A machine-learning model based on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI for preoperative differentiation between hepatocellular carcinoma and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma

AIM

To establish a machine-learning model based on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to differentiate combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Clinical and MRI data of 194 patients with histopathologically diagnosed cHCC-CC (n=52) or HCC (n=142) were analysed retrospectively. ITK-SNAP software was used to delineate three-dimensional (3D) lesions and extract high-throughput features. Feature selection was carried out based on Pearson's correlation coefficient and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. A radiomics model (radiomics features), a clinical model (i.e., clinical-image features), and a fusion model (i.e., radiomics features + clinical-image features) were established using six machine-learning classifiers. The performance of each model in distinguishing between cHCC-CC and HCC was evaluated with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity.

RESULTS

Significant differences in liver cirrhosis, tumour number, shape, edge, peritumoural enhancement in the arterial phase, and lipid were identified between cHCC-CC and HCC patients (p<0.05). The AUC of the fusion model based on logistic regression was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.766-0.949) in the arterial phase in the test set, and the sensitivity/specificity was 0.844/0.714; however, the AUC of the clinical and radiomics models was 0.759 (95% CI: 0.663-0.861) and 0.838 (95% CI: 0.719-0.921) in the test set, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The fusion model based on DCE-MRI in the arterial phase can significantly improve the diagnostic rate of cHCC-CC and HCC as compared with conventional approaches.

K48-linked deubiquitination of VGLL4 by USP15 enhances the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer

Immunotherapy based on PD-1/PD-L1 antagonists has been demonstrated to be efficacious in inducing tumor remission in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, tumor immune evasion caused by the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway inhibits the immunotherapeutic effect of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors against TNBC. Therefore, identifying potential targets for blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is a compelling strategy for TNBC treatment. Here, we discovered that VGLL4 could inhibit PD-L1 transcription by suppressing STAT3 activation, thereby enhancing the efficacy of anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy in TNBC. Low expression of USP15, a deubiquitinating enzyme of VGLL4, was associated with reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration and poor prognosis in TNBC patients. USP15 was found to inhibit PD-L1 transcription, leading to increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and thus enhancing the efficacy of TNBC immunotherapy. Furthermore, SART3 regulated VGLL4 stability and PD-L1 transcription by influencing the nuclear translocation of USP15. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into the biological regulation of PD-L1, identifies a previously unrecognized regulator of this critical immune checkpoint, and highlights potential therapeutic targets for overcoming immune evasion in TNBC.

Construction of prediction model for fetal growth restriction during first trimester in an Asian population

OBJECTIVE

To construct a prediction model for fetal growth restriction (FGR) during the first trimester of pregnancy and evaluate its screening performance.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies that underwent routine ultrasound screening at 11 to 13 + 6 weeks at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2019 and April 2022. Basic clinical information, ultrasound indicators and serum biomarkers of pregnant women were collected. Fetal weight assessment was based on the fetal growth curve for the Southern Chinese population. FGR was diagnosed according to Delphi consensus criteria. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso) regression was used to select variables for inclusion in the model. Discrimination, calibration and clinical effectiveness of the model were evaluated in training and validation cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 1188 pregnant women were included, of whom 108 had FGR. Lasso regression identified seven predictive features, including history of maternal hypertension, maternal smoking or passive smoking, gravidity, uterine artery pulsatility index, ductus venosus pulsatility index and multiples of the median values of placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1. The nomogram prediction model constructed from these seven variables accurately predicted FGR, and the area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve in the validation cohort was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.74-0.90). The calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test demonstrated good calibration, and the clinical decision curve and clinical impact curve supported its practical value in a clinical setting.

