[Study on mechanisms of Th17/Treg imbalance in patients with cystic echinococcosis based on miRNA expression profiles]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the serum microRNA (miRNA) expression and examine the impact of miRNA expression profiles on T helper type 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cells (Treg) imbalance among patients with cystic echinococcosis, so as to provide insights into the illustration of the mechanisms underlying chronic Echinococcus granulosus infections, and long-term pathogenesis.

METHODS

Total RNA was extracted from the sera of cystic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls, and subjected to high-throughput sequencing with the Illumina sequencing platform. Known miRNAs were annotated and new miRNAs were predicted using the miRBase database and the miRDeep2 tool, and differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. The target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted using the software miRanda and TargetScan, and the intersection was selected for Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs with the 20 highest fold changes, miRNAs that targeted genes relating to key transcription factors RORC and FOXP3 that determine the production of Th17 and Treg cells or their important regulatory pathways (PI3K-Akt and mTOR pathways) were matched.

RESULTS

A total of 53 differentially expressed miRNAs were screened in sera of cystic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls, including 47 up-regulated miRNAs and 6 down-regulated miRNAs. GO enrichment analysis showed that these differentially expressed miRNA were involved DNA transcription and translation, cell components, cell morphology, neurodevelopment and metabolic decomposition, and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed miRNA were mainly involved in MAPK, PI3K-Akt and mTOR signaling pathways. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs with the 20 highest fold changes, there were 3 miRNAs that had a potential for target regulation of RORC, and 15 miRNAs that had a potential to target the PI3K-Akt and mTOR signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant changes are found in serum miRNA expression profiles among patients with E. granulosus infections, and differentially expressed miRNAs may lead to Th17/Treg imbalance through targeting the key transcription factors of Th17/Treg or PI3K-Akt and mTOR pathways, which facilitates the long-term parasitism of E. granulosus in hosts and causes a chronic disease.

Morphological and transcriptional evaluation of multiple facial cutaneous hyperpigmented spots

Background

Morphological characteristics of major facial hyperpigmented spots have been well documented. However, detailed alterations of respective transcriptional profile for each spot and in-depth comparisons across multiple spot types have not been reported.

Objectives

To comprehensively assess and compare multiple facial hyperpigmented spot types at the morphological and molecular levels by utilising transcriptional expression profiling with correlation to quantified histological features.

Methods

Multiple types of facial spot biopsies were collected from Chinese women and compared to additional biopsies taken from adjacent healthy skin. The types of spots included Solar Lentigos with both elongated dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) (SL[E]) and flat DEJ (SL[F]), Seborrhoeic Keratosis (SK), Melasma, Freckles, Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation of resolving acne (PIH[A]) and other stimuli (PIH[O]). Combined histomorphometry, immunohistology, and transcriptome analysis for suprabasal-epidermis, basal-epidermis, and dermal compartments dissected by Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) were conducted and compared across different spot types.

Results

Each spot type was confirmed to have the unique histological pathology already documented elsewhere. Most of the spot types except Melasma and PIH (A) revealed similar melanocyte density to adjacent skin. All spots exhibited increased melanin synthesis, melanosome transportation, as well as enhanced melanocyte dendricity, however, each spot revealed a distinct transcriptome regulation pattern in pigmentation pathways. Upregulation of pigmentation genes was also observed in the dermis of SL(F), SL(E), SK and PIH(O), associated with significant modulation of DEJ related genes in basal-epidermis and/or dermal compartments, suggesting potential melanocyte infiltration into the dermis due to impaired DEJ quality. Beyond upregulated pigmentation, for most spots, gene expression in the suprabasal-epidermis regulating keratinisation was significantly upregulated in conjunction with thickened stratum corneum. Furthermore, downregulation of tight junction related genes represented by claudin-1 was observed in majority of spot types, suggesting compromised barrier function could be a similarity across spots. Additionally, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) was upregulated in all types of spots, indicating involvement of cell senescence as a common theme.

Conclusion

This comprehensive and comparative study based on the histological and transcriptional analysis of three skin compartments provided unique insights into specific causations as well as differences and similarities across multiple hyperpigmented spot types.

