Molecular prevalence of HBB-associated hemoglobinopathy among reproductive-age adults and the prenatal diagnosis in Jiangxi Province, southern central China

Background and aims: Hemoglobinopathy associated with the HBB gene, with its two general subtypes as thalassemia and abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) variants, is one of the most prevalent hereditary Hb disorders worldwide. Herein we aimed to elucidate the prevalence of ß-thalassemia and abnormal hemoglobin variants and the prenatal diagnosis of the HBB gene in Jiangxi Province, southern central China.

Methods: Hematological indices and capillary Hb electrophoresis were conducted for 136,149 subjects who were admitted to Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital and requested for hemoglobinopathy investigation. Routine α- and ß-globin genotyping were performed by gap-polymerase chain reaction (Gap-PCR) and reverse dot-blot (RDB) hybridization for the 11,549 individuals suspected to be thalassemia carriers. For participants whose genotypes could not explain their hematological indices, further Sanger sequencing and Gap-PCR were conducted for the detection of rare or novel variants in related globin genes. Prenatal diagnosis was performed for 77 pregnant couples both carrying ß-thalassemia trait at appropriate gestational ages.

Results: Among the 11,549 subjects, 2,548 individuals were identified with HBB-associated hemoglobinopathy based on molecular analysis. A total of 2,358 subjects were identified as ß-thalassemia heterozygous carriers and nine cases were diagnosed as compound heterozygous ß-thalassemia. Additionally, 125 cases were detected with composite α- and ß-thalassemia and the remaining 56 individuals with abnormal Hb variants in the HBB. A total of 35 types of variants were identified in the HBB gene, including 26 types of ß-thalassemia and nine types of abnormal Hb variants. Four novel variants were firstly reported, including one variant in HBA2 and three variants in HBB. Overall, 77 prenatal samples underwent ß-thalassemia molecular diagnosis; 20 fetuses were identified with normal ß-thalassemia genotypes, 30 fetuses as ß-thalassemia heterozygotes, 11 as homozygotes, and 16 as compound heterozygotes in HBB.

Conclusion: We have demonstrated a relatively high prevalence rate at 1.872% of ß-hemoglobinopathies including common and rare ß-thalassemia as well as abnormal Hb variants among large child-bearing population in the Jiangxi area of southern central China for the first time. Our data presents that prenatal diagnosis is an effective way to prevent and control birth defects of ß-thalassemia.

Evaluation of the in vitro acaricidal activity of Chinese herbal compounds on the poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae)

The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae is an economically important pest in poultry farms worldwide, but an effective treatment option is lacking. The current study determined the effectiveness of six Chinese herbal medicines [Syzygium aromaticum (clove), Hibiscus syriacus (Hibiscus), Illicium verum (star anise), Leonurus artemisia (motherwort), Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon), and Taraxacum sp. (dandelion)] against D. gallinae. Alcohol extracts were prepared via the solvent extraction method and the phenol, flavonoid, and tannin contents were determined. These active components were highest in S. aromaticum and lowest in H. syriacus, I. verum. No tannin content was detected in L. artemisia. All extracts showed contact toxicity against D. gallinae at a test concentration of 1 g/mL, with S. aromaticum and L. artemisia resulting in 100% mortality. S. aromaticum, L. artemisia, and I. verum showed the best efficacy (LC₅₀ 0.159, 0.200, and 0.292 g/mL, respectively). Different combinations of extracts showed an additive effect of I. verum LC₉₀ + L. artemisia LC₉₀. The acaricidal efficacy of this combination was tested against different developmental stages of D. gallinae, being most efficacious against nymphal and larval D. gallinae, with a corrected mortality rate of 100%. However, inhibition of egg hatching was only 53.69%. Taken together, these results highlight I. verum LC₉₀ + L. artemisia LC₉₀ as a promising compound with severe contact toxicity against D. gallinae. Given the wide cultivation of these species and their extensive use in foodstuffs and cosmetics as flavors and fragrances, they could be a cheap, readily available ecofriendly alternative to pesticides currently used in poultry farms.