CONCLUSION

The multi-index prediction model for FGR has good predictive value during the first trimester. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

[The effect of Ba Duan Jin on the balance of community-dwelling older adults: a cluster randomized control trial]

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test. Results: A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95%CI: 2.23-3.88) points (P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95%CI: 4.03-5.37) points (P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Circulating Metabolites and Dental Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Study

It is of great importance to uncover causal biomarkers to gain insight into the pathogenesis of oral diseases and identify novel treatment targets for prevention and treatment thereof. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the causal effects of hundreds of metabolites on 10 dental traits using a 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Genetic variants from genome-wide association studies of 309 known metabolites were used as instrumental variables. We selected 10 dental traits, including clinical measures of dental diseases, from the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints Consortium and self-reported oral health data from the UK Biobank. The causal relationships between metabolites and dental traits were inferred using the inverse variance-weighted approach and further controlled for horizontal pleiotropy using 5 additional MR methods. After correcting for multiple tests, 5 metabolites were identified as causal biomarkers. Genetically predicted increased levels of mannose were associated with lower risk of bleeding gums (odds ratio [OR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.85; P = 9.9 × 10-5). MR also indicated 4 metabolites on the causal pathway to dentures, with fructose (OR = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.36-0.70; P = 5.2 × 10-5) and 1-palmitoleoyl-glycerophosphocholine (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.81; P = 4.8 × 10-5) as potential protective factors and glycine (OR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.11-1.35; P = 5.6×10-5) and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (OR = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14-1.52; P = 1.5 × 10-4) as risk factors. The causal associations were robust in various sensitivity analyses. We further observed some shared metabolites among different dental traits, implying similar biological mechanisms underlying the pathogenic processes. Finally, the pathway analysis revealed several significant metabolic pathways that may be involved in the development of dental disorders. Our study provides novel insights into the combination of metabolomics and genomics to reveal the pathogenesis of and therapeutic strategies for dental disorders. It highlighted 5 metabolites and several pathways as causal candidates, warranting further investigation.

Low anterior resection syndrome and quality of life after intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer: a propensity score-matched study

PURPOSE

Our aim was to perform a propensity score-matched study to compare the long-term functional outcomes and quality of life following intersphincteric resection vs. low anterior resection (LAR) with very low anastomosis.

METHODS

Patients who underwent intersphincteric resection or low anterior resection with low anastomosis (≤ 4 cm from the anal verge) for rectal cancer between January 2017 and June 2020 were retrospectively included. A propensity score-matching process was performed. Functional outcomes and quality of life were assessed using the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 3 Level Version (EQ-5D-3L), EORC-QLQ C30, EORC-QLQ CR29, Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS), Wexner, and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaires. The primary outcome was the presence of LARS at least 12 months after surgery. The second outcome was the postoperative quality of life of included patients.

RESULTS

After propensity matching, 128 patients were included, including 58 males and 70 females with a median age of 59.5. Patients in the intersphincteric resection group showed a higher incidence of incontinence to flatus (32.8% versus 14.0%, p = 0.043) and stools (42.2% versus 21.9%, p = 0.046), pain/discomfort (25.0% versus 7.8%, p = 0.001), and bowel dysfunction, while the LARS scores (15.0 versus 13.2, p = 0.461) and major LARS rates (26.6% versus 14.1%, p = 0.078) were comparable in both groups.

CONCLUSION

ISR leads to increased bowel incontinence rate and increased anal pain, without affecting the grade of low anterior resection syndrome, fecal urgency, and clustering. LAR might be the preferred sphincteric-preserving approach when negative resection margins and a safe anastomosis are guaranteed. Patients should be fully informed about potential functional impairment after sphincter-preservation procedures.

[A systematic review in health economics research on the expansion of human papilloma virus vaccination population to men]

Objective: To systematically collect and evaluate the health economics research of Human papilloma virus(HPV) vaccination population expansion to men, and to provide evidence for optimizing HPV vaccine immunization strategies. Methods: Health economics research studies on male HPV vaccination published in databases including PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang Database from January 2010 to September 2022 were collected according to the systematic evaluation research design. The quality of the studies was assessed using the health economics evaluation reporting standards (2022 edition) (CHEERS 2022), with full score of 28. The results of the studies were reviewed and analyzed systematically. Results: A total of 21 studies complies with the criteria were included, all of which was foreign research. The average CHEERS score of the literatures was 25.71 points, range from 23 to 28 points. 85.71% (12/14) studies of the gender-neutral population showed that including male in HPV vaccination were more consistent with the cost effectiveness than female vaccination alone under certain conditions (target at adolescents of 10 to 15 years old or adults under 26 years old). 80.00% (4/5) of the studies target at ordinary men only were proved that male vaccination with HPV vaccine was in line with the cost-effectiveness. 2 studies targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) were both concluded that it met the cost-effectiveness. In addition, the results of 2 gender-neutral population studies and 1 study on men alone showed that extending HPV vaccination to men did not conform to cost effectiveness. The main reasons for the non-cost-effectiveness included the high price of vaccines and the age of vaccination. Conclusion: The quality of the health economics evaluation studies on expanding HPV vaccination to the male population is high. Vaccination targeting adolescents and young men as well as special groups (such as MSM) are likely to be cost-effective, and vaccinations for other groups are still need further evaluated. It is recommended that relevant research should be conducted to provide evidence for expanding the scope of HPV vaccination to men in China.

