanical response in periodontal ligament cells.

Most biologists think that AFM has only a limited use in biological research due to its inability to study other than surface structures. Therefore, a BIO-AFM system has been developed to combine both AFM imaging and fluorescence detection, which acts as a powerful tool for a better understanding of dynamic cell processes. In this study, based on a custom-made BIO-AFM system, the elasticity and ultrastructure of living periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) were investigated. The cantilever probe with a micron-sized bead was used to exert nano-loading force onto the PDLCs. The related signal of NO was then recorded simultaneously. The results show that PDLCs hold strong networks of stress fibers as well as high elastic modulus value, exhibiting the ability for better counteracting the external forces. In the mechano-transduction studies, an initial increase and subsequent drop in intracellular NO response was found. Furthermore, NO may diffuse from a stimulated cell to adjacent cells. In conclusion, our single-cell nano-mechanical study provides a significant advancement in elucidating the magnitude, location, time scale, and biomolecular mechanisms underlying cell mechano-transduction.

Selective BRAFV600E inhibition enhances T-cell recognition of melanoma without affecting lymphocyte function.

Targeted therapy against the BRAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a promising new therapeutic approach for the treatment of melanoma. Treatment with selective BRAF inhibitors results in a high initial response rate but limited duration of response. To counter this, investigators propose combining this therapy with other targeted agents, addressing the issue of redundancy and signaling through different oncogenic pathways. An alternative approach is combining BRAF/MAPK-targeted agents with immunotherapy. Preliminary evidence suggests that oncogenic BRAF (BRAF(V600E)) contributes to immune escape and that blocking its activity via MAPK pathway inhibition leads to increased expression of melanocyte differentiation antigens (MDA). Recognition of MDAs is a critical component of the immunologic response to melanoma, and several forms of immunotherapy capitalize on this recognition. Among the various approaches to inhibiting BRAF/MAPK, broad MAPK pathway inhibition may have deleterious effects on T lymphocyte function. Here, we corroborate the role of oncogenic BRAF in immune evasion by melanoma cells through suppression of MDAs. We show that inhibition of the MAPK pathway with MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors or a specific inhibitor of BRAF(V600E) in melanoma cell lines and tumor digests results in increased levels of MDAs, which is associated with improved recognition by antigen-specific T lymphocytes. However, treatment with MEK inhibitors impairs T lymphocyte function, whereas T-cell function is preserved after treatment with a specific inhibitor of BRAF(V600E). These findings suggest that immune evasion of melanomas mediated by oncogenic BRAF may be reversed by targeted BRAF inhibition without compromising T-cell function. These findings have important implications for combined kinase-targeted therapy plus immunotherapy for melanoma.

[Primary culture of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts by explants with enzymatic digestion].

OBJECTIVE: To increase the success rate of primary culture of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLF), and to establish an experimental model for studying HPLF in vitro. METHODS: The primary cells were isolated from human periodontal ligament by explants with enzymatic digestion method. Morphological analysis and immunocytochemical staining were used to characterize the cell lineage, and growth curve assay to evaluate the biological features of HPLF. RESULTS: The success rate of primary culture of HPLF was 77.8%. Cultured cells were spindle-shaped, and had a positive reaction to antibodies against vimentin, and a negative reaction to antibodies against keratin. Their morphological and biological characteristics were similar to those of typical HPLF. Growth of HPLF obtained by this method was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The success rate of primary culture of HPLF is significantly increased by explants combined with enzymatic digestion. The method is simple and feasible.