Generative design of bioinspired wings based on deployable hindwings of Anomala Corpulenta Motschulsky

In view of the application prospect of the hindwing of Anomala Corpulenta Motschulsky in the field of foldable Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs), this paper investigated the morphology, macro/microstructure of the hindwing, and the nanomechanical properties of the wing veins and the wing membrane. It revealed the variation of nanohardness and elastic modulus between different veins and different positions of the same wing veins. This paper established a 3D coupling model of the hindwing based on the principle of coupling bionics. This paper presents a simulation analysis of the structural statics (uniform load distribution) and aerodynamics (under different attack angles, flight velocities, and flapping frequencies). Two 3D coupling models (HW-I and HW-II) of the hindwing were discussed the deformation and flight aerodynamic performance of Workbenches and Fluent. On that basis, the bionic wing was generatively designed, and a 3D bionic wing (BioW) model was established using the generative design method. Simulation analyses were performed through structural statics and aerodynamics. The results showed that the stress distribution was relatively uniform and that the overall displacement deformation was minimal for the BioW model. Moreover, the BioW model had better flight efficiency and aerodynamic performance.

[Value of abnormal expression of Krüppel-like zinc-finger protein transcription factor 5 in the diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer]

Objective: To explore the value of Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5), a family member of the zinc finger protein transcription factor, in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Cancerous and non-cancerous tissues were collected from 126 cases after HCC surgery by self-matching method with microarray fabrication. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the expression of KLF5, clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic value. The sera of 222 cases with chronic liver disease were collected and their KLF5 levels were quantitatively determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Simultaneously, 40 normal human sera were used as controls to evaluate the value of abnormal KLF5 in the diagnosis and differentiation of benign and malignant liver diseases. T-test, Z-test and χ (2) test were performed on the data. Results: The positive expression rate of KLF5 in the HCC group was 95.2% (120/126), which was significantly higher than the non-cancerous group 38.9% (49/126; χ (2) = 14.385, P < 0.001). KLF5 expression was significantly correlated with TNM stage (stage I 35%, stage II 40%, stage III 74.4%, stage IV 78.1%), tumor size, alpha fetoprotein (AFP) concentration, portal vein embolism, HBV infection and 5-year survival rate. Univariate/multivariate analysis showed that KLF5 high expression was an independent predictor of HCC prognosis. The serum KLF5 level was significantly higher in HCC patients than liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and normal control group (P < 0.001). With the serum KLF5 > 800 ng/ml and AFP > 25 μg/L as limit, the positive rates for HCC diagnosis were 90.48% and 73.81%, respectively, which were lower than the AFP specificity and false positive rate, and was helpful for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liver diseases. Conclusion: The overexpression of KLF5 in liver cancer tissues and blood is closely related to the HCC clinical stage and prognosis. Moreover, KLF5 analysis is helpful for HCC diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

[Determination of manganese in urine by direct dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry]

Objective: To establish a direct dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method for the determination of manganese in urine. Methods: Using 1% nitric acid solution as diluent, the urine dilution factor and internal standard elements were determined by single factor rotation experiment. The linear range, correlation coefficient, precision, accuracy and detection limit of the direct dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of manganese in urine were evaluated. Results: The linear range of this method was 0.0-20 μg/L, the correlation coefficient was 0.999 9, the detection limit was 0.02 μg/L, the recoveries were 84.65%-103.40%, the relative standard deviations were 0.26%-8.17%. Conclusion: This method has the advantages of simple operation, high sensitivity and low detection limit. It can be used for the determination of urine manganese at the same time with other elements. It is suitable for the determination of urine manganese in workers and ordinary people.

Combined Effects of Mother's, Father's and Teacher's Psychological Distress on Schoolchildren's Mental Health Symptoms

PURPOSE

Few studies have assessed the individual and joint effects of the mother's, father's and teacher's mental health symptoms on schoolchildren's behavior and emotional well-being simultaneously in the same study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 8488 Chinese schoolchildren aged 6-17 years in northeast China. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to measure the mental health of the students, their parents and the teacher in charge of the class, respectively. A total of 6173 students (72.73%) with full mental health information from all three caretakers were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

We found a significantly elevated risk of mental health symptoms in children when their mothers (odds ratios (OR)=2.30, 95% CI=1.93-2.73), fathers (OR=2.08, 95% CI=1.73-2.50) and teachers (OR=1.18, 95% CI=1.01-1.39) reported poorer mental health, and the risk increased significantly with the number of the caretakers with mental symptoms. A father with poor mental health has both direct and indirect effects on a child's emotional health, by worsening the influence of a mother's poor mental health.

