AIM: To determine the composition of both fecal and duodenal mucosa-associated microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects using molecular-based techniques. METHODS: Fecal and duodenal m...AIM: To determine the composition of both fecal and duodenal mucosa-associated microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects using molecular-based techniques. METHODS: Fecal and duodenal mucosa brush samples were obtained from 41 IBS patients and 26 healthy subjects. Fecal samples were analyzed for the composition of the total microbiota using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and both fecal and duodenal brush samples were analyzed for the composition of bif idobacteria using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The FISH analysis of fecal samples revealed a 2-fold decrease in the level of bifidobacteria (4.2 ± 1.3 vs 8.3 ± 1.9, P < 0.01) in IBS patients compared to healthy subjects, whereas no major differences in other bacterial groups were observed. At the species level, Bifidobacterium catenulatum levels were significantly lower (6 ± 0.6 vs 19 ± 2.5, P < 0.001) in the IBS patients in both fecal and duodenal brush samples than in healthy subjects.CONCLUSION: Decreased bifidobacteria levels in both fecal and duodenal brush samples of IBS patients compared to healthy subjects indicate a role for microbiotic composition in IBS pathophysiology.展开更多
As extrinsic rewards become very limited under organizational retrenchments, organizations should rely heavily on other types of rewards, such as intrinsic rewards, to improve the performance of those employees who ha...As extrinsic rewards become very limited under organizational retrenchments, organizations should rely heavily on other types of rewards, such as intrinsic rewards, to improve the performance of those employees who have been overwhelmed with a perception of job insecurity. This paper examines the impact of such perception, along with many other positive influencers such as enhancement in job features, recognition, and the personal values of those employees on the organizational involvement. The data analyzed were based on a sample of 34 employee respondents from a project based engineering and service company (identified as ABC Company in this paper) operating in the Middle East. The adopted research approach is basically a quantitative approach. The correlation and regression analysis tools have been used to explore this relationship. The results of this study suggest a generally unnoticed and disregarded resource that has the prime effect on improving and enhancing the organizational involvement, which is the recognition those employees receive from the management. This research suggests that recognition, as the top influencer, has a strong impact on organizational involvement/psychological attachment for the employees. The other factors that have proved to have the second degree influence on organizational involvement are enhancement in job features, increase in the job security level, and personal values.展开更多
β-Glucuronidase(GUS)plays a key role in tumor initiation,metastasis,and progression,and thus,has been proposed as a promising cancer biomarker.In this study,we designed an enzyme-activatable near-infrared(NIR)fluores...β-Glucuronidase(GUS)plays a key role in tumor initiation,metastasis,and progression,and thus,has been proposed as a promising cancer biomarker.In this study,we designed an enzyme-activatable near-infrared(NIR)fluorescent probe(DCM-βGlcA)for the rapid and accurate detection of GUS activity in vitro,in vivo and ex vivo.The DCM-βGlcA was prepared by linking a glucuronic acid residue to dicyanomethylene-4 H-pyran(DCM).This probe exhibited significant light-up NIR fluorescent signals at 680 nm after reacting with GUS and the Stokes shift could reach 150 nm.The DCM-βGlcA showed a high sensitivity toward GUS and an excellent linear relationship at concentrations ranging between 0 and 4 U L^(-1)(R^(2)=0.9974)with the limit of detection as low as 0.19 U L^(-1).We used the DCM-βGlcA to identify GUS serum levels in both cancer patients and healthy individuals with a similar accuracy as that of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)while being easier and faster to perform.Moreover,the DCM-βGlcA was used for tracking endogenous GUS in living cells,thereby discriminating GUSoverexpressed liver cancer from normal cells.Additionally,the DCM-βGlcA was able to detect and image endogenous GUS in liver cancer tissue and tumor-bearing mouse models.These findings demonstrate the potential of the DCM-βGlcA as a promising tool for detecting and monitoring GUS activity in preclinical applications.展开更多
文摘AIM: To determine the composition of both fecal and duodenal mucosa-associated microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects using molecular-based techniques. METHODS: Fecal and duodenal mucosa brush samples were obtained from 41 IBS patients and 26 healthy subjects. Fecal samples were analyzed for the composition of the total microbiota using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and both fecal and duodenal brush samples were analyzed for the composition of bif idobacteria using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The FISH analysis of fecal samples revealed a 2-fold decrease in the level of bifidobacteria (4.2 ± 1.3 vs 8.3 ± 1.9, P < 0.01) in IBS patients compared to healthy subjects, whereas no major differences in other bacterial groups were observed. At the species level, Bifidobacterium catenulatum levels were significantly lower (6 ± 0.6 vs 19 ± 2.5, P < 0.001) in the IBS patients in both fecal and duodenal brush samples than in healthy subjects.CONCLUSION: Decreased bifidobacteria levels in both fecal and duodenal brush samples of IBS patients compared to healthy subjects indicate a role for microbiotic composition in IBS pathophysiology.
文摘As extrinsic rewards become very limited under organizational retrenchments, organizations should rely heavily on other types of rewards, such as intrinsic rewards, to improve the performance of those employees who have been overwhelmed with a perception of job insecurity. This paper examines the impact of such perception, along with many other positive influencers such as enhancement in job features, recognition, and the personal values of those employees on the organizational involvement. The data analyzed were based on a sample of 34 employee respondents from a project based engineering and service company (identified as ABC Company in this paper) operating in the Middle East. The adopted research approach is basically a quantitative approach. The correlation and regression analysis tools have been used to explore this relationship. The results of this study suggest a generally unnoticed and disregarded resource that has the prime effect on improving and enhancing the organizational involvement, which is the recognition those employees receive from the management. This research suggests that recognition, as the top influencer, has a strong impact on organizational involvement/psychological attachment for the employees. The other factors that have proved to have the second degree influence on organizational involvement are enhancement in job features, increase in the job security level, and personal values.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81801858)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2018M641676)the Applied Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province(201801D221408)。
文摘β-Glucuronidase(GUS)plays a key role in tumor initiation,metastasis,and progression,and thus,has been proposed as a promising cancer biomarker.In this study,we designed an enzyme-activatable near-infrared(NIR)fluorescent probe(DCM-βGlcA)for the rapid and accurate detection of GUS activity in vitro,in vivo and ex vivo.The DCM-βGlcA was prepared by linking a glucuronic acid residue to dicyanomethylene-4 H-pyran(DCM).This probe exhibited significant light-up NIR fluorescent signals at 680 nm after reacting with GUS and the Stokes shift could reach 150 nm.The DCM-βGlcA showed a high sensitivity toward GUS and an excellent linear relationship at concentrations ranging between 0 and 4 U L^(-1)(R^(2)=0.9974)with the limit of detection as low as 0.19 U L^(-1).We used the DCM-βGlcA to identify GUS serum levels in both cancer patients and healthy individuals with a similar accuracy as that of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)while being easier and faster to perform.Moreover,the DCM-βGlcA was used for tracking endogenous GUS in living cells,thereby discriminating GUSoverexpressed liver cancer from normal cells.Additionally,the DCM-βGlcA was able to detect and image endogenous GUS in liver cancer tissue and tumor-bearing mouse models.These findings demonstrate the potential of the DCM-βGlcA as a promising tool for detecting and monitoring GUS activity in preclinical applications.