UV-B effects on microplankton communities in Kongsfjord, Svalbard - A mesocosm experiment

The effect of ambient ultraviolet radiation on microplankton communities in an Arctic fjord was measured in mesocosms incubated for 9 days at 2 or 5 meters depth. The mesocosms were either shielded from UV-B radiation by Mylar foil or received full radiation. The parameters measured were: microscopic counts of phytoplankton and micro-zooplankton, photosynthetic capacity, the wavelength-dependent inhibition of photosynthesis, and bacterial biomass and production. The results showed that UV-B radiation increased the photosynthetic capacity of the community but that the overall biomass of the plankton community was reduced. This indicates that UV-B exposure results in a net impairment of the plankton community in that it reduces the potential to allocate the photosynthetic product into new biomass or that the grazing pressure is higher in the UV-B exposed mesocosms. There were no differences in the wavelength dependence between communities exposed to UV-B versus not, but we observed a significantly lower dependence in communities from 2 m depth compared to those from 5 m, indicating that an acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to high radiation also reduces the wavelength dependence. A general effect was an increase in nanoflagellate and choanoflagellate biomass and a decreased in the biomass of ciliates and bacteria. The increase nanoflagellates was significantly larger in mesocosms shielded from UV-B, while choanoflagellates increased more in UV-B exposed mesocosms.     

Potential contribution of naïve immune effectors to oral tumor resistance: role in synergistic induction of VEGF,IL-6, and IL-8 secretion

The aim of this study is to identify the phenotype of resistant oral tumors, and to delineate the contribution of immune effectors to resistance of oral tumors. UCLA-1 oral tumors which were resistant to NK cell mediated cytotoxicity secreted increased amounts of IL-6, IL-1β, GM-CSF, and IL-8 when cultured with or without immune effectors. In addition, the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in the co-cultures of naïve immune effectors with UCLA-1 rose significantly when compared to tumor cells alone. IL-2 activated NK cells decreased VEGF secretion in all tumor cells. However, NK cells which were induced to undergo cell death with anti-CD16 antibody were not only unable to decrease VEGF secretion, but they also contributed further to the increase in VEGF secretion by oral tumors. Overall, we show in this paper that naïve as well as non-viable immune effectors may contribute to the growth and resistance of oral tumors by triggering the secretion of key tumor cell growth factors.     

Nerve Growth Factor Protects the Cortical Neurons from Chemical Hypoxia-induced Injury

Previous studies showed that nerve growth factor (NGF) exerts protective effects on cultured neurons against various kinds of damage. However, a recent publication reported that exposure of NGF-treated PC12 cells to physical hypoxia resulted in a higher cell death rate when compared to the untreated controls. In the present study, we therefore investigated the effects of NGF on the hypoxic cortical neurons induced by potassium cyanide (KCN). We demonstrated that NGF at a higher concentration can significantly increase neuronal viability, decrease the release of lactate dehydrogenase and improve cellular morphology in the hypoxic cortical neurons. However, we also found that pretreatment of NGF was not able to completely revise the decreased cell viability and the increased leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) induced by KCN, although the indexes in the neurons treated with NGF and KCN were significantly higher than those in the neurons treated with KCN only. Analysis of the data showed that the incomplete revision of NGF should be not due to the dosage of NGF we used. It might be induced by the inability of NGF to inhibit all injury pathways induced by potassium cyanide.     

