Numerical Simulation of Airflow Fields in Two Typical Nasal Structures of Empty Nose Syndrome: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

Background

The pathogenesis of empty nose syndrome (ENS) has not been elucidated so far. Though postulated, there remains a lack of experimental evidence about the roles of nasal aerodynamics on the development of ENS.

Objective

To investigate the nasal aerodynamic features of ENS andto explore the role of aerodynamic changes on the pathogenesis of ENS.

Methods

Seven sinonasal models were numerically constructed, based on the high resolution computed tomography images of seven healthy male adults. Bilateral radical inferior/middle turbinectomy were numerically performed to mimic the typical nasal structures of ENS-inferior turbinate (ENS-IT) and ENS-middle turbinate (ENS-MT). A steady laminar model was applied in calculation. Velocity, pressure, streamlines, air flux and wall shear stress were numerically investigated. Each parameter of normal structures was compared with those of the corresponding pathological models of ENS-IT and ENS-MT, respectively.

Results

ENS-MT: Streamlines, air flux distribution, and wall shear stress distribution were generally similar to those of the normal structures; nasal resistances decreased. Velocities decreased locally, while increased around the sphenopalatine ganglion by 0.20±0.17m/s and 0.22±0.10m/s during inspiration and expiration, respectively. ENS-IT: Streamlines were less organized with new vortexes shown near the bottom wall. The airflow rates passing through the nasal olfactory area decreased by 26.27%±8.68% and 13.18%±7.59% during inspiration and expiration, respectively. Wall shear stresses, nasal resistances and local velocities all decreased.

Conclusion

Our CFD simulation study suggests that the changes in nasal aerodynamics may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of ENS. An increased velocity around the sphenopalatine ganglion in the ENS-MT models could be responsible for headache in patients with ENS-MT. However, these results need to be validated in further studies with a larger sample size and more complicated calculating models.     

Family Income Affects Children’s Altruistic Behavior in the Dictator Game

This study aimed to examine how family income and social distance influence young rural Chinese children’s altruistic behavior in the dictator game (DG). A total of 469 four-year-old children from eight rural areas in China, including many children left behind by parents who had migrated to urban areas for work, played the DG. Stickers comprised the resource, while recipients in the game were assumed to be either their friends or strangers, with the social distance (i.e., strangers compared to friends) as a between-subjects variable. Children donated significantly more stickers to their friends than to strangers. Moreover, children from lower income families donated more stickers than children from higher income families. However, no gender and parental migrant status differences in children’s prosocial behaviors were evident in this sample. Findings of this study suggest that children’s altruistic behaviours to peers are influenced by family characteristics since preschool age. The probable influence of local socialization practices on development and the possible adaptive significance were discussed.     

碳源影响水稻根际假单胞菌PA1201藤黄绿菌素的生物合成

【背景】假单胞菌PA1201是一株水稻根际促生菌,其产生的次生代谢物藤黄绿菌素(pyoluteorin,Plt)能够有效抑制多种植物病原真菌和细菌的生长,但在常规培养条件下Plt产量极低。【目的】研究碳源对Plt生物合成的影响,为提高Plt的产量以及应用提供理论基础。【方法】将基本培养基(minimal medium,MM)中甘露醇替换为不同的碳源及碳源组合作为PA1201的培养基,生长过程中不同时间点取样提取Plt,利用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法分析Plt的产量变化。【结果】建立了基于HPLC定性和定量检测Plt的方法;比较了PA1201菌株在不同培养基中菌株生长和Plt的产量,发现果糖和甘露醇促进Plt生物合成;果糖和甘露醇对Plt生物合成没有增效作用;在含有甘露醇或果糖作为唯一碳源的培养基中,添加葡萄糖或琥珀酸抑制Plt生物合成。【结论】果糖和甘露醇促进水稻根际假单胞菌PA1201合成藤黄绿菌素,这为提高藤黄绿菌素的生物合成效率和促进藤黄绿菌素的应用奠定了基础。     

