Visualization of Endolymphatic Hydrops in Patients With Unilateral Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss With Four Types According to Chinese Criterion

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible value of endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in patients with unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (UISSNHL) with four types according to audiometry.Methods: Seventy-two patients (40 men and 32 women; age range, 28–78 years; mean age: 50.0 ± 12.9 years) with UISSNHL were admitted retrospectively into this study. Based on the pure tone audiometry before treatment, the hearing loss of all these patients were categorized into four types: low-frequency group (LF-G), high-frequency group (HF-G), flat group (F-G), and total deafness group (TD-G). The average time from symptom onset to the first examination was 6.9 ± 4.4 days (1–20 days). 3D-FLAIR MRI was performed 24 h after intratympanic injection of gadolinium (Gd) within 1 week after the UISSNHL onset. The incidence of EH in the affected ears based on four types of hearing loss were analyzed using the Chi-square test, and the possible relationship with vertigo and prognosis were also assessed.Results: Eleven of 21 patients (52.4%) in LF-G had the highest EH-positive rate, followed by 18.2% in HF-G, 11.8% in F-G, and 17.4% in TD-G. The significant difference was found in the four groups (P = 0.018). The EH rate of LF-G was statistically significantly higher than that of F-G and TD-G (P = 0.009, P =0.014), respectively. After being valued by the volume-referencing grading system (VR scores), the EH level was represented by the sum scores of EH. In LF-G, no statistically significant difference was found in the prognosis of ISSNHL patients between with the EH group and the no EH group (P = 0.586). The symptom “vertigo” did not correlate with EH and prognosis.Conclusions: EH was observed in UISSNHL patients by 3D-FLAIR MRI. EH may be responsible for the pathology of LF-G but not related to prognosis. It might be meaningless to assess EH in other hearing loss types, which might be more related to the blood-labyrinth dysfunction

High Human Bocavirus Viral Load Is Associated with Disease Severity in Children under Five Years of Age

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a parvovirus and detected worldwide in lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), but its pathogenic role in respiratory illness is still debatable due to high incidence of co-infection with other respiratory viruses. To determine the prevalence of HBoV infection in patients with LRTI in Shanghai and its correlation with disease severity, we performed a 3-year prospective study of HBoV in healthy controls, outpatients and inpatients under five years of age with X-ray diagnosed LRTIs. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were tested by PCR for common respiratory viruses and by real time PCR for HBoV subtypes 1–4. Nasopharyngeal swabs from healthy controls and serum samples and stools from inpatients were also tested for HBoV1-4 by real time PCR. Viral loads were determined by quantitative real time PCR in all HBoV positive samples. HBoV1 was detected in 7.0% of inpatients, with annual rates of 5.1%, 8.0% and 4.8% in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) subtype A was the most frequent co-infection detected; HBoV1 and RSVA appeared to co-circulate with similar seasonal variations. High HBoV viral loads (>10(6) copies/ml) were significantly more frequent in inpatients and outpatients than in healthy controls. There was a direct correlation of high viral load with increasing disease severity in patients co-infected with HBoV1 and at least one other respiratory virus. In summary, our data suggest that HBoV1 can cause LRTIs, but symptomatic HBoV infection is only observed in the context of high viral load

FGF22 deletion causes hidden hearing loss by affecting the function of inner hair cell ribbon synapses

Ribbon synapses are important structures in transmitting auditory signals from the inner hair cells (IHCs) to their corresponding spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Over the last few decades, deafness has been primarily attributed to the deterioration of cochlear hair cells rather than ribbon synapses. Hearing dysfunction that cannot be detected by the hearing threshold is defined as hidden hearing loss (HHL). The relationship between ribbon synapses and FGF22 deletion remains unknown. In this study, we used a 6-week-old FGF22 knockout mice model (Fgf22–/–) and mainly focused on alteration in ribbon synapses by applying the auditory brainstem response (ABR) test, the immunofluorescence staining, the patch-clamp recording, and quantitative real-time PCR. In Fgf22–/– mice, we found the decreased amplitude of ABR wave I, the reduced vesicles of ribbon synapses, and the decreased efficiency of exocytosis, which was suggested by a decrease in the capacitance change. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Fgf22–/– led to dysfunction in ribbon synapses by downregulating SNAP-25 and Gipc3 and upregulating MEF2D expression, which was important for the maintenance of ribbon synapses’ function. Our research concluded that FGF22 deletion caused HHL by affecting the function of IHC ribbon synapses and may offer a novel therapeutic target to meet an ever-growing demand for deafness treatment

Structural insights into molecular mechanism for N6-adenosine methylation by MT-A70 family methyltransferase METTL4

METTL4 belongs to a subclade of MT-A70 family members of methyltransferase (MTase) proteins shown to mediate N6-adenosine methylation for both RNA and DNA in diverse eukaryotes. Here, we report that Arabidopsis METTL4 functions as U2 snRNA MTase for N6−2’-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am) in vivo that regulates flowering time, and specifically catalyzes N6-methylation of 2’-O-methyladenosine (Am) within a single-stranded RNA in vitro. The apo structures of full-length Arabidopsis METTL4 bound to S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and the complex structure with an Am-containing RNA substrate, combined with mutagenesis and in vitro enzymatic assays, uncover a preformed L-shaped, positively-charged cavity surrounded by four loops for substrate binding and a catalytic center composed of conserved residues for specific Am nucleotide recognition and N6-methylation activity. Structural comparison of METTL4 with the mRNA m6A enzyme METTL3/METTL14 heterodimer and modeling analysis suggest a catalytic mechanism for N6-adenosine methylation by METTL4, which may be shared among MT-A70 family members

