Characterization of extrachromosomal circular DNAs in plasma of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background And Purpose: Extrachromosomal circular DNAs (eccDNAs) have been recognized for their significant involvement in numerous biological processes. Nonetheless, the existence and molecular characteristics of eccDNA in the peripheral blood of patients diagnosed with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) have not yet been reported. Our aim was to identify potentially marked plasma eccDNAs in ccRCC patients.

Overexpression of Spondin-2 Is Associated with Recurrence-Free Survival in Patients with Localized Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: The spondin-2 (SPON2) gene is overexpressed in multiple malignant tumors and may promote tumor aggressiveness. However, its expression profile and functional roles in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are still unclear.

Methods: SPON2 expression in ccRCC was evaluated using expression data from TCGA and GEO databases, then confirmed by local patient population (94 patients).

A Randomized, 8-Week Study of the Effects of Extended-Release Paliperidone and Olanzapine on Heart Rate Variability in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effect of extended-release paliperidone (paliperidone ER) and olanzapine on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 106 patients with schizophrenia diagnosed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) were randomly divided into the paliperidone ER group or the olanzapine group for an 8-week clinical trial, with 53 patients in each group. The time domain and frequency domain analyses including the SD of all the R-R intervals in 24 hours (SDNN), the SD of the mean value of all the normal R-R intervals in every 5-minute interval within 24 hours (SDANN index), the mean value of the SD of all the normal R-R intervals in every 5-minute interval within 24 hours (SDNN index), the root mean square of successive R-R differences, the percentage of adjacent R-R intervals that differ by more than 50 milliseconds, high-frequency power (HF), low-frequency power (LF), and LF/HF were adopted to assess the HRV of patients at baseline and after treatment for 8 weeks in each group.

Overexpression of COL5A1 promotes tumor progression and metastasis and correlates with poor survival of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background And Aims: COL5A1 has been identified to be involved in metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) by bioinformatic analysis. This study aimed to investigate COL5A1 expression and its clinical significance in ccRCC. The function of COL5A1 in ccRCC was further investigated.

Room-temperature borylation and one-pot two-step borylation/Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of aryl chlorides.

A highly efficient room-temperature borylation strategy of aryl chlorides is described. Utilizing Buchwald's second-generation preformed catalyst, boronate esters were obtained for a wide range of substrates in high yield. The method was also applied to Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction in a one-pot two-step sequential manner, providing a facile and convenient access to the direct synthesis of biaryl compounds from aryl chlorides.

Cobalt oxide 2D nano-assemblies from infinite coordination polymer precursors mediated by a multidentate pyridyl ligand.

In this work, the construction of Co3O4 two dimensional (2D) nano-assemblies utilizing infinite coordination polymers (ICPs) as precursors was investigated, aiming at the morphology targeted fabrication and utilization of 2D materials. Based on the successful modulation of morphology, a rose-like Co based ICP precursor was obtained, which was further transformed into porous Co3O4 nanoflake assemblies with a well-preserved 2D morphology and a large surface area. The mechanism of the morphology modulation was illustrated by systematic investigation, which demonstrated the crucial role of a modulating agent in the formation of 2D nano-assemblies.

H2O2 inhibits proliferation and mediates suppression of migration via DLC1/RhoA signaling in cancer cells.

Background: RhoGTPase-activating proteins (RhoGAPs) regulate RhoGTPases in cells, but whether individual reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate RhoGAPs is unknown. Our previous published papers have shown that deleted in liver cancer 1 (DLC1) inhibits cancer cell migration by its RhoGAP activity. The present study was designed to explore the role of H2O2 in regulation of DLC1.

Transcriptional analysis of porcine circovirus-like virus P1.

Background: Recently identified porcine circovirus-like virus P1 has the smallest DNA viral genome. In this study, we identified the viral genes and their corresponding mRNA transcripts.

Results: The RNAs of P1, synthesized in porcine kidney cells, were examined with northern blotting and PCR analyses.

Zn(II)-benzotriazolate clusters based amide functionalized porous coordination polymers with high COâ‚‚ adsorption selectivity.

Two new porous coordination polymers (PCPs) based on different nanosized C3 symmetry ligands and Zn(II)-benzotriazolate clusters have been synthesized solvothermally. Both of the desolvated complexes show selective uptake of CO2 over CH4 and N2 at ambient temperature.

[Forensic psychiatric cases of 534 mental disorders caused by traumatic brain injury].

Objective: To analyze the types of mental disorders caused by traumatic brain injury and the optimal time for forensic psychiatric appraisal. To explore the relationship between the degree of traumatic brain injury, the time of appraisal and the grade of intellectual deficiency.

Methods: Five hundred and thirty-four forensic psychiatric cases of mental disorders caused by traumatic brain injury were retrospectively analyzed.

In vitro and in vivo isolation of a novel rearranged porcine circovirus type 2.

Here, we present the first report of a novel rearranged porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) strain named BIV, isolated from both in vitro and in vivo sources. The complete circular genome of BIV is 896 nucleotides in length. The data will help us to update current knowledge of the replication of PCV2 viruses in cell culture and of their molecular evolution, as well as their diagnosis.

In vitro intragenomic rearrangement of porcine circovirus type 2.

We report here for the first time the genome sequence of a rearranged porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) strain, CH-IVT1, isolated from PCV2-infected PK-15 cells. The complete circular genome of the CH-IVT1 is 605 nucleotides (nt) in length. The finding will help us to understand the molecular evolution of PCV2 and the relationship between PCV2 and PCV-associated diseases.

