Promoting Cardiac Repair through Simple Engineering of Nanoparticles with Exclusive Targeting Capability toward Myocardial Reperfusion Injury by Thermal Resistant Microfluidic Platform

Nanoparticle (NP)-based intravenous administration represents the most convenient cardiac targeting delivery routine, yet, there are still therapeutic issues due to the lack of targeting efficiency and specificity. Active targeting methods using functionalization of ligands onto the NPs' surface may be limited by trivial modification procedures and reduced targeting yield in vivo. Here, a microfluidics assisted single step, green synthesis method is introduced for producing targeting ligands free heart homing NPs in a tailored manner. The generated beta-glucan-based NPs exhibit precise and efficient targeting capability toward Dectin-1(+) monocytes/macrophages, which are confirmed as main pathogenesis mediators for cardiac ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury, with a sequentially enhanced cardiac NP accumulation, and this targeting strategy is exclusively suitable for cardiac I/R but not for other cardiovascular diseases, as confirmed both in murine and human model. Comparing to FDA-approved nano-micelles formulation, beta-glucan NPs loaded with NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor (CY-09) exhibit better efficiency in ameliorating myocardial injury and heart failure induced by surgically induced I/R. These findings indicate a simple production of targeting-ligand free NPs, and demonstrate their potential therapeutic applications for preclinical I/R-induced cardiac injury amelioration.Peer reviewe

Promoting Cardiac Repair through Simple Engineering of Nanoparticles with Exclusive Targeting Capability toward Myocardial Reperfusion Injury by Thermal Resistant Microfluidic Platform

Nanoparticle (NP)-based intravenous administration represents the most convenient cardiac targeting delivery routine, yet, there are still therapeutic issues due to the lack of targeting efficiency and specificity. Active targeting methods using functionalization of ligands onto the NPs' surface may be limited by trivial modification procedures and reduced targeting yield in vivo. Here, a microfluidics assisted single step, green synthesis method is introduced for producing targeting ligands free heart homing NPs in a tailored manner. The generated beta-glucan-based NPs exhibit precise and efficient targeting capability toward Dectin-1(+) monocytes/macrophages, which are confirmed as main pathogenesis mediators for cardiac ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury, with a sequentially enhanced cardiac NP accumulation, and this targeting strategy is exclusively suitable for cardiac I/R but not for other cardiovascular diseases, as confirmed both in murine and human model. Comparing to FDA-approved nano-micelles formulation, beta-glucan NPs loaded with NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome inhibitor (CY-09) exhibit better efficiency in ameliorating myocardial injury and heart failure induced by surgically induced I/R. These findings indicate a simple production of targeting-ligand free NPs, and demonstrate their potential therapeutic applications for preclinical I/R-induced cardiac injury amelioration.Peer reviewe

The Progress of CDAS

The Chinese Data Acquisition System (CDAS) based on FPGA techniques has been developed in China for the purpose of replacing the traditional analog baseband converter. CDAS is a high speed data acquisition and processing system with 1024 Msps sample rate for 512M bandwidth input and up to 16 channels (both USB and LSB) output with VSI interface compatible. The instrument is a flexible environment which can be updated easily. In this paper, the construction, the performance, the experiment results, and the future plans of CDAS will be reported

Prevalence and trend of hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland: a systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Blood transfusion is one of the most common transmission pathways of hepatitis C virus (HCV). This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and reliable tabulation of available data on the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for HCV infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland, so as to help make prevention strategies and guide further research.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review was constructed based on the computerized literature database. Infection rates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the approximate normal distribution model. Odds ratios and 95% CI were calculated by fixed or random effects models. Data manipulation and statistical analyses were performed using STATA 10.0 and ArcGIS 9.3 was used for map construction.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred and sixty-five studies met our inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of HCV infection among blood donors in Chinese mainland was 8.68% (95% CI: 8.01%-9.39%), and the epidemic was severer in North and Central China, especially in Henan and Hebei. While a significant lower rate was found in Yunnan. Notably, before 1998 the pooled prevalence of HCV infection was 12.87% (95%CI: 11.25%-14.56%) among blood donors, but decreased to 1.71% (95%CI: 1.43%-1.99%) after 1998. No significant difference was found in HCV infection rates between male and female blood donors, or among different blood type donors. The prevalence of HCV infection was found to increase with age. During 1994-1995, the prevalence rate reached the highest with a percentage of 15.78% (95%CI: 12.21%-19.75%), and showed a decreasing trend in the following years. A significant difference was found among groups with different blood donation types, Plasma donors had a relatively higher prevalence than whole blood donors of HCV infection (33.95% <it>vs </it>7.9%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prevalence of HCV infection has rapidly decreased since 1998 and kept a low level in recent years, but some provinces showed relatively higher prevalence than the general population. It is urgent to make efficient measures to prevent HCV secondary transmission and control chronic progress, and the key to reduce the HCV incidence among blood donors is to encourage true voluntary blood donors, strictly implement blood donation law, and avoid cross-infection.</p

Kinases Mst1 and Mst2 positively regulate phagocytic induction of reactive oxygen species and bactericidal activity

