[Trends and age-period-cohort analysis of leukemia incidence in Qidong from 1972 to 2021]

Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics and trends of leukemia incidence in Qidong between 1972 and 2021, and provide guidelines for prevention and control measures and strategies. Methods: The cancer registry data was collected and analyzed on leukemia incidence during 1972-2021 in Qidong by sex, age and time. Crude incidence rate (CR), China age-standardized rate (ASRC), world age-standardized rate (ASRW), and average annual change percentage (AAPC) was calculated by Joinpoint software. Age-period-cohort (APC) model was used to analyze the influence of age, period and birth cohort on the changes in the incidence trend of leukemia patients. Results: From 1972 to 2021, there were 2 948 patients with leukemia in Qidong, accounting for 2.00% of all cancer new cases, CR of leukemia was 5.26/105, ASRC was 4.34/105, ASRW was 4.35/105. The truncated incidence of 35-64 years old was 5.29/105, the cumulative incidence rate between the ages of 0 and 74 years old was 0.40%, the cumulative risk was 0.40%. There were 1 608 male patients, the CR, ASRC, and the ASRW were 5.81/105, 4.88/105 and 4.85/105. The number of female patients were 1 340, and the CR, ASRC, and the ASRW were 4.71/105, 3.86/105 and 3.91/105, respectively. Temporal trends indicated significant upward trends in ASRC among both gender, males and females with AAPC values of 1.41% (P＜0.001), 1.15% (P＜0.001), and 1.73% (P＜0.001), respectively. The results of the APC model showed that the average net drift value of leukemia incidence in all age groups was 1.57% (95% CI, 1.24%-1.89%), and the highest value of local drift was 3.20% (95% CI, 1.63%-4.78%) in the 80~ years old group. The incidence of leukemia increased with age. With the passage of time, the risk of leukemia incidence increased gradually compared with the rate ratio of leukemia incidence (risk ratio [RR], 1.00) in 1992-1996, the RR of leukemia incidence increased from 0.70 during 1972-1976 to 1.57 during 2017-2021. The later the cohort was born, the greater the risk of leukemia incidence compared with the relative risk of leukemia incidence (RR, 1.00) in 1952-1956 cohort, the RR of leukemia incidence increased from 0.24 in the 1892-1896 cohort to 2.73 in the 2017-2021 cohort. Conclusions: The incidence of the leukemia has presented a rising trend in the past fifty years. Leukemia incidence increased with age, and the period and cohort effects on the risk of incidence increase. Further research is needed to investigate the risk factors related to leukemia.

[Ruxolitinib combined with venetoclax and azacitidine in the treatment of refractory T-ALL patients with JAK1, JAK3, and STAT5B gene mutations: a case report and literature review]

Refractory acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), which is characterized by a low sensitivity to conventional induction therapy and poor prognosis, poses significant challenges during treatment. This study reported a case of refractory T-ALL patient with mutations in the JAK1, JAK3, and STAT5B genes from Nanjing University's Gulou Hospital. Following an unsuccessful course of standard VDLP regimen chemotherapy, the treatment was modified to include ruxolitinib in combination with venetoclax and azacitidine. Subsequent to this therapy, the patient achieved bone marrow minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity. Notably, pleural effusion and mediastinal mass significantly improved the post-chest cavity infusion of dexamethasone combined with etoposide at the same stage. The patient also underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation upon achieving bone marrow remission and was followed up until January 2024. Ruxolitinib combined with venetoclax and azacytidine has shown promising efficacy and safety in treating refractory T-ALL harboring the JAK1, JAK3, and STAT5B mutations, providing a novel therapeutic approach for such patients.

[Research progress of vaccination status, efficacy and safety in children with tumor]

Malignant tumors in children are one of the most important diseases that threaten the health and quality of life of children and are the second most common cause of death in children.With the continuous improvement and progress of treatment technology, the long-term survival rate of children with tumor has been significantly improved, but both the disease itself and the treatment can impair the immune function of children, which makes them vulnerable to various infectious diseases and secondary serious complications, and even become a source of infection, endangering the health of others. Vaccination is the most cost-effective measure to prevent infectious diseases. For children with normal immune functions, the benefits of vaccination usually outweigh the disadvantages. However, there is a lack of detailed data on the vaccination situation, efficacy and safety of vaccine use for such immunocompromised tumor survivors, and there are no authoritative and uniform vaccination recommendations. This article reviewed and summarized the literature and consensus of some domestic and foreign scholars on current status of post-treatment vaccination status, efficacy and safety of vaccination for children with tumors after treatment, with the aim of providing a reference for the practice in this field in China.

[Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against invasive disease caused by serotype 19A in children: a meta-analysis]

Objective: Using Meta-analysis to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae disease (IPD) caused by serotype 19A in children <5 years old. Methods: "Streptococcus pneumoniae infection""invasive pneumococcal disease""13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine""PCV13""effectiveness""infant""child" and related terms were searched from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG DATA, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of science with no limited on language, region and research institution. The retrieval time was limited from January 2010 to February 2023 and cohort study, case-control study and randomized controlled trial were included. Data were extracted from eligible studies by two independent reviewers, and after study quality assessment by NOS scale, Meta-analysis was completed using Stata 16.0 software. Results: A total of 2 340 related literatures were searched, and 10 literatures were finally included, including 5 case-control studies and 5 indirect cohort studies, which showed good literature quality. The vaccine effectiveness against serotype 19A IPD of PCV13 in children was 83.91% (95%CI: 78.92%-88.89%), and the subgroup analysis (P=0.240) showed there was no significant difference among the case-control study (VE=87.34%, 95%CI:79.74%-94.94%) and the indirect cohort study (VE=81.30%, 95%CI:74.69%-87.92%). The funnel plot and Egger test suggested that the possibility of publication bias was small. Conclusion: The present evidence indicates that PCV13 has a good vaccine effectiveness against serotype 19A IPD in children, and it is recommended to further increase the vaccination rate of PCV13 to reduce the disease burden of IPD in children <5 years old.

[Risk factors of systemic allergic reactions caused by subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy]

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of systemic allergic reactions induced by subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in patients undergoing SCIT injections in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Methods: This is a single center retrospective cohort study. Using the outpatient information system of PUMCH, the demographic information and injection-related reaction data of patients undergoing SCIT injection in Allergy Department of PUMCH from December 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed to count the incidence and risk factors of systemic allergic reactions caused by SCIT. Mann-Whitney nonparametric test or chi-square test was used for single-factor analysis, and multiple logistic regression was used for multiple-factor analysis. Results: A total of 2 897 patients received 18 070 SCIT injections in Allergy Department during the four years, and 40 systemic allergic reactions occurred, with the overall incidence rate of 0.22%. The incidence of systemic allergic reaction was 0.37% when using imported dust mite preparation and 0.15% when using domestic multi-component allergen preparation. The risk factors significantly related with SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions in patients using imported dust mite preparation were age less than 18 years old (OR=3.186,95%CI: 1.255-8.085), highest injection concentration (OR value could not be calculated because all patients with systemic reactions were injected with highest concentration), and large local reaction in previous injection (OR=22.264,95%CI: 8.205-60.411). The risk factors for SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions in patients using domestic allergen preparation were 5 or more types of allergens (OR=3.455,95%CI: 1.147-10.402), highest injection concentration (OR=3.794,95%CI: 1.226-11.740) and large local reaction in previous injection (OR=63.577,95%CI: 22.248-181.683). However, SCIT injection in pollen allergic patients during the pollen season did not show a correlation with systemic allergic reaction. Conclusion: The incidence of SCIT-induced systemic allergic reactions was low in the Chinese patient population of this study. Patients with one or more risk factors, such as multiple allergen injection, highest injection concentration, large local reaction in previous injection, should be given high attention and vigilance against systemic allergic reactions.

Phylogeny and species diversity of the genus Helvella with emphasis on eighteen new species from China