[Development of a Ranking Tool for Scientificity, Transparency and Applicability of Clinical Practice Guidelines]

Objective: To address the limitations of existing methods and tools for evaluating clinical practice guidelines, we aimed to develop a comprehensive instrument focusing on the three main dimensions of guideline development: scientificity, transparency, applicability. We will use it to rank the guidelines according to the scores. We abbreviated it as STAR, and its reliability, validity and usability were also tested. Methods: A multidisciplinary expert working group was set up, including methodologists, statisticians, journal editors, medical professionals, and others. Scoping review, Delphi methods and hierarchical analysis were used to determine the final checklist of STAR. Results: The new instrument contained 11 domains and 39 items. Intrinsic reliability of each domain was indicated by Cronbach's α coefficient, with a average value of 0.646. The Cohen's kappa coefficients for methodological evaluators and clinical evaluators were 0.783 and 0.618. The overall content validity index was 0.905. The R2 for the criterion validity analysis was 0.76. The average score for usability of the items was 4.6, and the mean time spent to evaluate each guideline was 20 minutes. Conclusion: The instrument has good reliability, validity and evaluating efficiency, and can be used for evaluating and ranking guidelines more comprehensively.

Yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and its active metabolites affect the cecal microbiome of broilers

Yeast cultures (YCs) are defined as promising feed additives that maintain the health of birds and improve growth performance by modulating gut microbiota. YCs contain effective metabolites such as glycine, fructose, inositol, galactose, and sucrose. This study investigated the effects of YCs and their effective metabolites on carcass traits and cecal microflora in broilers. A total of 280 one-day-old mixed-sex Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated to seven groups. The basal diet (control DZ) was supplemented with various proportions of glycine, fructose, inositol, galactose, and sucrose (Groups A, B, and C), 24-hour grown Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures (Group D) (YC), and a commercial yeast culture product (SZ) at concentrations of 0.1% and 1% (Groups E and F). Bodyweight of broilers was correlated positively with proportions of Proteobacteria in Group C and Lactobacillus and Roseburia in Group B (P <0.05). Broilers fed diets supplemented with YC or its active metabolites had the highest proportions of bacteria involved in nucleotide metabolism, and amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. These results suggested that the dietary addition of YC could alter the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in broilers.

[Mapping Regulatory Elements within 5' and 3' UTRs of SIGLEC15 with a Use of Reporter System]

Siglec-15 is an immune suppressor with broad upregulation on various cancer types and has emerged as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. However, it remains unclear how SIGLEC15 expression is controlled in normal or cancer cells. In this work, we utilized reporter assays to evaluate the impact of the 5' UTR and the 3' UTR of SIGLEC15 mRNA on gene expression. We found that the 3' UTR dramatically reduced reporter protein production, whereas the 5' UTR showed modest inhibitory effect. Quantification of steady-state mRNA revealed the good coupling of protein amount and mRNA abundance that was associated with the 3' UTR. In contrast, the 5' UTR had little effect on mRNA abundance compared with the empty control. By measuring mRNA half-life, we showed that the 3' UTR markedly promoted mRNA degradation. Testing shortened 3' UTR fragments demonstrated five out of the six having notable inhibitory effect, with the one spanning 993-1317 had the most robust activity. More interestingly, the 993-1317 region contains a predicted 43-nt stem-loop structure that showed apparent inhibitory activity in four cell lines tested. These results suggested that the 3' UTR inhibited reporter gene expression by accelerating mRNA decay possibly via multiple cis-regulatory elements, but the 5' UTR repressed gene expression by inhibiting translation. Thus, our findings provided a clue to the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of SIGLEC15 expression.

Making copper, silver and gold fullerene cages breathe

We show that optical properties change when the fullerene structures of Au₃₂, Cu₃₂and Ag₃₂inflate and deflate. We first observe significant differences in the extinction spectra employing a classical approach based on the Green's dyadic method. By means of real-time time-dependent density functional theory. We continue to calculate the optical spectrum (OP) via aδ-kick simulation, comparing results with the ground-state energetic property the HOMO-LUMO (HL) gap. Red-shift of the OP is expected as the fullerenes inflate, with only ±10% change in the size. As the fullerene breathes, a 0.8 eV shift in the first peak position could be observed in the gold nanoparticle. Ag has a smoother behaviour than both Au and Cu. We have also found changes in the optical spectra can not be directly interpreted as a result of changes in the HL gap.

Integrative Analysis of Biomarkers and Mechanisms in Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma

Craniopharyngioma is a benign tumor, and the predominant treatment methods are surgical resection and radiotherapy. However, both treatments may lead to complex complications, seriously affecting patients’ survival rate and quality of life. Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP), as one of the histological subtypes of craniopharyngioma, is associated with a high incidence and poor prognosis, and there is a gap in the targeted therapy of immune-related genes for ACP. In this study, two gene expression profiles of ACP, namely GSE68015 and GSE94349, were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the Limma package, and 271 differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) were obtained from the Immport database. The gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery. Five hub genes, including CXCL6, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, and SAA1, were screened out through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network interaction construction. Two diagnostic markers, namely S100A2 and SDC1 (both of which have the Area Under Curve value of 1), were screened by the machine learning algorithm. CIBERSORT analysis showed that M2 macrophages, activated NK cells, and gamma delta T cells had higher abundance in ACP infiltration, while CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells, and Neutrophils had less abundance in ACP infiltration. The expression of gamma delta T cells was positively correlated with CXCL6, S100A2, SDC1, and SAA1, while CD8+ T cells expression was negatively correlated with CXCL6, S100A2, SDC1, and CXCL10. ACP with high CXCL6 showed remarkable drug sensitivity to Pentostatin and Wortmannin via CellMiner database analysis. Our results deepened the understanding of the molecular immune mechanism in ACP and provided potential biomarkers for the precisely targeted therapy for ACP.

Exerimental method and preliminary studies of the passive containment water film evaporation mass transfer

For larger containments and higher operation parameters, characteristics of the outside cooling of the PCCS are very important for the analysis on the containment integrity. A preliminary analysis was made and a four-step experimental method was used to numerically analyze the falling water film evaporation for the advanced passive containment. Then, the water flow stability along the outside wall of the containment was studied. The results fit well with those correlations without airflow when the air velocity is less than 5.0 m/s. However, when the air velocity is larger than 5.0 m/s, the influence of the air velocity on the water film will appear and the mean water film thickness will be thicker. Based on the prototype operation parameters, experimental studies were carried and the results were compared with the Dittus-Boelter correlation within the operation ranges. A modification factor was proposed for the conservative application of this correlation for nuclear safety analysis.

Clinicopathological significance of CBX3 in colorectal cancer: An intensive expression study based on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues

CBX3 is an isoform of the heterochromatin protein 1 family, which is involved in carcinogenesis and promotes the progression of certain types of cancer. The expression level and clinicopathological significances of CBX3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) are still not well reported. In this study, we examined CBX3 protein expression in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded normal mucosae, hyperplastic polyps, low-and high-grade adenomas, and CRC tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. The associations of CBX3 expression levels with clinicopathological parameters, mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression, and kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) and B-raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) mutations were analyzed. Our results showed that CBX3 protein was negatively expressed in normal mucosae and hyperplastic polyps, as well as in most low-grade adenomas. Interestingly, CBX3 protein was positively expressed in most high-grade adenomas and CRC tissues. CBX3 expression level was associated with tumor differentiation (p = 0.012), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.024), TNM stage (p = 0.008) and survival (p = 0.029). CBX3 expression was associated with MMR protein expression (p = 0.011) and KRAS mutation (p = 0.013), but not with BRAF mutation (p = 0.097). Our data suggest that CBX3 may be used as a molecular marker in CRC to evaluate tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and pathological stage.

The combination of sucrose dilaurate and sucrose laurate suppresses HMGB1: an enhancer of melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer to keratinocytes

BACKGROUND

Hyperpigmented spots are common issues in all ethnicities, involving multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as UVB exposure, hormone balance, inflammatory status and ageing.

OBJECTIVES

To determine (i) melanocyte dendricity in multiple facial spot types, (ii) impact of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), and the combination of sucrose dilaurate and sucrose laurate (SDL) on melanogenesis and melanocyte dendricity, and (iii) SDL effect on facial spots in a human use test.

METHODS

Facial spot and adjacent non-spot skin biopsies were collected from Chinese women (age 20-70). Histological assessment of melanocyte dendricity was performed for 3 spot types (solar lentigo, melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation) by immunofluorescent staining for c-kit/MITF. Keratinocyte, melanocyte and melanocyte-keratinocyte co-culture models were used to assess HMGB1 release by UVB radiation, the effects of HMGB1 and SDL on melanin production, melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer. The effect of an SDL-containing moisturizer on appearance of facial hyperpigmented spots was assessed against a vehicle control in an 8-week human use test.

RESULTS

Melanocytes in spot areas are more dendritic than melanocytes in adjacent non-spot skin across three investigated spot types. In cell culture models, a moderate UVB-radiation exposure caused release of HMGB1 from keratinocytes. HMGB1 did not alter melanin production in melanocytes, but enhanced melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer. SDL reduced HMGB1 release from keratinocytes, inhibited melanin production, reversibly suppressed melanocyte dendricity and reduced melanosome transfer. In the human use test, SDL-containing moisturizer reduced appearance of spots versus vehicle.

CONCLUSION

Increased melanocyte dendricity was observed in multiple types of facial spots. Addition of HMGB1 protein increased melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer in cell cultures, implicating potential involvement in spot formation. SDL suppressed melanin production, melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer in vitro and reduced appearance of spots in the use test, suggesting SDL is an effective solution to address hyperpigmented spot concerns.

MiR-3682 promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via inactivating AMPK signaling by targeting ADRA1A

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate miR-3682 as a biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

MiRNA and RNA profiles of 375 HCC tissues and 50 normal liver samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were applied to examine the prognostic value of factors. Target genes of miR-3682 were analyzed by TargetScan and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Online Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) to perform KEGG pathway enrichment. Cell counting kit-8, colony formation and migration and invasion assays were performed to analyze biological behaviors of HCC cells.

RESULTS

MiR-3682 was identified to be highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. And miR-3682 was negatively and independently associated with the outcome of HCC patients. Inhibition of miR-3682 suppressed HCC cell viability and mobility. ADRA1A, predicted and confirmed as the novel target of miR-3682, was an independent and positive prognostic predictor for HCC. In addition, the knockdown of ADRA1A partially offset the inhibitory effect of miR-3682 inhibitor on the growth and mobility of HCC cells. DAVID enrichment and western blot of key signaling-related proteins analyses revealed that miR-3682 inactivated 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling by negatively regulating ADRA1A. Mechanically, it was partially through suppressing AMPK signaling via targeting ADRA1A that miR-3682 supported the HCC cell malignant phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

This study implicates that miR-3682 plays an oncogenetic role in HCC and can be considered a novel therapeutic target and prognostic indicator of HCC.

Quantitative prediction of CeO2 and LaAlO3 infrared spectra based on first-principles calculations

A theoretical method to predict the infrared spectra of oxide crystals is provided.

Review: What have we learned about the effects of heat stress on the pig industry?

Pig production faces seasonal fluctuations. The low farrowing rate of sows mated in summer, increased carcass fatness of progeny born to the sows mated in summer, and slower growth rate of finisher pigs in summer are three economically important impacts identified in the pig industry. The purpose of this review is to examine advances over the past decade in understanding the mechanisms underlying the three impacts associated with summer conditions, particularly heat stress (HS), and to provide possible amelioration strategies. For impact 1, summer mating results in low farrowing rates mainly caused by the high frequency of early pregnancy disruptions. The contributions of semen DNA damage, poor oocyte quality, local progesterone concentrations, and suboptimal embryonic oestrogen secretion are discussed, as these all may contribute to HS-mediated effects around conception. Despite this, it is still unclear what the underlying mechanisms might be and thus, there is currently a lack of commercially viable solutions. For impact 2, there have been recent advances in the understanding of gestational HS on both the sow and foetus, with gestational HS implicated in decreased foetal muscle fibre number, a greater proportion of lighter piglets, and increased carcass fatness at slaughter. So far, no effective strategies have been developed to mitigate the impacts associated with gestational HS on foetuses. For impact 3, the slowed growth rate of pigs during summer is one reason for the reduced carcass weights in summer. Studies have shown that the reduction in growth rates may be due to more than reductions in feed intake alone, and the impaired intestinal barrier function and inflammatory response may also play a role. In addition, it is consistently reported that HS attenuates fat mobilisation which can potentially exacerbate carcass fatness when carcass weight is increased. Novel feed additives have exhibited the potential to reduce the impacts of HS on intestinal barrier function in grower pigs. Collectively, based on these three impacts, the economic loss associated with HS can be estimated. A review of these impacts is warranted to better align the future research directions with the needs of the pig industry. Ultimately, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and continuous investments in developing commercially viable strategies to combat HS will benefit the pig industry.

Application of deep learning to auto-delineation of target volumes and organs at risk in radiotherapy

The technological advancement heralded the arrival of precision radiotherapy (RT), thereby increasing the therapeutic ratio and decreasing the side effects from treatment. Contour of target volumes (TV) and organs at risk (OARs) in RT is a complicated process. In recent years, automatic contouring of TV and OARs has rapidly developed due to the advances in deep learning (DL). This technology has the potential to save time and to reduce intra- or inter-observer variability. In this paper, the authors provide an overview of RT, introduce the concept of DL, summarize the data characteristics of the included literature, summarize the possible challenges for DL in the future, and discuss the possible research directions.

Research on a Fractal Dimension Calculation Method for a Nano-Polymer Microspheres Dispersed System

Polymer microspheres (PMs) are a kind of self-similar volume expansion particle, and their fractal dimension varies with hydration swelling. However, there is no unique fractal dimension calculation method for their characteristics. A new model is established in this paper, which is particular to calculate the fractal dimension of PMs. We carried out swelling hydration experiments and scanning electron microscope (SEM) experiments to verify the new model. The new model and the box-counting model were used to calculate the fractal dimensions of PMs based on the hydration experiment results. Then, a comparison of the calculation results of the two methods was used to verify the validity of the model. Finally, according to the new model calculation results, the fractal dimension characteristics of PMs were analyzed. The research results indicate that the new model successfully correlates the cumulative probability of the PMs dispersed system with the fractal dimension and makes fractal dimension calculation of PMs more accurate and convenient. Based on the experiment results, the new model was used to calculate the fractal dimension of PMs and the box-counting model, and its findings were all 2.638 at initial state hydration and 2.739 and 2.741 at hydration time as of day 1. This result verifies the correctness of the new model. According to the hydration swelling experiments and the new model calculation results, the fractal dimension is linear correlated to the average particle size of PMs and the standard deviation average particle size. This means the fractal dimension of PMs represents the space occupancy ability and space occupancy effectiveness.

[Research of the certified reference material of mecury in lyophilized bovine blood]

Objective: To develop a reference material for the analysis of mercury in freeze-dried bovine blood. Methods: The whole blood of the bovine was collected, mercury standard solution was added, After mixing, packaging and freeze-drying. Two concentration levels of reference materials were prepared. The homogeneity and stability were evaluated by t-test and F-test methods respectively. The uncertainty in preparation, long-term stability, short-term stability and fixed value were evaluated Evaluation and assignment of reference materials. The research products were fixed value and were analyzed by two methods and fixed value in 9 laboratories and the uncertainty during development was analyzed. Results: The reference material has good uniformity and can be kept stably for 12 months at -20 ℃; When transported at ≤35 ℃, the quantity value is stable within 7 days; After re dissolution, it can be stored at 4 ℃ for 5 days; The values are 9.4 respectively μg/L and 29.2 μg/L, and the uncertainty is ±1.1 respectively μg/L and ±2.3 μg/L (k=2) . Conclusion: The indexes of reference materials for mercury composition analysis in freeze-dried bovine blood meet the requirements of technical specifications and have certain application value.

High-Throughput NanoBiT-Based Screening for Inhibitors of HIV-1 Vpu and Host BST-2 Protein Interaction

Bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST-2), also known as CD317 or tetherin, has been identified as a host restriction factor that suppresses the release of enveloped viruses from host cells by physically tethering viral particles to the cell surface; however, this host defense can be subverted by multiple viruses. For example, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 encodes a specific accessory protein, viral protein U (Vpu), to counteract BST-2 by binding to it and directing its lysosomal degradation. Thus, blocking the interaction between Vpu and BST-2 will provide a promising strategy for anti-HIV therapy. Here, we report a NanoLuc Binary Technology (NanoBiT)-based high-throughput screening assay to detect inhibitors that disrupt the Vpu-BST-2 interaction. Out of more than 1000 compounds screened, four inhibitors were identified with strong activity at nontoxic concentrations. In subsequent cell-based BST-2 degradation assays, inhibitor Y-39983 HCl restored the cell-surface and total cellular level of BST-2 in the presence of Vpu. Furthermore, the Vpu-mediated enhancement of pesudotyped viral particle production was inhibited by Y-39983 HCl. Our findings indicate that our newly developed assay can be used for the discovery of potential antiviral molecules with novel mechanisms of action.

P–602 Pregnancy outcomes of progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol, GnRH antagonist protocol and GnRH agonist protocol for young patients undergoing PGT-M

Study question

To investigate the pregnancy outcomes of progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol, GnRH antagonist protocol and GnRH agonist protocol for young patients undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic gene diseases.