Bubble dynamics in a pressure gradient with reentrant jet break through and energy loss

The dynamics of a bubble in a pressure gradient is investigated experimentally and numerically with particular emphasis on the behavior at reentrant jet impact and break through the opposite side of the bubble with corresponding energy loss and vorticity generation. High speed photography observations of a bubble generated by electric spark energy deposit in a low ambient pressure tank are coupled with wavelet based Optical Flow Velocimetry (wOFV) and Boundary Element Method (BEM) numerical analysis to examine the flow field resulting from the reentrant jet formation and break through. We study, as an illustration, the effects of the constant pressure gradient due to gravity on the bubble dynamics. Energy losses between the first and second cycle are measured for the bubbles generated under various conditions characterized by a non-dimensional pressure gradient parameter, and the corresponding measured energy loss is used in the numerical simulations. Good correspondence is seen between the image analysis, the wOFV computations, and the BEM results and insight is gained on the involved physics.

Mitigation of Dosimetric Uncertainty in MRI-Based Proton Planning Using Spot-Scanning Proton Arc (SPArc) Technique

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

MRI-based synthetic CT (SCT) images created using generative adversarial network (GAN) have been demonstrated to be feasible for intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) planning. However, dose calculation accuracy can be uncertain in some regions within/near the target of head and neck patients due to the local CT number estimation error or sharp dose fall-off. This study investigated the feasibility of using the SPArc technique to mitigate such dosimetric uncertainty.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A GAN using a 3D U-net as the generator and a 6-layer 3D convolutional neural network as the discriminator was trained with T1-weighted MR-CT image pairs from 162 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (14 for validation). The generator was used to generate SCT images from MR images for 7 test patients. For each test patient, the CT image was used to create a SPArc plan and an IMPT plan with the same clinical objectives. The SPArc plans (control point frequency sampling, arc trajectory, etc.) were optimized using a previously developed iterative approach. The dose distributions of both SPArc plans and IMPT plans were re-calculated on the SCT images and compared to the one calculated on the CT images. The dosimetric uncertainty was quantified using the gamma index.

RESULTS

The 2%/2mm and 3%/3mm passing rates for SPArc plans were (96.9¡À2.7) % and (98.6¡À1.5) %, while the passing rates for IMPT plans were (94.0¡À3.9) % and (96.4+2.9) %. A significant reduction in dosimetric uncertainty was identified for SPArc plans (p ¡Ü0.021). Table 1 shows the passing rates for the 7 test individuals.

CONCLUSION

SPArc can mitigate the uncertainty of dose calculation in MRI-based proton planning. Further research needs to validate these findings on a larger patient cohort. The study paves the road map for using MRI for SPArc planning.

Threshold of 25(OH)D and consequently adjusted parathyroid hormone reference intervals: data mining for relationship between vitamin D and parathyroid hormone

PURPOSE

By recruiting reference population, we aimed to (1): estimate the 25(OH)D threshold that maximally inhibits the PTH, which can be defined as the cutoff value for vitamin D sufficiency; (2) establish the PTH reference interval (RI) in population with sufficient vitamin D.