CONCLUSION

All three caretakers have a significant negative influence on schoolchildren's emotional well-being, in the order of mother > father > teacher. It is desirable to assess and manage students' mental health in the both the family and school contexts.

RIPK1 is a negative mediator in Aquaporin 1-driven triple-negative breast carcinoma progression and metastasis

The triple-negative breast carcinoma (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. In TNBC, Aquaporin 1 (AQP1), a water-transporting transmembrane protein, is aberrantly enriched in cytoplasm and causes tumor cell death evasion. However, the carcinogenetic bioactivities of cytoplasmic AQP1 cannot be attributed to the canonical "osmotic engine model". In the present study, the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), a cell death regulator, was identified to negatively mediate AQP1-driven TNBC progression and metastasis. AQP1 overabundance and RIPK1 depletion occurred in TNBC, which were correlated with aggressive oncological features and poor prognosis. AQP1 bound with RIPK1, resulting in the inhibition of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis and RIPK1/caspase-8/caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. Genetic inhibition of RIPK1 significantly exacerbated the pro-tumor effect of AQP1, while ectopic expression of RIPK1 notably blunted AQP1 signaling. Mechanistically, AQP1 binds to the D324 site of RIPK1, and facilitates RIPK1 cleavage and inactivation by excessively activating the caspase-8/RIPK1 negative feedback loop. RIPK1D324K overexpression significantly prevented RIPK1 cleavage and weakened the aggressiveness of AQP1-enriched TNBC cells. Overall, our findings clarify the underlying mechanism of cytoplasmic AQP1-driven TNBC progression and metastasis, in which RIPK1 exerts an essential role as a negative mediator and exhibits the potential as a therapeutic target for TNBC.

[The relationship between premature atrial complexes and recurrence of atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis]

Objective: To explore the relationship between premature atrial complexes (PACs) and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Published literature was searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, Weipu, China national knowledge infrastructure, Wanfang and China Biology Medicine disc up to 25 March 2020. RevMan5.3 software was used to analyzed the data and publication bias was performed by Stata 15.1. Results: A total of 8 studies were identified, including 1 252 AF patients with a mean age of 61.67 years, and male patients accounted for 70.6%. During follow-up, AF recurred in 425 cases. Meta-analysis showed that frequent PACs was an independent risk factor for recurrence of AF (HR=2.64, 95%CI:1.40-4.97). Subgroup analyses showed that PACs not only increasedthe risk of recurrence of AF after electrical cardioversion (HR=2.38, 95%CI:1.25-4.51), but also significantly increased the risk of recurrence of AF after catheter ablation cardioversion (HR=2.90, 95%CI:1.11-7.60). Conclusions: PACs is significantly associated with AF recurrence.

[A novel mutation of SCN4A gene causes hypokalemic periodic paralysis in a Chinese family]

Objective: To report a Chinese family with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) and investigate the clinical and pathogenic gene characteristics of the family. Methods: The clinical, electrophysiological and pathological data of the proband of the family were analyzed, and the information of the family was investigated in detail. The peripheral venous blood of the six members of the family was collected and their genomic DNA was extracted. The genes related to periodic paralysis analysis of the proband were performed by the second generation sequencing. The pathogenicity of the mutant protein was respectively analyzed by the bioinformatics software SIFT, Polyphen2 and Mutation Tasker. The cosegregation analysis of phenotype and genotype of the family was performed by the first generation sequencing. Results: There were 3 patients in the family with the onset age of 21 to 42 years old. All the patients manifested with vomiting as the first symptoms, then presented with muscle weakness accompanied by muscle soreness. The muscle weakness gradually relieved in 3 to 5 days. Creatine kinase (CK) of the proband significantly increased. Electromyographic exercise test was positive, however, electromyography and muscle pathological analysis were normal. The genes related to periodic paralysis analysis of the proband found a novel mutation (c.2458A>T (p.N.820Y)) of SCN4A gene which was located in the conservative region. The function analysis showed it was a pathogenic mutation. Moreover, the first generation sequencing confirmed that the mutation was cosegregated with patients in the family. Meanwhile, it was found that the proband's son carried the same mutation, but without any symptom, indicating that he was a pre-symptomatic patient. Conclusions: Vomiting can be one of the symptoms of the patients with HOKPP. The novel mutation of SCN4A gene c.2458 A>T is the pathogenic mutation of the family. Patients with periodic paralysis should be tested for blood potassium and genes as early as possible to facilitate early diagnosis and genetic counseling.