Helvella is a widespread, frequently encountered fungal group appearing in forests, but the species diversity and molecular phylogeny of Helvella in China remains incompletely understood. In this work, we performed comprehensive phylogenetic analyses using multilocus sequence data. Six datasets were employed, including a five-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU, tef1-α, rpb2, hsp), a two-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU), and four single-locus datasets (ITS) that were divided based on the four different phylogenetic clades of Helvella recognized in this study. A total of I 946 sequences were used, of which 713 were newly generated, including 170 sequences of ITS, 174 sequences of nrLSU, 131 sequences of tef1-α, 107 sequences of rpb2 and 131 sequences of hsp. The phylogeny based on the five-locus concatenated dataset revealed that Helvellas. str. is monophyletic and four phylogenetic clades are clearly recognized, i.e., Acetabulum clade, Crispa clade, Elastica clade, and Lacunosa clade. A total of 24 lineages or subclades were recognized, II of which were new, the remaining 13 corresponding with previous studies. Chinese Helvella species are distributed in 22 lineages across four clades. Phylogenetic analyses based on the two-locus concatenated dataset and four single-locus datasets confirmed the presence of at least 93 phylogenetic species in China. Among them, 58 are identified as known species, including a species with a newly designated lectotype and epitype, 18 are newly described in this paper, and the remaining 17 taxa are putatively new to science but remain unnamed due to the paucity or absence of ascomatal materials. In addition, the Helvella species previously recorded in China are discussed. A list of 76 confirmed species, including newly proposed species, is provided. The occurrence of H. crispa and H. elastica are not confirmed although both are commonly recorded in China. Citation: Mao N, Xu YY, Zhang YX, Zhou H, Huang XB, Hou CL, Fan L (2023). Phylogeny and species diversity of the genus Helvella with emphasis on eighteen new species from China. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 12: 111-152. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.12.08.

[Long-term trend analysis of liver cancer survival rate in Qidong region, Jiangsu Province, 1972-2019]

Objective: To analyze the incidence and survival rate of liver cancer cases in the entire population in the Qidong region from 1972 to 2019, so as to provide a basis for prognosis evaluation, prevention, and treatment. Methods: The observed survival rate (OSR) and relative survival rate (RSR) of 34 805 cases of liver cancer in the entire Qidong region population from 1972 to 2019 were calculated using Hakulinen's method with SURV3.01 software. Hakulinen's likelihood ratio test was used for statistical analysis. Age-standardized relative survival (ARS) was calculated using the International Cancer Survival Standard. The Joinpoint regression analysis was performed with Joinpoint 4.7.0.0 software to calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of the liver cancer survival rate. Results: 1-ASR increased from 13.80% in 1972-1977 to 50.20% in 2014-2019, while 5-ASR increased from 1.27% in 1972-1977 to 27.64% in 2014-2019. The upward trend of RSR over eight periods was statistically significant (χ (2) = 3045.29, P < 0.001). Among them, male 5-ASR was 0.90%, 1.80%, 2.33%, 4.92%, 5.43%, 7.05%, 10.78%, and 27.78%, and female 5-ASR was 2.33%, 1.51%, 3.35%, 3.92%, 3.84%, 7.18%, 11.45%, and 29.84%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in RSR between males and females (χ (2) = 45.68, P < 0.001). The 5-RSR for each age group of 25-34 years old, 35-44 years old, 45-54 years old, 55-64 years old, 65-74 years old, and 75 years old were 4.92%, 5.29%, 8.17%, 11.70%, 11.63%, and 9.60%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in RSR among different age groups (χ (2) = 501.29, P < 0.001). The AAPC in Qidong region from 1972 to 2019 for 1-ARS, 3-ASR, and 5-ARS were 5.26% (t = 12.35, P < 0.001), 8.10% (t = 15.99, P < 0.001), and 8.96 % (t = 16.06, P < 0.001), respectively. The upward trend was statistically significant in all cases. The AAPC of 5-ARS was 9.82% in males (t = 14.14, P < 0.001), and 8.79% in females (t = 11.48, P < 0.001), and the upward trend was statistically significant in both. The AAPC of 25-34 years old, 35-44 years old, 45-54 years old, 55-64 years old, 65-74 years old, and 75 years old were 5.37% (t = 5.26, P = 0.002), 5.22% (t = 5.66, P = 0.001), 7.20% (t = 6.88, P < 0.001), 10.00% (t = 12.58, P < 0.001), 9.96% (t = 7.34, P < 0.001) and 8.83% (t = 3.51, P = 0.013), and the upward trend was statistically significant. Conclusion: The overall survival rate of registered cases of liver cancer in the Qidong region's entire population has greatly improved, but there is still much room for improvement. Hence, constant attention should be paid to the study on preventing and treating liver cancer.

