A genetic locus complements resistance to Bordetella pertussis-induced histamine sensitization.

Histamine plays pivotal role in normal physiology and dysregulated production of histamine or signaling through histamine receptors (HRH) can promote pathology. Previously, we showed that Bordetella pertussis or pertussis toxin can induce histamine sensitization in laboratory inbred mice and is genetically controlled by Hrh1/HRH1. HRH1 allotypes differ at three amino acid residues with

Association between plasma trimethylamine N -oxide and neoatherosclerosis in patients with very late stent thrombosis

Abstract(#br)Background(#br)Trimethylamine N -oxide (TMAO) has been shown to promote the development of atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between plasma TMAO and neoatherosclerosis, an important underlying mechanism of very late stent thrombosis (VLST), is unknown.(#br)Methods(#br)This post hoc study investigated the association between TMAO and neoatherosclerosis in two independent cohorts. These included a control group of 50 healthy volunteers and a study cohort of 50 patients with VLST who presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and underwent optical coherence tomography examination. Of the 50 patients with VLST, 23 had neoatherosclerosis and 27 did not have neoatherosclerosis. Patients with neoatherosclerosis were further divided into two subgroups, including 14 patients with plaque rupture and 9 without plaque rupture.(#br)Results(#br)The plasma TMAO levels, detected using mass spectrometry, were significantly higher in patients with VLST than in healthy individuals (median [interquartile range]: 2.50 [1.67-3.84] vs. 1.32 [0.86-2.44] μM; P < 0.001). Among the VLST patients, the plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher in patients with neoatherosclerosis than in those without neoatherosclerosis (3.69 [2.46-5.29] vs. 1.96 [1.39-2.80] μM; P<0.001). In addition, in patients with neoatherosclerosis, patients with plaque rupture had significantly higher plasma TMAO concentrations than those without plaque rupture (4.51 [3.41-5.85] vs. 2.46 [2.05-3.55] μM; P=0.005). Multivariate analysis indicated that TMAO was an independent predictor of neoatherosclerosis (odds ratio 3.41; 95% confidence interval: 1.59-7.30; P=0.002). Moreover, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for TMAO, differentiated by neoatherosclerosis, was 0.85.(#br)Conclusions(#br)Plasma TMAO was significantly correlated with neoatherosclerosis and plaque rupture in patients with VLST

SHON expression predicts response and relapse risk of breast cancer patients after anthracycline-based combination chemotherapy or tamoxifen treatment

BACKGROUND: SHON nuclear expression (SHON-Nuc+) was previously reported to predict clinical outcomes to tamoxifen therapy in ERα+ breast cancer (BC). Herein we determined if SHON expression detected by specific monoclonal antibodies could provide a more accurate prediction and serve as a biomarker for anthracycline-based combination chemotherapy (ACT).METHODS: SHON expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in the Nottingham early-stage-BC cohort (n=1,650) who, if eligible, received adjuvant tamoxifen; the Nottingham ERα- early-stage-BC (n=697) patients who received adjuvant ACT; and the Nottingham locally advanced-BC cohort who received pre- operative ACT with/without taxanes (Neo-ACT, n=120) and if eligible, 5-year adjuvant tamoxifen treatment. Prognostic significance of SHON and its relationship with the clinical outcome of treatments were analysed.RESULTS: As previously reported, SHON-Nuc+ in high risk/ERα+ patients was significantly associated with a 48% death risk reduction after exclusive adjuvant tamoxifen treatment compared with SHON-Nuc- [HR(95%CI)=0.52(0.34-0.78), p=0.002]. Meanwhile, in ERα- patients treated with adjuvant ACT, SHON cytoplasmic expression (SHON-Cyto+) was significantly associated with a 50% death risk reduction compared with SHON-Cyto- [HR(95%CI)=0.50(0.34-0.73), p=0.0003]. Moreover, in patients received Neo-ACT, SHON-Nuc- or SHON-Cyto+ was associated with an increased pathological complete response (pCR) compared with SHON-Nuc+ [21% vs 4%; OR(95%CI)=5.88(1.28-27.03), p=0.012], or SHON-Cyto- [20.5% vs 4.5%; OR(95%CI)=5.43(1.18-25.03), p=0.017], respectively. After receiving Neo-ACT, patients with SHON-Nuc+ had a significantly lower distant relapse risk compared to those with SHON-Nuc- [HR(95%CI)=0.41(0.19-0.87), p=0.038], whereas SHON-Cyto+ patients had a significantly higher distant relapse risk compared to SHON-Cyto- patients [HR(95%CI)=4.63(1.05-20.39), p=0.043]. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that SHON-Cyto+ was independently associated with a higher risk of distant relapse after Neo-ACT and 5- year tamoxifen treatment [HR(95%CI)=5.08(1.13-44.52), p=0.037]. The interaction term between ERα status and SHON-Nuc+ (p=0.005), and between SHON-Nuc+ and tamoxifen therapy (p=0.007), were both statistically significant.CONCLUSION: SHON-Nuc+ in tumours predicts response to tamoxifen in ERα+ BC while SHON-Cyto+ predicts response to ACT

