MRI Findings of Otic and Sinus Barotrauma in Patients with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning during Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Background and Purpose

To study the MRI findings of otic and sinus barotrauma in patients with carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy and examine the discrepancies of otic and sinus abnormalities on MRI between barotrauma and acute otitis media with effusion.

Materials and Methods

Eighty patients with CO-poisoning diagnosed with otic and sinus barotrauma after HBO therapy were recruited. Brain MRI was performed to predict delayed encephalopathy. Over the same period, 88 patients with acute otitis media with effusion on MRI served as control. The abnormalities of the middle ear and paranasal sinuses on MRI were noted and were compared between groups. Nine patients with barotrauma were followed up by MRI.

Results

In the barotrauma group, 92.5% of patients had bilateral middle ear abnormalities on MRI, and 60% of patients had both middle ear cavity and mastoid cavity abnormalities on MRI in both ears. Both rates were higher than those in the control group (p = 0.000). In the two groups, most abnormalities on MRI were observed in the mastoid cavity. The rate of sinus abnormalities of barotrauma was 66.3%, which was higher than the 50% in the control group (p = 0.033). In the nine patients with barotrauma followed up by MRI, the otic barotrauma and sinus abnormalities had worsened in 2 patients and 5 patients, respectively.

Conclusion

MRI is able to depict the abnormalities of otic and sinus barotrauma in patients with CO-poisoning during HBO therapy and to differentiate these from acute otitis media with effusion.     

Deregulation of UCA1 expression may be involved in the development of chemoresistance to cisplatin in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer via regulating the signaling pathway of microRNA-495/NRF2

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. As a platinum-based chemotherapeutic drug, cisplatin has been used for over 30 years in NSCLC treatment while its effects are diminished by drug resistance. Therefore, we aimed to study the potential role of UCA1 in the development of chemoresistance against cisplatin. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, western-blot analysis, and immunofluorescence were used to study the involvement of UCA1, miR-495, and NRF2 in chemoresistance against cisplatin. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to determine the effect of cisplatin on cell proliferation. Computational analysis and luciferase assay were carried out to explore the interaction among UCA1, miR-495, and NRF2. The cisplatin-R group exhibited lower levels of UCA1 and NRF2 expression but a higher level of miR-495 expression than the cisplatin-S group. The growth rate and half-maximal inhibitory concentration of cellular dipeptidyl peptidase (cisplatinum) of the cisplatin-R group were much higher than those in the cisplatin-S group. MiR-495 contained a complementary binding site of UCA1, and the luciferase activity of wild-type UCA1 was significantly reduced after the transfection of miR-495 mimics. MiR-495 directly targeted the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of NRF2, and the luciferase activity of wild-type NRF2 3′-UTR was evidently inhibited by miR-495 mimics. Finally, UCA1 and NRF2 expressions in the effective group were much lower than that in the ineffective group, along with a much higher level of miR-495 expression. We suggested for the first time that high expression of UCA1 contributed to the development of chemoresistance to cisplatin through the UCA1/miR-495/NRF2 signaling pathway.     

DJ-1 regulates tyrosine hydroxylase expression through CaMKKβ/CaMKIV/CREB1 pathway in vitro and in vivo

Lack of dopamine production and neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra are considered as the major characteristics of Parkinson's disease, a prevalent movement disorder worldwide. DJ-1 mutation leading to loss of its protein functions is a genetic factor of PD. In this study, our results illustrated that DJ-1 can directly interact with Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ) and modifies the cAMP-responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1) activity, thus regulates tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression. In Dj-1 knockout mouse substantia nigra, the levels of TH and the phosphorylation of CREB1 Ser133 are significantly decreased. Moreover, Dj-1 deficiency suppresses the phosphorylation of CaMKIV (Thr196/200) and CREB1 (Ser133), subsequently inhibits TH expression in vitro. Furthermore, Knockdown of Creb1 abolishes the effects of DJ-1 on TH regulation. Our data reveal a novel pathway in which DJ-1 regulates CaMKKβ/CaMKIV/CREB1 activities to facilitate TH expression.     

三株芽胞杆菌菌株对松材线虫低温存活与繁殖的影响

为明确细菌在松材线虫生态适应性中的作用,本研究选择与致病相关的松材线虫伴生细菌GD1、马尾松内生细菌GD2以及具有杀松材线虫活性的湿地松内生细菌NJSZ-13为试验对象,测定经这3株芽胞杆菌菌株3个浓度低温驯化10、15和20 d后,在冷冻条件下松材线虫强毒虫株AMA3、中毒虫株AA3和弱毒虫株YW4的存活率和繁殖量。结果表明：低温驯化15 d和20 d后3株菌株对不同毒力线虫的活力影响较驯化10 d后的更显著。在低温驯化15 d、-20℃冷冻处理1 h后,5×10⁶ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的存活率分别为77.22%、83.68%和84.26%,与对照差异显著;5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的存活率分别为75.76%、80.67%和81.50%,与对照差异显著。5×10⁶ CFU/mL和5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD2处理下,与GD1处理组结果相似,菌株NJSZ-13处理组则与菌株GD1和GD2的结果相反。低温驯化15 d、-20℃冷冻处理1 h后,5×10⁶ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理下,虫株AMA3、AA3和YW4的繁殖量分别为7 530、9 317和12 793条/皿,与对照（3 192、3 840和5 823条/皿）差异显著;5×10⁵ CFU/mL浓度菌株GD1处理时,3个虫株的繁殖量均与对照差异显著。而菌株GD2和NJSZ-13处理后,3个虫株的繁殖量均无显著变化。表明不同芽胞杆菌对松材线虫的低温适应性影响存在差异,松材线虫伴生细菌GD1和马尾松内生细菌GD2能增强其低温适应性,而湿地松内生细菌NJSZ-13菌株则相反。     

Specificity of extrafloral nectar induction by herbivores differs among native and invasive populations of tallow tree

Background and Aims

Invasive plants can be released from specialist herbivores and encounter novel generalists in their introduced ranges, leading to variation in defence among native and invasive populations. However, few studies have examined how constitutive and induced indirect defences change during plant invasion, especially during the juvenile stage.

