Conversion of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma to Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma: a Rare Case.

Background: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a distinct subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and accounts for 2% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Its typical characteristics include an aggressive course, progressive lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, systemic symptoms, anemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, and generally poor prognosis.

Methods: We describe a rare case in which the left inguinal lymph node was completely excised and biopsied one year ago.

Novel strategy to quantify the viability of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis, a risk factor of the waterborne protozoan pathogens of public health concern.

While waters might be contaminated by oocysts from >40 Cryptosporidium species, only viable oocysts of C. parvum and C. hominis truly pose the main health risk to the immunocompetent population.

Examining the spatial networks of an urban agglomeration through the lens of multi-dimensional element flow: Evidence from western China.

The Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CCUA), as the only national-level city cluster in southwestern China, serves as a strategic support for the Yangtze River Economic Belt and an important demonstration area for promoting new urbanization in the country. The study of the networked characteristics of the CCUA contributes to a systematic understanding of its spatial connectivity patterns, optimization of spatial structure and layout, and promotion of high-quality regional development. In this study, we constructed models for traffic flow, information flow, migration flow, and composite flow to calculate the strength of connections between cities and the total flow of various elements in the CCUA.

Clinical significance of detection of mononuclear phagocyte subsets in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the detection of mononuclear phagocytes subsets in pulmonary sarcoidosis blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). For this purpose, a total of 52 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis were selected as the study group, 52 healthy people served as the "NC Group a" (peripheral blood mononuclear cell control group), 47 patients with chronic cough and no pulmonary sarcoidosis who underwent bronchoscopy were used as "control group b" (alveolar lavage fluid macrophage control group). Fasting peripheral blood and BALF were collected, and flow cytometry was used to detect monocytes and macrophage subpopulations.

Effect of grafted graphene nanosheets on morphology evolution and conductive behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(styrene--acrylonitrile) blends during isothermal annealing.

A facile method was developed for directly grafting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to graphene oxide (GO) without surface modification, with the resultant insulating PMMA--GO nanosheets further reduced to give conductive grafted reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets. The effect of PMMA--RGO nanosheets on the morphological evolution and conductive behavior of partially miscible blends of poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly (styrene--acrylonitrile) (PMMA/SAN) upon annealing above their phase-separation temperature was investigated using phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) with a real-time online digital picoammeter. With phase separation of the blend matrix, the well-dispersed PMMA--RGO nanosheets in the homogeneous matrix preferentially migrated to the SAN-rich phase and showed remarkably little aggregation.

Performance and Fouling Study of Asymmetric PVDF Membrane Applied in the Concentration of Organic Fertilizer by Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD).

This study proposes using membrane distillation (MD) as an alternative to the conventional multi-stage flushing (MSF) process to concentrate a semi-product of organic fertilizer. By applying a unique asymmetric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane, which was specifically designed for MD applications using a nonsolvent thermally induced phase separation (NTIPS) method, the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) performance was investigated in terms of its sustainability in permeation flux, fouling resistance, and anti-wetting properties. It was found that the permeation flux increased with increasing flow rate, while the top-surface facing feed mode was the preferred orientation to achieve 25% higher flux than the bottom-surface facing feed mode.

Assessing the ecological vulnerability of the upper reaches of the Minjiang River.

The upper reaches of the Minjiang River (URMR), located on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau in southwestern China, are an important component of the ecological barrier of the Upper Yangtze River Basin. Climate change and human activities have increased the ecological sensitivity and vulnerability of the region, which may pose a threat to the ecological security of the Yangtze River Basin and have negative impacts on local social and economic development. In this study, we analyzed land use and cover change (LUCC) of the URMR between 2000 and 2010, and found that the total rate of LUCC was less than 0.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1: a specific cancer stem cell marker for human colorectal carcinoma.

Since the identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) a new understanding of tumor occurrence and development has evolved. According to the stem cell (SC) theory, colorectal carcinoma (CRC) SCs may be derived from mutations in normal intestinal cells. CSCs can be defined by their cell of origin (SCs or early progenitor cells).