Research on Consumers’ Use Willingness and Opinions of Electric Vehicle Sharing: An Empirical Study in Shanghai

An empirical study in Shanghai was performed to explore consumers’ use willingness and opinions on electric vehicle sharing (EVS) to help operators effectively operate and expand the new business model. Through the multinomial logistic regression developed for different groups, the results show that the factors of the main trip mode in daily use, monthly transportation expenditure, driving range of electric vehicles, gender, age, marital status and occupation have significant influences on consumers’ use willingness. In short, the population characteristics of people choosing to use EVS are male, aged between 18 and 30 and usually taking the subway and bus as the daily transportation modes. Otherwise, the factors of the acceptable highest price of EVS, occupation and personal monthly income have significant impacts on the use willingness of people who keep a neutral stance. These people pay more attention to convenience and the economy of EVS. These results reveal that a reasonable price, accurate positioning of target groups, convenient site layout and usage are required for operators to successfully launch a new transportation mode of EVS

Controllable Synthesis of Mn3O4 Nanowires and Application in the Treatment of Phenol at Room Temperature

Nanosized Mn3O4 nanowires are prepared with KMnO4 and ethanol in mild conditions by facile hydrothermal method. Hydrothermal reaction temperature is optimized to get uniform nanowires. The prepared Mn3O4 nanowires exhibit high activity in the treatment of phenol at acid condition and room temperature. The 20 mg Mn3O4 nanowires can efficiently dispose of 50 mL phenol solution (0.2 g&middot;L&minus;1) at pH 2 and 25 &deg;C. The nanowires before and after phenol treatment are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the reaction mechanism is discussed

Use of <i>Piriformospora indica</i> to Promote Growth of Strawberry Daughter Plants

As an endophytic fungus, the growth-promoting effects of Piriformospora indica have been widely confirmed in many of its host plants. In this study, we investigated the influences of P. indica colonization on the growth of the daughter plants of two strawberry cultivars, ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie.’ The results showed that the fungus colonization significantly promoted the growth of the daughter plants of both of the two strawberry varieties. Its colonization greatly improved almost all of the growth parameters of the ‘Benihoppe’ daughter plants, including the above-ground fresh weight, above-ground dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, plant height, petiole length, leaf area, number of roots and chlorophyll content. However, the fungus colonization showed significant improving effects on only the above-ground fresh weight, root fresh weight and root dry weight of ‘Sweet Charlie.’ Surprisingly, the average root length of ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ was suppressed by about 14.3% and 24.6%, respectively, by P. indica. Moreover, after P. indica colonization, the leaf nitrate reductase activity and root activity upregulated by 30.12% and 12.74%, and 21.85% and 21.16%, respectively, for the ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ daughter plants. Our study indicated that P. indica could promote the growth of strawberry daughter plants by improving rooting, strengthening photosynthetic pigments production and nutrient absorption and accelerating biomass accumulation. The fungus shows great potential to be used in the strawberry industry, especially in the breeding of daughter plants