METHODS

Study data were retrieved from LIS (Laboratory Information Management System) under literature suggested criteria, and outliers were excluded using Tukey fence method. Locally weighted regression (LOESS) and segmented regression (SR) were conducted to estimate the threshold of 25(OH)D. Multivariate linear regression was performed to evaluate the associations between PTH concentration and variables including 25(OH)D, gender, age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR), body mass index (BMI), albumin-adjusted serum calcium (aCa), serum phosphate(P), serum magnesium(Mg), and blood collection season. Z test was adopted to evaluate whether the reference interval should be stratified by determinants such as age and gender.

RESULTS

A total of 64,979 apparently healthy subjects were recruited in this study, with median (Q1, Q3) 25(OH)D of 45.33 (36.15, 57.50) nmol/L and median (Q1, Q3) PTH of 42.19 (34.24, 52.20) ng/L. The segmented regression determined the 25(OH)D threshold of 55 nmol/L above which PTH would somewhat plateau and of 22 nmol/L below which PTH would rise steeply. Multivariate linear regression suggested that gender, EGFR, and BMI were independently associated with PTH concentrations. The PTH RI was calculated as 22.17-72.72 ng/L for subjects with 25(OH)D ≥ 55 nmol/L with no necessity of stratification according to gender, age, menopausal status nor season.

CONCLUSION

This study reported 25(OH)D thresholds of vitamin D sufficiency at 55 nmol/L and vitamin D deficiency at 22 nmol/L, and consequently established PTH RIs in subjects with sufficient vitamin D for northern China population for the first time.

miR-186-ANXA9 signaling inhibits tumorigenesis in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) ranks as the highest incidence among cancer types in women all over the world. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short endogenous non-coding RNA in cells mostly functioning to silence the target mRNAs. In the current study, a miRNA screening analysis identified miR-186-5p to be downregulated in human breast cancer tumors. Functional studies in vitro demonstrated that overexpression of miR-186-5p inhibited cellular proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in multiple breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and BT549 cells. Transplantation of the miR-186-5p-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells into nude mice significantly inhibited mammary tumor growth in vivo. Sequence blast analysis predicted annexin A9 (ANXA9) as a target gene of miR-186-5p, which was validated by luciferase reporter assay, QRT-PCR analysis, and western blot. Additional gene expression analysis of clinical tumor samples indicated a negative correlation between miR-186-5p and ANXA9 in human breast cancer. Knockdown of ANXA9 mimicked the phenotype of miR-186-5p overexpression. Reintroduction of ANXA9 back rescued the miR-186-5p-induced cell apoptosis. In addition, miR-186-5p decreased the expression of Bcl-2 and increased the expression of p53, suggesting a mechanism regulating miR-186-5p-induced cellular apoptosis. In summary, our study is the first to demonstrate miR-186-5p-ANXA9 signaling in suppressing human breast cancer. It provided a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.

Effect of dietary lutein on the egg production, fertility, and oxidative injury indexes of aged hens

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lutein on egg production, follicles, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, and oxidative injury indexes of hens.

METHODS

Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and three lutein-supplementing diets at 25 (L1), 50 (L2), or 75 (L3) mg/kg of diet. Egg production was measured using 576 Arbor Acres breeder hens at 61 to 65 wk and follicles grades, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, tissue lutein contents, and oxidative injury indexes were determined at 65 wk.

RESULTS

The results showed that at 65 wk, lutein- supplementing diets increased (p<0.05) egg production, follicular grades, fertility, hatchability, estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone, progesterone (PROG), lutein content in the serum and yolk, compared to CON. L2 and L3 showed more pronounced (p<0.05) effects on egg production, PROG, and yolk lutein content than L1. With the increase of lutein doses from 25 to 75 mg/kg, there were linear increases (p<0.05) in egg production, lutein content, and PROG, and a quadratic trend (p<0.05) in E2. For the oxidative injury products, lutein-supplementing diets decreased (p<0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) in the serum, MDA and 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the yolk. There were linear decreases (p<0.05) in 8-OHdG in the serum, MDA, PCO, and 8-OHdG in the yolk, a quadratic trend (p<0.05) on serum 8-OHdG.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that lutein supplementation can improve egg production and fertility by beneficially regulating reproductive hormones and oxidative status in aged hens.

