[Clinical characteristics of 37 antiphospholipid syndrome patients complicated by autoimmune hemolytic anemia].

Objective: We sought to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) complicated by autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). Methods: Retrospective anaysis.Three hundred fifteen consecutive patients with APS were enrolled at the Department of Rheumatology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between May 2017 to May 2021, and their clinical manifestations[including initial symptoms, time interval between APS onset and diagnosis, systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), thrombotic events, obstetric morbidity, and extra-criteria manifestations] and laboratory test results[including blood routine, antiphospholipid antibodies(aPLs), blood lipid profile, homocysteine, anti-nuclear antibody profile, immunoglobulin levels, and complement levels] were collected. Then, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Clinical features and risk factors were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 315 APS patients, 37 cases (11.7%) were complicated by AIHA, and AIHA was the first manifestation or co-occurrence. The median time interval between APS onset and diagnosis was 12 months. The proportion of SLE in APS patients combined with AIHA was higher than that in APS patients without AIHA[62.2%(23/37) vs. 19.4%(54/278), P<0.001]. There was no significant difference in the proportions of thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity between the two groups. In terms of extra-criteria manifestations, APS patients with AIHA had a significantly (P<0.05) greater risk of thrombocytopenia (OR=6.19, 95%CI 2.81-13.65) and higher proportions of hypocomplementemia, a positive lupus anticoagulant (LA) result, double aPLs positivity[i.e., any two of the following antibodies were positive: LA, anticardilolipin antibody(aCL), and anti-ß2 glycoprotein Ⅰ(ß2GPⅠ)], and triple aPLs positivity (i.e., LA, aCL, and anti-ß2GPⅠ antibodies were all positive). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SLE (OR=3.46,95%CI 1.60-7.48), thrombocytopenia (OR=2.56,95%CI 1.15-5.67), and hypocomplementemia (OR=4.29,95%CI 2.03-9.04) were independent risk factors for the complication of APS. In the primary APS subgroup, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that livedo reticularis (OR=10.51,95%CI 1.06-103.78), thrombocytopenia (OR=3.77, 95%CI 1.23-11.57), and hypocomplementemia (OR=5.92,95%CI 1.95-17.95) were independent risk factors for the complication of APS. Conclusions: AIHA is not rare in APS patients; moreover, it occurs more frequently in APS secondary to SLE and is more likely to present with a variety of extra-criteria manifestations. Patients with AIHA should be promptly tested for antiphospholipid antibody profiles and alerted to the possibility of thrombotic events.

Odontoclastogenesis of mouse papilla-derived MDPC-23 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide.

AIM: To investigate the role of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the odontoclast differentiation of MDPC-23 cells. It was hypothesized that MDPC-23 odontoblast-like cells may function as odontoclasts under the influence of LPS. METHODOLOGY: MDPC-23 cells were cultured in the presence of 0.1 or 1 µg mL-1 LPS for 6 days. Cell viability was determined using the CCK8 assay. TRAP staining, dentine resorption assay and ROS detection by confocal laser scanning microscope were used to test the odontoclast-like function of the induced cells. In additional, the related protein expression was confirmed by Western blotting and ELISA. An unpaired Student's t-test and one-way anova were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: TRAP-positive cells, which are multinucleated, on the dentine slice were significantly increased in 1 µg mL-1 LPS-induced cells (P < 0.05). Osteoclast-specific proteins such as TRAP cathepsin K and Rac1 were upregulated in the 1 µg mL-1 LPS-treated cells (P < 0.05), whilst the expression of marker proteins of the RANKL-RANK signalling pathway (RANKL, RANK and TRAF6) in the induced cells was not significantly changed (P > 0.05). ROS production was observed in the 1 µg mL-1 LPS treatment group (P < 0.05), but no significant differences were observed in the level of RANKL in the cell supernatant between the LPS-treated group and the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A known value of 1 µg mL-1 LPS might induce odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells to generate odontoclast-like cells or to function as odontoclasts. The data might provide a new explanation for the precursors of odontoclasts and root resorption.

Evaluation of pilot-scale microencapsulation of probiotics and product effect on broilers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the pilot-scale production of microencapsulated in a 500-L fermenter using emulsion and gelation and to assess the effect of the products on the growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, and cecal microbiota in Arbor Acres broilers. A total of seven hundred 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments with 5 replicate pens per treatment and 20 broilers per pen. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1) basal diet (CON), 2) basal diet containing 0.1% Aureomycin (ANT), 3) basal diet containing unencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (P1), 4) basal diet containing unencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (P2), 5) basal diet containing 0.01% empty microcapsules (CAP), 6) basal diet containing microencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (CAPP1), and 7) basal diet containing microencapsulated at a dose of 1 × 10 cfu/kg of feed (CAPP2). The feeding experiment included 2 phases: the starter phase from d 1 to 21 and the grower phase from d 22 to 42. The results showed that a 500-L fermenter could produce 20.73 ± 4.05 kg of microcapsules with an approximate diameter of 549 µm. The feeding experiment showed that ADG of broilers in CAPP1 was significantly ( < 0.05) greater than that in CON and CAP throughout the feeding period, whereas the ratio of feed to gain (G:F) was significantly ( < 0.05) lower. Broilers in P1, P2, CAPP1, and CAPP2 had significantly ( < 0.05) greater levels of total superoxide dismutase, catalase, IgG, and cluster of differentiation 3 than those in CON. Furthermore, broilers in CAPP1 had significantly ( < 0.05) greater richness and diversity of intestinal microorganisms, particularly of , than those in all other dietary treatments. In summary, our results indicate that large-scale microencapsulation of microbial cells can be achieved using emulsion and initial gelation and that the dietary administration of microencapsulated can significantly enhance the growth performance, immune function, cecum microbial community, and overall health of broilers.