Summary answer

PPOS protocol could reduce the normal chromosome formation and further development potential of embryos, suggesting that the PPOS protocol should be used cautiously.

What is known already

GnRH antagonist protocol (GnRHant) and GnRH agonist protocol (GnRHa) have been used in clinic for many years as routine regimens, and their ovarian stimulation effects and pregnancy outcomes have been confirmed by a large number of literatures. As a new protocol in recent years, the reports of pregnancy outcomes of progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol (PPOS) are inconsistent.

Study design, size, duration

This retrospective cohort study was performed in a reproduction center from a tertiary hospital between September 2018 and November 2020 which included 147 young patients (&lt;35 year old) undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic gene diseases (PGT-M) after stimulated by progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol (n = 44), GnRH antagonist protocol (n = 60) or GnRH agonist protocol (n = 43).

Participants/materials, setting, methods

This study included 147 young patients (&lt;35 year old) undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic gene diseases (PGT-M) after stimulated by progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol (PPOS, n = 44), GnRH antagonist protocol (GnRHant, n = 60) or GnRH agonist protocol (GnRHa, n = 43). The primary outcomes were normal karyotype embryo rate and live birth rate. The embryological and clinical outcomes were measured.

Main results and the role of chance

Basic characteristics such as infertility duration, age, and body mass index (BMI) were comparable in study groups. No significant difference was found in the number oocytes retrieved or viable embryos between the groups.

Normal karyotype embryo rate of PPOS protocol was significantly lower than GnRHant and GnRHa protocol (57.6% for PPOS vs 76.0% for GnRHant vs 67.3% for GnRHa).

No significant difference were found in chemical pregnancy rate (77.3% for PPOS vs 73.3% for GnRHant vs 74.4% for GnRHa) or clinical pregnancy rate (69.8% for PPOS vs 71.7% for GnRHant vs 72.5% for GnRHa). While live birth rate of PPOS protocol was significantly lower than GnRHant and GnRHa protocol ( 45.5% for PPOS vs 58.3% for GnRHant vs 72.2% for GnRHa).

Limitations, reasons for caution

This is a preliminary study which needs to be further confirmed by large-scale clinical studies.

Wider implications of the findings: Although this is a preliminary study which needs to be further confirmed by large-scale clinical studies, the current results suggest that the application of PPOS should be cautious.

Trial registration number

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Genome-wide epistatic interactions of litter size at birth in Chinese indigenous pigs

Improving litter size at birth (TNB) and the number of piglets born alive (NBA) are the main breeding goals related to litter traits, which are economically important. A better understanding of genetic architecture underlying TNB and NBA traits could increase pig production efficiency. However, most previous studies on these traits focus on additive genetic effects, while epistatic interactions underlying TNB and NBA traits has not yet been well investigated, which are essential to understand how traits-related genes interact. Herein, we conducted genome scans of epistatic interactions underlying TNB and NBA traits in a total of 150 Chinese indigenous pigs (75 Jinhua and 75 Shengxian Spotted pigs) with high throughput genomic data. Based on SNPs with high interaction values and connectivity scores, we identified eight promising candidate genes (AKT2, TSC1, MTOR, PIK3R5, TIAM1, FGF14, RALB and ROR2) potentially associated with litter traits in pigs. Moreover, the underlying pathways, e.g., calcium ion transport, pointed out their roles in litter size-related traits. Our findings provide new insight into genetic architecture of litter traits in pigs and will benefit economic profits in pig production.

[Design, screening and antibacterial activity evaluation of the novel antibacterial peptide KR-1]

OBJECTIVE

To design novel antimicrobial peptides with high activity and low toxicity and evaluate their effect against Streptococcus mutans and other oral bacteria for prevention and treatment of dental caries.

OBJECTIVE

We synthesized two antimicrobial peptides (KR-1 and KR-2) using Dhvar4 (a histatins5 mimic) as the template. The antimicrobial peptides with high activity and low toxicity were screened using minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) test, hemolysis test, and CCK-8 assay. Streptococcus mutans biofilms cultured in 96-well plates were divided into experimental group (KR-1) and positive control group (CHX) and treated with concentration gradients (0.6×, 0.8×, 1× and 2× MICs) of KR-1 and CHX, respectively. Crystal violet staining was used for quantitative analysis of the changes of the biofilms after the treatments. The structural changes of the biofilms were observed with laser confocal microscopy after KR-1 treatment at 10 × MIC. The antimicrobial activity of KR-1 against oral Streptococcus was analyzed based on the time required for sterilization after KR-1 treatment.

