Gene-disruption of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana incubated with dsRNA

The species of Beauveria bassiana is widely used for the management of agricultural insect pests. In this study, we integrated egfp-double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to a previously generated egfp-expressing B. bassiana transformant (Bb-egfp#3) using a protoplast integration method. The Bb-egfp#3 protoplast was mixed with the dsRNA under PEG/CaCl₂ conditions and liquid-cultured in Sabouraud dextrose broth for 5 days. A control culture followed the same procedure without dsRNA. Bb-egfp#3/egfp-dsRNA cultures showed very low fungal growth (OD₆₃₀ = 0.2) compared to the control culture, Bb-egfp#3 only (OD₆₃₀ = 1.1). Screening of possible transformants on Sabouraud dextrose agar revealed a transformant T3, without egfp signal. T3 was confirmed as B. bassiana through sequencing of conserved genes and insect bioassays. Interestingly, the genomic egfp fragment of T3 was disrupted, and the egfp signal was not detected over four subcultures, which was also confirmed by RNA-seq of Bb-egfp#3 and T3. This study provides an interesting observation that protoplast integration with dsRNA could possibly generate significantly reduced gene expression in B. bassiana and it is stable across several generations.     

Recent advances in the role of Th17/Treg cells in tumor immunity and tumor therapy

Immunologic Research - Th17 and Treg cells play an important role in regulating tissue inflammation and maintaining the stability of the immune system. They regulate inflammatory responses,...     

Quality Indicators for Evaluating the Health Care of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: a Korean Expert Consensus

BackgroundThere is increasing interest in the quality of health care and considerable efforts are being made to improve it. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that can result in favorable outcomes when appropriate diagnosis and treatment are provided. However, several studies have shown that RA is often managed inappropriately. Therefore, the Korean College of Rheumatology aimed to develop quality indicators (QIs) to evaluate and improve the health care of patients with RA.MethodsPreliminary QIs were derived based on the existing guidelines and QIs for RA. The final QIs were determined through two separate consensus meetings of experts. The consensus was achieved through a panel of experts who voted using the modified Delphi method.ResultsFourteen final QIs were selected among 70 preliminary QIs. These included early referral to and regular follow-up with a rheumatologist, radiographs of the hands and feet, early initiation and maintenance of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, periodic assessment of disease activity, screening for drug safety and comorbidities, including viral hepatitis and tuberculosis before biologic DMARD therapy, periodic laboratory testing, supplementation with folic acid, assessment of the risk for cervical spine instability before general anesthesia, patient education, and specialized nurse.ConclusionThese QIs can be used to assess and improve the quality of health care for patients with RA.     

Clinicopathologic findings of chronic active Epstein–Barr virus infection in adults: A single-center retrospective study in China

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Chronic active Epstein–Barr virus (CAEBV) infection is a rare disease with a high mortality rate. Our study aimed to summarize the clinicopathological...     

关节镜下克氏针联合界面螺钉固定治疗Schatzker Ⅲ型胫骨平台骨折的疗效分析

目的 研究关节镜辅助下经皮克氏针联合界面螺钉固定治疗Schatzker Ⅲ型胫骨平台骨折的可行性和疗效分析。方法 自2008年5月至2018年1月,中国人民解放军联勤保障部队第910医院骨科采用克氏针联合界面螺钉固定治疗Schatzker Ⅲ型胫骨平台骨折20例。所有病例均采用关节镜辅助,结合骨折微创复位技术进行复位,采用多根克氏针联合界面螺钉固定并结合异体骨植骨。手术后采用HSS评分标准对膝关节功能进行评估。结果 本组20例患者均获随访,术后随访2 ～ 10年,平均（6.7±2.2）年。术后患者切口均Ⅰ期愈合,骨折均达骨性愈合,愈合时间为2.5 ～ 6个月,平均3.1个月,膝关节活动度为0° ～ 130°。末次随访时膝关节功能HSS评分： 优18例,良1例,可1例,优良率95.0%。所有患者均未出现下肢深静脉血栓、切口感染、膝关节僵硬。结论 关节镜辅助下经皮克氏针联合界面螺钉固定治疗Schatzker Ⅲ型骨折具有直视下精确复位、损伤小、愈合快,可一期处理关节腔内其他损伤,有利于功能快速康复,并发症少等优点。     