该研究成果揭示了吞噬性细胞内Hippo信号通路关键激酶Mst1和Mst2通过活化Rac家族蛋白来调节线粒体向吞噬小泡募集并释放ROS来清除病原体，这个生物学过程在天然免疫和宿主防御中发挥着重要作用。该成果解析了人的Mst1基因缺失或Rac2基因突变引发免疫缺陷综合症的致病机理，为研究人类感染性疾病提供了全新的视角。 该论文的主要工作由2012级博士生耿晶、2013级博士生孙秀峰以及王平、张世浩和王晓珍等学生共同承担，并与厦门市第一医院、台湾长庚大学、中国科学技术大学等单位合作完成，通讯作者为周大旺教授和陈兰芬教授。该研究工作获得了“青年千人计划”、国家自然科学基金委和科技部的资助。Mitochondria need to be juxtaposed to phagosomes for the synergistic production of ample reactive oxygen species (ROS) in phagocytes to kill pathogens. However, how phagosomes transmit signals to recruit mitochondria has remained unclear. Here we found that the kinases Mst1 and Mst2 functioned to control ROS production by regulating mitochondrial trafficking and mitochondrion-phagosome juxtaposition. Mst1 and Mst2 activated the GTPase Rac to promote Toll-like receptor (TLR)-triggered assembly of the TRAF6-ECSIT complex that is required for the recruitment of mitochondria to phagosomes. Inactive forms of Rac, including the human Rac2D57N mutant, disrupted the TRAF6-ECSIT complex by sequestering TRAF6 and substantially diminished ROS production and enhanced susceptibility to bacterial infection. Our findings demonstrate that the TLR-Mst1-Mst2-Rac signaling axis is critical for effective phagosome-mitochondrion function and bactericidal activity.Supported by the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (2015CB910502 to L.C.), China's 1000 Young Talents Program (D.Z. and L.C.), the 111 Projects (B12001 and B06016), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China-Xiamen University (CXB2014004 to J.Z.; 20720140551 to L.C.; and 2013121034 and 20720140537 to D.Z.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31270918, 81222030 and J1310027 to D.Z.; 81372617, 81422018 and U1405225 to L.C.; 81472229 to L.H.; and 81302529 to X.L.), the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian (2013J06011 to D.Z. and 2014D007 to X.L.), the US National Institutes of Health (RO1 CA136567 for J.A.) and institutional funds from Massachusetts General Hospital (for J.A.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Mutagenesis and characterization of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain for Cinnamomum camphora seed kernel oil extraction by aqueous enzymatic method

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to increase the proteinase activity of the strain NCU116 by combining ultraviolet irradiation and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitroso guanidine treatment, in order to enhance the efficiency of Cinnamomum camphora seed kernel oil (CCSKO) extraction by aqueous enzymatic method (AEM). The mutated strain, designated as NCU116-1, was screened out by the ratio of hydrolytic zone diameter to colony diameter on skim milk plate. The proteinase activity (9116.1 U/ml) of NCU116-1 was increased by 31.9% compared with the parental strain. The extracellular enzymes produced by NCU116-1 included proteinase, pectase, glucoamylase, cellulase and amylase. The proteinase had the maximum activity at 50 °C. Its optimum temperature and pH value were approximately 45 °C and 8.0 respectively. Mn2+ was an activator of neutral proteinase. The glucoamylase had the maximum activity at 35 °C, and was activated by Cu2+, Fe3+ and Mn2+. Its optimum temperatures and pH value were 35 °C and 8.0 respectively. The pectinase had the maximum activity at 40 °C, and was activated by Ca2+ and Mn2+. Its optimum temperatures and pH value were 35–40 °C and 6.0 respectively. The optimum conditions of CCSKO extraction by AEM were also investigated. The results suggested that the best amount of enzyme solution and enzymolysis time were 20% (v/v) and 4 h, respectively. The oil extraction rate was 95.2% under these conditions. Thus, a suitable mutated strain was selected for CCSKO extraction by AEM and the optimum extraction conditions were determined

Temporal trends of the association between ambient temperature and hospitalisations for cardiovascular diseases in Queensland, Australia from 1995 to 2016:A time-stratified case-crossover study

BackgroundIn the context of global warming, studies have turned to assess the temporal trend of the association between temperature and health outcomes, which can be used to reflect whether human beings have adapted to the local temperature. However, most studies have only focused on hot temperature and mortality. We aim to investigate the temporal variations in the association between ambient temperature and hospitalisations for cardiovascular diseases in Queensland, Australia from 1995 to 2016.Methods and findingsWe obtained data on 1,855,717 cardiovascular hospitalisations (mean age: 65.9 years, 42.7% female) from all 443 postal areas in Queensland, Australia between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2016. Grid-level meteorological data were downloaded from scientific information for landowners. We used a time-stratified case-crossover design fitted with a conditional quasi-Poisson regression model and time-varying distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to evaluate the association between temperature and cardiovascular hospitalisations and the temporal trends of the associations. Stratified analyses were performed in different age, sex, and climate zones. In all groups, relative risks (RRs) of cardiovascular hospitalisations associated with high temperatures (heat effects) increased, but cold effects showed a decreasing trend from 1995 to 2016. The increasing magnitude of heat effects was larger (p = 0.002) in men than in women and larger (p ConclusionThe impacts of cold temperatures on cardiovascular hospitalisations have decreased, but the impacts of high temperatures have increased in Queensland, Australia. The findings highlight that Queensland people have adapted to the impacts of cold temperatures, but not high temperatures. The burden of cardiovascular hospitalisations due to high temperatures is likely to increase in the context of global warming

Studies‘ of Carbon Cluster Anions with a Heteroatom of IIIA or VA Group

A series of carbon duster anions with a heteroatom have been generated on a home-made apparatus by laser abalation of appropriate samples. The heteroatom includes boron, aluminum, nitrogen, phosphorus or arsenic which is either a IIIA Or a VA group element. The recorded time of mass spectra show that stabilities of the cluster anions are affected by the composition of the heteroatom The MA group heteroatom tends to bind with even sizes of carbon atom and the VA group atom selects odd sizes. The even (odd alternation is attributed to the linear configuration of the cluster anion s with the heteroatom at the end of the chain