Speech Databases of Typical Children and Children with SLI

The extent of research on children’s speech in general and on disordered speech specifically is very limited. In this article, we describe the process of creating databases of children’s speech and the possibilities for using such databases, which have been created by the LANNA research group in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at Czech Technical University in Prague. These databases have been principally compiled for medical research but also for use in other areas, such as linguistics. Two databases were recorded: one for healthy children’s speech (recorded in kindergarten and in the first level of elementary school) and the other for pathological speech of children with a Specific Language Impairment (recorded at a surgery of speech and language therapists and at the hospital). Both databases were sub-divided according to specific demands of medical research. Their utilization can be exoteric, specifically for linguistic research and pedagogical use as well as for studies of speech-signal processing.     

Optimization of aeration for biodiesel production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scenedesmus obliquus</Emphasis> grown in municipal wastewater

Despite the significant breakthroughs in research on microalgae as a feedstock for biodiesel, its production cost is still much higher than that of fossil diesel. One possible solution to overcome this problem is to optimize algal growth and lipid production in wastewater. The present study examines the optimization of pretreatment of municipal wastewater and aeration conditions in order to enhance the lipid productivity of Scenedesmus obliquus. Results showed that no significant differences were recorded in lipid productivity of S. obliquus grown in primary settled or sterilized municipal wastewater; however, ultrasound pretreatment of wastewater significantly decreased the lipid production. Whereas, aeration rates of 0.2 vvm significantly increased lipid content by 51 %, with respect to the non-aerated culture, which resulted in maximum lipid productivity (32.5 mg L^?1 day^?1). Furthermore, aeration enrichment by 2 % CO₂ resulted in increase of lipid productivity by 46 % over the CO₂ non-enriched aerated culture. Fatty acid profile showed that optimized aeration significantly enhanced monounsaturated fatty acid production, composed mainly of C18:1, by 1.8 times over the non-aerated S. obliquus culture with insignificant changes in polyunsaturated fatty acid proportion; suggesting better biodiesel characteristics for the optimized culture.     

Exploring ligand dissociation pathways from aminopeptidase N using random acceleration molecular dynamics simulation

Aminopeptidase N (APN) is a zinc-dependent ectopeptidase involved in cell proliferation, secretion, invasion, and angiogenesis, and is widely recognized as an important cancer target. However, the mechanisms whereby ligands leave the active site of APN remain unknown. Investigating ligand dissociation processes is quite difficult, both in classical simulation methods and in experimental approaches. In this study, random acceleration molecular dynamics (RAMD) simulation was used to investigate the potential dissociation pathways of ligand from APN. The results revealed three pathways (channels A, B and C) for ligand release. Channel A, which matches the hypothetical channel region, was the most preferred region for bestatin to dissociate from the enzyme, and is probably the major channel for the inner bound ligand. In addition, two alternative channels (channels B and C) were shown to be possible pathways for ligand egression. Meanwhile, we identified key residues controlling the dynamic features of APN channels. Identification of the dissociation routes will provide further mechanistic insights into APN, which will benefit the development of more promising APN inhibitors.

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Graphical Abstract The release pathways of bestatin inside active site of aminopeptidase N were simulated using RAMD simulation

     

Cx36 expression in the AII‐mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina

Gap junctions are composed of connexin 36 (Cx36) and play a critical role in the rod photoreceptor signaling pathways of the vertebrate retina. Despite the fact that their connection and modulation in various rod pathways have been extensively studied in adult animals, little is known about the contribution and regulation of gap junctions to the development of the AII amacrine cell (AC)‐mediated rod pathway. Using immunohistochemistry and microinjection, this study demonstrates a steady increase in relative Cx36 protein expression in both plexiform layers of the rabbit retina at around the time of eye opening. However, immediately after eye opening, most Cx36 immunoreactive AII ACs show no gap junction coupling pattern to neighboring cells and it is not until the third postnatal week that AII cells begin to exhibit an adult‐like tracer‐coupling pattern. Moreover, studies using dark‐rearing and AMPA receptor blockade during postnatal development both revealed that relative levels of Cx36 immunoreactivity in AII ACs were increased when neural activity was inhibited . Our findings suggest that Cx36 expression in the AII‐mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina . © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 473–486, 2016     

Whole-Genome Sequencing for the Investigation of a Hospital Outbreak of MRSA in China

Staphylococcus aureus is a globally disseminated drug-resistant bacterial species. It remains a leading cause of hospital-acquired infection, primarily among immunocompromised patients. In 2012, the Affiliated People’s Hospital of Jiangsu University experienced a putative outbreak of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) that affected 12 patients in the Neurosurgery Department. In this study, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to gain insight into the epidemiology of the outbreak caused by MRSA, and traditional bacterial genotyping approaches were also applied to provide supportive evidence for WGS. We sequenced the DNA from 6 isolates associated with the outbreak. Phylogenetic analysis was constructed by comparing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the core genome of 6 isolates in the present study and another 3 referenced isolates from GenBank. Of the 6 MRSA sequences in the current study, 5 belonged to the same group, clustering with T0131, while the other one clustered closely with TW20. All of the isolates were identified as ST239-SCCmecIII clones. Whole-genome analysis revealed that four of the outbreak isolates were more tightly clustered into a group and SA13002 together with SA13009 were distinct from the outbreak strains, which were considered non-outbreak strains. Based on the sequencing results, the antibiotic-resistance gene status (present or absent) was almost perfectly concordant with the results of phenotypic susceptibility testing. Various toxin genes were also analyzed successfully. Our analysis demonstrates that using traditional molecular methods and WGS can facilitate the identification of outbreaks and help to control nosocomial transmission.     

