Analysis of serial electroencephalographic predictors of seizure recurrence in Rolandic epilepsy.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the relationship between electroencephalography (EEG) markers and seizure recurrence in cases with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECT) in a long-term follow-up study.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 52 children with BECT who were divided into 2 groups: the isolated group and recurrence group. The clinical profiles and initial/serial visual EEG recordings of both groups were evaluated.

Inactivation of Poliovirus by Ozone and the Impact of Ozone on the Viral Genome.

Objective: To investigate the mechanisms underlying ozone-induced inactivation of poliovirus type 1 (PV1).

Methods: We used cell culture, long-overlapping RT-PCR, and spot hybridization assays to verify and accurately locate the sites of action of ozone that cause PV1 inactivation. We also employed recombinant viral genome RNA infection models to confirm our observations.

Hepatitis B virus S gene therapy with 10-23 DNAzyme delivered by chitosan--stearic acid micelles.

DNAzymes have the potential to suppress gene expression through sequence-specific mRNA cleavage and can therefore play an important role in various gene therapies. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is still one of the most serious liver infections in people around the world and is difficult to treat. We previously designed a 10-23 DNAzyme called DrzBS, which targets HBV S gene expression, but this enzyme depends on exogenous delivery, and so its application has been limited.

Genetic characterization and recombinant history of a novel HIV-1 circulating recombinant form (CRF101_01B) identified in Yunnan, China.

The high frequency of multiple HIV-1 recombinant events among the B, C and CRF01_AE were constantly occurring in Yunnan China. Here, we characterized a novel HIV-1 circulating recombinant form (CRF) consisting of CRF01_AE and subtype B (CRF101_01B) from three epidemiologically unlinked individuals. Phylogenetic analysis based on near full length genome (NFLG) sequences revealed that CRF101_01B formed a distinct monophyletic cluster supported by a high bootstrap value of 100%, distantly related to all known HIV-1 CRFs.

A novel positively charged composite nanofiltration membrane based on polyethyleneimine with a tunable active layer structure developed interfacial polymerization.

A novel positively charged composite nanofiltration (NF) membrane with tunable active layer structure was successfully developed interfacial polymerization on a polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane surface, using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as the monomer of the aqueous phase, and a mixture of isophthaloyl dichloride (IPC) and tri-mesoyl chloride (TMC) as the monomer of the organic phase. Interestingly, a synergetic effect of the mass ratio of IPC and TMC was observed on the pore size and the structure of the active layer of the resultant polyamide (PA)/polysulfone (PSF) composite NF membrane. The rejection () to the inorganic electrolytes increased with the mass ratio of IPC to TMC, while the permeate flux () escalated up to a 1 : 1 mixing ratio of IPC to TMC and dropped at higher mixing ratios.

Chlorine injury enhances antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through over expression of drug efflux pumps.

Adaption to adverse environments plays an important role in bacterial survival and is receiving increasing globe attention now. Here, cultivable chlorine-injured Pseudomonas aeruginosa, produced on the chlorination process, was investigated about their resistance to antibiotics. Then, global transcriptional analyses, quantitative PCR (qPCR) validation and antioxidant enzymes measurement were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms.

A Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Sensor for Rapid and Specific In Vivo Detection of Norepinephrine.

Norepinephrine (NE) is a key biogenic monoamine neurotransmitter involved in a wide range of physiological processes. However, its precise dynamics and regulation remain poorly characterized, in part due to limitations of available techniques for measuring NE in vivo. Here, we developed a family of GPCR activation-based NE (GRAB) sensors with a 230% peak ΔF/F response to NE, good photostability, nanomolar-to-micromolar sensitivities, sub-second kinetics, and high specificity.

Apoptotic Caspases Suppress Type I Interferon Production via the Cleavage of cGAS, MAVS, and IRF3.