Mussel-Inspired Hydrogels for Fluoride Delivery and Caries Prevention

Fluoride agents hold promise for the repair and prevention of caries lesions, but their interaction with enamel is often hampered and diminished because of the dynamic wet environment in the oral cavity, which affects the efficacy of fluoride delivery and limits treatment success. We herein developed a mussel-inspired wet adhesive fluoride system (denoted TS@NaF) fabricated by the self-assembly of tannic acid (TA), silk fibroin (SF), and sodium fluoride (NaF). TS@NaF demonstrated remarkable biological stability and biocompatibility, showed reliable wet adhesion, released fluoride ions (F−) topically, and induced significant deposition of calcium fluoride (CaF2) onto enamel in vitro. Furthermore, TS@NaF provided an anticaries effect in vitro and induced a detectable increase in enamel mineral density. Advanced fluoride-releasing bioadhesives are therefore promising candidates for caries prevention and highlight the great potential of mussel-inspired dental materials in clinical applications.

Correlation between glenoid bone structure and recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder joint

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to investigate the anatomical characteristics and symmetry of the bilateral glenoid structures of Chinese people and to explore the relationship between the glenoid bone structure and recurrent anterior dislocation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The control group included 131 individuals with no history of shoulder dislocation. The dislocation group consisted of 131 patients with a history of unilateral shoulder dislocation. All subjects underwent computed tomography scans. Glenoid shape (pear-shaped, inverted comma-shaped, oval-shaped), width, height, depth, version angle, area, maximum fitting circle area and volume were measured.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in normal bilateral glenoid of Chinese people (p > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in depth, height to width ratio, maximum fitting circle area and shape between the dislocation and control groups (p < 0.05). Regression analyses showed that the glenoid depth (odds ratio [OR] 0.48; p < 0.01), the glenoid height to width ratio (OR 28.61; p < 0.01), the glenoid maximum fitting circle area (OR 1.01; p < 0.01) and the glenoid shape (p <0.05; pear-shaped OR 0.432; inverted comma-shaped OR 0.954) were associated with anterior shoulder instability. Pear-shaped and inverted comma-shaped glenoid had lower risk of recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation compared to oval glenoid. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that individuals with anterior shoulder instability had smaller glenoid depth and larger height to width ratio and the glenoid maximum fitting circle area compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The normal bilateral glenoids of Chinese people are basically symmetrical. The glenoid shape, depth, height to width ratio and maximum fitting circle area are risk factors for recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation. Evaluation of the glenoid bone structure enables more accurate prediction of the risk of recurrent shoulder dislocation.

Identification of a Novel Nonsense Mutation in PLA2G6 and Prenatal Diagnosis in a Chinese Family With Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy

Background and Purpose

Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) is a subtype of PLA2G6-Associated Neurodegeneration (PLAN) with an age of early onset and severe clinical phenotypes of neurodegeneration. Individuals affected with INAD are characterized by rapid progressive psychomotor deterioration, neuroregression, and hypotonia followed by generalized spasticity, optic atrophy, and dementia. In this case, we aimed to identify the underlying causative genetic factors of a Chinese family with two siblings who presented with walking difficulty and inability to speak. We provided a prenatal diagnosis for the family and information for the prevention of this genetic disease.

Methods

Retrospective clinical information and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the proband were collected. Trio-whole exome sequencing (WES) including the proband and his parents was performed to explore the genetic causes, while Sanger sequencing was subsequently used to validate the variants identified by Trio-WES in the pedigree. Furthermore, prenatal molecular genetic diagnosis was carried out through amniocentesis to investigate the status of pathogenic mutations in the fetus by Sanger sequencing at an appropriate gestational age.