Role of IL-17 gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility to gastric cancer.

We conducted a study to investigate the role of three IL-17 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (rs2275913G>A, rs3748067C>T, and rs763780 T>C) in the development of gastric cancer. A total of 252 patients with gastric cancer and 252 control subjects were collected between May 2012 and May 2014. The SNP genotyping of IL-17A rs2275913G>A and rs3748067C>T and IL-17F rs763780 T>C was performed using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform (Sequenom, San Diego, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer instructions. By conditional regression analysis, individuals carrying the AA and the GA+AA genotypes of rs2275913G>A were correlated with an elevated risk of gastric cancer when compared with those carrying the GG genotype, and the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) were 2.05 (1.13-3.76) for the AA genotype and 1.45 (1.03-2.08) for the GA+AA genotype. In conclusion, our results suggest that the IL-17A rs3748067C>T and IL-17F rs763780 T>C polymorphisms play an important role in the risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

Effects of pre-encapsulated and pro-encapsulated Enterococcus faecalis on growth performance, blood characteristics, and cecal microflora in broiler chickens.

The effects of microencapsulation of Enterococcus faecalis on the growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, and cecal microbiota in broilers were investigated. Broilers (1-day-old) were assigned randomly as follows: 5 treatments, 5 replicate pens per treatment, and 20 broilers per pen. Treatments included (1) a basal diet (CON), (2) CON + Aureomycin (1 g/kg of diet) (ANT), (3) CON + free non-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (FREE), (4) CON + pro-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (PRO), and (5) CON + pre-encapsulated probiotics (1 × 10(9) cfu/kg of diet) (PRE). Feedings included starter (1 to 21 d) and grower (21 to 42 d) phases. In the starter phase, the ANT and the PRE groups had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than the CON groups, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) for these 2 groups was decreased (P < 0.05). In the finisher phase, the PRE and PRO groups had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than the CON group and their FCR was decreased significantly (P < 0.05). During the entire feeding period, only the PRE group showed greater (P < 0.05) ADG and lower (P < 0.05) FCR. On day 21, only birds in the PRE group had greater (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity and number of Lactobacillus than the CON group. On day 42, The PRE group showed greater (P < 0.05) superoxide dismutase than the CON group. Serum IgA and IgM concentrations were increased (P < 0.05) in the PRE group. Serum IL-6 in the PRE group was greater (P < 0.05) than in the other groups with the exception of ANT. At the phylum level, Firmicutes was enriched (P < 0.05) and Proteobacteria was depleted (P < 0.05) only in the PRE group. At the genus level, only the PRE diets increased (P < 0.05) the number of both Lactobacillus and Enterococcus. The results indicate that pre-encapsulation assists the efficient functioning of probiotics in broilers.

Microcalorimetric study on the growth and metabolism of microencapsulated microbial cell culture.

The rate of heat output is one of the suitable measurements of metabolic activity of the organism or its parts, down to the cellular or even the sub-cellular levels. In this paper, microcalorimetry was first applied to study the metabolic activity of microbial in both alginate-polylysine-alginate and alginate-chitosan-alginate microencapsulated cultures as well as in free non-encapsulated culture. The organisms used for the measurements were Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As a result of this work, it was found that, despite E. coli cell in free non-encapsulated culture has the highest metabolic rate due to the highest value of heat output, the proliferation of the cells terminates quickly with a lowest biomass formed. And we found also an obviously longer stationary phase in microencapsulated culture. As far as S. cerevisiae was concerned, it was found that there was also the highest value of heat output in free non-encapsulated culture, but the cell density was lower than that in microencapsulated culture. On account of the microcalorimetric and metabolic measurements, it can be concluded that more substrate can be used to convert to biomass in microencapsulated culture which means a higher biomass yield existed.

Microbial fed-batch production of 1,3-propanediol by Klebsiella pneumoniae under micro-aerobic conditions.

The microbial production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) by Klebsiella pneumoniae under micro-aerobic conditions was investigated in this study. The experimental results of batch fermentation showed that the final concentration and yield of 1,3-PD on glycerol under micro-aerobic conditions approached values achieved under anaerobic conditions. However, less ethanol was produced under microaerobic than anaerobic conditions at the end of fermentation. The batch micro-aerobic fermentation time was markedly shorter than that of anaerobic fermentation. This led to an increment of productivity of 1,3-PD. For instance, the concentration, molar yield, and productivity of 1,3-PD of batch micro-aerobic fermentation by K. pneumoniae DSM 2026 were 17.65 g/l, 56.13%, and 2.94 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively, with a fermentation time of 6 h and an initial glycerol concentration of 40 g/l. Compared with DSM 2026, the microbial growth of K. pneumoniae AS 1.1736 was slow and the concentration of 1,3-PD was low under the same conditions. Furthermore, the microbial growth in fed-batch fermentation by K. pneumoniae DSM 2026 was faster under micro-aerobic than anaerobic conditions. The concentration, molar yield, and productivity of 1,3-PD in fed-batch fermentation under micro-aerobic conditions were 59.50 g/l, 51.75%, and 1.57 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively. The volumetric productivity of 1,3-PD under microaerobic conditions was almost twice that of anaerobic fed-batch fermentation, at 1.57 and 0.80 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively.