Spatial isolation and environmental factors drive distinct bacterial and archaeal communities in different types of petroleum reservoirs in China.

To investigate the spatial distribution of microbial communities and their drivers in petroleum reservoir environments, we performed pyrosequencing of microbial partial 16S rRNA, derived from 20 geographically separated water-flooding reservoirs, and two reservoirs that had not been flooded, in China. The results indicated that distinct underground microbial communities inhabited the different reservoirs. Compared with the bacteria, archaeal alpha-diversity was not strongly correlated with the environmental variables.

Effect of long-term antibiotic use on weight in adolescents with acne.

Objectives: Antibiotics increase weight in farm animals and may cause weight gain in humans. We used electronic health records from a large primary care organization to determine the effect of antibiotics on weight and BMI in healthy adolescents with acne.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents with acne prescribed ≥4 weeks of oral antibiotics with weight measurements within 18 months pre-antibiotics and 12 months post-antibiotics.

Changes in platelet function following cold storage of RBC suspensions.

Objective: To provide a basis for the cold-storage of human platelets as a way to assess changes in platelet function.

Methods: Red blood cell suspensions (11 U and 50 U) were randomly selected at different storage times (3-28 days) and evidence of platelet activation (CD62P) and thromboelastography (TEG) reaction times were investigated.

Results: After 21 days of storage at 4°C, a large number of activated platelets (PAC1+62P+, PAC1-62P+) within the red blood cell suspension (RBCs) retained their function and had TEG-maximum amplitude (TEG-MA) indices in the normal range.

[Effect of the hydrophobin HFBI-fusion tag on exogenous protein accumulation in tobacco plant].

Objective: To explore the mechanisms by which HFBI fusions increase recombinant fusion protein accumulation in plants.

Methods: The HFBI sequence from Trichoderma reesei was synthesized and two plant expression vectors for expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) and GFP-HFBI were constructed. The vectors were inoculated in Nicotiana benthamiana plants through agroinfiltration, and the expression levels and mRNA accumulation levels of GFP in Nicotiana leaves were examined by Western blotting, ELISA and RT-PCR.

One-step fabrication of inorganic/organic hybrid microspheres with tunable surface texture for controlled drug release application.

In this paper, we report one-step fabrication of poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid)/titanium oxide (PLGA/TiO2) hybrid microspheres with tunable surface texture via droplet-based microfluidics. Surface texture of microspheres can be continuously tuned by changing the mass ratio between titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and PLGA in the dispersed phase. The fast hydrolysis of TTIP on the droplet surface can generate a thin shell membrane, resulting in a wrinkled surface after extraction of organic solvent.

[Effect of Emodin Combined with AZT on the Proliferation and the Expression of BCL-2, NF-κB, TGF-β in the Leukemia Stem Cells-KG-1a cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Emodin combined with 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of concentrated leukemia stem cells (CLSC)-human acute myeloid leukemia KG-la cells and expression of BCL-2, NF-κB and TGF-β.

Methods: The tumor stem cell-like subpopulation in human leukemia cell line KG-1a was enriched with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The CD34⁺ CD38⁻ subpopulation in the KG-1a cells was detected with flow cytometry, the cell proliferation was detected by MTT method to study the of Emodin and AZT in the CLSC.

[GoldMag particle-based chemiluminescence immunoassay for human high sensitive C-reactive protein].

Objective: To develop a sensitive, accurate detection method for high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Methods: With the GoldMag particle as the solid phase carrier, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-lunimo-H2O2 as the chemiluminescence reaction system, we established a chemiluminescent immunoassay for hsCRP detection. Linear range, sensitivity, precision, accuracy and other indicators were evaluated.

Resource atlases for multi-atlas brain segmentations with multiple ontology levels based on T1-weighted MRI.

Technologies for multi-atlas brain segmentation of T1-weighted MRI images have rapidly progressed in recent years, with highly promising results. This approach, however, relies on a large number of atlases with accurate and consistent structural identifications. Here, we introduce our atlas inventories (n=90), which cover ages 4-82years with unique hierarchical structural definitions (286 structures at the finest level).

Protective effect of trans-δ-viniferin against high glucose-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells through the SIRT1 pathway.

