The relationships among monocyte subsets,miRNAs and inflammatory cytokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible myocardial damage and release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs. We aimed to investigate changes in the levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10), miRNAs profiles (miR-146 and miR-155) and distribution of different monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, CD14+CD16++) in the acute and post-healing phases of AMI.

5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic activity in patient-derived cholangiocarcinoma organoids

BackgroundAccurate diagnosis of the disease extension of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is often difficult in clinical practice. The diagnostic yield of conventional pre-operative imaging or endoscopic procedures is sometimes insufficient for the evaluation of longitudinal spreading of CCA. Here we investigated the usefulness of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) for the pre- or intra-operative diagnosis of CCA, using patient-derived organoids.MethodsFour CCA- and two adjacent tissue-derived organoids were established. After 5-ALA treatment, we assessed their photodynamic activity using fluorescence microscopy.ResultsCCA organoids established from different patients showed diverse morphology in contrast to monolayer structures of non-tumor organoids, and had the ability to form subcutaneous tumors in immunodeficient mice. CCA organoids demonstrated remarkably high photodynamic activity based on higher accumulation of protoporphyrin IX as a metabolite of 5-ALA compared to non-tumor organoids (40–71% vs. < 4%, respectively). Importantly, cancer cell-specific high photodynamic activity distinguished the organoids originated from biliary stenotic lesions from those of non-stenotic lesions in a CCA patient. The high photodynamic activity did not depend on the expression profile of heme biosynthesis genes.ConclusionsDistinct 5-ALA-based photodynamic activity could have diagnostic potential for the discrimination of CCA from non-tumor tissues.     

结肠癌T-cadherin表达水平分析与5-Aza-CdR对其表达和结肠癌细胞增殖、侵袭及凋亡的影响

背景与目的：结肠癌是临床常见恶性肿瘤，探讨抑癌蛋白T-cadherin在结肠癌中的表达情况及其与患者临床病理学特征的关系，并分析5-Aza-CdR对T-cadherin表达和结肠癌细胞增殖、侵袭及凋亡的影响。方法：收集福建医科大学附属第二医院2015—2016年40例手术切除的结肠癌组织及癌旁组织新鲜样本，并经过病理学检查验证，分别提取总RNA和总蛋白质。采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction，RTFQ-PCR）分析T-cadherin mRNA的表达，采用蛋白质印迹法（Western blot）分析T-cadherin蛋白水平，并分析T-cadherin的mRNA表达变化与患者临床病理学特征的关系。进一步以人结肠癌细胞系HT-29为研究对象，采用甲基化抑制剂5-Aza-CdR处理HT-29细胞，分别采用RTFQ-PCR和Western blot分析T-cadherin表达变化，采用细胞计数试剂盒（cell counting kit-8，CCK-8）分析细胞增殖，采用Transwell实验验证细胞侵袭能力，采用流式细胞术分析细胞凋亡。结果：T-cadherin在结肠癌组织的蛋白水平和mRNA表达均明显低于癌旁组织，其mRNA表达与淋巴结转移（F=5.316，P=0.009 3）和分化程度（F=5.807，P=0.006 4）明显相关，而与其他病理变量（包括性别、年龄、肿瘤大小和肿瘤浸润深度）无明显相关。药物5-Aza-CdR可以显著上调HT-29细胞中T-cadherin的表达水平，抑制HT-29细胞增殖、侵袭并促进细胞凋亡。结论：T-cadherin表达可能与结肠癌恶性程度密切相关，药物5-Aza-CdR处理可上调结肠癌细胞T-cadherin的表达，并抑制结肠癌细胞的增殖、迁移，促进结肠癌细胞凋亡，提示T-cadherin可能是结肠癌患者使用甲基化抑制剂5-Aza-CdR治疗的靶点。     

Evaluation of protection induced by a dengue virus serotype 2 envelope domain III protein scaffold/DNA vaccine in non-human primates

We describe the preclinical development of a dengue virus vaccine targeting the dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) envelope domain III (EDIII). This study provides proof-of-principle that a dengue EDIII protein scaffold/DNA vaccine can protect against dengue challenge. The dengue vaccine (EDIII-E2) is composed of both a protein particle and a DNA expression plasmid delivered simultaneously via intramuscular injection (protein) and gene gun (DNA) into rhesus macaques. The protein component can contain a maximum of 60 copies of EDIII presented on a multimeric scaffold of Geobacillus stearothermophilus E2 proteins. The DNA component is composed of the EDIII portion of the envelope gene cloned into an expression plasmid. The EDIII-E2 vaccine elicited robust antibody responses to DENV2, with neutralizing antibody responses detectable following the first boost and reaching titers of greater than 1:100,000 following the second and final boost. Vaccinated and naïve groups of macaques were challenged with DENV2. All vaccinated macaques were protected from detectable viremia by infectious assay, while naïve animals had detectable viremia for 2–7 days post-challenge. All naïve macaques had detectable viral RNA from day 2–10 post-challenge. In the EDIII-E2 group, three macaques were negative for viral RNA and three were found to have detectable viral RNA post challenge. Viremia onset was delayed and the duration was shortened relative to naïve controls. The presence of viral RNA post-challenge corresponded to a 10–30-fold boost in neutralization titers 28 days post challenge, whereas no boost was observed in the fully protected animals. Based on these results, we determine that pre-challenge 50% neutralization titers of >1:6000 correlated with sterilizing protection against DENV2 challenge in EDIII-E2 vaccinated macaques. Identification of the critical correlate of protection for the EDIII-E2 platform in the robust non-human primate model lays the groundwork for further development of a tetravalent EDIII-E2 dengue vaccine.     

Quantification of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor Binding in Depressed Suicide Attempters and Non-Attempters

Objective: To determine serotonin system abnormalities related to major depression or previous suicidal behavior.

Methods: [¹¹C]WAY100635, [¹⁸F]altanserin and positron emission tomography were used to compare 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A binding in MDD patients divided into eight past suicide attempters (>4yrs prior to scanning) and eight lifetime non-attempters, and both groups were compared to eight healthy volunteers.

Results: The two receptor types differed in binding pattern across brain regions from each other, but there were no differences in binding between healthy volunteers and the two depressed groups or between depressed suicide attempters and non-attempters. No effects of depression severity or lifetime aggression were observed for either receptor.

Conclusion: Limitations of this study include small sample size and absence of high lethality suicide attempts in the depressed attempter group. No trait-like binding correlations with past suicide attempt or current depression were observed. Given the heterogeneity of nonfatal suicidal behavior, a larger sample study emphasizing higher lethality suicide attempts may find the serotonin biological phenotype seen in suicide decedents.     

临床医学专业“5+3”一体化本科全程导师制创新人才培养的实践与探索

以培养创新型人才为目标，大连医科大学制定实施了“5+3”创新人才培养改革方案，以导师制培养为载体，在医学本科教育全过程中，制定分阶段创新能力培养体系，涵盖课程、讲座、实验设计、论文等基本科研能力训练，强化本科生科研能力培养。通过对首届“5+3”学生阶段性培养成果的统计学分析发现，“5+3”学生发表中文期刊、SCI，主持国家级创新项目、省级创新项目的比例均显著高于普通5年制学生，差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。虽然实施过程中存在一些问题和不足，但以导师制为核心的科研基础训练对提高学生科研思维和创新能力效果显著，对培养医学创新型人才具有可实施性。     

Inhibitors of the Hepatitis C Virus Polymerase; Mode of Action and Resistance

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a pandemic human pathogen posing a substantial health and economic burden in both developing and developed countries. Controlling the spread of HCV through behavioural prevention strategies has met with limited success and vaccine development remains slow. The development of antiviral therapeutic agents has also been challenging, primarily due to the lack of efficient cell culture and animal models for all HCV genotypes, as well as the large genetic diversity between HCV strains. On the other hand, the use of interferon-α-based treatments in combination with the guanosine analogue, ribavirin, achieved limited success, and widespread use of these therapies has been hampered by prevalent side effects. For more than a decade, the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) has been targeted for antiviral development. Direct acting antivirals (DAA) have been identified which bind to one of at least six RdRp inhibitor-binding sites, and are now becoming a mainstay of highly effective and well tolerated antiviral treatment for HCV infection. Here we review the different classes of RdRp inhibitors and their mode of action against HCV. Furthermore, the mechanism of antiviral resistance to each class is described, including naturally occurring resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in different viral strains and genotypes. Finally, we review the impact of these RAVs on treatment outcomes with the newly developed regimens.     

Development and validation of the incontinence associated dermatitis knowledge,attitude and practice questionnaire

AimThis study aimed to develop and test the validity and reliability of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Incontinence-associated Dermatitis Questionnaire (KAP-IAD-Q) for Nurses.MethodsA psychometric validation design was employed. Phase I of the study entailed the development of items through an extensive literature review and a double Delphi procedure with 11 experts specialised in wound, ostomy and continence to examine content validity of the KAP-IAD-Q. Phase II involved administering the KAP-IAD-Q to a convenience sample of 263 Registered Nurses from a public hospital in Singapore to evaluate its construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability.ResultsThe instrument showed acceptable content validity (S-CVI = 0.85). Exploratory factor analysis showed all 22 items demonstrated strong factor loadings >0.4 and the four factors KAP-IAD-Q explained 58.1% of total variance. The four factors were☹1) knowledge om IAD aetiology and identification, (2) knowledge on IAD risk factors; (3) attitudes, and (4) practices. The overall internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.913). The KAP-IAD-Q showed good overall test-retest reliability as well (ICC = 0.89 (95% CI 0.69–0.96, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe KAP-IAD-Q demonstrated good psychometric properties and is effective in measuring levels of IAD-related KAP among nurses. Further confirmation of the proposed factor structure is recommended. Future research should explore determinants of nurses’ KAP and associations between IAD knowledge, attitudes and practices.