[A survey on sexual needs and factors of HIV risky sexual behaviors among elderly men at different ages in two communities of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture]

Objective: To understand sexual needs and factors of risky sexual behaviors among elderly men at different ages in two communities of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture and provide basis for targeted HIV prevention and intervention. Methods: Two communities in the prefecture were selected as study sites. Questionnaire surveys were carried out among elderly men aged 50 and over who visited or consulted in the communities from June to December 2018, and they were tested for HIV and syphilis antibodies. Results: Among 400 elderly men, 209 (52.2%) were 50-64 years old, and 191(47.8%) were above 65 years old. They were mainly Miao people, accounting for 66.3% (265/400), and 235 (58.8%) had an education no more than 6 years. HIV awareness of the two age groups were only 25.8% (54/199) and 26.2% (50/191), respectively. Among those aged 50-64, 142 (68.0%) felt normal sexual desire, and 153 (73.6%) reported penile erections or erections in most cases whenever sex, and 52.9% (110) ejaculated most of the time. HIV prevalence was 1.0% (4/400). Compared with the over 65-year-old group, the proportion of having sex with spouse/stable partners (89.5%, 179/200), proportion of no condom use with their spouse/stable sexual partners during the most recent sex (93.8%, 168/179), proportion of having casual sex (11.0%, 23/209) and commercial sex (3.8%, 8/209) were all higher among 50-64 age group. In comparison to those aged over 65 years old, average monthly income>3 000, and use of sex helper, aged 50-64 (OR=2.70, 95%CI: 1.22-5.95), average monthly income ≤1 000 yuan (OR=2.79, 95%CI: 1.25-6.21), and no use of sex helper (OR=3.78) (95%CI: 1.65-8.67) were related factors of HIV risky sexual behavior last time. Conclusion: Elderly men in the minority prefecture had low HIV awareness. Compared with those≥65 years old, the 50-64 age group had more active sexual behaviors and higher sexual needs. Those from 50-64 age group, with lower economic level and good sexual ability were more likely to have HIV risky sexual behaviors.

[Assessment of schistosomiasis transmission risk in Nanjian County of Yunnan Province in 2019]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the schistosomiasis transmission risk in Nanjing County, so as to provide the scientific evidence for the development of the schistosomiasis control strategy and consolidation of the control achievements.

METHODS

On May 2019, the Deqiu Village in Deqiu Town and Baiyun Village in Nanjing Town of Yunnan Province, where schistosomiasis were historically relatively highly endemic, were selected to assess the risk of transmission of schistosomiasis by means of a retrospective review of the data pertaining to the historical endemic situation and schistosomiasis control, combined with a cross-sectional survey of snail and wild feces distribution.

RESULTS

During the period between 2017 and 2018, the mean sero-prevalence rates of Schistosoma japonicum infections were 6.76% (202/2 990) and 2.86% (142/4 971) in humans and 0 (0/1 160) and 10.65% (31/291) in bovines in Deqiu and Baiyun villages of Nanjian County, respectively; however, no egg-positives were identified; in addition, there were 21.06 hm² snail habitats found, but no S. japonicum infections were detected in snails. In 2019, there was 6.17 hm² snail habitats detected, with 2.17% (245/11 298) occurrence of frames with snails and a 0.06 snails/0.1 m² density of living snails; however, no positives for nucleic acid detection were seen in snails; among the 136 wild fecal samples captures from 23 settings, no S. japonicum infections were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of schistosomiasis transmission remains at a low level in Nanjian County; however, the factors affecting the transmission of schistosomiasis have not been completed eliminated. The integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with an emphasis on the control of the source of S. japonicum infections requires to be reinforced to consolidate the control achievements.