OBJECTIVE

The MIC of KR-1 and KR-2 for S. mutans was 3.2 μmol/L and 12.8 μmol/L, respectively. Under the effective concentration, KR-1 and KR-2 resulted in hemolysis rates of 0.35% and 48.8% in rabbit red blood cells and lowered the survival rates of gingival fibroblasts to 88.7% and 21.94%, respectively. KR-1 treatment significantly reduced biofilm formation with a minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC₅₀) lower than 1.92 μmol/L, and showed an even stronger antimicrobial than CHX at the concentration of 2.56 μmol/L (P=0.001). Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the biofilm structure became loosened after KR-1 treatment, which was capable of killing about 90% of the bacteria within 5 min.

OBJECTIVE

The antimicrobial peptide KR-1 has a stronger antibacterial activity and a low toxicity with a good inhibitory effect against S. mutans biofilm.

Distinct Regionalization Patterns of Cortical Morphology are Associated with Cognitive Performance Across Different Domains

Cognitive performance in children is predictive of academic and social outcomes; therefore, understanding neurobiological mechanisms underlying individual differences in cognition during development may be important for improving quality of life. The belief that a single, psychological construct underlies many cognitive processes is pervasive throughout society. However, it is unclear if there is a consistent neural substrate underlying many cognitive processes. Here, we show that a distributed configuration of cortical surface area and apparent thickness, when controlling for global imaging measures, is differentially associated with cognitive performance on different types of tasks in a large sample (N = 10 145) of 9-11-year-old children from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentSM (ABCD) study. The minimal overlap in these regionalization patterns of association has implications for competing theories about developing intellectual functions. Surprisingly, not controlling for sociodemographic factors increased the similarity between these regionalization patterns. This highlights the importance of understanding the shared variance between sociodemographic factors, cognition and brain structure, particularly with a population-based sample such as ABCD.

LncRNA NORAD stimulates proliferation and migration of renal cancer via activating the miR-144-3p/MYCN axis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to clarify the potential role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NORAD in the development of renal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression levels of NORAD, miR-144-3p, and MYCN in renal cancer tissues and cell lines were detected. After overexpression of NORAD, proliferative and migratory changes in ACHN and A498 cells were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay, respectively. Thereafter, Luciferase assay was conducted to determine the interaction in the NORAD/miR-144-3p/MYCN axis. Besides, its biological function in influencing phenotype changes of renal cancer cells was finally demonstrated by rescue experiments.

RESULTS

The results manifested that NORAD and MYCN were upregulated, while miR-144-3p was downregulated in renal cancer tissues. Overexpression of NORAD stimulated proliferative and migratory potentials in ACHN and A498 cells, which were partially abolished by co-overexpression of miR-144-3p. Moreover, NORAD/miR-144-3p/MYCN axis was found to be responsible for stimulating the malignant development of renal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA NORAD stimulates proliferative and migratory potentials in renal cancer by sponging miR-144-3p to upregulate MYCN.

[Ion chromatography for the determination of ethylamine in the workplace air]

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of ethylamine in the air of the workplace by ion chromatography. Methods: In August 2020, ethylamine in the air of the workplace was adsorbed by a basic silica gel tube, and ultrasonically desorbed with a 1 mmol/L sulfuric acid solution, and then qualitatively and quantitatively determined by ion chromatography. Results: The linear range of the method was 0.014-50 μg/ml, and the linear equation of the standard curve was y=0.1243x+0.0429, the correlation coefficient was r=0.9997. The detection limit of the method was 4.29 μg/L, and the lower limit of quantification was 14.29 μg/L. The lowest quantitative concentration was 0.012 mg/m(3) (in term of sampling 6.0 L) . The average desorption efficiency of the method was 97.31%, the precision was 1.00%-1.68%, and the standard recovery rate was 96.33%-99.61%. Conclusion: This method is fast, sensitive and accurate, and can be used for the determination of ethylamine in the air of workplace.