Results

The two siblings were both clinically diagnosed with rapid regression in psychomotor development milestones. Brain MRI showed cerebellar atrophy and typical bilaterally symmetrical T2/FLAIR hyperintense signal changes in periventricular areas, indicating periventricular leukomalacia, and myelin sheath dysplasia. Trio-WES revealed two heterozygous variants in PlA2G6 associated with clinical manifestations in the proband: a novel maternally inherited variant c.217C>T (p.Gln73^*) and a previously reported paternally inherited recurrent pathogenic variant c.1894C>T (p.Arg632Trp). These two heterozygous mutations were also detected in the younger brother who had similar clinical features as the proband. The novel variant c.217C>T was classified as “pathogenic (PVS1 + PM2 + PP3),” while the variant c.1894C>T was “pathogenic” (PS1 + PM1 + PM2 + PM3 + PP3) based on the latest American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines on sequence variants. Combining the molecular evidence and clinical phenotypes, the diagnosis of INAD was established for the two affected siblings. The two variants that were identified were considered the causative mutations for INAD in this family. Prenatal diagnosis suggested compound heterozygous mutations of c.217C>T and c.1894C>T in the fetus, indicating a high risk of INAD, and the parents chose to terminate the pregnancy.

Conclusion

We identified a novel pathogenic mutation that broadens the mutation spectrum of PLA2G6 and will provide clues for the molecular diagnosis of INAD. Furthermore, our study has helped to elucidate the causative genetic factors of this Chinese family with INAD effectively and efficiently by using the emerging Trio-WES strategy and providing precise genetic counseling for this family.

[SWOT analysis of influenza vaccination promotion of primary care staff based on the perspective of the supplier, customer, and management]

Objective: To analyze the situation of influenza vaccination among primary healthcare workers, find out the problems, and explore the strategies and measures to promote influenza vaccination among grass-roots medical staff. Methods: From April to May 2021, key insider interviews and literature research were carried out based on the perspectives of influenza vaccine suppliers (influenza vaccine manufacturers), consumers (primary medical institutions and primary healthcare workers), and managers (governments at all levels, health administrative departments and disease prevention and control departments). The SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis technique was used to comprehensively evaluate the current situation of influenza vaccination among grass-roots healthcare workers, and a SWOT analysis matrix was established. Results: Influenza vaccination of grass-roots healthcare workers have advantages and opportunities, including primary medical and health institutions' vital influenza vaccination accessibility, influenza vaccine safety is higher, COVID-19 outbreak improves the public awareness of respiratory infectious diseases and vaccine production enthusiasm, coronavirus vaccination has strengthened the capacity of the vaccine distribution system. There are also disadvantages and threats such as the high price of influenza vaccine, insufficient supply, low awareness of influenza vaccine vaccination among grass-roots healthcare workers, lack of demand assessment mechanism on influenza vaccine, poor vaccine deployment, structural imbalance in vaccine supply in different areas, and severe vaccine waste. SWOT analysis matrix of the influenza vaccination status of grass-roots healthcare workers was established, forming dominant opportunity (SO) strategy, dominant threat (ST) strategy, inferior opportunity (WO) strategy, and inferior threat (WT) strategy. Conclusion: Measures should be taken by the supplier, the demand-side, and the management side to improve the influenza vaccine coverage rate of primary healthcare workers, but the emphasis should be on the coordination and management of the management side.

Loss of IκBζ Drives Dentin Formation via Altered H3K4me3 Status

Enforced enrichment of the active promoter marks trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) and acetylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) by inhibiting histone demethylases and deacetylases is positively associated with hard tissue formation through the induction of osteo/odontogenic differentiation. However, the key endogenous epigenetic modulator of odontoblasts to regulate the expression of genes coding dentin extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins has not been identified. We focused on nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor ζ (IκBζ), which was originally identified as the transcriptional regulator of NF-κB and recently regarded as the NF-κB-independent epigenetic modulator, and found that IκBζ null mice exhibit a thicker dentin width and narrower pulp chamber, with aged mice having more marked phenotypes. At 6 mo of age, dentin fluorescent labeling revealed significantly accelerated dentin synthesis in the incisors of IκBζ null mice. In the molars of IκBζ null mice, marked tertiary dentin formation adjacent to the pulp horn was observed. Mechanistically, the expression of COL1A2 and COL1A1 collagen genes increased more in the odontoblast-rich fraction of IκBζ null mice than in wild type in vivo, similar to human odontoblast-like cells transfected with small interfering RNA for IκBζ compared with cells transfected with control siRNA in vitro. Furthermore, the direct binding of IκBζ to the COL1A2 promoter suppressed COL1A2 expression and the local active chromatin status marked by H3K4me3. Based on whole-genome identification of H3K4me3 enrichment, ECM and ECM organization-related gene loci were selectively activated by the knockdown of IκBζ, which consistently resulted in the upregulation of these genes. Collectively, this study suggested that IκBζ is the key negative regulator of dentin formation in odontoblasts by inhibiting dentin ECM- and ECM organization-related gene expression through an altered local chromatin status marked by H3K4me3. Therefore, IκBζ is a potential target for epigenetically improving the clinical outcomes of dentin regeneration therapies such as pulp capping.