[Clinicopathological features and prognosis of 59 patients with platelet-derived growth factor α-mutant gastrointestinal stromal tumor]

Objective: Platelet-derived growth factor α (PDGFRA)-mutant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a relatively rare disease, whose clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis have been poorly studied. In this paper, the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of PDGFRA-mutant GIST are investigated to provide more data for its understanding and treatment. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was used to collect the medical records of patients with GIST who underwent surgical resection in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from January 2015 to August 2019. Patients with PDGFRA-mutant GIST were enrolled, and those with synonymous PDGFRA mutations, non-tumor-related deaths, and lack of clinicopathological data were excluded. The clinicopathological data were collected and the risk factors associated with prognosis were analyzed. Results: Among the enrolled 59 patients, there were 41 males (69.5%) and 18 females (30.5%) with the median age of 60 (25-79) years. All tumors originated from the stomach. The tumor size was 5 (3-7) cm, and the mitotic count was 2 (1-4)/50 high-power fields (HPF). According to the modified NIH risk stratification, 8 cases were classified as very low risk (13.6%), 25 cases as low risk (42.4%), 14 cases as moderate risk (23.7%), and 12 cases as high risk (20.3%). There were 7 cases of exon 12 mutation and 52 cases of exon 18 mutation (including 36 cases of D842V mutation). A comparison of clinicopathological features between the D842V mutation group and the non-D842V mutation group showed no statistically significant difference (all P>0.05). During a median follow-up of 21 (0-59) months, the 1- and 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates of all the patients were 96.6% and 91.5%, respectively. There were 8 cases of recurrence and 3 cases of death. Six GIST patients with D842V mutation had tumor recurrence after operation, of whom 4 cases achieved varying degrees of tumor remission after being treated with dasatinib or avapritinib. Log-rank analysis showed that the overall survival (OS) of male was better than that of female (100% vs. 83.3%, P=0.046), but there was no significant difference in OS among patients with different risk grades (P=0.057). The RFS and OS of patients with D842V mutation and non-D842V mutation, exon 12 and exon 18 mutation were similar (all P>0.05). Univariate Cox analysis showed that RFS was associated with gender (P=0.010), tumor size (P=0.042), mitotic count (P=0.003), and the modified NIH risk stratification (P=0.042), while multivariate analysis revealed that higher risk grade was an independent risk factor for recurrence of PDGFRA-mutant GIST (HR=12.796, 95%CI: 1.326-123.501, P=0.028). Gender was an independent factor for recurrence, and the risk of recurrence in males was lower than that in females (HR=0.154, 95%CI: 0.028-0.841, P=0.031). Conclusions: Gender and the modified NIH risk stratification are independent risk factors for recurrence of PDGFRA-mutant GIST, while patients with D842V and non-D842V mutation, and exon 12 and exon 18 mutation have a similar risk of recurrence and death.

[Research advance of liquid biopsy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment, while imatinib is the first-line therapy for recurrent, metastatic, and unresectable GIST. However, more than half of GIST patients suffer from secondary resistance to imatinib within 2 years after treatment initiation. Therefore, early diagnosis, drug resistance and recurrence surveillance are critical for GIST patients. Liquid biopsy is a new method which utilizes the detection of tumor biomarkers in peripheral blood for early diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy assessment. In recent years, liquid biopsy has achieved significant research progress in several kinds of malignancy. This review aims at presenting an overview on research advance of liquid biopsy in GIST and may provide a new method for early diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy assessment of GIST.

Endogenous H2S-Activable Liposomal Nanoplatform for Synergistic Colorectal Tumor Ablation at Mild Apparent Temperature

Photoinduced hyperthermia possesses great potential in photothermal therapy and thermal-responsive chemotherapy of tumors. However, traditional thermal-triggered drug release requires high temperature, which results in unpleasant activation of thermal-induced cellular self-protection. In this work, a Cu-complex modified and drug-loaded liposomal nanoplatform was constructed for endogenous H₂S-activated synergistic ablation of colorectal tumors. In response to H₂S, the incorporated Cu-complex contributed to the formation of semiconductor CuS on the surface of the as-designed liposomal nanoplatform, which led to local heating under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation to achieve simultaneous photothermal therapy and drug release. It is noteworthy that although the drug release occurred at a mild apparent temperature, it was actually triggered by the high eigen temperature on the surface of the liposomal nanoplatform. Therefore, efficient and synergistic photothermal and chemotherapy was achieved under mild apparent temperatures. This work provides insights into achieving selective and bioactivated photothermal therapy and therefore thermal-controlled drug release without using excessive hyperthermia.

