Identification of kinectin as a novel Behçet's disease autoantigen

There has been some evidence that Behçet's disease (BD) has a significant autoimmune component but the molecular identity of putative autoantigens has not been well characterized. In the initial analysis of the autoantibody profile in 39 Chinese BD patients, autoantibodies to cellular proteins were uncovered in 23% as determined by immunoblotting. We have now identified one of the major autoantibody specificities using expression cloning. Serum from a BD patient was used as a probe to immunoscreen a λZAP expression cDNA library. Candidate autoantigen cDNAs were characterized by direct nucleotide sequencing and their expressed products were examined for reactivity to the entire panel of BD sera using immunoprecipitation. Reactivity was also examined with normal control sera and disease control sera from patients with lupus and Sjögren's syndrome. Six independent candidate clones were isolated from the cDNA library screen and were identified as overlapping partial human kinectin cDNAs. The finding that kinectin was an autoantigen was verified in 9 out of 39 (23%) BD patient sera by immunoprecipitation of the in vitro translation products. Sera from controls showed no reactivity. The significance of kinectin as a participant in autoimmune pathogenesis in BD and the potential use of autoantibody to kinectin in serodiagnostics are discussed

Effect of ZnO on Cu/ZnO/Al_2O_3 catalysts for methanol synthesis

[中文文摘]用高速碰撞共沉淀法制备m(CuO) /m(ZnO) /m(Al2 O3 )比分别为 60 /3 0 /1 0和 3 0 /60 /1 0的 1 #和 2 #催化剂 ,结果表明高ZnO的 2 #催化剂活性较好 ,分散度较大。XPS测试表明 2 #催化剂表面ZnO吸附的中间体 (CHx 或CHxO)较多且表面的Cu+1浓度较高 ,从而促进CO加氢合成甲醇的活性。[英文文摘]Cu/ZnO/Al_2O_3 catalysts with ratios of 60/30/10 and 30/60/10 have been prepared by high speed collision coprecipitation method. The performance of the catalyst with the higher ZnO content shows the higher activity in methanol synthesis. The characterization results indicated that the catalyst with the higher ZnO content has higher dispersion. On the surface of the higher ZnO content catalyst, there was more Cu+1 and more intermediate (CH_x and CH_xO) adsorpted. It is beneficial for the CO hydrogenating to produce methanol

Challenges in perioperative fluid management and anticoagulant therapy in a woman with cardio-pulmonary-renal disease diagnosed with preinvasive breast carcinoma

An elderly woman with preinvasive breast cancer, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula, pulmonary hypertension and Stage 4 diabetic nephropathy underwent a mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Managing her perioperative fluid balance and anticoagulation treatment were challenging. Having a malignancy, atrial fibrillation plus underhydration will increase her risk of hypercoagulation. However, fluid overload will lead to pulmonary oedema which will decrease her oxygenation further in pulmonary hypertension. Cessation of anticoagulation also increased the risk of hypercoagulation. Anticoagulant therapy increases the risk of a perioperative wound haematoma, which may require another general anaesthesia for identification and arrest of the bleeding source and haematoma evacuation. A haematoma will also increase the risk of surgical site infection; especially as a diabetic. Her anticoagulant therapy (rivoroxaban) was stopped four days preoperatively. Her ejection fraction was 50%, with Grade II diastolic dysfunction and TAPSE 0.6 cm. Her CHA2DS2-VASc Score was 5. Perioperatively, intraarterial cannulation was connected to the FloTrac™ sensor and EV1000™ monitor. Her fluid management was monitored using goal directed (GD) fluid therapy. The patient underwent surgery successfully and her anticoagulant therapy was recommenced 14 days postoperatively

Nanosatellite experiments to enable future space-based QKD missions

We present a programme for establishing the space worthiness of highly-miniaturised, polarisation-entangled, photon pair sources using CubeSat nanosatellites. Once demonstrated, the photon pair sources can be deployed on more advanced satellites that are equipped with optical links to establish a global space-based quantum key distribution network. In doing so, this work will also bring experimental tests of the overlap between quantum and relativistic regimes closer to realisation

Patient experience of nasal obstruction and its clinical assessment

BACKGROUND: The correlation between objective and subjective nasal obstruction is poor, and dissatisfaction rates after surgery for nasal obstruction are high. Accordingly, novel assessment techniques may be required. This survey aimed to determine patient experience and preferences for the measurement of nasal obstruction. METHOD: Prospective survey of rhinology patients. RESULTS: Of 72 questionnaires distributed, 60 were completed (response rate of 83 per cent). Obstruction duration (more than one year) (χ2 = 13.5, p = 0.00024), but not obstruction severity, affected willingness to spend more time being assessed. Questionnaires (48 per cent) and nasal inspiratory peak flow measurement (53 per cent) are the most commonly used assessment techniques. Forty-nine per cent of participants found their assessment unhelpful in understanding their obstruction. Eighty-two per cent agreed or strongly agreed that a visual and numerical aid would help them understand their blockage. CONCLUSION: Many patients are dissatisfied with current assessment techniques; a novel device with visual or numerical results may help. Obstruction duration determines willingness to undergo longer assessment

Sino-U.S. economic relations: problems and perspectives

U.S.-China economic relations are currently strained as a direct result of the Chinese crackdown of demonstrators in Tiananmen square on June 4, 1989. However, the brutal suppression of the demonstrators is only one aspect of the overall Sino-U.S. economic relationship. This thesis examines the economic relationship beginning in 1978, when China embarked on its modernization effort. Though China has made many improvements in these efforts their modernization effort does not necessarily coincide with United States' desires. Instead, China is concerned with maintaining its socialist character for the foreseeable future. This thesis examines divergent Sino-U.S. economic relations, and offers some various recommendations for American policy-makers depending on the course that China's leadership decides to take. Financial aid, Four modernizations, Most favored nation, New reforms, Reform, Socialism, Technology transfers, Trade relations, U.S. Policyhttp://archive.org/details/sinouseconomicre00kingLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Delayed nephrectomy has comparable long-term overall survival to immediate nephrectomy for cT1a renal cell carcinoma: A population-based analysis

Objectives: Early surgical resection remains the recommended treatment option for most small renal mass (≤4 cm). We examined the long-term overall survival (OS) of patients managed with delayed and immediate nephrectomy of cT1a renal cancer. / Patient and methods: We utilized the National Cancer Database (2005–2010) to identify 14,677 patients (immediate nephrectomy: 14,050 patients vs. late nephrectomy: 627 patients) aged 180 days from diagnosis, respectively. Inverse probability of treatment weighting–adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to compare OS of patients in the 2 treatment arms. Influence of patient age and Charlson Comorbidity Index on treatment effect was tested by interactions. Sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the outcome of delaying nephrectomy for >12 months. / Results: Median patient age was 55 years with a median follow-up of 82.5 months. Inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves suggest no significant difference between treatment arms (immediate nephrectomy [180 days]) (Hazard ratio 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.26; P = 0.77). This outcome was consistent between all patients regardless of age (P = 0.48). Sensitivity analysis reports no difference in OS even if nephrectomy was delayed by >12 months (P = 0.60). / Conclusions: We report that delayed and immediate nephrectomy for cT1a renal cell carcinoma confers comparable long-term OS. These findings suggest that a period of observation of between 6 and 12 months is safe to allow identification of renal masses, which will benefit from surgical resection