The Ly-6 and uPAR (LU) domain-containing proteins represent a large family of cell-surface markers. In particular, mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 is a widely used marker for various stem cells; however, its human ortholog is missing. In this study, based on a systematic survey and comparative genomic study of mouse and human LU domain-containing proteins, we identified a previously unannotated human gene encoding the candidate ortholog of mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. This gene, hereby named LY6A, reversely overlaps with a lncRNA gene in the majority of exonic sequences. We found that LY6A is aberrantly expressed in pituitary tumors, but not in normal pituitary tissues, and may contribute to tumorigenesis. Similar to mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1, human LY6A is also upregulated by interferon, suggesting a conserved transcriptional regulatory mechanism between humans and mice. We cloned the full-length LY6A cDNA, whose encoded protein sequence, domain architecture, and exon-intron structures are all well conserved with mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. Ectopic expression of the LY6A protein in cells demonstrates that it acts the same as mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 in their processing and glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchoring to the cell membrane. Collectively, these studies unveil a novel human gene encoding a candidate biomarker and provide an interesting model gene for studying gene regulatory and evolutionary mechanisms.
Humans ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Pituitary Neoplasms/genetics* ; Biomarkers

Bisecting N-acetylglucosamine(GlcNAc),a GlcNAc linked to the core β-mannose resi-due via a β1,4 linkage,is a special type of N-glycosylation that has been reported to be involved in various biological processes,such as cell adhesion and fetal development.This N-glycan structure is abundant in human trophoblasts,which is postulated to be resistant to natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity,enabling a mother to nourish a fetus without rejection.In this study,we hypothesized that the human amniotic membrane,which serves as the last barrier for the fetus,may also express bisected-type glycans.To test this hypothesis,glycomic analysis of the human amniotic membrane was performed,and bisected N-glycans were detected.Furthermore,our pro-teomic data,which have been previously employed to explore human missing proteins,were ana-lyzed and the presence of bisecting GlcNAc-modified peptides was confirmed.A total of 41 glycoproteins with 43 glycopeptides were found to possess a bisecting GlcNAc,and 25 of these gly-coproteins were reported to exhibit this type of modification for the first time.These results provide insights into the potential roles of bisecting GlcNAc modification in the human amniotic membrane,and can be beneficial to functional studies on glycoproteins with bisecting GlcNAc modifications and functional studies on immune suppression in human placenta.