PCA-based GRS analysis enhances the effectiveness for genetic correlation detection

Genetic risk score (GRS, also known as polygenic risk score) analysis is an increasingly popular method for exploring genetic architectures and relationships of complex diseases. However, complex diseases are usually measured by multiple correlated phenotypes. Analyzing each disease phenotype individually is likely to reduce statistical power due to multiple testing correction. In order to conquer the disadvantage, we proposed a principal component analysis (PCA)-based GRS analysis approach. Extensive simulation studies were conducted to compare the performance of PCA-based GRS analysis and traditional GRS analysis approach. Simulation results observed significantly improved performance of PCA-based GRS analysis compared to traditional GRS analysis under various scenarios. For the sake of verification, we also applied both PCA-based GRS analysis and traditional GRS analysis to a real Caucasian genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of bone geometry. Real data analysis results further confirmed the improved performance of PCA-based GRS analysis. Given that GWAS have flourished in the past decades, our approach may help researchers to explore the genetic architectures and relationships of complex diseases or traits.

Effects of pterostigma structure on vibrational characteristics during flight of Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The hind wings of beetles are deployable and play an essential role in flight. In the Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), the pterostigma (pst) is found in the middle of the hind wing instead of at the tip of the hind wing. This paper investigates the effect of the pst on the vibrational characteristics during the flight of H. axyridis. Based on cross sections of the pst and veins as well as the morphology and nanomechanical properties of the hind wing, including the wing membrane and veins, three three-dimensional coupling models, Models I-III, of hind wings with/without pst structures and veins with varying or uniform reduced moduli are established. Modal analysis results for these three models show that the vibrational characteristics and deformation tendencies change the flight performance of the hind wing models with pst structures compared with that of the other models. The results in this paper reveal that the pst structure has an important influence on vibrational characteristics and deformation tendencies and, hence, on flight performance; the relationships between the body mass and the area of the hind wing, which have significant implications for the design of biomimetic deployable wing structures for micro air vehicles (MAVs), are also analyzed.

[Trends regarding the 30-day readmission rates in patients discharged for acute myocardial infarction in Beijing]

Objective: To examine the characteristics and trends regarding the 30-day coronary heart disease (CHD) readmission rates in patients discharged for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Beijing, during 2007-2012. Methods: Patients hospitalized for AMI in Beijing from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2012 were identified from "The Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance System in Beijing". In total, 64 355 patients aged 25 years and over with permanent Beijing residency survived and discharged for AMI in Beijing during the above-said six years. After excluding duplicate and validation for the completeness and accuracy of the records, clinical features and 30-day CHD readmission rates for those AMI discharged patients were analyzed. Trends regarding the 30-day CHD readmission rates in patients discharged for AMI were analyzed by Poisson regression models. Results: The overall age-standardized average 30-day CHD readmission rate for AMI discharged patients was 7.7% in patients aged 25 years and over in Beijing. During the six years under study, an increasing trend was observed on the 30-day CHD readmission rates for AMI discharged patients after adjusting the age and gender (P<0.001). The age-standardized 30-day CHD readmission rates for AMI discharged patients increased by 21.3% in the past six years, from 7.0% in 2007 to 8.5% in 2012. The increase of 30-day CHD readmission rates was noted in both men and women during the six years, whereas it appeared higher in women (8.4%) than in men (7.4%), after adjusting for age. Among the AMI discharged patients, the 30-day CHD readmission rates were higher in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) than those with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients (P<0.01), and higher in discharged patients with multiple comorbidities than those without multiple comorbidities (P<0.01). Conclusions: An increasing trend in the 30-day CHD readmission rates for AMI discharged patients was observed during 2007-2012 among Beijing residents aged 25 years and over. It called for an urgent need in improving the secondary prevention of AMI discharged patients, particularly in women, with NSTEMI and those with multiple comorbidities. Findings from these unselected "real-world" data in Beijing may help to guide the management of AMI in the country as well as in other developing countries.