[Enlightening from optimizing post-authorization safety monitoring system of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in major economies worldwide]

Ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has promoted the unprecedented rapid development and large-scale rolling out of different platform-based COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. How to effectively respond to the expected scale increasing adverse events after vaccination campaign of COVID-19 vaccines is a common problem faced by the world. A lot of countries and regions around the world have arranged in advance at different levels, optimizing the original vaccine safety monitoring system from the perspectives of strengthening the foundation and capabilities, promoting internal and external cooperation, upgrading methods, as well as improving transparency and public communication, which has ensured the good and efficient operation of the system and can provide reference for the construction of relevant fields in China.

[Construction and biological characterization of a Proteus mirabilis strain with modABC gene deletion]

OBJECTIVE

To construct a modABC gene knockout strain of Proteus mirabilis and explore the effect of modABC gene deletion on biological characteristics of Proteus mirabilis.

METHODS

Fusion PCR was used to obtain the fusion gene of modABC and the kanamycin-resistant gene Kn, which was ligated with the suicide vector pCVD442 and transduced into Proteus mirabilis. The modABC gene knockout strain of Proteus mirabilis was obtained after homologous recombination with the suicide vector. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to identify genomic deletion of modABC gene in the genetically modified strain. The concentration of molybdate in the wild-type and gene knockout strains was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and their survival ability in LB medium was compared under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

RESULTS

PCR and sanger sequencing confirmed genomic deletion of modABC gene in the obtained Proteus mirabilis strain. The concentration of intracellular molybdenum in the modABC gene knockout strain was 1.22 mg/kg, significantly lower than that in the wild-type strain (1.46 mg/kg, P < 0.001). Under the aerobic condition, the modABC gene knockout strain grown in LB medium showed no significant changes in survival ability compared with the wild-type strain, but its proliferation rate decreased significantly under the anaerobic condition and also when cultured in nitrate-containing LB medium under anaerobic condition.

CONCLUSION

Homologous recombination with the suicide vector can be used for modABC gene knockout in Proteus mirabilis. modABC gene participates in molybdate uptake and is associated with anaerobic growth of Proteus mirabilis in the presence of nitrate.

[Rapid detection and genotyping of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variants using a RT-PCR and CRISPR-Cas12a-based assay]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a rapid detection and genotyping method for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variants using CRISPPR-Cas12a gene editing technology.

METHODS

We combined reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and CRISPR gene editing technology and designed a specific CRISPPR RNA (crRNA) with suboptimal protospacer adjacent motifs (PAM) for rapid detection and genotyping of SARS- CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variants. The performance of this RT- PCR/ CRISPPR-Cas12a assay was evaluated using 43 clinical samples of patients infected by wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron BA. 1 and BA. 4/5 variants and 20 SARS- CoV- 2-negative clinical samples infected with 11 respiratory pathogens. With Sanger sequencing method as the gold standard, the specificity, sensitivity, concordance (Kappa) and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of RT-PCR/CRISPPR-Cas12a assay were calculated.

RESULTS

This assay was capable of rapid and specific detection of SARS- CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variant within 30 min with the lowest detection limit of 10 copies/μL, and no cross-reaction was observed in SARS-CoV-2-negative clinical samples infected with 11 common respiratory pathogens. The two Omicron BA.4/5 specific crRNAs (crRNA-1 and crRNA-2) allowed the assay to accurately distinguish Omicron BA.4/5 from BA.1 sublineage and other major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. For detection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variants, the sensitivity of the established assay using crRNA-1 and crRNA-2 was 97.83% and 100% with specificity of 100% and AUC of 0.998 and 1.000, respectively, and their concordance rate with Sanger sequencing method was 92.83% and 96.41%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

By combining RT-PCR and CRISPPR-Cas12a gene editing technology, we successfully developed a new method for rapid detection and identification of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 variants with a high sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility, which allows rapid detection and genotyping of SARS- CoV-2 variants and monitoring of the emerging variants and their dissemination.