A2B5-positive oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplantation improves neurological deficits in rats following spinal cord contusion associated with changes in expression of factors involved in the Notch signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are myelinated glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS), able to regenerate oligodendrocytes and myelin. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of A2B5-positive (A2B5+) OPC transplantation in rats with spinal cord contusion (SCC) and to investigate changes in expression of various factors involved in the Notch signaling pathway after OPC transplantation.

METHODS

OPCs were obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) originating from mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). After identification of iPSCs and iPSC-derived OPCs, A2B5+ OPCs were transplanted into the injured site of rats with SCC one week after SCC insult. Behavioral tests evaluated motor and sensory function 7 days after OPC transplantation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) determined the expression of various cytokines related to the Notch signaling pathway after OPC transplantation.

RESULTS

IPSC-derived OPCs were successfully generated from MEFs, as indicated by positive immunostaining of A2B5, PDGFα and NG2. Further differentiation of OPCs was identified by immunostaining of Olig2, Sox10, Nkx2.2, O4, MBP and GFAP. Importantly, myelin formation was significantly enhanced in the SCC+ OPC group and SCI-induced motor and sensory dysfunction was largely alleviated by A2B5+ OPC transplantation. Expression of factors involved in the Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Numb, SHARP1 and NEDD4) was significantly increased after OPC transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

A2B5+ OPC transplantation attenuates motor and sensory dysfunction in SCC rats by promoting myelin formation, which may be associated with change in expression of factors involved in the Notch signaling pathway.

[Research progress on the correlation between small dense low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease]

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), a series of cardiovascular diseases based on atherosclerosis, has attracted more clinical attention. However, with the increase of population-based research results, the diagnostic value of traditional blood lipid parameters such as low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is showing limitations. In recent years, a large number of studies have confirmed that small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) has lower affinity with low-density lipoprotein receptor, longer circulation time and easier to penetrate arterial endothelium, so it has stronger atherogenic effect. Therefore, we summarize the common detection methods of sdLDL-C, the research progress of the correlation between sdLDL-C and ASCVD risk, as well as the intervention measures and influencing factors of sdLDL-C level, in order to deepen the clinician's understanding of the role of sdLDL-C in ASCVD and achieve the early prevention, early detection and early diagnosis of chronic atherosclerosis.

Prevalence and association of mycoplasma infection in the development of coronary artery disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although remain controversial, several studies have demonstrated the association of M. pneumoniae infections with atherosclerosis. We evaluated the possible association of mycoplasma infections in patients diagnosed with atherosclerosis by ELISA and PCR methods. Atherosclerotic tissue samples and blood samples were collected for the detection of mycoplasma antibodies (IgA) by ELISA from the 97 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). M. pneumoniae specific IgA, IgG and IgM were measured by using the Anti-M. pneumoniae IgA/IgG/IgM ELISA. Detection of M. pneumoniae targeting the P1 adhesion gene was performed by PCR Acute infection of M. pneumoniae was diagnosed in 43.3% (42) of patients by PCR. The M. pneumoniae specific antibodies were detected in 36.1% (35) of patients. Twenty-five (25.8%) cases had IgG antibodies, 15 (15.5%) cases had IgM antibodies, 3 (3.1%) cases had IgA antibodies, 10 (10.3%) cases had both IgM + IgG antibodies and 1 (1%) case of each had IgM + IgA and IgG + IgA antibodies. None of the cases was positive for all three antibodies. A Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed an excellent correlation between the PCR and the serological results (r=0.921, p<0.001). A majority (17, 40.5%) of the M. pneumoniae positive patients are within the 41-50 years of age group, followed by 10 (23.8%) patients in the age group of 61-70 years and 2 (4.8%) patients were >70 years of age. Our study reported an unusually higher prevalence of M. pneumoniae by serological tests (36.1%) and PCR (43.3%). Although the hypothesis of the association of M. pneumoniae and CAD is yet to be proven, the unusually high prevalence of M. pneumoniae in CAD patients indicates an association, if not, in the development of atherosclerosis.