[Molecular identification of Tricula spp. and the parasitized trematode cercariae in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province]

OBJECTIVE

To characterize a species of the genus Tricula and parasitized trematodes in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province using a molecular analysis, so as to understand their taxonomic positions.

METHODS

Tricula spp. and Oncomelania snails were collected from Xiangyun County, Yunnan Province, and cercaria parasitizing snails were observed using crushing followed by microscopy. Cercaria parasitizing Tricula snails at various morphologies were sampled using a shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from snail soft tissues and cercariae, and the 16S rRNA, COI, 28S rDNA genes in snails and the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes in cercariae were amplified using a PCR assay and sequenced. The species of Tricula snails and their parasitized trematodes was characterized using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

Among 382 Tricula snails detected, there were three types of trematode cercariae found, including the non-forked (20.94%, 80/382), double-forked (3.40%, 13/382) and swallow shapes (7.07%, 27/382). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the 16S rRNA, COI and 28S rDNA gene sequences of this species of Tricula had high homology to those in Delavaya dianchiensis, and were clustered in a branch. Sequencing analysis of the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes revealed that the non-forked cercariae belonged to the family Pleu- rogenidae, the swallow-shaped cercariae belonged to the family Opecoelidae, and the double-forked cercariae belonged to another species of the genus Schistosoma that was different from S. sinensium and S. ovuncatum.

CONCLUSIONS

The species and taxonomy of Triculla spp. and their parasitized trematodes are preliminarily determined in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province; however, further studies are required to investigate the more definite taxonomy and pathogenicity.

[The humor characteristics of young epileptic patients and its correlation with depression]

Objective: To explore the characteristics of humor in young adult epileptic patients and examine the relationship between humor and depression. Methods: We recruited 55 young adult epileptic patients who visited outpatient clinic of the Department of Neurology of Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College between October 2018 and March 2019 and 44 healthy controls to complete the multidimensional humor scale (MSHS), humor style questionnaire (HSQ) and Beck depression scale-Ⅱ (BDI-Ⅱ), and compared their differences between the two groups. Results: The results showed that the young adult patients with epilepsy (PWEs) were affected in humor creation, coping with humor and the totally scores of MSHS. The scores of humor creation, coping with humor and the totally scores of MSHS in the young epilepsy patients were 25.3±5.9, 16.7±5.0 and 61±10, which were significantly lower than those in the control group 29.8±6.1, 21.1±2.6 and 71±8. As for the humor style, self-defeating humor scores in PWEs were higher than controls 14±5 vs 9±3, and the self-enhancing humor scores were lower than controls 18±7 vs 23±6. The scores of BDI-Ⅱ in PWEs were significantly higher than those of normal controls 13±7 vs 6±4. Pearson's correlation test showed that the scores of BDI-Ⅱ were negatively correlated with humor creation, coping with humor, the totally scores of MSHS and self-enhancing humor scores (r=-0.566--0.721, P<0.05), while it was positively correlated with self-defeating humor scores (r=0.818, P<0.05). Among the clinically relevant factors, the scores of BDI-Ⅱ were correlated with seizure control and gender. Multiple stepwise linear regression showed that coping with humor, self-defeating and self-enhancing humor scores were closely related with depression in young epileptic adults. Conclusion: The young adults with epilepsy are affected in sense of humor and humor style, which are closely related with depression.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma-derived exosomal miRNA expression and its clinical value]

The early diagnosis and effective treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still remains a difficult problem that plagues the medical community. Exosomes are microvesicles with a diameter of 40~100 nm, and contains proteins, lipids and nucleic acids (mRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and microRNAs). They serve as an information exchange carrier, and play an important role in regulating and controlling the biomolecular function to maintain the stability of the intracellular environment. The function of exosomes in HCC includes intercellular communication, neoangiogenesis, cancer cell metastasis and multidrug resistance, which mediates the transformation of microRNAs (miRNA) and regulate the microenvironment of tumor progression, and then affect the pathophysiological behavior of cancer cells. Exosome-derived miRNA can be used for HCC monitoring or potential specific markers of early diagnosis. In addition, with the development and application prospects it could be a therapeutic goal for HCC. This paper summarizes the recent progress in the study of HCC-derived exosomal miRNA.