不同生物土壤结皮微生物组跨膜转运蛋白基因多样性及差异

【背景】跨膜转运蛋白在微生物转运各种物质的过程中具有重要作用。【目的】通过比较原核微生物组磷酸转移酶(phosphotransferasesystem,PTS)系统和腺苷三磷酸结合盒(ATP-binding cassette,ABC)转运蛋白编码基因在两种不同生物土壤结皮中(藻结皮与藓结皮)的差异,以期揭示随着生物土壤结皮的发育演替,微生物组跨膜转运物质的生物学过程中的潜在变化趋势。【方法】对腾格里沙漠东南缘的藻结皮和藓结皮12个样品进行宏基因组测序,参照KEGG数据库PTS系统,与ABC转运蛋白代谢通路进行比较并筛选相关基因,分析其差异显著性。【结果】藻结皮和藓结皮PTS系统和ABC转运蛋白编码基因的多样性一致。在生物土壤结皮中共检测到16种PTS系统的转运蛋白的编码基因,具有显著性差异的有5种;检测到106种ABC转运蛋白的编码基因,具有显著性差异的有46种,并对这46种转运蛋白结合的底物以及变化趋势进行了详细的描述。【结论】生物土壤结皮发育演替过程中,微生物组从环境中摄取能够增加渗透势物质的潜力总体呈现降低趋势,转运氨基酸、细胞膜和细胞壁组分的潜力总体呈现增加趋势,对于矿物离子、辅助因子、糖类和碳酸氢盐等的转运潜力总体无明显变化。需要注意的是这些转运蛋白编码基因多样性及差异与生物土壤结皮的关系还有待实验证明与解释。     

污水处理过程中微生物群落多样性及其对环境因子响应的研究进展

污水生物处理系统的性能和稳定性与微生物群落结构和动态密切相关。通过深入了解活性污泥中微生物群落结构及其影响因素,有助于提高污水厂污染物的去除效果。在不同污水活性污泥处理系统中细菌群落主要以变形菌、绿弯菌、放线菌、厚壁菌和拟杆菌为功能菌群;活性污泥中寄居的大多数真菌来自于子囊菌门,还有少量担子菌门;古菌以产甲烷菌为主;而病毒中分布最广的噬菌体和致病性病毒是最主要的关注点。本文通过对相关文献分析及总结,综述了进水组成、不同处理工艺、参数(理化参数和运行参数)、地理位置和气候条件等环境因子对活性污泥中细菌、真菌、古菌以及病毒群落组成的影响,尽可能全面地介绍污水厂微生物群落多样性及其对环境因子的响应。同时,对未来研究方向进行探讨,以期能够为活性污泥中功能微生物的应用及调控提供理论和应用基础。     

吸烟对健康人群唾液微生物组的影响

【背景】吸烟是重要的公共健康问题,可能通过改变唾液微生物组影响口腔健康甚至全身健康。【目的】探究吸烟对中国健康人群唾液微生物组的影响,为研究吸烟在疾病发展中的作用提供线索。【方法】收集167位健康个体的唾液样本,利用HiSeq高通量测序技术对样品中16S rRNA基因V3-V4区进行测序,分析比较吸烟者和非吸烟者的唾液微生物组的多样性、群落结构和物种丰度,并预测功能组成,探究吸烟对唾液微生物组的影响。【结果】吸烟对唾液微生物组的α多样性影响较小,但是在微生物组组成上,吸烟组中奈瑟菌属、艾肯菌属、二氧化碳嗜纤维属等细菌明显减少,而普雷沃氏菌属、韦荣氏球菌属、放线菌属、奇异菌属和巨球型菌属等细菌明显增加。在功能上,PICRUSt的预测结果显示吸烟组富集不依赖氧气的代谢功能,非吸烟组富集需要氧气参与的代谢功能。【结论】吸烟可能会通过改变唾液微生物组,造成微生物组功能途径的变化,进而引发与吸烟相关的疾病。     