[Read-through circular RNA rt-circ-HS promotes hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness]

OBJECTIVE

To identify and characterize read-through RNAs and read-through circular RNAs (rt-circ-HS) derived from transcriptional read-through hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and small nuclear RNA activating complex polypeptide 1 (SNAPC1) the two adjacent genes located on chromosome 14q23, in renal carcinoma cells and renal carcinoma tissues, and to study the effects of rt-circ-HS on biological behavior of renal carcinoma cells and on regulation of HIF1α.

METHODS

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were used to examine expression of read-through RNAs HIF1α-SNAPC1 and rt-circ-HS in different tumor cells. Tissue microarrays of 437 different types of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were constructed, and chromogenic in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to investigate expression of rt-circ-HS in different RCC types. Small interference RNA (siRNA) and artificial overexpression plasmids were designed to examine the effects of rt-circ-HS on 786-O and A498 renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8), EdU incorporation and Transwell cell migration and invasion assays. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to exa-mine expression of HIF1α and SNAPC1 RNA and proteins after interference of rt-circ-HS with siRNA, respectively. The binding of rt-circ-HS with microRNA 539 (miR-539), and miR-539 with HIF1α 3' untranslated region (3' UTR), and the effects of these interactions were investigated by dual luciferase reporter gene assays.

RESULTS

We discovered a novel 1 144 nt rt-circ-HS, which was derived from read-through RNA HIF1α-SNAPC1 and consisted of HIF1α exon 2-6 and SNAPC1 exon 2-4. Expression of rt-circ-HS was significantly upregulated in 786-O renal carcinoma cells. ISH showed that the overall positive expression rate of rt-circ-HS in RCC tissue samples was 67.5% (295/437), and the expression was different in different types of RCCs. Mechanistically, rt-circ-HS promoted renal carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by functioning as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539, which we found to be a potent post-transcriptional suppressor of HIF1α, thus promoting expression of HIF1α.

CONCLUSION

The novel rt-circ-HS is highly expressed in different types of RCCs and acts as a competitive endogenous inhibitor of miR-539 to promote expression of its parental gene HIF1α and thus the proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer cells.

The post-discharge coping difficulty of puerperal women in a middle and low-income tourist city during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, the incidence of mental health problems in perinatal women has been high, and particularly prominent in China which was the first country affected by COVID-19. This paper aims to investigate the current situation and the related factors of maternal coping difficulties after discharge during COVID-19.

METHODS

General information questionnaires (the Perinatal Maternal Health Literacy Scale, Postpartum Social Support Scale and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale-New Mother Form) were used to investigate 226 puerperal women in the third week of puerperium. The influencing factors were analyzed by single factor analysis, correlation and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The total score of coping difficulties after discharge was 48.92 ± 12.05. At the third week after delivery, the scores of health literacy and social support were 21.34 ± 5.18 and 47.96 ± 12.71. There were negative correlations among health literacy, social support and coping difficulties after discharge (r = -0.34, r = -0.38, P < 0.001). Primipara, family income, health literacy and social support were the main factors influencing maternal coping difficulties after discharge.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, puerperal women in a low- and middle-income city had moderate coping difficulties after discharge and were affected by many factors. To meet the different needs of parturients and improve their psychological coping ability, medical staff should perform adequate assessment of social resources relevant to parturients and their families when they are discharged, so they can smoothly adapt to the role of mothers.

[Application of augmented reality navigation in laparoscopic and robot-assisted liver surgery]

In recent years, laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery have been widely used, and various intraoperative image navigation systems have also developed rapidly. However, the liver itself has a complex vessel and duct system, which increase the difficulty of liver surgery. The augmented reality image navigation system combines the three-dimensional reconstructed image of the liver with the real liver anatomy, which presents the specific relationship between the tumor location and the surrounding vessels for the surgeon. Compared with other intraoperative image navigation methods, augmented reality has its unique advantages. This paper provides an overview of current advances in registration technology in augmented reality image navigation system, and focuses on its applications in liver surgery, including laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery. Finally, the technological problems and difficulties still faced at present are summarized, and future directions worth studying in this field are proposed.