[Abnormal expression of Wnt3a and inhibiting role of its molecular-targeted intervening in hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the Wnt3a expression in tissues of HCC and its gene knockout on effects of HepG2 cell proliferation or xenograft tumor growth. Methods: Hepatic Wnt3a expressions in 87 HCC and their matched surrounding tissues were observed by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry for analyzing its clinicopathological characteristics; Wnt3a-knockout HepG2 cell lines were established by Crispr/cas9-sgRNA system and genomic cleavage efficiency was verified at gene level by surveyor assay. The relative proteins were confirmed by Western blotting; Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to examine cell proliferation after knocking-out Wnt3a successfully, and the nude mice HepG2 cell xenograft tumors delete that the relationship between Wnt3a and HCC growth. Results: The positive Wnt3a with brown staining particles was mainly distributed in cytosol and membrane of hepatocytes. The incidence of hepatic Wnt3a expression in cancerous tissues (95.4%) was significantly higher (χ (2) = 47.754, P < 0.001) than that in their surrounding tissues (49.4%). The high Wnt3a expression was 70.1% in the HCC and only 14.9% in the surrounding tissues. High Wnt3a expression was associated with poorly-differentiated grade, liver cirrhosis, HBV infection, portal vein invasion, TNM stage and 5-year survival rate. After knocked-out by Crispr/cas9-sgRNA system successfully, Wnt3a expression was down-regulated significantly at gene or protein level. Key molecule β-catenin in cytoplasma was obviously inhibited. HepG2 cell lines proliferation was suppressed in time-dependent manner. The nude mice HepG2 cell xenograft tumors confirmed that the knock-out of Wnt3a could significantly supressed HCC growth with slower speed (t = 6.418, P < 0.001), smaller volume(869.4 ± 222.5 mm(3) vs 355.0 ± 99.9 mm(3), t = 5.168, P < 0.001), and lighter weight (0.88 ± 0.20 g vs 0.35 ± 0.11 g, t = 5.628, P < 0.001)compared with the control group. Conclusion: Abnormal expression of Wnt3a could be expected as a promising target for HCC gene therapy.

LncRNA DANCR attenuates brain microvascular endothelial cell damage induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation through regulating of miR-33a-5p/XBP1s

Brain microvascular endothelial cell (BMEC) survival and angiogenesis after ischemic stroke has great significance for improving the prognosis of stroke. Abnormal variants of lncRNAs are closely associated with stroke. In this study, we examined the effects and molecular mechanisms of differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) on apoptosis, migration, and angiogenesis of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated BMECs. We found that DANCR expression significantly increased at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 h after OGD. DANCR overexpression promoted cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis in OGD-treated BMECs. Additionally, we found that X-box binding protein l splicing (XBP1s) expression was positively correlated with DANCR expression. DANCR overexpression promoted XBP1s expression in OGD-treated BMECs. Silenced XBP1s reversed the effect of DANCR in OGD-treated BMECs. Furthermore, we found that microRNA (miR)-33a-5p bound to DANCR and the 3'-UTR of XBP1. miR-33a-5p overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and XBP1s expression in OGD-treated DANCR-overexpressing BMECs, reversing the protective effect of DANCR. Finally, we found that XBP1s expression promoted proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, reversing the damaging effect of miR-33a-5p. In conclusion, DANCR enhanced survival and angiogenesis in OGD-treated BMECs through the miR-33a-5p/XBP1s axis.

Variations in submicron aerosol liquid water content and the contribution of chemical components during heavy aerosol pollution episodes in winter in Beijing

The aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) of submicron particles (PM₁) was calculated in this work by three methods based on the aerosol physical and chemical properties measurement campaigns in winter in Beijing, including (a) the PM₁ volume difference between the ambient and dry states by applying the particle number size distribution and particle hygroscopicity measurement; (b) the thermodynamic equilibrium model (ISORROPIA II) based on the chemical composition; and (c) the κ-Köhler theory of chemical composition with a volume mixing scheme. The three methods agreed well with reasonable uncertainties. The ALWC showed an exponential trend depending on the relative humidity (RH), and an abundant ALWC was also favored by the high PM₁ mass loading. The contribution of different chemical component to the ALWC was evaluated by the κ-Köhler method, which revealed that during the measurement, the inorganics and organics could contribute to ~80% and ~20%, respectively, under ambient RH conditions, with the largest contributor of ammonium nitrate. When the RH was above 85%, the mass concentration of ALWC was comparable to, or even larger than, that of the dry PM₁.