Objective:To investigate the value of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted quantitative measurement in evaluation of the dynamic changes of CT for COVID-19 pneumonia.Methods:The clinical and chest CT dynamic imaging data of 99 patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia who were hospitalized in Wuhan Central Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 15, 2020 to March 10, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the definitive diagnosis, the 99 patients were classified into common ( n=36), severe ( n=33) and critical ( n=30) type, the CT imaging findings of each type were analyzed, including CT basic signs, total volume of pneumonia lesions and percentage of pneumonia lesions of the total lung volume (volume ratio). AI software was used to quantitatively evaluate the dynamic changes of chest CT images. The quantitative indicators included CT peak time of lesions, total volume of lesions peak, volume ratio of lesions peak, maximum growth rate of total volume and maximum growth rate of volume ratio. Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used to compare the difference of quantitative indexes between the 3 types, and χ 2 test or Fisher exact probability test was used to compare the difference of qualitative indexes between the 3 types. Sequence measurement and scatter plots were used to show the evolution trend of the volume ratio of the three types of COVID-19 pneumonia lesions. The ROC curve was used to analyze the value of the volume ratio of pneumonia lesions and its maximum growth rate in predicting the conversion of common pneumonia to severe or critical pneumonia. Results:There were statistically significant differences in age and gender distribution among patients with common, severe and critical COVID-19 ( P<0.05), the age of severe and critical types were significantly higher than that of common type ( P<0.01). Compared with common [2.5 (1.0, 5.0) d] and critical type[2.5 (1.0, 4.0) d], the time from onset to the first chest CT scan of severe type was prolonged [5.0 (2.5, 8.0) d, P<0.01]. There were statistically significant differences in involvement of multiple lung lobes (20 cases, 29 cases, 25 cases, χ2=10.403, P=0.006) in patients with common, severe and critical COVID-19 at the first scan, the incidence of the involvement of multiple lung lobes in severe and critical types was significantly higher than that of common type ( P=0.002). The volume ratios of patients with common, severe and critical COVID-19 at the first scan were statistically significant [1.0% (0.2%, 4.7%), 9.30% (1.63%, 26.83%), 2.10% (0.64%, 8.61%), Z=14.236, P=0.001], and the volume ratio of severe type was significantly higher than that of common type ( P<0.001), there was no statistically significant difference between common type and critical type ( P=0.062). Follow-up CT showed that the pneumonia lesions showed a dynamic transformation of progress and recovery, and it was seen that the coexistence of multiphase lesions. The trend line in the scatter plot of the three types of COVID-19 pneumonia lesions showed that the lesions in the advanced stage developed from less to more. The lesion peak volume ratios of the common, severe and critical types were 9.75% (4.83%, 13.18%), 29.80% (23.99%, 42.36%) and 61.81% (43.73%, 72.82%), respectively, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=74.147, P<0.001). The maximum growth rates of lesion volume ratio were 1.27% (0.50%, 1.81%)/d, 4.39% (3.16%, 5.54%)/d and 6.02% (4.77%, 9.96%)/d, respectively, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=52.453, P<0.001). The peak times of lesions were 12.0 (9.0, 15.0) d, 13.0 (10.0, 16.0) d and 16.5 (12.0, 25.0)d, respectively, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=9.524, P=0.009). Taking the volume ratio of pneumonia lesion 22.60% and the maximum growth rate of the volume ratio 1.875%/d as the boundary value, the sensitivity of diagnosing common type to severe or critical type was 92.10% and 96.83%, and the specificity was 100% and 80.56%, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.987 and 0.925, respectively. Conclusions:The lesions of COVID-19 pneumonia show a similar parabolic change on CT imaging. The use of AI technology to dynamitcally and accurately measure the CT pneumonia lesion volume ratio is helpful to evaluate the severity of the disease and predict the development trend of the disease. Patients with a rapid growth of volume ratio are more likely to become severe or critical type.

Objective To explore the predictive value of CT image texture analysis for early enlargement of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods One hundred and eight patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage were divided into enlarged hematoma group (positive group)and non-enlarged hematoma group (negative group),according to whether the volume of hematoma on 24 h follow up CT scan was more than 30% or 6 mL of the baseline CT.Phillis Radiomics Tool V93 software was used to segment the hematoma on CT plain scan images of two groups,four features of first-order and three of gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM),thirteen of gray-level size zone matricx (GLSZM)and eleven of gray-level run-length matricx (GLRLM)were obtained.The differences of thirty-one texture features between the two groups were compared.The ROC curves of the features with statistical differences were analyzed.The independent predictors of early enlargement of intracerebral hemorrhage were screened by Logistic multivariate regression model.Results Among the one hundred and eight patients,twenty-eight were positive group and eighty were negative group.Skewness and long run low gray-level emphasis (LRLGE)in positive group were significantly higher than those in negative group (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the remaining twenty-nine features between the two groups (P＞0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of Skewness,LRLGE and their combined diagnosis were 0.634,0.814 and 0.828,respectively.The independent variables were screened by stepwise regression analysis.The LRLGE (OR＝1.238,95%CI＝1.009－1.51 9,P＜0.05)was selected as the regression model, suggesting that LRLGE was an independent predictor of the early enlargement of intracerebral hemorrhage.Conclusion Texture analysis of CT images is helpful to predict the early enlargement of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage,and LRLGE based on GLRLM algorithm can be used as an independent predictor.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacies of clarithromycin and metronidazole in the treatment of chronic periodontitis, and to provide the evidence-based medical evidence for the rational use of drugs in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.Methods:CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, ScienceDirect and EMbase database from inception to June, 2017were searched by computer for the literatures about the treatment of clarithromycin and metronidazole for chronic periodontitis.Two reviewers independently screened the literatures, extracted the data and evaluated the bias risk of included studies.Then Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.Results:A total of 5 randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving516patients with chronic periodontitis were included.Subgroup analysis was performed according to the follow-up time.Compared with metronidazole group, the probing depth (PD) reduction, attachment loss (AL) gain, and sulcus bleeding index (SBI) reduction of the patients with chronic periodontitis in clarithromycin group at 1month and 3months after follow-up were more significant;the differences in PD, AL, and SBI were significant (MD=-0.53, 95％CI:-0.67-0.39, P＜0.01;MD=-0.31, 95％CI:-0.39--0.24, P＜0.01;MD=-0.23, 95％CI:-0.29--0.16, P＜0.01) .Conclusion:Systemic antibiotic use of clarithromycin in the treatment of the patients with chronic periodontitis after non-surgical periodontal therapy has a significant additional effect than metronidazole in short-term observation.

