Microbiological characteristics of the lower airway in adults with bronchiectasis: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Microbial infection and colonization are frequently associated with disease progression and poor clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis. Identification of pathogen spectrum is crucial for precision treatment at exacerbation of bronchiectasis.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study in patients with bronchiectasis exacerbation onset and stable state.

Diagnosis and Surveillance of Neonatal Infections by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing.

Microbial infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonates. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is a hypothesis-free and culture-free test that enables broad identification of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes directly from clinical samples within 24 h. In this study, we used mNGS for etiological diagnosis and monitoring the efficacy of antibiotic treatment in a cohort of neonatal patients with severe infections.

[Application of Next-Generation Sequencing in Screening of Thalassemia Gene in 11212 Pregnant Women in Suxian and Beihu Districts of Chenzhou City, Hunan Province].

Objective: To understand the carrying rate, gene mutation frequency and composition ratio of thalassemia in pregnant women in Suxian and Beihu districts of Chenzhou, Hunan Province.

Methods: Thalassemia gene in 11 212 samples was analyzed by using Next-Generation Sequencing.

Results: Among the 11 212 samples, 938 were diagnosed as thalassemia, in which 618 (5.

Refined tumescent liposuction-curettage with pruning in small incisions for treatment of axillary bromhidrosis.

Axillary bromhidrosis is a widespread social problem in our society. Various modalities have been developed for the destruction or removal of the apocrine sweat glands to eliminate underarm odor. However, conventional surgical treatments often result in a high complication rate and frequent recurrence.

Scutellarin induces apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC cells through ERK1/2 and AKT Signaling Pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Curative molecular therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still lacking. Scutellarin, an active flavone extracted from , displays anti-tumor property in diverse cancer types, yet its tumor-suppressive effect on NSCLC is not reported. In this study, we found that scutellarin significantly inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells, induced cell apoptosis, and triggered autophagy.

Anaerobic biodegradation of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide in long-term methanogenic enrichment cultures from production water of oil reservoirs.

The increasing usage of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in oilfields as a flooding agent to enhance oil recovery at so large quantities is an ecological hazard to the subsurface ecosystem due to persistence and inertness. Biodegradation of HPAM is a potentially promising strategy for dealing with this problem among many other methods available. To understand the responsible microorganisms and mechanism of HPAM biodegradation under anaerobic conditions, an enrichment culture from production waters of oil reservoirs were established with HPAM as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen incubated for over 328 days, and analyzed using both molecular microbiology and chemical characterization methods.

Scutellarin Increases Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis and Autophagy to Overcome Cisplatin Resistance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer via ERK/p53 and c-met/AKT Signaling Pathways.

Cisplatin, as the first-line anti-tumor agent, is widely used for treatment of a variety of malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the acquired resistance has been a major obstacle for the clinical application. Scutellarin is a active flavone extracted from that has been shown to exhibit anticancer activities on various types of tumors.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor reduces scar formation by inhibiting both canonical and noncanonical TGF-β1 pathways.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) can improve the fibrotic processes in many internal organs. Recent studies have shown a relationship between ACEI with cutaneous scar formation, although it has not been confirmed, and the underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, we cultured mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts with different concentrations of ACEI.

Norcantharidin alone or in combination with crizotinib induces autophagic cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma by repressing c-Met-mTOR signaling.

There is an urgent need for effective molecular therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated derivative of cantharidin, reportedly exhibits anticancer activity against various types of tumors, including HCC, though the mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. Here, we report that NCTD reduces viability of human MHCC-97H (97H) and HepG2 HCC cells, and induces cell death by triggering high levels of autophagy.

The biofilm property and its correlationship with high-molecular-weight polyacrylamide degradation in a water injection pipeline of Daqing oilfield.

Biofilms increase dragging force for liquid transportation, cause power consumption, and result in equipment corrosion in polymer-flooding oilfields. To reveal the responsible microorganisms for biofilm formation and stability of high-molecular-weight polyacrylamide (PAM), a biofilm, developed on the sieve of a piston plunger pump in a water transport and injection pipeline with partial hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in Daqing Oilfield, was collected and analyzed by molecular microbiology, chemical and physical methods. Diverse bacterial groups (11 families) were detected in the biofilm, including Pseudomonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Desulfobulbaceae, Alcaligenaceae, Comamonadaceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Bacteriovoracaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Clostridiales Incertae Sedis XIII and Moraxellaceae.