A risk signature-based on metastasis-associated genes to predict survival of patients with osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary solid malignant bone tumor, and its metastasis is a prominent cause of high mortality in patients. In this study, a prognosis risk signature was constructed based on metastasis-associated genes. Four microarrays datasets with clinical information were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, and 256 metastasis-associated genes were identified by limma package. Further, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and survival analysis was performed using data from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments data matrix, identifying 19 genes correlated with prognosis. Six genes were selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression for multivariate cox analysis. Finally, a three-gene (MYC, CPE, and LY86) risk signature was constructed, and datasets GSE21257 and GSE16091 were used to validate the prediction efficiency of the signature. The survival times of low- and high-risk groups were significantly different in the training set and validation set. Additionally, gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the genes in the signature may affect the cell cycle, gap junctions, and interleukin-6 production. Therefore, the three-gene survival risk signature could potentially predict the prognosis of patients with OS. Further, proteins encoded by CPE and LY86 may provide novel insights into the prediction of OS prognosis and therapeutic targets.     

Identification of potential miRNA biomarkers for traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head

Traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head (TONFH) is a common orthopedic disease caused by physical injury in hip. However, the unclear pathogenesis mechanism of TONFH and lacking of simple noninvasive early diagnosis method cause the necessity of hip replacement for most patients with TONFH. In this study, we aimed to identify circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) by integrated bioinformatics analyses as potential biomarker of TONFH. mRNA expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Then we combined two miRNA screen methods: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and fold change based differentially expressed miRNAs analysis. As a result, we identified 14 key miRNAs as potential biomarkers for TONFH. Besides, 302 target genes of these miRNAs were obtained and the miRNA–mRNA interaction network was constructed. Furthermore, the results of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome pathway analysis, Gene Ontology function analysis, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and PPI network module analysis showed close correlation between these 14 key miRNAs and TONFH. Then we established receiver operating characteristic curves and identified 6-miRNA signature with highly diagnosis value including miR-93-5p (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.93), miR-1324 (AUC = 0.92), miR-4666a-3p (AUC = 0.92), miR-5011-3p (AUC = 0.92), and miR-320a (AUC = 0.89), miR-185-5p (AUC = 0.89). Finally, the results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed the significantly higher expression of miR-93-5p and miR-320a in the serum of patients with ONFH. These circulating miRNAs could serve as candidate early diagnosis markers and potential treatment targets of TONFH.     

Overexpression of β-NGF promotes differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neurons through regulation of AKT and MAPK pathway

Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) are fibroblastic in shape and capable of self-renewal and have the potential for multi-directional differentiation. Nerve growth factor (NGF), a homodimeric polypeptide, plays an important role in the nervous system by supporting the survival and growth of neural cells, regulating cell growth, promoting differentiation into neuron, and neuron migration. Adenoviral vectors are DNA viruses that contain 36 kb of double-stranded DNA allowing for transmission of the genes to the host nucleus but not inserting them into the host chromosome. The present study aimed to investigate the induction efficiency and differentiation of neural cells from BMSCs by β-NGF gene transfection with recombinant adenoviral vector (Ad-β-NGF) in vitro. The results of immunochemical assay confirmed the induced cells as neuron cells. Moreover, flow cytometric analysis, Annexin-V-FITC/PI, and BrdU assay revealed that chemical inducer β-mercaptoethanol (β-met) triggered apoptosis of BMSCs, as evidenced by inhibition of DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, translocation of phospholipid phosphatidylserine, and activation of caspase-3. Furthermore, the results of western blotting showed that β-met suppressed AKT signaling pathway and regulated the MAPKs during differentiation of BMSCs. In contrast, Ad-β-NGF effectively induced the differentiation of BMSCs without causing any cytopathic phenomenon and apoptotic cell death. Moreover, Ad-β-NGF recovered the expression level of phosphorylated AKT and MAPKs in cells exposed to chemical reagents. Taken together, these results suggest that β-NGF gene transfection promotes the differentiation of BMSCs into neurons through regulation of AKT and MAPKs signaling pathways.