E2F1-mediated ectopic expression of PP1A promotes breast cancer progression via activation of YAP1

Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common subtype of breast cancer. The protein phosphatase PP1A gene is described as an oncogene in several tumor types; however, the biological function of PP1A in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer remains unclear. The Cancer Genome Atlas data indicates PP1A expression is upregulated in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer tissues than in normal breast tissues. We explored the biological function of PP1A in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer using MTT assays, colony formation assays, and a xenograft mouse model. The results indicated that PP1A promoted hormone receptor-positive breast cancer proliferation, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC02754 recruited the binding of the transcription factor E2F1 to the PP1A promotor, thereby increasing PP1A expression. The PP1A then interacted with and dephosphorylated YAP1, resulting in YAP1 activation. The dephosphorylated YAP1 moved to the nucleus and increased the expression of the downstream oncogene CTGF, promoting hormone receptor-positive breast cancer progression. Our findings reveal the function of the LINC02754/E2F1/PP1A/YAP1 axis in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and provide new insight into hormone receptor-positive breast cancer progression.

DNMT3a-dermatopontin axis suppresses breast cancer malignancy via inactivating YAP

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide, and its recurrence and metastasis negatively affect patient prognosis. However, the mechanisms underlying its tumorigenesis and progression remain unclear. Recently, the influence of dermatopontin (DPT), which is an extracellular matrix protein, has been proposed in the development of cancer. Here we found that DNMT3a-mediated DPT, promoter hypermethylation results in the downregulation of DPT expression in breast cancer and its low expression correlated with poor prognosis. Notably, DPT directly interacted with YAP to promote YAP Ser127 phosphorylation, and restricted the translocation of endogenous YAP from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, thereby suppressing malignant phenotypes in BC cells. In addition, Ectopic YAP overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of DPT on BC growth and metastasis. Our study showed the critical role of DPT in regulating BC progression, making it easier to explore the clinical potential of modulating DPT/YAP activity in BC targeted therapies.

Association between acrylamide exposure and sex hormones among premenopausal and postmenopausal women: NHANES, 2013-2016

PURPOSE

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential carcinogen that mainly comes from fried, baked and roasted foods, and Hb adducts of AA (HbAA) and its metabolite glycidamide (HbGA) are the biomarkers of its exposure. Increasing evidence suggests that AA is associated with various hormone-related cancers. This study aims to explore the association of HbAA and HbGA with female serum sex hormone concentrations.

METHODS

942 women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2013-2016) were included in this cross-sectional study. The associations between HbAA or HbGA or HbGA/HbAA and sex hormones were assessed by the multiple linear regression. Further stratified analyses were conducted to figure out the effects of menopausal status, BMI and smoking status on sex hormone levels.

RESULTS

Among all participants, 597 were premenopausal and 345 were postmenopausal. HbAA was positively associated with both two androgen indicators. Specifically, a ln-unit increase in HbAA was associated with 0.41 ng/dL higher ln(total testosterone, TT) (95% CI 0.00, 0.27) and 0.14 ng/dL higher ln(free testosterone) (95%CI 0.00, 0.28), respectively. However, HbGA concentrations had no association with sex hormones in the overall population. Additionally, HbGA/HbAA was negatively associated with TT and SHBG in the overall population as well as postmenopausal women. In stratified analysis, higher HbAA was associated with rising TT in postmenopausal women (β = 0.29, 95%CI 0.04, 0.53) and underweight/normal-weight women (β = 0.18, 95%CI 0.03, 0.33). Other indicators had no significant association detected in estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that HbAA was positively associated with androgen concentrations, especially in postmenopausal and BMI < 25 women.

Response of sugar metabolism in the cotyledons and roots of Ricinus communis subjected to salt stress

Ricinus communis is an important oilseed crop worldwide and is also considered one of the best potential plants for salt-affected soil improvement in northeast China. However, little is known about photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism in this plant, nor the distribution of carbohydrates in cotyledons and roots under salinity stress. In the present study, seedling growth, gas exchange parameters (P_N , E, g_s and C_i ), carbohydrate (fructose, sucrose, glucose, soluble sugar and starch) metabolism and related enzymes and genes were measured in Ricinus plants. Under salt stress, P_N of cotyledons decreased significantly (P < 0.05), resulting in weak photosynthetic capacity. Furthermore, salt stress increased sucrose and glucose content in cotyledons, but decreased soluble sugar and starch content. However, sucrose increased and starch decreased in roots. This may be correlated with the increasing sugar metabolism under salinity, including notable changes in sugar-related enzyme activities (SPS, SuSy, α-amylase and β-amylase) and gene expression of RcINV, RcSUS, RcAmY, RcBAM and RcGBE1. The results suggest that salinity reduces photosynthesis of cotyledons, alters carbohydrate allocation between cotyledons and roots and also promotes starch utilization in cotyledons and starch biosynthesis in roots, leading to a functional imbalance between cotyledons and roots. Together, these findings provide insights into the crucial role of sugar metabolism in improving salt-tolerance of Ricinus during the early seedling growth stage.