Scorpions pectines – Idiosyncratic chemo- and mechanosensory organs

Scorpions possess specialised chemosensory appendages, the pectines. These comb-shaped limbs are located ventrally behind the walking legs. Like the antennae of mandibulate arthropods, they also serve a mechanosensory function. However, more than 90% of the sometimes well above 100,000 sensory neurons projecting from a pectine to the central nervous system are chemosensory. There are two primary projection neuropils. The posterior one, immediately adjacent to the pectine nerve entrance, has an intriguing substructure reminiscent of the olfactory glomeruli observed in the primary chemosensory neuropils of many arthropods and indeed of most bilaterian animals. There are further similarities, particularly to the antennal lobes of mandibulate arthropods, including dense innervation by a relatively small number of putative serotonergic interneurons and the presence of GABA immunoreactivity, indicative of inhibitory interactions. Scorpion idiosyncrasies include the flattened shape and broad size range of the glomerulus-like neuropil compartments. Further, these compartments are often not clearly delimited and form layers in the neuropil that are arranged like onion peels.In summary, the pectine appendages of scorpions and their central nervous projections appear as promising study subjects, particularly regarding comparative examination of chemosensory representation and processing strategies. The possibility of combined, rather than discrete, representations of chemo- and mechanosensory inputs should merit further study.     

Colorectal cancer metastatic disease progression in Australia: A population-based analysis

BackgroundNo previous Australian population-based studies have described or quantified the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) to metastatic disease. We describe patterns of progression to metastatic disease for an Australian cohort diagnosed with localised or regional CRC.MethodsAll localised and regional CRC cases in the New South Wales Cancer Registry diagnosed during 2000–2007 were followed to December 2011 for subsequent metastases (identified by subsequent disease episode notifications) or CRC death. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with metastatic progression.ResultsAfter a median 5.3 years follow-up, 26.4% of the 12757 cases initially diagnosed with localised or regional colon cancer had developed metastatic disease, as had 29.5% of the 7154 rectal cancer cases. For both cancer sites, risk of metastatic progression was significantly higher for those initially diagnosed with regional disease (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.49 for colon, 2.66 for rectal cancer), and for older cases (e.g. aHR for >79 years vs <60 years: 1.38 for colon, 1.69 for rectal cancer). Risk of disease progression was significantly lower for females, and varied by histology type. For colon cancer, the risk of disease progression decreased over time. For rectal cancer, risk of metastatic progression was significantly higher for those living in more socioeconomically disadvantaged areas compared with those in the least disadvantaged area.ConclusionsAn understanding of the variation in risk of metastatic progression is useful for planning health service requirements, and can help inform decisions about treatment and follow-up for colorectal cancer patients.     

AFU, AFP, GP73和GPC3联合检测对原发性肝癌的诊断价值

目的:研究α-L-岩藻糖苷酶(AFU)、甲种胎儿球蛋白(AFP)、高尔基体蛋白73(GP73)和磷脂酰肌醇蛋白聚糖3(GPC3)联合检测对原发性肝癌的诊断价值。方法:选择2014年1月~2016年5月在我院进行诊治的原发性肝癌患者90例为肝癌组,同期住院诊治的肝硬化患者60例为肝硬化组,以及同期在我院体检健康者60例为对照组。比较三组的AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3水平和阳性检出率,并观察AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3单独检测和联合检测对原发性肝癌的诊断效率。结果:肝癌组和肝硬化组的AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3水平均明显高于对照组(P0.05),且肝癌组明显高于肝硬化组(P0.05);肝癌组和肝硬化组的AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3阳性率均明显高于对照组(P0.05),且肝癌组明显高于肝硬化组(P0.05);AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3联合检测对原发性肝癌的特异性、敏感性、阳性预测值及阴性预测值均明显高于单独检测和三项指标联合检测(P0.05)。结论:AFU、AFP、GP73和GPC3联合检测可以提高对原发性肝癌的检出率,具有较高的临床应用价值。     

腹腔镜联合胆道镜治疗胆总管结石行胆管一期缝合的可行性研究

目的:探讨应用腹腔镜联合胆道镜胆总管切开取石并行一期缝合胆总管的方法治疗胆总管结石病的可行性。方法:采用前瞻性研究方法,将我院2013年6月~2016年6月收治的76例胆总管结石患者随机分成A、B两组,A组给予腹腔镜联合胆道镜胆总管切开取石后行胆管一期缝合;B组给予腹腔镜联合胆道镜胆总管切开取石后留置T管引流。比较分析两组术中、术后及并发症情况。结果:胆总管一期缝合组较留置T管组住院时间更短,住院费用更低,且术后出现的并发症几率更小。结论:腹腔镜联合胆道镜胆总管切开取石后一期缝合胆总管是治疗胆总管结石病的安全可行的方法,既为患者节省了费用又避免留置T管带来的并发症,在合适的适应症下可行此手术方法治疗胆总管结石病。     