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for standardizing the clinical use of carbapenem antibiotics and controlling drug-resistant bacteria infection. METHODS:The detection of 3 kinds of carbapenems-resistant Gram-negative bacillus in our hospi-tal during 2011-2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The consumption,target cure rate and treatment course of carbapenem antibiot-ics were analyzed statistically. The correlation between detection rate of drug-resistant bacteria with the consumption of carbapenem antibiotics was investigated by Pearson test. RESULTS:During 2011-2016,1222 strains of carbapenems-resistant Acinetobacter bauman (CRAB),655 strains of carbapenems-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) and 53 strains of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CRE) were detected in our hospital. The detection rates increased from 23.88%,8.92%,0.09% in 2011 to 80.34%,35.74%,0.97% in 2016. The types of carbapenem antibiotics in our hospital were mainly imipenem and meropenem. The consumption of them increased from 4222,145 g in 2011 to 7218,4387 g in 2016. The both target cure rates were all lower than 60%,and the proportion of the patients with treatment course >14 d was more than 65%. The detection rates of CRAB,CR-PA and CRE were positively correlated with the consumption of carbapenem antibiotics (r>0.9,P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The detection rate of carbapenems-resistant Gram-negative bacillus and drug consumption increase year by year in our hospital,and they have certain correlation. The target cure rate of carbapenem antibiotics in our hospital is in low level,and there is a long treatment course. They are should be standardized in the clinic. The selection of carbapenem antibiotics should be strictly followed clinical in-dications so as to reduce the generation of drug-resistant strains.

Aim To investigate the effect of curcumin on radiosensitivity of radioresistant nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-2R and its mechanism.Methods The concentration of curcumin was screened by MTT assay.Dose-survival curves were obtained according to the colony forming test for L-Q matching and multitarget-single hitting matching,while SF2 and the correlation parameters of radiation biology were calculated.The changes of cell cycle in CNE-2R cells caused by curcumin were also tested by flow cytometry(FCM).The differential expression of genes related to cell cycle and DNA damage repair were detected by RT-qPCR.Results CNE-2R cells could not be inhibited by 10 μmol·L-1 curcumin.Dealt with 10 μmol·L-1 curcumin for 24 h,the value of α/β increased to 1 596 from 6.56;the value of SF2 decreased to 0.361 Gy from 1.93 Gy;the value of N decreased to 1.06 from 1.60;the value of D0 decreased to 2.12 from 3.27;the value of Dq decreased to 0.12 from 1.53.FCM showed that the cells in G2 phase had a significant increase and the cells in S phase had a significant decrease after dealt with 10 μmol·L-1 curcumin for 24 h.The expression of CDK4 was significantly up-regulated and GADD45g,BRCA1 were significantly down-regulated.Conclusion Curcumin radiosensitizes nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-2R by changing cell cycle and affecting DNA damage repair through regulating the expression of CDK4,GADD45 g and BRCA1.