Viral infection triggers host defenses through pattern-recognition receptor-mediated cytokine production, inflammasome activation, and apoptosis of the infected cells. Inflammasome-activated caspases are known to cleave cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS). Here, we found that apoptotic caspases are critically involved in regulating both DNA and RNA virus-triggered host defenses, in which activated caspase-3 cleaved cGAS, MAVS, and IRF3 to prevent cytokine overproduction.

Redox-responsive chitosan oligosaccharide-SS-Octadecylamine polymeric carrier for efficient anti-Hepatitis B Virus gene therapy.

DrzBC and DrzBS (10-23 DNAzyme) could block the expression of HBV e- and s- gene respectively. But the application of 10-23 DNAzyme was limited owing to the lack of appropriate delivery vehicles. Chitosan oligosaccharide-SS-Octadecylamine (CSSO), a redox-responsive nano-sized polymeric carrier, could self-aggregate and bind with DNA by electrostatic interaction at proper mass ratio.

Multicomponent quantitative analysis combined with antioxidant and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities for the quality evaluation of Gastrodia elata from different regions.

Gastrodia elata (G. elata), as a natural plant with nourishing and edible value, plays a vital role in food and pharmaceutical production. In the present study, a novel approach for the simultaneous determination of six components based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with photodiode array detection (PDA) was developed for the quality evaluation of G.

Preparation and characterization of a novel positively charged composite hollow fiber nanofiltration membrane based on chitosan lactate.

A positively charged composite hollow fiber nanofiltration (NF) membrane was prepared interfacial polymerization (IP) between chitosan lactate (CL) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on a polyether sulfone (PES) hollow fiber ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. The chemical structure and the morphologies of the resultant NF membranes were characterized with attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rejection of NF membrane for different inorganic salt aqueous solutions followed the order: MgCl > ZnCl > MgSO > NaCl > NaSO.

Enhancement of oral bioavailability of salmon calcitonin through chitosan-modified, dual drug-loaded nanoparticles.

Because numerous challenges limit the effective oral delivery of protein and peptide drugs, we developed promising chitosan (CS)-modified, dual drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) simultaneously containing salmon calcitonin (sCT) and puerarin (PR) (CS-sCT/PR-NPs), and to explore the potential of PR as a protease inhibitor. This oral delivery system showed efficient encapsulation of sCT (75.7%) and PR (50.

Subclinical thyroid disease and single nucleotide polymorphisms in reproductive-age women in areas of Shanxi Province, China, where iodine exposure is excessive.

Background And Objectives: When iodine intake is in excess, a susceptible population that has a genetic predisposition will have an increased risk of hypothyroidism or autoimmune thyroiditis. This study evaluated the vulnerability to iodine excess and subclinical thyroid disease through screening of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in reproductive-age women to provide evidence to be used for the prevention of subclinical thyroid disease.

Methods And Study Design: In Shanxi province, four areas where a range of iodine exposures from low to high were chosen in each region, 60 women were anticipated to enrol, including 20 pregnant women, 20 lactating women, and 20 non-pregnant, non-lactating women.

Recurrent Cerebral Infarctions in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Recurrent cerebral infarctions are extremely rare in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome. We report a 66-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital due to acute cerebral infarction with exacerbation of dysphagia and right-sided hemiplegia as the main symptoms. In the past 3 months, she had developed cerebral infarction twice, even though she had no risk factors for atherosclerosis.

Total coliforms as an indicator of human enterovirus presence in surface water across Tianjin city, China.

Background: Enteric viruses in surface water pose considerable risk to morbidity in populations living around water catchments and promote outbreaks of waterborne diseases. However, due to poor understanding of the correlation between water quality and the presence of human enteric viruses, the failure to assess viral contamination through alternative viral indicators makes it difficult to control disease transmission.

Methods: We investigated the occurrence of Enteroviruses (EnVs), Rotaviruses (HRVs), Astroviruses (AstVs), Noroviruses GII (HuNoVs GII) and Adenoviruses (HAdVs) from Jinhe River over 4 years and analyzed their correlation with physicochemical and bacterial parameters in water samples.