Intensive Cytokine induction in Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Infection Accompanied by Robust Production of IL-10 and IL-6

BACKGROUND: The innate immune system is the first line of defense against viruses by inducing expression of cytokines and chemokines. Many pandemic influenza H1N1 virus [P(H1N1)] infected severe cases occur in young adults under 18 years old who were rarely seriously affected by seasonal influenza. Results regarding host cytokine profiles of P(H1N1) are ambivalent. In the present study we investigated host cytokine profiles in P(H1N1) patients and identified cytokines related to disease severity. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We retrieved 77, 59, 26 and 26 sera samples from P(H1N1) and non-flu influenza like illness (non-ILIs) cases with mild symptoms (mild patients), P(H1N1) vaccinees and healthy individuals, respectively. Nine and 16 sera were from hospitalized P(H1N1) and non-ILIs patients with severe symptoms (severe patients). Cytokines of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IFN-γ and TNF-α were assayed by cytokine bead array, IL-17 and IL-23 measured with ELISA. Mild P(H1N1) patients produced significantly elevated IL-2, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-10, IL-17 and IL-23 versus to healthy controls. While an overwhelming IL-6 and IL-10 production were observed in severe P(H1N1) patients. Higher IL-10 secretion in P(H1N1) vaccinees confirmed our observation that highly increased level of sera IL-6 and IL-10 in P(H1N1) patients may lead to disease progression. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: A comprehensive innate immune response was activated at the early stage of P(H1N1) infection with a combine Th1/Th2/Th3 cytokines production. As disease progression, a systemic production of IL-6 and IL-10 were observed in severe P(H1N1) patients. Further analysis found a strong correlation between IL-6 and IL-10 production in the severe P(H1N1) patients. IL-6 may be served as a mediator to induce IL-10 production. Highly elevated level of sera IL-6 and IL-10 in P(H1N1) patients may lead to disease progression, but the underlying mechanism awaits further detailed investigations

Water management, rice varieties and mycorrhizal inoculation influence arsenic concentration and speciation in rice grains

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of water management and mycorrhizal inoculation on arsenic (As) uptake by two rice varieties, the As-resistant BRRI dhan 47 (B47) and As-sensitive BRRI dhan 29 (B29). Grain As concentration of B47 plants was significantly lower than that of B29, and grain As concentration of B47 was higher under flooding conditions than that under aerobic conditions. In general, mycorrhizal inoculation (Rhizophagus irregularis) had no significant effect on grain As concentrations, but decreased the proportion of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in grains of B47. The proportion of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in the total grain As was dramatically higher under flooding conditions. Results demonstrate that rice variety selection and appropriate water management along with mycorrhizal inoculation could be practical countermeasures to As accumulation and toxicity in rice grains, thus reducing health risks of As exposure in rice diets

Rhizophagus irregularis influences As and P uptake by alfafa and the neighboring non-host pepperweed growing in an As-contaminated soil

It was documented that arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) play an important role in protecting host plants against arsenic (As) contamination. However, most terrestrial ecosystems contain a considerable number of nonmycorrhizal plants. So far little information is available for the interaction of such non-host plants with AMF under As contaminations. By using a dual compartment cultivation system with a plastic board or a nylon mesh separating roots of non-host pepperweed from roots of the AM-host alfafa plants, avoiding direct root competition, the two plant species were grown separately or partially separated (with rhizosphere effects) in the presence or absence of the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis in As-contaminated soil. The results indicated that mycorrhiza caused phosphorus (P) concentration decrease in the non-host pepperweed, but promoted the P concentration of the AM host alfafa. Mycorrhiza is potentially helpful for non-host pepperweed to adapt to As contamination by decreasing root As concentration and showing no suppressing effect on biomass production. The study provides further evidence for the protective effects of AMF on non-host plants against As contamination, and improved our understanding of the potential role of AMF for non-host plant adaptation to As contaminated soils. (C) 2017 The Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V

Drying shinkage and cracking resistance of concrete made with ternary cementitious components

The compressive strength, free and restrained drying shrinkage and cracking resistance of concrete under drying condition were investigated for ternary cementitious systems containing Portland cement, slag and fly ash. The restrained shrinkage test (ring test) was carried out following ASTM C1581. The results showed that the increased replacement level of slag or fly ash from 0 to 50% led to a gradual decrease in 28d compressive strength of concrete. The free drying shrinkage increased with the increase of slag content, but reduced with the fly ash content. The cracking resistance was well related to the free drying shrinkage of concrete, other factors such as strength also showed certain effects on cracking resistance of concrete. The cracking resistance of concrete was enhanced with the addition of fly ash while weakened with the slag replacement level up to 50

Infection with Possible Precursor of Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus in a Child, China, 2013

During the early stage of the avian influenza A(H7N9) epidemic in China in March 2013, a strain of the virus was identified in a 4-year-old boy with mild influenza symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this strain, which has similarity to avian subtype H9N2 viruses, may represent a precursor of more-evolved H7N9 subtypes co-circulating among humans