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of pars repair by the pedicle screws,laminal hooks and auto iliac bone graft through the Wiltse approach via Quadrant channel for the treatment of the adolescent spodylolysis.Methods From November 2007 to April 2011,pars defects of 11 patients (10 males and 1 female) were repaired with pedicle screws,laminal hooks and auto iliac bone graft via Quadrant channel through the Wiltse approach.The mean age of 11 patients was 17.3 years (range 15-19).Mean course was 9.9 months (range 6-14 months).All patients have bilateral pars defect of L5.There was no poroma across the pars that have been proved by X-ray film and 3-D CT before the operation.There were 4 patients with Ⅰ grade spondylolisthesis.The degeneration of the intervertebral disc assessed by Pfirrmann grade of all patients was no more than Ⅰ grade.Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared before and after operation.The fusion of pars defect was observed by X-ray film and 3-D CT.Results The mean operation time was 85.5±12.3 min (range 70-110 min); intraoperatve blood loss was 80-150 ml (mean 105 ± 19.4 ml).Two patients were lost in follow-up after operation and the others had been followed up for 12 to 24 months (mean 16 months).All patients had significant pain relief and function recovery after operation.Mean postoperative VAS score was 1.5± 1.0 compared with 4.5± 1.0 of preoperation (t=4.603,P=0.002).ODI was decreased from 49.3％± 14.2％ of preoperation to 12.0％±4.9％ of the last follow-up (t=7.344,P=0.000).With the Macnab grades,7 patients are excellent,2 patients are good.3-D CT showed that all pars defect were fused in the last follow-up.Conclusion Pars repair by the pedicle screws,laminal hooks and auto iliac bone graft through the Wiltse approach via Quadrant channel can protect the paravertebral muscle,relief patients from pain,and improve function.

Objective To discuss the clinical characteristics of hepatic perivascularepithelioid cell tumor (PEComa). Methods Clinical data of one patient with hepatic PEComa in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. The informed consent of the patient was obtained and the ethical committee approval was received. The patient was a 25-year-old female and was admitted in hospital for the physical examination finding of space occupying lesions in the liver. The results of physical and laboratory examinations were normal. Multiple round-like mass of low density with poorly defined borders were observed in the liver by CT scan. Significant enhancement was observed in the arterial phase by enhancement scan, and homo- or hypo-enhancement in the delayed phase. The liver lesions showed intermediated signal intensity on T1WI by MRI and slightly hyperintense on T2WI. Significant enhancement was observed in the arterial phase after enhancement and degraded in the delayed phase. The patient was primarily diagnosed with liver focal nodular hyperplasia clinically. Results After sufficient preoperative preparation, hepatectomy was performed on the patient under general anesthesia by tracheal intubation on December 8th , 2011. The tumor was observed
composed of polygonal morphology cells of epithelial cells without lipocytes or abnormal blood vessels by pathological examination. The tumor was observed with strongly positive human melanoma black-45 (HMB-45), smooth muscle actin (SMA), and positive vimentin, cluster of differentiation (CD) 34. The diagnosis of hepatic PEComa was confirmed pathologically. The patient recovered well and was discharged from hospital 1 week after operation. No recurrence or metastasis was observed during the regular follow-up till the submission date. Conclusions Hepatic PEComa is extremely rare without specific clinical manifestation. The diagnosis depends on the pathological examination. Surgical resection is an effective method for the tumor with a good prognosis.

This experiment was designed to study the apoptosis and related mechanism of adherent liver tumor cells (SMMC-7721) and adherent normal liver cells (HL-7702) when they were exposed to the steep pulse generated by the steep pulse apparatus for tumor treatment. The results showed that the steep pulse of 200 V could induce tumor cells apoptosis. The tumor cells presented with their apoptosis when they were exposed to the steep pulse from 200 V to 250 V. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to make a real time study of calcium burst when the adherent tumor cells were exposed to the steep pulse. The results showed:On the condition of no extracellular Ca2+, the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 150 V did not change; the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 200 V decreased; the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 250 V decreased more evidently. On the condition of existing extracellular Ca2+, the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 150 V did not change; the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 200 V decreased little; the concentration of Ca2+ in tumor cells exposed to the steep pulse of 250 V reduced little, too. Maybe the change of calcium burst in the tumor cells is the mechanism of apoptosis when cells are exposed to the steep pulse.
Apoptosis ; radiation effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Electricity ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Tumor Cells, Cultured