Use of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI for the early assessment of outcome of CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with spinal metastases

AIM

To explore the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for evaluating early outcomes of CyberKnife radiosurgery for spinal metastases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with spinal metastases who were treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery from July 2018 to December 2020 were enrolled. Conventional MRI and DCE-MRI were performed before treatment and at 3 months after treatment. Patients showing disease progression were defined as the progressive disease (PD) group and those showing complete response, partial response, and stable disease were defined as the non-PD group. The haemodynamic parameters (volume transfer constant [Ktrans], rate constant [Kep], and extravascular space [Ve]) before and after treatment between the groups were analysed. Area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients with 39 independent spinal lesions were included. The median follow-up time was 18.6 months (6.2-36.4 months). There were 27 lesions in the non-PD group and 12 lesions in the PD group. Post-treatment Kep, ΔKtrans and ΔKep in the non-PD group (0.959/min, - 32.6% and -41.1%, respectively) were significantly lower than the corresponding values in PD group (1.429/min, 20.4% and -6%; p<0.05). Post-treatment Ve and ΔVe (0.223 and 27.8%, respectively) in the non-PD group were significantly higher than that of the PD group (0.165 and -13.5%, p<0.05). ΔKtrans showed the highest diagnostic efficiency, with an AUC of 0.821.

CONCLUSIONS

DCE-MRI parameters change significantly at an early stage after CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for spinal metastases. DCE-MRI may be of value in determining the early treatment response.

[A novel frameshift NDUFV1 mutation in a child with the phenotype of optic nerve atrophy]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the pathogenic gene in a child with optic atrophy and analyze the influence of this gene mutation on protein structure.

OBJECTIVE

We collected the clinical record of the 13-year-old girl and her relatives. The child received examinations of the visual acuity, visual field, fundus, OCT, visual-evoked potential (VEP) and the nerve system, underwent brain MRI and was followed up for 1 year. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of the child and her parents for next-generation sequencing of the whole exon. The pathogenic gene mutation was identified and the resultant changes in the protein structure was analyzed.

OBJECTIVE

The patient presented with impaired vision and optic nerve atrophy in both eyes with low amplitude of VEP, but did not show dystonia or pyramidal tract symptom. Brain MRI detected no leukodystrophy. Genetic analysis suggested a heterozygous c.53_54delTG mutation in exon 1 in the NDUFV1 gene of complex I, which caused a frameshift starting with the codon valine 18, thus changing the amino acid to an Alanine residue and creating a premature stop codon at position 20 of the new reading frame (p.Val18AlafsX20). A heterozygous for c.1162+4A>C: IVS8 + 4A>C in intron 8 was also found. Protein structure analysis showed the missing of important structure of NDUFV1 subunit in complex I.

OBJECTIVE

We identified a novel NDUFV1 mutation in a child with optic nerve atrophy. This finding may provide further insight into the genotype-phenotype correlations for NDUFV1 gene.