Low-temperature microstructural studies on superconducting CaFe2As2

Undoped CaFe₂As₂ (Ca122) can be stabilized in two slightly different non-superconducting tetragonal phases, PI and PII, through thermal treatments. Upon proper annealing, superconductivity with a T_c up to 25 K emerges in the samples with an admixture of PI and PII phases. Systematic low-temperature X-ray diffraction studies were conducted on undoped Ca122 samples annealed at 350 °C over different time periods. In addition to the diffraction peaks associated with the single-phase aggregation of PI and PII, a broad intermediate peak that shifts with annealing time was observed in the superconducting samples only. Our simulation of phase distribution suggests that the extra peak is associated with the admixture of PI and PII on the nanometer scale. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirms the existence of these nano-scale phase admixtures in the superconducting samples. These experimental results and simulation analyses lend further support for our conclusion that interfacial inducement is the most reasonable explanation for the emergence of superconductivity in undoped Ca122 single crystals.

Association of sociodemographic and oncological features with decision on implant-based versus autologous immediate postmastectomy breast reconstruction in Chinese patients

Background and objectives

Immediate postmastectomy breast reconstruction (IPBR) has gained wide popularity in China. We sought to clarify the prevalence and predictors of implant‐based vs autologous IPBR among Chinese patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed using a prospectively maintained database. Women who underwent IPBR during 2001‐2017 were included. The modality‐specific trends were deciphered by curve fitting analysis. The association of sociodemographic and oncological features with the decision for implant‐based vs autologous IPBR was investigated using multivariate logistic regression and structural equation modeling.

Results

Among 905 patients included in the study, 479 underwent implant‐based IPBR and 426 underwent autologous procedures. The implant/autologous ratio has increased exponentially over time. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that unmarried patients with BMI ≤ 24 kg/m², earlier clinical tumor stage, and preoperative pathological diagnosis of noninvasive lesion are more likely to choose implant‐based IPBR compared to autologous procedures. The indirect effects of age, mastectomy type, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were further demonstrated by the structural equations.

Conclusions

The sociodemographic and oncological features are directly or indirectly associated with the decision on type of IPBR. The findings may facilitate both patients and physicians to make a high‐quality decision by holistic evaluation of the sociodemographic and oncological features.

[The association between plasma levels of 20 amino acids and risk of diabetes]

Objective: To investigate the association between the plasma levels of 20 amino acids and the risk of diabetes in middle-aged and elderly population. Methods: This study was a part of the Chinese multi-provincial cohort study conducted in communities of Shougang. In 2007 and 2012, the population was investigated for diabetes and other risk factors. Blood samples collected from 475 people were tested for various amino acid levels by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between plasma amino acid levels and diabetes risk. Results: The age of the selected population at baseline was (58.7±6.3) years, and the blood glucose level at baseline was (5.68±1.34) mmol/L. Among them, 56 (11.79%) subjects were diabetes. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and dyslipidemia, individuals with plasma branched-chain amino acid (valine, leucine and isoleucine) and cysteine in the highest tertile levels were at high risk of diabetes with the ORs of 3.61 (95% CI 1.48-8.80), 3.27 (95% CI 1.34-7.99), 2.46 (95% CI 1.04-5.84) and 2.09 (95% CI 1.02-4.27), respectively. After 5 years' followed up, 5.73% (24/419) subjects developed diabetes. Compared with those in the lowest tertile, individuals with plasma branched-chain amino acid (total concentration), phenylalanine, and tyrosine levels at baseline in the highest tertile had 3.69 times, 3.61 times and 4.14 times higher risk to develop new diabetes, respectively. In contrast, individuals with plasma glycine level in the highest tertile had only 76% (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-0.91) risk for the development of diabetes compared with those with plasma glycine level in the lowest tertile. Conclusions: The increase in plasma branched-chain amino acid and cysteine levels is significantly associated with an increase in incident diabetes. Subjects with higher levels of branched-chain amino acids and aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, tyrosine) had a significantly higher risk of developing new-onset diabetes, while those with higher glycine levels had a significantly lower risk of developing diabetes in 5 years.