[Analysis of the effects of low/intermediate dose of coagulation factor Ⅷ on 30 adult patients with severe hemophilia A in a single center]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of low- and intermediate-dose factor Ⅷ (F Ⅷ) prophylaxis in Chinese adult patients with severe hemophilia A. Methods: Thirty adult patients with severe hemophilia A who received low- (n=20) /intermediate-dose (n=10) F Ⅷ prophylaxis at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital affiliated with Nanjing University Medical College were included in the study. The annual bleeding rate (ABR), annual joint bleeding rate (AJBR), number of target joints, functional independence score of hemophilia (FISH), quality of life score, and health status score (SF-36) before and after preventive treatment were retrospectively analyzed and compared. Results: The median follow-up was 48 months. Compared with on-demand treatment, low- and intermediate-dose prophylaxis significantly reduced ABR, AJBR, and the number of target joints (P<0.05) ; the improvement in the intermediate-dose prophylaxis group was better than that in the low-dose prophylaxis group (P<0.05). Compared with on-demand treatment, the FISH score, quality of life score, and SF-36 score significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: In Chinese adults with severe hemophilia A, low- and intermediate-dose prophylaxis can significantly reduce bleeding frequency, delay the progression of joint lesions, and improve the quality of life of patients as compared with on-demand treatment. The improvement in clinical bleeding was better with intermediate-dose prophylaxis than low-dose prophylaxis.

[Long-term trend of colorectal cancer survival rate in Qidong, 1972-2016]

Objective: The survival of colorectal cancer in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province from 1972 to 2016 was analyzed to provide a basis for the evaluation of prognosis and the formulation of prevention and control measures. Methods: Colorectal cancer data were obtained from the Qidong Cancer Registration and Reporting System, and the follow-up was up to December 31, 2021. The observed survival rate (OSR) and relative survival rate (RSR) were calculated by SURV 3.01 software, and the trend test was performed by Hakulinen's likelihood ratio test. The Joinpoint regression model was used to calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of survival, and the ARIMA model was used to predict the trend of colorectal cancer survival. Results: There were 8 637 new cases of colorectal cancer in Qidong from 1972 to 2016. Dividing 1972-2016 into 9 periods at 5-year intervals, the 5-year OSR from 1972-1976 to 2012-2016 increased from 21.86% to 48.86%, and the 5-year RSR increased from 26.45% to 59.91%. The increasing trend of RSR was statistically significant (χ(2)=587.47, P<0.001). From 1972 to 2016, the survival rates of colorectal cancer in different sexes in Qidong were similar, and the 5-year RSR was 44.63% for men and 44.07% for women. Since the 1990s, the 5-year OSR and RSR for men have been lower than those for women. From 1972 to 2016, the 5-year RSR of colorectal cancer in Qidong was significantly improved in the 65-74 and ≥75-year-old groups, but the survival rate of the ≥75-year-old group was still the lowest (36.78%), followed by the 35-44-year-old group ( 43.04%). The time trend showed that the overall AAPC of colorectal cancer 5-year RSR in Qidong from 1972 to 2016 was 2.50% (t=16.45, P<0.001). The upward trend of different sexes was consistent, and the increase was greater in women (AAPC for males=2.18%, AAPC for females=2.54%, both P<0.05). The 5-year RSR of colorectal cancer in each age group showed an upward trend, and the AAPCs of the 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, and ≥75-year-old groups were 1.54%, 1.83%, 2.00%, 3.51% and 4.35%, respectively (all P<0.05). The prediction results of colorectal cancer survival rate showed that the 5-year RSR of colorectal cancer in Qidong will increase to 71.62% by 2026. Conclusions: The overall survival rate of colorectal cancer patients in Qidong has been greatly improved, but there is still room for improvement. We should continue to pay attention to the early diagnosis and early treatment of colorectal cancer.

[Long-term trend of esophageal cancer survival rate in Qidong, 1972-2016]