From benchtop to clinic: a translational analysis of the immune response to submicron topography and its relevance to bone healing

Proper regulation of the innate immune response to bone biomaterials after implantation is pivotal for successful bone healing. Pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages are known to have an important role in regulating the healing response to biomaterials. Materials with defined structural and topographical features have recently been found to favourably modulate the innate immune response, leading to improved healing outcomes. Calcium phosphate bone grafts with submicron-sized needle-shaped surface features have been shown to trigger a pro-healing response through upregulation of M2 polarised macrophages, leading to accelerated and enhanced bone regeneration. The present review describes the recent research on these and other materials, all the way from benchtop to the clinic, including in vitro and in vivo fundamental studies, evaluation in clinically relevant spinal fusion models and clinical validation in a case series of 77 patients with posterolateral and/or interbody fusion in the lumbar and cervical spine. This research demonstrates the feasibility of enhancing biomaterial-directed bone formation by modulating the innate immune response through topographic surface features.

Cardiometabolic index: a new tool for screening the metabolically obese normal weight phenotype

PURPOSE

People with the metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) phenotype are considered as an extremely high-risk group for unfavorable health consequences, but they are frequently undetected due to deceptive body mass index (BMI) and complex assessment. This study aimed to explore the clinical usefulness of cardiometabolic index (CMI) in identifying MONW individuals.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved a total of 47,683 normal-weight subjects aged ≥ 18 years. Participants underwent anthropometrics, routine biochemical tests, and questionnaires for a full evaluation of the metabolic profile. The odds ratio (OR) of CMI and MONW phenotype was determined by the Logistic regression models and the diagnostic accuracy of CMI was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MONW phenotype was 11.0%. After multivariate adjustment, the ORs for MONW in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of CMI was 71.20 (95% CI 55.19-91.86), and 1-SD increment of CMI brought a 54% additional risk. In ROC analysis, compared with BMI and waist circumference, CMI showed superior performance for identifying MONW individuals with an AUC of 0.853 (95% CI 0.847-0.860) in men and 0.912 (95% CI 0.906-0.918) in women, respectively. Moreover, CMI exhibited the highest diagnostic accuracy in younger age groups (aged 18-34 for men; aged 18-34 and 35-44 for women), in which AUCs surpassed 0.9 in both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS

CMI could be served as a valuable indicator to identify MONW phenotype of Chinese adults, particularly for young people.

[Impact of cardiovascular metabolic diseases on COVID-19: review of recent progress]

The high comorbidity between cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CVMD) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the consequent high mortality and the potential risk of cardiovascular damage have brought great challenges to the clinical diagnosis and treatment of the condition. The latest studies found that advanced age, immune function defects, inflammatory factor storms and oxidative stress damage all potentially contribute to the high comorbidity of the two. Direct virus invasion, myocardial oxygen supply and demand imbalance and vascular endothelial and coagulation dysfunction may be important mechanisms for cardiovascular injury in COVID-19 patients. In addition, the expression level of ACE2 (the cell membrane receptor of SARS-CoV-2) in various organs and the peripheral blood not only mediates the direct invasion and damage of the organs, but also participates in regulation of the balance of systematic inflammation and oxidative stress, thus affecting the susceptibility and outcomes of the patients. Herein we review the recent research progress in the comorbidity between COVID-19 and CVMD and explore the mechanisms of cardiovascular damage caused by SARS-CoV-2, thus to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 with underlying CVMD.

LINC01198 promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis via Notch signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To detect the expression level of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1198 (LINC01198) in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and cells, to investigate the effect of LINC01198 on the biological function of CRC cells through in vivo and in vitro experiments, and to explore its molecular mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Tissue samples were collected from 32 patients with CRC. Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect the relative expression level of LINC01198 in CRC tissues and cells. In vitro experiments [Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry] were conducted to explore the effect of interfering with the expression of LINC01198 on the proliferation, cycle and apoptosis of CRC cells. Tumorigenesis assay was undertaken in nude mice to investigate the influence of LINC01198 on the tumorigenic ability of CRC cells in vivo. Besides, Western blotting was performed to determine the changes in the downstream signaling pathway of LINC01198.