Understanding Online Registry Facilitators and Barriers Experienced by Black Brain Health Registry Participants: The Community Engaged Digital Alzheimer's Research (CEDAR) Study

BACKGROUND

Failure of Alzheimer's disease and related diseases (ADRD) research studies to include and engage Black participants is a major issue, which limits the impact and generalizability of research findings. Little is known about participation of Black adults in online ADRD-related research registries.

OBJECTIVES

As part of the Community Engaged Digital Alzheimer's Research (CEDAR) Study, this study aims to increase our understanding of facilitators and barriers of Black adults to participating in ADRD-related online registries, as well as to understand their preferences for communication channels.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, MEASUREMENTS

We invited all Black participants enrolled in the Brain Health Registry (BHR) to complete a cross-sectional online survey. The survey consisted of rating scales and open-text questions asking about their attitudes towards brain health research, reasons for joining and continuing to participate in BHR, difficulties with participating, and preferences for modes of contact and website usage.

RESULTS

Of all invited Black BHR participants (N=3,636), 198 (5.5%) completed the survey. The mean age was 58.4 (SD=11.3), mean years of education were 16.3 (SD=2.4), and 85.5% identified as female. Reported facilitators for joining and continuing to participate in BHR were personal interest (e.g., learning more about own brain health) and altruism (e.g., helping research). Among additional registry features which could encourage return, receiving feedback or scores about BHR tasks was rated the highest. Of those who found BHR participation difficult (21%), the most frequent reason was time burden. The most preferred way of receiving study information was via email. Participants reported that the websites that they used the most were YouTube and Facebook.

DISCUSSION

The results of our study can inform the development of culturally-responsive registry features and engagement efforts to improve inclusion and participation of Black adults in online ADRD research. Providing participants with feedback about their registry performance and reducing the number of registry tasks are among the recommended strategies.

Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics in Geriatric Patients with Constipation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Probiotics may be an effective alternative to traditional drug therapy for constipation in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics in managing constipation among the elderly.

METHODS

Eight databases were queried for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating probiotics' efficacy in addressing constipation among the elderly until January 2023. The meta-analysis was conducted employing R software version 4.2.2. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was utilized to evaluate the risk of bias, and the GRADE approach was employed to assess the credibility of the evidence concerning the efficacy of probiotics in treating constipation in older individuals.

RESULTS

A total of six RCTs involving 444 patients were included. Two studies were rated as low risk of bias. The meta-analysis findings revealed that probiotics, when compared to a placebo, led to an increase in stool frequency (MD = 1.02,95% CI [0.21, 2.07], p<0.05, very low quality), the probiotic group exhibited a notable impact on ameliorating symptoms associated with constipation (OR = 11.28, 95%CI [7.21, 17.64], p < 0.05, very low quality), no significant disparities were observed in terms of efforts to evacuate, manual maneuvers, and the incidence of adverse events (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The available evidence indicates a degree of uncertainty, ranging from low-to-very low, suggesting the efficacy of probiotics in augmenting bowel frequency and ameliorating constipation-related symptoms among elderly patients with constipation. Nevertheless, given the quality of the studies included, it is advisable to conduct further well-designed investigations with substantial sample sizes to substantiate the findings of this study.