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications. Trans-δ-viniferin (TVN), a polyphenolic compound, has recently attracted much attention as an antioxidant exhibiting a hypoglycemic potential. In the present study, we aimed at investigating the protective effect of TVN against high glucose-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the potential mechanism involved.

The simultaneous production of sphingan Ss and poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate) in Sphingomonas sanxanigenens NX02.

Sphingans and poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) are both widely used biopolymers produced by bacteria. In the batch fermentation of Sphingomonas sanxanigenens NX02 in a 5L fermenter using glucose as carbon source, ivory colored sphingan Ss production was a growth-associated process with a maximum purified production of 14.88 ± 0.

Comparison of posterior capsule opacification at 360-degree square edge hydrophilic and sharp edge hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens in diabetic patients.

Aim: To compare posterior capsule opacification (PCO) degree and visual functions after phacoemulsification in eyes implanted with 360-degree square edge hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) (570C C-flex, Rayner) and sharp edge hydrophobic acrylic IOL (Sensar AR40e, AMO) in diabetic patients.

Methods: Sixty diabetic patients underwent uneventful phacoemulsification and randomly implanted one of the two IOLs. The PCO value was measured by retroillumination photographs and Evaluation of Posterior Capsule Opacification (EPCO) 2000 image-analysis software at 1, 6, 12, and 24mo after surgery.

Accelerating Aerobic Sludge Granulation by Adding Dry Sewage Sludge Micropowder in Sequencing Batch Reactors.

Micropowder (20-250 µm) made from ground dry waste sludge from a municipal sewage treatment plant was added in a sequencing batch reactor (R2), which was fed by synthetic wastewater with acetate as carbon source. Compared with the traditional SBR (R1), aerobic sludge granulation time was shortened 15 days in R2. Furthermore, filamentous bacteria in bulking sludge were controlled to accelerate aerobic granulation and form large granules.

Inositol Hexakisphosphate Kinase-3 Regulates the Morphology and Synapse Formation of Cerebellar Purkinje Cells via Spectrin/Adducin.

Unlabelled: The inositol hexakisphosphate kinases (IP6Ks) are the principal enzymes that generate inositol pyrophosphates. There are three IP6Ks (IP6K1, 2, and 3). Functions of IP6K1 and IP6K2 have been substantially delineated, but little is known of IP6K3's role in normal physiology, especially in the brain.

Association between frequency of blood tests and mortality rate in patients undergoing massive blood transfusion: a multicenter study in five regions of China.

In order to provide Chinese clinicians with guidelines for the management of massive blood loss, we investigated the correlation between the frequency of blood tests and the mortality rate in patients undergoing massive blood transfusion (MBT). The aim of this study is to provide Chinese clinicians with guidelines for the management of massive blood loss. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent massive blood transfusion (MBT) from 20 tertiary hospitals in 5 regions of China.

Hemostatic function of packed red blood cells: an in-vitro study.

Clinical observations suggest that red blood cells (RBCs) participate directly in hemostasis. We designed an in-vitro system aimed at evaluating the hemostatic function of RBCs. Blood samples were collected from 20 healthy volunteers and packed RBCs (PRBCs) were supplied by the Shaanxi Province Blood Center.

Study on the pupal morphogenesis of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) for postmortem interval estimation.

Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) is one of the most common species of blow flies at the scene of death in Southern China. Pupae are useful in postmortem interval (PMI) estimation due to their sedentary nature and longer duration of association with the corpse. However, to determine the age of a pupa is more difficult than that of a larva, due to the fact that morphological changes are rarely visible during pupal development.

Phthalate esters contamination in soils and vegetables of plastic film greenhouses of suburb Nanjing, China and the potential human health risk.

The contamination of phthalate esters (PAEs) has become a potential threat to the environment and human health because they could be easily released as plasticizers from the daily supply products, especially in polyethylene films. Concentration levels of total six PAEs, nominated as priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), were investigated in soils and vegetables from four greenhouse areas in suburbs of Nanjing, East China. Total PAEs concentration ranged from 930 ± 840 to 2,450 ± 710 μg kg(-1) (dry weight (DW)) in soil and from 790 ± 630 to 3,010 ± 2,130 μg kg(-1) in vegetables.