[Predictive value of quantitative electroencephalogram in the poor outcome of children with non-traumatic disturbance of consciousness in pediatric intensive care unit]

Objective: To explore the predictive value of quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) in the poor outcome of children with non-traumatic disturbance of consciousness (DoC) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: A prospective study was conducted. From January 2019 to May 2019, a total of 62 patients aged from 1 month to 11 years with non-traumatic DoC in the PICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College were enrolled. Bedside monitoring with NicoletOne monitor was performed within 24 hours after admission, and qEEG parameters, including amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG), relative alpha variability (RAV), relative band power (RBP), and spectral entropy (SE) were recorded. The state of consciousness was assessed with modified pediatric Glasgow coma scale (MPGCS) before monitoring. According to the pediatric cerebral performance category score at 1 year after discharge, the enrolled subjects were divided into good and poor outcome groups. The association between these variables and the poor outcome was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and the predictive performance was analyzed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: There were 39 males and 23 females, with the age of 12.0 (5.8, 24.0) months. Fifty patients (81%) were in the good outcome group and 12 patients (19%) in the poor outcome group. The univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.037, 95%CI 1.001-1.074, P=0.041), severe abnormal aEEG (OR=128.000, 95%CI 10.274-1 594.656, P<0.01), RAV (OR=0.877, 95%CI 0.810-0.949, P=0.001), SE (OR=0.892, 95%CI 0.814-0.978, P=0.015), and MPGCS score (OR=0.511, 95%CI 0.349-0.747, P=0.001) were significantly associated with the poor outcome. However, the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that only severe abnormal aEEG (OR=315.692, 95%CI 6.091-16 362.298, P=0.004) and RAV (OR=0.808, 95%CI 0.664-0.983, P=0.033) were significantly associated with the poor outcome. The area under the curve (AUC) of the aEEG and RAV in predicting the poor outcome were 0.848 (95%CI 0.735-0.927, P<0.01) and 0.847 (95%CI 0.733-0.926, P<0.01), respectively. The optimal cut-off value was severe abnormal for the aEEG and 38% for the RAV, with sensitivity of 67% and 83%, specificity of 98% and 84%, positive predictive value of 89% and 55%, negative predictive value of 92% and 95%, and Youden index of 0.647 and 0.673, respectively. The AUC of the novel combined index of aEEG and RAV for predicting the poor outcome was 0.974 (95%CI 0.898-0.998, P<0.01). Conclusions: The aEEG and RAV are reliable predictors for the poor outcome of children with non-traumatic DoC, and the novel combined index of aEEG and RAV can improve the predictive performance. The qEEG can be used as a routine method for outcome assessment due to its good objectivity.

Autophagy activators stimulate the removal of advanced glycation end products in human keratinocytes

BACKGROUND

The accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) can impact cellular homoeostasis and protein structure, thus is implicated in numerous skin conditions including yellow, dull appearance. AGE formation is irreversible; thus, understanding of the recycling process of AGEs in the skin is critical for addressing skin appearance conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether (i) accumulation of AGEs occurs in dull appearance group among young population (age 20-29) (ii) in vitro autophagy stimulation results in reduction of AGEs in keratinocytes.

METHODS

Facial cheek biopsies were collected from Chinese women (age 20-50) exhibiting either dull or non-dull appearing skin. Histological assessment of glycation was performed for representative subjects among the 20-29 years sub-group by immunofluorescence staining of AGEs. LC-MS methods and keratinocyte cell culture were used to assess impact of autophagy modulators and skin care materials on carboxymethyl lysine (CML) amount, a representative AGE.

RESULTS

Notable amounts of AGEs were observed in the epidermal samples among young females. Interestingly, the amount of AGEs was significantly higher among the dull skin appearance group. Treatment of keratinocytes with glyceraldehyde (GLA) enhanced CML in the cells, and postglycation treatment with autophagy activators reduced CML. Two skin care materials, Nymphaea alba flower extract (a.k.a. white water lily extract) and sucrose dilaurate, were identified based from in vitro autophagy activation and found to reduce CML in keratinocytes.

CONCLUSION

We found AGEs accumulate in the facial epidermis even among young people, correlating to a yellow and dull appearance. We also demonstrated in vitro activation of autophagy can reduce AGEs in keratinocytes, and autophagy activating skin care materials, N. alba flower extract and sucrose dilaurate, also reduce AGEs in the keratinocyte in vitro model. These data suggest epidermal AGEs contribute to the dull skin appearance, and autophagy activators may provide an effective solution to improve dull appearance by removing and recycling the accumulated glycation in the skin.