Complete genome sequence of the rearranged porcine circovirus type 2.

We first report here the genome sequences of 4 rearranged porcine circovirus type 2 strains, JSTZ, ZJQDH1, ZJQDH2, and JSHM, isolated from porcine sera in China. The complete circular genomes of these isolates are 578, 483, 574, and 772 nucleotides in length, respectively. They are predicted to be defective interfering particles of porcine circovirus type 2.

Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for rapid detection of porcine boca-like virus.

The porcine boca-like virus (Pbo-likeV) was recently discovered in Swedish pigs with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for rapid, specific and sensitive detection of Pbo-likeV. A set of four primers specific for six regions of Pbo-likeV VP1/2 genes was designed with the online software.

Complete genome sequence of a novel porcine circovirus-like agent.

We report here the genome sequence of a porcine circovirus-like agent. The sequenced genome of this porcine circovirus-like agent is composed of a 648-nucleotide circular DNA that includes three predicted protein-coding genes, which means the agent should be a novel member of the family Circoviridae.

Six alkaloids inhibit secretion of IL-1α, TXB(2), ET-1 and E-selectin in LPS-induced endothelial cells.

The aim of the research was to investigate the antiendotoxin effects of Sinomenine, Fangchinoline, Stachydrine, Chuanxionggzine, Oxymartrine and Evodiamine. Endothelial cells were challenged with 1 μg/mL LPS for 3 h then treated respectively with six alkaloids at three concentrations (1, 5 and 10 μg/mL). The cells were incubated at 37°C in a cell incubator for 21 h.

Subcutaneous and intranasal immunization with Stx2B-Tir-Stx1B-Zot reduces colonization and shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in mice.

The type III secretion system of Escherichia coli O157:H7 is involved in colonization of mammalian hosts by the organism. The translocated intimin receptor (Tir) is inserted into the mammalian host cell plasma membrane in a hairpin loop topology with the central loop of the molecule exposed to the host cell surface and accessible for interaction with an LEE-encoded bacterial outer membrane adhesin called intimin. Shiga toxin type 1 and 2 produced by E.

In vivo experimental testing of the FW axial blood pump for left ventricular support in Fu Wai Hospital.

A fully implantable, axial flow blood pump has been developed in Fu Wai Hospital aiming for clinical use. This ventricular assist device (VAD), which was developed after numerous CFD analyses for the flow characteristics of the pump, is 58.5-mm long, 30-mm wide (including DC motor), and weighs 240 g.

Homologous recombination is apparent in infectious bursal disease virus.

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a non-enveloped double-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Birnaviridae family. It shows substantial variation in the major antigen region of the viral capsid protein VP2, where a hypervariable region plays a key role in the virulence of IBDV and its epitope. This study identifies several putative recombinants from previously published data to suggest that homologous recombination may naturally occur between different IBDV strains.

Homologous recombination as an evolutionary force in the avian influenza A virus.

Avian influenza A viruses (AIVs), including the H5N1, H9N2, and H7N7 subtypes, have been directly transmitted to humans, raising concerns over the possibility of a new influenza pandemic. To prevent a future avian influenza pandemic, it is very important to fully understand the molecular basis driving the change in AIV virulence and host tropism. Although virulent variants of other viruses have been generated by homologous recombination, the occurrence of homologous recombination within AIV segments is controversial and far from proven.

Complete nucleotide sequence of a novel porcine circovirus-like agent and its infectivity in vitro.

A novel agent (hence termed as P2) was isolated from pig sera in China, which contained covalently bound circular genomic DNAs of 993 nucleotides. Sequence analyses indicated that the agent was closely related to the porcine circovirus (PCV). The molecular clone of P2 was constructed subsequently and used for the following studies.

Homologous recombination evidence in human and swine influenza A viruses.

Dynamic gene mutation and the reassortment of genes have been considered as the key factors responsible for influenza A virus virulence and host tropism change. This study reports several significant evidence demonstrating that homologous recombination also takes place between influenza A viruses in human and swine lineages. Moreover, in a mosaic descended from swine H1N1 subtype and human H2N2, we found that its minor putative parent might be a derivative from the human cold-adapted vaccine lineage, which suggests that live vaccine is capable of playing a role in genetic change of influenza A virus via recombination with circulating viruses.

Design optimization of an axial blood pump with computational fluid dynamics.

A fully implantable, axial flow blood pump has been developed in our hospital. Both in vitro and in vivo tests showed that the hemolysis and thrombus characteristics of the pump were in an acceptable but not in an ideal range. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and in vitro test results showed that the pump worked at off-design point with a low hydraulic efficiency; CFD analysis also showed regions of reverse flow in the diffuser, which not only decreases the pump's hydrodynamic efficiency, but also increases its overall potential for blood trauma and thrombosis.

Development of the functionally total artificial heart using an artery pump.

Based on the assumption that only the pump function of the diseased heart should be assisted or replaced by device while resecting the native heart is unnecessary, the concept of a "functionally total artificial heart (FTAH)" was explored. An artery pump (AP) was designed for the FTAH. The fabricated pattern of the AP, having an outer diameter of 28 mm and a length of 42 mm, was implanted in the position of ascending aorta or pulmonary trunk, joining in series to the chambers of the left ventricle or the right ventricle.