Methods

Constitutive extrafloral nectar (EFN) production of native and invasive populations of juvenile tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) were compared, and leaf clipping, and damage by a native specialist (Noctuid) and two native generalist caterpillars (Noctuid and Limacodid) were used to examine inducible EFN production.

Key results

Plants from introduced populations had more leaves producing constitutive EFN than did native populations, but the content of soluble solids of EFN did not differ. Herbivores induced EFN production more than simulated herbivory. The specialist (Noctuid) induced more EFN than either generalist for native populations. The content of soluble solids in EFN was higher (2·1 times), with the specialist vs. the generalists causing the stronger response for native populations, but the specialist response was always comparable with the generalist responses for invasive populations.

Conclusions

These results suggest that constitutive and induced indirect defences are retained in juvenile plants of invasive populations even during plant establishment, perhaps due to generalist herbivory in the introduced range. However, responses specific to a specialist herbivore may be reduced in the introduced range where specialists are absent. This decreased defence may benefit specialist insects that are introduced for classical biological control of invasive plants.     

Relationship between chemokine (C–X–C motif) ligand 12 gene variant (rs1746048) and coronary heart disease: Case–control study and meta-analysis

The goal of our study is to evaluate the contribution of CXCL12 rs1746048 (hg19, chr10:44775574) to the risk of CHD in Han Chinese, and to summarize its role in CHD through meta-analysis of existing studies among various ethnic groups. Significant association is observed between rs1746048-C and an increased risk of CHD in Han Chinese (χ² = 5.41, df = 1, P = 0.02). Post hoc analysis reveals an even stronger association of rs1746048 with the risk of CHD for subjects aged 65 years or older (genotype: χ² = 8.39, df = 2, P = 0.015; allele: χ2 = 9.13, df = 1, P = 0.003, odd ratio (OR) = 1.91, 95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.25–2.91). A break down analysis by gender shows that rs1746048 is likely a CHD risk factor under the recessive model in males (CC + CT versus TT: P = 0.05, χ² = 3.59, df = 1, OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.00–3.04). In addition, a meta-analysis of ten studies among over 107,000 individuals confirms that rs1746048 is a risk factor of CHD (P < 0.0001, OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.09–1.15) and this agrees with the findings of our case–control study in Han Chinese.     

Investigation on bioactive protection of the amino acids derived from LEA protein on insulin by molecular simulation

Nowadays heat-sensitive protein medicines are increasingly showing their importance in the treatment of various diseases. Their popularisation and application are meeting a great challenge because of their heat lability. In this study, human insulin as a heat-sensitive protein medicine and 66 amino acids derived from a Group 3 late embryogenesis abundant protein fragment as a complex bioactive protectant, were chosen to be investigated to determine whether these amino acids can be used to protect the insulin from denaturation due to drying. The experiments were carried out by using a replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulation and GROMACS software with Gromos96 (53a6) force field. The REMD results indicate that those amino acids can effectively prevent the reversal between hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface. Both the configurations and secondary structures of the protected insulin were preserved very well. The H-bonding and electrostatic interactions between the insulin and the protectant play key roles in the bioactive protection of insulin. These results agree well with the water replacement hypothesis. All the results prove that these amino acids are a perfect bioactive protectant for heat-sensitive protein medicines.     

Serum proteomic profiling for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer

No ideal serum biomarker currently exists for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Magnetic bead‐based fractionation coupled with MALDI‐TOF MS was used to screen serum samples from CRC patients, healthy controls, and other cancer patients. A diagnostic model with five proteomic features (m/z 1778.97, 1866.16, 1934.65, 2022.46, and 4588.53) was generated using Fisher algorithm with best performance. The Fisher‐based model could discriminate CRC patients from the controls with 100% (46/46) sensitivity and 100% (35/35) specificity in the training set, 95.6% (43/45) sensitivity and 83.3% (35/42) specificity in the test set. We further validated the model with 94.4% (254/269) sensitivity and 75.5% (83/110) specificity in the external independent group. In other cancers group, the Fisher‐based model classified 25 of 46 samples (54.3%) as positive and the other 21 as negative. With FT‐ICR‐MS, the proteomic features of m/z 1778.97, 1866.16, 1934.65, and 2022.46, of which intensities decreased significantly in CRC, were identified as fragments of complement C3f. Therefore, the Fisher‐based model containing five proteomic features was able to effectively differentiate CRC patients from healthy controls and other cancers with a high sensitivity and specificity, and may be CRC‐specific. Serum complement C3f, which was significantly decreased in CRC group, may be relevant to the incidence of CRC. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 448–455, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.