原发性纤毛运动障碍一例并文献复习

目的:报道1例原发性纤毛运动障碍(primary ciliary dyskinesia,PCD)患者的临床和病理资料,总结其临床特征和诊治要点。方法:对1例可疑原发性纤毛运动障碍患者进行病史采集、体格检查、胸部X线和CT、肺功能检查、支气管镜检查及支气管黏膜活检、电镜超微病理观察、染色体检查等相关检查,确诊为原发性纤毛运动障碍。结合该例患者诊治过程进行文献分析,明确原发性纤毛运动障碍的诊治要点及注意事项。结果:该例患者具有咳嗽、喘息等呼吸道症状,胸部X线及CT提示肺部感染及脏器全反位;肺功能提示基本正常且支气管激发试验为阴性;支气管镜检查示支气管反位及支气管炎症,取黏膜活检提示支气管黏膜慢性炎症改变;超微病理发现气道上皮细胞呈现形态扁平化、纤毛极性消失、细胞内纤毛,纤毛动力臂结构未见异常;染色体检查:46,XX,400-550条带阶段未见染色体异常;确诊为原发性纤毛运动障碍。结论:原发性纤毛运动障碍临床少见且复杂多样,容易漏诊和误诊。临床症状、胸部影像学、纤毛超微结构观察以及基因检测等相关检查联合应用有助于原发性纤毛运动障碍的临床诊断和治疗。对于呼吸道感染迁延不愈并发内脏反位者,无论有无鼻窦炎和支气管扩张,均应考虑原发性纤毛运动障碍存在可能,应当及时进行呼吸道黏膜超微病理学检查,以便尽早进行诊断和干预,减少和延缓并发症的发生。     

盐酸达泊西汀联合他达拉非治疗原发性早泄的临床研究

目的:探讨盐酸达泊西汀联合他达拉非治疗原发性早泄的疗效。方法:将100例患者随机分成治疗组和对照组,每组50例。治疗组口服他达拉非片5 mg,每天1次,性交前按需口服盐酸达泊西汀片30 mg。对照组只按需口服盐酸达泊西汀片30 mg。疗程2个月。治疗期间嘱患者进行规律的性生活,每周1-2次,并做好相关记录。治疗前后行阴道内射精潜伏期(intravaginal ejaculation latency,IELT)IELT测评、患者及配偶性生活满意度评分。结果:与治疗前相比,两组治疗后IELT、患者及配偶满意度均有明显改善,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。而且治疗后治疗组与对照组比较,治疗组的IELT、患者及配偶满意度改善更为明显,差异亦具有统计学意义(P0.05)。常见不良反应有颜面潮红、头晕、鼻塞,无需特殊处理,症状均自行缓解。结论:盐酸达泊西汀联合他达拉非治疗原发性早泄安全有效。     

胆管上皮细胞TLR3内源性活化在原发性胆汁性肝硬化中的作用

目的:探讨胆管上皮细胞中Toll样受体3(TLR3)内源性活化对原发性胆汁性肝硬化损伤的影响。方法:体外培养人肝内胆管上皮细胞(HiBEC),并通过冻融处理制备坏死HiBEC样本。将死亡样本与活样本混合培养6h,以制备TLR3内源性活化样本,将其标记为观察组;以核酸酶处理坏死细胞及活细胞,并混合培养6h,以制备对照样本,将其标记为对照组。检测2组细胞凋亡率、TLR3及β干扰素Toll样受体结构域衔接蛋白(TRIF)表达水平、Caspase-3活性。结果:观察组凋亡率明显高于对照组,TLR3及TRIF相对表达量明显高于对照组,细胞Caspase-3平均表达量明显高于对照组,上述差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:TLR3的内源性活化可导致HiBEC凋亡,在原发性胆汁性肝硬化的发生及发展中可能有一定促进作用。