The Community Engaged Digital Alzheimer's Research (CEDAR) Study: A Digital Intervention to Increase Research Participation of Black American Participants in the Brain Health Registry

BACKGROUND

Although Black/African American older adults bear significant inequities in prevalence, incidence, and outcomes of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, they are profoundly under-included in Alzheimer's Disease research. Community-Engaged Research (e.g., equitable community/science partnerships) is an evidence-based approach for improving engagement of underrepresented populations into Alzheimer's Disease research, but has lacked scalability to the national level. As internet use among older adults from underrepresented populations continues to grow, internet-based research shows promise as a feasible, valid approach to engagement and longitudinal assessment. The Community Engaged Digital Alzheimer's Research (CEDAR) study utilizes a community-engaged research approach to increase the engagement and research participation of Black/African American adults in the Brain Health Registry (BHR) and Alzheimer Disease clinical research.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the methods and evaluate the feasibility of the CEDAR culturally-informed digital platform within BHR.

DESIGN

All Black/African American participants in BHR were invited to enroll in CEDAR and to consider serving on a newly convened Community-Scientific Partnership Board to guide the study. The community board guided the development a culturally-informed cadre of engagement materials and strategies to increase research participation. Engagement strategies included incentives for study task completion, culturally-informed communications (e.g., landing page, emails and social media), resources about brain health, and video and written testimonials by CEDAR participants.

SETTING

BHR, an Internet-based registry and cohort.

PARTICIPANTS

BHR participants self-identifying as Black/African American were invited to enroll. All participants who signed an online informed consent document were enrolled.

MEASUREMENTS

We report the number of participants invited, enrolled, completed tasks, and volunteered to join the community board. We compared the demographics, cognitive profile, and baseline BHR task completion rates between CEDAR participants and all those invited to join the study.

RESULTS

Of 3738 invited, 349 (9.34%) enrolled in CEDAR. 134 (37% of CEDAR participants) volunteered to join the community board, of which 19 were selected for the community board. Compared to those invited, the CEDAR cohort had a higher percentage of female participants (84.5%) and a lower percentage of participants who identify as belonging to more than one ethnocultural group (21.8%). Compared to those did not enroll in CEDAR, those enrolled in CEDAR had a higher percentage of participants completing all BHR tasks (22%) and a higher percentage of participants completing at least one cognitive test (76%). Those enrolled in CEDAR also had a higher percentage of participants having an enrolled study partner (18%).

CONCLUSIONS

A culturally-informed Community-Engaged Research approach, including a remotely-convened community board, to engagement of Black/African American participants in an online research registry is feasible. This approach can be adapted for use in various clinical studies and other settings. Future studies will evaluate the effectiveness of the engagement strategies.

[Spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the trends in the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections and the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of soil-transmitted nematodiasis in Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2021, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the soil-transmitted nematodiasis elimination strategy in Sichuan Province.

METHODS

The soil-transmitted nematodiasis surveillance data in Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2021 were collected, and the epidemic trend of soil-transmitted nematode infections was identified. The distribution maps of soil-transmitted nematode infections in Sichuan Province were plotted to identify their spatial distribution characteristics. In addition, the spatial clusters of soil-transmitted nematode infections were detected using globa and local spatial autocorrelation analyses.

RESULTS

The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections appeared a decline with time in Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2021 (χ²= 400.24, P < 0.01). Global spatial autocorrelation analysis identified positive spatial autocorrelations in the prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections (Moran's I = 0.322, Z = 16.293, P < 0.01), hookworm infections (Moran's I = 0.425, Z = 21.290, P < 0.01), Ascaris lumbricoides infections (Moran's I = 0.102, Z = 5.782, P < 0.01) and Trichuris trichiura infections (Moran's I = 0.084, Z = 6.873, P < 0.01). Local spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the high-high clusters of soil-transmitted nematode infections were mainly located in 37 counties (cities, districts) of Sichuan Province, and the high-high clusters of hookworm, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections were mainly identified in 39 counties (cities, districts) in mountainous areas around Sichuan Basin and hilly areas, 9 counties (cities, districts) in mountainous areas in southwestern Sichuan Province, and 8 counties (cities, districts) in mountainous areas in southwestern Sichuan Province, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections appeared a tendency towards a decline in Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2021, which showed spatial clusters. The management of soil-transmitted nematodiasis requires to be reinforced in high-risk areas of Sichuan Province with adaptations to local epidemiological features.