Microbial diversity and abundance in the Xinjiang Luliang long-term water-flooding petroleum reservoir.

Microbial populations associated with microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) and their abundance in the Xinjiang Luliang water-flooding petroleum reservoir were investigated using 16S rRNA, nitrate reductases, dissimilatory sulfate reductase, and methyl coenzyme-M reductase-encoded genes to provide ecological information for the potential application of MEOR. 16S rRNA gene miseq sequencing revealed that this reservoir harbored large amounts of taxa, including 155 bacterial and 7 archeal genera. Among them, Arcobacter, Halomonas, Marinobacterium, Marinobacter, Sphingomonas, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Dietzia, Ochrobactrum, Hyphomonas, Acinetobacter, and Shewanella were dominant, and have the potential to grow using hydrocarbons as carbon sources.

Modulation of the pentose phosphate pathway alters phase I metabolism of testosterone and dextromethorphan in HepG2 cells.

Aim: The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is involved in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and generation of NADPH, which plays a key role in drug metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of modulation of the PPP on drug metabolism capacity in vitro.

Methods: A pair of hepatic cell lines, ie, the cancerous HepG2 cells and normal L02 cells, was used.

IL-22 Up-Regulates β-Defensin-2 Expression in Human Alveolar Epithelium via STAT3 but Not NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Human β-defensin-2(HBD-2) is one of the two major vertebrate antimicrobial peptide families (α and β), which is highly expressed by proinflammatory induction in the lung and exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. We observed that IL-22 receptors high expressed on the membrane of A549 cells; HBD-2 mRNA was expressed in a time- and concentration-dependent manners in A549 cells when treated with IL-22; further studies demonstrated that HBD-2 expression was attenuated by AG490, but to JSH-23, inhibitors of p-STAT3 DNA binding and NF-κB/p65 subunit nuclear translocation, respectively. These results support that IL-22-mediated signalling pathway of HBD-2 gene expression involved STAT3 but not NF-κB in human alveolar epithelium.

A novel mechanism of protein thermostability: a unique N-terminal domain confers heat resistance to Fe/Mn-SODs.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs), especially thermostable SODs, are widely applied in medical treatments, cosmetics, food, agriculture, and other industries given their excellent antioxidant properties. A novel thermostable cambialistic SOD from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2 exhibits maximum activity at 70 °C and high thermostability over a broad range of temperatures (20-80 °C). Unlike other reported SODs, this enzyme contains an extra repeat-containing N-terminal domain (NTD) of 244 residues adjacent to the conserved functional SODA domain.

Correction of blood coagulation dysfunction and anemia by supplementation of red blood cell suspension, fresh frozen plasma, and apheresis platelet: results of in vitro hemodilution experiments.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the optimal composition and timing for the administration of blood supplements during in vivo blood transfusion with red blood cells suspension (pRBC), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and apheresis platelet (PLT) administered for the correction of anemia and coagulation dysfunction caused by in vitro hemodilution.

Materials And Methods: We collected blood samples from 24 healthy volunteers and prepared various dilutions of whole blood with normal saline: 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, 5:5, 4:6, 3:7, 2:8, and 1:9. The diluted blood samples were then supplemented with blood components at various proportions and then analyzed to determine the values of the routine blood indices, coagulation indices, and thromboelastogram measures.

Serine racemase regulated by binding to stargazin and PSD-95: potential N-methyl-D-aspartate-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (NMDA-AMPA) glutamate neurotransmission cross-talk.

D-Serine, an endogenous co-agonist for the glycine site of the synaptic NMDA glutamate receptor, regulates synaptic plasticity and is implicated in schizophrenia. Serine racemase (SR) is the enzyme that converts L-serine to D-serine. In this study, we demonstrate that SR interacts with the synaptic proteins, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) and stargazin, forming a ternary complex.

Evaluation of emerging factors blocking filtration of high-adjunct-ratio wort.

Corn starch has become a common adjunct for beer brewing in Chinese breweries. However, with increasing ratio of corn starch, problems like poor wort filtration performance arise, which will decrease production capacity of breweries. To solve this problem, factors affecting wort filtration were evaluated, such as the size of corn starch particle, special yellow floats formed during liquefaction of corn starch, and residual substance after liquefaction.