Structural and functional insights into the role of a cupin superfamily isomerase in the biosynthesis of Choi moiety of aeruginosin.

The 2-carboxy-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole (Choi) moiety is a hallmark of aeruginosins, a class of cyanobacterial derived bioactive linear tetrapeptides that possess antithrombotic activity. The biosynthetic pathway of Choi has yet to be resolved. AerE is a cupin superfamily enzyme that was shown to be involved in the biosynthesis of Choi, but its exact role remains unclear.

Association between serum thallium in early pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: The Ma'anshan birth cohort study.

Background: High blood glucose has been noted in case reports of acute thallium poisoning, however, effects of low-level exposure of thallium on risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been explored yet.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the association of serum thallium concentration (STC) in early pregnancy and risk of GDM.

Methods: Data of 3013 women from the Ma'anshan birth cohort study (MABC), China was used.

The impact of resection margin and microvascular invasion on long-term prognosis after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-institutional study.

Background: The resection margin (RM) status and microscopic vascular invasion (MVI) are known prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An enhanced understanding of their impact on long-term prognosis is required to improve oncological outcomes.

Methods: Using multi-institutional data, the different impact of the RM status (narrow, <1 cm, or wide, ≥1 cm) and MVI (positive or negative) on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after curative liver resection of solitary HCC without macrovascular invasion was analyzed.

Comparative liver function models for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: A 10-year single center experience.

Background/objective: Previous studies have proposed several objective means for liver function assessment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients; however, their efficiency in predicting survival of HCC rupture is unknown. Our study aims to confirm which is a better liver function model for ruptured HCC.

Methods: A total of 230 patients with HCC ruptures at our center were included.

Dark Current Reduction Strategy via a Layer-By-Layer Solution Process for a High-Performance All-Polymer Photodetector.

The ideal bulk-heterojunction for high-performance organic photodetectors prefers a morphology with a vertically gradient component to suppress the leaking current. Here, we demonstrate an all-polymer photodetector with a segregated bulk-heterojunction active layer. This all-polymer photodetector exhibits a dramatically reduced dark current density because of its built-in charge blocking layer, with a responsivity of 0.

Isolated effect of maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies in early pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus: a birth cohort study in China.

This article aims to understand the isolated effect of maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT) and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) in early pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Based on a birth cohort, pregnant women presented to maternity hospitals for the first antenatal care from Nov 2008 to Oct 2010 were invited to participate in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was asked to complete to collect data on socio-economic variables, previous adverse pregnancy outcomes, method of conception, previous endocrinic and metabolic diseases, and pregnancy-related anxiety in 1 trimester of the index pregnancy.

Elective caesarean section on maternal request prior to 39 gestational weeks and childhood psychopathology: a birth cohort study in China.

Background: The recommendation of non-indicated caesarean section (CS) after 39 gestational weeks has been announced based on evidence of maternal and infant physiological effects. The potential psychological risks have not been acknowledged. This study aims to investigate emotional and behavioral problems in pre-school children born with elective CS (ECS) on maternal request prior to 39 weeks.

Distribution of Karlodinium veneficum in the coastal region of Xiangshan Bay in the East China Sea, as detected by a real-time quantitative PCR assay of ribosomal ITS sequence.

Athecate dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum is a universal toxic species possessing karlotoxins recognized especially as ichthyotoxic as well as cytotoxic and hemolytic. Blooms of K. veneficum, both single-species or accompanied with other species, occurred more frequently worldwide in recent years, including the coastal region of China.

A real-time recombinase polymerase amplification assay for the rapid detection of Vibrio harveyi.

Vibrio harveyi is a pathogen that infects fish and shellfish worldwide, causing severe economic losses for the aquaculture industry. As the early diagnosis of V. harveyi infection is crucial to disease surveillance and prevention in cultured marine animals, a fast and accurate method to detect V.

Smart hydrogels with high tunability of stiffness as a biomimetic cell carrier.

Human tissues are sophisticated ensembles of various distinct cell types encapsulated in the biomechanical cues of the extracellular matrix. It has been known matrix stiffness plays a pivot role in cellular events and tissue-scale biological processes. Thus, materials that can mimic mechanical environments of tissues in vitro and possess wide, physiologically relevant elasticity are highly desirable.

Prenatal thallium exposure and poor growth in early childhood: A prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Thallium (Tl) exposure remains a public health problem with potential impacts on humans. Studies have suggested that prenatal exposure to thallium may be associated with fetal growth, but no studies are known have explored its association with early childhood anthropometry.

Objective: To investigate the effects of prenatal Tl exposures on early child growth and development aged 0-2 years in a prospective birth cohort study.

Integrative analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression identify a six epigenetic driver signature for predicting prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

DNA methylation is a crucial regulator of gene transcription in the etiology and pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, it is reasonable to identify DNA methylation-related prognostic markers. Currently, we aimed to make an integrative epigenetic analysis of HCC to identify the effectiveness of epigenetic drivers in predicting prognosis for HCC patients.

Identification of Two Mutations in PCDHGA4 and SLFN14 Genes in an Atrial Septal Defect Family.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common acyanotic congenital cardiac disorder associated with genetic mutations. The objective of this study was to identify the genetic factors in a Chinese family with ASD patients by a whole exome sequencing approach. Causative ASD gene mutations were examined in 16 members from a three-generation family, among which 6 individuals were diagnosed as having ASD.