RESULTS

Among the 32 cases of tissue samples of CRC patients, 28 cases had an upregulated expression of LINC01198 compared with paracancerous tissues. The results of qRT-PCR indicated that LINC01198 expression was upregulated in CRC cells, and the interference efficiency of si-LINC01198 was measured via qRT-PCR. The results of in vitro experiments demonstrated that after interfering with the expression of LINC01198 in CRC cells, cell proliferation capacity was inhibited, cell cycle was arrested at G1/G0 phase, and the apoptosis rate was increased. The results of nude mice tumorigenesis experiments revealed that after interfering with the expression of LINC01198, the tumorigenic ability of CRC cells in vivo declined. Additionally, Western blotting assay results confirmed that after interfering with the expression of LINC01198, the expression of molecular markers in the Notch signaling pathway was inhibited.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of LINC01198 is upregulated in the case of CRC, which promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of CRC cells by regulating the Notch signaling pathway. Our findings provide a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC patients and treatment strategies.

3D porous Ti6Al4V-beta-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds directly fabricated by additive manufacturing

3D Ti6Al4V-beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) hybrid scaffolds with interconnected porous network and controllable porosity and pore size were successfully produced by three-dimensional fiber deposition (3DF). The macrostructure of scaffolds was determined by the 3D design, whereas the micro- and submicron structure were derived from the Ti6Al4V powder sintering and the crystalline TCP powder, respectively. Ti6Al4V-TCP slurry was developed for 3DF by optimizing the TCP powder size, Ti6Al4V-to-TCP powder ratio and Ti6Al4V-TCP powder content. Moreover, the air pressure and fiber deposition rate were optimized. A maximum achievable ceramic content in the Ti6Al4V-TCP slurry that enables 3DF manufacturing was 10 wt%. The chemical analysis showed that limited contamination occurred during sintering. The compressive strength and Young's modulus of the scaffolds exhibited values between those of cancellous and cortical bone. The 3D Ti6Al4V-TCP scaffolds with 10 wt% TCP allowed deposition of a calcium phosphate layer on the surface in a simulated body fluid. Cumulative release of calcium and phosphate ions from the scaffolds was observed in a simulated physiological solution, in contrast to a cell culture medium. A pilot in vivo study, in which the scaffolds were implanted intramuscularly in dogs showed ectopic bone formation in the Ti6Al4V-TCP scaffolds with 10 wt% TCP, showing their osteoinductive potential. The porous 3D Ti6Al4V-TCP scaffolds developed here combine the mechanical properties of the metal with the bioactivity of the ceramic and are therefore likely to yield more effective strategies to control the implant-bone interface and thereby improve long-term clinical results in orthopaedics and craniomaxillofacial surgery. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this work, 3D porous hybrid scaffolds made of a titanium alloy and a beta-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (Ti6Al4V-TCP) were developed using the direct additive manufacturing technique 3D fiber deposition. Upon optimization of the powders and slurry, scaffolds with up to 10 wt.% TCP with good mechanical properties and controllable porous structure at different length scales were successfully manufactured. A preliminary in vivo study in an intramuscular model demonstrated that the addition of TCP to the metal alloy improved its bioactivity. The combination of the two materials and the use of a direct additive manufacturing technique resulted in scaffolds that may lead to more effective strategies to control the implant-bone interface and thereby improve long-term clinical results in orthopaedics and craniomaxillofacial surgery.

Accurate post-mortem alignment for Focused Ion Beam and Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) tomography

Drifts in the three directions (X, Y, Z) during the FIB-SEM slice-and-view tomography is an important issue in 3D-FIB experiments which may induce significant inaccuracies in the subsequent volume reconstruction and further quantification of morphological volume parameters of the sample microstructure. Cross-correlation is frequently applied directly to the cross-section image series for aligning FIB sliced images. This solution is hazardous and can be flawed as it has been easily demonstrated by a dedicated test experiment. As a result, a novel aligning procedure based on the quantification of the topography of the sample surface has been developed. This new approach will be compared to the common cross-correlation methods, as well as another approach consisting in using an artificial reference marker fabricated during the FIB procedure. All these methods will then be discussed in terms of accuracy and liability.