Hormone therapy and risk of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Our objective was to perform a meta-analysis examining the risk of ovarian cancer with different types and regimens (continuous or sequential) of hormone therapy (HT).

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched until December 2014 using the terms: HT, estrogen therapy (ET), ovarian cancer, postmenopausal, and menopausal. HT was considered unopposed ET, estrogen-progestin therapy (EPT), or ET+EPT (ET followed by EPT).

Identification of high-affinity VEGFR3-binding peptides through a phage-displayed random peptide library.

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) interaction with its receptor, VEGFR-3/Flt-4, regulates lymphangiogenesis. VEGFR-3/Flt-4 expression in cancer cells has been correlated with clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, and lymphatic invasion. The objective of this study is to identify a VEGFR-3/Flt-4-interacting peptide that could be used to inhibit VEGFR-3 for ovarian cancer therapy.

Analysis of bacterial and archaeal communities along a high-molecular-weight polyacrylamide transportation pipeline system in an oil field.

Viscosity loss of high-molecular-weight partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) solution was observed in a water injection pipeline before being injected into subterranean oil wells. In order to investigate the possible involvement of microorganisms in HPAM viscosity loss, both bacterial and archaeal community compositions of four samples collected from different points of the transportation pipeline were analyzed using PCR-amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and clone library construction method together with the analysis of physicochemical properties of HPAM solution and environmental factors. Further, the relationship between environmental factors and HPAM properties with microorganisms were delineated by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA).

Menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the only proven effective treatment for both end-stage and metabolic liver diseases. Hepatocyte transplantation is a promising alternative for OLT, but the lack of available donor livers has hampered its clinical application. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) differentiated from many multi-potential stem cells can help repair damaged liver tissue.

Construction of a double eyelid: an uncut strip of orbicularis removed through three mini-incisions.

Background: In recent years, many mini-incisional techniques for double-eyelid plasty have been developed. However, the removal of pretarsal tissue has not been satisfactory because only small pockets of soft tissue just inferior to the skin have been removed to place the suture. The formed double eyelid may therefore not be durable.

Removal of a large amount of pretarsal tissue through three mini incisions in the construction of a double eyelid.

Background: The surgical procedure aimed at constructing the upper eyelid crease is the cosmetic operation most commonly requested by Asian patients. The incisional approach leaves a permanent crease, but the swelling period can last longer than 3 months, and a distinct scar usually is unavoidable. Many mini-incisional techniques with incisions of varying sizes and locations have been developed, but the removal of pretarsal tissue has not been sufficient because these procedures wipe out only small pockets of soft tissue immediately inferior to skin for placement of the suture.

Superficial temporal fascial flap plus lipofilling for facial contour reconstruction in bilateral progressive facial hemiatrophy.

Progressive facial hemiatrophy (PFH) was first described by Parry in 1825 and later by Romberg in 1846 and was also known as Parry-Romberg syndrome. Progressive facial hemiatrophy, as the name suggests, usually has unilateral presentation. However, bilateral manifestation has been reported in 5-10% of the cases.

Poly[di-μ(2)-azido-μ(3)-pyrazine-2-carboxyl-ato-cadmium(II)].

The title compound, [Cd(C(5)H(3)N(2)O(2))(N(3))](n), has been pre-pared by the reaction of pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid, cadmium(II) nitrate and sodium azide. In the structure, the Cd(II) atom is six-coordinated by two azide anions and three pyrazine-2-carboxyl-ate ligands. Each pyrazine-2-carboxyl-ate ligand bridges three Cd(II) atoms, whereas the azide ligand bridges two Cd(II) atoms, resulting in the formation of a two-dimensional metal-organic polymer developing parallel to the (100) plane.

{Bis[4-(2-pyrid-yl)pyrimidin-2-yl] sulfide}dibromidocobalt(II).

The title compound, [CoBr(2)(C(18)H(12)N(6)S)], is a mononuclear complex in which a twofold rotation axis passes through the Co and S atoms. The Co(II) center is six-coordinated by four N atoms from one bis-[4-(2-pyrid-yl)pyrimidin-2-yl] sulfide (L) ligand and two bromide anions, forming an octa-hedral coordination geometry, where the four donor N atoms are located in the equatorial plane and the Br atoms occupy the axial positions. The sum of the bond angles around the Co atom in the equatorial plane is 360.