Objective: To analyze the survival of esophageal cancer cases in Qidong, Jiangsu Province from 1972 to 2016, and provide a basis for the prognosis evaluation and prevention of esophageal cancer patients. Methods: The data of esophageal cancer were obtained from the Qidong Cancer Registration and Reporting System, and the follow-up date ended December 31, 2021. Observed survival rate (OSR) and relative survival rate (RSR) were calculated by SURV 3.01 software, and Hakulinen's likelihood ratio test was used for statistical difference comparison. Joinpoint regression model was used to conduct the average annual percentage change (AAPC) in esophageal cancer survival rate, and the ARIMA model was used to predict the trend of esophageal cancer survival rate. Results: During 1972 to 2016, there were 5 112 new cases of esophageal cancer in Qidong. The OSR of esophageal cancer at 1, 5 and 10 years were 24.43%, 6.93% and 4.43%, and the RSR at 1, 5 and 10 years were 25.88%, 9.35% and 8.34%, respectively. Dividing 1972-2016 into 9 periods, compared with 1972-1976, the 5-year RSR from 2012-2016 increased from 4.47% to 17.85%, and the RSR trend of the 9 periods was statistically significant (χ(2)=263.43, P<0.001). The survival rate of female with esophageal cancer was slightly higher than that of male, however, there was no significant difference in RSR between male and female (χ(2)=9.40, P=0.401). The 5-OSR and 5-RSR for male were 6.73% and 9.11%, and for female were 7.37% and 9.87%, respectively. The 5-RSR for the age groups of 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, and over 75 years old were 11.99%, 11.21%, 8.17% and 7.08%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in RSR among different age groups (χ(2)=98.19, P<0.001). The time trend results showed that the overall AAPC of the 5-RSR of esophageal cancer in Qidong from 1972 to 2016 was 3.89% (t=11.98, P<0.001). The 5-RSR uptrend was consistent among different genders, and the uptrend was greater in female (AAPC=4.25% for male, and AAPC=5.72% for female, P<0.05). Furthermore, the 5-RSR of esophageal cancer in all age groups showed an upward trend, and the upward trend was statistically significant in the 55-64-year-old group (AAPC=4.23%, P<0.05) and the 65-74-year-old group (AAPC=6.82%, P<0.05), there was no statistical significance in the 45-54-year-old group (AAPC=2.17%, P>0.05) and more than 75 years old group (AAPC=1.82%, P>0.05). Survival rate prediction of esophageal cancer showed that by 2026, 5-RSR will increase to 24.79%. Conclusions: During 1972 to 2016, the overall survival rate of esophageal cancer in the whole population of Qidong has improved to a certain extent, but there is still a large room for improvement. More emphasis should be continued to strengthen on the early diagnosis and early treatment of esophageal cancer.

[Progress on the diagnosis and therapy about atopic diseases and primary immunodeficiency diseases]

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) is a congenital disease caused by single gene germline mutation related to the immune system. PID patients have immune dysregulation, and are susceptible to infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, and malignant tumors. The first symptom of some PID patients is atopic disease, therefore they go to the department of allergy, department of pediatrics and other relevant departments. How to identify and diagnose PID in allergic patients, to reduce diagnosis delay and prevent disease aggravation are the abilities that allergists, pediatricians, and doctors in other relevant departments need to master. This article summarizes the warning signs of PID in allergic patients and the mechanism of allergy combined with PID, and then summarizes the common types of PID in allergic patients, the evaluation, treatment and prevention in patients with PID and allergy.

[Central mechanism of acupuncture intervention in anxiety and depression under fMRI]

Despite the significant efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating anxiety and depression, the mechanism remains unclear. In recent years, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology has provided a visual method for deciphering the mechanism of acupuncture in treating anxiety and depression. This paper summarized the clinical studies about the imaging changes of anxiety and depression during the treatment with acupuncture under fMRI. The available studies demonstrated that acupuncture may act on functional nuclei and brain regions such as hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, frontal lobe, and temporal lobe. The paper can lay a foundation for the further study of the central mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of anxiety and depression.

Species diversity, phylogeny, endemism and geography of the truffle genus Tuber in China based on morphological and molecular data