Schizandrin A Inhibits Microglia-Mediated Neuroninflammation through Inhibiting TRAF6-NF-κB and Jak2-Stat3 Signaling Pathways

Microglial-mediated neuroinflammation has been established as playing a vital role in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, rational regulation of microglia functions to inhibit inflammation injury may be a logical and promising approach to neurodegenerative disease therapy. The purposes of the present study were to explore the neuroprotective effects and potential molecular mechanism of Schizandrin A (Sch A), a lignin compound isolated from Schisandra chinesnesis. Our observations showed that Sch A could significantly down-regulate the increased production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) both in BV-2 cells and primary microglia cells. Moreover, Sch A exerted obvious neuroprotective effects against inflammatory injury in neurons when exposed to microglia-conditioned medium. Investigations of the mechanism showed the anti-inflammatory effect of Sch A involved the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression levels and inhibition of the LPS-induced TRAF6-IKKβ-NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, inhibition of Jak2-Stat3 pathway activation and Stat3 nuclear translocation also was observed. In conclusion, SchA can exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects by alleviating microglia-mediated neuroinflammation injury through inhibiting the TRAF6-IKKβ-NF-κB and Jak2-Stat3 signaling pathways.     

Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in Gastric Remnant Carcinoma and Recurrent Gastric Carcinoma in Qingdao of Northern China

Background

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a subset of gastric carcinoma which was defined as EBV associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC). The proportion of EBVaGC in gastric remnant carcinoma (GRC) which occurs in the intact stomach five or more years after gastric surgery for benign disease is significantly higher than that in conventional gastric carcinoma (CGC). The infection of EBV in recurrent gastric carcinoma (RGC) with local anastomotic recurrence is poorly understood.

Methods

53 cases of GRC and 58 cases of RGC were analyzed for the presence of EBV, and the variants of EBV Encoded RNAs (EBER), EBV Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1) and Latent Membrane Protein 1 (LMP1) gene in both groups were investigated.

Results

Thirteen (24.5%) out of 53 GRC cases and 3 (5.2%) out of 58 RGC cases were identified as EBVaGCs. In 17 paired RGC cases, only one case was classified as EBVaGC in both times specimen. Another one case was identified as EBVaGC in the primary gastroectomy specimen while the recurrent gastric cancer was not. The third EBVaGC in RGC was identified while the primary gastric cancer was not EBVaGC. In GRC and RGC cases, type 1, type F, EB-6m, V-val subtype, del-LMP1 were predominant type or variants, accounting for 10(76.9%) and 2(66.7%), 13(100%) and 3(100%), 13(100%) and 3(100%), 9(69.2%) and 3(100%), 12(92.3%) and 3(100%), respectively. However, Type C was the predominant type in GRC accounting for 9(69.2%) cases while type D was the predominant one accounting for 2(66.7%) cases in RGC.

Conclusions

The prevalence of EBVaGc in GRC and RGC was significantly different. The distributions of these variants were similar to each other in the two groups which indicated that there were no more aggressive EBV variants in EBVaGC in GRC compared with that in RGC.     

Effect of EGCG On Fe(III)‐induced conformational transition of silk fibroin,a model of protein related to neurodegenerative diseases

The abnormal aggregation of amyloid proteins is reported to play a critical role in the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders. Studies have shown that excessive ferric irons are associated with the misfolding of amyloid proteins, and that (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a good metallic ion chelator with inhibitory effect on the aggregation of amyloid proteins. EGCG has been thus considered as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanism of action for EGCG in inhibition of aggregation of amyloid proteins is still remaining unclear. Silk fibroin (SF) shares similarities with amyloid proteins in some amino acid sequences and fibrillation kinetics. In this work, therefore, we used SF as a model of protein to investigate the effects of Fe(III) and EGCG on conformational transition by using turbidity assay, thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscope (AFM). We demonstrated that low concentration of Fe(III) ions promoted the formation of β‐sheet conformers, while high concentration of Fe(III) ions inhibited further aggregation of SF. EGCG could significantly inhibit the conformational transition of SF when induced by Fe(III), and decrease the amount of β‐sheet conformers dose‐dependently. The findings provide important information regarding to EGCG as a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Fe(III) can accelerate the conformation transition of silk fibrion (SF) from random coil into β‐sheet, while (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibits Fe(III)‐induced β‐sheet aggregation of SF., 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 105: 100–107, 2016