Knockdown of miR-372 Inhibits Nerve Cell Apoptosis Induced by Spinal Cord Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Enhancing Autophagy by Up-regulating Beclin-1.

To investigate the role of miR-372/Beclin-1 on nerve cell apoptosis induced by spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury (SCII). We established in vivo and in vitro SCII model. MiR-372 and Beclin-1 expressions in spinal cord tissues of SCII rats and SCII nerve cells were measured.

Genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus in Yunnan, China: identification of novel subgenotype C17, an intergenotypic B/I recombinant, and B/C recombinants.

Yunnan is considered to be a geographical hotspot for the introduction, mutation and recombination of several viruses in China. However, there are limited data regarding the genotypic profiles of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in this region. In this study, we characterized 206 HBV strains isolated from chronic hepatitis B patients in Yunnan, China.

A case report: autosomal recessive Myotonia congenita caused by a novel splice mutation (c.1401 + 1G > A) in CLCN1 gene of a Chinese Han patient.

Background: Autosomal recessive Myotonia congenita (Becker's disease) is caused by mutations in the CLCN1 gene. The condition is characterized by muscle stiffness during sustained muscle contraction and variable degree of muscle weakness that tends to improve with repeated contractions.

Case Presentation: A 21-year-old man presented with transient muscle stiffness since the last 10 years.

Immune Adjuvant Targeting Micelles Allow Efficient Dendritic Cell Migration to Lymph Nodes for Enhanced Cellular Immunity.

Cellular immunity is essential for the effectiveness of vaccines against cancer. After capture of vaccines, dendritic cells (DCs) have to migrate to lymph nodes via chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7). Subsequently, DCs present cytosolic antigens via major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) molecules to induce cellular immunity.

Source-Specific Health Risk Analysis on Particulate Trace Elements: Coal Combustion and Traffic Emission As Major Contributors in Wintertime Beijing.

Source apportionment studies of particulate matter (PM) link chemical composition to emission sources, while health risk analyses link health outcomes and chemical composition. There are limited studies to link emission sources and health risks from ambient measurements. We show such an attempt for particulate trace elements.

Pyrrolnitrin is more essential than phenazines for Pseudomonas chlororaphis G05 in its suppression of Fusarium graminearum.

Fusarium graminearum is the major causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease in cereal crops worldwide. Infection with this fungal phytopathogen can regularly cause severe yield and quality losses and mycotoxin contamination in grains. In previous other studies, one research group reported that pyrrolnitrin had an ability to suppress of mycelial growth of F.

A novel composite of CdS nanorods growing on a polyaniline-Cd particles surface with excellent formaldehyde gas sensing properties at low temperature.

A novel composite, CdS nanorods growing on a polyaniline-Cd particles surface (CdS/PANI) with a hexagonal wurtzite structure phase, was prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method. Methods of XRD, SEM, and FTIR were used to analyze the structure and morphology of the compounds. SEM shows that CdS/PANI consists of sea urchin-like nanorods of about 200-500 nm in length and about 50 nm in diameter.

Distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles: Spectrum of gene mutations in seven Chinese patients.

Distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV) is a rare, autosomal, recessive inherited disease caused by mutations in the GNE gene. DMRV is an adult-onset disorder characterized by progressive muscle atrophy and weakness, which initially involves the distal muscles with quadriceps sparing. To date, >150 GNE mutations have been reported in different populations from around the world.

A Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Sensor Enables Rapid and Specific Detection of Dopamine in Flies, Fish, and Mice.

Dopamine (DA) is a central monoamine neurotransmitter involved in many physiological and pathological processes. A longstanding yet largely unmet goal is to measure DA changes reliably and specifically with high spatiotemporal precision, particularly in animals executing complex behaviors. Here, we report the development of genetically encoded GPCR-activation-based-DA (GRAB) sensors that enable these measurements.