Expression and prognostic value of tumor stem cell markers ALDH1 and CD133 in colorectal carcinoma.

The identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has improved the understanding of tumor occurrence and development. According to CSC theory, colorectal carcinoma (CRC) may be derived from these few cells. Thus, markers for CSCs may lead to the identification of CSCs and investigation of the correlation with various clinicopathological features and survival time in human CRC patients.

Genomic dissection and prioritizing of candidate genes of QTL for regulating spontaneous arthritis on chromosome 1 in mice deficient for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a heterogeneous disease with clinical and biological polymorphisms. IL-1RN is a protein that binds to interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptors and inhibits the binding of IL-1-alpha and IL-1-beta. IL-1RN levels are elevated in the blood of patients with a variety of infectious, immune, and traumatic conditions.

PDGFRβ triggered by bFGF promotes the proliferation and migration of endothelial progenitor cells via p-ERK signalling.

We have examined the effects of bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) on p-ERK (phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase) through PDGFRβ (platelet-derived growth factor receptor β) in the proliferation and migration of EPCs (endothelial progenitor cells). EPC migration was detected using the Transwell system. The expression of PDGFRβ mRNA and protein, total ERK and p-ERK proteins was respectively assessed by real-time PCR and Western blottings.

Differential gene expression between wild-type and Gulo-deficient mice supplied with vitamin C.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that hepatic vitamin C (VC) levels in VC deficient mice rescued with high doses of VC supplements still do not reach the optimal levels present in wild-type mice. For this, we used a mouse scurvy model (sfx) in which the L-gulonolactone oxidase gene (Gulo) is deleted. Six age- (6 weeks old) and gender- (female) matched wild-type (WT) and sfx mice (rescued by administering 500 mg of VC/L) were used as the control (WT) and treatment (MT) groups (n = 3 for each group), respectively.

[Effect of Schwann cells on differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at different ages].

Objective: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are multipotent and thus are able to differentiate into a number of different cell types under certain culture condition. However, the effect of age on the differentiation remains unknown. To explore the effect of the microenvironment formed by Schwann cells (SCs) on BMSCs differentiation into neurons and oligodendrocytes in rats at different ages in vitro.

Functional and histological improvement of the injured spinal cord following transplantation of Schwann cells transfected with NRG1 gene.

In this study, we implanted Schwann cells (SCs) transfected with Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) gene into rats with hemisection spinal cord injury, determined its effects on the repair of spinal cord injury and investigated the underlying mechanisms. Primary SCs were cultured, purified, and transfected with NRG1 gene. SCs and SCs transfected with NRG1 gene were implanted, respectively, into rats with hemisection spinal cord injury.

Simulated microgravity promotes cellular senescence via oxidant stress in rat PC12 cells.

Microgravity has a unique effect on biological organisms. Organs exposed to microgravity display cellular senescence, a change that resembles the aging process. To directly investigate the influence of simulated microgravity on neuronal original rat PC12 cells, we used a rotary cell culture system that simulates the microgravity environment on the earth.

Inhibition of telomerase activity in renal cell carcinoma cells by doxorubicin and anti-Fas monoclonal antibody.

Telomerase, the ribonucleoprotein enzyme that maintains the telomeres of eukaryotic chromosomes, is an attractive target for a mechanism-based therapeutic approach as its activation has been associated with unlimited proliferation in most types of cancer cells. Here, we investigated the effect of chemotherapeutic or immunotherapeutic agents and anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (mAb) on telomerase activity in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. Primary RCC cells were surgically obtained from 24 patients with RCC.

[Effects of expression of fatty acid synthetase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in offspring rats by high protein intake in pregnancy].

Objective: To investigate the effect of pregnant nutritional manipulation on offspring mRNA expression of fatty acid synthetase (FAS) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK).

Methods: Wistar pregnant rats fed on standard diet and high protein diet (HPD), respectively. The male offspring were divided into control and high protein group (HP) in accordance with the diets of their dams.