Less reduced gray matter volume in the subregions of superior temporal gyrus predicts better treatment efficacy in drug-naive,first-episode schizophrenia

Decreased gray matter volume (GMV) in the superior temporal gyrus (STG) has been implicated in the neurophysiology of schizophrenia. However, it remains unclear whether volumetric reduction in the subregions of the STG can predict treatment efficacy for schizophrenia. Our cohort included 44 drug-naive, first-episode patients, 42 unaffected siblings and 44 healthy controls. Voxel-based morphometry and pattern classification were utilized to analyze the acquired imaging data as per the anatomical subdivision by a well-defined brainnetome atlas. The patients presented lower GMV values in left TE1.0/1.2 (TE, anterior temporal visual association area) than the siblings, and lower GMV values in the left/right TE1.0/1.2 and left A22r (rostral area 22) than the controls. A positive correlation is observed between the GMV values in the right A38l (lateral area 38) and baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores in the patients. Support vector regression (SVR) results exhibited a significant association between predicted (based on the GMV values in the right A38l) and actual symptomatic improvement based on the reduction ratio of the PANSS total scores (r = 0.498, p = 0.001). Our results suggest that normal structure in the right A38l of the STG may be an important factor indicative of the effects of antipsychotic drugs, which can be potentially used to monitor drug effects for first-episode patients at an early stage in clinical practice.

     

Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Based Music Therapy in Korean Adolescents with Smartphone and Internet Addiction

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding music therapy (MT) to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on symptoms of smartphone/internet addiction and psychiatric comorbidities. Methods Overall, 155 patients diagnosed with addiction were assigned to either the CBT-MT group or CBT group. Both groups received CBT for 8 weeks, while the CBT-MT group received additional MT. The intervention was completed by 67 and 71 participants in the CBT-MT and CBT groups, respectively. Results The total scores of Young Internet Addiction Scale (YIAT) and Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS) decreased significantly (p<0.001 for both) in both groups, while the total scores of State Anxiety Inventory for Children (SAIC) (p<0.001), Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (TAIC) (p<0.001), Conners-Wells’ Adolescent Self-Report Scale-Short form (CASS(S)) (p=0.048), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) (p<0.001) decreased only in the CBT-MT group. The decrements in YIAT (p=0.025), SAIC (p=0.043), TAIC (p=0.011), and BIS-11 (p=0.012) in the CBT-MT group were significantly greater than those in the CBT group. Conclusion Combined MT and CBT improved the symptoms of smartphone/internet addiction, anxiety, and impulsivity in adolescents. This combination could therefore be an effective treatment of smartphone or internet addiction along with behavioral disorders such as anxiety and impulsivity.     

Effects of Organic Light-Emitting Diodes on Circadian Rhythm and Sleep

ObjectiveOrganic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) emit less blue light than traditional light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and we previously found that early-night OLED light exposure (LE) delays the melatonin phase by less than LED at a color temperature of 4,000 K. As a follow-up study, we investigated the effects of OLED and LED at a different color temperature (3,000 K) on melatonin profile, sleep, and vigilance. Methods24 healthy subjects (27.5±5.1 years) were exposed to three light conditions [OLED, LED, and dim light (DL)] from 17:30 to 24:00, in a random order and with a 1-week interval. Saliva samples for melatonin were taken every hour from 18:00 to 24:00. Polysomnography (PSG) and a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were performed. ResultsMelatonin onset time was significantly delayed under OLED and LED compared with DL, with no significant difference between OLED and LED. The mean melatonin level at 24:00 under LED was lower than that under DL, but there was no significant difference between OLED LE and DL. The percentage of slow wave sleep (N3) in LED was significantly lower than in OLED. ConclusionExposure to light in the evening can suppress melatonin secretion late at night and disturb deep sleep, and those effects are slightly worse under LED than OLED.