The genus Tuber (Tuberaceae, Pezizales) is an important fungal group of Ascomycota both economically and ecologically. However, the species diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of Tuber species in China remains poorly understood, primarily because descriptions of many new species relied heavily on morphological features with molecular data either not sought or ignored. The misapplication of European and North American names further added to confusion regarding the taxonomy of Chinese Tuber species. In this study, we examined more than 1 000 specimens from China, and performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis for Chinese Tuber species using ITS sequences and multilocus sequence data. To infer the phylogeny of Chinese Tuber spp., 11 molecular datasets were assembled, including a concatenated internal transcribed spacers of the nuc rDNA (ITS), nuc rDNA 28S subunit (LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α), and RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) dataset as well as 10 ITS datasets (totally including 1 435 sequences from 828 collections with 597 newly generated sequences, and 168 sequences from the types of 63 species). Our phylogenetic tree based on a concatenated multilocus dataset revealed that all Chinese Tuber species nested in nine phylogenetic clades (phylogroups), including Aestivum, Excavatum, Latisporum, Macrosporum, Maculatum, Melanosporum, Puberulum, Rufum and Turmericum. Of these, five phylogroups (Macrosporum, Maculatum, Melanosporum, Puberulum and Rufum) are shared across the continents of Asia, Europe and North America; two phylogroups (Aestivum and Excavatum) are shared by Europe and Asia; and the phylogroups Turmericum and Latisporum are endemic only to Asia. Phylogenetic trees based on 10 ITS datasets confirmed the presence of at least 82 phylogenetic species in China. Of these, 53 are identified as known species, including three new records for China, and 25 species are identified as new to science. Of the new species, nine are described and illustrated in this paper, and the others remain unnamed due to the paucity or absence of ascomatal materials. Accordingly, the confirmed, excluded and doubtful Tuber species in China are discussed. Tuber species showed high endemism. Of the 82 phylogenetic species found in China, 68 species occur only in China, six species are also found in other regions in Asia, and only eight species (T. anniae, T. excelsum-reticulatum, T. formosanum, T. maculatum, T. wenchuanense, Tuber sp. CHN-3, Tuber sp. CHN-10 and Tuber sp. CHN-11) are shared with other continents. Most Tuber species have a small and limited distribution in China, but a few, such as T. formosanum and T. parvomurphium, are widely distributed across China. Some phylogenetically closely related species, such as T. liaotongense and T. subglobosum, as well as T. xuanhuaense and T. lijiangense, show a pattern of allopatric distribution.

A potential EBV-related classifier is associated with the efficacy of immunotherapy in gastric cancer

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health problem. As a complicated heterogeneous disease, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network recognized four subtypes of GC, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive GC (EBVaGC), which accounts for approximately 9% of all GC cases. The response to immunotherapy in GC is limited, and whether EBV status is a predictor of immunotherapy remains controversial.

Methods

The differential gene expression analysis was utilized to compare the gene expression between the EBV-positive group and the EBV-negative group in the TCGA-Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) cohort. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and gene functional enrichment analysis were used to investigate the most pivotal hub genes and their roles. The “Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumours using Expression data” (ESTIMATE) and CIBERSORT algorithms were performed to infer the immune compositions of tissue samples. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and survival analysis were used to validate the expression and prognosis of these hub genes in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) cohort. A GC cohort that received anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) therapy was used to analyze the predicted efficacy based on the expression of hub genes.

Results

There is a total of 1,686 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the EBV-positive group and EBV-negative group, and WGCNA identified a yellow-colored module that was most related to EBV features. Functional enrichment analysis of 144 genes in this yellow module demonstrated that these genes primarily performed immune-related functions, and PPI network analysis through the CytoHubba plug-in identified 11 hub genes in the network. The RT-qPCR results in the SYSUCC cohort further validated that the hub genes were all increased in the EBV-positive group. Finally, we found that a potential classifier was associated with the efficacy of immunotherapy based on the expression of these 11 hub genes.

Conclusions

Our study identified several hub genes associated with EBV status that are closely related to the immune microenvironmental features of EBVaGC and may be used as molecular markers for predicting the immune response in GC.

[Advances on the toxicology and molecular mechanisms of different components of ambient fine particulate matter]

Ambient fine particulate matters (PM_2.5) refer to particulate matters with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm. PM_2.5 enter the body through the target organ-lung, and can induce a variety of adverse health effects (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and adverse birth outcomes). PM_2.5 are known to have complex compositions (including water-soluble/-insoluble components and biological components), diverse sources and capacity of secondary transformation. Numerous epidemiological and toxicological studies indicated that different components of PM_2.5 may induce adverse health effects through different biological mechanisms. In adddition, co-exposure of different components and their interaction should also be considered. Thus here we have systematically reviewed studies in recent years about the toxicological effects and underlying mechanisms of different components of ambient fine particulate matters, including inflammatory response, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and so on. The information may give some insights into the prevention and treatment of adverse health effects caused by exposure to different components of PM_2.5.