Iron-Related Factors in Early Pregnancy and Subsequent Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort (MABC) Study.

Iron is an essential micronutrient while its excessive load has been related to the etiology of diabetes. We used data of 3289 pregnant women from the Ma'anshan birth cohort (MABC) study in China to examine the associations of three iron-related factors (i.e.

Night shift work and abnormal liver function: is non-alcohol fatty liver a necessary mediator?

Objectives: Accumulated evidence implies that night shift work may trigger liver dysfunction. Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is suggested to be a necessary mediator in this process. This study aimed to examine the relationship between night shift work and elevated level of alanine transaminase (e-ALT) of workers and investigate the potential mediation effect of NAFL.

Anthraquinone Emodin Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Calcification of Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells via the NF-κB Pathway.

Exploring effective therapies for delaying calcific heart valve disease (CHVD) is the focus of current cardiovascular clinical and scientific research. In this study, human aortic valve interstitial cells (hVICs) were isolated from patients with CHVD. After expansion, cultured hVICs were induced with the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) with or without anthraquinone emodin (EMD) treatments.

Multidisciplinary management of recurrent and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma after resection: an international expert consensus.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth-most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. However, 40-70% patients eventually suffer from postoperative recurrence within 5 years. HCC recurrence after surgery severely affects prognosis of the patients.

Elective caesarean delivery and offspring's cognitive impairment: Implications of methylation alteration in hippocampus glucocorticoid signaling genes.

Elective caesarean delivery (CD) is an atypical early-life stressful event towards infants. It can pose a long-term effect to children's development by programming hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, the effect of elective CD on offspring's long-term cognitive function and the potential molecular mechanism remains unknown.

Identification of 11 potentially relevant gene mutations involved in growth retardation, intellectual disability, joint contracture, and hepatopathy.

The multisystemic clinical characteristics of growth retardation, intellectual disability, joint contracture, and hepatopathy in humans are rare and there are no clear diagnoses of these conditions. However, previous studies using exome sequencing have suggested that they are caused by gene mutations, and some related pathogenic gene variants have been found.Here, we performed resequencing and genome-wide variation analysis of 3 individuals (an affected proband and unaffected parents) from a consanguineous family using Solexa sequencing technology to identify mutated genes.

Learning Curve in Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Liver Resection.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the learning curve effect on the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted liver resection (RALR).

Methods: In 140 consecutive cases, all data about demographic, surgical procedure, postoperative course were collected prospectively and analyzed. Risk-adjusted cumulative sum model was used for determining the learning curve based on the need for conversion.

In-depth quantitative proteome analysis of seminal plasma from men with oligoasthenozoospermia and normozoospermia.

Research Question: Can seminal plasma markers for oligoasthenozoospermia be identified by comparison of the human seminal plasma proteome in men with oligoasthenozoospermia and normozoospermia?

Design: An in-depth quantitative proteome analysis was conducted using a high-throughput method named isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification. A total of 734 seminal plasma proteins were quantified by mass spectrometry.

Results: Compared with the seminal plasma from men with normozoospermia, 22 upregulated proteins and 20 downregulated proteins were identified in the oligoasthenozoospermic seminal plasma.

Irinotecan Alters the Disposition of Morphine Via Inhibition of Organic Cation Transporter 1 (OCT1) and 2 (OCT2).

Purpose: The organic cation transporters (OCTs) and multidrug and toxin extrusions (MATEs) together are regarded as an organic cation transport system critical to the disposition and response of many organic cationic drugs. Patient response to the analgesic morphine, a characterized substrate for human OCT1, is highly variable. This study was aimed to examine whether there is any organic cation transporter-mediated drug and drug interaction (DDI) between morphine and commonly co-administrated drugs.

Using dual isotopes and a Bayesian isotope mixing model to evaluate sources of nitrate of Tai Lake, China.

Identification and quantification of sources of nitrate (NO) in freshwater lakes provide useful information for management of eutrophication and improving water quality in lakes. Dual δN- and δO-NO isotopes and a Bayesian isotope mixing model were applied to identify sources of NO and estimate their proportional contributions to concentrations of NO in Tai Lake, China. In waters of Tai Lake, values for δN-NO ranged from 3.

Organ preservation with targeted rapamycin nanoparticles: a pre-treatment strategy preventing chronic rejection .

Hypothermic preservation is the standard of care for storing organs prior to transplantation. Endothelial and epithelial injury associated with hypothermic storage causes downstream graft injury and, as such, the choice of an ideal donor organ preservation solution remains controversial. Cold storage solutions, by design, minimize cellular necrosis and optimize cellular osmotic potential, but do little to assuage immunological cell activation or immune cell priming post transplantation.

Expression of peroxiredoxins in the human testis, epididymis and spermatozoa and their role in preventing H2O2-induced damage to spermatozoa.

Introduction: High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have potential toxic effects on testicular function and sperm quality. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) are enzymes with a role as ROS scavenger. The aim of the study was to reveal the presence and localization of PRDXs in human testis, epididymis and spermatozoa, and the protective roles of PRDX2 and PRDX6 in sperm motility.